Entry 1: Less Blur
I start this entry at the end of this day. It's 7:57 PM, and I sit in my cold room on my bed surrounded by today's schoolwork preparing to eat dinner: a bag of cold Madras lentils and container of organic Jasmine brown rice, which I've mixed into the bag of beans. I forgot to ask about the availability of hot water and once in the kitchen, realized it would be too much trouble to heat up my microwaveable beans and rice with the stock of cookware, plus I am cold.
This morning, I awoke tired but shook it off with a cold-water wash of the most necessary areas. I could not bring myself to embrace an icy shower. I was off to school by 8:33, after frantically looking for my front door key, which I decided to keep separate from my room key for no apparent logical reason but to cause myself panic.
Last night, I vowed to find warmth for my near bald-head against the chill of night! On my way to school, I bought a knit hat from a street vender for 10sols. I don't know or care if the price was right because the only time my skull isn't freezing is during the middle of the day when I'm in the dag-nabit classroom!!!
I start this entry at the end of this day. It's 7:57 PM, and I sit in my cold room on my bed surrounded by today's schoolwork preparing to eat dinner: a bag of cold Madras lentils and container of organic Jasmine brown rice, which I've mixed into the bag of beans. I forgot to ask about the availability of hot water and once in the kitchen, realized it would be too much trouble to heat up my microwaveable beans and rice with the stock of cookware, plus I am cold.
This morning, I awoke tired but shook it off with a cold-water wash of the most necessary areas. I could not bring myself to embrace an icy shower. I was off to school by 8:33, after frantically looking for my front door key, which I decided to keep separate from my room key for no apparent logical reason but to cause myself panic.
Last night, I vowed to find warmth for my near bald-head against the chill of night! On my way to school, I bought a knit hat from a street vender for 10sols. I don't know or care if the price was right because the only time my skull isn't freezing is during the middle of the day when I'm in the dag-nabit classroom!!!
Entry 2: School
I got to school early enough to struggle through a conversation with the cleaning woman, who got to my class a few minutes after I arrived. She was nice and cleaned the room twice: once that morning and once at lunch - yes, I was still there! I'd didn't have anywhere to go, plus I'm fasting so what's the point of walking the streets smelling food?
Scott's class: We shared teaching observation reflections. I looked like a nerd because I completed three yesterday, which has put me ahead of the five other students who arrived five days before me.
Yes, I came late because I have the nasty habit of shoving more stuff into the 24-hours a day is meant to hold. A new student, Ximena, arrived and it took little effort for me to share her sense of bewilderment.
We have to prepare a 10 minute lower level grammar lesson for class tomorrow. I've settled, I think, (and a perhaps bit to Scott's disappointment), on CONJUNCTIONS! I thought about this assignment, ran it past Matt, spied few ideas on the internet, and decided it's too freaking cold to work on it anymore tonight. I'm putting a bit into my 5:33am alarm.
Matt's class: I had fewer blah, blah, blah moments!! I do enjoy linguistics and grammar; however, a few of my documented learning styles are anti-enjoyment. I took pictures and notes but longed to add recording to my ever changing and eclectic collection of learning strategies.
After my classes, which end at 3pm, I observed a Speaking and Writing class, sent a few emails using the school's computer, which shows everything in Spanish, talked to Matt for a few minutes, and asked if I could also record his class, which should help me eliminate all blah, blah, blahs for the content of his language awareness class.
I got to school early enough to struggle through a conversation with the cleaning woman, who got to my class a few minutes after I arrived. She was nice and cleaned the room twice: once that morning and once at lunch - yes, I was still there! I'd didn't have anywhere to go, plus I'm fasting so what's the point of walking the streets smelling food?
Scott's class: We shared teaching observation reflections. I looked like a nerd because I completed three yesterday, which has put me ahead of the five other students who arrived five days before me.
Yes, I came late because I have the nasty habit of shoving more stuff into the 24-hours a day is meant to hold. A new student, Ximena, arrived and it took little effort for me to share her sense of bewilderment.
We have to prepare a 10 minute lower level grammar lesson for class tomorrow. I've settled, I think, (and a perhaps bit to Scott's disappointment), on CONJUNCTIONS! I thought about this assignment, ran it past Matt, spied few ideas on the internet, and decided it's too freaking cold to work on it anymore tonight. I'm putting a bit into my 5:33am alarm.
Matt's class: I had fewer blah, blah, blah moments!! I do enjoy linguistics and grammar; however, a few of my documented learning styles are anti-enjoyment. I took pictures and notes but longed to add recording to my ever changing and eclectic collection of learning strategies.
After my classes, which end at 3pm, I observed a Speaking and Writing class, sent a few emails using the school's computer, which shows everything in Spanish, talked to Matt for a few minutes, and asked if I could also record his class, which should help me eliminate all blah, blah, blahs for the content of his language awareness class.
Entry 3: Warm Advice
News flash before I go to bed ready-rolled (which means I have on ALL my clothing for the day); I went to the kitchen. On my way to the communal kitchen, which is just done the common hall, one of my housemates and fellow TEFL students came out of her room. I seized the chance to inquire about hot water. She explained that there is hot water from 12 to 3 PM, which means, even though I'm fasting, I do have lunch plans!!!
In her native Aussie accent and warm, friendly, inviting use of the F-word, she gave me two additional suggestions for keeping warm, which are not presented with their original phrasing:
1. Sleep in layered clothing - she gestured to emphasize the number of items she currently wore (I'd already figured that one out).
2. Enjoy the company only you can provide for yourself - she placed one hand, palm open and vertical to the left side of her mouth, as she emphasized in a tone too loud to be a whisper, "[it] really helps" (nope, I'd not thought of that one).
News flash before I go to bed ready-rolled (which means I have on ALL my clothing for the day); I went to the kitchen. On my way to the communal kitchen, which is just done the common hall, one of my housemates and fellow TEFL students came out of her room. I seized the chance to inquire about hot water. She explained that there is hot water from 12 to 3 PM, which means, even though I'm fasting, I do have lunch plans!!!
In her native Aussie accent and warm, friendly, inviting use of the F-word, she gave me two additional suggestions for keeping warm, which are not presented with their original phrasing:
1. Sleep in layered clothing - she gestured to emphasize the number of items she currently wore (I'd already figured that one out).
2. Enjoy the company only you can provide for yourself - she placed one hand, palm open and vertical to the left side of her mouth, as she emphasized in a tone too loud to be a whisper, "[it] really helps" (nope, I'd not thought of that one).