Today was Verónica's birthday -- she's the Kinder teacher. There is a little boy in Kinder named Diego who is hyperactive and loud and doesn't like any activity that anyone initiates... anyway, she recounted today that she was talking to Diego's mother and grandmother about his problems in class, and the grandmother said, "Just show him a wet towel -- that's what he gets when he misbehaves with me. Just show him a wet towel and he'll behave." Wow. Eva commented that the parents and guardians really give "precious" advice here.

bailando la cueca

"La cueca" is THE traditional Chilean dance -- it mimics the rooster and the hen, is made up of lots of delicate steps and careful, dainty waving of kerchiefs. The couple circles around each other for most of it, coming in close and then backing away. During the celebrations for September 18th, their July 4th, many students danced.

And teachers...

And students WITH teachers. Those are the traditional sheepskin pants and beret.

Bryan Gomez

Bryan Gomez, from third grade, was so into a game we were playing in class today that when it came time for him to hit the chalkboard, he hit it so hard that he bounced back and fell to the floor!

After class each Wednesday, Bryan fits himself into this bookshelf. He seriously heads straight for the back of the room after the bell rings and hoists himself up.

This kid is on my English Olympics team -- therefore, the next month should be verrrry entertaining!

It's been a crazy week...

... but now that the internal English competition is over I can finally take a breath!

I got home from the competition, got a call from Jeannette, a friend of Eva's family and now a friend of mine, that the meat was ready to be picked up and that we had to do it NOW, and so Juan Pablo and I hopped in the car, drove the 6 blocks through the light rain, and picked up a plastic bag full of bloody meat from the butcher. That butcher explained that he didn't have any "posta" and therefore added a couple of "chuletas" to the bag, and also that it was a "vaquita," freshly killed so nice and soft, as if in reassurance. Nice. We dropped it off at Jeannette's house, because it's for Eva's surprise birthday party tomorrow and we couldn't bring it home, and when we went in little Belén, who is in my kinder class, greeted us and then started stroking my arm like a cat. It was strange.

Last week I was in Valdivia, Eva's hometown and where her four children (adults now) live. I stayed there for the week whilst Eva was in Santiago for a course, and got to see some of the city. They call it Val"lluvia," because it's so rainy. It's like the Seattle of Chile.

I'm learning a lot of little puns and poems and riddles and tongue-twisters. I love it.

"Papalapapidicoipi," or "Esmedílemelo," which is what one would hypothetically say to ask someone in a formal way to sharpen something with a whetstone. But they wouldn't say it in reality, because it's too hard. Try this on for size (but not if you've read my Facebook status): "Oro no es, plata no es..." Qué es?

What a funny, gossipy town!

Yohanna has her period. She was not feeling well at lunchtime so stayed home to rest, and Juan Pablo and Jonathan asked after her, and Eva said, "it's that time of the month." Then Trinidad the Elder comes over to ask Eva for the key to the school, and asks after Yoa, and Eva explains that "the monthly bill arrived." "Ooooh," says Trini. Then Waleska stops by with Trini the Younger, and is worried when Juan Pablo says that Yoa is sick, and Jonathan mouths to her, "she has her period." Waleska suggests drinking boiled water with oregano, and Jonathan counters with a suggestion of chamomile tea. Everyone looks at him. "I have seven sisters," he explains. "I know these things."

I imagine that this scintillating bit of news about Yohanna's current well-being will reach the other side of town by 6 PM. :)

And now YOU know!!!

El Límite

"Siéntate bien, Matías."

"Pero tía, soy muy enano."

"Sit correctly, Matías."

"But teacher, I'm very dwarfish."

HA!

small story about small people

I had class today with PreKinder, always an exhausting experience. My classroom management tool is a poster with an envelope for each student, and three colors of paper inside each envelope: green, yellow, and red. All begin with a green card, and with infractions that can range from making incessant buzzing noises (Pepe) to cutting another student's apron (Jardy) to pulling a chair out from under their neighbor (Matías), they progress from yellow to red. Children with red cards have to leave the room for two minutes. Children with green cards at the end of class (aka, no problems) get a star and sometimes a sticker (5 stars make a special prize). Sooo... today, this funny little kid named Franco, who is extra short and round-headed even for a four-year-old, got a yellow card for the first time. He was unusually loud-mouthed, you see. At the end of class, I refused to give him a sticker, despite the emissaries he sent (fellow students Sergio and Matías) and repeated requests for his "prize," explaining each time that the stickers were rewards for good behavior and that he could earn one next week. After my last denial, as I was hanging the kids' artwork on the wall, he replied, "I'm going to go to the countryside and not come back to school. And I'm going to tell my dad. And my brother, who has a gun." Yikes.