School visit

For 2 months in 2010 and all of 2011 I taught English classes at a public boy’s school here in Berlín. I loved working at the boy’s school (most days) and I met so many wonderful students and teachers. Though I was myself a teacher, I learned so much about life, friendship, culture, and languages.

I made a trip to the boy’s school today to visit some of the teachers. The students are all out of school right now. School here runs from late January/early February to mid November. But the teachers are still there until December. And unfortunately, I learned that I’m going to miss the 9^th grade graduation, which is this Thursday. Bummer!

Since I arrived in Berlin on November 7, I’ve run into several former students. On my way to the school today I again saw even more many former students. Whenever I see my students I stop to chat with them and ask how they are doing. I ask what grade they are in, what their grades are like, and if they are planning to continue with school. Most of them were doing okay in school and almost all planned to continue.

There was one boy who told me that he’d failed 7^th grade. He said instead of repeating it he was going to drop out of school and start working. He’s 15 years old and plans to try to find work in San Salvador. I asked if he had family there and he told me he did. I encouraged him to continue with school, but said if he didn’t then I was still wishing him the best of luck.

When I got to the school I received a very warm welcome from everyone. It was wonderful seeing the teachers again. They weren’t all there but many of them were. We just sat in the office and chatted for over an hour. It was great to be able to joke around with them and talk about all that’s changed and all that hasn’t changed. A couple of the teachers have retired. I saw one of them, Irma, when I was walking around yesterday and got a chance to chat with her for a while. For the most part all the other teachers are doing very well and are enjoying teaching.

When it was time to say goodbye to the teachers I gave everyone a hug. We took pictures together and walked out together. Then they had me stand in from of the school and took my picture. We waved goodbye and I started the familiar walk back to the Pastoral House.

Since I’ve been here, I heard one question over and over again from my students and the teachers: When are you coming back to give us more English lessons? My response: “I just don’t know.” I do miss teaching and I wish I could come back and teach them again sometime, but I’m not sure that’s in the cards. But who knows. I never expected to end up teaching English in El Salvador for year in 2011. As the saying goes: We make plans, God laughs.

Climbing up the hill to my school

 

Some of my former students

 

They've grown up so much!

Yet still immature

(hanging out in a police vehicle)

 

Don Andres & Santos Roque

 

Maria Roxanna

 

 

Ana Abigail and Sylvia

 

Maria Helen

 

Melba & me

 

 

Maria Roxanna and me

 

Melba, me, Roxanna, & Abigail

 

The sign outside the school

 

In front of my school

 

Heading back down the hill

 

Adios!

 

Elmer's Graduation

I went to my first graduation today. Cecilia’s son, Elmer, was graduating from 9th grade. He’s graduating from the boy’s school here in Berlín which is where I teach. Next year he’ll be moving on to high school (which is like 10th, 11th, and 12th grade). The celebration today started with a mass. No, the school isn’t private nor is it Catholic. But the tradition here in El Salvador, a predominantly Catholic country, is to have a mass before graduation.

The mass started around 8:15 at the Catholic Church here in Berlín. All the graduates sat toward the front with one family member, mostly mothers or grandmothers, who would be accompanying them throughout the graduation. It was a typical mass except the readings were done by teachers of the school and the homily was about graduation and its significance. When the mass ended all the graduates stood on the steps for a group picture.

Elmer and Cecilia

Waiting for the mass to start

Half of the ninth grade class

Afterwards the graduates and their companions filed outside. They lined up and there was a procession from the church to the school. Once we reached the school everyone crowded inside. The graduates and their companions had reserved seats. There were a few seats for everyone else but mostly people just stood. There were candy vendors walking around selling candy and the little snack area was open. There were several (freelance) photographers walking around. They were waiting to take pictures of the graduates in hopes of selling them to the graduates’ families.

There he is!

Getting ready to process

Mom and son

Walking to the school

The stage set up at school

One half of the graduating class

The other half sat on this side

Candy for sale

Photographers

 The graduation itself was similar to those in the US. First the national anthem was played and everyone stood. The director of the school and a couple other teachers spoke about the graduates and meaning of graduation. Then it was time to call each graduate on stage to receive their diploma. The person with the graduate accompanied them on stage. This was the long and somewhat boring part. When Elmer’s name was called Kathy went up to take pictures of Cecilia and him. I stayed sitting down to save our seats.

After almost an hour of calling names the last graduate walked across the stage. Then the student who had the highest grades went up on stage to say a few words. But that didn’t last too long and soon the graduation was over. The graduates all went to the back of the school to get pictures. Cecilia went to pick up her other son’s grades and Kathy and I chatted briefly with the director of the school. Then we all walked home.

In their places

Walking up to the stage

Shaking hands

With his diploma

Elmer's diploma

What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.  – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last day of school

I finally had my last day of school. I wasn’t totally for sure what to expect although I did think I would get a little emotional. I was supposed to have five classes today but that didn’t happen. I went to my first class as usual. I read a couple books that are in English and Spanish. And then I had the kids demonstrate that they knew the colors in English by using candy (What color is this piece of candy?) When we’d finished that I let the kids write the name of an animal on the whiteboard and then I translated it into English. We had a great last class.

There weren’t many kids in my third grade section A class today. Since I didn’t have a chance to play Loteria with them last week we ended up playing today. Then I also had them tell me the colors using candy and we wrote on the whiteboard. In my other third grade class even fewer kids were there. I guess going to school the last few days is optional. So we worked on colors with the candy and discussed animals, but mostly we just talked and goofed around. It was a really relaxed day and I love just hanging out with the kids and chatting with them.

One of the most memorable things I did today involved my shirt. I had worn a pink shirt that I bought specifically for today for the kids in my classes to sign. I had my students that were in school today sign my shirt. As a tradition, the ninth graders my the school have others sign their shirts since they all go to high school next year which means a different uniform/different shirt. I know that was fun for them and I used to do the same thing when I was a camp counselor. So I figured my students would like it too. It was a ton of fun! I had them only write their first name because if they wrote all four names there wouldn’t be room on my shirt. Most of the kids followed the “only your first name” rule, but a few wrote their second name or drew something. But that’s okay. It makes the shirt special.

My second grade class

With the second grade teacher

Cleaning the classrooms

Helping out

Bulletin board at my school

Some of my second graders

Cleaning off the door

Sweeping

Some of my third graders

Playing Loteria

Very cute

About 1/3 of the class was there

Posing for the camera

Then they piled on the ground

One of the moms of my second graders had brought a piñata for the class. When I heard about it I went to watch and get pictures. They all wanted me to hit the piñata. I didn’t want to take away from their fun so I squatted down to make myself shorter and I didn’t hit it that hard. Then it was the kid’s turn. As I’m sure you can imagine, it can be dangerous when one kid is swinging a stick around near a group of other kids. But no one got hit, thank goodness. And soon the piñata burst open with all the kids falling to the floor to collect the candy.

After that it was fourth period of the day. But the class I was to teach in wasn’t there. They were getting ready for a special lunch they’d be having around noon which I was invited to. And my fifth period class had already gone. So I just hung around the school talking to people and having kids sign my shirt until lunch. Several of the fourth graders had so much fun signing my shirt that they wanted me to sign their arms. So on one arm I wrote “Alisha USA” and when they wanted another autograph I wrote “Alicia ES” which is my Spanish name and El Salvador (ES).

The pinata!

Waiting for the fun to start

There I go

The first kid

Some candy fell out

Spectators having fun too

Swing away

Whack that pinata!

More candy fell out

Having way too much fun

Someone's gonna get hurt

Who's next?

Be careful

He hit it really hard

Getting the rest of the candy out

They wanted to take a picture of me

Too cute

A few more third graders

Finally it was noon and time for the lunch to begin. Several of the moms of the class had volunteered to make lunch for the group. They brought in a pot of fresh pineapple juice, salad, rice, chicken, and tortillas. I helped hand out the drinks and then the teachers asked me to take pictures of all the students. I went around and took pictures of everyone. Then I sat down and ate lunch with them.

After lunch it was time for ice cream. Cecilia, whose son is in the class, had brought a huge box of ice cream. I helped her scoop it out and into cups for all the kids. Once all the kids got ice cream we served the moms. Several kids came back for seconds. Amazingly, we managed to go through all of the ice cream. Soon the kids began to take off. I said goodbye and helped clean up. The lunch with ice cream was a great way to end the final day of school.

Writing my name on their arms

The teacher talking to the class

Fresh pineapple juice

Serving up salad

Chicken and rice

Very cool

Look at the camera

We want to eat

Lookin' good

Cheese!

Hello there

Please don't take my picture

More of the teachers from the school

Yes, I want your photo too

Handing out napkins

Another photo!

In mid-chew

His younger brother is also in the class

One of three girls that goes to the school

Posing for the camera

Marvin, Cecilia's son

Bunny ears

My plate of food

Scooping up ice cream

The ice cream line

He wanted a picture of him eating

More please

There's Marvin again

Lots of ice cream

Although I fully expected to cry, I didn’t. I’m not sure why. I’ve definitely been teary the past couple weeks and worried about how I’d do with classes over. Last year on my last day of school I teared up during one of my classes. I wonder if it’s because I taught significantly longer this year than last; even though I’m really sad and will miss my students a lot, it seems more natural for classes to be ending. I taught the kids a lot and I learned a lot myself. All in all it was a great school year. Unforgettable.

I’ll be seeing the teachers again in a few days for a special outing so I’ll write about them at that time.

The front of my shirt

The back of my shirt

Marvin and me