Teaching and Learning in Panajachel: Their Eyes Were Watching....ME?

Whewwww wow well week 2 of teaching is almost done and man oh man do I have respect for every teacher out there! It has been a whirlwind that’s for sure. My class has almost doubled. The first day I had my solid, group of 6 and I managed to get a new student every other day until I reached 11! Yes…we are now 11, well 12 counting me, in our closet size classroom. But we are such a team and are learning to work with and around each other quite well. The amount of tripping over one another’s chair has become the community source of laughter this week and I love that. Their spirits remind me every day to just take things day by day and continue to laugh. It doesn’t serve me well though when I am finally getting somewhere in a lesson, kids are focused, engaged and present and then I trip over someone’s chair or can’t quite squeeze behind a desk to get to the whiteboard….we all can’t help but break out into laughter.

First day classroom pics

It really was a shocking and exciting moment, that first day. They all filed in wearing their first day of school outfits, unpacked their backpacks into their cubbies, found their new seat, and pencils were in hand ready for the day to begin, and their eyes were all on....me? Ya, that's right their teacher. What great kids! But there was a brief moment that I too was almost looking to someone else to start class...ahh no it's me now. Show time!

Our first class picture (missing a few students)

As I have been warned, Panajachel is a tiny town and it’s inevitable that you will run into your students and their families ALL the time EVERYWHERE! I’ve discovered the OREO cookies greatest competitor… OREO cookie wafer sticks. Man, as Brian Regan describes Fig Newtons, I can eat them by the sleeve. Same chocolate OREO cookie taste, with the cream filling, but in a wafer form, so sooo much lighter and fluffier! I’ve been bringing a package, 2 sticks, for snack. No not instead of a banana or apple of course, but it’s a little treat I look forward to throughout the day. I am often inconspicuous about my OREO cookie wafer consumption because I’ve been told kids will call you out on not sharing…even your snacks. But I must have left a wrapper exposed in our class trash-bin because yesterday I ran into one of my students and her mother in the OREO cookie wafer isle at the supermarket. The mom laughed and made her daughter translate for me that they were having to buy OREO cookie wafers this weekend because Ilene’s teacher eats them….BUSTED!!!! I was sure to point out the bag of spinach, milk, eggs and apples I also had in my cart….ya my student failed to mention that I eat a salad every day for lunch. I spent the rest of my shopping experience dodging my student, as I spotted her spying on my every purchase….and I made my roommate checkout for me so that I wouldn’t also be pegged for a ramen and Ritz cracker eater.

I know that students are greatly influenced by how a teacher acts and treats others, but I wasn’t ready to change my diet because my students are watching….Guess I will have to reconsider….or be better about hiding my cookie wrappers.

Last weekend some fellow teachers and I explored another town across the lake, San Marcos. It has become known as a mecca for all things spiritual. Basically it’s a bunch of gringo hippies with many meditation, therapeutic healing and yoga centers. But, some local kids showed us to the famous platform for jumping into the water. The water on that side of the lake is pristine and bright blue! The jump was a good 50-70 ft…and an adrenaline rush even after the 4^th jump. We had a blast exploring the town tucked in the majestic green hills…quite humbling. These weekend trips are so refreshing and invigorating. They are weekly reminders that I am still new in this amazing country. I will keep you all updated as my adventures continue. Thanks again for reading!