Toyless and Shoeless

Hey Guys!!!

So I have been fortunate enough to meet all different types of people from different socio-economical backgrounds.  I have been learning a lot about the children who suffer from poverty here in Torréon.  A teacher was telling about her students in the public school she teaches at.  The children wait around for her to finish her lunch to see if there is crust left over from her sandwich because their mother doesn't have any money to give them food.  She said some teachers say to not feed them because they will continue to ask for food, so some teachers throw their leftovers in the garbage.  She also told me a story about a little girl who she had in her class who was walking funny for three days... When she asked her why she had been walking funny, she said that she doesn´t have any shoes but she has to wear shoes to go to school.... Her mother was given shoes by a neighbor that were 2 sizes too small, so she had to wear them....

I am going to begin volunteering in an orphanage sometime soon, but I want to be able to do more....  I want to buy books, clothing, food and toys for the children who have nothing.  Some who are abused.

So I am asking for your help to donate so I can purchase these things very cheap down here.  Anything will help.

I'm a Busy Busy Illegal Immigrant with work and family!!!

Ok,

Sorry I haven't posted an update lately.  My life is so busy right now!!!
Here is what my life looks like right now....
Monday-Friday
6:30-wake up
7:20-Leave for school
7:45- Start School
2:20- End School
2:30 Eat lunch at the school
4- Take a taxi home
4:20-10- Work more on my yearly planning and daily planning.  Play with my sisters if they pester me enough. Go to bed.

I teach 4-6 out of 8 classes a day, and the rest is planning time.  When the school gave me my schedule, I was so confused because there was no lunch break!!! I was like "Ummm WTF!!! I need to feed my food baby!!!"  So what happens here in Mexico is that the students will have 3 classes, then they have a 30 minute breakfast break around 10:30, then they have 3 more classes then a 10 minute break, then 2 more classes and then they go home for lunch and some come back for sports, PE, or art classes.  Also... Here, the teachers do not stay in the same classroom with the kids moving to their next class like in the States.  I have an office with all my stuff, and I travel with my stuff to the class I am teaching.  Pretty much each grade is divided into 4 separate classes depending on how smart the kids are overall in all subjects.  The classes are A, B, C, and D..... With the brighter kids in the A class....  How cruel is that?!?!?

My students are pretty funny... But I'm trying to get them not to speak any Spanish when I am in the classroom.... When they don't know how to say something, I make them explain it as best they can in English because they want to just say the word in Spanish.... But their vocabulary will grow if they can explain it...

Everyone is super nice at the school, today the security guard brought me pomegranites from his garden.  I am technically an illegal migrant worker (isn't that IRONIC!) right now since my paperwork for my work visa takes like 3 weeks.  They are afraid that the Secretary of Education will come and check the classes, so I kind of have to pretend to be a visitor if that happens before I get my visa.....

So my Mexican family is awesome!!!  I met them on my plane from Houston, I sat next to Grandma on the plane.  They were returning from their 5th trip to DisneyWorld.  Their house is amazing with granite covering the walls in their kitchen and a pool!  Chuy and Liliana are probably 35 and 43.  Their daughters Samantha and Lorreta are 10 and 7.  Chuy and the girls speak English very well, but Liliana does not speak any.  I also have two chihuahuas named Mandy and Chici.

My Mexican family spoils me so much!  The muchacha(house-keeper) makes my bed, tidies my room, cleans my clothes, irons my clothes, makes me food if I want, puts my clothes away.....  On Saturday we went to the Santos Soccer game.  They are the best soccer team in Mexico and they reside in Torreon!!!  Last Sunday we went to lunch at Liliana's parents house with her whole family.  There was a little boy about 4 years old who was watch a Michael Jackson Concert from the early 90's. It is very popular to watch concerts on dvd here.  The little boy new all the dances that MJ was doing on the tv, I was laughing so hard!

Everywhere I go, people stare at me because I look so different from them.  It's kind of funny....

A huge black moth the size of my hand

Pool

Entry From the BackYard

Kitchen

My Room

At the Soccer game

Una Semana Para Planear Todo del Ano!

So I have been planning my whole year this week.  Although I haven't been able to do much since they have us in meeting from 8am to 1pm.  I am bringing a lot of new ideas to the faculty.  I think there are a lot more resources that I can access online in English than they have in Spanish.  The government has a lot of regulation on schools, more so on private schools because they can take away the authority to teach.  They are starting to require teachers to plan the same way that we do in the States, but we are more closely watched to make sure that we are planning ahead, instead of coming in 10 minutes before class and scrambling to figure out what we are going to teach that day.... like many of us have done in the U.S.

Overall I'm super excited!!!  Things have really fallen into place.  I love having an office of my own and a department that actually talks about what we are teaching!!!  I'm going to have to get a fan or air-conditioning unit for my office because it's on the top floor and it's pretty hot.

Below are pictures of my office!

XOXOXO

"Caro" (my new Spanish name)

Secundaria de Tec de Monterrey

I got to see my school today!!!  No hallways, all open walkways outside to see the amazing sun!!!  I get my own office too!!!  Everyone is so nice and helpful!!!  There is one other American teacher that just started with me.  His name is Phillip, he is from New Mexico.  There are about 300 students in the school.  I am teaching English to the 1st year students, which I think are 7th graders.  I am teaching the B, C, and D groups.  The A group, which I am not teaching, are the most advanced, while the D group is usually coming from public school where they only get English class once a month....  I am also really excited about the cafeteria lunch I will get everyday!!!  I love cafeteria food for some odd reason...


The school is very official and professional.  I am so glad that they use white boards instead of chalk boards! I would have gone bonkers!!!  There is a wall around the entire campus with a security guard at each gate to let parents, teachers and students enter.  I'm so glad I don't have to worry about a student running out into the street and getting hit, or a kidnapper taking one of my students.


Below are some pictures of my campus.


Love,


Carolyn

Arrival

Upon popular request, I am starting a blog of my adventures in Mexico.  Thank you all for your love and support.  I had the best last week in Portland with all my friends and family.  I will so miss kissing my little brothers' chubby cheeks.

I got to the airport about 20 minutes later than I had planned.  With my mother and little brothers at my side, I was flabbergasted as I checked my bags in.  My bestie, Natalya, came to see me off.  The Continental lady weighed my bags.  I had two bags I was checking in and I prepaid an over-weight limit for my huge duffle bag that could fit two of me.... My first bag was 53.8 lbs. and my over-weight duffle bag was 68.4 lbs.  As the lady walked away, I started stuffing more in the duffle.  My high-school spanish teacher, Senor Walker, met me at security to wish me luck.

I was only allowed one carry-on and one personal item on the plane with me, but being that I like to think I am above rules, I had an over-stuffed roll-on bag, a huge beach-like bag filled to capacity, a pillow, and a large make-up box....  No one said anything, probably because I loaded my bag and box on my shoulder on the opposite side of the ticket person so they wouldn't notice...

My first flight was so packed and I was in the middle seat.  Luckily I had my pillow to lean against the seat in front of me and fell asleep for a few hours.  On my second flight, I flew in a little plane.  I sat next to a grandma and her family.  She told me that the school I am going to teach at was one of the best in the area.  They invited me to come over to their home when ever I want.  I also met another English teacher from Canada about my age, who is to teach at another school, so I gave her my contact.  Victoria, my contact with the school, is so kind and beautiful.  She will introduce me to the school tomorrow.

Hope I didn't bore you with my first blog.