A Tough Problem (11/2?)

So, here at the end of the school, an ugly snake has reared its head. Students aren't always kind to each other. That is a fact and to be expected. There are a few children that are "outsiders" because the "cool" kids don't really like them. (Why is this? Same old same old. You aren't fashion hip, you don't play sports as well, or you don't think like I do so you just aren't as cool as me and my friends.) But, even among friends, kids have been purposefully being MEAN. Some for examples. One boy kept walking up to another and pushing him. Why? Because he doesn't like the boy and no one will stick up for him. Several students have been caught drawing crazy ugly pictures and they writing, "This is So-and-So" and showing to others. One kid even had a birthday party and made a big deal out of inviting people, but then walked up to one boy and said, "Oh, but I am not inviting you." I just can't believe kids can be so mean to each other sometimes.

But the immediate concern is complicated. Besides the hurt feelings, it's the end of the year, and finals are coming up. People are over-sensitive and over-reacting. I am afraid that good kids are going to get in big trouble. We had a meeting with students, a meeting with the principal, and a meeting with the director. Then we had a meeting with parents that got very hot and emotional. (Go figure!!!)Then we had a long talk with students again, but with five teachers and both classes together. But, in the end the director asked for a list of "problem children" to take action against, and they were some of the best students. Ouch!

Fortunately, no one was expelled and no serious actions were taken, but their was a lot of communication. So I feel mostly good about the outcome. (I just wish it didn't have to be so tense and painful along the way.)

School Camp Out?! (12/1)

Yep! I said, "school camp out." Have I lost my mind!? Actually, I didn't have a choice. The other fourth grade teacher told all of the students and asked the principal about it before she said anything to me. I feel obligated, or else I would be a party-pooper. I hate assemblies because they are chaos and children do things they shouldn't, so how do you think a camp out will go!?!?! But, don't you worry. I had stipulations.

Stipulation #1 - Stick to the theme. The camp out was supposed to give kids the opportunity to relate differently, under different circumstances. So, then let's plan activities that help children relate as a team and learn to appreciate what each person offers the team.

Stipulation #2 - We have to plan and have a schedule, and we have to stick to it. I hate when children wonder all over the place doing whatever they feel like at the moment when I work hard to provide something for them to do.

Stipulation #3 - Invite parents to participate too. I wanted a few parents to spend the night with us. But that didn't fly with the other teachers involved. They said it underminded our authority. (I didn't think I would say anything to the child that I couldn't say to them in front of a parent, but...) So, it turned out that parents could come until 11pm, but then they had to go home.

Stipulation #4 - I would not be the only guy spending the night. This was all about comfort in numbers. I didn't want anybody gossiping or saying bad things about me. But, one of the other teachers made a very good point. If they didn't trust me, they wouldn't let me be in a room with students all by myself. Ok, ok. But there still had to be other guys.

With just a few meetings, planning and letting ideas flow, I feel pretty good about camping out with students. I am actually kind of excited. I just want to know for sure that all the students will stay together and not try to get away and do their own thing.

A Horse of a Different Color (11/26)

Out walking around Santiago, we took some time to examine horses that have been attracting a lot of attention in the Golf area. We drove by several times and saw these horses from a distance. They are statues that are painted like the pigs in Cinci. and the cows at Young's Dairy. Artists take a little creative license to decorate the cow in a fun, funny, or witty manner. Unfortunately these horses weren't named, but we had our own ideas.

"Tween" Talk: What I should have been able to guess! (11/26)

Friday was the last day of classes. Yep. We have two weeks of final exams, but classes are over. After exams, teachers hang around for clean up and I don't know what else. But I have been reflecting on the year (already) and one of the thoughts that amazes me was how these little fourth graders want to be grown up. There are "teenager-wannabes." The music, boyfriends/girlfriends, the groups, the pressure, the clothing, the dancing, the need for cellphones and ipods. It just seems so inappropriate for a 9- and 10-year-old. I have been blown away at times. I thought at first it was something cultural, but I think that even Chileans feel th same. The innocence is gone too soon. I was reading up on some news when I found these websites, an article about how "tweens" are acting more and more like teenagers and tips on parenting these "tweens." I am afraid that I am not feeling much better after reading them though.

Thanksgiving Dinner (11/25)

Thursday was Thanksgiving. But, because it has been so warm and we had to work like a usual day, we didn't even think to say "Happy Thanksgiving!" until we came back from work. It feels so strange, so not like Thanksgiving. But we did have some turkey in a really tasty stew. We were invited to a Thanksgiving dinner today though. One of Deb's co-workers invited us to his house for a "gringo" Thanksgiving. Marcos, a Chilean, married Carrie from Chicago. They met in a Master's program in the University of Chile. Anyway, family was here in Chile to celebrate Thanksgiving and so Marcos invited us too. We gladly accepted and attempted a cranberry relish for a contribution to the meal. (Except we found no cranberries until the day before, and they were canned.) I attempted a gravy by invitation also. But the meal was great and it was nice to hang out with Marcos and family. Their house is huge, and they had a third floor observatory with a great view. They only thing to watch out for were the dogs. Big Labs that really could lick someone to death if precautions aren't taken!

Mountain Magic (11/19)

If there has been anything about Santiago that has moved me, connected me to the country, and inspired me to love despite my finite existence, it has been the cordillera. I sit on the terrace outside our apartment almost daily and study these mountains and their ever changing vista. I just never tire of this view. So I have been experimenting. For some reason, the mountains never look on film/digital camera/screen the way they look in real life. So I have been constantly taking pictures of the same views, trying to capture what I see. Here are two pictures, almost identical but for the time of day. One early morning and the other evening on the same day. The colors are only one way the mountains change. Light and shade, clouds, angles, snow, and plant growth have constantly kept me examining their slopes. But, the truth is, we live so close to the foothills that you can't really appreciate the size of these ancients. And the freaking lampost has been a sore spot in all my pictures, especially the dark ones when the light is illuminated. I'd like to chop the blasted thing down. From the Kennedy Highway you can see the incredible size much better. In fact, the mountains in the foreground only reach about half the height of the snow covered peak in the back. From Kennedy you can see the Colorado Ski Resort at about 9,000 feet. The Colorado Mountain is about 10, 930 feet. Worthy of picture taking. But, it just never looks as good.

Templo Votivo de Maipú (11/18)

One of the Must See places from our list is Maipu Temple (unfortunately pronounced, "My-poo"). This temple was built in commemoration of a battle fought in Chile's liberty struggle. The battle, fought on the grounds of the temple on April 5, 1818, sealed Chilean independence from Spain and the two liberators, General Bernado O'higgins from Chile and General Jose? San Martin from Argentina, decided then and there to construct a temple in honor of the virgen Maria del Carmen who had helped them win. Maria del Carmen was also named the patron saint of Chile and still holds that position today. Construction of the temple began in November 1818, but only a couple of brick walls remain from that structure due to an intense earthquake in 1906. The current temple was built from 1943 to 1974.

Curiously, we noticed right away that there were flags from many nations hung around the alter. There is a passage as well that one may walk to go behind the alter to the virgen. Many people say prayers and kiss her ribbons. Full of stained glass, the temple has an ambience generated by the colors eminating from it.

Deb and I also took a spin through the museum, Museo Maria del Carmen, which is connected (and under the sactuary, I think). There were items such as embroidered clergy attire, swords and gifts from ambassadors from other countries, presidential buggies, signed documents and furnishing from wealthy colonial families. Definitely worth the dollar we paid to get in.

An ever baffling question that plagues me concerns the Catholic Church. How can they build these huge structures and guard incredible relics when just outside their door there are hungry, poor, and needy. This church is gigantic and others have been lavishly adorned. I suppose one could say the building is an expression of worship. It certainly is humbling and inspiring.

Christmas!!! (11/15)

Christmas is in the air -- ALREADY! Malls are decorated, street lights wear wreathes, we even had a come before school with your family and help Lincoln decorate their tree activity. While you shop, in the subway stations, and even on the radio Christmas carols can be heard. What's worse is that no one seems to mind. We think Christmas tends to be a little overdone in the States. Materialism runs rampant. But I think we take for granted what Thanksgiving does for our culture. We literally fight media's messages with "And we haven't even had Thanksgiving yet!!!" Thanksgiving makes us reflect and say, "Wow! It's the end of November already? I should be thankful for something." Then we dive guilt free into our Christmas splurgings. Here, there is no "stop and reflect". It's just plunge right ahead. And, people here are following after American materialism quite closely. There is quite a difference though between the Have's and the Have Not's. But, I did see someone walking out of a local shopping center with two life-size dolls for some spoiled little girl. All the pretty lights and tinsle are getting to me too. I've caught myself singing with the carols and eyeing up potential Christmas presents. We really are fortunate people with lots to be thankful for!

Oops! Oh well! (11/12)

Sometimes we make mistakes. Because we were gone last weekend, we weren't reminded that this week the church service was moved up and a congregational meeting was to happen at regular service time. So, guess who forgot. Oops! However when we arrived at regular time, having missed the service, we decided not to stay. We went for a walk and happened upon the military band playing its Sunday gig in the plaza. We decided to stay for the concert. It was quite good. But the ambience was not at all what the band merits. People walked up in between numbers and talked to members of the band. Dogs went up and laid down on the staging. It was ultra-relaxed. Oh well. It was a pleasant outcome.

1st Communion (11/11)

Being in the staff choir at Lincoln has given me the opportunity to experience Chilean culture. We sang Chile's National Hymn. Music learning and direction is very different in Chile, and it has been a challenge (though not a difficult one) to adapt to this method. And it has also given me a bird's eye view (from the balcony actually) of a traditional religious celebration.

Throughout school Religion classes are given to students who are connected to the Catholic Church. In fifth grade, they can opt to participate in their First Communion. I think this is meant to reflect the age, in the Catholic Church, when children shed their innocence and become responsible for their own sins. The staff choir sang "The Chilean Mass" during the service. The typical Mass format, but in Spanish and with definite Latino flair.

The service was nice. The children sang during the service too. That was neat. It seemed like quite formal and a big ordeal. Lots of picture taking.

Teniente and Sewell (11/5)

Copper is such a big part of the Chilean economy. And entire communities have been built to house the miners that work to unearth this element. Chile is home of the two biggest mines in the world. Chuquicamata, near Antofagasta, is the world's largest surface mine. And Teniente, our destination for the day, is the largest underground mine in the world and produces about 4% of copper exported from Chile since 1905.

Deb and I decided to take a tour to Teniente and its miner town, Sewell . We stopped several times to pick up passangers, and, in the end, our group was 21 people in all. After watching a safety video on the bus, we stopped and put on the required gear to enter the mine. And there was a lot!!! We wore orange jackets with reflectors and hard hats with lights attached to belts with battery packs. We had emergency oxygen packs on our belts as well. We wore masks with air filters and goggles. We had steel tip waders too.

So we drove 3 kilometers into the mine. It was like driving into a hole in the side of a hill -- a cave with a reinforced entrance. It was narrow and the minibus didn't have much room to spare. (Boy, am I glad I wasn't the driver.) Then we got out and reviewed conditions, like wires always run on the left side leading to a surface exit. Good way to start things, right?!? With a former miner in our group, we had good narration about the way things used to be. Though still active, technology has made the job easier and safer.

We were shown how, after excavation, rock and dirt are sent down shoots between layers and smashed in a giant applesauce masher. (That's what it looks like to me.) The auger in the middle pivots from a point, mashing even the biggest rocks into gravel no larger than a fist. It used to be that, if a rock got stuck before reaching the auger, someone had to drill a hole and insert explosives by hand. Now, there is a nifty arm complete with air hammer to chisel unwilling rocks.

From here it is farther smashed and washed in acid and water. This process actually abstracts the copper from the other elements. When removed copper is heated and formed into the bars that are loaded on trains and sent to the coast.



My favorite part of the mine was a crystal cavern that was discovered while excavating. Upon emptying water from the cavern, miners discovered huge quartz crystals, pyrite, and others. Colored lights allowed the observer to see the clarity and size of the crystals.


We went into Sewell to see how the mining families of Teniente lived. Teniente was an alcohol free community. And law enforcement was well respected. If you went "down" the mountain and came back drunk, you were given double duties. If you held someone's hand in public you were reported and asked to marry. For this reason, the crime rate was very low. They were quite advanced as far as entertainment is concerned. There were social halls, indoor pools, and a bowling alley. And all on the side of a beautiful mountain.

It wasn't bliss though. There were a few bummers too. One is the incredible amount of snow. Being so high in the Andes, I am sure they were dumped on. The mountains had special poles with netting in between to prevent snow avalanches. That, and the fact that no one had their own bathroom. You had to walk to a community bath building to take a shower. Can you say, "Brrrr!!!!"

Summer!?!? (11/5)

You don't have to walk outside to tell that it's warm and wonderful outside. The terrace door is wide open, kids are playing in the patio area below, birds can be heard, and green is everywhere. I think it is so beautiful out right now that I am not really able to concentrate on work. If the students are allowed to be distracted by the weather, then so am I!

Halloween (10/31)

Believe it or not, they celebrate Halloween here too. But not nearly as much. Some people take flowers to the cemetery, and others dress up to trick-or-treat. We live in an apartment building and had three children come to the door. (So now I have all these left over mini-chocolate bars.) But kids here go to any house. They don't care who lives there. And, if you don't give candy or are stingy, they do play tricks. Three children from my class admitted to egging someone house. Another said that he put dog poop in a paper bag and lit it on fire. He rang the door bell and ran. The owner of the house came out and stepped on the bag to put out the fire. Crap! Not nice!!! Halloween here is a bit different. But I did make a jack-o-latern, though. I carved a face into an orange while at school. It's just not the same, is it?

Field Trips!!! (10/31)

Field trips are generally a lot of fun for everybody. We went on a great field trip to the Military Museum of History (an history museum operated by the military, not military history) to learn about Chilean history. We actually went twice, two consecuative Tuesdays, to learn about material related to the SIMSE (Chile's version of the proficiency test). It was great!!! The guides were great, the kids asked great questions, and knew lots of information. My class was sooo interested and asked sooo many questions, we started first and were passed by two other tour groups. I was so proud of their enthusiasm. BUT, that all changed the minute we went into the museum courtyard to wait for our bus. Students wondered wherever they wanted, climbed on exhibits, walked on the grass when we were asked not to, and left litter all over the place. They were even snippy with each other in front of the museum receptionists. Sheesh! I don't know how I made it through such a dramatic swing. (Actually, I am surprised some of the students made it through my dramatic swing!) Smart, but no manners! Crazy kids!