Happy First Day, LES!!! (8/29)

One of my favorite times of the year is the beginning of school. Sure, I LOVE Summer. But, the beginning of school is so exciting. You see friends, meet teachers, anticipate what is to come. I am so happy to greet everybody as they walk through the door. And this is LES's first day!!!

WELCOME BACK EVERYBODY!!!

There are a special group of students and a very kind teacher there who I am thinking about a lot. This teacher and class are starting the year knowing that in January there will be another beginning. That will be mine. I will return to the classroom I left last January. I so excited about it now, even though it is still a long time in coming. In the meantime, thanks for being so patient and doing a great job until I get there.

I hope you enjoy these first few days! LES is the best!!!

There's Snow-Way, Jose!!! (8/27)

We finally ventured up the mountain! We live remarkably close to the Andes Mountains. So close, in fact, that people make jokes about temperature differences. They say we live "almost in Argentina"! Well. Almost. Anyway, Deb and I, and our dear friends, Andrés, Priscilla, and Benjamin, decided to "climb every mountain" until we reached the snowy peaks of the nearby Andes. Surprinsingly, it only took us about an hour. Driving it was a dream! There were 48 switchback curves to get to the top, and the vista was incredible!!! If you think I took a lot of pictures of the mountains, you haven't seen anything yet! The crazy thing is there were cacti here and there for a great majority of the drive. Now the cacti weren't covered in snow now, but they had been!!!

Well. Upon arriving at the top of the first snow covered peak, we got out to look around. Farallones is a ski town. Everything you want that has to do with skiing can be found there. You can rent, buy and sell. Or you can just enjoy the slopes. We took some pictures and drove to "free" snow. The next town up (ironically, also a ski town) was El Colorado. Here we could park the car and play in snow. Andrés and I built a snowman named Melvin, named after the giraffe in Madagascar for somewhat obvious reasons. We all went sledding on windshield sun reflectors. (Yep, those things that you put in your car window to make the car less toasty when you park it in the sun.) They were perfect because two people could fit on one. We also went into a ski lodge and inquired about rentals and lift tickets, but we were really interested. We just wanted to see what was going on there.

The drive down was just as pretty and a little warmer. (I didn't mention that the route was one way. Up from 8-2, down from 4-8.) We noticed running water and little water falls as we descended. Another thing we noticed was the smog cap on the valley and how we were leaving the clean air and entering the land of breathing pollution. Makes secondhand smoke seem trite. When we arrived at our appartment, we had pink complections to offer as proof of our trek up into the mountains.

School Contests (8/25)

I think that students in the States have to work harder in school than students here. But there are school activities that challenge the students to be excellent. Recently, six of my students competed in an Oral Presentation Contest, and today 12 participated in a Mental Math Challenge competition. These competitions required preliminary rounds in the classroom. Students prepared and attempted to qualify for participation in the assemblies. During the assemblies they either gave their oral presentation or computed strings of math equations in front of large audiences. They may have been nervous, but their performance under this pressures is quite impressive. There is a good bit of fame in these achievements too.

I was invited to participate as a judge in the Oral Presentation Contest. Being a native English speaker, I was recruited to help evaluate English, poise, and speech content. Students from First through Eighth grade presented and there was a winner on each grade level. Topics were interesting and sometimes quite ambitious. I am glad I only had to assign a number to each catagory, and that I didn't have to pick any winners. That would have been too hard.

I participated in the Mental Math Challenge too. I welcomed everybody to the second half and read the questions to students... 500 minus 179, divided by 11, multiplied by 8, one-fourth of this, etc. These were serious questions and students didn't get much time to process them. But, amazingly, they came out with the correct answers. I enjoy participating in these assemblies. I don't crave spotlight, but I do like to shine sometimes.

Decisions, decisions!!! (8/18)

Every once in a while you have to make a big decision. You can tell it's a big decision because you know that it will have many implications and consequences. But sometimes there is really only one seemingly right answer. Deb was asked to stay more than one year at ADS in Chile. This wasn't really a surprise, nevertheless one we put off thinking about until we came to that bridge. Well. We were there. Note the "were". Upon weighing and praying, the answer was a clear "No". We are here, having successfully achieved the hard part of settling in another country. We feel established, connected, and like we can really do this. Time would allow me to become provicient at speaking Spanish. And one year isn't enough time to see everything we want to see. But it seemed that returning at the end of the year was best. Deb's job has been good for her, but there are things that make it difficult for her. She works long hours and there is more than a fair share of stress. We told many people (including my employers) that we would be returning in January. So we feel that we want to keep our word. And, being this far away from family for so long is hard. So we are over that bridge. And now it seems that everything we do is because we are leaving soon. Our time is officially past the halfway mark. It's... bittersweet.

American?! (8/13)

So while waiting in the airport to come home, Deb and I had bite eat. I ordered coffee. The options are few -- espresso or a cortado (espresso with milk spume). I was looking for a real cup of coffee. I tried my luck and asked for a "cafe americano", or American Coffee. The waitress nodded her head and acted knowingly. I even dared to get my hopes up. Well. I was given an instant Nescafe in a tiny espresson mug. So much for hoping!

Where do these people get their concept of "American"? "American Coffee" is instant. The "American Breakfast" is an ham and cheese sandwich. The "American Kitchen" is an island between kitchen and living rooms requiring stools and necessitating banging your knees while you eat. I am developing a complex. I suppose it's just like French fries. Exactly what makes them "French" I am not sure?

Ven, Ben! (8/13)

On Sunday we were kind of tranquil and easy-going. We ate breakfast, packed up our stuff and walked down Avenida Florida, a pedestrian street/walkway where there are lots of shops and vendors. We were particularly interested in finding some souvenirs. I discovered Raton Perez (the Latin Tooth Fairy) in a fancy mall along this way. When the appointed time came we called a taxi and went to the airport. (Due to the increased security we had to ditch one of our "souvenirs" because of its texture. Dulce de Leche was taken from us because we weren't allowed to carry any "liquids".)

While reflecting on our weekend, I consider how Benjamin, now almost two years old (Sept. 7), was such an important part of the entertainment. He could hardly be quiet for a tour of the cemetery, much less a theater show. And, though he frequently wanted to walk on his own, he wore out quickly and had a tendancy to wander towards the unaticipated (I.e. artificial aquarium lights). Benjamin was often carried to keep him close. Priscilla really is amazing with him, though. She patiently talks to him all the time, and now Benjamin is really learning to talk too. He tells her things and Priscilla translates for everyone. It is so cute to hear the things he has to say. Benjamin calls Deb and I aunt and uncle, but he says "Tia Deb" like he were a little goat, Deh-heh-heh-heb! (Well, not exactly that clear, but it's cute. Actually, we recently met a little boy that is a month or two older than Benjamin. This boy, Lucas, didn't talk very much and what he did say even his mother had trouble deciphering.) Benjamin has an highly developed love of cars. He pushes them around, races them, crashes them, and even just lays on the floor next to them and stares at them admiringly. He really likes their tires for some reason. But, Benjamin really knows what he likes. He frequently gets samples of his parents food and drink. And he very clearly expresses if he likes or dislikes. Very observantly, it was he that first spotted our dessert when we were walking down the street looking for ice cream. He also saw an arcade and demanded to go in. Of course, he wanted to see a racing game that was close to the entrance. Benjamin's most endearing quality however is his ability to perform tricks on command. He greets, makes faces, provides sound effects for stories, and names animals by their sounds (dogs and cats, of course, but also elephants, lions, giraffes which he learned from watching Madagascar as well as others). He is quite the actor and loves the attention. He's quite a cutee. I suppose if I am going to be an uncle to him too, I might as well dote on him.

Day 2 in B.A. (8/12)

Saturday we went to the Boca district with its colorful buildings (that remind me of Valparaiso), art, and tango restaurants. We saw lot of leather products, mate tea cups and straws, jewelry and tango-dancing figurines. We saw several real couples dancing tango in the street. Deb and I walked along a warf for a while too. Next, we visited the San Telmo district. Buenos Aires is largely influenced by Italian immigrants, so we all had some great Italian food for lunch. We hunted several more churches, then split up so Andres, Priscilla, and Benjamin could take a break from the grueling pace. Deb and I continued on to see the Torre de los Ingleses and the Plaza San Martin. In this plaza we saw a constant stream of bikers ramping off plyboard and performing (what I perceived as death-defying) tricks in the air. One fellow actually launched his bike, jumping off his bike at the same time, swung his bike all the way around his handlebars and landed on the seat again before his bike touched the ground.


On our way back to the hotel a child (about 6 years old, I'd judge) dramatically threw himself in front of me, hands clasp in a pleading fashion. He was making a big show of begging for money, either to be funny or cute. I didn't think it was either. When his nearby mother saw I wasn't going to give him money, she swore at me. So this little boy stood up and swore at me too. Quite the education that child is getting! By this point we had been approached several times by begging children (like those in the doorway in this photo). I asked Priscilla what she thought we should do, so she demonstrated. She kindly touched a begging girl but said firmly "I am sorry, Honey, but we really can't give you money." And she walked away. She explained that many times parents force their children to beg because they get more pity. Meanwhile there are other things the parents should be doing to improve their situation. I want to help children who are in such a sorry position, but I don't want to encourage forced begging. Unfortunately, I am not as gifted as Priscilla at walking away with such kind resolution. I turn with something more like pitiful disbelief.

Hello, Buenos Aires! (8/10)

It wasn't exactly a whim, we were invited. Andres and Priscilla invited us to spend the weekend with them in Argentina. Andres takes trips there frequently for his work, and offered to be our guide. It was an opportunity to celebrate our anniversary on a once-in-a-lifetime trip. We had heard so much about Buenos Aires and we love spending time with our friends, we didn't want to pass up this opportunity.


It's tempting to compare Buenos Aires to Santiago, but they just so different. There were many more tourists, and lots more English in the environment. Lots of people openly doted on Benjamin, and that seems to be a norm. Driving was SCARY!!! And pedestrians DON'T have the right of way. Beef, leather, and grilling are standards. Everything is geared to a late nightlife. So some shops open later and others close for a couple hours in the afternoon. Architecture was incredible and very European. We had several close encounters with begging children, making me feel like a prince among paupers at times. But, we are in many ways, so it was OK.

We flew Thursday night after work, so we had all of Friday to look around. We visited the Recoleta district of Buenons Aires where there is an old "Bisilica de Pilar" church, monastary museum and cemetery. Churches like this are just too beautiful to be described. The museum contains paintings, garments and relics (including bones) of saints and monks associated with the church. The cemetery was an architectural wonder all its own. Many monuments, tombs and cripts that contain famous Argentinians also held underground riches. Our tour made a special stop at the tomb of Eva Peron. Born of poverty, she married well and became a president's wife, never forgetting her own history and giving generously in many ways to the lower classes. This may sound creepy (and it was) but it was really very interesting.






Later, we walked along the Rio de la Plata in the Puerta Madero district. We saw a memorial to the Argentinian who liberated Chile, General San Martin in the Metropolitan Cathedral. We saw the Congreso, Plaza de Mayo, and the Casa Rosada (the House of National Government). For dinner, Deb and I had "bife de churriso", a thick, Argentinian steak cooked over the grill. And we walked down the pedestrian Florida Avenue to get ice cream (Benjamin's choice). And we even had enough energy to swim and sit in a hot tub at the end of the day.

Spring? (8/9)

I am sooo confused! First it's winter in August. Second, time is moving faster than I can believe. (I will be here six months on the 15th!!!) So would it sound crazy if I told you I see signs of Spring. Buds are popping out all over the place, and some trees have flowers. Hmmm... Spring in September?!?!

Dia del Nino (8/6)

How would like breakfast in bed and a present when you wake up in the morning? That's the Dia del Nino tradition for the children of Chile. Yep. Like Mother's Day and Father's Day, this is Children's Day. And kids get pretty pampered. Parents are supposed to wake their kids with breakfast and a present. Though our pastor didn't give a sermon about the importance of showing love to our children (he didn't speak a whole lot to fatherhood and motherhood on their respective dates either), there were a lot of families out and about enjoying the special festivities taking place in the street. Balloons, face painting, and silly hats were everywhere.

There was a parade too, but I think that had to do with the Virgin Mary or some other patron virgin. Some of the costumes were incredible. These multi-layered outfits reminded me of mummers. They looked like dancing, feathered, golden, bearded, devils being escorted by spinning ladies and a swaying, brass band. (I think they were the Bolivian/Northern Chile Diablada, but I'm not sure.) They progressed so slowly that Deb and I watched a protion of the parade go by, ate dinner and then passed them again a few blocks away as we headed to the bus stop. They sure were devout marchers because they must have been tired.

My Birthday! (8/3)

I am now a whopping 33!!! This was the first birthday I had during school. It wasn't even on a weekend. And it was definitely unique!

First, several students brought presents for me. Chocolates, a clock, a fancy pen. But the craziest was "Blue" from the TV program "Blue's Clues" because I "act like Steve" (the silly guy who runs around and does crazy, but educational things with his doggie sidekick). I was sung to and wish well all day long. Then, at the end of the day, my cohort, Pily, interrupted my Science class to tell me that the fourth graders in the other classroom were misbehaving. She wanted me to go "talk" to them. But when I got close to the door she threw a jacket over my head and escorted me into next room where they had set up for a party. We sang, ate, and played some games to end the school day.

And in the evening Deb and I went out to dinner with some friends from London, Ohio. That's right! They came all the way to Chile to go out with us for my birthday. (Well, maybe they did vacation a little.) Actually, it was all kind of coincidental. My former principal informed me that someone from London was coming to Chile. She put us in contact with each other via e-mail. We answered a couple questions, but they used the internet to do most of their planning. We met up towards the end of their vacation (just so happened to be my birthday!) and had a great time at dinner together. It was a great way to end my birthday!

Sorry to say when we took the picture the camera was on the wrong setting so it didn't turn out very well. (I know, it hurts my eyes too.) But this was our group (minus one) at the Bavaria. Hope Jim and clan had a good time here in Chile!

Back in Action! (8/1)

Breaks are wonderful things! I love to take a break from time to time. But, a three week Winter Break is kinda long for me. I have to admit, I was bored from time to time. I am creative, but usually my creativity leads to a lot of work. So I welcomed the end of break and was glad to be back in session. The kiddies seemed pretty happy to be back too. One of the students told me that the first week was great, but by the second week he was missing school. I was impressed and surprised. But then the student clarified, he missed playing soccer at school. Oh well. Taking the advice of my mother-in-law, I renewed my vow to take pictures of plain and ordinary events at school because those are what I will miss the most when I return to the states. So here are a few.