"Hola Profe!"

Happy Leap Year and Happy Hump Day fellow readers and boy has it been a long day already. Big news has happened at school. Emilie and I got one class taken away which means I am only teaching 27 hours instead of 30 per week. I guess now would be a good time to explain my schedule. 

I (now) have five classes that are fully my responsibility because I see them five hours a week and I am their only English teacher. Then I have five additional classes in 9^th grade that I only meet with once a week for “workshops.”  In these hour long classes I focus on listening and speaking skills aka more fun and less grammar! 

So this week I got to take away one class (906) so I only see them for workshops and I gained an additional workshop (901) which is a class of girls that did not have an English teacher up until a week ago due to scheduling issues. Yesterday, I broke the news to 906 that they were getting a new teacher and they were not happy. This class of 40 boys is usually one of my most difficult, and I asked to give them up reluctantly. It was harder than I thought to tell them, especially since when I walked into class a boy was playing his guitar and a few of them were singing Coldplay’s “The Scientist” for me because I played “Fix You” in class last week. My heart melted. There are some really sweet boys that really want to learn English in that class. Unfortunately there are 25 other boys that never shut up. I will still see these boys once a week and invited the smarties to come to the English Club I am trying to start. 

So many students from other grades and classes have asked me to teach them English and ask me why I am in 9^th and 10^th grade, not 11^th or 8^th or anywhere else. I have even had parents find me and beg me to speak with their students after school. We are not allowed to give private lessons to students (which is for our benefit because we would be bombarded with people). So I hope to create an English club to give an additional space at school for highly motivated students. I will keep you posted on how that turns out.

Colombian students are unusually generous with their teachers and each other. I bet even the only children in Colombia are good sharers. I usually get jealous because Emilie in primary school receives tons of stickers and chocolates every day. But my students have slowly caught on that I like free things and so far I have gotten a few goodies. Today may have been the best gift so far when I received a small container of caramel/chocolate tea that will “help with my stress” from an 11^th grader that I don’t even have in class! That certainly beats the old apple for teacher’s pet!

And another thing that is pretty adorable. Teachers here are called "Profe" short for profesora. Most teachers are called profe instead of by their names, and when students do use names it is usually the first name. So I am either Kate, Miss Bailey, Teacher (mostly) or profe. Even though my students aren't supposed to speak Spanish. Profe is the one word I let slide.

For Your Entertainment

 

This is one of my favorite things. Please watch and get a small taste of the organization I work for. Minuto de Dios is a huge community featured in this video. Not only do you get to see my neighborhood and a few people I work with, you get to appreciate the art involved in ultra-choreographed workplace song and dance. It's all about el poder del amor... the power of love!

Comida in Colombia

Here is a little taste of Colombia for your eyes to enjoy. This only scrapes the surface of all the wonderful dishes I am just beginning to explore. 

Juice/Jugo: The thing I most remembered about my first trip to Colombia and the most important thing to know in general about the delicious treats here are the juices. Colombians have fruit everywhere, some we have never heard of and some we may see as specialty items obviously grown nowhere near New England. Here they squeeze fresh juice, literally upwards of 20 options at some places, and you can order it con agua (water) or con leche (milk). Jugo con leche is this fabulous combination that is not quite a smoothie but is much creamier than regular juice.  

Mango and Mora con leche. from the local juice man. Que Rico!

Mora: This is my favorite fruit here… it’s the word for blackberry. You may be saying to yourself now don’t we have blackberries in the US? Of course we do. What you should be asking is why don’t we juice them!? Seriously its fabulous even as someone that is a convert from team raspberry. Mora is found everywhere from ice cream to candy to jello and everything in between. PS Colombians are oddly into jello here too. 

Lulo: Ok, this is actually an exotic fruit. The lulo is only grown in Colombia and the best way to describe the taste is kiwi like. It looks sort of like an orange tomato and the key is to leave them until they are extra soft before you smoosh it into delicious jugo. 

Maracuya: This translates to passion fruit but do not be confused because supposedly three different fruits all translate to passion fruit in English. Maracuya is a great partner with mango or pineapple for juice. I suppose you can eat the fruit here too but it’s much more fun in juice form. One of the great perks of working at my school is that lunch each day comes with fresh juice- today was limonada which is lime-aid not lemonade but it was scrumptious just the same. 

Getting ready to juice Maracuya!

Coconut:  I understand why I’ve never fully appreciated the coconut until now, hailing from New England doesn’t typically present itself to fresh coconut often. But here coconut is a flavor of cookies, muffins, and so much street food. It’s becoming a small addiction that I don’t plan on stopping. 

Guanabana: This is probably the most intimidating fruit I have tried to far, not because its name sounds like a muppet song (Manama!) but because it is big and spikey and green. This weekend I got the nerve to try it in frozen yogurt form (wild, I know) and was pleasantly surprised.  Now I have tried the pretty mild flavored fruit in juice and in regular eating form and I officially put it in the “yummy” column.  

That green monster next to the bananas...

Now for some more cultural flavor…

The mystery is solved.

Peto:  Oh peto. This is the name for the mysterious pitcher Emilie and I spotted on our kitchen table that seemed to have some sort of chunky milk concoction. The other day we asked Luz what this mystery involved… she told us it was Peto! A corn mixture soaked in milk that sort of tastes like you left your soggy cornflakes out overnight.  We didn’t love it, shockingly, but at least we solved the mystery!

Speaking of milk…  There are many things in Colombia that we would consider not normal or “just wrong” as compared to what we know in the US. I try to avoid these feelings as much as possible and appreciate that there are other ways to do things in the world. Milk is not exactly one of them. Here, milk is always sold in plastic bags, and it is not refrigerated. It is very strange walking down the grocery aisle and spotting the milk on shelves next to the diapers and napkins. It’s something that I can roll with here, but will be sticking to my gallon when I get back to the states. 

Yogurt: Colombians are big fans of dairy products, which as an unofficial Vermonter I can obviously appreciate. Yogurt is especially popular here. It is usually the consistency of milk and is sort of used instead of milk in things such as cereal. I think I might actually like this combo better than milk in cereal from the states. The yogurt gives the whole meal a little more flavor. (Obviously my favorite flavor of yogurt is mora.) They also have a delicious “avena” aka oatmeal drink that is very popular. It tastes like oatmeal but without chucks of oat in it. It is like a smoothie and is just sweet enough for an afternoon snack. This is something that could totally go over well in the US. Stonyfield take note!

Street food: Again this is something that the US should really appreciate more. Street food here is cheap and fast and usually amazing. Empanadas are very popular and I think I have already mentioned arepas- cornmeal cakes filled with cheese and fried. Colombians for some strange reason also really enjoy hot dogs which is one part of US culture I would have preferred to leave behind.  Oh and they also grill corn on the cob right on the street and other sorts of fruits like toasted coconut I’ve been keeping watch for. 

Typical lunch!

Typical meals: Last weekend we had a family dinner with Emilie, Luz, her sister Leonor, and Tasha who lives with Leonor. We all made arroz con pollo (rice with chicken) which is probably the most common dinner here. Don’t worry, Luz made me arroz con champinones (mushrooms)! Carbs are definitely not in short supply here. It is very typical to serve potatoes and rice in the same meal and then snack on bread after that. 

Sopa: Bogota is a big fan of soups. Probably because it is always cold and even when it’s not cold the Bogotanos will tell you it is. My favorite soup is Ajiaco which is creamy and made with lots of avocado. It can be made with or without chicken and usually also has a hunk of corn thrown in it. My least favorite soup would be chungua which is bland broth that usually has some type of animal’s unknown body part soaking in it for flavor. My friends had a bean soup with pigs’ feet the other day. I’ll stick to the avocados…

Sweets! Colombians know how to win my heart by their amazing bakery options. There is a French style bakery on my way home from school that sells Quebec quality croissants for 200 pesos (maybe 10 cents?) There is also “Salon de Onces” which translates as snack room but should really be called cake room that is so close I can see it from the window of my room. I’ve decided to become a regular there. And alas, I may have to sacrifice my beloved bagels for the year, but I have found bagel shaped bread that is stuffed with caramel-ish  arequipe that is also delicious.

Well that covers a lot for now. I am ironically writing this post as I recover from a stomach episode last night. I’ve pretty much only been eating oatmeal, toast, and bananas for the last 24 hours but I’ll get an arepa tomorrow as my designated Colombian comfort food. Hope some of you can visit and experience the culture in this way. If not, I am having Luz teach me her ways (veggie-adapted) and will sure to bring back some recipes.

List Update!

Happy Valentine's Day friends and loved ones! This is my first "American" holiday that I am celebrating on my own here.The Colombian Valentine's Day is in September (?). So I've taken the time today to reflect on my experiences here so far...


A list update! You remember I began the year with some goals, or resolutions for my year here. And contrary to most resolution plans, I am sticking to it! Here’s how things are going so far, with some additions. 

Learn Spanish: This is going surprisingly well. Living with a host mom that only speaks Spanish and pushing myself to not have things translated means I am actually a quick learner. The challenge of course is to not be afraid to make mistakes. I am tested every day when I gauge how much of my students’ conversations I understand. 

Figure out how to add Spanish accents to words on my keyboard: Still no help here? Though using Spanish keyboards in the internet café is quite exciting.  

Learn to dance the salsa: haven’t worked on this one much yet. Just some casual dancing and good music at the few bars I’ve ventured out to. This is definitely staying on the list.

Stay vegetarian: No problems here. I have successfully made my own yummy treats and explored a plethora of traditional Colombian cuisine all while staying veggie true.

Tasha, Natalie (fellow veggie) and me eating cheese and onion empanadas

Cook a traditional Colombian dish: Success! My next blog will focus on food, but so far so good on the Colombian food exploration front. Some recipes I am tracking down are Arroz con pollo (chicken and rice-for me with mushrooms), Arepas, natural juices, and empanadas. Look for another post about all of this ASAP.

Read 100 years of Solitude: This has not happened yet. No Reservations on the TV here is too tempting each night. But I am slowly reading more, this may be a better vacation goal for me. 

Ride on a Chiva! A new addition to the list. These literal party buses are infamous for their amazing colors, music, and atmosphere. I am waiting for that special occasion when I am ready to take on the town and strut my salsa moves in a motorized vehicle.

Go to a Futbol Game: As a lover of the great American past time I feel its only fair to pay my respects to Colombia’s favorite sport. I have to ask my students which team I should be rooting for. 

Visit Usaquen: So I already did this, but it's necessary on the list because I want to do it over and over again. This little town within Bogota has everything I love-- the flair of Eastern Market or a Burlington VT Farmer's Market, lots of puppies, unique arts and crafts, and cheap food! This will be a regular Sunday outing.

Some of the many beautiful art stands in Usaquen

Hike Monserrate: This is a famous Bogota landmark that is a cathedral on top of a mountain overlooking the city. I rode in the cable car in 2010 when I visited, but now it's time to tackle the hike up. Fortunately I have been walking all over town building up my strength for this. 

Plan a great trip for Mom and Dave: First visitors at the end of April. The pressure's on to make their stay here fabulous. I have a feeling a lot of coffee will be involved. :)

Now for the adventure New Things...

Bogota bike tour! This hasn’t happened yet and neither has my purchase of a bike. I would love to bike but I actually live too close to things for biking and walking is just much easier. Also, it’s too bad Bogota has no good places to rent bikes (open market for any VTers willing to tap this?) I have admired the Ciclovia from afar- this is during every Sunday in Bogota they shut down some main streets and open them for bikers. It’s really awesome. I wish more cities caught on!


Travel to Barranquilla for Carnaval Not happening. Tickets are too much and it is too soon to coordinate (meaning THIS weekend!) I’m happy for my coastal peers, but looks like Team Bogota will be staying in the big city.

Travel to Cartegena for some R&R This is happening! Over Semana Santa which is the Holy Week a few of us are going to the coast for a much-deserved vacation. I can’t wait to see how the other half (of us volunteers) lives and to take in some sun!

Travel to Manizales and the coffee roasting region This is hopefully happening when Ben visits me in July and meets me in Medellin (See goal Travel to Medellin)
Travel to Medellin, the city of eternal spring. This is also happening—I hope. I am in the planning stages of a trip during the first week of July and hopefully Ben will meet me there. Planning all these adventures is almost as fun as going on them!

Travel to Machu Pichu. This would be tough. Fortunately there is an alternative in Colombia called “La Ciudad Perdido” or “The Lost City.” Logistics, timing, and cost are all factors but I really hope this almost just as cool trip actually happens.  

Travel to Central America (Panama, Costa Rica?) Still a possibility- BUT I am adding another international destination that is almost for sure…

Ecuador! My friend Brighid here studied abroad there and is anxious to go back. I invited myself along and we hope to go during our end of June break. It’s not too far and not too expensive so I think this is my best bet for successfully leaving the country at some point this year.

AMAZON! Conveniently, Ecuador also has the Amazon and for much cheaper and closer than in Colombia. If this is going to happen it’ll probably be during my Ecuador trip, which is wonderful all around.   

Teacher Tales

Today was a good day. 

Here is the update of my life as a teacher:

The massive courtyard where students gather each morning. MD has 3,000 students!

Boys and Girls. My classes are segregated by boys and girls which makes for an interesting classroom environment. Not good or bad. Just interesting. Something that I do find pretty disturbing is the gender-magnified school supplies here. It is literally impossible to find a simple red or blue notebook. They are Always pink and sparkly for girls and either the Simpsons or playboy models (yes, it’s like literally porn) for boys. No matter what grade. Even the teachers got weird themed notebooks like mine that has emo stars and some sort of love letter written on it. 

Schedule. To sum up my teaching experience thus far in one word it would be unpredictable. We received our schedules last week about twelve hours before the first class. And today we received new revised schedules this morning. Alas, we were told via announcement this afternoon that the new schedule would be void and we should return to the old one… Rollin’ with the punches here.

8 cell phones. Yes, this is how many cell phones I took away from students in one class today. And this is with my smart, well-behaved tenth graders. Aye Dios Mio! 

Speaking of pockets! One of the best parts about teaching at Minuto de Dios (MD) is the uniforms. Not for the students only, but for us teachers! They are these amazing mad scientist lab coats with a gazillion big pockets. Business Casual for the ladies is really lacking in pockets these days. Best solution ever!

Rocking my lab coat in the Teacher's Room

 Another Perk Of being on the teacher’s side of the classroom is our access into the ever-so-mysterious teacher’s lounge. At MD the Sala de Profes is huge and we each have our own lockers and assigned seats. It’s pretty exciting and they play lovely instrumental music that is helpful to relax when you’ve spent the last 90 minutes yelling at teenagers.

The Name Game. This has definitely been one of the more challenging tasks of teaching so far. A) The names are hard. Hoo-lian, not Julian. Rodriguez with a tongue I cannot role.  And Camilo Andres Martinez Romero is ONE name said in about .5 seconds. Then there are the repeats. I have the class of seven Paulas, the class of five Sergios, and the class of six Dianas. To keep them straight I give them nicknames in my head like Julian Gaffas (meaning glasses in Spanish. He’s a hipster.) or Daniel with his head out the window (literally). I’m now That teacher that could never say anyone’s name right and always called you Camillo Santiago instead of Santiago Camillo (my bad!) It didn't help that I only got the class lists today, one week after teaching.

My school supplies for class! Take note of the most important class lists!

 Different levels. I have enjoyed evaluating my students and am pleased to see that many of them are familiar with English and can communicate with me most of the time. But then there are the ones that can’t. It’s very challenging to plan activities to reflect the spectrum of levels within each class and within each topic such as writing vs. speaking. This is a balance I am still working on and is a goal for my teaching year.

Speaking of speaking! Yes, all of the fellow Americans find our English proficiency is becoming oversimplified. Instead of “Would you like to come with me to lunch?” I now speak in some robot form of “You-and-me-eat-lunch-soon? It’s a weird feeling. 

Taylor Swift. One of my students told me today that I remind them of her. She has moved up to the top five on my favorites list. 

Also, I have one boy Sebastian (sebas-T-AHN! Not pronounced like Little Mermaid) That has asked me to help him look for a basketball scholarship in the United States. I really want to help him because he is so smart and kind and SO dedicated to this dream of his. I have been struggling with ideas on how to help him. Any suggestions would be fabulous!

The front entrance to school. I am standing in a giant space with fun art sculptures.

As you can see, I have many stories of the crazy things kids say and do in my class each day. Teaching is a 24 hour job. Especially when you live three blocks from the school and run into your students everywhere. I am enjoying my new job as exhausting as it is and of course have so much respect for the profession, like we all should!