Arándano

Today was a good day. :) I always dread Wednesdays just because it's a full day of classes and lessons, but when the day is over, I am always happy because I really enjoy my lessons that take place at the end of the day. But before those classes, I had a full day of classes at the school. My students started learning the food pyramid today. I can't believe how quickly they catch onto things. Some classes are better than others, but for the most part they do so well with learning the English words and phrases associated with things. You can use the phrasing of questions to get students to answer in English, too (even if it's a concept they don't fully understand yet). For example by saying this: "Apples are good for you. Candy is bad for you. Is lettuce good for you or bad for you?" You can get students to answer "Good for you!" and BAM! they now are beginning to know what that means! It's so rewarding. :)

Also at school today, I went to a teachers' meeting about upcoming Christmas events. I can't even believe how much stuff they have to coordinate for Christmas and I can't believe that it's all starting next week! The teachers have to decorate their classrooms, have to have the students write Christmas cards and send them home, have to teach the students two Christmas carols, have to come up with an art project, etc. It's a lot and it all starts next Monday! I'm kind of excited! I love the Christmas season. The only thing that is going to stink is the fact that I don't have Christmas movies easily at my disposal. I would love to have/watch all of the following movies at least twice: Elf, Jack Frost, Holiday Inn, White Christmas, The Grinch, The Santa Clause, Christmas Vacation, and the list goes on and on. I'm sure that I will get the opportunity to watch some of them, but it just won't be the same. I sure am going to miss being home for the holidays. :( However, I am going to make sure that I make my time here worth it all. :)

After school today, I had some of my private lessons. My first one went really well because we talked a lot about culture, which I think is always a good thing. :) For example, this girl (who is 12 years old) ate dinner one night last week at midnight! That is just unheard of in the U.S.! And at that age, she has stayed up until 6 a.m. on a weekend and slept until 3 p.m. I just think that's crazy! The Spanish culture is just very different in terms of going out and bed times and meal times. On another note, the previous conversation came out of her comment saying that Spaniards are lazy. And that comment came out of a conversation about Thanksgiving. In this conversation, I had a pun, which I was pretty proud of. The conversation went something like this..

Her: You eat mermelada de arándano, right?
Me: No, not blueberries, cranberries.
Her: Yes, arándanos
Me: Aren't arándanos, blueberries?
Her: Not sure

I proceeded to show her pictures of both and we looked up both cranberry and blueberry in the English-Spanish dictionary only to find out that the word arándano is used for both.

Me: I wonder why there is only one word. They are two different things!
Her: Because Spaniards are very lazy.
Me: Hahahah, BERRY lazy! :)

ZING!

I know it is a ridiculous pun and I obviously had to explain the play on words to her, but it was funny and she laughed once I explained it! :D And then, I had that moment when I realized that I was that silly teacher with the dumb jokes! I don't even care though. I still think its funny, even as I am writing it. Anyway, that was the highlight of my lessons tonight. :) I came home after lessons, ate dinner, and relaxed! I have been relaxing since then. I should have wrote this blog right away, but I got distracted by thinking about Thanksgiving, so it is now pretty late and I should go to bed. Good night! Have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow! :) Hasta mañana