I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!:)

Well....October has flown by and I haven't blogged since the beginning and next week is already Halloween.:) It will be difficult for me to update you on the whole month so I will do it by little tid bits that have happened:).

Drain
Well, I think I have solved the issue to some degree....I poured some bleach down it and ran hot water! It does have a unpleasant smell but at least I can breathe better than I used to. I am still not sure what the issue is but hopefully it will continue to get better!!

Copa Libertad
Well this event was both an awesome and a pain in the neck time in my life. This is a huge tournament with schools from all over and it is a pretty big deal. It was on Thursday and Friday and continued on the weekend. The thing is that whole week we basically couldn't teach anything new, we couldn't assign homework because of games and practices, and we were to go and support our kids when they played. The plus is that it was great to be able to watch all my kids participate in the different sports. The pain was having to teach something amongst utter chaos of not knowing which kids were going to be there, when they had to leave, and when we were suppose to watch their games. I basically made the decision that we weren't going to do anything those two days. It really was impossible because between girls and boys basketball and soccer for two grades, there was no time left. So for two days, I got to just hang out with my kids and have some fun. I loved watching the girls basketball and it helped that they beat the pants of the other schools hahaha...however, as much as I love basketball, most of the population here doesn't agree with that...so I did end up watching soccer as well. I do enjoy watching my kids play soccer. I think the bonding was actually a good thing for my fourth graders. Most of you know how they are such pistols, but I think bonding with them and watching them in their sports helped create some relationships. Diego the Demon is proof of this. Each day that week, he would ask me if I was going to watch him play or if I liked soccer, or some other random questions. Those days and lately, he seems to be warming up to me and thinking that maybe I am not such a bad person after all. Let's cross our fingers that it continues!!!

Hot dogs wrapped in bacon
Since I have been in Mexico I have wanted a hot dog and well a couple weeks ago, I got my wish:). A bunch of us went to Victor's aunt's house in a different town for a little shindig. It was a pretty good time. Not only did I get a hot dog, but I got one wrapped in bacon. I have never had a hot dog quite like that but I did enjoy it:). It was fun getting away for a while and Victor's aunt was very kind in opening up her house for us!

Tutoring
Well I have another tutor job:). Now I tutor two Alejandros, the one is in 6th grade and the other is in my class. It's funny how I got my second tutoring job because I was walking out of school and this fancy SUV pulls up next to me and the mom rolls the window down and shouts "Are you Alejandro's miss?" I said yes and she offered me the job and asked when I could start haha. This family is loaded and she said that she values education and that is what she wants to put her money in. So my first day she sent me and two boys to Apple Bee's for tutoring. We spent over thirty bucks because the boys could order what they wanted; which included dessert, non alcoholic pina coladas, chicken fingers..etc. I couldn't get over that!!! But it was a fun time with the boys.

Death by Exams
So last week (oct 20-24), we had exams due, which meant each of the teachers had to make 4 exams over everything we have taught the kids since August. I think this is a load of crap and against everything Mrs. Willms taught me in Goal setting and Assessment. I don't understand why when we give daily, weekly, monthly tests to assess our kids, why do we just have to give them an exam just to give them an exam. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!!!! So one day, I was uber pissed because I had to redo my composition exam. I was upset because I feel like I have the tools to make a quality assessment and so based on what I have taught my students and what they should know, I created an assessment. My third graders and fourth graders because they are ESL students, I feel in terms of composition are around the same level. My tests were very similar because of that reason. Well, my coordinator tells me they aren't like the tests from last year. I about died because most of the stuff that was tested last year I haven't taught and it's over my kids' heads. She also wanted me to do cloze paragraphs with them and at this time they are not ready to be assessed on this. I was so upset that I said "fine, I will redo them but I will not put cloze paragraphs in them" and I walked out. So the rest of the week was spent making those exams.

Now it is exam week and I am already hating it because I don't understand the point of them. Also, my kids are 8 years old and I think it is wrong to give them 6 exams!!!! over stuff we have covered since Aug. Not only do they have 6 exams for their English classes, they also have 6 exams for their Spanish classes. Willms HELP ME:)!!!

Technical Difficulties
Well.....last week my computer started having some issues and let me tell you it was really starting to get on my nerves. Here I just spent good money on a computer in March and it was already failing me. I use my computer sooooo much here and all of my grades are on it. I almost had a nervous breakdown because for a while I only had a black screen and I didn't have my grades on my external hard drive. Somehow, after a while I got back on my computer for enough time to put everything on my hard drive. It was frusterating me so much and I didn't know what I was going to do....oof. So I talked to the school's computer engineer and he told me that I have fan problem and that I would need to call dell. Well this news was just great because well I am in Mexico and all the time and work it would be to sent it to get fixed. Well I went to Charro's office at school and was explaining my issue and she called up DELL in Mexico for me. It turns out, if I fill out some paperwork to change my origin from US to Mexico, a DEll dude will come to my house and fix it. Well, I filled out the paperwork and sent it it and it takes about 7 days...so we will see what happens. Cross your fingers, and until it gets fixed Breanna is ever so kindly letting me borrow hers. thanks che:)

B-ball showdown
Last Friday night, I finally gave in and played basketball with the guys and Lesley. They have been asking me every Friday but I have turned them down because I was intimidated and well I haven't played for a long time but I decided to get over myself and play. It turned out to be some of the most fun I have had in a while. Lesley, Kevin, and I were against Tom and Victor. We won hands down and it was AWESOME!! ....and it wasn't because it was 3 against 2 either:)...haha I think I will for sure be back next Friday!!

Dancing Queen Karaoke
This past Friday night, I was invited to a Halloween party by Alba, one of the cousins of the kids I tutor. She is a funny gal and I get along with her very well. So Lesley, Erin and I decided to hit up her party. When we got there, we got some drinks and talked to people but then Erin had the great idea that we should go to a Karaoke bar. So Alba, her friend Damaris, Erin, Lesley, and I headed to La Santa for some sweet singing:). It is really a cute little place and it had a fun atmosphere. The people there were crazy. There was this Spanish lady there and she was belting out Spanish love ballads and she honestly should go pro!:) The girls and I decided on 4 songs; Dancing Queen, Take a Chance on Me, Tengo La Camisa Negra, and Me Enamora. I LOVED every minute of it haha. It was pretty humorous and just as we were getting ready to sing Take a Chance On Me, we saw Eva who is a tutor at the school and she sang along with us. I had a ton of fun and when we got back, I was exhausted!!!

JUANES
Guess what?!!! We scored some Juanes tickets for this coming Sunday!!! I am soooo pumped and those who know me, know I love most of his songs...(right Mollusk and VAL?!!) Breanna went with Charro to pick them up at a liquor store. They are pretty decent seats and were pretty reasonable, too. I can't wait!!:)

Corn dogs and Tilt-A-Whirls
This past Sunday, Breanna, Lesley, Erin, Emily, and I went to the Bosque for a concert in the park. It was a pretty good time. One of Lesley and Erin's students was in the band that was playing. I was impressed with how good those kids were at playing a variety of songs, that included Aladdin, Pocahontas, Benny Goodman style..etc. I could hardly sit still:) It was really relaxing sitting there with a nice breeze listening to that type of music. I enjoyed myself. When it was over, we walked throughout the park and Breanna and I decided to get some corn dogs and they were pretty awesome. Considering the price you pay for a small corn dog at the Freeborn Country Fair, these were just as good for way cheap. Also for 7 pesos, Erin, Emily and I rode the tilt-a-whirl. It was sooo much fun because it was cheap and it lasted longer than it would have at a typical fair. I thought the day at the park was a pretty good pick me up to get ready for the week of exams ahead!!!

Well, I hope that I have updated you enough on my life in the past month...haha I am sorry I got soooo behind..even Breanna's mom told me she was sick of seeing raunchy drains and medicated chihuahuas haha. I am caught up and hopefully won't get so behind again!! Happy Halloween on Friday whoop whoop:)