Survived week one!

Hola friends, 

I'm am writing now from school. Not surprisingly, many things I expected to happen this week have changed. Last week I sat through many long (Spanish only) meetings and was told many different things. This week the students have arrived but it is still orientation for them. I believe I start actually teaching tomorrow, but I will not get my weekly schedule until tomorrow. This is life in a new culture. Having a job in another country really highlights are own protocols and cultural differences. Its been a wild ride but I'm looking forward to meeting my students and encouraging them to engage in English class. 


Here are a few things I have learned (or had to unlearn) so far:

•  Spanish! Even after just one week my comprehension has improved. The joke with my US friends is that as our Spanish improves our English gets worse. It's funny because it's true.
•  I may be teaching classes by myself. I have been preparing for a co-teacher this whole time but when in Colombia there are always surprises. Also, I am teaching 9th and 10th grade (and yes, even in Colombia they are mostly taller than me.)
• Internet at Luz Maria's is probably not an option anymore. Emile and I are going to look for other options because she is unhappy with us using  it so much. This means I won't have the flexibility I thought but I will just have to plan my online time more wisely. 
• Potlucks are just as cool in Colombia as they are in the US. Our first Friday here the volunteers got together at a former volunteers apartment. Incidentally there was a lot of Italian food and wine which I was perfectly ok with. I spiced it up with some mexicana guacamole and plantain chips! 
• Colombian friends rock. I finally met up with my Colombian friend Natalia in the swanky neighborhood of Zona Rosa. We danced the night away.
• You really never tire of the amazing mountain views that encase the city to the east and south. Here is a panoramic of the view from Guatavita Lagoon (where the legend of El Dorado lives).  

• The weather outside is weather. It is still a foreign concept for me to not have seasons or more importantly a mid-year wardrobe change. The funny thing is even though everyday varies between 45-60 degrees all Bogotanos complain of being cold. It also rains nearly every day around 3 or 4 pm. It's really like clockwork.
•  I found out my holidays and festivos! I have one week off in April, the last week of June and the first week of July, and the week of Columbus Day in October. I have a "festivo" (one day off/long weekend) about every month. BUT Colombia is very rude in making their Labor Day May 1st which makes September our only month without a festivo. How dare they not celebrate my birthday like the states...
• There is a TV channel here called Fox Life that has pretty much a combo of all my favorite shows- House Hunters, No Reservations, and multiple Food Network programs. Its fabulous for falling asleep to and feeling just a smidge of normal. (Also, the Spanish subtitles help my vocabulary, so its educational.)

This is about all that's new in my world. I will have more posts about my school at the end of this week once I start teaching. I miss everyone and hope to Skype/email with you often. Email and Facebook are the best ways to reach me while my internet is in limbo. I'm still waiting to find out if I can get mail at my address or not. 


Hasta Luego!
KB