Another week going by. They are progressing more and more rapidly all the time. I am now in my 7th week of teaching, I have been doing it for almost 2 months! My goodness. Well there is nothing too much to report, only that our AIDS race is progressing quite well and Leland and I were both surprised at how quickly and adeptly the leaders of the Youth Center and local government got behind us. Which is excellent that they have sort of taken this thing and run with it (ha no pun intended). In our training, it was encouraged that we include various Community Content Based Instruction (or CCBI) in our lessons. This means that while teaching grammar, include something that would benefit the children's minds of maintaining a healthy and organized society. AIDS, for example, is a CCBI topic. This week, however, I have devoted to keeping the school clean. One of Helena's 11th grade classes is very concerned with the trash dumping at our school. It is true. We have a cantina at the school, a type of cafeteria where the children can go in between classes and get a little snack. The children are only class half a day, so there is no formal cafeteria like many American schools. 7th, 8th, and 9th grade go to school from 7:30am to 12:30 pm, while the older three grades are there from 2pm-7pm. This is done because there is not enough space in the school to teach all the children at once.

Anyway, about the trash. This week, my 8th grade students are making posters in English about cleaning up our school. They LOVE to draw and do artistic things, so this seemed like a good idea. They put so much care and effort into it, it's unbelievable. I will post the posters in the window when they are done, and hopefully take a picture so you all can see my little darlings and their artistic talents :) Next week I will focus on AIDS as it is leading up to December 1st, World AIDS day.

Speaking of drawing, I have enrolled myself into an art class that is offered here at the Youth Center. I have never taken an art class by choice in my entire life. And to take one that is not taught in my native language proved to a bit of a challenge during the first class last night. But it gives me something to do in the evenings, and to express my creative side, however small it may be, is something I feel I could enjoy. Plus it gives me a chance to completely immerse myself in the language and I am forced to understand. Although next time, I will bring a dictionary with me. So that's all for now, not that interesting. Sorry. Hope to have some crazy story next time, but for now it's just me and a simple life :)