A six hour layover at the Toronto Airport has given me plenty of time for my bags to be inspected, some light shopping, and continuing to read Baldacci's "The Christmas Train." Actually a friend offered to let me come to her sister's house about 15 minutes away to get a few hours sleep, but alas there were separate escalators to different areas for domestic and US destinations.
Sitting at the Queen West Bar now, I'm drinking vitamin water (defense flavor) and watching a Samsung Yule Log (which is a bit different in HDTV.) The stereo system is playing "Christmas Time Is Here" from the Charlie Brown specials (woot woot!) and it just started snowing lightly. So, it could be worse.
Here's a fun little article that made the headline on Toronto's home page, called Rogers.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Weather
Yesterday I was ready to see a concert in a park, when all of a sudden the rain started up. Half an hour later there was still no taxi to be found. It's funny how they seem to disappear due to rain, when there are so, so many of them normally.
Today has been cold all day. Our school is up on the hill, which technically is a very tall mountain, but the close part of the city has such high elevation already that it really is just a steep hill. Usually the day will start cool and then warm up to maybe the low 60's, but I don't think today has gotten above 55. I've been wearing my Walgreen's "Magic Gloves" all day long. They're life savers for being able to type grades all day amongst the cool air.
So just to clarify, yes I am at 4 degrees north latitude and no it is not gloriously warm here all the time. It's a perennial Autumn. (Medellin has a perennial Spring, called "La Eterna Primavera".) Actually 28 of 32 districts (i.e. states) here are flooded due to the huge amount of rain from El Nino this year. Fortunately downtown Bogota is not, but there has still been a ton of rain this year.
T-minus 3 days until I'm in cold and snow.
Today has been cold all day. Our school is up on the hill, which technically is a very tall mountain, but the close part of the city has such high elevation already that it really is just a steep hill. Usually the day will start cool and then warm up to maybe the low 60's, but I don't think today has gotten above 55. I've been wearing my Walgreen's "Magic Gloves" all day long. They're life savers for being able to type grades all day amongst the cool air.
So just to clarify, yes I am at 4 degrees north latitude and no it is not gloriously warm here all the time. It's a perennial Autumn. (Medellin has a perennial Spring, called "La Eterna Primavera".) Actually 28 of 32 districts (i.e. states) here are flooded due to the huge amount of rain from El Nino this year. Fortunately downtown Bogota is not, but there has still been a ton of rain this year.
T-minus 3 days until I'm in cold and snow.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Shout Out to Harry Potter Fans
Death eaters = moligrafos
Holcruxes = holcruxes
Blimey = no exact translation
Holcruxes = holcruxes
Blimey = no exact translation
Sunday, December 12, 2010
La Chiva
Built on a standard bus chassis, the perimeter of a chiva has broad rows of wooden benches. Chivas rurales are used to transport people, luggage, animals, and goods. They're often painted a lot of colors. Chivas turisticas are predominantly gold, red, and blue as per the Colombian flag. Each Chiva is named, and ours was called La Tetona. Delicately put, it's referring to a woman with... well, it is Colombia, home of plastic surgery...
There is a dance floor in the middle, a couple of flashing colored lights, and loud music. Some teachers rented a Chiva for three hours last Friday night to go see some of the Christmas lights and party along the way! Below two more stills is a video.
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| Kris Nath with Flat Stanley |
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| Me, William Seward, Jorge Givaria, Tim Hicks |
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| Vanessa Romero, Julie |
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| Heather Thur |
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Gringo Moment
I'm such a gringo! The porter just called me downstairs to rent my parking space for a month. Now, intellectually I knew that we would bargain just a bit. So to get the appropriate price of 60 mil I should have quoted 70 mil. However, I accidentally started at the real price right away.
The renter started to negotiate and I simply replied "no entiendo," I don't understand. He immediately switched to English and asked, "If I give you the money in advance, can you give me a lower price?" I just looked at him blankly... realizing what I'd done. So he followed up, "If I give you the money in advance, 50 mil?"
By this point I just instantly agreed. "We're okay?" "Yes." We shook hands again. As we walked out of the garage I smiled and admitted, "It's easier with me than other people, isn't it?" He smiled. Oh well, it's still 50 mil I wasn't counting on having. Together with the 240 mil from tutoring a student for finals, that covers gifts for my nieces and nephew for the holidays and their birthdays. Good enough!
The renter started to negotiate and I simply replied "no entiendo," I don't understand. He immediately switched to English and asked, "If I give you the money in advance, can you give me a lower price?" I just looked at him blankly... realizing what I'd done. So he followed up, "If I give you the money in advance, 50 mil?"
By this point I just instantly agreed. "We're okay?" "Yes." We shook hands again. As we walked out of the garage I smiled and admitted, "It's easier with me than other people, isn't it?" He smiled. Oh well, it's still 50 mil I wasn't counting on having. Together with the 240 mil from tutoring a student for finals, that covers gifts for my nieces and nephew for the holidays and their birthdays. Good enough!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Providencia
Over Thanksgiving I took my first trip to the Caribbean Sea, and it included my first time snorkeling! While there, I met a couple from Bogotá with whom I spent about half the trip. We toured the island, ate great seafood on the cheap, and enjoyed each other's company. They ended up inviting me to their home in the near future.
One night the power went out on the island for twenty minutes. The sky lit up with fireflies and stars! When the power returned, I drive my rented golf cart to Manchaneel Beach. This secluded spot was ideal for looking at the sky as the gentle waves rolled up onto the shore.
A coffee shop called "Arts and Crafts" was operated by a woman named Maria. She was wonderfully welcoming and advised that when I get to the cold of the Chicago winter, I think about Providencia. She made great cappuccino and homemade Popsicles -- mine was coconut. There's also a book exchange there. When I located a book by David Baldacci, Grandpa's favorite author, I decided to give it a try. It was a good excuse to enjoy the breeze coming through the coffee shop and really relax awhile. I ended up buying that book and am still reading it -- which for me is saying a lot. Anyway I'd remembered reading a 2006 that the owner's name was Frenchy, so I wondered what happened to him. Alas I saw his 2007 grave the next day as I strolled through the small cemetery. It was ornate especially in comparison to the other graves, so clearly Maria has picked things up in his spirit.
I'll stop there with the vacation stories. There are more but it's easy to get bored by someone's vacation. So, if you're interested in hearing more I can tell you in person. In the mean time, below is a video of my time there.
The layover in San Andres on the way back ended up very much worth it. I finally found some really chillaxing beach time. (Thank you, Brian, for that term!)
One night the power went out on the island for twenty minutes. The sky lit up with fireflies and stars! When the power returned, I drive my rented golf cart to Manchaneel Beach. This secluded spot was ideal for looking at the sky as the gentle waves rolled up onto the shore.
A coffee shop called "Arts and Crafts" was operated by a woman named Maria. She was wonderfully welcoming and advised that when I get to the cold of the Chicago winter, I think about Providencia. She made great cappuccino and homemade Popsicles -- mine was coconut. There's also a book exchange there. When I located a book by David Baldacci, Grandpa's favorite author, I decided to give it a try. It was a good excuse to enjoy the breeze coming through the coffee shop and really relax awhile. I ended up buying that book and am still reading it -- which for me is saying a lot. Anyway I'd remembered reading a 2006 that the owner's name was Frenchy, so I wondered what happened to him. Alas I saw his 2007 grave the next day as I strolled through the small cemetery. It was ornate especially in comparison to the other graves, so clearly Maria has picked things up in his spirit.
I'll stop there with the vacation stories. There are more but it's easy to get bored by someone's vacation. So, if you're interested in hearing more I can tell you in person. In the mean time, below is a video of my time there.
The layover in San Andres on the way back ended up very much worth it. I finally found some really chillaxing beach time. (Thank you, Brian, for that term!)
Friday, December 3, 2010
La Gran Llanera
Still catching up a bit, this really took place Nov 20. The primary principal organized a group of maybe 15 people to enjoy a restaurant out near the airport. The grilling smelled really great walking in from the street.
Now it's time for a few words about their specialty! The Chigüiro [pronounced chee GWEE roh] is the world’s largest rodent. They live in herds and can weigh up to 140 pounds.
I wasn't sure I'd be able to go through with ordering this food, but trying a sample near the entrance I was sold. This food is so delicious! No wonder it's considered a delicacy in Venezuela.
As you can see in the picture above, it's served kind of like ribs. The spicing is different and really get down into the meat. It was served with a small arepa on top and plantain below. The restaurant also had a band that included guitar, harp, and a male vocalist. That photo turned out dark so here are some other candids.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Parents Visit
This entry really takes place Nov 10-14. Aviatur picked up Mom and Dad at the airport and we met up at their hotel, a three-minute cardiac experience from my apartment. That is to say, there's a steep grade on the hill between the Stellar Jones Suites and where I live. The next morning, they toured the Gold Museum while I taught classes. Then we met up for a tour of the Candelaria. This is where the city of Bogota originated before it spread out to become the 30th largest land-area city in the world, hosting 8,500,00 people at about 8,600 feet above sea level. That night we had steak at La Biferia.
Friday morning Mom and Dad saw the home of Simon Bolivar, which I'll have to get to one of these days. Then we went to the leather district. This was definitely a highlight of the trip. There is store after store of leather jackets, hats, pursues, wallets, etc, and they bargain just a bit. Once you hear the price it's then less money in cash (since they don't have to pay Mastercard), but also we often said "Tal vez vamos a mirar mas." (Maybe we're going to look around more.) We were able to communicate with just enough Spanish that it was clear Dad wanted a warm coat with some style to it. The first store price was 380,000 pesos ($195) and by the time we had worked our way down the block, it was down to 210,000 pesos ($110)... and when I say working our way down the block, we really did. Each store thought they could figure out what Dad wanted. So they often sent someone next door or down the block, even across the street, to bring back something they thought they could sell! My purchase of a Newsies-style hat that matches my brown jacket from Men's Wearhouse in Arlington Heights gets an honorable mention.
We spent Happy Hour at the Embassy Suites listening to a great jazz/pop duo and chatting with some colleagues. Our crowd included Janis Heigl and Jim Short, two math consultants who happened to be in town from Oregon and California, respectively, as well as my friend Karlita who was on the Medellin trip in 2008. Carlee and Guillo came out as well. We decided to stay in for dinner, ordering Bob's pizza (yes, it's actually called that -- I'm pretty sure they're not native Colombians owners!) and playing some Bananagrams.
Mom and Dad went to services on Saturday morning and then we met up for the Botanic Gardens. It was rainy but still a good experience. Then we had lunch at La Hamburgueseria, henceforth known as the only place in Bogota that I really wish to grab a hamburger. YUM! There bathroom doors are pretty funny.
Later, dinner was at Casa Vieja. Not only is their food traditional Colombian, it was among the best food I've had since I've been here. Dad and I did some beer tasting back at their hotel to wrap up the night. Note to self: don't bother with the light beers in a beer tasting next time!
Sunday we hung around the airport's Juan Valdez before they headed off through security for the plane ride home. Apparently that was an interesting experience (which Mom can explain better). Thanks for the visit!
Friday morning Mom and Dad saw the home of Simon Bolivar, which I'll have to get to one of these days. Then we went to the leather district. This was definitely a highlight of the trip. There is store after store of leather jackets, hats, pursues, wallets, etc, and they bargain just a bit. Once you hear the price it's then less money in cash (since they don't have to pay Mastercard), but also we often said "Tal vez vamos a mirar mas." (Maybe we're going to look around more.) We were able to communicate with just enough Spanish that it was clear Dad wanted a warm coat with some style to it. The first store price was 380,000 pesos ($195) and by the time we had worked our way down the block, it was down to 210,000 pesos ($110)... and when I say working our way down the block, we really did. Each store thought they could figure out what Dad wanted. So they often sent someone next door or down the block, even across the street, to bring back something they thought they could sell! My purchase of a Newsies-style hat that matches my brown jacket from Men's Wearhouse in Arlington Heights gets an honorable mention.
We spent Happy Hour at the Embassy Suites listening to a great jazz/pop duo and chatting with some colleagues. Our crowd included Janis Heigl and Jim Short, two math consultants who happened to be in town from Oregon and California, respectively, as well as my friend Karlita who was on the Medellin trip in 2008. Carlee and Guillo came out as well. We decided to stay in for dinner, ordering Bob's pizza (yes, it's actually called that -- I'm pretty sure they're not native Colombians owners!) and playing some Bananagrams.
Mom and Dad went to services on Saturday morning and then we met up for the Botanic Gardens. It was rainy but still a good experience. Then we had lunch at La Hamburgueseria, henceforth known as the only place in Bogota that I really wish to grab a hamburger. YUM! There bathroom doors are pretty funny.
Sunday we hung around the airport's Juan Valdez before they headed off through security for the plane ride home. Apparently that was an interesting experience (which Mom can explain better). Thanks for the visit!
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Triple Mamasita Deliciosa
I like it is "me gusta," which more literally means it is pleasing to me. If something is a bit better, to say how nice it is would be "que rica." The highest level would be "muy deliciosa." At first it sounded like that would be only about food, but the title of this post basically means "What a hottie!" It's even more entertaining when women gesture their faces with the alternate "triple papasita deliciosa." Knowing all this I asked if I could use the Rosetta Stone phrase "Encantado a conocerla," which sounds a lot like Lumiere's "Enchantee, mademoiselle." I liked the answer. "It's pretty formal, but you'll get points for it!"
Changing topics... Yesterday Amber, a high school English teacher, rode the bus because there was a downpour following the hail we'd gotten twenty minutes earlier. Along the way she shared some good insights about the culture here. I oft wonder whether it is the culture of the CNG student or the culture of Colombia that influences certain behaviors. She pointed out that most things hear are up for negotiation, so that includes home life. A parent may say one thing but the children come back to negotiate it from different perspectives. That explains why some students are so prone to arguing in the classroom. They just think it's fun. That's been a pretty big culture clash for me. My previous strategy of telling students we could discuss it after class, which usually diffused the whole thing (and still does work for Amber) hasn't been working for me.
The next time an argument appears to be starting I won't let it get to the point of a kid telling me "I'm not arguing," which apparently is at least somewhat more honest than I had realized. I'll just keep it simple and say "no" over and over like a broken record... or at least that's my first strategy. We'll see how it goes.
Changing topics... Yesterday Amber, a high school English teacher, rode the bus because there was a downpour following the hail we'd gotten twenty minutes earlier. Along the way she shared some good insights about the culture here. I oft wonder whether it is the culture of the CNG student or the culture of Colombia that influences certain behaviors. She pointed out that most things hear are up for negotiation, so that includes home life. A parent may say one thing but the children come back to negotiate it from different perspectives. That explains why some students are so prone to arguing in the classroom. They just think it's fun. That's been a pretty big culture clash for me. My previous strategy of telling students we could discuss it after class, which usually diffused the whole thing (and still does work for Amber) hasn't been working for me.
The next time an argument appears to be starting I won't let it get to the point of a kid telling me "I'm not arguing," which apparently is at least somewhat more honest than I had realized. I'll just keep it simple and say "no" over and over like a broken record... or at least that's my first strategy. We'll see how it goes.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Welcome Andy!
Friday--Andy flew in from via Miami and boy were his arms tired! There was a long line for the taxi stand, starting from near the end of the security line and then out around the corner of the airport.
We grabbed some hamburgers at El Corral and boy was it good to start catching up. Skype is good, but it's just not the same as hanging out!
When we got to my apartment, Andy made himself at home. Quickly.
Saturday--We saw Desert Flower at the local mall. Tickets were only $5. Remember when the regular, big, nice movie theaters cost that much? According to the National Association of Theater Owners, that average price goes back to 1999. Then we had dinner at Local, including terrific cevice and Sopa de Mariscos, a red broth seafood soup that in this case had some shrimp and calamari. Yummy!
Sunday--Lunch in the local city Chia at a friend's home! Cost of time: 1 hr 15 min dual bus ride each way. Cost of money 2300 pesos ($1.75) one-way. Cost of trying out the public transit system with Andy: priceless.
Monday--Magic show included an act where four people from the audience were brought on stage. I had earlier made the comment "I wish we weren't in the front row of this section. That's always where they choose members of the audience." Well, Andy was one of them! He did a great job onstage despite being spoken at quickly in Spanish. He got back to his seat, looked around, and exclaimed, "He took my watch!" Sure enough, all four volunteers were brought back their watches at the end of the act.
Sunday--Lunch in the local city Chia at a friend's home! Cost of time: 1 hr 15 min dual bus ride each way. Cost of money 2300 pesos ($1.75) one-way. Cost of trying out the public transit system with Andy: priceless.
Monday--Magic show included an act where four people from the audience were brought on stage. I had earlier made the comment "I wish we weren't in the front row of this section. That's always where they choose members of the audience." Well, Andy was one of them! He did a great job onstage despite being spoken at quickly in Spanish. He got back to his seat, looked around, and exclaimed, "He took my watch!" Sure enough, all four volunteers were brought back their watches at the end of the act.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Halloween
"Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere. He's gotta pick this one. He's got to. I don't see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. You can look around and there's not a sign of hypocrisy. Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see." In 2016 will be the 50th anniversary of the Charlie Brown Halloween special. I do believe that will be the time for a dedicated party. Start sending your ideas now -- avoid the late rush!
At CNG the costumes go pretty far out. I saw numerous Mario's, oversized Converse shoes, astronauts, traditional Coca Cola bottles, and a Square Root tree (yes, it was a math teacher) to name a few. Below is one of the winners from the group-dressed-alike category: Avatar!
HER: What are you dressed as?
ME: I'm a University student, and this is coffee from my favorite coffee shop because I stayed up studying all last night.
HER: (with some attitude) You saved the cup?
ME: Excuse me?
HER: (with more attitude) You saved the cup?!
ME: (after a pause, leaning in, with a calm and deliberate voice) I wrote the name of it on the cup this morning.
HER: Oh, that would have been really weird.The student behind her rolled her eyes.
Here's one more good picture just to round out the costumes.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Richard Gere was right
"People'a reactions to opera the first time they see it are very dramatic; they either love it or they hate it. If they love it, they will always love it. If they don't, they may learn to appreciate it, but it will never become part of their soul."
Last night, it was hard to use a ticket ordering website because I don't have a Colombian credit card. I therefore headed over to Blockbuster this morning. They have a Tu Boleta stand that is much easier to use. After some confusion about their technology not working correctly, I used the ATM that is also right on the property... and that is the story of my successfully obtaining front row seats to today's 5 PM performance of The Barber of Seville.
After returning my bank card to my apartment, I enjoyed the Bears game at my friend Tim's apartment. We've been watching games together since the season started. I've also been making picks and am pleased to be 8-4 today going into the last two games of the weekend.
My friend Jennifer (from Atlanta) and I then took a taxi to Teatro de Bellas Artes. The Tu Boleta lady had told me the theater was a 45 minute ride and confirmed that one hour was more than enough time. So, we left at 3:35 PM just in case there might be any rain. That really slows traffic here. At 3:47, our taxi passed security and we had arrived! That left some time for going over the mediocre Wikipedia synopsis of the opera over Dunkin Donuts (mine was filled with arrequipe, also known as dulce de leche) and my favorite Juan Valdez Latte ChocoCoco.
The first act opened beautifully. Fiorello had a very good voice, and Figaro was outstanding. It got a bit slow for maybe 20 minutes (the first act was 1 hr 40 min) but was strong ending the act. Trying to follow the occasional Spanish subtitle for that long gets really tiring. Thus the 2000 peso Colombiana downstairs at intermission was (basically a full bottle of cream soda for $1) was very refreshing. I stopped by the doorman to get some idea where we could arrange for a taxi after the show. Incidentally the picture below was taken at 6:45 PM. Once it gets dark here, it's like midnight until dawn.
Returning to our seats, the older couple sitting next to us asked how I like the opera so far. "Me gustan la voz de cada actor, y tambien la musica de la orquestra." They were so friendly! Act two's opening was hilarious! Also after one scene that seemed important to follow, I was able to completely let loose of the translations. The music really did get that powerful. There's a love duet between Count Almaviva and Rosina that was absolutely cathartic (right around "Alfine eccoci qua.") It brought tears to my eyes that were released later during the wedding scene and in the bows. Whoa! I can't imagine seeing opera from seats farther away. I just wouldn't get the same connection with the play. After the show, the couple clarified where each of us was from and commented, "Bienvenidos!" They added something along the lines of we're glad you're here. We welcome Americans. They were delightful!
Last night, it was hard to use a ticket ordering website because I don't have a Colombian credit card. I therefore headed over to Blockbuster this morning. They have a Tu Boleta stand that is much easier to use. After some confusion about their technology not working correctly, I used the ATM that is also right on the property... and that is the story of my successfully obtaining front row seats to today's 5 PM performance of The Barber of Seville.
Returning to our seats, the older couple sitting next to us asked how I like the opera so far. "Me gustan la voz de cada actor, y tambien la musica de la orquestra." They were so friendly! Act two's opening was hilarious! Also after one scene that seemed important to follow, I was able to completely let loose of the translations. The music really did get that powerful. There's a love duet between Count Almaviva and Rosina that was absolutely cathartic (right around "Alfine eccoci qua.") It brought tears to my eyes that were released later during the wedding scene and in the bows. Whoa! I can't imagine seeing opera from seats farther away. I just wouldn't get the same connection with the play. After the show, the couple clarified where each of us was from and commented, "Bienvenidos!" They added something along the lines of we're glad you're here. We welcome Americans. They were delightful!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Pillowman
Last night I saw a play in Spanish with the middle school theater director, Kaleroy, and one of her friends. After a brief stop for Latte ChocoCoco and a Donut Especial at Juan Valdez (ahhh... sorry Starbuck's, you lose) it was off to the theater. The walk was a surprisingly short four blocks.
Seeing a play in Spanish is was a good experience. The direction was very good, and I'm not just saying that because I met the director before the show. The costuming, character, and lighting all demonstrated the storyline very well. I was able to follow the plot of the first act and picked up the phrase "Habia una vez" (once upon a time). Naturally there was a lot I couldn't here due to vocabulary and pacing, but overall I recognized a lot more words and phrases without finding myself translating them into English quite as much as I had been.
The first act was 105 minutes. Whoa! But it was really good. I'm considering asking for the script to study Spanish and theater at the same time. The second act was another 55 minutes, so the play didn't quite live up to the pre-show promise of a 2 hr 25 minute running time. As so often happens, act two was more cerebral, in the sense that things were coming together so language was often more important than physicality. By this point my focus was pretty well fried. The second act was largely a total mystery, but the acting was enjoyable!
This production combined good interaction among the characters with storytelling. Culturally that helps because storytelling is pretty big here. I've heard there's more of it at a nearby park by the church, so that's going on my to do list. It's also possible the audiences here are less sophisticated in the limited sense of what they expect from (or appreciate in) theater.
The first act was 105 minutes. Whoa! But it was really good. I'm considering asking for the script to study Spanish and theater at the same time. The second act was another 55 minutes, so the play didn't quite live up to the pre-show promise of a 2 hr 25 minute running time. As so often happens, act two was more cerebral, in the sense that things were coming together so language was often more important than physicality. By this point my focus was pretty well fried. The second act was largely a total mystery, but the acting was enjoyable!
This production combined good interaction among the characters with storytelling. Culturally that helps because storytelling is pretty big here. I've heard there's more of it at a nearby park by the church, so that's going on my to do list. It's also possible the audiences here are less sophisticated in the limited sense of what they expect from (or appreciate in) theater.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
In the Classroom
This week I was very worried about a particular class of disruptive students. With the help of our department chair, a far more successfully written lesson plan turned things around amazingly quickly on Tuesday. Today, I have also become one of "those teachers" who can make the picture shown below freehand, in one sweeping motion. It's not like that was one of my goals ... but it's kind of fun. Also, note the bilingual word wall in the top left corner.
It's interesting how things here are somebody else's fault. Below is a fairly common type of conversation from the end of the day today.
GIRL: Sir, no disrespect but you messed up.
ME: Oh? What did I do wrong?
GIRL: I'm in pre-AP math and I'm tutoring her. I can just calculate this problem directly.
ME: Yeah, that's the same thing as what I wrote down here.
GIRL: With Ms. Richard we just do this all at once.
ME: Right, and these are the steps that break down the process to make it easier.
GIRL: But see, I just multiply like this.
ME: Great, and not everyone can do that all in their head in one step.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Puente
Last night and this morning I repeatedly prayed for peace going into today's conferences, and by the afternoon that prayer had been answered. The first conference was mediocre, as a combatant student went on and on complaining and saying "What I'd like you to explain to my parents is..." Surprisingly, ten minutes after that conference ended the father had sent his son back to apologize "if" he wasn't being nice to me.
The next six hours straight went well. I managed to speak a decent amount of Spanish a twice, and I was told they could understand my accent. Some parents unexpectedly told me their kids have come around to liking math. (Where that came from all of the sudden I have no idea.) There were also a handful of appropriately constructive conversations.
For the last conference, two teachers offered to meet with a student and his father with me. This student has been argumentative in class and I've kicked him out a couple of times. The other teachers see the same behaviors, but it was most severe in math. Well, it turns out that the few important concerns he has are surrounded by what must be a mountain of personal issues. I ended up informing the vice principal that the boy really needs counseling. After awhile I just stopped and thought, "No reasonable person would act this way in a classroom." It's at that point when I realized he's simply irrational and emotionally unavailable to solving his problems. Maybe I should take a full out psychology class next year. I never really did take a good one in high school or college.
The Spanish word for bridge, puente, also describe a three-day weekend here. It feels well earned after conferences today. I started this afternoon at the Bogota Beer Company.
Tonight we're celebrating Guillo's birthday. Sunday it's back to NFL football all day long, with Monday primed to sleep in. Woo-hoo! Here's to the end of Season 6 of the Office, and the beginning of Prison Break!
The next six hours straight went well. I managed to speak a decent amount of Spanish a twice, and I was told they could understand my accent. Some parents unexpectedly told me their kids have come around to liking math. (Where that came from all of the sudden I have no idea.) There were also a handful of appropriately constructive conversations.
For the last conference, two teachers offered to meet with a student and his father with me. This student has been argumentative in class and I've kicked him out a couple of times. The other teachers see the same behaviors, but it was most severe in math. Well, it turns out that the few important concerns he has are surrounded by what must be a mountain of personal issues. I ended up informing the vice principal that the boy really needs counseling. After awhile I just stopped and thought, "No reasonable person would act this way in a classroom." It's at that point when I realized he's simply irrational and emotionally unavailable to solving his problems. Maybe I should take a full out psychology class next year. I never really did take a good one in high school or college.
The Spanish word for bridge, puente, also describe a three-day weekend here. It feels well earned after conferences today. I started this afternoon at the Bogota Beer Company.
Tonight we're celebrating Guillo's birthday. Sunday it's back to NFL football all day long, with Monday primed to sleep in. Woo-hoo! Here's to the end of Season 6 of the Office, and the beginning of Prison Break!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Ahhhh Theater How I Need Thee
I was really looking forward to this weekend, and it lived up to my hopes! After being asked to audition for two plays in IL while here, I quickly missed being involved in theater. The staff play last night was exciting! A run-thru two hours before curtain was disastrous.We were all so nervous that lines kept getting dropped. An hour of hanging out, eating banana bread, and ad lib speed-thru's really relaxed us, and when the audience arrived everything instantly gelled! The cast party was a celebration of people from different parts of campus, with very different backgrounds, getting to bask for that small moment in team success.
Tonight I saw the off-Broadway touring Pilobolus company's show "Shadowland." If you get the chance, go see them! This show premiered in Madrid, which I learned while spending time on-stage/backstage with the cast and then over dinner at their hotel. I cannot imagine a nicer, more down-to-earth group of highly talented dancers. Beth is an exceptionally nice personal trainer from Atlanta who country-hops. Derek is helping create the Broadway production of James and the Giant Peach. Weekends like this always make me question why I'm not doing something full time with theater.
Heading to the hotel, our taxi driver was playing Guns N' Roses "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" when he momentarily missed his exit from the autopista. He put on his blinkers, smiled wryly, and gradually backed up on the highway to take the correct exit. Other motorists simply accepted this practice. Good times!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Tick Tock
20:00 Last night I had Italian food at Giuseppi Verdi...yum! 60,000 pesos = salad, meat/pasta, bottle of Argentinian Cab-Sauv
5:45 Awoke before alarm from traffic.
6:50 Relayed my name and address into the 3-111111 taxi system
7:20 Processed paperwork for new cedula with the help of school-hired Aviatura
8:00 Found a second taxi to school after the first one kicked me out "No Puedo Ir al Colegio" due to pico placa (i.e. there's a lot of traffic here so not everyone can drive on every road every day)
8:45 Proctored MAP testing and got to planning geometry
11:00 Early lunch with friends I don't usually see at school... BTW now I need the geometry teacher's edition
12:30 Barbecuing (not really, but it's a West Wing joke)
12:40 Started a class as a substitute, one-hour parent-student-counselor-vice principal meeting, finished a class as a substitute for five minutes
14:15 A student from Washington DC came in to catch up from moving here, another came in after three weeks to finally earn a 4 (highest grade), and another told me his Mom is in hospital (just diagnosed with MS) and he has been taking care of his 8 year old sister because Dad is in Panama
15:30 Walking to the bus:
16:30 Ironing. Refusing to get a maid... for now... but it's really inexpensive...
17:00 Radio station 103.9 has a mix of afternoon talk, Aerosmith, and jazz... Farmville and online chats.... laundry... snacking on peanuts
19:00 Eggs with ham and liberally applied Tabasco!
20:00 Arromatica, arrepa con queso topped with more cheese!
21:30 Zzzzzzz
5:45 Awoke before alarm from traffic.
6:50 Relayed my name and address into the 3-111111 taxi system
7:20 Processed paperwork for new cedula with the help of school-hired Aviatura
8:00 Found a second taxi to school after the first one kicked me out "No Puedo Ir al Colegio" due to pico placa (i.e. there's a lot of traffic here so not everyone can drive on every road every day)
8:45 Proctored MAP testing and got to planning geometry
11:00 Early lunch with friends I don't usually see at school... BTW now I need the geometry teacher's edition
12:30 Barbecuing (not really, but it's a West Wing joke)
12:40 Started a class as a substitute, one-hour parent-student-counselor-vice principal meeting, finished a class as a substitute for five minutes
14:15 A student from Washington DC came in to catch up from moving here, another came in after three weeks to finally earn a 4 (highest grade), and another told me his Mom is in hospital (just diagnosed with MS) and he has been taking care of his 8 year old sister because Dad is in Panama
15:30 Walking to the bus:
ME: Hey, I found your book for you [that you lost two weeks ago]!
HER: I told you it was in the room!
ME: How about, "Hey Mr. Rumack, thanks for finding my book?"
HER: No, I told you it was there!
ME: Wow, do you talk to your Mom like that?
HER: Yes.16:00 Rehearsed lines on the bus for Friday's staff play
16:30 Ironing. Refusing to get a maid... for now... but it's really inexpensive...
17:00 Radio station 103.9 has a mix of afternoon talk, Aerosmith, and jazz... Farmville and online chats.... laundry... snacking on peanuts
19:00 Eggs with ham and liberally applied Tabasco!
20:00 Arromatica, arrepa con queso topped with more cheese!
21:30 Zzzzzzz
Monday, September 20, 2010
May You Live in Interesting Times
On Saturday I went to Yom Kippur services and someone's home to break the fast. Keep in mind that I'm far more spiritual than religious, so the sense of warmth and welcoming that I felt (post security check) were remarkable. At the end of the night I discovered ESPN 3 is one of the few sites that streams sports nicely here, so I got to watch the Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan State (but not Northwestern) games while playing chess with Guillo. Having not played chess against a live opponent in many years, the first three games were very quick losses. I was able to stick around long enough in the fourth game to come out the victor.
This was a very challenging week. For the record, the first thing I commented about Bogota following my visit in June was the uneven, dangerous condition of the sidewalks which necessitate a lot of walking while looking down. On Sunday I was headed to a Tim's apartment (he's a math teacher) to watch the Bears game on the NFL network. Momentarily distracted by not looking down, I all but sprained my ankle heading down Calle 61 toward the Septima. Writhing in pain, and nearly passing out, two taxis and a girl in the park across the street apparently didn't think it would be a good idea to help out. They were probably afraid I was faking it to rob them. So I was lying on the sidewalk thinking, "I don't even have my brand new insurance card in my wallet." I finally made my way home -- I was only four to eight buildings away -- and was eventually able to see the second half of the Bears technical victory over Detroit. Anyway now my foot is a beautiful rainbow of healing colors!
Last Monday night Tim and I took Peter Bagnall, a new math teacher here, to the airport for a 1:30 a.m. flight. He had to return to Canada because his sister and her boyfriend disappeared mountaineering in the Canadian Rockies. Unfortunately after two weeks now they haven't been found, and a memorial service is being scheduled for the lake where they would've camped out.
Back to my wallet, it fell out in the dark back seat of a taxi on the way home from visiting Tim in the hospital due to kidney cancer surgery. He is doing well, most importantly, and as a bonus there wasn't much in my wallet. The bank and credit cards were at home and there was little cash. I do have to replace my cedula (identification card). So, I have earned a trip to the notary tomorrow and a return to the Dept of Administrative Security on Wednesday morning. I suppose I've also earned a trip to Calle 60 where I hear there's a leather district so I can get another wallet.
As for good news, I enjoyed a few games of Bunco with friends. Earlier that day we served lunch to the general service workers. It was very poignant. (Keep in mind labor down here ain't expensive.) My classroom management has started to improve as well. It's a process of spending time getting to know kids one on one. That's a good thing of course, though it was a real adjustment on my part to spend so much time not on mathematics. It has definitely been worth it so far. This Friday I'll be performing in the TMLMTBGB style staff play -- I should really learn those lines soon. Saturday night Pilobolus is touring from NYC, and my friend who's going actually has an acquaintance in the cast. Go figure!
This was a very challenging week. For the record, the first thing I commented about Bogota following my visit in June was the uneven, dangerous condition of the sidewalks which necessitate a lot of walking while looking down. On Sunday I was headed to a Tim's apartment (he's a math teacher) to watch the Bears game on the NFL network. Momentarily distracted by not looking down, I all but sprained my ankle heading down Calle 61 toward the Septima. Writhing in pain, and nearly passing out, two taxis and a girl in the park across the street apparently didn't think it would be a good idea to help out. They were probably afraid I was faking it to rob them. So I was lying on the sidewalk thinking, "I don't even have my brand new insurance card in my wallet." I finally made my way home -- I was only four to eight buildings away -- and was eventually able to see the second half of the Bears technical victory over Detroit. Anyway now my foot is a beautiful rainbow of healing colors!
Last Monday night Tim and I took Peter Bagnall, a new math teacher here, to the airport for a 1:30 a.m. flight. He had to return to Canada because his sister and her boyfriend disappeared mountaineering in the Canadian Rockies. Unfortunately after two weeks now they haven't been found, and a memorial service is being scheduled for the lake where they would've camped out.
Back to my wallet, it fell out in the dark back seat of a taxi on the way home from visiting Tim in the hospital due to kidney cancer surgery. He is doing well, most importantly, and as a bonus there wasn't much in my wallet. The bank and credit cards were at home and there was little cash. I do have to replace my cedula (identification card). So, I have earned a trip to the notary tomorrow and a return to the Dept of Administrative Security on Wednesday morning. I suppose I've also earned a trip to Calle 60 where I hear there's a leather district so I can get another wallet.
As for good news, I enjoyed a few games of Bunco with friends. Earlier that day we served lunch to the general service workers. It was very poignant. (Keep in mind labor down here ain't expensive.) My classroom management has started to improve as well. It's a process of spending time getting to know kids one on one. That's a good thing of course, though it was a real adjustment on my part to spend so much time not on mathematics. It has definitely been worth it so far. This Friday I'll be performing in the TMLMTBGB style staff play -- I should really learn those lines soon. Saturday night Pilobolus is touring from NYC, and my friend who's going actually has an acquaintance in the cast. Go figure!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Alejandro's Finca
On Saturday we took a bus a little over an hour to experience a working dairy and beef ranch. The Angus beef is fed pound cake paper and is only sold to the restaurant Armadillo. The owner, Alejandro, and his son, Andy, are very welcoming. We enjoyed a surprisingly warm, sunny day with a picnic and a tour of their 6 sq km farm. It's got a 100+ year family history. Oh, and I'm glad the Frisbee I overthrew didn't break any windows... Below are pictures from today. There is another video from the first week of school around August 17.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Time Zones
Aha! The map on http://www.worldtimezone.com/ helped make sense out of the time zone difference between Chicago and Bogotá. It turns out that really I'm in the same time zone as Florida, geographically. So, calling Bogotá from Chicago should be like calling Florida from Chicago.
When Chicago went to "Spring Forward" on March 14, 2010, the times became the same. When Chicago goes to "Fall back" on November 7, 2010, I'll be one hour ahead. Now, if only Bogotá also had Florida weather!
When Chicago went to "Spring Forward" on March 14, 2010, the times became the same. When Chicago goes to "Fall back" on November 7, 2010, I'll be one hour ahead. Now, if only Bogotá also had Florida weather!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Thanks for the Timely Repair (submitted August, 2009)
The following work request was completed on 09/03/2010:
Requestor: Aaron Rumack Phone: 847-945-8430 E-Mail: arumack@dps109.org
Service Requested For:
Building: Caruso Middle Location: E - 1 Problem Description:Please extend the cork strips toward the window and onto the red brick wall toward the bulletin boards as well.
Thank you
Please do not reply to this message. This is an automatically generated message.
Requestor: Aaron Rumack Phone: 847-945-8430 E-Mail: arumack@dps109.org
Service Requested For:
Building: Caruso Middle Location: E - 1 Problem Description:Please extend the cork strips toward the window and onto the red brick wall toward the bulletin boards as well.
Thank you
Please do not reply to this message. This is an automatically generated message.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Links
I'll be helping out as a high school theater assistant to Catalina Botero. Not only is she the director, but a working actress. In fact she was in a 2007 movie with Hector Elizando (Pretty Woman) and Leiv Schriber (Wolverine), entitled "Love in the Time of Cholera."
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0484740
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0484740
Yesterday the PTA treated the staff to lunch and dancing at Andres Carne de Res, a Colombian steakhouse.
http://www.andrescarnederes.com/index2.html#/VisitasVirtuales
Here are sites for local grocery chains. This may not be that interesting, but this is as good a place as any for me to have them for future reference.
http://www.carulla.com/inicio.jsp
http://www.andrescarnederes.com/index2.html#/VisitasVirtuales
Here are sites for local grocery chains. This may not be that interesting, but this is as good a place as any for me to have them for future reference.
http://www.carulla.com/inicio.jsp
http://exito.com.co
http://www.surtifruverdelasabana.com
Thank you to the Onion, which for the record originated in Madison, for the following story. This has nothing to do with Colombia. It is just too funny not to post. Warning: Contains Adult Language.
http://www.theonion.com/video/in-the-know-are-tests-biased-against-students-who,17966/
http://www.surtifruverdelasabana.com
Thank you to the Onion, which for the record originated in Madison, for the following story. This has nothing to do with Colombia. It is just too funny not to post. Warning: Contains Adult Language.
http://www.theonion.com/video/in-the-know-are-tests-biased-against-students-who,17966/
Finally, last week Guillo and I moved a bookcase from Calle 65 to Calle 61 for Jessica. We're expecting to go to El Corral Gourmet for hamburgers on her.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
La Semana de Cumpleanos
Thank you for the 70 Facebook posts I just received all at once for my 33rd Birthday. That feels great! That's even more wishes than the average degrees Fahrenheit for my classroom (62).
Tonight is a party at second-grade teacher Susanne's apartment. It's HER birthday, too! This caps a week that was tiring due to the first week back (i.e. waking up at 5:30 a.m.) yet wonderfully social, too. On Tuesday we surprised Carlee for HER birthday. We ate dinner at Rausch, but all you really need to know is their hot chocolate is fantastic! On Wednesday four of us had a southern BBQ style dinner with Tim (high school math). On Friday, Kaleroy (middle school theater) had HER birthday party at home. While meeting new people there I got some leads on finding jazz in September and football broadcasts for the fall.
Below are some pictures of my apartment and a trip to La Calera.
Below are some pictures of my apartment and a trip to La Calera.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
CNN and the New York Times picked this up
The welcome here for 9 straight days was nothing short of superb. You don't know job satisfaction until you teach somewhere that raises teachers up and honors them with all their might, instead of kicking them down from time to time... but now let's go to the feature story.
Tuesday morning there was construction on my street 3:30-5:30 AM. Whoa. Tuesday night they continued at 9 PM. This is my way of saying that I was pretty tired Wednesday morning, and the Benadryl worked nicely as I awoke to my 6:30 AM alarm.
Later I discovered that at 5:30 AM a car bomb had exploded one block west and six blocks north. The blast radius was under two blocks. It was a 50 kilo bomb, not the biggest ever, set off precisely at a time when the street would not yet be crowded. The target was a radio station edifice. Coincidentally timed was the school's emergency reaction plan meeting the same morning. Fortunately I got through the day nicely distracted, and was at happy hour by 2:30 PM!
I'll post video footage to my blog from school, since my Internet is at least a week away. On the bright side, my boxes arrived surprisingly early from Miami, and I'm enjoying hard guava with Campesino cheese every day!
Tuesday morning there was construction on my street 3:30-5:30 AM. Whoa. Tuesday night they continued at 9 PM. This is my way of saying that I was pretty tired Wednesday morning, and the Benadryl worked nicely as I awoke to my 6:30 AM alarm.
Later I discovered that at 5:30 AM a car bomb had exploded one block west and six blocks north. The blast radius was under two blocks. It was a 50 kilo bomb, not the biggest ever, set off precisely at a time when the street would not yet be crowded. The target was a radio station edifice. Coincidentally timed was the school's emergency reaction plan meeting the same morning. Fortunately I got through the day nicely distracted, and was at happy hour by 2:30 PM!
I'll post video footage to my blog from school, since my Internet is at least a week away. On the bright side, my boxes arrived surprisingly early from Miami, and I'm enjoying hard guava with Campesino cheese every day!
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