Accion de Gracias

I know I have said it before but the only way to describe being here is: emotional roller coaster. Well to those who know me emotions aren't usually something I associate myself with. I enjoy being easy going and unshakable for the most part. However Spanish Lindsay definitely feels a little bit more, which has been good and bad. Some days I'm overwhelmingly blue and just overwhelmed with my life here. I guess I'm discontent with the program, it's just not what I expected but my classes this term are much more interesting and I am liking them a lot more because they are all in Spanish so I feel like I'm learning more. That's part of it too. I really want to be speaking more Spanish. I'm definitely learning from hearing my students speak, talking to my teachers, and the day to day conversations when I'm out and about. I just would like it to be more, which is why I am excited to begin my "intercambio" tonight. My roommate knew a girl that wanted to practice her English and I need to practice my Spanish so we are planning to meet every Wednesday and help each other speak in both languages.

Back to the roller coaster. Yesterday I was in a sour mood all day and nothing could snap me out of it. Today I was feeling a little better and ended up having a great day of classes. Wednesdays are one of my longest days with 6 classes but they went really well today. Even though I don't see my students near often enough I'm starting to get to know the individual classes and how I need to approach the class in order to get them to participate and/or behave. The last couple weeks were a struggle in my younger classes because I think they were almost testing their boundaries with me and seeing what they could get away with, which resulted in me having to yell, send them out, and tell their teachers and ultimately them not coming to their next class with me. None if this was fun but I think it's teaching me to be more firm at first and then fun in these classes. When it comes to my senior classes which I was at one point absolutely dreading I'm learning to be more understanding of their lack of participation. Most of them really do not understand me. I'm realizing that even though they may have the highest education in English grammar, their conversation and listening comprehension is below even some of my seventh graders. I'm trying to do a better job of keeping everyone on the same page and letting people have time to catch up in the conversation. They aren't bad students and most of them are really nice kids. I just need to teach more on their level and interest.

So I'm feeling better than yesterday, definitely focusing on staying positive. I'm learning that the process of moving to a new country, settling in and getting somewhat accustomed to being away from friends and family is not an easy one. The first hurdle is tomorrow. Thanksgiving. Yes I know it may not seem like the most horrible thing to miss but it's my first holiday away and it is my favorite holiday. I guess it's just hard to think about everyone all together and me not being there for the first time in my life. But it's okay because I will be home in 29 days and I am making sure that everyone I love knows how thankful I am for having them in my life, even if I'm an ocean away.

Por fin, estoy agradecido por esta oportunidad para vivir en un país nuevo y aprender sobre una idioma y cultura diferente. Pero la cosa más importante en mi vida es la genta que me quiero. Tengo muchisima suerte en mi vida y doy gracias a Dios por todo :)

Un buen dia (written October 25th)

*sorry I have been horrible at posting lately, I'm going to be better!

Today was a pretty good day. It's Friday so I start with Segundo Bachillerato (12^th grade) which is my least favorite usually just because it feels impossible to get them to do or care about anything. That class went okay I gave them people magazines my mom sent me from home and had them do a scavenger hunt. I had 2 segundo ESO (8^th grade) classes that went pretty well and I was dreading my biweekly Friday recreo (recess) duty. The past 2 times have literally been a torturous 30 mins of walking back and forth aimlessly and having groups of students pass by say hi and then talk about me or basically cat call me from the basketball court "Lindsay mira!" (Lindsay look!) today started out pretty much like that and I was guarding the wrong part of the area to begin with, until the other teacher came up to me and said "no, no, no" so I thought she was telling me I couldn't eat my peach when I was on duty but she was actually telling me I was in the wrong spot. So anyway I walked around for a few minutes and then a group of 4 junior and senior girls came up to me and we talked the whole rest of the recess. They were so sweet and it was nice to just talk to them because they wanted to talk not because I was badgering them to practice their English in class. They told me I should practice my Spanish with them but I told them I can't I'm there so they practice English, but they were still really sweet who knows maybe I will break the rules one day and speak a little Spanish with them ;) I don't think the girls realized how much they made me day just b talking to me and not staring at me like everyone usually does. The rest of the day went well I had a class of juniors that I couldn't help but just laugh at because they say the funniest things. I had a lot of fun with them though. I wish all the classes could understand that, that if you treat me with respect and participate we can have fun and I even let them study for the test they had next because in the beginning they put their notes away when I asked them to, it was that simple but I had a class the day before that refused to put their notes away the whole time. I struggle with it because I know they don't care about my class it's not important to them especially the seniors. The few who care about learning English listen to me but there's no use in forcing the ones who don't. Am I really going to change their minds and convince them that English is important? Maybe with those classes that's what I need to do, show them why learning English is worth their time...
So I'm getting into the groove with school and life it feels like. We've also had a lot of fun discovering the city. Just the other day I was running through Parque Retiro the famous park that is just a few blocks from our house and I literally ran into a garden of peacocks. I was adding a little detour to my run and I found myself in a beautiful garden with peacocks wandering around, that's normal right? Then on Saturday we all went there and took pictures and hung out by the lake, it was an absolutely gorgeous day.