My Students Part 4 First Grade

My Students Part 3 Third Grade

My Students Part 2 Second Grade

My Students Part 1 Adv English

I have not forgotten you.

Hey so as always its time to play catch-up (and not the kind for your fries) its been a mix of very interesting & very boring... at the same time?

I guess I'll start with what changes are going on at the school...

Lets see... One of the main administrators of the school has for the moment stepped down and the former accountant has stepped up to fill the position--which is actually not bad as he seems to be taking a more active role in the position and much more of an interest in the school than the person he is replacing.

The school eliminated its English Coordinator position, and Claudia decided that she would leave instead of staying on and adjusting what her job entitled. Though she also is producing a short film and is trying to find more time to work on that project so perhaps the whole situation was a mixed blessing for her.

My good friend and fellow English teacher Carlos left last Friday. He also taught Theology and Physical Education--and a new teacher has been brought in to replace him in his Theology and PE classes--though the English spot is unfilled--what is going to happen with his students I have no idea.

Also my friend Sandra is now team teaching my first and second graders with me for half of the time I have them in class. She has been a huge help and hopefully the wildness of the first graders won't wear her down to the breaking point of her sanity. As for my sanity--we all know its been AWOL for years. Ha ha ha ha

Okay now to the excuse for why I haven't posted for awhile. Well I came down with a flu bug. I ended up missing 3 days of school and have since been attempting to catch up on everything I wasn't at school for and reorganizing my class plans along with getting to have my first usage of my Insurance and my first experience with Colombian healthcare. Honestly I was impressed! I was in to see a doctor about 15 minutes after I arrived even though I didn't have an appointment. I then did had to get a blood test and a urine test done because the doctor worried that I might have dengay (sp?) but thankfully the test came up clean but I was given an IV with medication to help treat my flu bug while I was waiting for the test results and was then given medication to take as I walked out the door. No co-pay, no needing to visit a pharmacy--I was actually impressed at the overall convenience of the whole process... though I worry with all my constant exposure to the kids I'm unbelievably likely to get sick again.

Alright well thats probably enough for now I need to try and get ahead on some of my planning for next week.

As always your well wishes and prayers are always appreciated.

Feel free to comment here or to send me an email at mitch.stuart@gmail.com

Godspeed friends,

--Mitch

(Any donations can be given to Milton or Marla Stuart who can be sure the funds are transferred to me. Just kidding, unless you want to--then by all means feel free.)

Welp, time to fire this back up.

Back in Cali. It feels so strange to be back in South America - I'm still readjusting. To the climate and I swear there is something about switching hemispheres that just wears me out like I can't explain. Hopefully I will get my self back to Southern self soon. O. The bright side I have my first two weeks (and probably most of the third) already planned out which means I can take it easy for a few days. Though right now I have been at work for 3.25 hours and am already ready for a NAP! Though being today is only meetings I shouldn't be surprised that I am bored and feeling sleepy.

Well let's see... there were no major issues with my flights though I think TSA may have "confiscated" a snickers from my checked baggage when they inspected it. I am pretty sure I left with three but only arrived with two. Oh well my peanut butter and cereal both made it through no problem so I can't complain to much.

Also I just wanna say it was great visiting everyone while I was home- to those I was unable to visit/connect with I wish I could have gotten to see you all more than you know. Those I did see, thanks for taking time out to hang with your favorite Colombian :P hopefully I will work something out so that I can have a lot of people over to show pictures and tell a few stories sometime when I get back stateside. It'll be more fun than it sounds - mostly it'll be stories of miscommunication and misunderstandings at my expense.