See You Soon

Well I finished my last week at CBL - I was surprised the school threw a small going away party for me with the faculty and several students wrote me going away cards.

I spent the last two days helping Francesca, who will be replacing me, to meet the students and and getting on board with where we were in the material. Hopefully being she is fluent in English & Spanish she will have better luck with the students and thew administration than I did.

I fly home on Monday, and right now I am almost packed minus the clothes I washed today that are drying and a few toiletry essentials I'll be needing until I actually leave. So yeah... guess I'll be seeing most of you soon.

Well except for my few Colombian readers, though to you if you find yourself in the USA and near Southern Indiana just let me know and I'd love to hang out and share my hometown with you like you all have done with me.

Okay. Time to let you out of the dark.

Okay my last blog post was actually about Roberto, on the day I posted it (Februaury 24th, I believe.), he had resigned with no warning from the school. I have continued living with the Valderramas even though he left. I figured this was going to cause things to stir up a bit at the school--I was right.

The Academic Coordinator Tito, who to be honest i don't really seem to get along with has sort of stepped up to fill the principal role that Roberto left open. So I knew soon enough that he was going to try and whip things into shape--unfortunately as always--I was left a bit in the dark to this. So it seems that I may have dropped the ball on one or two things due to the fact I was failed to be properly informed.

So I was called into a meeting on the 2nd of March, I was rather quickly and in Spanish followed by broken English what was the problem and asked as to why I was not complying with several of the new changes. I addressed this with the fact that I have continually asked for memos to be emailed to me, so that I could run them through Google's online translator quicker, I also mentioned that the school had failed to find me a Spanish Teacher which had been promised to be before I took the job (over 8 months ago) which also could have aided me in the process greatly. Due to these failed responsibilities of the school I had had quite a lot issues understanding let alone comply to any changes that had been implemented.

Then they addressed that several of the parents were concerned about their students progress, my gut an honest response I blurted out was "So am I." I explained that I had been promised a Spanish teacher before I came--and that I never would have taken the job if that had not been part of the arrangement, Tito and the new head administrator looked at me like i was crazy--and said they were not aware of this. I further explained that there is simply too big of a language barrier between myself and the students. I simply cannot understand what they are trying to say to me most of the time... and when I do understand I never know what to say to try and fix it. The classroom simply doesn't function.

So it was finally decided on a recourse.

I resigned.

My Last day will be this coming Friday, March 18th.

The school has already found a replacement teacher for me she will be working with me this coming Thursday and Friday to meet my students and get a feel for where they are in class. She will then be taking over next Tuesday (Monday is some Holiday here). Though thankfully the Airport is still open that Monday (the 21st) as I will be flying home that day. A big thanks to everyone who has been reading and following this Blog, thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.

I hope to chronicle a bit more of my experience here (hopefully) in book form--I plan to post a few teaser chapters on here once I finish them--and there maybe another post or two before I actually leave.

Take care friends, hopefully I'll be seeing most of you again soon!

- Mitch

hey...

So things are weird. There have been some big changes going on. Some which I am not allowed to really talk about. I am fine and healthy and am still at work down here... There had been a scare or two this week about some big changes going on... Though to all my US readers if you would like more info feel free to email me: mitch.stuart@gmail.com and I will be more than happy to fill you in on what is going on. Or if you are in regular contact with my parents or other members of my family they should be able to give you some of the details.

Most of all I think things maybe getting kind of bumpy down here and all prayers and well wishes are greatly appreciated.

Dreams

So first off this blog update is not really about Colombia or teaching but in a weird way it is about school...

For the last three to four months I have had a recurring dream where I find out for some reason I did not officially graduate high school. Then I find myself walking the Halls of Good Ole BHS. I continually have run ins with old teachers that I used to bump heads with... and I feel like I will never finish there even though I go for only half their normal school day--I then find myself at USI in the evenings being a constant mockery to my peers at a collegiate for having to still be in High School. I keep having this same sort of dream over and over--I just can't shake it I am thousands of miles and 7 years out of High School and it is still in my nightmares... What the heck is up with that?

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.

Okay God likes me.

Or I am just super lucky--no baggage checks by US security--no x-ray, and then got a row to myself and Delta has free wifi for christmas!

So yeah I feel pretty good right about now. I should be home in five hours and am pretty dang stoked about it.

Hope to see you all very soon!

Video Post #1

Umm sorry...

So I recently was told I hadn't updated in awhile and I just looked at the page and realized its been over two weeks! Wow. Sorry. Lately things have just sort have been a steady routine So i hadn't realized how much time had really passed.

Work is work. As redundant as that sounds I feel it appropriately sums everything up. For instance the school is attempting to embrace a multicultural environment so this year they added a Thanksgiving Day Program--which meant a big program for the parents, students, and teachers. They split it into 2 nights b/c of the capacity of the school could not hold everyone at once. So Thursday was preschool-5th grade and Friday hosted 6th-11th grades. Unfortunately this put me at school for both nights. Requiring me to speak to the parents and students with the aid of a translator --on the origin and basic traditions involved around Thanksgiving. Unfortunately this speech was not planned until Thursday afternoon. I also had to assist in setting up for both nights. All this boils down that instead of having 2 days off for Thanksgiving instead I had 2 FOURTEEN HOUR DAYS of Work.

I am still exhausted and I have a ton to do for tomorrow. So back to work... :/

Eight days a week...

Or at least thats how its felt. Its exam week and I am absolutely buried in B.S. to put in frankly. And have spent about the last 5 twenty-four periods getting about on average--1 hour walking, 4 hours sleeping 3 hours a day grading exams, 3 hours a day writing exams, eight hours working each day. And I've had about 3 meetings varying from 2-4 hours this week as well. Along with fighting off a sore throat and some surprisingly helpful insomnia.

But it is a 3-day weekend no school Monday and I needed the break to be honest.

Still can't get used to waking up between 530-6 am every morning, if you know me--it feels as crazy as it sounds.

Remember, Remember the Fifth of November

So I woke up this morning thinking that today was gonna rough. Thinking here I am in a foreign country, only a few friends, and just thinking I was gonna feel like a ship lost at sea.

But I woke up and about 12 friends had already wished me Happy Birthday on facebook. Then I got to school and as word leaked to students they began making me a slew of cards and continuously wishing me "¡Feliz cumpleaños!" or "Happy Birthday" as well as two of my classes serenading me. I found out today that I am very glad my third graders love me as much as they do. Because I was pretty much attacked with hugs and was almost knocked to the ground--if they didn't like me... they could easily kill me.

But the Highlight of the day so far was that I was told that at one point Roberto NEEDED to speak with me. So I went to his office during the morning break... and he told me to just wait a moment, then he walked me right back to the Bilingual Office, where I opened to find my fellow English teachers waiting to surprise me. I can't believe how much everyone has gone out of their way for me today. As well as seeing that about forty or more friends had posted on my face book when I checked it on my prep period--its been a much day than I expected it to be. :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Welp today is Halloween, so I figured I'd share a few pics I took of the younger kids that came in costume to school on Friday. Also Friday ended up being a huge party day for the kids that ended up lasting almost all of the day so most of my time was spent chaperoning and then playing in the faculty ping-pong tournament (I went out my first round but watched most of it). Okay well enjoy the pics if the kids weren't so wild most of the time I'd want to take them home with me.

Hmmm... well what to tell...

Its been almost two weeks since my last post--and well quite a bit has happened-- I've made a few new friends thanks to one of my fellow teachers at the school. Which one of them gave me my first real salsa lesson. I'm actually not too terrible. Or at least thats what she told me to be nice... Then I went to a Karaoke Bar here in Cali and gave a pretty stirring rendition of Roxanne by The Police that my new friends were really impressed by, one of them kept asking me if I would sing it again.

I went to see my soccer team play again, once again another victory--maybe I really am the team's lucky charm. I may go to see them later this week if the invitation holds up and I'm not too busy.

I also had a chance to go to The Cumberland Presbyterian Church (the denomination I grew up going to) here in Cali, which was a really cool experience and felt a lot like being a kid, high ceilings and I had no idea what the preacher was talking about, though I did understand a few words here and there. Ha ha ha

Let's see the break I had went well. I had a normal weekend, followed by four days of meetings, 4 days off and then a four day school week.

Unfortunately this week is normal and it is the end of the first quarter which means after tomorrow almost all I will be doing is giving tests for the rest of the week. Two of which I need to write tonight. but one will be for first grade science which should be relatively easy, and so should the one I plan on making for third grade English. Though I did find out that this weekend is another three day weekend which I do not mind at all.

Also I received three packages last week a big thank you to the friends and family that sent them--I also found out that packages over a certain claimed amount/weight are subject to a tariff that I have no idea what it would require to pay in advance. So check with me if you want to send me anything things that are excessive can cost me excessively too. Though I will be home December 21st til January 7th and despite a few dates that are blacked out for specific friends and family let me know when you want to hang out and I'll try and make it happen.

If you want to give me a late birthday present or go out to grab a beer let me know I'll have no problem in meeting up and hanging out. Move quick dates are going fast (not really). Ok well here are some pictures for you all.

My new freinds from the University Univalle, Pic from the soccer game, a drawing a student did of me on the marker board in the third grade class room, a pic of the students during a student recognition program, and me and my beard in case you forgot what we look like.

Suprise!

You are all in LUCK! I had almost forgot that one of the men sitting in the box with us had a camera. And he just emailed the pictures to Roberto--who forwarded them to me. So check it out! Also the man standing next to me in the one picture is Roberto Valderrama- So you can all see who he is--being I've mentioned him a few times.

From the Weirdest to the Easiest Week Yet!

So sorry i haven't updated for awhile. I have had a few things going on from fighting some flu like bug to issues with international finance. I've been continually bombarded with stuff for the last week or so. But... this week is pretty great. Firstly the students are on Fall Break (more or less) which is ten days long as I understand it. And Teachers have in-service meetings Mon-Thursday but they are only from 8:00-1:30 So short days and a short week. So I'm sorta relishing this week for all its worth. Trying to go ahead and get things prepared for the next few weeks as well as taking some time to breathe and do a bit of relaxing as well.

Though I can say I finally say that I got to experience a real Soccer match last Sunday. Soccer fans here are so intense--its kind of amazing. I can honestly say that I have never had so much fun at a sporting event in my entire life as watching the Local rivalry match between America de Cali and Deportivo de Cali -- I found my self surrounded by fans of (Depotivo de) Cali Fans and quickly fell in their midst. Cali ended up winning the Game 6-4. I really think I could get into futbol if I get to go to a few more matches while I'm down here. Yes, I know its weird I am slowly becoming a sports fan--but Cali played with so much heart and an intense passion that it was hard not to get swept up in the game and to find myself shouting "GOL!" with thousands of Colombians in the Stadium.

I only wish I'd taken a camera so I could show you all pictures...

Yikes!

Just realized it's been 9 days since I posted anything here. Sorry about that folks. Things are progressing here I feel that I am starting to get a better grip on my classes--though its definitely a slow and steady wins the race type of scenario there are no quick fixes involved here.

Today has been interesting so far. I have had to break up two fights today. One in my advanced English class, and on in First grade--though i can't say which fight was more justified from my perspective. Honestly when I compare the two side by side I see more similarities than differences except that I sort of expected more of my Adv. kids. Also there was randomly a band here today to play for a small assembly for the 10th & 11th Grades--they also played during the student's break and during lunch. I was surprised by how good they were--I actually really enjoyed hearing them.

Oh and I feel I am finally caught up on sleep. Yesterday I took a nap around 6 or so and slept til almost 10--when i watched two episodes of Scrubs and then fell back asleep 'til 5 this morning--when I promptly rolled over made sure my alarm was set for 6 and went back to sleep. I figured I got around 10-11 hours of sleep. This morning I felt great. Expect a post Friday or sometime this weekend.