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New Blog!

Hello everyone! I’m happy to announce that I now have a new blog up and running. It’s The Nomadic Nerd and is being run by Blogger/blogspot. This is to document my adventures post college and onwards. I will keep this blog up and running for anyone who wants to come back and read my posts on here, but feel free to take a look at my new blog, and the cool news - you can now follow me without having to sign up for a Tumblr blog and you can comment for free!

I hope everyone enjoys my new blog! 

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The remaining photos that need posting

Hello everyone!

So, instead of posting multiple photo texts, I’m going to try something new: I just found out that I can attach pictures to texts like this. So I’m going to try this out and see how it goes.

These photos are all miscellaneous except for the Tikal photos, but those will be identified for you all. Just to remind you all again, that this blog will be retiring for now. I think I’m going to place it on permanent suspension as I look for jobs and also different formats to create a more “professional” blog that will document my teaching and travels abroad. Until then, thank you all for reading this blog, and I will make an announcement on here once I’ve made the new blog!

*Edit. So this didn’t work out the way I wanted it too, but I’m too lazy to go back in and change it all out. So I hope you all enjoy the mismatched and disorganized photos!

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A Final Reflection

So, it’s been almost a week and a half since I’ve left San Ignacio, the jungle, Belize, and Central America. I’ve graduated (in the comfort of my home and while wearing sweatpants to boot), and have gotten a 4.0 for the semester (I know, I know, no one cares about this), and this has left me with the wonderful opportunity to sit back and think about my experience student teaching in a different country.

My time in Belize was one for the books for sure, there’s no doubt about it. As much as it has stressed me out with the amount of mosquitos that were constantly flying around me (I don’t miss that), having to get work done with no printer or scanner for my online NMSU class, and having to work in a classroom that had little to no technology (*sarcastically* thank you NMSU for spoiling me last year with practicums in decked out technology rooms; it really came in handy this semester), it has taught me a lot. It has taught me how much for granted I took my US students’ reading comprehension levels, their classroom material and the content. My Belizean students have taught me how to work with large groups of students at a time and how to get everyone engaged (even though I had tried and failed multiple times to find the best way to do this), how to make my objectives more focused for the lessons, and also my students have simply taught me what student life is like in another country.

I’m grateful for the experiences that I’ve had in Belize, and thankful for the teachers that were there to lift my spirits for the moments I felt like an absolute failure. I’m also grateful for my students who were so patient with me and my uncharacteristically nervous butt, and for them opening up their lives to me (I sadly never had the chance to say goodbye to my kids, and I do feel immense guilt over that). I won’t forget my time at Sacred Heart and I really appreciate do appreciate the school for opening itself up to me and welcoming me with open arms.

I will try to get my photos uploaded as quickly as I can here and on Facebook now that I’m not really bogged down with anything except filling out some substitute teaching forms and working some hours as a server to get some money going again. I do have some prospects that I’m seriously looking into for the upcoming year, but I will have to see where the wind takes me for now.

Other than that, this blog will be retired until my next adventure! I will notify everyone once it’s purpose is being picked up again for my next adventure.

Thank you again for reading everyone, and Happy Holidays!

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The Things My Students Say . . .

So, this is a rather strange post to make, but I had to write these answers down to remember them for future references. Today I asked my students to evaluate me on how I’ve been doing these past two months teaching them; they had to answer 5 very simple questions and answer with all honesty. While I did get some great feedback and one particular roast (I won’t post it to save my burned ego), but the following answers not only prove how important reading comprehension is down here, but also proves that I love these knuckleheads despite how much stress they put me through. These are just the best ones that made me laugh out loud while reading them; please know that I’m typing them in the style that my students wrote them. My thoughts are in italics. Enjoy!

Question 1: How am I doing? Student - You’re doing good so far = Yes darling, and . . .? Student - I am doing good = Darling, this isn’t about you. . . Student - I think I’m doing pretty good but from a scale from 1 to a 8 = Honey. It’s not about you I’m asking to grade. . . And why 1 to 8? Student - I’m doing good so far = This isn’t about you hon. . . Student - Well good Ms. I love how you teach propper English = *tries not to ex-out the extra p* Aw thanks sweetie. Student - Well I think I’m going so bad on my grades = . . . . Wait, honey. What? Student - So far so good = . . . . Thank you?

Question 2: What do you like about my teaching style? Student - I like the way you say things that are boring and you make them interesting = Thank you honey, but that’s kinda my job in the first place. Student - I guess your English = . . . . Thank you? Student - I like about my teaching style is some time I learn quicker = You do mean me right? Cause I don’t think you’re the one sweating bullets in front of you all. Student - Everything = Please be more descriptive love. Student - It’s not that I don’t like it but it’s a lil too cheezy oh and you should work on your jokes = . . . I’m being too cheesy?? AND WHAT’S WRONG WITH MY JOKES?? Student - I like nothing = So, does that mean I’m not doing so hot then? Student - Yes = Perfect! Now tell me WHY?? Student - I like that you do not shout alot = Oh. . . . Well thanks?

Question 3: What do I need to change to help you learn in the classroom? Student (and many others) - Well to me you don’t have to change anything = Well hon, I have to change something.

Question 4: What do I need to change with my teaching style? Student - Reading more for us = Is this because you like hearing my American accent try to read in your dialect? Cause I think it’s awful. Student - I more poster = *inserts the word “need”* Okay hon. I will try to create more of my horrible posters for you in the future for you all to laugh at. Student - You could improve a little with your writting = *shots fired* Hon. I’ve been asking you if you can read my writing multiple times throughout my lessons! Why don’t you say anything???

Question 5: Anything else you would like to tell me? Student - I like when I win prizes = Doesn’t everyone love? Student - No = Okay. Short and sweet and to the point. And the icing on the cake answer - You are the first teacher in S.H.C. (Sacred Heart College) that likes to use long dress. = OHMYGOD. *dies laughing*

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October Month Update!

Well, let’s face it - this blog isn’t going to stay as updated as I had hoped. So here’s the lay down of what’s happened over the course of the last month that I’ve been down here.

So, where do I start. I taught a few times, didn’t go as planned as is usual, but there were a few extra problems that I experienced while down here. I will lay it out as best as I can so everyone can understand the education system that is here in Belize. So, the class that I took over for the semester is a 10th grade class in the local high school. The number of students in the class tops off at 36. . . That’s right, you read right, 36 FREAKING KIDS. I’ve never felt more outnumbered in my life, and that’s not even counting the time I was in charge of 20 something seven year olds who were all equipped with plastic golf clubs that could easily knock someone out (or give a good gut punch, which one of them did do to me). My lovely students range from 13-15 years of age as I have some repeaters and some advanced students. As much as I love the advance students for getting the material quickly, my overall student comprehension level is abysmal and it’s been so hard for me to plan lessons in general: the students, even my highest achievers, read at around a 7th grade level, but their grammar is at that of a 3rd grader. . . Yea. I’m basically teaching high school and elementary here. Never in my life have I been more thankful that I decided to take on a teaching English as a second language endorsement, because man have I been needing to use it here with these kids. I’ve been rather hesitant in taking the full load of the class because there are days where I’m planning a poetry lesson that I know I can work with because it is at a 7th grade level, but when it comes to the grammar lessons, I’m having the hardest time finding lessons that are not only challenging enough for them, but also making sure that I am actually teaching the material that they need to know. I basically bombed my first two grammar lessons (one of which ended up being my official supervised midterm lesson), had to go back and reteach the lesson and still ended up with my poor cooperating teacher having to go in and do damage control. This has greatly been both an embarrassment for me as well as a huge factor in my stress levels here.

My stress skyrocketed this past weekend after receiving an email from the financial aid office out of the blue which stated that I owed $1700 dollars back to the university because of an error in the system that could have been fixed back in AUGUST. This not only lead me to hit the breaking point, but I also bombed my official midterm observation because of this mess. After numerous calls home, many cry sessions and last minute “trying-to-keep-the-anxiety-down” walks around town, I was happy to receive news as of November 1st stating that the problem had been alleviated and that the office had not factored in my expenses for student teaching (this was after the fact I sent a rather pissed off email to the office as well as an email to the President of the university). As many of my close friends and family know, I’ve never had the best of luck with this particular office, and finally I was able to break through and actually talk with someone.

And, that was basically my entire month of October for you other than the fantastic weekend trip to San Pedro. After that first week, it basically went downhill for me emotionally and mentally, but I’m hoping with my last month here, it’ll be nothing but roses again. I just keep thinking of that Green Day song, “Wake Me Up When September Ends”, and my thoughts saying, nah, wake me up when October ends!

So, on that note, I will leave you all here, and hopefully I will post something sooner rather than later for an update!

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San Pedro Weekend Trip

So this last weekend, my classmates and I decided that we were going to take advantage of our first three day weekend and go to a small island called San Pedro. We were originally going to go to the neighboring island of Caye (pronounced like key) Caulker, but backed out last minute because we wanted to do something more touristy. Of course, we ended up docking at the smaller island to drop people off and we regretted this as it turned out the place was beautiful and so laid back. But we were soon over our woes as we landed in San Pedro and fell in love with the place.

We stayed only two nights at the lovely little hotel called Mata Rocks. Unfortunately for us, Expedia lied about the fact that the hotel is not within walking distance to the downtown area, so we had to get golf carts and taxis half the time to get there and back. But the remote location of the hotel was perfect as it gave us private access to a beach that we mostly had to ourselves (due to it being off season). If you are looking for a cute hotel with amazing views of the ocean right from your bedroom window, this is your best bet; and the best part is that it’s super cheap during “off season” which happens to be right now as most of the tourists come in December and January.

We mostly bummed out at the beach with a few little visits into town for food and just to explore. I loved the place so much, but unfortunately for me, I was sleeping half the time due to multiple reasons such as a Fulbright application submission, an 8 page paper, and the fact that I was dehydrated half the time. Again, I’m not the best person when it comes to making sure that I’m drinking while abroad.

But it was a blessed and much needed break from teaching. Our next big break will be in November, and we are thinking of going to Placencia during this weekend to see what the beaches on land are like. Though, I would absolutely love to go back to Caye Caulker to take a look around and bum out again and get my horrible summer tan tanned out (picture a tank top tan on top of shorts tan. Yea. I have the whitest stomach ever, and now I’m three toned thanks to this little trip).

Either way, I will try to post more often, like, every other week, but we shall see as it’s rather the same thing every day at the school. Just different lessons. So I will see you all in the next post!

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Weekend trip to San Pedro, Belize

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More Guatemala photos!

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Melchor de Menos, Guatemala day trip

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Randoms! The first two are of the school I teach at. The third and fourth photos are of Independence Day celebrations here in San Ignacio. The following photos were taken at random both here in San Ignacio, Santa Elena (the neighboring town) and the river Macal.

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More photos of Cahal Pech

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Cahal Pech photos.

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More photos of San Ignacio, the flowers here and an awesome meat pie I get at my school!

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Alright! Finally posting photos! Here are photos from my first few days in San Ignacio. Hope you all enjoy!

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San Ignacio Update

Oh my god … I haven’t posted anything on here in so long! Sorry guys. After the semester started, it really kicked in with the fact that I now have a class with homework to work on every week, and then add an intense application process and a paper to write, I’ve been loosing hair like no other recently. So yea. I’m a bit out of it.

But I will post this now cause I gave the chance to and I feel like I’m on top of all my projects right now.

So, the last time I wrote was back in September, so I think it’s best if I just go by week of what’s happened so far.

So the weekend after I made my last post, my classmates and I went to the nearby archaeological site of Cahal Pech. It’s a Mayan ruin that was built for a wealthy family from what I can understand, and it was lovingly named for the fact that the area was filled with cows and ticks before the ruins were discovered in the ground. Don’t worry: I checked for ticks after we left and I’m tick free as of now. We spent a good hour there wandering around the ruins all the while sweating our heads off. I was freaking drenched by the time we left. But I loved wandering around the site and seeing the ruins up close; I never thought I would be walking around and touching history like this. My amazing time in the outskirts jungle and ruins was destroyed after a tour guide showed a group of tourists a tarantula hole with a massive spider in it close to where we were in the board walk. I about peed myself I was so freaked out.

The rest of the week was spent with me at the school, continuing my observations of the students and planning on what I was going to do once I started teaching. We didn’t really go anywhere that weekend: just hung out, walked around and started planning our small trips the beach while we are here. Oh and we went to go visit the neighboring town of Santa Elena, so I have a few photos from that as well.

So now, last week (the last full week of September) I started taking over one class session for the week. The lesson that I did was rather easy, and helped me get into the hang of things with the kids. I’ve found that having them work in small groups really helps me with the classroom management and also keep me from having to yell at the kids half the time. If I haven’t already told you, I have thirty five kids in this 10th grade class, and it’s so much work just to keep them on pace and track with what they need to do. Anyway as, the lesson went well, the kids actually worked with me, and there were no problems at all. That weekend, my classmates and I went to the border town of Melchor de Menos, Guatemala so I could renew my visa (mine expired that day while my classmates had a few more days to work with as they came later). We had a fantastic time wandering around the market area with our director and her daughter. We got to know them more and we had a good couple of laughs as a massive black bee was following me around half the day and they were just dumbfounded as to why bugs like me so much. All I could say was, they like me, but I don’t like them and they know it. The day suddenly went from all peaches and cream to “I almost got kicked out of the country” very quick as we found out that my classmates and I were not supposed to go spend the day in Guatemala to renew our visas like we had expected. Instead we had to go to the capital and ask for an extension on our tourist visas. No one had told us this, and while I was able to keep my anxiety down at the border, my brain was just flabbergasted as to why no one had told us about this in the first place. So, as I only have a thirty day visa now, I will have to take a day off from teaching and go to the US consulate in the capital and ask for an extension on the new visa I have. Yea. I was a bit peeved, but what can you do?

To talk about this week, again I got to teach and I know for sure I need to work on time management now instead of focusing on classroom management as the kids are fine with me now, and I’m not all too worried about them going crazy. I think from now on I’ll have to use the group sessions whenever I teach because I can handle the munchkins in small groups, not as a whole mass of 13/14/15 year olds. But man were these kids bad this week. My teacher was furious with the way they were acting and disrespecting other teachers. I’m hoping that her furious lecture the other day will set things straight for them, but from now on I’ll have to play bad cop with her for the semester.

So there’s the update for you all! I’m sorry that it has taken me so long to post this, but please understand I have to teach and also I had projects up the wazoo on me to complete while I was here. I promise to post photos when I can. Other that that, I will try to write posts either weekly or every other week.

Thanks again for reading!

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San Ignacio Week One and a Half

Hello all! I’m so sorry that I haven’t been posting at all while down here. I just haven’t found the motivation to go sit down at my laptop and write out some entries. So, here’s a low down of what’s happened so far.

So I got into the country the 31st of August. I was super tired after having to layover in Miami for the night (where I only got around 4 hours of sleep in) and was stressing out about who would be the person who would come to pick me up at the airport. Luckily for me, my eyes caught a sign that had the name of my school on it and I found a kind woman who was waiting for me at the airport exit. I settled in pretty well and hunkered down for the night as I was deadbeat tired from the plane ride, the drive to San Ignacio and overall just everything.

The following three days ran something along the line of wake up at 10, eat breakfast at 11, and start exploring at around noon. Of course, this is during the hottest time of the day and I would come back and have to take cold showers in order to cool down. I’ve been lucky enough to be staying in a place that has air conditioning as well; I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have this blessed thing in my room.

Some things that I’ve noticed right off the bat about Belize is that it looks almost identical to that of Mexico. Being a British Commonwealth territory, everything is in English, but the language of Kriol (a English variant that is spoken by almost all of my kids and the teachers) is prevalent here as well as Spanish thanks to the town being about 10 miles from the Guatemala border. The funniest thing I’ve noticed about this area is that everyone’s English accent has a distinct twang to it that reminds me of Jamaican accents. Most of the times, I have to ask people to repeat what they just said because I either didn’t hear them correctly or my brain didn’t register the word that they used. Just some small observations for you all.

On the 4th of September, my classmates finally arrived as their flight was rerouted and delayed due to Harvey’s destruction. I showed them a little round town and then we went to go see the schools that we would be working at for the rest of the semester. I’m the first secondary ed major to come to Belize, and so it was rather a surprise to the vice principle that I was to be placed at the high school instead of the elementary school that they had made arrangements at. Either way, it was sorted out, and I was able to meet my cooperating teacher the next day. She is an English teacher that teaches 10th and 11th graders. The school has a time schedule that has taken me forever to get used to. She only teaches 3 classes a day and the rest is used to prep and grade. For me, this is a crazy adjustment to get used to as I was expecting a teacher who has one period to prep and then 6 or 7 classes after that to teach.

As I just finished my first week of official observations in the classroom, I’ve decided that, being her first student teacher (I’m called an intern here), I told her that I would focus on her 10th graders for the semester instead of working with both of her age groups. This would alleviate her worries of handing complete control over to me for all of her classes. Plus, I like her 10th graders more as they are a rowdy bunch. Goodness me, those kids have some lungs in them as well as energy. They remind me more of 7th graders honestly with their personalities and mannerisms, but this could also be me getting older.

Either way, I love working at the school thus far. The English department has been amazing in welcoming me into the ranks and are more than happy to answer any questions that I have. I spend a lot of time with them in the offices talking about the classes, the kids and what the teaching style is like at the school. My cooperating teacher is awesome in the way that she has taken me into the classroom. I was worried that she would be hesitant with me coming in and telling her that I would eventually be taking over towards the end of the semester, but she has been nothing but friendly and great to talk with. Her humor is on the same level as mine (hugely sarcastic and goofy) and her students love her to death.

I’m super excited to see what is in store for the rest of the semester and I promise to start posting more on a weekly basis to keep everyone updated with my student teaching semester. For now though, hope you enjoyed this post and I’ll see you all later!

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Dat da da da! The last photos of my time in Europe! These are the last photos of Munich and Germany. Everything up to the last two photos are of the Nymphenburg. The last two are of a maypole and the udon noodles I had in Frankfurt, aka my last meal of the trip. So I hope you enjoyed my time in Europe and I promise to start writing about my time in Central America!