What's Cottrell up to?

My favorite things: Empanadas

2012-02-07T21:09:00.000-06:00

I have an addiction: empanadas from El Kiosko. If you lived two blocks from the place, you would too.

This place makes the best empanadas in all of Bogotá. If you are not familiar with empanadas - here in Bogotá at least - they are fried pockets of dough (made of corn) filled with delicious things. I always get carne (meat) but they have cheese and chicken as well...and everywhere you go they are a bit different. You eat them with lime and aji (hot salsa...there are different kinds) - YUM! I generally order water to try and balance the fried (unhealthy) deliciousness with something that my body actually needs, but they go wonderfully as well with Colombiana - a delicious soda made in, duh, Colombia.

Getting out of my rut

2012-02-06T20:17:00.000-06:00

Yikes! It's been nearly a month since I added to this blog. I apologize for those of you who like to read about my various escapades. I have no good excuse, except that living in Colombia has started to feel normal and when that happens nothing seems blog-worthy. However, after having a wonderful and much-needed conversation with my dear friend Sophia (also a blogger who has just recently moved to Berlin), she reminded me that there are others who read this and even there aren't this will be excellent "scrapbook" for me 5 years from now when I want to reminisce.

So, my goal is to start sharing the highlights of my week (with pictures) of the things that I love in my life to matter how trivial they may seem. Again, sorry for the lack of pictures but here are some of the highlights that have taken place recently...and perhaps in the near future I will expand on some of them:

1. Recently got in touch with some Americans - we have the Teach For America connection - and have had some fun get-togethers with them. It's a handful of American-Colombian couples so it's a great balance of speaking in English (it's a nice break) and practicing Spanish (greatly needed).
2. Went to a pub to watch the Giants win (woo hoo!) with this lovely group of people.
3. I am a part of the curriculum committee at my school and as my Spanish improves, I am starting to feel more and more useful. This month I suggested that members of the committee and the department heads also be observed during Rondas (rounds) and we did just that. It was nice to have people in my classroom, see that great work my students are doing, and my recognized for my hard work. It was also awesome to see other excellent teachers in action - made Rondas much more of a balanced discussion about what works well in the classroom and what other approaches are less effective.
4. At the very beginning of the month I had the opportunity to attend a wedding. It was beautiful and SO much fun. I've included some pictures from that event (probably the last time I took a photo here) to make this blog less boring.
5. I've begun applying for some consulting jobs as a way to make some extra cash, further develop my skills in curriculum writing, and fill some of my extra time feeling helpful. Will keep you posted - hopefully with good news.
6. Started practicing with the girls basketball team every Monday morning at the school (at 6 am...oof). It is a killer workout and so fun to get to know other students. I also think the coach appreciates having an extra hand. Which I could practice with them more but I have a weekly department meeting the other morning that they practice. So sad...but glad I'm finding at least a little time to exercise.

Colombian Road Trip to Los Nevados - Day 4 & 5

2012-01-05T16:16:00.002-06:00

Mariquita – Parque Nacional Natural de Los Nevados – Mariquita

Day 4 was our adventure to Parque Nacional Natural de Los Nevados. The drive was pretty long for us – maybe 4 hours – but the views were incredible, we just kept going higher and higher. Juan Carlos has an app on his phone that allowed us to see our altitude – I was slightly obsessed with it and may be the reason his phone is currently out of commission. Oops.

The turn into the park is at La Esperanza, there we gathered information about the park and the applications for passes into the park. We also got information about places to stay in the park. The options were limited. Again, no plan because we weren’t originally going to come this way. So glad we did, even if it was only for a few hours.

The weather was cloudy, which was unfortunate but it was still very cool to travel to the peak of this very tall mountain (more than 14,000 feet), see the landscape of a volcano, and see snow in Colombia! There were a TON of rules for getting accustomed to the altitude. We had to drive with the windows down and not put too many layers of clothing on all at once (not a problem because I brought a LOT of layers). We had to drink lots of water – which meant peeing every 15 minutes – there were stops a long the way, thank goodness. We were supposed to eat salty snacks and only natural sugars (That included bocadillo! My favorite Colombian sweet). Even with the clouds and the rain, the landscape was awesome. Strange plants I had never seen and then no plants at all – only black sand dunes that looked like another planet. Eventually, as we reached the top there was snow as well. We were able to drink agua de panela and eat arepas con queso y carne (delicious!) to help us warm up. Then we took some photos, relaxed a bit and headed back down.

We were unable to stay in the park because it turns out if you want to stay at the hotel you need to reserve a room the Aviatur (a Colombian travel agency)…lame. So we began our descent in hopes of finding something nearby. After about 2 hours of reaching a few deadends, we decided to just drive the four hours back to Mariquita and hit up the same hotel from the night before. We stayed occupied with my books of questions that I had on my Kindle and stopped along the way for more agua de panela, cheese and bread. We got in around 8:30pm to Mariquita, paid for a new room, and relaxed.

The next morning we got up, had a great breakfast and then headed back to Bogotá. This was a wonderful trip and I’m looking forward to the next one already – maybe beach the next time. Scuba diving anyone?

Colombian Road Trip to Los Nevados - Day 3

2012-01-04T21:00:00.000-06:00

Juntas – Ibagué – Armero – Onda – Mariquita

View from my car window on Day 3

Juan Carlos and I in Lérida

With our plans out the window, we had to regroup. We decided to give the other mountain a try and so another early morning, into Ibagué for lunch with Juan Carlos’ family, and then we headed towards Nevado Ruiz. Along the way we stopped in Lérida, the hometown of Juan Carlos’ dad and Armero. Armero is a town that was wiped off the map in the 80’s. Nevado Ruiz (also a volcano) erupted. The snow melted and caused a major flooding. A rush of mud swept over the town and took away everything that was there including many, many lives. What is now there is a few remains of buildings and grass and trees that have grown in since the catastrophy. The place felt of death and was very difficult for me. Juan Carlos lived there for a very short time when he was younger and he grandmother left the town only a week before the eruption. There were gravestones marking the homes of the various families that were killed, including the family of a girl that lived across the street from Juan Carlos with who he used to play as a child. Oof. Terrible.


Floor of the church.

What remains of the church.

We drove in silence until we reached Mariquita. We agreed on staying there because there were more options of places to stay. We arrived a hotel that seemed nice and the price they quoted was about $55 dollars for the night. Juan Carlos talked them down to $45. It seems you can negotiate just about anything here in Colombia. Lucky for me I had a Colombian with me because I am sure that I would not have had the guts to try it or the same luck being the gringa that I am.

Once we settled into our room we left for lunch in Onda. Onda is a small town along two rivers with colonial architecture. I was exhausted and so failed to take the pictures that I should have. Juan Carlos tried to tell me that I would regret it. I told him the pictures would be captured in my mind forever. What an idiot I am. Anyhow, we had a delicious lunch of fish (cannot remember the name, but native to the river that passes through the town) and lemonade. We purchased snacks for the following day and then headed back to the hotel to relax a bit. In the evening, after a nap, we headed back to Onda to enjoy the perfect weather and had great conversation over a few beers. Beer seems to be a theme of this vacation – I promise it really was not – it just seems to be a detail I keep choosing to include.

In Honda for the evening

Colombian Road Trip to Los Nevados - Day 2

2012-01-03T20:34:00.002-06:00

Ibagué – Silencio – El Rancho – Silencio – Juntas

On day 2, we woke early to head to “El Rancho”. Juan Carlos traveled there maybe 15 years ago. As he remembered it, there were hot springs and a quaint little building with rooms to stay in. The other option was to camp. We reserved a “cabaña” for a bit more comfort. To get to El Rancho we took a taxi into Ibagué, rented a Jeep to take us to Silencio, where the road ends. From there we would need to hike in. On the way to Silencio, the sky was clear and we were able to catch a glimpse of the snowcapped peak of Nevado Tolima. Gorgeous! This made me even more excited for our trip – of course.

When we reached Silencio, Juan Carlos asked me if I wanted to ride a horse to El Rancho, instead of hiking. I don’t really love horses but Juan Carlos used to play polo, so I agreed. Small kink in the communication. Juan Carlos only rented a horse for me! Being the slightly neurotic, über-independent female that I am I had a minor fit…or maybe not so minor. I did not discovered this detail until I was already on the horse and the horse was trotting away with me. Juan Carlos was trying to be kind and I was mad that he thought I was too weak to hike in… poor guy, really. I realize I can be a bit much to handle and he rolled with it pretty well. I lasted about 10 minutes on the horse. I was scared to death that I was going to fall off the horse or that the horse was going to fall off a cliff, and so we switched. Juan Carlos road the horse, in expert fashion, as I hiked in. A much better arrangement, if you ask me. I think Juan Carlos was slightly embarrassed that people were going to think he wasn’t a gentleman because his girlfriend was walking while he had the easy ride into El Rancho. This is just one of the many “lost in translation” moments we’ve had. It makes things rocky at times, but they are learning moments and we’re surviving in spite of the craziness.

By the time we arrived at El Rancho, I was in heaven. The views were incredible, the air was crisp, and I was working up a bit of a sweat which was lovely because I NEVER workout in Colombia. It felt wonderful. Juan Carlos and I were quite surprised when we arrived, however. There was no longer a quaint little cabin with rooms, only a shack with bunk beds, three outhouses, and a kitchen. We later found out that this was due to the guerilla that had taken over the area about a decade back (very unfortunate). We agreed within about ten minutes that we would not be staying here. This after trying to get down a breakfast with a cow hanging from a peg on one side of use and another cow being butchered 10 feet away from us on the other side. Not to mention the drips of blood on the bench we were seated upon and the hairy chunk of meat in our caldo. I’m tough, but I’m not that tough. After fueling up on as much of the food as we could stomach, we began our trek away from El Rancho sans horse. The trek back was a bit more work because there is no transportation from Silencio at 9 am…only 4pm…and there is nothing in Silencio but a small store that sells snacks and drinks, two bathrooms, and some horses – seriously, that is it. The hike to Juntas, where we would find our hotel was expected to be about 3 hours. It turned out to only be 2 hours because we caught a ride for a short stint with two fellows on dirt bikes. (In hindsight, getting on two separate bikes with two strangers in the middle of the woods was probably not the brightest idea – but we survived and were thankful for the break). We also were able to pick up a ride from another Jeep heading back to Ibagué that dropped us off at the hotel.

The hotel was gorgeous, had HOT water (a luxury in these parts), horses roaming the premises, a river running alongside it, and delicious food. We showered, had a nice long lunch, and then relaxed the rest of the day. My body ached – but the good kind of ache – like when you were a kid and played outside all day and then were ready to pass out at 6pm. That was us and it was certainly not in our plans to wind up at this hotel but it was heavenly. For those interested in prices, this place was top notch and cost us $50 for the night (including breakfast) and our food including beer was maybe $20.

Colombian Road Trip to Los Nevados - Day 1

2012-01-02T20:27:00.013-06:00

As a true friend in adventure, Juan Carlos accompanied me (and provided the car and most of the driving) on a tour of a new part of the country that included Los Nevados – a mountain range in the central region of Colombia crossing three states: Caldas, Risaralda, and Tolima. I’ve made a post for each day of the trip. I tried to include the important details but writing all this AFTER the trip was a bit exhausting.

Day 1

Anapoima - Ibagué

And we're off!

We left Anapoima the afternoon of January 2^nd to begin our road trip. For those of you who do not, I LOVE driving/riding in a car – music, windows down, beautiful scenery – best case. I was pumped. For our first stint, we drove a couple of hours to Ibagué and were scheduled to spend the night with Juan Carlos’ cousin. The views were excellent and we scoped out the road we were going to need to take the next day (and discovered that we should NOT take our car with us because the roads were too treacherous for our little Volkswagen Beetle). That evening about a handful of Juan Carlos’ family and we had a few beers with them before settling in for the night at his cousin’s home. The house is high up in the hills of a small pueblo outside of Ibagué. It used to be a restaurant and disco club and it is old and beautiful, with an incredible view of the area. We zonked out, prepared to wake early – 5 am for our adventure.

Juan Carlos (left) and his cousins

A New Year in Colombia

2012-01-01T20:06:00.000-06:00

I flew back to Colombia for the New Year because I didn’t want to miss out on too much. The holiday was spent at a club in Anapoima with my boyfriend and his family. (Yes, I currently have a boyfriend but I will not be writing about this in my blog. If you want to be nosey, I understand, just shoot me an e-mail) :-)

Anyhow, the club was beautiful with pools, bar, restaurant, golf course (I don’t play), and comfortable rooms. The weather in Anapoima is absolutely perfect – minimal humidity, 80s during the day, high 60s at night, a continuous gentle breeze and beautiful scenery. We arrived in the afternoon of New Year’s Eve, ate some lunch, took a nap, and then festivities began. It was nothing out of the ordinary but it was wonderful – great food, drinks, and dancing. The one thing I have to say about Colombian events is that there is always good music and everyone dances – like really dances with real steps and turns, etc. It is so much fun. Was nervous to spend so much time with Juan Carlos’ family but they were a hoot – and I some how managed to hold my own with my Spanish. I think this is a good sign – I’m actually learning Spanish! Who would have thought?!

We spent another two days in Anapoima sleeping lots, eating well, and enjoying the sun. It was an excellent way to kick off 2012.

Happy New Year to all. Let’s make it the best year yet…seeing that according to the Mayans it’s our last. ;-)

Juan Carlos and I at the New Year's Eve celebration

With Juan Carlos' family

I’ll Be Home for Christmas…

2011-12-30T19:24:00.009-06:00

Was home for 10 days to celebrate Christmas with the family and to attend my cousin Casey’s wedding. While I originally was not planning on returning to the States during my two years in Colombia, it was so nice to be home (even if it was for a very short visit).

Highlights:

· Casey and Andrea’s wedding. Absolutely beautiful, the service was only 20 minutes (nice work you two), and the reception was a blast.

· Seeing tons of family and friends. Shout out to Pears for flying to Connecticut to visit. Shout out to Aunt Cathy for another delicious Christmas dinner. Shout out to Silent Thunder (you know who you are) for becoming the new World Champion of Rummy 500.

· Snow. It was only flurries in Upstate New York, but I’ll take it.

· BATH TUB! Colombians just don’t know what they are missing. There is nothing like a hot bubble bath to help you relax.

· Went to the city with the family to see On A Clear Day… with Harry Connick Jr. Great time with the family and a good show.

· Driving. TUK is out of commission because I took of the insurance on him when I moved. Still it was great to get in a car and drive (and sing at the top of my lungs, of course).

· Thanksgiving dinner x 2. Both Grandma Naylor and mom feed me a delicious meal that included turnips and pumpkin pie with homemade whipped cream to make up for the fact that I was not home in November. YUM!

· Electric blanket. I received a lot of awesome gifts but as I’m writing up this blog, I’m lying in bed SO grateful to have this new electric blanket to protect me from the wet cold that often invades Bogotá.

The Cottrell cousins at Casey's wedding

Ecuador!

2011-12-16T17:27:00.000-06:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to meet a friend in Ecuador for a long weekend. It was exactly what I needed. Even with only a week left of classes, I felt ready to pull my hair out...even it didn't fall out on its own due to stress...so a 4 day weekend traveling was amazing.

The trip didn't start off well: Sitting in 2 hours of traffic to get to the airport, waiting in line for another hour to check-in, arriving at the gate to find that they were short 20 seats (including one for me!). Short version of the story: I stayed the night in a hotel next to the airport, was given a seat in the first flight the next morning, and was given a free round-trip flight anywhere that Avianca flies. I'll take it.

I arrived in Quito, Ecuador around 11 am and headed to my friend Haley's hotel to meet her and develop our plan for the weekend. We had already tossed around some ideas via e-mail but I knew that no matter what we decided having Haley as a travel buddy means a guaranteed fun time. We decided to leave Quito and take a 4-hour bus ride to Baños, a small town situated next to a rather active volcano. Cool!

The roads in Ecuador (at least between Quito and Baños) were excellent and the trip was stunning. Hills turned into mountains and as we approached Baños we could see the smoking volcano looming over everything. Sadly the rest of the trip there were clouds around the crater, so this was our only view of the volcano.

We spent two nights in Baños and then returned to Quito for one night there.

Highlights of the trip:
* Hostal Timara cost $8 per night and was clean, adorable, and had hot(ish) water.

Haley in our room at Hostal Timara

* The Chiva ride up to the vista to try and see the volcano at night. This was actually a total bust but it was so hilarious that it ended up being fun. Haley and I crammed into a bus with too many people, music blasting, and drove up to a vista where we could so NOTHING of the volcano because of the clouds.
*Delicious meals - super cheap - we're talking $5 tops per meal. Breakfast was bread, butter, jam, coffee, fresh squeezed juice, eggs, avocado, tomato and potatoes. Crazy wonderful.
*Conversations with Haley
*Souvenir shopping. Again very low prices and we got to see people making Melcocha - a type of taffy - in their doorways.

Vendor making Melcocha

*A $20, hour-long facial at the spa.
*An early morning visit to the hot springs
*Hiking around Baños, trying to get a view of the volcano. No luck, but beautiful views all the same.

With Haley at the Casa del Arbol - Photo courtesy of Haley

View from the Casa del Arbol

View of Baños from the bridge leaving the city

Canelazo - Photo courtesy of Haley

*Relaxing evening with Canelazo and dessert at Cafe Hood. Again, great conversation.
*Quick self-guided walking tour of Quito.

Streetview of Quito

*Ceviche at a restaurant that was technically closed, but was willing to serve Haley and I anyway (probably because the could sense the double dose of mealtime aggression that we were experiencing!)

Ceviche - Photo courtesy of Haley

*Hot cup of tea with Haley on a balcony at our hostel that overlooked Quito - gorgeous! And their were fireworks!

Overall, a great weekend! And one step closer to visiting all the countries in South America. :)

El día de la fraternidad

2011-12-03T08:44:00.001-06:00

Christmas has arrived in Bogotá. The lights have been hung on every building and with the switch from November 30 to December 1, the feeling has completely changed. This is good and bad. For whatever reason Christmas lights and Christmas generate feelings of warmth and happiness deep within my core - probably connected to memories of Christmas pageants, opening up stockings at the foot of my parents' bed, and Cookie Day with my mom and her friends. This time of year, however, also brings life to a level of hectic that I have never been comfortable with. Schedules at school constantly change, there are too many parties to attend (usually on school nights when I have too much due the next day), and everyone wants to play Secret Santa (here, it's Secret friend....that's another story). Still, while my school has been slowly driving this uber-organized gal (me) insane with the regular surprise additions in the schedule that result in canceled classes - this Friday's schedule change was a delight.

This Friday was the día de la fraternidad. I think translated it's "day of brotherhood (and sisterhood)". On this day the entire school headed to the nursing homes throughout the city to bring gifts, music, and love to the "ancianos" of Bogotá. My group was a group of about 150 students and we were visiting with about 150 elderly folks. We arrived to this beautiful convent (supposedly most of these homes are NOT so nice, so it was nice to see one place doing things right). The elderly adults were in a giant sunroom waiting for their guests. I had no idea what to expect from the students but they were incredible.

First, they spread out the through the room simply saying hi and finding a place to sit. Then the novenas began. I think I might need to explain novenas in another post (next week when they officially begin in Colombia) but briefly - Novena de Aguinaldo is a series of prayers that Colombians say during the nine days before Christmas. Because our school ends the day before the novenas officially begin, I think they've decided to get in an extra round of the novenas. Each day of the novena includes a series of reading AND songs. We spent about 20 minutes going through the reading and singing the song. Thankfully it's the same song over and over and I had a student to help me learn the lyrics. The songs are fun and the students brought guitars and tambourines to liven up the performance.

Following the novena, the students spread out again throughout the room and colored pictures of Christmas scenes with the members of the nursing home. Everyone was laughing and telling stories and having a wonderful time. I was so impressed by the kindness and the maturity of the students.

Our stay only last about 2 1/2 hours but it was an absolutely wonderful way to begin the holiday and to remind me of the things that really matter. There will always be work and stress, but it is important to relish in these moments and take time to notice all the beauty, kindness, friendship, and love that does exist in this world - even when it's sometimes hidden by all the yucky stuff.

So much to be thankful for!

2011-11-28T16:57:00.001-06:00

So it was definitely a bit sad when Thanksgiving arrived and I found myself riding in the van to school - the only one aware that this very big holiday was in progress. I found myself missing turnips (that Grandma Naylor makes special for me...because I think I might be the only one in the family who eats them); missing walks in the woods bundled up with hats, gloves, and scarf; and missing the same family stories that are told every year and somehow seem to get funnier with each telling of them.

Still, as it is a day to give thanks - there is certainly a lot that I am thankful for. I made sure to use this day to let all my students know what it is about them that I am most thankful for. I wrote them each a thank you note and before I passed out the note I explained what the holiday is all about. They loved it - and many of them took the time to say what they were thankful too.

Also, I wasn't alone for the holiday. My cousin Drew flew down to visit during his long weekend (Wednesday through Sunday). It was so nice to see a familiar face and not feel like I was totally isolated from the Naylor/Cottrell clans. I signed him up for an all-day tour of the city on Thursday because I had to work and then on Friday he came to school with me and helped teach 3 of my classes. So fun! Every night we went out for great Colombian food, drinks, and fun. On Saturday, what was supposed to be a quick lunch up in the mountains turned into a road trip because on our way down the road was blocked so we had to drive an hour away from the city before we could connect to another road that would lead us home. It ended up being an awesome addition to Drew's trip, as he got to see the Colombian countryside. So thankful for Drew's visit, as sharing with someone else reminds you of all the wonderful things that you have in your life.

I've also been overwhelmed by life lately. This is the time of the year where the work starts piling up - there are holiday parties, Secret Santa games, final exams (which means LOTS of grading), Christmas shopping, packing, I've also squeezed in a visit to Ecuador scheduled for December 7. So what does this have to do with being thankful? Well, the reason that a lot of the work is becoming overwhelming is because I have developed a nice little network of friends here. I now have lots of plans each week - and so the quiet nights I used to have at home are dwindling. I am back to needing to work on the balance - but I so thankful that I have wonderful people to experience Colombia with!

Suesca: A weekend getaway

2011-11-14T22:14:00.002-06:00

This weekend was another long weekend – or puente (bridge) as the Colombians say. I had another chance to get out of the city with friends. My friend Liliana’s brother, Willy, owns a bike shop and on the weekends runs bike tours in a small town called Suesca known for mountain biking and rock climbing. In the town he owns a small hostel as well.

On Saturday, a friend of Willy’s, Juan Carlos, picked up Liliana, her son, and me – and we headed to Suesca for the weekend. The town is about an hour away but within 15 minutes of leaving the city the air is clean and fresh. We drove the whole way with the windows down, playing great music and laughing. We also stopped at this amazing little restaurant that served the typical Colombian foods – meat, potatoes, plantains, and yucca – and drank Refajo, a refreshing beverage made by mixing beer with a typical soda (kind of like cream soda) called Colombiana.

We arrived to Suesca around 4 pm and spent the entire afternoon and evening relaxing at a little restaurant in the center of town. It is impossible to visit this town and not be relaxed. Everything slows down the minute you get there. Everyone in town knows each other and so we hung out at this restaurant like it was our own home. We played music, ate empanadas and pizza and soup. We also drank Canelazo - basically Christmas in a cup – it’s a hot beverage with cinnamon, lime and aguardiente – and in the crisp evening air of Suesca it is the perfect thing to sip to stay toasty.

Around 8 pm, what felt like the entire town met up to play basketball. Basketball is not quite as popular in the Colombian as in the United States. Generally, I find that in the U.S. most guys can pick up a basketball and have a decent game. In Colombia, no. It was SO much fun, but we played 8 on 8, which is kind of ridiculous and the players were not good at all – traveling, shooting the ball over the backboard (repeatedly), etc. I looked like an all-star and I haven’t played basketball in ages!

We ended the evening by heading to the hostel and enjoying a good night’s rest.

Early the next morning, we woke up around 7:30 in the morning to head into town for breakfast – eggs, empanadas, and coffee. Again, this town is very relaxed. We took our time, enjoyed each other’s company, and eventually headed back up the hill to the hostal to get ready for our bike trip. Things were not quite as organized as I expected. The bikes didn’t have toe clips (I’m used to riding with clip-in shoes…I realize this sound pretentious but once you’ve used them it’s very difficult to enjoy riding a bike any other way). I also had no water, a helmet that was extremely tight, and was scared to death that I wouldn’t be able to keep up. I had decided that I wasn’t going to bike. Liliana was going to follow behind in her car anyway because she had her 4-year-old son Marco with her anyway, and just wanted to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Juan Carlos said that he would like to bike ride and so Liliana, Marco, and I began to follow him in the car. After about 5 minutes up a very steep hill, Juan Carlos stopped and said he needed a break and that I should ride for a bit. They totally tricked me into riding! :-) But I was so thankful. For about 2 hours, Juan Carlos and I took turns riding. When one of us needed a breather, the other would hop on the bike for a bit. The views were breath-taking, there wasn’t a single other car on the road, and the weather was overcast and cool – perfect for the strenuous work. After the two hours, we finally reached the downhill and I flew down the hill for a good 10 minutes or so. Absolutely awesome! When the car caught up with me – the roads were extremely rocky so going downhill is easier on a bike – Liliana decided she was going to give it a try. She was feeling out-of-shape and weak but she missed biking so she got on.

This may have been the second highlight of the week because I got to drive! As some of you may know, I LOVE driving and I have not been able to drive since I got to Bogotá because I, 1) Don’t have a car and 2) Can’s drive a stick-shift, which all the cars in Bogotá are (for the most part). Juan Carlos’ car is also a stick-shift but he knew that I wanted to learn and told me this was the best place to do it. I learned pretty quickly. I spent the next 30 minutes driving down the road practicing going from parked, to first, to second, and back down. I probably sounds silly but I was in heaven! I am not quite ready to cross off “Learn to drive a stick-shift” from my bucket list – I still need to learn how to reverse and practice with the other gears – but I am off to a great start and am SO happy about it.

We returned to the city on Sunday evening but it was a perfect getaway for the long weekend and I hope to return often!

Fiesta de Disfraces

2011-11-06T04:03:00.003-06:00

It has been waaaaay too long since I have written in this space. I think that's a sign that I'm getting busier and busier - but I also suppose that means there are more things to write about! I'll try and be better about writing at LEAST once per week.

This weekend was a long weekend - which means I have Monday off. Very nice. On Saturday night I visited a fellow teacher's home for a belated Halloween party. Not a whole lot to share there. Costumes (disfraces), food, alcohol, and dancing. Pretty normal stuff. But the pictures are fun and so I thought I'd share a few. :)

Cupcakes in Colombia

2011-10-19T21:42:00.002-05:00

I have groups of students at my school. They are called courses but that's kind of confusing. Anyhow, two of the courses are 5th grade and two of the courses are 6th grade. Each period the courses compete with the other course in their grade to earn the most points from Kate's Top Ten. Kate's Top Ten is a list of things that I want my classes to do everyday. Honestly, I kind of threw it together at the last minute in the beginning of the school year and there are some things that seem a bit redundant, but the students have complained and it seems to motivate them. The winning 6th grade course won a class block off, in order to watch a movie in the library (we all hung out on the floor with pillows and watched Stand & Deliver). The winning 5th grader course (because I see them only 90 minutes each week) won cupcakes.

I thought that would be easy...I was wrong. Generally, I think in Colombia people make things from scratch - frosting, cake batter, things that in the U.S. we buy pre-made or in a manner in which they only require adding one or two additional ingredients. After searching high and low I was able to find cake batter, chocolate frosting, AND sprinkles....thank you Betty Crocker! I was not able to find the cupcake paper cups (I think there is a word for them...but sadly my English seems to be escaping more and more and possibly at a greater rate than my Spanish is improving. Yes, I may be in trouble.) Anyhow, my host mom assured me that we could just grease up the cupcake tins and we'd have no problem. Oops. Wrong.

What was supposed to be a quick, 24 cupcakes in the oven became an emergency rescue mission. Mission: Create a presentable treat for 5th graders with the cupcake pieces that did not stick to the insides of the tins. Thank God for Colombian ingenuity and the fact that my host mom is the craftiest woman on the planet. Without even hesitating, my simple cupcake-making project became her baby. She jumped right in grabbed as much as should could of one cupcake out of the tin, rolled it up into a ball and I just stood by and watched the magic happen. Olga melted chocolate, covered cupcake balls in chocolate, then in sprinkles, and created the most delicious chocolate covered cupcake ball I have ever had. We proceeded to make enough for my class, laughing (I had tears in my eyes the whole situation was so ridiculous), and doing our best to uphold a conversation in Spanish.

Needless to say, the cupcake balls were a hit. The students were so impressed that "I" made them...and one fifth grade, who's a little crazy but also crazy smart said, "Kate, these are so delicious because they are made with love". Augh! Too cute!

Informes - A New Approach to Grading

2011-10-15T10:39:00.000-05:00

This week students did not come to school. It was the end of the first term and so they had a break while the teachers spent the week completing grades. For some people this post might be SUPER boring, but I thought others might be interested in the unique way grades are done at my school here in Colombia.

At Gimnasio La Montaña (GLM) students do not receive a letter grade or a number grade. There is no such thing as an A or an F, an 85 or a 65. At GLM, the report cards that students and parents receive are very detailed. Students are still given a rating of Superior, High, Basic, or Low but these ratings are much more subjective. For every course the student takes, the report lists the large objectives or learning goals and the individual indicators or skills. For every student, for every indicator, teachers have to determine at what level the student is able to perform the skill and then provide feedback explaining the strengths and weaknesses the student is demonstrating for each overall objective. Additionally, as teachers we then provide general feedback about each student's behavior and socialization in the class. It is a LOT of work but after completing reports on each of my 113 students,
I have a very clear understanding of each my students and their needs for this next term. It is truly amazing.

In addition to the valuable information that these reports provide to students, parents, and teachers, there is great bonding that takes place among teachers during this week. All our desks are in one large room. Normally we are all coming and going, following our individual teaching schedules and there is limited socialization between the teachers during the work week. During this week of grading we are all in it together. For 8 hours a day, for 5 days, we are all plugging away at this important task, and while it is an arduous, time-consuming activity, we know that we are not alone. On Friday, we celebrated our work by having a pot-luck breakfast with fruit salad, meats, cheeses, breads, marmalade, and more. For the first hour of the day, we all just sat around a table and told jokes and laughed and relaxed.

Overall, I've learned more clearly the value of objective tracking on a new level. It is something that we talked about all the time in the United States but it was always at a very numerical, black and white, objective level. Here the performance of each student, for each objective is know at a deeper level. The reports are descriptive and provide suggestions for how the student can improve. This is something that "80% mastery of objectives" or an A in the class simply does not offer. Awesome learning experience.

Bucket List...so much to do!

2011-10-13T21:16:00.000-05:00

So I've mentioned my Bucket List in this blog before but I've never shared it publicly. It's a work in progress and some things I've already done (they are crossed out). There are also things I feel tempted to add and cross out because I have done them and I want to feel like I'm making progress...but that's kind of beside the point. The typed version of my Bucket List was finally created around April or May of this year as I was preparing for graduation and thinking about my next steps. Until then it was written in bits and pieces in my journal. I'm including it here for a few reasons:

I was just reading it tonight and thinking about how much I want to do while I'm here in Colombia... it's exciting but also overwhelming but it helps me set goals.
Accountability. There is a lot I'd like to do while I'm in Colombia and the time is flying. The "visit all countries in South America" goal is already looking like it's probably not going to happen in the next two years - there's so much to do in Colombia itself!
For suggestions. What very cool and important things am I forgetting? There are lots of places that I'd like to visit that I have yet to add. But please send places, activities, important milestones my way for consideration.
For company and/or assistance. If there are things on this list that you'd like to do as well, let me know and we'll start planning it. :) If there are things on this list you can help me with, let me know that as well.

Again, I'm always looking for new experiences and adventures, so this list is by no means getting in the way of my spontaneity or openness but it also ensures that I'm not sitting around twiddling my thumbs and it keeps me going on those tough days when I'm feeling lonely or defeated.

Some of the things are more serious than others...and again, its a work in progress. I'm a bit nervous sharing this...but you're supposed to one thing every day that you're afraid of, right?
And so, without further ado, my bucket list:

1. Become fluent in Spanish.

2. Learn to drive a stick shift.

3. Visit all 7 continents.

4. ~~Live alone.~~

5. Live in another country for at least a year.

6. Have an article/paper published in a journal or magazine.

7. Visit these major sites:

a. The Great Pyramids

b. Great Wall of China

c. Taj Mahal

8. Float in the Dead Sea

9. Take a road trip across the United States (focusing on the northwest national parks)

a. Grand Canyon

b. Grand Tetons

c. Yellowstone

d. Redwood Forest

e. Lake Tahoe

f. Rocky Mountains

g. Drive the California coast

h. Visit New Mexico

~~10.~~ ~~Run a marathon~~ (Glad I can say I did it but…yuck.)

11. Run a half marathon in another country (I’ve already done the marathon – and HATED IT…but I love running and 13.1 miles is pain free!)

12. Achieve debt freedom!

13. Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro

14. Visit Jerusalem

15. Visit all 50 states

16. Learn to knit

17. Go on a meditation/yoga retreat in India

18. Present at an international conference

19. Take my parents on a vacation

20. Skype monthly with my brother…not doing so well with this one Bub

21. E-mail my grandparents monthly

22. Sell my artwork

23. Learn to sail

24. Get PADI certified (scuba diving)

25. Swim with sharks…to get over my fear

26. Go running in a sports bra (and feel comfortable doing it!)

27. Plant a vegetable garden that can feed me and my family

28. Learn to surf

29. Complete a New York Times crossword puzzle

30. Meet my Texas B’s for a vacation (aka Double Wide #?) in another country

31. Milk a cow

32. Get to a point where I can give donate 10% of my earnings to others in need

While in DC for the summer…

33. ~~COMPLETE a crossword from the Express during my morning commute to~~

~~34.Go on a 6-mile long run each weekend~~

35. Volunteer while I’m there

36. Attend the Quaker meeting house on a Sunday

37. Go to the Phillips Museum in DC

~~38.Organize Thirsty Thursday for my 10 weeks there~~

~~39.~~ ~~Visit the library of Congress~~

~~40.~~ ~~Shop at Eastern Market~~

~~41.~~ ~~Shop at a Farmers’ Market~~

~~42.~~ ~~Visit Peggy and Jack~~

43. Dim Sum in Chinatown

~~44.Spend a Saturday or Sunday at Busboys and Poets perusing their amazing bookstore, sipping coffee, writing/sketching, and reading;~~

~~45.Eat a cupcake from Cake Love~~

46. Visit the H-Street Corridor

~~47.~~ ~~Visit Columbia Heights~~

While living in Colombia…

48. Visit all the countries in South America

a. Machu Picchu (Peru)

b. Galapagos (Equador)

c. Visit The Guyanas all at once (everyone tells me there’s no point…but I need to decide that for myself)

d. Buenos Aires/Montevideo

e. Brazil

f. Venezuela/Caribbean vacation?

g. Chile/Patagonia

h. Paraguay

i. Bolivia

49. Dance salsa in Cali (with the full realization that I will be terrible in comparison to everyone else)

50.Take a class (cooking, art, etc.) taught in Spanish OR take Spanish classes

51. Draw/paint again

52. Maintain a blog to document my experience

53. Give a presentation in Spanish

54. Date a Colombian (come on! I had to include this!)

55. Plan a program/activity/lesson between U.S. students and Colombian

students

56. Visit Villa de Leyva

57. Go rock climbing in Suesca

58. Hike around Guatavita Lake

59. Buy a bike and use it to explore the city on Sundays

60. Sleep in a hammock

61. Visit La Ciudad Perdida

62. Learn how to use the Transmilenio

63. Finish 100 Years of Solitude … I’ve tried several times but then got disrupted for a few weeks…this time I will FINISH it!

Alright folks, what do I HAVE to add... think BIG! :)

5-Day excursion, Day 5: Back to Bogota

2011-10-07T23:29:00.002-05:00

A great city but nothing is as good as being outdoors and watching young people surpass the expectations they had for themselves. Perhaps working with kids outdoors is what I should be doing.... :)

5-Day excursion, Day 4: Coffee plantation and rafting

2011-10-06T23:17:00.001-05:00

We had a chance to sleep until about 6:30am today (woo hoo!) and then began another fun but busy day.

First we visited a coffee plantation. The weather was perfect. We had the chance to pick coffee beans and then see the entire process of how they turn it into a product ready sell. The students had fun and Nata (another teacher and my partner in crime for the week) and I got to enjoy some excellent "tinto"(coffee).

After lunch we went rafting. This was not as crazy as rafting in the Nile in Uganda but perfect for sixth graders. It was about an hour and half trip and we got to swim in the river...VERY enjoyable for all.

We returned to our hotel and had a chance to explore the town of Barichara with a game of "Amazing Race". The students were in groups and had a packet of questions to answer by asking people in the town. Barichara is recognized as the most beautiful town in Colombia and is a national monument. Because of this they work hard to maintain the original architecture. My favorite part of the city was that there was honeysuckle everywhere. There it is called "caballero de la noche". Honeysuckle is quite possibly my favorite smell, to me the town smelled of heaven - absolutely intoxicating. Warning: I might move here and never leave.

We ended the game at the top of the hill where we all had a chance to reflect on the trip. The students talked about how beautiful their country is and they hope the school would invite other foreigners to come work and see Colombia so that they could truly understand what Colombia has to offer. (If you're interested in teaching, let me know!) I couldn't agree more. I know Colombia has a bad reputation but the people are loving and welcoming and the country itself is like something out of a picture book or a movie. I feel so lucky to be here and to know that this is just the beginning.

5-Day excursion, Day 3: Leaving Chicamocha

2011-10-05T23:04:00.001-05:00

Bridge out of Jordan

Breakfast!

After a less than comfortable night's sleep, we woke up at 6:00am for a breakfast of cereal, milk, banana and juice. We stretched and the began our assent out of the canyon. The distance was less but the sun was out after raining all night so it was very hot and very humid. There was quite a bit more complaining, some vomit and some tears (not from me though!) but again beautiful views, an incredible level of camaraderie and support among the students and int he end we all survived and made it to the top where lunch was quickly made and inhaled.

We had a 3-hour drive back to our hotel (all were completely passed out in the bus) because we had to drive around the canyon this time. The hot shower was very much needed. We had dinner, played some games and made it an early night.


We hiked down that mountain in the background yesterday! Seems crazy.

5-Day excursion, Day 2: Chicamocha

2011-10-04T21:33:00.004-05:00

So cute! Chicitica!

They're ready!

Tuesday was the beginning of a 2-day hike into (and out of) what the students kept calling Colombia's Grand Canyon - Chicamocha. This hike was an absolutely incredible experience. The climate in Santander is hot and humid and the hike was with 60 12-year-olds and still it was a great success. The first day was into the canyon - all downhill. Tough on the feet and knees but GORGEOUS. When we began I had no idea what to expect but around every bend was a view more spectacular than the last.

We were lucky enough to have a cloudy day (not as good for the pictures but good for survival!) that kept the heat level down. In fact, it was a bit chilly when we started our trek. We all had packs with food, water, our sleeping pads, a sheet, and our clothes for the next day. Additionally the guides from Off Bound Adventures had extra supplies (food, water, and medical kit) as needed.

On my way into the canyon

Taking a break with students

We took many breaks along the way

I had several students with me throughout the hike. We practiced Spanish and English, sang songs, and the students were so strong and positive - encouragin each other along the way. Adorable.

We had lunch around 2pm along a river with our feet in the water...ahhhhhh. About a half hour after lunch, we arrived to the town of Jordan, population 25. We were welcomed by the school there - students come from all over the canyon. They had a presentation prepared for us and then the students paired up and got to know each other a bit. After that they worked together for about 45-minutes to help with the restoration of one of the walls in the town's center.

Lunch along the river

Dance performance by the school

Painting the wall in the town square

At this point everyone was thoroughly exhausted and famished but we also were all craving a shower. The boys and girls stayed in separate buildings. In the courtyard of the girls' building there was a giant tub of water. To bath, each girl put on a bathing suit and then a teacher would slowly dump a bucket of water over them as the quickly scrubbed away all the sweat, smell and dirt. It was certainly a bonding experience and we all felt a bit better afterwards.

Dinner was meat, potato, plantains, arepa (like a grits patty) and agua de panella (kind of like iced tea or lemonade sweetened with panella which comes from sugar cane and is similar in taste to molasses) served on a banana leaf. No utensils. Delicious. We all devoured the food.

To end the day the students came together to reflect on the highlights and what they learned. It was great to hear from them. Some of their reflections included their surprise at their own strength and how thankful they were for all they have. One student pointed out how she felt ridiculous for some of the stuff she has complained about in the past after meeting the students at the school and Jordan and realizing just how much she has. Hearing these reflections emphasized the power of this trip.

Was exhausted but wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Beautiful view of the canyon

After lunch on our way to Jordan

5-day excursion to Santander

2011-10-03T20:59:00.045-05:00

This week I had the opportunity to go on a week-long excursion with my sixth graders.

The trip was five days long through three departamentos (like states) - Cundinamarca, Boyaca, and Santander - and we traveled by bus. Overall, it was an incredible introduction to the country and it has made me want to travel more. The following entries will provide some of the details/highlights from the week.

Day 1: Monday, October 3, 2011
Up at 4:45am in order to be to the school by 6:15am. Most of the first day was spent in the bus heading to our home base for the week - Barichara, Santander. The students were as excited as I was and they were great in the bus - playing music and games, talking and SLEEPING. Along the way we made a few stops. First for breakfast and then we stopped to visit an historical site (a bridge) where the Colombians won their independence from the Spaniards. After that we stopped for lunch and then in Socorro, a colonial town, to visit a museum that explained some of the cultural history of the country. It was pretty difficult for me to understand but still interesting. Finally we arrived to our hotel, had dinner, and hit they hay.

And we're off!

Rolling down the hill at the monume

Relaxing at the monument

Breakfast time!

With Mariana, the students call her my twin

Lunch time

At the Casa de Cultura in Socorro

Una vaina loca

2011-10-02T12:18:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe two weeks have passed since I last made an entry! The pace of life here in Bogota is picking up and when I have not been working or out with friends I've been doped up on Nyquil and the likes in an attempt to rid myself of a cold that has lasted for nearly two weeks! (The late nights are probably not helping)

At Crepes & Waffles with friends from school

This weekend was packed full of fun times - lots of dancing which I love and meeting new people. Friday night was the birthday of a friend from school. We took her for a late lunch at Crepes and Waffles and then we went to a bar called BIG. Folks here don't called it that, their name for it sounds something more like "P and G"...but maybe they're saying "B...I...G". I have no idea. But it was lots of fun and I got to see another side of the teachers I work with. At school they are all very serious, but this not was full of silliness and nonsense. Simply wonderful.

Aguardiente or Guardo is the drink of choice.

It tastes like black liquorice. YUM!

Saturday night I went to a club called "Full 80's" where, as would be expected, they place 80's music all night long with the videos playing as well. I am not very well versed in Spanish 80's music but we had a blast! The DJ would play about 5 Spanish songs and then 5 English songs. By the end of the night I was a sweaty mess. Best case.

Whoa! Livin' on a prayer!!!!

Sundays in Bogota

2011-09-18T09:25:00.000-05:00

This weekend was a very low-key weekend. I have finally gotten caught up on my work, which means I don't bring work home (lovely!), but it also means I have a lot of free time.

This Sunday I took advantage of this time as a chance to relax. :) On Sundays, a large number of the streets are blocked off for citizens to bike, run, walk, etc. Cycling is the second most popular sport in Colombia, so folks LOVE this time! I decided to use this as opportunity to try running again. I am still not feeling one hundred percent used to the altitude but the weather today was perfect - sunny, clear and about 60 degrees Fahrenheit. After my run - yes I survived but it was only for about 30 minutes - I bought a newspaper, made breakfast and spent the day lounging and reading.

I've inlcuded a picture of my breakfast for a few reasons: 1) To prove that I am eating. My host mom seems concerned as every time she sees me the next question following "Como estas?" is "Comiste?" (Did you eat?); and 2) I'm trying out all the new fruits here and have discovered a favorite - pitaya - it's the yellow fruit in the picture with the white insides with black seeds. It tastes a bit like kiwi, but sweeter and there's more of it! To eat it you cut it in half and then scoop out the inside with a spoon. DELICIOUS!

Election Day at GLM

2011-09-18T07:15:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday we didn't have classes at the school because it was the students' election day. Instead it was a day of discussions around tolerance and democracy, a very formal presentation by the school band and the candidates that are running, an AMAZING lunch with more Colombian food than I could possibly eat, and bizarre performances by acrobats and a theater group (that put on a 45 minute production of the earthquake in Armenia without words....unfortunately I didn't know there had been an earthquake in Armenia and I couldn't understand the introduction to the presentation, so I had NO IDEA what was going on....turns out the folks who were supposed to know what was going one were also very confused). :)

Anyhow, the day was very interesting the director of the school presented a lecture on tolerance to the middle school. To my surprise I was able to understand the entire presentation and it was very interesting. She began my talking with students about what they thought intolerance meant. The students talked about mistreating people because of their race and their religion. Maria Mercedes then pointed out that at our school students don't really differ a whole lot in terms of race and religion but that she sees a lot of intolerance among the middle schoolers. They begin to share examples of intolerance that exist in our environment - "she's fat", "he's ugly", "he only wears x brand so he must be poor", etc. It was very interesting.

With the sixth graders, following this presentation, we watched some clips of Latin American soap operas with examples of people making fun of people because they are poor. The kids laughed a lot. They were then asked to share all the jokes they knew about poor people. More laughing. Then the director of the sixth grade started showing pictures of real poverty - starving children, people sleeping in the streets, and the children got very quiet. "Not so funny, is it?" she asked. The students then made a pact to be tolerant of each other and of others. The last activity was to blow-up balloons and tie them around our ankles. They represented the weights that were used to make sure slaves and other indentured servants couldn't escape. We then got to pop the balloons. The kids walked around all day with strings holding popped balloons around their ankles.

Overall, the election day was successful. The students - at least the fifth and sixth graders - seem to be happy with the results and they were very mature about who they voted for. One fifth grader "I'm voting for Torrijos because he is serious. The other candidates are making jokes and are too confident that they will win. Torrijos cares." Wow. Not once did I hear "because he's cute", "because she's my friend", etc. I LOVE these kids! :)

Furthermore, the rest of the week has been amazing. I don't know how long it will last but I really feel like the discussion about tolerance stuck with the students. Thursday and Friday were incredible - the students worked together and were supportive of each other. Again, I LOVE these kids! Also, after every class, every activity, every paper I give them the students say, "Thank you Kate". Ahhh, it's love. :)

Jazz al Parque

2011-09-11T11:05:00.001-05:00

This weekend I finally got out of my house! :)

I went to Jazz al Parque with some friends from school to see John Scofield . The weather gods were in our favor - finally - and it stopped raining long enough for us to enjoy a picnic and listen to John play for about an hour and a half. I'm not sure I was supposed to bring in food or wine but my friends assured me if I just acted like I didn't know what the security people were saying when they checked my bags, they'd let me in. I didn't really have to act. They security guard asked me something about comida. In English I responded, "I'm not allowed to have this?!"...and then he let me pass. They then explained that it is considered very Latin to try and find a way to trick the system or get what you want out of a situation, and that can be bad...but in this situation for wine, cheese, crackers and fruit with our jazz, playing the clueless American was worth it. ;-)

(In the picture from left to right: Sandra and David. They are married. David is a history teacher at my school. Sandra teaches at another school. They both speak English, Spanish and Chinese (Crazy!). After living in China for a few years, they both understand the desire to learn a new language and so they are very helpful. Next is another David. David de musica. He is a music instructor at the school. Next is Anita. We actually ran into her at the concert. She is a primary school teacher and rides on my bus with me. She is very sweet.)

Afterward, we went to a low-key bar nearby a friends house and spent the night talking. It was very nice. Everyone speaks Spanish and English - and they are all very encouraging about my Spanish. We spoke Spanish for a large portion of the night but I think when they noticed me zoning out (because my brain was exhausted) we switched to English.

I feel very lucky to be at my school, because it is full of such kind people. We talked about taking some weekend and/or weekend trips to explore some different parts of the country (very exciting!). So hopefully will have some photos to share...sorry I haven't been better about taking photos. Eventually I will post photos of my school and students.

Que chicharrón!

2011-09-08T22:10:00.000-05:00

Today I was finally planning to get out of the house for the night and meet an acquaintance (from when I was here in March) for dinner. It was going to be a restaurant called Local that serves typical Colombian food (yum!).

Was is the key word because today it also rained. Public transportation in Bogota as far as I can tell is pretty terrible. Additionally, there are a LOT of people living in this city and too many cars on the road...and when it is rainy - everyone decides to drive.

This evening my host my called 3 taxi companies for me trying to get me a ride to the restaurant. None had cabs available. Her daughter's boyfriend agreed to drive me. This restaurant is 60 blocks from my house - blocks are pretty small though. After driving for an hour I was 20 minutes late. I don't have a phone yet (getting one tomorrow after I pick up my Colombia ID card which should be ready) so Jose (the driver) called my friend for me. He was still at his office standing outside trying to get a cab - and had been for an hour. Augh.

So, Jose and I returned back to the house - after another 45 minutes in the car of course. It turned out to be a good Spanish lesson because Jose speaks no English and so we did our best to make conversation in Spanish - wish I had it on video!

Still, while there are many wonderful things in Bogota - traffic is not one of them. Today was the perfect situation to use my current favorite word: chicharrón (loosely translated: pain in the ass, complicated/unsolvable situation).

Will have to try being social another night. And I need to figure out the buses - although they also looked like a nightmare to be on today - people were packed like sardines.

La gripa or Soroche?!?!

2011-09-03T18:50:00.004-05:00

I just completed by second week of teaching and I am totally wiped out. Yesterday, I was nauseous with a fever, a headache, and a sort throat. Most of these symptoms are symptoms of both the flu (la gripa) AND altitude sickness (Soroche). Not sure what it is but I slept from 4:30 pm on Friday until 11:30am on Saturday. Still have a sore throat and feel terribly weak – but have been able to get around – do laundry, get some school work done, etc.

Despite feeling sick – two weeks into this adventure I’m still confident it was the right decision.

My Spanish improves a little bit more each day and getting familiar with the Bogota slang: querida = very nice, friendly, good, wonderful (usually about a person)
chicharron = a situation that’s a total pain in the ass
chevere = cool
…there’s a few others as well but they are less appropriate for this space. ;-)

Teaching 6th and 7th graders is a challenge – but I’m glad I’m doing it because it’s making me a better teacher. I’m learning so much about how children learn, it’s awesome – AND exhausting. Even more so when I feel like crap.

Hoping to get my energy back soon so that I can explore that city and work on building friendships here in this new city.

Mi Nueva Casa

2011-09-03T18:46:00.005-05:00

I know I already wrote about my new home - but I made the move on Thursday. Olgita Lucia- my host mom- cleaned up the room and added a desk next to the windows for me. So nice! She also bought new sheets and comforter and there are about 3 other wool blankets under the comforter as well - nights get pretty chilly in Bogota but not with the bed that Olgita has set up for me. I've included a pic of the room.

Olgita goes away every weekend to her second home on a farm (la finca) in the mountains. Will try and get some pics of her, Camila (her daughter) and maybe even Andres (another teacher who lives on the third floor - but is rarely home). I will definitely get pics of the dogs as well because they are SO cute.

To get to school now I take a bus. It's a minibus owned by one of the teachers. Several teachers and I pay her to take us to and from school. The school agreed to pay my first month of transportation - so I could figure things out. I haven't decided if I will stick to this route or try and make friends to carpool with. The route is pretty convenient but a bit pricey. I do wonder if she is charging me more than the others...but there's really no way of knowing without being rude.

Setting up shop in Bogota

2011-08-25T17:43:00.003-05:00

I cannot believe it has only been four days since I arrived - my brain is on fire (constantly translating things from Spanish to English and English to Spanish!) and I've been going non-stop.

On Monday morning I began teaching. My schedule is different each day. Some days I have no classes, some days I have a little over three hours of classes. The students are adorable, incredibly organized and eager to learn. As with all 6th and 7th graders, some of them are a bit hyper and many of them need you to spell out every detail for them - they are not yet comfortable making decisions on their own (Kate, do what's the title? Kate, do we need to copy the instructions? Kate, can I throw this out? Kate.. Kate... Kate..) And yes, at my school teachers go by their first names - I LOVE it.

The school seems to be a really great school. The students have a lot of independence - even as middle schoolers - but they seem to be able to handle it very well. They are punctual and respectful. The staff is also so kind. Many teachers do not speak English and so I am getting a lot of practice and learning new words and phrases each day. My department head has been by my side working every day - helping me get my keys, my supplies, complete paperwork, prepare my scope & sequence, etc. It is a lot of extra work for him but he does not let it show that I am inconveniencing him.

Today I had no classes, so I was given the day to get all my errands done so that my paperwork could be completed. One of the staff members met me at 7:30 am and was with me until 5 pm running errands all around the city. Again - the hospitality is unbelieveable. It would have been nearly impossible for me to get everything done today without her. I should note, she speaks no English. So I survived an entire day in Spanish. It was tough in the beginning but she taught we a lot and we even found ourselves laughing a few times at our jokes. It was great fun. So what did I have to do? First I had to get a medical exam. Then I needed to find out my blood type so I had to go to lab to get my blood taken. (Turns out I'm A+ if anyone's curious) :) Next we had to go to two banks - one to make a payment for my tarjeta de extranjera (kind of like a green card) and one to open a bank account. I then had to get photos made and finally (before lunch) I went and applied for my tarjeta de extranjera. I am now official in the eyes of Colombia because I have my own I.D. number. Hooray.

After lunch Melida and I looked at several apartments and I am happy to announce that I have found one! They were all pretty nice but I will be living in a home with a mother and her daughter who is in college. I have my own bedroom and bathroom and then share the kitchen and other living spaces. It is in a gated community that is absolutely beautiful and is in a more residential area in the northern part of the city. They have two dogs (pugs - so cute!) and the mother is very crafty - she makes jewelry, knits, bakes, etc. She also owns a farm in the mountains outside of Bogota and goes there every weekend. She has told me that I can join her whenever I would like - SWEET!!!!

So a very successful day and successful few days. I will be living in the hotel until August 31 and will move into my new place on Thursday, September 1. As is probably pretty apparent - I am extremely happy and cannot wait to see how things continue to play out.

Why Bogota?!

2011-08-22T00:17:00.000-05:00

Tonight I arrive in Bogota. I cannot believe it. Tomorrow I begin teaching and it all just feels a bit unreal but I am very excited. There will be many more details to come as this tale unfolds but many of you do not even know why or how I ended up here in Bogota, so here’s the story (I’ll do my best to be brief, but it’s kind of weird twist of events):

I went to Harvard this year thinking I wanted to return to Uganda to work. All my major papers were written about Northern Uganda – policy and program proposals for how to improve the education and thus the economy and quality of life. Despite this fact, I continued to study Spanish while at Harvard. I felt like the only person in the International Education Policy program NOT fluent in at least two languages and because I already knew some Spanish that seemed to make the most sense. I think my advisor and program director disagreed – but now I wish I had take two semesters of Spanish.

In addition to studying Spanish, I also served on my program’s advisory board. Through this position, I ended up helping to plan an international study trip to Bogota and Cartagena, Colombia to look at the country’s education system and some of the innovations in education taking place there. See the blog our group created if you want to learn more about it. The planning of the trip was supported by Cecilia Maria Velez, a visiting professor at Harvard and the former Minister of Education of Colombia. She is an incredible woman and helped us to put together and incredible visit to Colombia. I fell in love with the country.

Finally, prior to graduate school I taught in Houston, Texas. Many of my students come from families where Spanish is the primary, often only, language spoken in the home. I loved teaching and the work I was doing in Houston but I was constantly frustrated that my lack of proficiency in Spanish prevented me from developing strong relationships with families of my students – relationships that would ultimately have increased my students’ success.

So – studying Spanish, visiting Colombia and not wanting to ever be prevented from communicating with the families of my students – I’ve decided to leave the States for two years. I will be teaching at a school called Gimnasio La Montana. The school is for students K through 11 (which is equivalent to 12th grade in the U.S.). I will be teaching 5th grade geometry (which is equivalent to 6th grade in the U.S.) and 6th grade mathematics and geometry (which is equivalent to 7th grade in the U.S. …noticing a pattern?). Additionally, I will be a part of committee to help the school revise its curricula to incorporate 21st century skills in all that they do. It is still a bit unclear what this exactly means but I’ll keep you posted. As far as housing goes, I’ll be living in a hotel my first week until I am able to look at some of the places my school director thinks are nice and can choose the place that is best for me.

This is what I know.
Let the adventure begin!

A longer stay in Colombia

2011-08-17T15:44:00.003-05:00

So many of you have already heard, but for those of you who haven't - I've decided to move to Bogota, Colombia. I've signed a contract with a private bilingual school in the city where I will be teaching 6th and 7th grade mathematics and working on curriculum with the school.

I leave on Sunday, August 21st. My goal is to actually blog for the next two years to document my experience living abroad. I think I might be crazy (old news to many of you I'm sure) - but I am very excited.

Stay tuned for the details...

Voy a Colombia!

2011-03-10T20:54:00.002-06:00

So after many weeks, or actually months, of planning a study trip to Colombia - the time to leave has arrived!

I will be heading to Colombia - Bogota and Cartagena from Saturday, March 12 through Sunday, March 20.

Will do my best to post pictures and updates as I think this trip is going to be fascinating. I will also be contributing to another blog with my study group...which might be updated more frequently and will have the perspectives of multiple people.

Check it out here

Rain pants, macaroons, and friendly encounters

2010-08-23T18:19:00.004-05:00

So not sure what exactly people blog about. I wanted to make this more of a regular thing but I don't have anything profound to say. I tried to jot down things that I should write about but sometimes lists just stress me out.

But just five minutes ago I ate a cranberry macaroon and thought, "Wow, there is some gooooood stuff in my life right now and I should share this with others". Now that I'm writing I'm questioning whether or not anyone really even reads this but if you do here are the greatest things that happened to me today:

1. I met a new student in my program to catch him up to speed (because he did not attend the summer session). We had a great conversation about saving the world. It was fuel for my week...or maybe just until tomorrow when I have ANOTHER great conversation because great discussions seem to be a new trend in my life.

2. I rode my bike in the pouring rain...to hot yoga at 6:30 in the morning...then to campus for coffee with the aforementioned colleague..and then I bought RAIN PANTS!! My bike ride home was amazing. I look a bit ridiculous but it feels very cool to know that I am helping out my environment by not driving my car, I'm getting exercise, and I'm not letting any amount of precipitation get in my way.

3. Hot vinyasa flow yoga. I had to give this its own bullet because it's incredible. Incredibly challenging - it's HOT HOT HOT and fast-paced but I leave feeling invigorated, cleansed,and strong (Ok, I also feel a bit light-headed at this point but my instructor assures me that as my body adapts to this rigorous activity I will feel less of this). Try it if you can. It's the best.

4. Great food. The concept of having time to appreciate my food is new to me - but I'm going to try and remember this when I feel like I have no time. It really makes a difference. I've baked bread (some attempts have been more successful than others), cooked some great meals, and have shared some great meals with new friends.

So, that's all I've got. Perhaps not proper blogging content, but that's all I got.

Bucket List under Attack!

2010-07-31T10:16:00.003-05:00

So, I've started a bucket list. It's still a work in progress, a living document if you will, but I was re-inspired to get it done.

Here's the story:
I met this incredible woman who is bar tending on a beach in Rhode Island with a friend of mine. She is very sick, with a very rare disease, and doctors are saying she may only have a few more years. When she was 14 she made a bucket list (before MTV made that show and before anyone was talking about these sorts of things). Since then she's done a LOT! Traveled the world and just really lived life to the fullest. One of the items on her list was to work on the beach for the summer, so three summers ago she got this gig bar tending and now she does it every summer - and until recently this meant she was commuting two hours each way! There is a surgery that she can get that will help delay her death but it's expensive, there's a long recovery time, and she'll need the surgery again every few years and still it may not work. She's currently thinking she's going to forgo the surgery and just make the time she has left. She recently ran into a long-lost love (another incredible story!) and he is dropping everything and then are going to travel together and try and get through her list.

Needless to say I was crying when her story was finished... and feeling guilty about all that I take for granted and complain about. I need to get it together and make the most of my time too!

Which gets to why my list is under attack - SHARK ATTACK!!! Literally.
So, there are lots of things on my list, places I want to go and see and whatnot but the top three right now are:

1) Learn to drive a stick-shift. Anyone want to volunteer their car and time to teaching me?

2) Speak Spanish fluently. Meaning I can get a job in a Spanish-speaking country and be a functional, contributing member of whatever organization for which I work.

and

3) Learn to surf. Not anything too crazy - just stand up, balance on the board, and ride a wave. That's it.

I've been excited because Rhode Island could be a great place for this goal. The waves aren't too big, it's nearby, lessons aren't too expensive and most importantly sharks aren't really a concern. Or so I thought. I am VERY VERY VERY afraid of sharks. Maybe irrational but it is what it is.

A new friend from my grad program just send me this:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/07/chatham_closes.html

What the what?! I know Chatham is not Rhode Island but they are close and there are not supposed to be sharks up here...especially Great White Sharks!!!! Such a dilemma...

Return to the Homeland

2010-07-31T10:01:00.004-05:00

After four wonderful years in Houston, I have made the long haul back up to New England and have settled into my new home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

I LOVE it! I ride my bike everywhere (or walk). The weather is amazing (for now). My baby brother is living in Boston (although he's not really a baby - more like 22, has a job, and doesn't need me at all - except to borrow my car). And I keep meeting amazing people.

Here are some pics of my new place for those who are curious - you really need to visit to truly understand the magic of this place.

The Next Chapter

2010-06-08T20:56:00.003-05:00

So it has been nearly a year since I last posted anything on this blog and I've gotten a few requests to keep it updated - especially now that I am about to begin a new chapter of my life. After four years as a teacher, I am going to be returning to the classroom beginning July 25th as a student! This school year I will attending Harvard Graduate School of Education for my Ed. M in International Education Policy. Eeeee!!!!

I will be moving to Boston in July, where I will attempt to update my blog with what I am doing and learning... :)

Next Steps

2009-07-30T10:55:00.003-05:00

These six weeks were incredible. While I am certainly looking forward to hot showers, toilets with seats and raw vegetables, I am really going to miss Gulu and all the friends I have made. Part of me would love to return to Gulu to teach at Sir Samuel Baker School as a permanent teacher - six weeks was simply not enough. But then another part of me realizes that it is not really my place to go into that school and "fix" things. There were certainly aspects of the school that seemed a bit dysfunctional but it seems are slowly improving and SSBS will someday be the great school it once was. I also think a lot of the problems at the school are a result of a failing system and the teachers were doing amazing things in the face of the challenges with which they were faced. Also, who knows if the teaching methods I use in the US would have made a major impact on student performance...

Which gets me to my next steps: I am facsinated by international education and what is transferable across cultures and what is not. What are the commonalities of good teaching? I know that no matter what education is the key to making the world a more peaceful and sustainable global community. Everyone needs access to information and needs to be taught to think critically - to ask questions, to challenge the status quo and to engage in constructive dialogue to work toward the betterment of this quickly shrinking world. Not sure exactly where I fit into this but I'm confident that graduate school is my next step - Comparative Education or International Education Policy will afford me the opportunity to explore and further develop some of these new ideas and understanding. This trip has given me a whole new perspective on what education is, should be and can be. I have be re-energized by this experience!

Thank you to everyone that has followed along on my journey. I have found it nearly impossible to put my experience into words - a lot is missing. Please feel free to e-mail me questions as I would love to continue to share stories with those interested - kncottrell@gmail.com.

Much love,

Kate

Adventures on the Nile!

2009-07-26T10:02:00.002-05:00

So today is my last day in Africa (for this summer). After a glorious 11-hour sleep, I woke to a delicious breakfast: coffee, toast, fruit, beans, eggs, and bangers (sausage). YUM!

I began my day of adventure by bungee jumping. I cannot believe I did it but it was awesome! I was the first to go and so the guy in charge told me that I had to stay calm and make this a good jump because I was setting the tone for everyone else (no pressure). Immediately after jumping I though - "Crap!...no, no, no...I take it back" - but then it was over and I swinging over the Nile River! It was incredible - what a rush...I was ready for the next part of the day.

After bungee jumping we went rafting on grade 5 rapids (that's the strongest, most dangerous level...I think you need several years of training to even be allowed to go on these in the US...oh Africa and your lack of rules) We spent the first 45 minutes getting trained on how to get ourselves back in the boat, how to help others get into the boat, how to evacuate the boat when it flips, how to flip the boat right side up. Once we went through all this instruction the adventure began. We started by going over a grade 5 rapid! It was crazy. There was water everywhere! It filled the boat but we all stayed low and there was no flipping. Down the river farther was a grade 3 rapid with a lot of "flippers". Our guide said that it made for great pictures to flip the boat on this rapid - so we did. The boat flipped on me, I felt like I was getting spun in a washing machine but the I saw the light and swam towards. Nuts! Unfortunately my friend Catherine dislocated her arm during this rapid. She was able to pop it back into place when we got her to shore but it will be sore for a few days. Thankfully it was her fourth time doing this so she was not too disappointed to have to end her day short.

We continued our trip up the river - hit a few more rapids - on the last grade 5 we had a 60% chance of flipping but managed to all stay in the raft. We were the first raft to go so it was fun to get through it and then watch as others attempting to pass got tossed from their rafts. Our guide Tutu was to thank for our successful day. He grew up on the river and commutes to work by kayak! During the calm parts of the Nile we were able to jump out of the boat and float down the Nile. We also practiced flipping off the boat - so much fun!

I was exhausted by the end of the day - especially because we had a 2-hour drive to Kampala for our last night. I cannot believe that this adventure has come to an end!

I currently don't have pictures of this but am hoping that someone on the trip got come pics and will post them then.

Will see you all soon!

2009-07-24T08:09:00.004-05:00

Sorry I have not posted anything in nearly two weeks. I have SO much to share but have not figured out how to articulate all my experiences clearly. Upon my return to the States I will add several posts to highlight the big stuff.

Tonight is my last night in Gulu. There has already been a flood of tears - I hate goodbyes (and see you laters)! We are having a big dinner and then head to Jinja for the weekend to go rafting on the Nile. I will have lots to share about that experience I am sure.

I arrive in New York on Monday night, will stay the night with my college roommate, KA, and then will be flying into Houston on Tuesday afternoon (7/28).

Looking forward to seeing everyone and sharing lots of photos and stories!

The Farmhouse - a different perspective

2009-07-19T10:17:00.004-05:00

Twice we were invited to the home of Tom and Rose O'lalobo. Amy, the organizer of the trip met one of their sons during her planning trip and thought their story was fascinating. She was right!

Here's what I can remember - some of the details may be a bit off:

Tom grew up in Gulu. He went to Sir Samuel Baker School (where I was taught this summer). As a young adult, Tom was trained in the U.S. to be a pilot. Later (maybe later 20's, early 30's) Tom moved to Tanzania to live in exile because of political turmoil - many of his family members who did not leave the country were killed. It was here that he met Rose, they got married and started a family. Inthe early 80's they returned to Gulu and began building a home. When the war broke out the left again, this time to London where they raised their 7 children. During the war Tom's mother and some other family members stayed behind, often using his home as a shelter from the LRA. Because the home was fenced it served as a deterrent because the young men in the LRA did not want to get stuck/fenced in if

they need to flee quickly. He told stories of his mother and family members hovering in the dark while their were gun shots, at one point a neighbor tried to break into the house (thinking that no one was there) and at one point at Tom's mother at gunpoint. Around 2007, Tom and Rose returned to Gulu. Over the past couple of years they have fixed up their home and started many business ventures around town. Rose runs the only bakery in town and you can get CHEESE! and cakes with frosting (delicious!). [Again, some of these details, dates, etc. might be a bit off - I tried to leave out details if I wasn't sure if I remembered them correctly]

The invitation to visit their home

was so greatly appreciated. Aside from the delicious food and beautiful scenery, it was val

uable to see a different side of Uganda. So often people draw this picture of Uganda being a poverty-ridden nation that depends on the rest of the world for help. While Uganda does have a long way to go, I have found that this country is made of strong, beautiful, resilient, hardworking people that are ready for Uganda to turn things around. I think Rose and Tom's move back to Uganda is evidence of the direction that Uganda is moving. There has been so much economic development in the past two years and it continues to grow.

Ft. Patiko

2009-07-18T09:16:00.005-05:00

Today we traveled with the Ugandan teachers and their families to Ft. Patiko. Ft. Patiko was once a place where Arabs traded African slaves. Sir Samuel Baker (my school's namesake) was the man responsible for ending the slave trade there. This was good news because I originally thought that my school was just named after some white guy that settled in Uganda but it turns out he may actually have been a pretty decent guy. :)

At Ft. Patiko we had a potluck lunch so each school was responsible for br

inging something - Sir Samuel Baker School was responsible for fruit, probably the easiest thing. Gulu Secondary School had side dishes so I ended up helping one American teacher make guacamole (my

favorite food - why this is not as popular in Ugandan as it is in Texas I will never know). This was a rather messy venture since we had limited utensils - I ended up just squeezing the avocados because I had no knife or spoon handy. Needless to say, it was DELICIOUS and I ate it with chapati chips until I couldn't breathe - there was plenty of it because the Ugandans didn't touch it.

The most difficult part of the lunchtime was the children from the local village that came to watch us. They were all in tattered clothes, several had ringworm, none had shoes

and it was clear that hadn't eaten much in a while. While there is certainly poverty all around Gulu town it is far worse in the more rural areas. The park asked that we not give away food because it makes begging a bigger problem. This is something that we talk about a lot at Invisible Children - making sure that the aid or assistance that we offer is sustainable and not just a short term solution. HOWEVER, there is also just something very inhumane and completely unbearable about stuffing your face while starving children watch you...and we had plenty of leftovers so we broke the rules. In the first attempt to pass out chapati the children were grabbing and trying to hide the piece they were given so that they could get another. A Ugandanteacher, however, then told them that if they could sit down in a circle and not grab we'd have more food for them. The first thing they did? Ran to the jerry can and helped each other wash their hands. My heart broke. In the midst of their hunger and excitement these children - some as young as 3 or 4 years - remembered to follow the proper customs for their meal. So often people in these dire situations of poverty are viewed as less than human but here was a perfect example to the contrary.

After our meal together some of the village children helped us to make a path up to the top of the nearby mountain. We trekked through grasses above my head, individual farmers' gardens and scaled rock faces to make it to the top. On my way there all I could think was, "Oh please God let me not come across a snake" and "How are these children doing this with no shoes?!?!" and "Ouch, ooh, oh, ah, augh...really? is this worth it" ...but it was! The view was amazing and it was quite

an adventure. It was a great day of bonding between the Americans and the Ugandans.

6 weeks is just not enough time!

2009-07-13T06:40:00.001-05:00

I am in love! This country and the people are teaching me so many lessons about myself and the world daily that I just do not want to leave in 2 weeks time. If I could stay and teach at Sir Samuel Baker for the next year I would. I love the staff at the school. They are hilarious and seem to have really welcomed me into their lives. Already they are talking about how they will miss me and cannot even remember their lives without me – I feel the exact same way. I’m just starting to develop bonds with my 150+ students and would love to stick around and see them progress even further. They work so hard to impress me with their abilities and I just know that we could really kick butt together if I were to stay. The beauty of living here is the balance. I can plan and work my butt off in the classroom but then I come home and the pace of life is much slower – there is more time to reflect and to enjoy friends and to appreciate the little things. I want to take this back with me but fear that I will get swept up into the normal fast pace that my life follows back in the States. Someone, in September when I am stressed out, please remind me I said this.

I think next steps are grad school and then hopefully working on education policy internationally. It is fascinating and there is so much work to be done. I’m not an expert but I can certainly see myself spending the rest of my life trying to become one.

2009-07-12T06:31:00.005-05:00

This weekend we went to Murichson Falls for a river and land safari. It was a very relaxing and much needed respite as I am struggling to get over a cold (it’s just a cold, despite the Ugandan teachers consistently mentioning that I might have “a touch of the malaria”). The park was huge and I was amazed out how plentiful the wildlife was. On Saturda

y we drove 3 hours on a dirt “road” – it was extremely bumpy and several people ended up vomiting but I think in the end people would agree it was worth the agony. We arrived at the park and headed to our river tour. We spent the entire afternoon riding along the Nile River observing the wildlife. There a ton of hippos – an extremely dangerous animal but fascinating to watch, crocodiles, and birds. There was also the falls which was a pretty beautiful view. By the time we arrived to our camp I was ravenous and dead tired. We ate chicken curry and then I showered and attempted an early bed time. The only challenges were the warthogs pigging out outside of my tent and the large group of Brits that were singing Disney songs at their campsite until midnight. It’s funny looking back…but at the time I was not a happy camper.
On Sunday we woke up at 5:45 am to take a drive through the park. Through the park we rode in the luggage rack on top of our mutatu (van). While we used pillows to cushion our bums the padding was simply not enough. Again, however, it was worth the slight discomfort. We saw literally hundreds of elephants, giraffes, deer-like things (oribi, Jackson heartabeast, cob, etc.), Cape Buffalo, more hippos, birds, monkeys, baboons – incredible! I’ve tried to include some pictures – there will be more when I can share those my friends have taken with top-quali

ty zoom lens cameras.

AMERICA!

2009-07-05T06:33:00.003-05:00

Saturday was the greatest party ever! Invisible Children hosted a 4th of July bash for all the teachers and IC staff (Ugandan and American). It was held at Acholi Inn - a high end hotel in Gulu town. It began with the food - we had CHEESEBURGERS!!!!!!!!! That's all I have to say. After 3 weeks of pure Acholi food, this American goodness was heavenly!

Once we ate the celebration began - we danced outside under the stars and the nearly full moon from 7 until midnight. Everyone was full of energy and I'm pretty sure that not a single person took a break. The Ugandans were very interested in how Americans celebrate this big holiday of Independence. It was especially humorous when they asked to learn our traditional dances for this day. We did not want to disappoint but the best we could come up with was the electric slide...thankfully they loved it!!!! We also listened to a LOT of Michael Jackson (I think I heard "Billy Jean" 8 times and it never got old) We also got to practice some of the Acholi traditional dances including the Raka Raka (no clue how it is really spelled) I think I held my own but I will NEVER be able to dance like the Acholi - they've got a special jean that helps them to shake it like no other.

This will definitely be a night that I will remember for a long time to come!

Picture: Sharon, me, Lisa, and Ryan (the American teachers at Sir Samuel Baker School)

Student and Teacher Empowerment Conference

2009-07-04T06:22:00.000-05:00

Not much teaching going on yet. This week was midterms so I only had to be at the school on Wednesday morning to proctor the S3 mathematics exam. I did get to mark (aka grade) them afterwards which has kept me busy. I was shocked at how low the scores were - the highest was a 36/60! The confusing part is that my team teacher, Acire Simon, seems to think that these are pretty good.

Friday and Saturday were the Annual Invisible Children Teacher Exchange Educational Conference. It was really fabulous except Acire could not make it because his one-year old son had Malaria and he needed to help out at home. I understood his reason for being absent from the conference (obviously) but it was a disappointment because I think his presence at the conference would have helped us to build a stronger working relationship as we discussed the topics at the conference. The first day was filled with presentations from each school. Each school had an issue that they shared and for which they presented solutions. We discussed communication, student motivation, curriculum, managing with a low teacher salary and more. It was all very positive an uplifting. On Saturday we observed several workshops for students. The workshops focused on student engagement, positive reinforcement and student empowerment. Afterwards we met as a school team to discuss what we'd observed and how we could implement some of the facilitation strategies in our classrooms. The Sir Samuel Baker School teachers were enthusiastic, looking forward to group work, games, and relationship building with the students.

My Posse

2009-07-01T08:01:00.004-05:00

So, there are 18 people in my group. They are all very cool. I have not taken the time to write about them, however, one of the guys, Ryan, inspired me to introduce this group to my family and friends. I have taken Ryan’s description of them and pasted it on my blog (there have been some minor edits because he can be a bit inappropriate at times and I’m trying to keep this kid friendly). Ryan is CRAZY! He is from Rhode Island and is loud and always putting on a show. We all love him though because he keeps things from getting too serious. He also has a very big heart. He finds the good in everyone so how can we not love him? (Even if he often wakes people up at odd hours with his shenanigans) Here is Ryan’s description of the group – keep in mind he’s FUNNY/sarcastic…he’s not really a jerk. (thank you Ryan!):

“There are 18 of us in group 2 and we have all bonded more than I thought possible, or ever expected…four of the 18 of us go to Pabo from Monday to Thursday each week. They are only with us Thursday night to Sunday night, and we make the most of our time together during those three nights. Stephanie and Tammy are two of the girls that are there, and they are both great. Tammy used to be a swimmer and lifeguard like myself, only I am a surf lifeguard and she was not. So my summer job position was a little more impressive than hers. After church last week I found out that Stephanie was going to be in nun and actually was in the convent for a little while. I could not believe it. She still says that it is not totally out of the question. She is very sweet and is missed when she is in Pabo.

Lance and Justine are the married couple of the group and they are like my big brother and big sister. They are extremely generous, and more importantly hilarious. I have so much fun when I am with them and all of us on the trip look up to and admire them. They are hands down two of the greatest people I have ever met in my life. Justine always asks the questions that get the group to have a great conversation. She is also an unbelievably great photographer and I cannot wait to see her pictures of the trip. Lance owns a bar in San Francisco called Blue Light and we already have plans to visit them very soon. My parents should be able to sleep a little easier on Thursday – Sunday nights knowing that they are around.
The Atanga boys leave on Monday mornings and return on Friday (although Thursday this week.) It really sucks that they have to leave because they are some of the people that I am closest to. This is Big John’s 3rd summer in a row coming here and he is like a celebrity in Gulu. The man is literally 6’11” and you can see him coming from a mile away. He is the funniest man on the trip (besides myself obviously) and can really hold his own when we are all out. EVERYONE loves him, and I would not believe someone if they said they did not love him. He would do anything for anyone (and has done a lot for a lot of us.) I look forward to spending many Kentucky Derby’s with him and I am never worried about getting lost when he is around because he is so massive.

Kevin and Bill are the two other guys in Atanga. They actually met in college and have been lovers ever since. Just kidding. Kevin now lives in Colorado and Bill in Washington DC. I actually changed my plans on the way home and I am going to Amsterdam with the two of the when we leave here next month. Kevin is absolutely hysterical and loves to be silly. He always talks in a ridiculous accent when he is talking to the Acholi people because it makes him feel like he is speaking in a different language. Bill is hysterical too, but in a different way than Kevin. I am actually the only person on the trip that likes Bill. Just kidding, Kevin likes him too. He is very nice and has a very dry sense of humor, which I love. We have already made plans to visit each other on a bi-weekly basis, but then realized that that was ridiculous and not necessary. We then changed it to a monthly basis and realized that even that was not necessary and finally decided on a bi-monthly basis which I think is perfect and very reasonable. I am sure we will call each other bi-hourly every day though. We all miss these guys terribly when they are gone and I even sometimes stand at Bill’s door and knock on it asking if he can come out and play, obviously getting no response. It makes everyone laugh and it never gets old.
The other 11 of us are permanently living at Katharina’s and are continuing to bond every day. We all had a very great conversation last night before and during dinner about relationships and personal experiences. We were all sharing and comfortable to tell each other personal stories as if we have been friends for years.

The 3 girls that are at St, Mary’s Lacor school are Wendy, Lindsey, and Mandie. They are all special in their own way. Wendy is also in her third summer coming to Gulu and is extremely generous and giving. She seems to have a genuine concern about us and is always willing to help someone or lend advice. It is wonderful having her with us and sharing her past experiences in Gulu. Lindsey is hysterical and by FAR my favorite things about her (although there are many) is how hard she laughs at my jokes. She always laughs the longest and the hardest. Every time she laughs I say to the group “That is why Lindsey is my favorite. All you have to do is laugh very hard at my jokes, harder than Lindsey, and you will be my favorite.” Nobody really seems to be too concerned about being my favorite anymore and most of the time people just ignore me when I say that, but Lindsey knows how much I appreciate her. Finally, Mandie is absolutely awesome. She has three kids and her oldest is 21 years old. She has the best taste in music in the entire group besides me. She is very funny, extremely nice, and an absolute joy to have around. The trip would not be the same without her and I am so happy she is with us. She has had to deal with my whining and complaining more than anyone (except Michael my roommate, but more on him later) because I always sit next to her on our long journeys because she lets me sprawl out wherever we are. On the 6 hour drive from Kampala to Gulu she must have heard “I’m tired” “I’m hungry/starving” “I’m uncomfortable” “My butt hurts” “I have a headache” or “I’m bored” AT LEAST 5 times each. She handled it like a champion and definitely deserves a medal. This weekend on the mutatu to the Rhino Sanctuary there was 12 seats. There were ten of us. Everyone had their own seat and I had THREE seats. I was lying down on 2 and had my big bag on a third, which I was using as a pillow. This extremely selfish decision on my part forced Mandie to squeeze into the corner of the mutatu, but she never complained once. She even took a picture of me after I realized what I was doing and thought it was hysterical. Poor Lance, had ZERO leg room, and was in pain the whole time. I feel bad about it now, but I was real tired and needed my rest.

The three girls I spend the most time with are Lisa, Sharon, and Kate because they are with me at my school. I am very happy with my group because they are all wonderful girls and a lot of fun to be with. Lisa and Sharon are both from South Carolina. We have so many laughs together based on some of the ridiculous, unbelievable things we experience on our way to school and once we are at school. Sharon actually just learned how to play poker this weekend and already won Sunday night’s poker game. I was pretty mad, but she won fair and square and deserved the recognition. She also came to Kat’s with Bill, Michael and I on Sunday night to watch the Brazil and US soccer game. She even outlasted me, as I came home at half-time. Very impressive Sharon. Sharon and I also are usually home when the Atanga boys leave and we stand outside waving and we always joke that we are like a mom and dad waving goodbye to our kids going to college. Sharon was also part of the most frightening Boda Boda ride I have had yet. We shared a Boda Boda coming home from school and I was LITERALLY holding on for my life. I seriously thought I was going to fall off and Sharon was laughing, which made me laugh and thus made it that much harder to hang on. We have since decided that things will work much better if I put her backpack on my backpack when we share Boda Boda’s.

Lisa had the unfortunate duty of sitting next to me during the VERY LONG handover ceremony at our school last weekend. We were laughing so hard, but had to hide our laughter because we were the guests of the ceremony and were basically on stage facing hundreds of people. It was very difficult to do, and we have a lot of great quotes from that day. I am very happy Lisa was next to me, because she totally appreciated my reactions. When I was pulled onto the dance floor forced to try and dance the Acholi dance, I saw Lisa crying because she was laughing so hard at me. I basically was jogging in place and I am sure that image will forever be etched into her mind.

Kate is the other girl that is at school with us. She is originally from Connecticut but now lives in Texas. I am very happy that Kate is here and we have gotten pretty close. From day one people were saying we were like brother and sister, or like a married couple. Either way, we have a pretty cool relationship which I am sure will continue for quite some time. She was one of the first people that I bonded with. When I met the crew at JFK she was the first person I saw and she had a “beverage” in front of her. By that point (after checking in, security, customs) I needed to relax with a drink and seeing Kate was like seeing an angel. We have been close ever since, and Kate will be the first to tell me I am too loud or I need to stop doing something. She is very open and honest and I respect that. Everyone needs a Kate in their life.

The final group of us is the Gulu High group. The four people in that group are Matt, Annie, John, and Michael.

Matt is back this summer for a second year in a row and I actually read Matt’s blog about last year before I even knew him, so it was kind of like meeting a mini-celebrity. Matt is such a nice guy and since the Atanga boys have left (matt and big john are close because of last summer) Matt and I are getting closer every day. He really steps it up when we go out and sometimes is actually a bad influence on me, which I LOVE. Just kidding. He has a lot of knowledge about the Acholi culture and always has some information to share with us. With only four of us guys left here during the week, I am very thankful that Matt is back this summer and can’t wait to get to know him more over the next month.

Annie is back for her second summer as well. She lives in New York and is going to be a movie star one day. She is an amazing artist, actress, and person. She is so deep and intelligent and I love to just listen to her talk. She has a huge heart and seems genuinely interested in all of our stories and all of our past experiences. It seems like no matter what we are talking about she has something profound to say. She is a fantastic person and I am sure I will take the short drive to NYC to visit her often.

John (or Little John as to not confuse him with Big John) is someone that I look up to. He is 31 and the father of 2 beautiful little girls. He has dedicated so much time and energy into Invisible Children. He could possibly be the nicest guy I have ever met and is here for absolutely all the right reasons. He is making a difference in so many kids lives and has selflessly left behind his family for 6 weeks to make a difference. It is much easier for someone like me to do something like this because I do not have the responsibilities that he has. He has already formed many close relationships with Acholi students and the Acholi people in general. I really admire the guy and for those of you that know me, know that I do not say that too often.

The final person in the group is Michael. I could literally copy and paste just about everything good that I said about everyone and it would pertain to this guy (except that he does not own a bar in San Francisco). After 2 and a half weeks with this kid I think of him like a brother. I know that I may not be the easiest person to live with in general let alone sharing a SMALL BEDROOM with me for 6 weeks. Michael has taught me so much already and shared his personal stories with me, which inspires me to be a better person. I have never laughed so hard with someone and then immediately after have a totally deep, serious conversation which could go on for hours. The rest of the crew often complains that they hear us talking like little school girls at night, which makes it difficult for them to sleep. I always tell him to quiet down but he is too loud and can’t seem to whisper (or maybe that is me.) Anyway, this guy will be a life-long friend and that is an absolute fact.

We also have Catherine living with us who is our leader. She is really cool as well and extremely talented. She is doing some amazing things with her life and is also someone that I look up to. She is also based in NYC and I hope to see her often.

As you can see his description was very thorough and dead on. I am so lucky to be living and working with such an amazing group of people!

Pictures: 1) Ryan - the brains behind this post dancing with Catherine our kickbutt leader; 2) Bill and I; 3) Kevin and Annie (my roommate); 4) Sharon and 5) Lisa (the other teachers at my school with me) - I will work to include more pictures (the blog only allows 5 per post!)

Tourist in Uganda - Part 1

2009-06-30T01:42:00.001-05:00

Invisible Children has planned several weekend excursions for the group while we are here. This weekend was our first excursion. We took a three hour trip to the Rhinoceros Sanctuary. While it should have been very relaxing it was not quite as nice as I would have hoped because I was rather ill. It was ideal, however, to get sick here – where it was very peaceful, we had no commitments and there were actual toilets (not just holes in the floor) and HOT showers! J

Despite being sick I was able to go on the rhino trek. We took a van out into the bush (about a 15 minute ride), we then hike a bit further, perhaps a mile, to get to the rhinos. The white rhinos are very docile animals and so we were able to get very close with 15 feet or so. Amazing! They are not the most beautiful creatures but it was still quite fascinating.

I am now a teacher at SSBS!

2009-06-25T06:04:00.002-05:00

Pictures:
1) My classrooms - all S3 students take their classes here.
2) Another shot of the campus.

I have now taught 2 lessons. They have been successful enough. The students were attentive and seemed to be enjoying my new techniques and expectations. I began by having the students make free-standing nameplates out of paper. I am not sure if it is possible for me to learn all 150+ names in four and a half weeks but SEEING the names helps and the students, I think, appreciate the attempt. Some of the names , to give you an idea, include: Kidega Denis, Odokorach Erick, Ogenrwot Washington, and Lubangakene Denis. They all have an Acholi name and an English name – this does not make things easier. Next we played a game. I think they were happy once they got the hang ot it. In the beginning they were confused because they could not find this game in their textbook and they are used to just following the textbook.
During class they like to call out answers and chat with their neighbor (about the work) throughout class – that does not work for me so we will need to keep working on these expectations. Also, they are so eager to show me they have the correct answer. They complete all their work in their notebooks and are used to receiving a red check for each correct answer. This seems absolutely nutty to me – especially when I have 20 students at a time out of their seats shoving their answers in my face, requesting a red check. AHHHH!!! We are going to work on this – perhaps I can remind them that the most important thing is that THEY know that they have the correct answer. I do appreciate that they all call me “madam”. It’s so fancy and British. J I am so excited to continue working with them and Acire to see if we can increase the amount of learning that goes on in each class period.

Sir Samuel Baker School

2009-06-22T16:31:00.004-05:00

Today was my first day of school. I am teaching 3 sections of S3 mathematics (this is approximately equivalent to grade 0) that each meet 3 times per week for 80 minutes. My team teacher is Acire Simon (pronounced Ah-cheer-ay). He is a quiet and kind man who is married and has four children. I am hoping I get to meet the family because his two youngest are 1 and 3 years of age! So cute! I looking forward to working with him over these next 5 weeks as he seems as excited as I am to exchange ideas with an international teacher about teaching.

Some of the challenges that I believe we will be working to combat this summer include:
-Students dislike for mathematics
-Students thinking that they cannot do math
-Students arriving late to class
-Students not completing their work/reading for class
-Students not participating and asking questions
All challenges that we see in classrooms in the United States – so I have lots of ideas and Acire is excited to try new things, I believe.

The classroom setting is quite different. First of all it’s all boys. LOTS of energy! All the boys sit at wooden desks that look a bit like church pews with tables. 3-4 boys cram into a table that is made for only 2. They each have one book (this is amazing…usually students have to share one book among several students) and one notebook. They all write in pen. I have not seen a single pencil yet. They also LOVE getting a red check mark on their paper. It’s a little bit wild and I will need to bring some more structure to their independent practice just for my own sanity. Right now they will work on problems independently and when they get an answer will shove their notebook in their face and wait for the red check that communicates that they are correct. Did I mention there about 60 students per class? It’s utter chaos if they ALL have the problem correct at the same time. Thankfully with Acire and I both in the classroom we can each only have to deal with a 30-student pile up. Again…something to work on.

As for the rest of the school – everyone is SO friendly. The teachers greet us every day in English and Acholi. They get a real kick out of hearing us practice our Acholi – it’s clear that we are pretty horrible but they are very encouraging. I have gotten to know many and the atmosphere is much more relaxed. When we are not teaching, which is more often then not, the teachers relax in the staff room. Scrabble it the game of choice to pass the time. It is AMAZING how good they are. I have been too scared to play as of yet but may give it a go next week. They will have solid blocks of words, words that I often do not believe are English words until I look them up and find out, yep, it’s a word. Crazy, seriously crazy.

Needless to say, I’m loving the interaction with the people at my school and am really looking forward to getting to know them better. I feel so privileged to have this opportunity – hopefully I will be able to reciprocate the learning experience for my new friends.

St. Jude's Orphanage

2009-06-21T22:00:00.003-05:00

Today we visited St. Jude’s Orphanage. There were children there from newborn through 17 years of age. Generally children do NOT get placed in orphanages because it is customary for family members to take responsibility for children. One effect of this 20-year war, however, was an increase in the number of orphans. HIV/AIDS has also played a major role in the increased number of orphans, however, the number of HIV cases has decreased dramatically over the years. The visit consisted of us dancing and playing with the children. I let the children take my camera and take all the pictures they wanted. If I can figure out this blogging technology I will share some of their pictures with you. The children were all very attention-hungry which was very sad but we had fun together for the 2 hours that we were visiting. I left wondering, however, if we had done any good visiting. The children’s days are filled with meeting people and then saying goodbye.

In the evening we were invited to the farm of the Olalobo family. We spent hours listening to their stories. They are a more affluent Ugandan family. Tom, the father, went into exile in the 70’s due to a change in government leadership. Many of his family members were killed at this time. He returned in the early 80s with his children to build a house on his family’s property. A few years later they fled to England where the children were raised. Now 20 plus years later they have returned, finished their house and are working to develop sustainable business plans to help the Acholi region. The visit was fascinating! During the war, Tom’s mother stayed behind refusing to leave. Many people used his partially built home for protection from the LRA. There was a barbed wire fence around the property which served as a deterrent because the rebels never wanted to be trapped anywhere. Their stories of close calls and their reflections on the current state of Uganda gave me a lot to think about.

This place has my brain churning a mile per minute.

Apwoyo Uganda!

2009-06-19T09:04:00.007-05:00

Pictures: 1) View of from the front porch of Katharina's Hotel 2) The hole in the floor that serves as a toilet 3) My bed - thankfully I have not gotten Malaria yet! 4) The courtyard where we all hang out in the evenings

It’s been five days since I arrived in Uganda and already I am in love! This is a beautiful country with beautiful people. They are friendly, hard-working, and ver

y welcoming.
A lot

has happened so I will I will try and include some of the big things I’ve observed and/or experienced:

-Driving is crazy. There is a driving school in Gulu (where I’m living), however, I’m not convinced that there are any rules at all…except to stay to the left…if you would like.

-While there are many more white people in Uganda now it is still a novelty. Most times when I walk down the street I hear a chorus of “muno, muno, muno!” or “Muzungu!” – translation: White Person! I am learning Lwo (pronounced luo), the language of the Acholi people, the tribe that is common to the area of Uganda I am living. This is helping to better interact with the people. MOST people speak English as well, as it is the national language. But a greeting of “Apwoyo!” (Hello) or “Iri maber” (How are you?) really make the people happy and are great conversation starters

-We lucked out with our accommodations. Katharina, the owner of the establishment, spent a LOT of time getting the place ready for us. While the accommodations are still pretty basic, they are AMAZING for the typical Ugandan abode. I have my bed and bug net. I have my buckets (in case the water is low and so the showers do not work…sponge bath!). We have laundry service – this is the greatest thing ever since I do NOT have this in the States. Only challenge has been the toilet – it’s a hole in the ground…but I have overcome this challenge and am now a pro. (Sorry…this may be too much information for some)

-I walk a lot but for longer distances I take a Boda Boda…basically a dirt bike that serves as a taxi. More interestingly, it is most acceptable to ride side saddle (both legs hanging to the left). Thankfully I have also mastered this art as well.

-I begin teaching on Monday with my team teacher. I meet her tonight and cannot wait to tell everyone all about her! This week has been filled with training on Lwo, the history of the war in Uganda, Education in Uganda, information on Invisible Children, discussions around teaching practices, and wonderful meals!

-The food is surprisingly delicious! Many people disagree but I love food so of course I love this food as well. It is usually meet with a starch. Beef, chicken, smoke fish with matoke (pronounce ma –toke-ay and made of mashed plantains), posho (white starch looks kind of like mashed potatoes but feels more like dough), potatoes, and many others. There are also beans, many cooked greens, and delicious fruits. I drink ginger beer everyday – it’s non-alcoholic and tastes like really strong ginger ale but sweeter.

This is the best I can do for a summary so far. Once I get my teaching schedule, I am hoping that I will have more time to get to the Internet cafes and talk with friends and family. Sorry to everyone who has e-mailed or wanted to call. Definitely check this and I will do my best to respond to e-mails. Also, I have yet to take pictures in Gulu town - I will try and include those in my next post.

Required Reading and listening

2009-06-11T15:48:00.002-05:00

Before my trip I was asked to read a couple of books and listen to and watch a few videos and news clips. I've attached the list below for those who are interested -enjoy. I hope they stretch your thinking as much as they did mine.

Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins

Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paolo Freire

"How Not To Write About Africa" by Binyavanga Wainaina

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-jSQD5FVxE

"The Ethics of Global Aid: One Kenyan's Perspective" from Public Radio's Speaking of Fath with Krista Tippett

http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/2008/ethics_of_aid-kenya/

Invisble Children

2009-06-04T13:48:00.001-05:00

I am heading to Uganda to team teach with a Ugandan math teacher. I am scheduled to teach at Sir Samuel Baker Secondary School. This is an all-boy high school where many of the students are orphans due to war and disease. I have no idea what to expect in terms of content being taught and behavior but I am very excited. I know that I am going to learn so much from this experience!

Check out the Invisible Children website to see what the organization is all about, they are doing some amazing stuff.

http://www.invisiblechildren.com/