This week in English class Sarah and I gave a presentation about Alaska. We taught some Alaskan animal vocabulary and showed Dan Evan´s photo book to give them an idea of Sitka. Also this week the kids are making cards for the school´s donors. They are writing half of it in Spanish and half in English. The first graders take the whole hour to copy the message, but turn out cards with impeccably high cuteness levels.
This evening we visited the dormitories and distributed the clothing we brought up. Being from Sitka the amount of cold weather clothing was a little more than needed in this climate, but the children were thrilled to get new clothes. They were also really excited to see us up there, so we´re hoping to go up at least once a week to play with the kids and help out. Usually there is only one woman up at the dorms at night with the fifteen children there, and as if that couldn´t wear out a normal person, she teaches a class of thirty kids during the day. She´s an amazing woman and it seems the children really like her.
This last weekend we painted all the large areas with the help of the renter. Sarah and I are still painting a little every night and besides the floor collecting paint drips, the place is really looking better.

Friday

Friday was the school 13th anniversary. There were classes from 8-10 and then a celebration from 10-12. In the morning we helped (Well, more watched and learned for next time) Christine give a tour to a party of vistors from Washington. The celebration included singing, dancing, little skits (with very cute costumes - traditionally dressed womand and farmers, and some leopards) and basketball games. They are learning basketball in PE. Everytime someone made a basket on either side, all the kids erupted into cheering. They might still be working on the details of the game. We were invited to come sit up with the teachers, and they recognized us in their speech. Which was very thoughtful.
In the evening, we were invited to go to dinner with Christine at Bill´s house. Bill is a benefactor of the school who lives down here from November through May and in California the rest of the year. Right now he is staying in a friend´s rental house while he builds his own. We ate this rental villa, Casa Leo, seemed straight out of a magazine. It typically goes for $2000 USD in the high season. We were greeted at the door by the butler, who showed us to the pool and brought us towels and drinks. Then he served us a delicious chicken dinner made by the personal cook. It seemed like a dream to be there. It was very generous of Bill to invite us along. This weekend we are going to work on painting and decorating the apartment.

Dia de Revolucion

Today was the 97th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution. The main community event featured hundreds of kids representing dozens of schools in a parade. Some of the children were in costume and some wore uniforms and performed small stunts. Unlike the usual American parade where the main purpose of an individual parader is to impress the audience in the time it takes to proceed by, most of the groups would stop to make a prymid or act out a sport, battle or way of life. We came late, watched for at least an hour and then started walking against the parade to see the groups faster, but we probably walked ten blocks without finding the end. This was a very long parade. Frequently there wouldn´t be a group passing by for at least five minutes, because the next group was busy displaying a marching band performance. Our low heat tolerance smothered our curiousity, (I can´t imagine marching in costume in this weather) so retreated back to the apartment.

The Apartment

We have found home. After following all recommendations, leads, and suggestions to no avail. We stumbled upon a ¨Se Renta¨ sign on the way home. Fortunately, someone was home and heard us at the gate. Yelling is the usual substitude for doorbells. The woman who came, Christina, showed us two very plush apartments for $600 and $800 a month, far beyond our means. But when we seemed disappointed by the offer, she took us to another place just two blocks from the downtown hostel we were staying at. The apartment seemed to be exactly what we wanted: two bedrooms adjoining another larger room with a small kitchen and a small bathroom. The flat is one the second and highest floor, so we have stairs to the roof. The roof has a big cement sink for washing clothes and a places to hang dry. $400 a month was a little more than we were hoping for, but splitting the costs makes it entirely feasible. It only took us a few hours to call back and accept.
We moved in today, as they were bringing in the furnishings. Both Chrinstina and her husband Juan, a multifacited handyman, are very kind and accomidating. They brought in a fridge, oven, fans, table, chairs, cooking supplies and to our astonishment, a t.v. We haven´t used it yet, but if may be a useful language tool.
We´re considering repainting the inside a little because it isn´t as cheery as the orange and blue exterior.

Novice Teachers in a New Language

Christine was gone today, so Sarah and I filled in. We taught a make-up lesson to the second 6th grade class on colors. As older kids we had a little harder time getting participation in the song we use, but in general the students were diligent workers and eager to learn. It is very rewarding to see a student get excited about something you´re teaching. So beyond the hesitant students, expected communication problems and the giggling which ensues, the class went very well and I think the students learned the material.
The next big item on our slate is an apartment. Money goes alot quicker in short term housing, along the unsettled feeling. We will both be very relieved when we can move in to our own place.
hasta luego
Ben and Sarah

En Mexico

We have arrived. All went well with travel even though we had more than 250 pounds of baggage with all the supplies. It would have been a lot harder without Christine Berger, a Swiss volunteer, to help us out when we got here. She took us to dinner our first night, school the next day and has been showing us around the city. Everyone else at the school is very busy and wouldn´t have time to introduce us.
We have started teaching english with Christine who has been here since August. She is doing great even though she is teaching a non-native language in a non-native language. She developed the cirruculum and teaches each class one hour a week, from 1st to 6th grade. We are able to help a lot with pronunciation though and giving more one-on-one time to the students. The kids are great and very excited to learn english. Tommorow Christine is gone and we may teach one class on our own. We´re not sure what we will do in the future, we may keep teaching english or start helping out with the classes that are overflowing.
Communication has been bearable, but definately not easy. I´ve had a few embarressing moments where I don´t know the right word or just can´t get the idea across, they look at you and are probably thinking "tourista tonta." Most people are very kind and patient though. Zihuatanejo is a very friendly town, much more small-town like than I would have thought. Even with just the people that Christine has introduced us to, we are bumping into people on the street we know.
Blogging extremely frequently might be hard becuase we are using computers in an internet cafe and the computers are slow and the keyboards are partly rearranged.
Thanks for the support, we would love to hear from you, email us at netzavolunteers@gmail.com or comment on the blog.
Ben and Sarah

Hi everyone, thanks for checking out our blog! We leave the day after tommorow and are making the final preparations for our trip now. We decided a blog would be the best way to keep in touch with everyone at home, so here it is! We are both really excited to work at the Netza School and we'll try to keep you updated on our work and adventures while in Zihuatanejo.

Thanks for your support and interest,
Ben and Sarah