Republica de El Salvador (my school)

Sorry I have been such a slacker, school started about a month ago!  School in a foreign country.  I started forming expectations in my head but really had no idea of what it would be like.   The things I had been told:
-the teachers move, not you
-school year is early March to mid-December
-you stick with the same class all the time
- the school classes are divided by interests (social oriented, economics, mechanical, nature (science oriented), and so forth)

However, there is so much more to it than that!  Okay, the first couple days I could sort of understand the professors if I really concentrated, but most of it went over my head.  The first couple days indeed caused a few concentration headaches which called for much needed siestas (naps).  I do not have the same material every day at school.  It switches around but at least stays consistent every week. 

Some interesting things about my school experience (so far):

- Every morning we gather and raise the Argentine flag (to respect the country and its principles) sort of like saying the pledge.  The students with the top grades raise it.
- There is morning class and evening class.  I am a lucky duck (or at least in my mind) and have school in the morning.  So on Monday and Tuesday I go from 7:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  and on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, we go to school from 7:45 to 12:15.  Gosh it feels like we have half days all the time!  (I get to take a nap after school!!  Crazy!!)
- I was really shocked when a dog happened to walk into our classroom in the middle of class!  In my mind I was thinking "what in the world!  This is so cool!" Apparently it is very normal and the dog that came gets a new name every day!

Perra!!!!

 



-The people who work at the school and take attendance and monitor bring around boxes full of French bread every day!  How fattening!  I try to avoid it, but some people eat about 4 every day!   It made me laugh heartily the first time they asked me if I wanted pan (bread).  Sorry for the terrible picture, but its bread and I am sure you can fill the details that are blurry with your imagination.

 

There is also a kiosk instead of vending machine where there are loads of candy, juice, ham and cheese sandwiches, whole bags of cookies.  The also sell soda, but they fill up a cup for you, they don't actually give you a bottle.

 

 

We do wear uniforms.  I must say I look like a nun.  At least I think so.

The student from Japan and I in our aula (classroom), being approved by the student behind us.

 

Oh, at school almost everyone has blackberry cell phones it is like the iphone at Oconomowoc high school. 

 

 

So that is sort of school, there are those who like to study and a lot who don't and just like to party, but it is still school.  There are good professors and boring ones so in such respect it is like school as I have know.  However we do a lot more group work and people like to "share work"  also known as cheat or have one person do the work and it is considered completely normal.  This is tough for me but I will do my own work anyhow.  It is certainly different and I often realize that if I am not concentrating that I am not really listening and probably missed something important but oh well... I will get better.  Such is the school experience from the perspective of Lindsay at this point in time.  I am sure it will change and I can't really explain everything.  At least it is an idea!! 

¿Hamburguesa o hamburguesa?

A dilemma I could only imagine having in Argentina or at least in South America: 

Having to turn down a group of friends who asked me to eat hamburgers with them on Friday night only because I had already  made plans to eat hamburgers with other friends. 

Hamburgers with friends work something like this: 
- Everyone brings as many hamburgers as they feel like eating and enough buns to accompany
- Someone hosts the hamburger eating
- The hamburgers get cooked on the asado (large barbecue) grill
- Everybody eats their hamburgers!!  (people here tend to eat around 3-4 especially boys) (I personally stick with one)

Oye Mate!

Sorry, no pirate adventure story here, just tea.  However, Mate is practically a staple here, almost more than bread which is pretty darn common too.  It is a tea that is extremely common in South America, but even more so in Argentina than in any other country (the Argentine president gave mate supplies as a gift to the new pope who happens to be Argentine, for this reason, you know mate is important). 

 

Mate... on vacation (yes we even bring it in a cooler bag on vacations with us so we can drink mate on the car ride)

 

Mate at home.

 

Mate Everywhere.  I am just glad I like it.  Everyday after our daily nap (which everyone in my host family takes), Marcelo (host dad), Melanie (host sister), and I drink mate and eat crackers with cheese or some sort of snack.  It is quite relaxing and we usually talk about something like history or well anything we darn well feel like.  Back to the Mate... so there is yerba mate and just mate and mate with other herbs like mint.  In my family we do a mix of yerba mate and mate with mint.  Some people take the mate without sugar but it is most common with sugar.  I have tried both, but there are a great deal of people who absolutely detest it without sugar (the student from Japan doesn't enjoy it in any form and always wrinkles up his face when he tries to drink it).  Moreover, it can be drank cold as well which I have not personally tried, but have heard is not the most pleasant experience.  For the time being, I think I will stick with warm Mate. 

There is always a Mate master (that's my term for it).  They are the once who facilitates the sugar, water, and distribution of the Mate amongst the group. 

Mate is not just among family, is extremely common to just sit with friends in the afternoons, talk, and drink mate. 

No, there is not a separate mate for every person.  Sharing is very important, and the mate is almost a social event and symbol. 

There is even a cabinet at school with Mate supplies so that when teachers don't show up or are striking we can make Mate in the free time.

So relax, take your time, and drink Mate.

 

Escarabajo

In the depths of South America in the wild, untamed backyard of the Mackenzie family, I saw death flash before my eyes... or else great fame.... I discovered a....................beetle!  (Escarabajo).  The wicked curving horn wrought of insect shell threatened to stab the side of my foot exposed in my sandals.  I rapidly lifted my foot and pivoted away, a close encounter, but here I am alive and well, of course with a picture to document such an incredible discovery!!

After extensive research (also known as Wikipedia), my backyard companion was identified as Diloboderus Abderus.  Obviously macho was the only word to describe such a beetle his muscles were so defined.  The adventure shall continue as the backyard is explored and as I continue to delve into the unknown of Argentina!!