First week of classes is coming to an end. They went surprisingly well. First time we had more people than computers in our beginners course. We ended up going back to the original schedule of 2 classes 2x a week instead of 1 class 2x a week. Figures that since we cut the hours down more pple would show up. We shall see who chooses to stick the course out this time around.
Business English went well also. We had 14 people show up. 4 more than Kerry and I wanted in the class, but as records show, some will drop out within the first week or so. I just rode my bike over to Kerry's house to go over the lesson plan for today. We basically set up English classes to be a day of vocab and grammar and then 2nd day of classes to be full practice and pronunciation. Today is practice and pronunciation. The students will be given an exam with some of the vocab from the first class (basic fill in the blanks) then we’ll grade/review the exams as a class. From there we have prepared several dialogues using the vocab from the first lesson. In pairs they will first translate the dialogue then present the dialogue to the class. Then we are planning to explain mathematical terminology (we taught numbers last class) followed by a flash card exercise. Each student gets a flash card and they have to stand in front of the class and say the equation in English and give the answer. Then we are going to teach them the alphabet song. And if we have time our grand finale will be bob barker style price is right guess the price of the product competition!! (If we do not have time we shall do this activity first in class next week!!) I can’t wait I basically wrote this whole class plan out so that I could tell everyone that we are planning on doing the price is right activity. I’m so pumped!! I think we are planning on video taping it too. Oh how the little things excite us.
Happenings of the barrio…
3 girls within the past 7 months have gotten pregnant and 2 just in the past 2 weeks have run off w their boyfriend pregnant. These girls are people from the same block I live on, so a pretty high percentage of run-aways. Apparently this is culturally how Peruvians form where I live deal with illegitimate babies. The girls run off with the father of the child, normally to a relative of the boy’s house. They stay for about a week or so until things have calmed down at their house. Then they come back with not only the father of the child but the parents of the father. Both sets of parents will sit down and discuss when the kids will marry and where they will live. Then they do a brindis (cheers) and wa-la, everything is settled. RIDICULOUS. One of the girls is actually a good friend of mine and I’m totally bumbed that she let herself get pregnant. I reminded her several times to keep it covered and to be careful. She's only 22. But as we like to say here, its like a prize to get pregnant and have trapped a guy. That way you get to stay at home and pop babies out. Another reason that fathers and other machista men think its a waste to educate their daughters. BC when they send them to superior education, the men claim, the girls only go to meet other cholos and have babies. About 50%, I believe, end up dropping out bc of pregnancy.
Its just sad. But also the reason for Kerry’s reaction to the following story.
We were at computer class yesterday and Kerry exclaimed, “Guess what I found in my back yard!?… A USED condom!” My initial reaction “uck”, was followed quickly by a “SWEET! Someone used a condom!” and such my friends is the life of a volunteer. We both started laughing as Kerry revealed, “That was EXACTLY my reaction!!” haha
Now onto Jan/Feb games aka CARNIVAL!
Sorry for jumping topics, though you should be glad you’re getting something at all!! lol
Anyway Carnival started on Monday. Carnival will continue for 3 weeks till a week which culminates all activities of an all out paint war throughout Catacaos. For a more in depth description of carnival, please google the term. If not you will have to suffice with my brief synopsis. Carnival is celebrated all over latin american countries, the biggest party is in Rio de Janero. Catacaos celebrates carnival by dividing up the whole town into different barrios/ neighborhoods or bandillas/gangs. I participate with the bandera (flag) roja (red). My sister and her family live in that section of catacaos. All during the next month the kids throw water balloons and also buckets of water at passer Byers. Making it extremely dangerous to walk home from teaching class at night to the colectivo paredero. So last night, carnival in full swing, I warned Kerry to keep an eye open just in case. Poor Segunda (nickname meaning second, since she is the 2nd karrie). Anyway she just didn’t heed my advice and on the walk home, we got attacked not once, but twice!! The first time a group of little kids with water balloons filled with water dyed blue attached one of the alumnos from our class and the genius hid behind us. I quickly dodged the attackers by stealthily entering a tienda. Kerry just stopped and she got hit. Then after I reminded her she should prob run, they play what we call no mercy during carnival. So shortly after this attack from the corner of my eye i see a moto with a bunch of young kids on it armed and dangerous. I yell run and kerry just starts running down the street as our attackers follow. With my colin farrell liek moves I slipped away into another shop. While kerry stays exposed running down the street. The kids end up getting her full frontal with a bucket of water. Pobrecita. I couldn’t help but laugh, though that def only encourages them. I decided it would be best to split up so I walked to the other side of the street so I would be able to see cars coming at me with water and thus be better prepared.
So those are recent events of my life.
Chao.
