Challenges!

Well to say the least teaching here and working with the co-operating teacher is quite challenging.  I don't think I can ever get used to dis-organization but I guess it is a good challenge as I will have to work people who aren't as organized as I am throughout life.  For example: tomorrow I am teaching a social studies lesson, I asked what was the topic, she said how to organize your life and why it is important. She said that she has materials for it and she will give them to me right before the lesson, so I guess that means all planning is out the window. 
Wednesday I am teaching about, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse to first graders.  I am supposed to ask the kids to tell me about experiences they have etc. definitely putting me in an awkward situation.  I am still trying to find the positive in the days, but this whole teaching in a different country thing is definitely difficult for me. Especially when everything seems so in the moment and not prepared ahead of time.  I have taught two lessons and not yet received feedback from my co-operating teaching, not sure if that is good or bad.  The kids just want positive re-inforcement, when you tell them they did a good job etc. they get so happy and excited.  The nice things about the schools here is that you can hug the children and give them lots of love there aren't those boundaries like there are in the US.  The school I'm teaching at is located in a poorer community and the teachers say that it is some of the only affection they get all day, as well as the lunch served at the school many times is the only food the kids get all day.  
Mom is coming down in 2 weeks or so and is planning on bringing a few materials.  If anyone has any school materials they would like to donate to the school, let her know and she can get them from you. dohnoy@boreal.org.
The school needs things like: markers, pencils, small pencil sharpeners, small composition notebooks, rulers, scissors, tape, dry erase markers.  


Sunday I went on a bit of an adventure with my friend Maggie and her "friend" Isaac.  Isaac is from Costa Rica so he took us all over Cartago.  We went to the volcano Írazu (I lied before, it is not active),  an old tuberculosis hospital, a mini carnival, and at the end of the day we hung out at a bar to watch Costa Rica get their butt's kicked my Mexico in fútbol.  Unfortunately my camera died after the hospital, so I will have to go back and get photos of the ruin's and the church that we saw as well.
Driving up to the volcano was really cool as we were above some clouds, pretty un-real. 

I got to talk to the whole family on Skype tonight that was fun.  My cousin Tara convinced me to call family of friends of hers.  So I did, hoping they will call back soon so I can experience more of Costa Rica. Here are more photos. I won't put all of them on here but, you should go to my facebook to see more I happen to think (humbly) that I did a pretty good job at amateur photography!