Teaching English is a challenging task. Never did I ever think it would be as challenging as it has turned out to be, but after the past (almost) two weeks have gone by with 5 classes per day of the various phases we are in charge of teaching, it has proven to be as such. Here is my average day:
6:00 (or 5:45 if I need to shower): Wake up
6:35: Eat if I have time, go to Academia
7:00-8:30: Class 1 (Phase 20)
9-11:00: Class 2 (Phase 1B)
11:30-12:30: Training (This week at least, but from 11-2 we will have a break hereafter.)
2-4:00: Class 3 (Phase 1B)
5-6:30: Class 4 (Phase 4)
6:30-8:00: Class 5 (Phase 7)
8:00: Go home, check facebook/gmail/blog/weather/news, eat, and sleep.
Repeat x5 and add a Saturday class from 8-12 to that. I love my life.
I don't know if it's the actual teaching or simply the sheer drive for me to keep my sanity that makes it so exhausting, but whatever the case may be, it's hard. There are days when you walk out of a class not knowing exactly which language you just taught, unsure about what the present perfect progressive truly is, what the past participle even means, or knowing the difference between an adjective clause and a relflexive pronoun. You stand in class in front of a group of 4 people and repeat the same verb in it's three different basc forms for 2 hours straight, rest, and repeat. You are scowled at by some students, worshipped by others, and everything else inbetween. It's impossible to win with everyone, I suppose. But the ones that scowl at you certainly don't make it the most enjoyable 2 hours of your life.
However, there are times when your class goes really well (which is actually a lot of the time) and you walk out of the room with a smile on your face and love in your heart because you feel like it's all worth it. When these times come, life couldn't be any better. I feel like every scowl and grunt and frustration I have ever recieved from a student is all worth the pain when they get a verb tense right, understand a sentence, or can finally contribute what they want to say to the topic of conversation. Today, I had a student come up to me at the end of class and ask if I could stay forever. Yesterday, I had a student tell me that they come to class everyday because I motivate them to work hard. Over the past 3 weeks, I have made over 40 new Guatemalan friends (mostly over the age of 23-55) simply by being in a classroom with them for 7 hours a week. Those people are the people that make the pain in my knees, larynx, shoulders, and feet feel like a really good workout, because despite the fact that I'm sore I'm slowly but surely making a difference.
All teaching aside, Guatemala in general is growing on me by the day. Last weekend, we went to Panahachel. It is about a 3 and half hour drive from Guatemala City, and in all seriousness the most amazing place I have ever seen. I felt like after climbing an erupting volcano or walking the streets of beautiful Antigua there really could not be a whole lot more to see beyond that which I had seen thus far. Boy, oh boy, was I wrong.
Panahachel. In this small town, there are lots of shops, street vendors, nice little restaurants, and plennnty of other gringos around to not make me feel so alone. This was, again, a strange feeling- like I had when I was in Antigua, because I am so used to feeling like I am the only one who looks different an speaks like a foreigner. In Pana, though, it was crawlng with tourists. Hippies, old people, young people, newlyweds, oldlyweds, Guatemalans and all other citizens of the world seem to synch into a perfect little santuary of Guatemalan life, and it was easy to forget you were even on planet earth. There to remind you of earth, however, were the little children with bracelets, earrings, necklaces, strings, cloth, and a plethera of other knick knacks knipping at your heels to buy from them. They were kind of like a large school of fish actually, following people around waiting for someone to buy something, and that was when all the others swam over to sell to that someone who made a purchase. These kids (and adults) literally were there from the second we got there to the second we left, not counting the time we were sleeping or in the lake. There had to have ben 9 different child vendors at our breakfast table on Sunday morning, deperately trying to sell us their products and asking for our lifeover pancakes. Indeed, this was a little bit of a culture difference.
Pana is one of 12 pueblos on Lake Atetlan. Lake Atetlan should probably be called Lake Most Amazing Place on the Planet. Seriously. Surrounded by 4 volcanoes (more or less, I can't remember!), this lake was absolutely breathtaking. The water was ocean blue, and when it was calm the volcanoes reflected onto the lake creating a painting of the lush, green landscape on the blue/green canvas. As I sit here trying to describe it, I find that I am at a loss of words. It was one of the most perfect things I have ever seen. We took a boat tour out onto to the Lake to Santa Catalina, about a 20 minute boat ride away. Our guide stopped so that we could get out and swim, and we stopped in a very interesting spot. This spot had a name, which I cannot recall at the moment, but I guess there are around six of these places in the lake. The water was cold in some places and hot in others, and you literally went from freezing cold to burning hot in a series of flutter kicks. Amazing. Marcos, the little boy that came with us on the trip to assist the driver of the boat, was hilarious to watch as he climbed up the rocks like a monkey and jumped off, laughing in the face of the potential danger below.
We left the little lagoon to have lunch in Santa Catalina, and it was lovely. On a not so lovely note, Mike, a friend and teacher in the Academy, ordered fresh Black Bass for lunch with excitement to try something out of the norm. Much to his surprise, the entire fish wound up on his plate- bones, fins, eyes, and organs complete. Jean, another teacher, gave him instructions on how to eat it, as it was quite a sight to see. Note to self: make sure the fish is filleted, I prefer my fish without eyes and organs. All in all, Pana was amazing. The weather was incredible, the people were very welcoming, and it was all that I could have asked for. I would love to go back if we have time!
6:00 (or 5:45 if I need to shower): Wake up
6:35: Eat if I have time, go to Academia
7:00-8:30: Class 1 (Phase 20)
9-11:00: Class 2 (Phase 1B)
11:30-12:30: Training (This week at least, but from 11-2 we will have a break hereafter.)
2-4:00: Class 3 (Phase 1B)
5-6:30: Class 4 (Phase 4)
6:30-8:00: Class 5 (Phase 7)
8:00: Go home, check facebook/gmail/blog/weather/news, eat, and sleep.
Repeat x5 and add a Saturday class from 8-12 to that. I love my life.
I don't know if it's the actual teaching or simply the sheer drive for me to keep my sanity that makes it so exhausting, but whatever the case may be, it's hard. There are days when you walk out of a class not knowing exactly which language you just taught, unsure about what the present perfect progressive truly is, what the past participle even means, or knowing the difference between an adjective clause and a relflexive pronoun. You stand in class in front of a group of 4 people and repeat the same verb in it's three different basc forms for 2 hours straight, rest, and repeat. You are scowled at by some students, worshipped by others, and everything else inbetween. It's impossible to win with everyone, I suppose. But the ones that scowl at you certainly don't make it the most enjoyable 2 hours of your life.
However, there are times when your class goes really well (which is actually a lot of the time) and you walk out of the room with a smile on your face and love in your heart because you feel like it's all worth it. When these times come, life couldn't be any better. I feel like every scowl and grunt and frustration I have ever recieved from a student is all worth the pain when they get a verb tense right, understand a sentence, or can finally contribute what they want to say to the topic of conversation. Today, I had a student come up to me at the end of class and ask if I could stay forever. Yesterday, I had a student tell me that they come to class everyday because I motivate them to work hard. Over the past 3 weeks, I have made over 40 new Guatemalan friends (mostly over the age of 23-55) simply by being in a classroom with them for 7 hours a week. Those people are the people that make the pain in my knees, larynx, shoulders, and feet feel like a really good workout, because despite the fact that I'm sore I'm slowly but surely making a difference.
All teaching aside, Guatemala in general is growing on me by the day. Last weekend, we went to Panahachel. It is about a 3 and half hour drive from Guatemala City, and in all seriousness the most amazing place I have ever seen. I felt like after climbing an erupting volcano or walking the streets of beautiful Antigua there really could not be a whole lot more to see beyond that which I had seen thus far. Boy, oh boy, was I wrong.
Panahachel. In this small town, there are lots of shops, street vendors, nice little restaurants, and plennnty of other gringos around to not make me feel so alone. This was, again, a strange feeling- like I had when I was in Antigua, because I am so used to feeling like I am the only one who looks different an speaks like a foreigner. In Pana, though, it was crawlng with tourists. Hippies, old people, young people, newlyweds, oldlyweds, Guatemalans and all other citizens of the world seem to synch into a perfect little santuary of Guatemalan life, and it was easy to forget you were even on planet earth. There to remind you of earth, however, were the little children with bracelets, earrings, necklaces, strings, cloth, and a plethera of other knick knacks knipping at your heels to buy from them. They were kind of like a large school of fish actually, following people around waiting for someone to buy something, and that was when all the others swam over to sell to that someone who made a purchase. These kids (and adults) literally were there from the second we got there to the second we left, not counting the time we were sleeping or in the lake. There had to have ben 9 different child vendors at our breakfast table on Sunday morning, deperately trying to sell us their products and asking for our lifeover pancakes. Indeed, this was a little bit of a culture difference.
Pana is one of 12 pueblos on Lake Atetlan. Lake Atetlan should probably be called Lake Most Amazing Place on the Planet. Seriously. Surrounded by 4 volcanoes (more or less, I can't remember!), this lake was absolutely breathtaking. The water was ocean blue, and when it was calm the volcanoes reflected onto the lake creating a painting of the lush, green landscape on the blue/green canvas. As I sit here trying to describe it, I find that I am at a loss of words. It was one of the most perfect things I have ever seen. We took a boat tour out onto to the Lake to Santa Catalina, about a 20 minute boat ride away. Our guide stopped so that we could get out and swim, and we stopped in a very interesting spot. This spot had a name, which I cannot recall at the moment, but I guess there are around six of these places in the lake. The water was cold in some places and hot in others, and you literally went from freezing cold to burning hot in a series of flutter kicks. Amazing. Marcos, the little boy that came with us on the trip to assist the driver of the boat, was hilarious to watch as he climbed up the rocks like a monkey and jumped off, laughing in the face of the potential danger below.
We left the little lagoon to have lunch in Santa Catalina, and it was lovely. On a not so lovely note, Mike, a friend and teacher in the Academy, ordered fresh Black Bass for lunch with excitement to try something out of the norm. Much to his surprise, the entire fish wound up on his plate- bones, fins, eyes, and organs complete. Jean, another teacher, gave him instructions on how to eat it, as it was quite a sight to see. Note to self: make sure the fish is filleted, I prefer my fish without eyes and organs. All in all, Pana was amazing. The weather was incredible, the people were very welcoming, and it was all that I could have asked for. I would love to go back if we have time!
This week has been a little bit of an emotional roller coaster. I mega-lost my voice on Wednesday, and felt like crap for the large majority of my evening classes. I also thoroughly confused 2 classes on tenses and verbs I wasn't sure how to teach and felt like dying when I left the room. However, despite the setbacks I am actually enjoying all of my classes right now, and doing the switch to different classes every 2 weeks (which is what we do, switch classes every two weeks) is going to make me sad! I'm hanging in there. When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. Thus, the tough in me is just about due for an appearance.
I won't take so long to post my next blog, but right now I'm tired and ready for bed. So, goodnight all, I miss you! Write to you soon. :)
posted by Erin Gundersen | 8:09 PM
6 Comments:
Hang in there Fluffy! Those are some long days, but you will be a stronger person for it when you are done, and when you are done, you will remember it fondly. Every person in that class has a whole unknown lifetime of their own history, don't take the scowls personally...give them a smile back.
isnt teaching amazing? I cant wait to share our teaching stories and see your beautiful face (not to mention body) soon!
you def need to blog more!!!
can i just say that i love that chuckg who i'm almost positive is your padre calls you fluffy...can i call you that, too?
also, bryon: try and be more of a creeper with your comments, i don't think it's possible! :)
As Mrs chuckg, aka Mom, I too ask you Bryon to please do as Molly said. FYI, Chuckg es un padre bien fuerte y te aconsejamos no hablar del cuerpo de su hija en publico. (Spanish, but not the emotion, translated by Marya)
First of all, I want to thank Bryon for the 'bolidy' compliment. And second of all, I find it hilarious that it has recieved such feedback. Molly, yes indeed my father calls me Fluffy (and my sister Scruffy) and you are more than welcome to address me as such! :)
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