“You NEVER know”…… (said with wide eyes, and an amused smile) This has been a daily exclamation Tim and I share.
Whenever we think we know exactly what we are getting ourselves into, or we think we have a good picture of where we are going, what we are doing, or how things are going, without fail we are DRAMATICALLY wrong. Thankfully though, the VAST majority of time we are pleasantly surprised by how different and wonderful things are than expect – though we share a shrug and raise our eye-brow in our amusement of the situation.
Do they really have any good examples, you ask….. you can be the judge of if they are good, but here are some examples.
1. Saturday: Emilio and Eva told us they were going to take us to Dzibilchatún which is a site of Mayan ruins and beautiful cenotes (a fresh water pool of crystal clear water underground). This place is located a mere 10 miles from Merida. They were going to pick us up at 2 Saturday. At 2 we get a text that they will be there at 3. At 3:45 there is a knock on the door. It was Fernando (Emilio’s brother whom we’ve eaten with before and truly enjoy). He explains that now he will take us to Dzilblchatún. He drives us to his mom’s house to pick up his niece, Lilly and her daughter, Fernanda.
But while there, we randomly eat at now 4:35pm. Then Fernando remembers that the centote and ruins close at 5. So we plan on going to Uxmal which is a MUCH bigger Mayan ruin site with a very large central pyramid. But on the way we stop at a cenote which is 30mins on a bumpy dirt round from the high way. We go in the bat filled cave and look at the crystal water, but don’t swim. 
Then we continue towards Uxmal, but stop at an old hacienda – which is a old plantation for hemp. It was gorgeous. 
We finally make it to Uxmal at 8pm for the light show that starts at 9. We get there and it is closed, a heavy storm had passed through and blew out the electricity. So, we start on our way home (we are now 2hrs out). We then stop for dinner at this tiny town called Muna.
It was a much different Saturday than we’d expected, but we enjoyed it to the fullest! We had a wonderful time talking with and getting to know Fernando, Lily and Fernanda (who is in Tim’s 4th grade class). They are truly wonderful and loving people.
2. Sunday: We arrive at the church at 8:30am to go on a mission trip to Hocobá – a small city 30 minutes southeast of Merida, oh wait, that is by car… we are taking buses. So we meet Ruth and her mom “R” at church. We then take a bus to downtown Merida (30mins) then walk 15min to catch the next bus to Hocobá.
“What is the schedule for the bus” you ask…. Whenever there is enough people to fill it, it will leave. “So that could be 5mins or 2hrs!!” you exclaim… exactly, but that’s how it is.
So 1hr of sitting on the 15 passenger van in the backing sun, and it finally fills and we are off. An hour bus ride of blasting music later, we arrive. We get dropped off in the center of the town of Hocobá – population 3,000 – and take a pedal driven taxi-
very much like those from the Flintstones- about 10 mins to the very outskirts of the town to a Mayan village. Our church has a satellite church there. Ruth gave the service and Tim, R, and I taught the 15 kids (ages 1 to 15) Sunday school. It was a wonderful and eye-opening experience. The people there were very hesitant and nervous around us at first, but by the time Sunday school was half-way done the kids were hugging us and wanting their picture taken. 
It is amazing, in the town of Hocobá NO ONE has beds, everyone uses hammocks because most houses are only 1 room, so they hang the hammocks to sleep and move them in the morning to live, sit, cook and eat. The director of missions asked us to prayerfully consider joining the Hocobá mission team because there are currently only 5 members and at least 2 people need to go every week. We are very excited about this and want to go back – and the kids want us too – when we left they kept asking when we’d be back! 
3. Monday School starts. We get to school and are handed a letter 10 mins before school starts explaining when school starts, when lunch is, and that we will be having a presentation for the whole school that day. 19 munchkins loudly pushed their ways into our classrooms looking at Tim and me expectantly, not knowing that we have never taught before, have no idea what we are doing, and are completely overwhelmed. My first class went pretty smoothly, only had to doll out a few punishment cards. Then we had an assembly with all 300 kids sitting on the sanctuary floor watching a clown performance. Second class was much much worse! 19 kids smashed into a tiny classroom with no AC on a 100 degree first day of school, right after watching clowns is NOT a good combo! Tim and I both went home exhausted but relieved that the first day was behind us!
4. Tuesday Repeat of 1st day minus the fact that Tuesday during the second half of the day we are told we have to be in the sanctuary with all of our kids at 12:30 (right in the middle of our second group). We try and go there but they stop us all in the courtyard to take a “quick” group picture. At 1:15 after 45mins of 300 kids and teachers standing in the sun on a 100 degree day we are done with the picture. We then are told to return to class. Yea, like any class can continue after that! We all had to take our kids to get drinks then frantically find a way to entertain them, or at least keep them quite until the 1:40 bell. 1:40 is the end of the school day, but just the beginning of the headache which is the departure. All 300 kids pack into the church sanctuary and listen to the competing megaphones calling out kids names as the parents stand in the sun waiting, and the kids are yelling, pushing, fighting…. It is a very chaotic ending to a tiring day.
5. Wednesday Repeat of Tuesday, but much better. No loud all-school events and students were better behaved. Things are getting better and going smoother, though we still have a long way to go.
Today we finally got INTERNET!! Wahoo!! And ONLY 2 and ½ weeks after we ordered it! Lol But we are very glad it is finally here!
So, a few more words about school. This are going okay, and we keep praying that they get better. It has been an exhausting first 3 days of school. For me, 2 groups of 19 kids who do not know more than a few words of Spanish is very difficult. I also have many kids who do not respond to the punishment system the school has and therefore cause disruptions that cause the whole class to get out of control. It is hard because we are expected to both teach these kids English and Bible, but we have no support. We do not have materials that can support us in our efforts to teach them because the materials that we are provided FAR surpass the level of understanding our kids have. My Bible material, for example, is for the average US 3 graders. But I have 3 graders who are not native English speakers, and most of whom cannot count past 10, do not know their shapes or colors, and do not even know where to begin to write a simple sentence in English. If I say “We are going to play a game” in English, the whole class raise their fist as a symbol that they don’t understand. So, 99% of my class I speak in Spanish to them. But I’m slowly saying more and more in English, though everything I say in English I immediately translate back to Spanish. One positive- my Spanish is really improving quickly!
So, needless to say, it is going to be a VERY challenging year. 1st we need to asses and see which kids know how much. 2nd we need to create our own lesson plans, goals, and material to teach English to the kids.
Tim’s class is going a bit better. His kids are more well behaved and he says he’s doing good because he’s cracking the whip! He has 1 kid in each class that is fluent in English and serves as his translator so that the rest of the class can understand the directions he is giving. He has a wonderful attitude and is doing well, but too is exhausted by the time the school day is over.
So, to end on a positive note: Tim and I are more in love more than ever and we keep finding new ways and more ways we love each other! We are enjoying married life and are very glad that we are here in Mexico for our first year of marriage! (though just today Tim said on our sweltering walk home from school…. “What are we doing in this country?!?!?” lol)
We continue to be blessed beyond belief by the wonderful people here. Pastor Sam and his daughter Emily just stopped by for about 20 mins to chat! How wonderful!! We love our fellow teachers and the church and church members!!
God continues to bless us!
Prayer Requests:
1. Please pray that we learn how to be more effective classroom managers and teachers. Pray for patience and energy to be the most effective teachers possible.
2. Please pray that our students trust us and will open up to us and use us in their lives to develop their spiritual life and understanding of God, as well as seek us out for emotional support.
3. Pray for Robert and Sam as they lead the school and church respectively.
4. Pray for our eyes… we both have periodic spells of very painful and red eyes but can’t find the cause yet.
Whenever we think we know exactly what we are getting ourselves into, or we think we have a good picture of where we are going, what we are doing, or how things are going, without fail we are DRAMATICALLY wrong. Thankfully though, the VAST majority of time we are pleasantly surprised by how different and wonderful things are than expect – though we share a shrug and raise our eye-brow in our amusement of the situation.
Do they really have any good examples, you ask….. you can be the judge of if they are good, but here are some examples.
1. Saturday: Emilio and Eva told us they were going to take us to Dzibilchatún which is a site of Mayan ruins and beautiful cenotes (a fresh water pool of crystal clear water underground). This place is located a mere 10 miles from Merida. They were going to pick us up at 2 Saturday. At 2 we get a text that they will be there at 3. At 3:45 there is a knock on the door. It was Fernando (Emilio’s brother whom we’ve eaten with before and truly enjoy). He explains that now he will take us to Dzilblchatún. He drives us to his mom’s house to pick up his niece, Lilly and her daughter, Fernanda.
But while there, we randomly eat at now 4:35pm. Then Fernando remembers that the centote and ruins close at 5. So we plan on going to Uxmal which is a MUCH bigger Mayan ruin site with a very large central pyramid. But on the way we stop at a cenote which is 30mins on a bumpy dirt round from the high way. We go in the bat filled cave and look at the crystal water, but don’t swim. Then we continue towards Uxmal, but stop at an old hacienda – which is a old plantation for hemp. It was gorgeous. We finally make it to Uxmal at 8pm for the light show that starts at 9. We get there and it is closed, a heavy storm had passed through and blew out the electricity. So, we start on our way home (we are now 2hrs out). We then stop for dinner at this tiny town called Muna.It was a much different Saturday than we’d expected, but we enjoyed it to the fullest! We had a wonderful time talking with and getting to know Fernando, Lily and Fernanda (who is in Tim’s 4th grade class). They are truly wonderful and loving people.
2. Sunday: We arrive at the church at 8:30am to go on a mission trip to Hocobá – a small city 30 minutes southeast of Merida, oh wait, that is by car… we are taking buses. So we meet Ruth and her mom “R” at church. We then take a bus to downtown Merida (30mins) then walk 15min to catch the next bus to Hocobá.
“What is the schedule for the bus” you ask…. Whenever there is enough people to fill it, it will leave. “So that could be 5mins or 2hrs!!” you exclaim… exactly, but that’s how it is.
So 1hr of sitting on the 15 passenger van in the backing sun, and it finally fills and we are off. An hour bus ride of blasting music later, we arrive. We get dropped off in the center of the town of Hocobá – population 3,000 – and take a pedal driven taxi-
very much like those from the Flintstones- about 10 mins to the very outskirts of the town to a Mayan village. Our church has a satellite church there. Ruth gave the service and Tim, R, and I taught the 15 kids (ages 1 to 15) Sunday school. It was a wonderful and eye-opening experience. The people there were very hesitant and nervous around us at first, but by the time Sunday school was half-way done the kids were hugging us and wanting their picture taken. It is amazing, in the town of Hocobá NO ONE has beds, everyone uses hammocks because most houses are only 1 room, so they hang the hammocks to sleep and move them in the morning to live, sit, cook and eat. The director of missions asked us to prayerfully consider joining the Hocobá mission team because there are currently only 5 members and at least 2 people need to go every week. We are very excited about this and want to go back – and the kids want us too – when we left they kept asking when we’d be back! 3. Monday School starts. We get to school and are handed a letter 10 mins before school starts explaining when school starts, when lunch is, and that we will be having a presentation for the whole school that day. 19 munchkins loudly pushed their ways into our classrooms looking at Tim and me expectantly, not knowing that we have never taught before, have no idea what we are doing, and are completely overwhelmed. My first class went pretty smoothly, only had to doll out a few punishment cards. Then we had an assembly with all 300 kids sitting on the sanctuary floor watching a clown performance. Second class was much much worse! 19 kids smashed into a tiny classroom with no AC on a 100 degree first day of school, right after watching clowns is NOT a good combo! Tim and I both went home exhausted but relieved that the first day was behind us!
4. Tuesday Repeat of 1st day minus the fact that Tuesday during the second half of the day we are told we have to be in the sanctuary with all of our kids at 12:30 (right in the middle of our second group). We try and go there but they stop us all in the courtyard to take a “quick” group picture. At 1:15 after 45mins of 300 kids and teachers standing in the sun on a 100 degree day we are done with the picture. We then are told to return to class. Yea, like any class can continue after that! We all had to take our kids to get drinks then frantically find a way to entertain them, or at least keep them quite until the 1:40 bell. 1:40 is the end of the school day, but just the beginning of the headache which is the departure. All 300 kids pack into the church sanctuary and listen to the competing megaphones calling out kids names as the parents stand in the sun waiting, and the kids are yelling, pushing, fighting…. It is a very chaotic ending to a tiring day.
5. Wednesday Repeat of Tuesday, but much better. No loud all-school events and students were better behaved. Things are getting better and going smoother, though we still have a long way to go.
Today we finally got INTERNET!! Wahoo!! And ONLY 2 and ½ weeks after we ordered it! Lol But we are very glad it is finally here!
So, a few more words about school. This are going okay, and we keep praying that they get better. It has been an exhausting first 3 days of school. For me, 2 groups of 19 kids who do not know more than a few words of Spanish is very difficult. I also have many kids who do not respond to the punishment system the school has and therefore cause disruptions that cause the whole class to get out of control. It is hard because we are expected to both teach these kids English and Bible, but we have no support. We do not have materials that can support us in our efforts to teach them because the materials that we are provided FAR surpass the level of understanding our kids have. My Bible material, for example, is for the average US 3 graders. But I have 3 graders who are not native English speakers, and most of whom cannot count past 10, do not know their shapes or colors, and do not even know where to begin to write a simple sentence in English. If I say “We are going to play a game” in English, the whole class raise their fist as a symbol that they don’t understand. So, 99% of my class I speak in Spanish to them. But I’m slowly saying more and more in English, though everything I say in English I immediately translate back to Spanish. One positive- my Spanish is really improving quickly!
So, needless to say, it is going to be a VERY challenging year. 1st we need to asses and see which kids know how much. 2nd we need to create our own lesson plans, goals, and material to teach English to the kids.
Tim’s class is going a bit better. His kids are more well behaved and he says he’s doing good because he’s cracking the whip! He has 1 kid in each class that is fluent in English and serves as his translator so that the rest of the class can understand the directions he is giving. He has a wonderful attitude and is doing well, but too is exhausted by the time the school day is over.
So, to end on a positive note: Tim and I are more in love more than ever and we keep finding new ways and more ways we love each other! We are enjoying married life and are very glad that we are here in Mexico for our first year of marriage! (though just today Tim said on our sweltering walk home from school…. “What are we doing in this country?!?!?” lol)
We continue to be blessed beyond belief by the wonderful people here. Pastor Sam and his daughter Emily just stopped by for about 20 mins to chat! How wonderful!! We love our fellow teachers and the church and church members!!
God continues to bless us!
Prayer Requests:
1. Please pray that we learn how to be more effective classroom managers and teachers. Pray for patience and energy to be the most effective teachers possible.
2. Please pray that our students trust us and will open up to us and use us in their lives to develop their spiritual life and understanding of God, as well as seek us out for emotional support.
3. Pray for Robert and Sam as they lead the school and church respectively.
4. Pray for our eyes… we both have periodic spells of very painful and red eyes but can’t find the cause yet.
Tim and Kari - I can relate about the inappropriate teaching materials - even though I teach in an American suburban school! Since you have Internet, I would suggest using it to find lesson plans, teaching materials, etc. Let me know if you need some website recommendations. Love you both!
ReplyDeleteAunt Deana