Science Fair

Yesterday was the school science fair. Preschool doesnt participate, but we did go see the other kids. I was pretty proud of my kids for how well they behaved. There was a lot of things that would be tempting to touch and they didn't touch any of them. Some of my kids even asked good questions and listened intently to what the older children had to say. It's nice to see such a huge change in behavior and language skills in my students since the beginning of the year; I hope they don't loose it all over the summer.

The science fair was a whole day ordeal and wasn't organized quite as nicely as I would've hoped. I helped judge the middle school experiments in the afternoon and missed writing class with the third graders. I feel like writing always gets cut and it makes it VERY difficult to get anything done since I only see them twice a week. Some kids did a good job and others clearly just took steps off the internet, did it and didn't really understand what was going on. I feel like kids here get shafted on some of the really hands on subjects, such as science. They clearly do not know how to follow the scientific method to do an experiment. In the presentations I spoke with I asked if they had tried their experiment with different materials, in different ways, etc (aka what was their variable) and they all said they didn't try it with anything else. It's kind of disapointing sometimes. It's the way I feel about art and music too. Very hands on and kids benefit from them, but there is no art or music teacher here...

The science fair also had a night portion for the parents and this was when awards were given out. Dereek and I went for the last 30-45 minutes of it to see the awards. Dereek is still very much loved here and I really enjoy watching all the kids run over and attack him whenever they see him at a school event. Overally, science fair was cute and a good idea, but it'd be nice if it was more organized and students were actually taught how to carry out an experiment at their knowledge level rather than take from the internet...

Kindergarten didn't have to present either, but they did an AWESOME job and presented Oobleck.

My kids and the oobleck, they definitely enjoyed playing with it.

Listening intently to Maximo.

Watching Camila change the color of a penny. My kids really liked hers. (I think because she was one of the few presenters who told my kids her name, so they remembered her the best.)

Congrats Bucknell Class of 2013

Upon seeing all the Bucknell graduation posts and feeling like I want to cry because I miss it and can't believe it's been a year since I've graduated I couldn't help but remember where the name of this blog came from. I started this blog right after graduation last year shortly before departing for Venezuela and the name came from our commencement speaker's speech. The 2012 speaker was Anna Quindlen, a Pulitzer Prize New York Times columnist. Below are a few bits of her wisdom that were recorded last May on the Bucknell website:

1. Don't ever confuse your life and your work.
2. Open your mouths. Speak your piece. Fear not.
3. Carry your courage in an easily accessible place, the way you do your cell phone or your wallet.
4. Measure yourself against your best intentions, not societal standards, which tend to be punishing and false.
5. Realize that life is the best thing ever, and that you have no business taking it for granted.
6. The voices of conformity speak so loudly. Don't listen to them.
7. Give up on being perfect and take hold of being yourself.
8. Don't give up adventure for safety and security.
9. Learn to be happy.
10. Get a life. A real life, a full life — a professional life, yes, but another life, too.

I thought, and still think, that these 10 pieces of advice are amoungst some of the best that has ever been given to me. It is piece number 8 that inspired the name for this blog. A year later, I still greatly miss Bucknell but in taking the advice that gave the name to this journal, I have left the place where I am most comfortable to branch out and enjoy an adventure (which will be continuing next year as well) and found some amazing things. Congratulations newest Bucknell graduates; I am sure your experiences there were as memorable as mine and that you are equally sad to leave, but exciting things await.

And HUGE shout out to whatever senior engineers stole the hands from the library clock with the poem:  "Early this morning as the dew did fall/Made we an effort at time to stall." That is impressive and I don't know how you did it, but that is the best prank I have heard of in a long time and just another piece of proof as to why I miss that place as much as I do.

Random Update

Nothing too exciting going on here, but I have some random little things to write about. Last week was Hakim's birthday (and his sister Kinda who was in kindergarten) I doubt they were born the same day so I don't think their mom knows their official birthday. I've been lucky in not needing to deal with the birthday extravagence that happens here. I think I would've lost it if I had to do this with each kid. Hakim's mom invited all the pre-k 4 to stay late which was confusing because I had to dismiss them and then they could go back to the party. The party was during the school lunch time and they brought TONS of food for everyone. They also had some sweet goody bags. I'm so used to a birthday simply being bring in a snack for the class, sing a song and be done with it that I really can't adjust to the craziness of brithdays here, and the idea of loosing any class time over it.

The kids and Hakim's mom around the cake

This was Hakim's sister's (Kinda) cake. Took a picture just because it's Tangled and I know all you Chi O suitehearts (ehem Roxie) will appreciate it.

Hakim blowing out his candles.

The other big piece of news is that Azabache, who is a black dog that lives on campus, had puppies! Azabache lives on campus and is friendly but won't let anyone touch her. The puppies are really cute and I've gotten to cuddle them quite a bit since they are right next to my house.

Puppies! There is one more black one but he wasn't in the pile when I took this picture.

Finally, I just want to show off what we're doing in preschool. The kids writing is getting really good for the most part. I have 6 out of 8 able to sound out and spell simple C-V-C words which is a good start for going into kindergarten. I'd like to note that all of this kids are ESL too so we struggle with just speaking in English let along writing it. We've also started learning about the sun, moon and planets. We did an awesome fingerpainting sun craft today. It was kind of messy, but the kids loved it and they came out really cute.



Michelle - Mi hos has flawrs and a apltre (My house has flowers and an apple tree) All I did to help them was say the words extra slow. They knew all the letter sounds and chose them on their own.

Marian - The flawrs r prite (The flowers are pretty)

Carol - Mi has n a sun (My house and a sun)

Marcel - A cat nd mi haos (A cat and my house) I was pretty impressed on his sounding out of house.

Luis finger painting his sun.

Once the sun was fingerpainted we put it on black paper and used Q-tips to put the rays

Hakim and his sun

Marcel and his sun. The final step was to add gold star stickers so it looked like space.

Overall, things are going pretty well. It is very hectic here right now though being the end of the year. I come home now in less than four weeks which is pretty crazy! The official coming home date is June 16th, so everyone get ready!

Beach Weekend and Mothers Day

This weekend was pretty relaxing. It started with a chill Friday in school. Luis had brought in a cool paper airplane book so I used the last period to make/fly paper airplanes which was tons of fun. Then, on Saturday Dereek, Heather, her fiance Scott and I all went to Puinare for the day. We stayed there all day, drank beers, swam, had lunch on the beach. When we left the beach around 4 we went and walked along Paseo Colon and did a bit of shopping at the vendors there. I bought this goregeous painting of Margarita island that I'm going to hang up in my house here then bring home whenever I move back for good. After shopping we all went out to dinner together and this place called Tio Pepes. It was quite good, though it still doesnt compare to many of the restaurants at home.

On Sunday the four of us and Erin and EMak went to Chuck's house to enjoy the pool and a bbq. Chuck is the owner of "the hole in the wall," a restaurant/bar here in Anaco. He is an older man who is from Louisiana but has a house here and in Italy and just travels a lot. He's really nice and I think is kind of bored sometimes so he enjoys the English'speaking company. He made us some great food and his house is within walking distance from the school so it was really easy to just go and hang out there. And of course it's nice to just get off campus.

Finally, today we had our mother's day play. I think its a little ridiculous because the entire school (including middle and high school) need to do something. The whole thing takes over an hour, its hard for my kids to sit through and as much as doing something for mother's day is nice, it should be individual classes doing stuff and not take up my entire day. It's one of my biggest pet peeves about being here, if theres a holiday then no one gives a shit about school (even when there are classes). Personally, I don't think the adminstration sets a very good example for the kids by having these ridiculously long and intricate assemblies and parties for every little thing during teh school day. I think it is simply teaching them that a party is more important than school, and its not. Today even our MAP tests got pushed back because of this. Even though it is really frustrating my kids did a great job and were really really cute. And for being 4-5 years old they sat soooo well for an entire hour. They got extra stickers.

Finally, there are some pictures of a little kitten Dereek and I got about two weeks ago. Its name is Ty and its super cute and technically Im really not supposed to have it, but oh well. He's well-behaved and the school hasn't kept up any of their promises so well so I don't feel bad. Im supposed to have internet and dont, I've lived in three different houses, a shitty roof ruined half my grad school papers, I was told I could get a working visa and now can't soooo I think I deserve a kitten. He sleeps in bed with me and has taken over the pillow and I love him.

My kids with their paper airplanes

Again.

Last one. (Arya is out of these pictures because she was home all week because she fell off the bed and needed to get stitches)

Puinare. We got one of those nice little huts to hang out it. Total cost of one for the day is 25 BsF aka 1 dollar. Whose coming to visit next year??

Sunset in Puerto La Cruz

Pool at Chuck's house.

This is my kids singing thier mothers songs. Here are the lyrics:

A Special Friend (Tune of BINGO)

I have a very special friend

and mommy is her name-o

M-O-M-M-Y M-O-M-M-Y M-O-M-M-Y

and mommy is her name-o

I Love Mommy (Tune of Frere Jacques)

I love mommy

I love mommy

Yes, I do

Yes, I do

All I want to say is

Happy Mother's Day

I love you

I love you

Dereek and Ty

Ty hiding in my arm.

Side-note. This is not a toy, there was a lizzard hanging out in my books this morning when I came in. EMak and I got it out before the kids came in and discovered it thank goodness.