Classroom Pictures :)

Puzzle time!

Ruben - I love his smile :)

So cute in their little uniforms~

2nd grade...hard at work!

Pick me, Pick me!!

Iñaki is SO proud of this face :)

My 3rd graders!

Teacher <3 Edgar! lol ...I think he has a crush on me ;)

They are all such good artists!

The sweet and studious...and the wild and crazy! Love them all :)

My very "organized" desk

door to my classroom

View from my classroom. The clouds were so amazing today!

"Your steadfast love never changes, and your faithfulness reaches unto the clouds!"

Thank you for praying! The first few days of teaching were very challenging. But I am learning lots and classes are starting to fall into a routine! So thankful for the opportunity to be here.

78 students + 105 degree classroom + 8 hours =

1 sweaty, tired teacher :D
At the end of the day I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The kids are SO cute, all dressed up in their little uniforms. One of the girls gave me a big hug when it was time to leave and told me I was "muy bonita" (very pretty lol) They definitely don't know very much English and my Spanish is pretty limited as well, so communication and classroom control was a little challenging. We did lots of "art projects" :) I don't know how I will ever remember all their names, let alone pronounce them correctly! I have 17 first graders, 36 second graders and 25 third graders. I teach from 8:00-1:20 with a 20 minute break at 9:40...each grade for 1 hr. 40 min. My classroom is on the third floor "roof" of the building. There is a huge patio/balcony at the top of the stairs, then 3 classrooms (which are not air-conditioned lol) off to the side. I will try to post some pictures soon. The sunrise was so bee-u-tiful this morning! Well, time to finish preparing for tomorrow...think we're going to start with some basic vocabulary...colors :) Thanks for checking in!!

Mi Apartamento

This is the house...my apartment in on the 2nd floor.

Up the stairs...

....to the front door! "BIENVENIDO" :)

The living room

Kitchen table...and all Elizabeth's food!

Can't wait for some Mexican cooking adventures here :)

El baño

My bed :) ahhhh...

Cozy little study corner :)

This is the view out the window....i love the mountains here!

Like my tissue paper flowers?! These white walls needed some color :)

I'm so thankful to finally be moved in! Just met the girl who lives downstairs, Claudia. She seems really nice...going to church with her in the morning. My roommate, Elizabeth, is in the states on vacation. She'll be back the first week of September. Looking forward to having someone to speak a little English with again :) 

Grocery Shopping :)

First Mexican grocery shopping trip! So different from Super Walmart :)  First stop was at H.E.B. and then we stopped at "La Mas Pollo" for the chicken and eggs. I thought it was interesting that eggs are sold by weight, not by the dozen. Everything here cost 435.00 pesos (about $36). I stuck with pretty basic American things...but I'm looking forward to learning to cook Mexican food!!

First Encounter...

...with a COCKROACH! Just hanging out on my classroom wall today. He was huge! :P

Tuesday Tidbits

My stack of books :) Spent the morning working on lesson plans.  Think I'm going to have to do a lot of improvising...the curriculum is very random and there aren't really any teacher's books. It will be fun! 

Rebeca's son, Samuel (10), has been giving me Spanish lessons at every chance he gets!  He loves making up tests for me...and listening to me attempt to roll my "r's" lol. He made this "certificate" for me this afternoon...I passed :) 

Samuel :)

One of the streets across from the park

Sunset  view from the park. Everyone stays in their houses all day since it is so hot outside. But in the evenings when it "cools down" (tonight it was 95 at 8:00!) the park comes alive with people. There is a track there full of people walking their dogs, jogging or walking. Inside the track is a playground and large play area for the kids.

The famous orange clouds!

New friends :) ...taking a break from playing "tag" and "hide-n-seek"

Crazzy picture...Samuel, Jorge and Nancy

Commenting

Ok, several people have told me that they are having trouble leaving comments on my posts. This little trick should work: write your comment, click preview, and then post. Let me know if it still doesn't work!

Day One

Thank you to everyone who was praying for my flights yesterday. Everything went well...and I safely arrived in Monterrey around 9:30 last night. The teacher that I will be working for and her husband were there at the airport to pick me up. I will be staying with them for a few days until I move into my apartment at the school's compound.
On our way to church this morning, we stopped at a little taco place for breakfast. They said it was a "fancy taco" place because most tacos are sold from little wagons along the street...but this place was like a little restaurant. And it had air conditioning, which felt wonderful :) I had 2 tacos...one filled with scrambled eggs and one with spicy chicken.
After sitting through an hour of SS and a two hour church service, I think I've decided that I don't know ANY Spanish :) I was able to pick up on a few things...but my head hurt a little from trying to figure out what they were all saying! The Pastor preached from I Samuel 12:24, which is one of my favorite verses: "Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart, for consider what great things He has done for you." So even though was not able to understand a lot of his message, that verse was a good reminder that I need to be serving here with my whole heart! Everyone was very welcoming. They all greet each other with a kiss, so that was a new experience! lol
We had chicken for lunch, which we ate in tortilla shells, and green spaghetti. After lunch it was time for a siesta :) I slept like a rock for 3 hours! Mr. Navaro helped me get internet connection on my laptop...it is nice to be connected to the world again! They had me try Sushi for dinner. I think I'll stick with tacos :)
The Navaro's have a ten year old son named Samuel who has quickly become my little buddy. We went for a long walk around a park not too far from their house tonight and then came home and played Monopoly. He is so funny and is enjoying "teaching" me Spanish words!
The city of Monterrey is a far cry from quiet little Dunbar or North Rose. The streets are narrow and crowded. Houses are small and all joined together. The whole city is surrounded by large mountains. They are so pretty...I will try to get some pictures soon!
Thank you everyone for praying and for your interest in my life. I am thankful for you! Well, it's time for bed. ¡Buenas noches!

Goodbye Green Bay...

Passport, boarding passes, sunglasses, kleenex and cell phone...check, check! Ready to fly! Sitting here in the Green Bay airport waiting to load my plane for Detroit in just a few minutes. Thankful for my sweet friend Lisa who drove me down this morning and bought me my favorite McDonald's breakfast on the way :) The lady at the ticket counter made me laugh..."You're flying to Mexico?! You have a New York driver's license?!! And you're in Wisconsin?!?" She was funny. But I have a free flight home for Christmas now!!! yay! Ok, time to board...I'll write more later.

Friday Night

The clock is ticking by, only a few hours left until I leave for Mexico. Can't believe the time has come already and that this is really happening! So many thoughts are running through my mind. But I'm thankful that I can cling to the promises in Isaiah 41:9-10 which says "You are my servant, I have chosen you...fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Although change is always hard, I don't have to fear because I know He is in control!

Victory!

Flight Itinerary

2 days...the countdown's getting lower every day!!
My flight leaves Green Bay at 10:50AM on Saturday. I arrive in Detroit at 1:05...35 minute layover...then off to Atlanta. After a 3 1/2 hour layover there, I leave on a 2 hour flight to Mexico. Arrive in Escobedo Intl Airport at 9:21PM! Please pray that I make my connections on time :) So thankful that my God is always with me!!

Packing, Packing, Packing

Where did all this junk come from?! The piles are slightly overwhelming at the moment...but somehow they WILL all fit into 2-under 50 lb suitcases and 2 carry-ons :) Time to attack!

First Post :)

Welcome to my blog! Not exactly sure what I'm doing here yet...but I decided that this would be the easiest way to keep in touch with all my family and friends while I am away in Mexico for the next year.