My first week of classes came to a close today. On Tuesday I went to a Latin American Literature class that I never really planned on taking. I didn't have anything to do during the day and I figured I would just go and see what classes were like. The class was interesting and after the class the Professor told all the Gringos that we would only have to read one book for every four that the other students would read. Although this definately made the class tempting, as of right now I am not going to take it.
Wednesday I went to a Philosophy of Latin America course that I am definately going to take. The professor is this old man who talks incredibly slowly. The class is small and it seems like there is going to be a lot of participation and discussion. After that I went to History of Chile and the Americas, which was sans professor and thus cancelled.
Afterwards Maria, Sasha, and I went downtown to hang around while I waited for my five o'clock Photography class back at UPLA. A few hours later when I returned I found a teacher's assistant sitting behind the Professor's desk and a sign in sheet again sans Professor. So to wrap up the first day: Professors 1 for 3.
Today the Professors made a better showing and attended both my classes! Again Philosophy and for the first time a bit of history. History will prove to be interesting because I probably understood 5 to 10 percent of what the Professor said. What I did understand was that there is a chance that the Wednesday class will change to Monday. This however, does not fair well with me because as of right now, I have classes Wednesday and Thursday, thus affording me a five day weekend. Stop, its hammertime.
Immediately after classes I booked it across town back to Cerro Las Placeres for a meeting at the public school that I will be working at. I met with the Director of the school and the English teacher and I start on Monday. When I walked into the school all I saw in front of me was a mass of children craving recess. It looks like I will be teaching English in the morning with the teacher and if I need more hours I will help with other activities in the afternoon like sports or tuturing. This makes me a bit nervious because I suck at soccer and I feel like these kids are going wreck me. I fear that I will have to relive my short stint playing soccer as a child. My only real memory of this is of some kid named Jason kicking the ball straight into my stomach, sending me to the ground in tears. That was the first time I ever got the wind knocked out of me and I will never forget it. To me, soccer signifies running confused and desperate behind everyone else for ninety minutes. Now I just have to do that in another language. Sweet.
The other day I walked around town with my camera for a bit. The following are some selected images.
Wednesday I went to a Philosophy of Latin America course that I am definately going to take. The professor is this old man who talks incredibly slowly. The class is small and it seems like there is going to be a lot of participation and discussion. After that I went to History of Chile and the Americas, which was sans professor and thus cancelled.
Afterwards Maria, Sasha, and I went downtown to hang around while I waited for my five o'clock Photography class back at UPLA. A few hours later when I returned I found a teacher's assistant sitting behind the Professor's desk and a sign in sheet again sans Professor. So to wrap up the first day: Professors 1 for 3.
Today the Professors made a better showing and attended both my classes! Again Philosophy and for the first time a bit of history. History will prove to be interesting because I probably understood 5 to 10 percent of what the Professor said. What I did understand was that there is a chance that the Wednesday class will change to Monday. This however, does not fair well with me because as of right now, I have classes Wednesday and Thursday, thus affording me a five day weekend. Stop, its hammertime.
Immediately after classes I booked it across town back to Cerro Las Placeres for a meeting at the public school that I will be working at. I met with the Director of the school and the English teacher and I start on Monday. When I walked into the school all I saw in front of me was a mass of children craving recess. It looks like I will be teaching English in the morning with the teacher and if I need more hours I will help with other activities in the afternoon like sports or tuturing. This makes me a bit nervious because I suck at soccer and I feel like these kids are going wreck me. I fear that I will have to relive my short stint playing soccer as a child. My only real memory of this is of some kid named Jason kicking the ball straight into my stomach, sending me to the ground in tears. That was the first time I ever got the wind knocked out of me and I will never forget it. To me, soccer signifies running confused and desperate behind everyone else for ninety minutes. Now I just have to do that in another language. Sweet.
The other day I walked around town with my camera for a bit. The following are some selected images.
Perfect example of a normal street in Cerro Alegre
Graffiti in a the ruins of a charred house
One of my favorite murals
View of the city from Cerro Concepcion
No comments:
Post a Comment