Here are the whiteboard markers....teach.

Friday May 6, I started my placement which at a school in Juan Montalvo. My host mother, Maria took me on the bus there. There are no designated bus stops, we just waved it down and as soon as my foot stepped on the bus, the driver hit the gas. It was packed with many people. The road is windy and as I look at the window, all I see is mountains, its absolutely breathtaking. The commute is worth it. I live in Convalecencia, Cayambe, its located in the Northern Highlands.



I arrive at the school and the children are getting ready for a March to the National Anthem. After announcements, one of the professors takes me to the grade 7 classroom, introduces me, hands me whiteboard markers and says ¨Uno hora¨then leaves. I have one hour with the grade 7 class to teach English, my response, ¨errrr.....!?!?¨ I was not prepared for this whatsoever. But okay, I start with, ¨What is your name?¨ One hour passes by, my heart ponding the entire time. In the afternoon, I was given the grade one and two class and it was harder, as they were restless. After playing soccer, the school day ended at two, where I caught the bus home. I was happy to see my family after an mentally exhausting day.



My host father has built out of the mountain a platform for volleyball nets, I played ball with my host sister, Letty, my host brother, Jhon. The sun was shining down on us, and the skyline is just mountains and mountains, its simply majestic. My host father, Fabian and I were playing volleyball and I was just taken away at the beauty here in Cayambe.



Spanish......right now is a huge barrier and is extremely challenging, but I am working on it.


More to come about my host family.....