Perspectives from Paraguay

Brazil

2009-07-27T20:36:00.014-05:00

My visit to Brazil was AMAZING. I met a lot of Claudia's and Marcus's families in Nova Andradina, saw an anteater in the wild on their farm, and ate freshly-cut sugar cane.

On Monday afternoon, we went to Bonito (click for a link to the city's website--in English). In Portuguese (and Spanish) "bonito" means pretty, and the place was definitely that! We went hiked into the Grutas do Lago Azul (Blue Lake Caverns), visited the Balneario Municipal (Municipal Spa) where I went snorkeling with the fish, and saw the animals at the Aquario Natural (direct translation is "aquarium" but it would be considered a zoo in the U.S.). I needed a lot more time to see everything in Mato Grosso do Sul! I guess Shawn and I will have to go back. :)

The last two pictures are of the kids during the drive to Campo Grande, then one of us at the airport.

Last Rotary Meeting, Leaving Paraguay

2009-07-27T19:42:00.005-05:00

Since I didn't have a cord to upload my pictures, I am now posting the last few days of my trip. Below are pictures of the last CDE Rotary Club meeting that I attended, and a picture of Graciela and me before I left Paraguay.

Nova Andradina, Brazil

2009-07-19T16:40:00.002-05:00

I made it! I am at Mateus and Carol´s house. I don´t have a cord to upload pictures, but I´m taking a lot! For those that don´t know, I had Carol and Mateus in my classes last year. They have an older brother named Neto, and their parents are Claudia and Marcus.

After I got in, we went to Claudia´s parent´s house and ate some lunch, then came back to their house to clean up. We then went to Marcus´s mom´s house...they had told her that I liked chocolate, so she made a Brazilian chocolate cake. It´s name in Portuguese means ´crazy Black woman.´ Then we went to one of Claudia´s sibling´s house (I think) for a churrascaria (Brazilian barbecue). Later we went to the downtown area of town because there was a festival going on. (To the Archer County folks, it reminded me of Mayfest, only bigger.) There I met several members of the Rotary Club...they were serving dinner.

Today, we slept late, then went to eat at a fish place. You can go fishing in the tank and they cook what you catch, or you can order from a menu. We ordered from the menu. You don´t really see me fishing, do you? We had sashimi, fried tilapia (one plain, and another wrapped in bacon), and another fish that is popular in Brazil (I can´t remember it´s name, though) in a red sauce. Carol had said that the bacon-wrapped tilapia is her favorite, and I have to agree! Then we went to their farm...it´s about 6,000 acres! They raise cattle for milk, beef, and breeding, sheep for the meat, emus, sugar cane, and eucalyptus trees. They may have more than that, but that´s all that I can remember! We just got back from there.

I will try to update again tomorrow before we leave to go to Bonito!

Leaving Paraguay

2009-07-17T01:38:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow morning, I will be leaving Paraguay to spend a few days with Mateus and Carol's family (who were in my classes last spring) in Brazil. I don't know if I will be able to post anything while I am with them, so if not, it will be a week from today when I return to Texas before I can update (so don't freak out if you don't see something, Mama and Les!). If I'm not able to before then, I will have pictures of my last Rotary meeting in CDE, as well as pitures of what I do with Mateus and Carol's family. I will still be in contact with my husband, so if something urgent arises, you can contact him.

I cannot believe that my month here is over. I have experienced so many things in my time here, and I'm anxious to return home to share it all. I am so appreciative of my hometown Rotary Club and the Ciudad del Este Rotary Club. In particular, Nicole (TX) and Graciela (PY) have looked after me and have been invaluable throughout this experience. My husband Shawn has been more supportive and encouraging than I could have ever asked for. He definitely has won the #1 Son-in-Law title for this one!

I'll have more reflection (the teacher within must come out!) and pictures when it's not 3 o'clock in the morning. :)

Asuncion

2009-07-17T00:52:00.005-05:00

As I mentioned last night, I went to Asuncion on Tuesday/Wednesday. It was a really quick trip, but I was able to see the president's house (the one where he works and another where he lives) and several monuments. We stayed with Graciela's dad and his partner, Ovidia (I think I've got her name right!). Unfortunately, I wasn't able to meet Tally, who is in Paraguay teaching...her grandkids attend school in our district!

Back from Asuncion

2009-07-15T19:43:00.002-05:00

I'm being scolded by my mom and sister for not updating...so here's an update: I'm back from Asuncion, but really tired from being in a car for 9 hours during the past two days! We got back about 15 minutes ago, and I'm eating and typing (you know nothing comes between me and my food, Les!). I will post details and pictures tomorrow afternoon...tomorrow morning is my last trip to the centro!

Change of Authority Dinner - Pto. Iguazu

2009-07-11T11:20:00.004-05:00

Last night, Graciela and I (along with a few other CDE Rotary members) attended Puerto Iguazu, Argentina's Change of Authority dinner. The lines at the borders were horrible, but we made it just in time. In addition to the transfer of authority ceremony, we enjoyed a buffet dinner (my favorite was the mushroom pasta and chocolate cake!) and then traditional "Tres Fronteras" music by a band.

Rotary Plaza in Foz

2009-07-11T11:11:00.003-05:00

On our way back from Puerto Iguazu, Argentina, we stopped at a hotel where there is a Rotary International Plaza.

Reflection on the U.S.

2009-07-10T16:21:00.004-05:00

Okay...so a few words of reflection (remember, I'm a teacher and as my husband says, a person that will never stop taking classes!).

What do I miss the most about home?

ceiling fans--I miss the noise and just being able to turn them on when I'm hot!
an abundant supply of Coke--Most people here might drink one Coke a week...I do good to go one DAY without one!
high-speed internet and computers in classrooms--Yes, I'm spoiled...it's the district's fault for having us use technology so much in our classes! j/k :) Almost everything here is done on paper...they don't enter info into the computer and print out a receipt; they write out the receipt by hand! How long has it been since we had that at home?
paved roads and traffic lights--I forgot how nice it is to have almost all of the roads that you drive on paved. And oh how I miss everyone stopping at the light, only going on their turn! It's so chaotic without it!
mashed potatoes with gravy--I am a Texan, born and raised. But don't make any mistakes here - I only miss the HOMEMADE gravy, not the stuff from a packet! At least they still have potatoes here.
chocolate--I never realized how much chocolate we use in our desserts until coming here. It's rare to find a menu without at least one chocolate dessert, but here it is rare to find a menu with at least one chocolate dessert!
refills on drinks--You people in other areas of the States might not have it, but pretty much everywhere you go in Texas, if you order water, tea, or a soft drink in a restaurant, you have free refills. And my family knows how traumatized I was as a child in not being able to drink my juice at preschool!

What do I not miss about home?

100+ temperatures--Even though it is rainy here, the temperatures are just right...I can wear short sleeves or three-quarter sleeves and be just fine without a jacket! Perfect!
"rush-rush" mentality--As Latin Americans are famous for, it's not a big deal if you are 10 minutes late to something. It's not uncommon for the teacher to be late to class!
pavement everywhere--Once you get outside of the big cities, everything is pretty much in a natural state. Even when they have buildings going up or new stores being built, a lot of natural elements are incorporated into the design.
pumping gas--They still have full-service only here in Paraguay (and most of South America I believe.) I know, Mama...how is that different from home? You have a really wonderful husband that does it for you. :)
closed windows--Here, they try to use as many natural things as possible, so instead of using a/c, they open a window or door. Instead of a paved pathway, they use rock or dirt. (It also saves money!)

I hope you learned something!

CCPA & Miss Debbie Cake

2009-07-09T17:44:00.003-05:00

This afternoon I observed some English classes at the Paraguayan-American Cultural Center. No pictures today, but I got to hear a lot of English! Their classes were run a lot more like what I'm used to (other than the technology aspect). I will be going again tomorrow morning to talk to the teachers again, this time with some ideas for activities.

Tonight I have the CDE Rotary Club meeting. I'm attempting to make a Miss Debbie Cake (as it is known in my family)--chocolate cake drizzled with caramel and sweetened condensed milk, topped with Cool Whip. I did great until I got to the Cool Whip part...there is nothing like it to be found here, so I'm trying to remember watching Grandmother make it at holidays. It's not going so good right now, so I'm going to scour Allrecipes to see if I can find some pointers. (Ooops...I forgot the part about not getting the stove lit [gas stove...haven't had one of those] and trying to suffocate myself. [Don't worry, Mama...Graciela came in about 3 minutes later and set me straight.] And then when the stove was lit, the top of the cake got scorched. So maybe "great" is an overstatement.) Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Cataratas Iguazu

2009-07-08T11:08:00.004-05:00

On Sunday, I went to Cataratas Iguazu in Argentina. It is one of the largest falls in the world, and it is nominated for the New 7 Wonders contest. I definitely saw why...it is GORGEOUS. You can click here to see the Wikipedia entry about the falls. These pictures are from the largest area, called la Garganta del Diablo, or the Devil's Throat. It was very easy to access; there are pathways built from the train area to the falls.

Eli's Dogs

2009-07-04T18:11:00.006-05:00

Especially for my sister...Eli has two labs--a black one named Naomi and a white one named Donna. Here are some pictures of them after they got back from their bath today enjoying bones left over from lunch.

Rotary Presentation, Capitao, Salto Monday

2009-07-04T17:51:00.008-05:00

On Thursday at the Ciudad del Este (CDE) Rotary Club meeting, I had the opportunity to share a little about myself, the Frisco Rotary Club, and my thoughts thus far. I will report again at the July 16 meeting to give ideas as to how the CDE club can best enhance education in the city.

On Friday morning, I went with Graciela's daughter, Arlene, to a teacher training/meeting at CCPA. It is an English institute headed by the U.S. Embassy. I spoke to them about teaching methods that are used in the U.S. I will go again next Friday to model a lesson, and possibly observe some classes there during the week. That evening, I went with Eli and her friends to a restaurant in Foz de Iguazu. They teased me because I got tired so early...remember, I'm still on teacher schedule! Luckily, though, they let me go home early. :)

Today, Eli picked me up around 9:45, and I tried to help with her English homework. It was difficult! I know when to use each form, but trying to explain when to use one over another is so hard! We had lunch with her family, then we went to Salto Monday, what they describe as a small waterfall. It wasn't so small to me! Then we went to Mita'i and had a "merienda," or snack.

Tonight I'm supposed to be going to Puerto Iguazu in Argentina to stay with the Rotary Club's president. Tomorrow she is going to take me to see the big waterfalls! :)

Elizabeth's School

2009-07-03T11:56:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I visited Elizabeth's school. She is in a private school in the country club area. The secondary students were practicing for an upcoming handball game with another school, so I talked to some of the students that weren't participating at the moment. They looked at the scrapbook and asked me some questions. Then, I visited a 1st grade class--they all wanted to show me their notebooks. I "oooo"ed and "ahhhh"ed over them...it made them very happy. :) Next I went to a 5th grade class (shown below). I spoke to them quite a bit about the differences in schools in Paraguay and the U.S. The students asked a lot of questions. After classes were over, Elizabeth, her brother, and some friends took me to eat at a churriscaria (Brazilian-style restaurant). It was good, but I was STUFFED!

Graciela's Farm

2009-07-02T22:20:00.005-05:00

On Tuesday afternoon, we visited Graciela's farm and water plant. Even though it is the middle of winter here, there is citrus fruit, mangoes, and bananas ready to be picked.

Guard Dogs

2009-07-02T22:16:00.004-05:00

Guard dogs Linda and Preta...they've decided that I'm okay. :)

Monday Pictures

2009-07-02T17:53:00.004-05:00

On Monday, I was introduced to a Paraguayan way of eating oranges. First, they take a thin layer of the peel off, then cut off the top. You then "drink" the juice; when you're finished with the juice, you cut open the remainder and pull out the guts and eat them. Monday evening, we went to Brittany's "despedida," or farewell party. The second picture shows me, Brittany, and a group of Rotarians during the party.

Teaching Methodology Workshop with English Teachers

2009-07-02T17:31:00.003-05:00

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, I met with area English teachers to discuss teaching methodology. I would have liked to have been more informed on what I was going to do, but I think that it went well. I discussed some of the cultural and educational differences in Paraguay and the United States, and shared some ideas on how to make their classes more engaging. I also presented a lesson as though to students so that the teachers could experience an American-style class. All of the participants particularly seemed to enjoy this part.

Tres Fronteras Pictures

2009-07-02T17:10:00.005-05:00

Last Sunday, I went to Tres Fronteras--the border between the three countries of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. In the first three pictures below, we are on the Argentina side. Behind me to the left is Paraguay, and to the right is Brazil. Next is a picture of a traffic light--I'm told that it's a Brazilian style. It has three rows--one red, one yellow, one green--and the lights at the bottom stay solid. The upper ones move down to let you know how long until the light changes colors.

More Pictures

2009-07-01T06:02:00.006-05:00

A few more pictures for you...the first three are of Itaipu Binacional. It is a hydroelectric plant that sits on the Parana River on the border between Paraguay and Brazil. This is the source of the majority of Paraguay's electricity. Until the newest dam in China was built, this was the biggest in the world; it is still the highest producing. I found it interesting that everything there was free--the tour, a brochure, the Guarani museum, the zoo. How different from the U.S.!

On our way back from Itaipu, we stopped at the school of Elizabeth, a teacher who participated in a Rotary exchange to our area back in January.

P.S. I have a hit from Mexico...is that Juan?

Pictures

2009-06-30T16:58:00.010-05:00

As promised, here are a few pictures from my activities so far.

These are from the first Sunday that I was in Ciudad del Este. Pictured are me, Graciela, her son Eduardo and his girlfriend, and James (Graciela's grandson).

These were taken at the school where Graciela works.

These are from my first Rotary Club meeting in Ciudad del Este. The first shows an exchange of the banners, and the second is of me with Brittany, an participant in the Rotary Youth Exchange Program.

Days 5-9: Itaipu, Tres Fronteras, English Methodology

2009-06-29T19:02:00.003-05:00

Wow! Have I been busy! I still have a lot to do, so this will be short, but my husband was getting on to me for not updating!

On Friday, Graciela took me to Itaipu Binacional. It is the hydroelectric plant that is a little north of Ciudad del Este. It is HUGE...not that I have anything to compare it to, though. It took us at least 20 minutes (probably longer) to go from the Paraguay side to the Brazil side of the dam. We took the daylight tour that stops inside the plant, and the night tour that they call the "illumination." It was really pretty at night. As part of the Itaipu project, conservation and preservation were included, so there is a zoo of animals that are native to the area. The zoo was very different from any I've ever been to. If I had wanted to, I could have touched the animals (no, Mama, I didn't). They were in cages, which was sad, but it was interesting to get to be so close to them. There is also a museum about the Guarani people. I found it interesting that they made crosses even before the appearance of the the Spanish.

On Saturday, I spent most of the day recovering from the long, hectic week. I received an email from Tally, a teacher who has family in Frisco that lives in Asuncion. She has been very gracious in sending me a ton of pictures and information about Paraguay. I've learned a lot from her emails.

On Sunday, I had a chance to talk to my husband, and he was able to see me for the first time since I've been here! We still have some kinks in the technology, but we're working on it. I also prepared for today's training with the English teachers. In the afternoon, I visited my third country on this trip--Argentina. Graciela, James (her grandson), and I went to the Argentina side of Las Tres Fronteras (The Three Frontiers/Borders). It's where a couple of rivers meet and form one, and it is also the border betweent the countries. By standing in one location, you can easily see Paraguay and Brazil while standing in Argentina. I now have stamps in my passport for Argentina as well as Paraguay. (None for Brazil--you don't have to have a visa to go into Foz de Iguazu, the city that is just across from Ciudad del Este.)

Today, I held a class for English teachers in the area. I talked a little about myself, Texas, and the United States, then discussed some of the differences in the educational systems. In the afternoon, I shared several ideas on how to make their classes more interactive. Tomorrow morning we will continue with me modeling an English lesson, then possibly later in the week, teaching an actual class of students (to film for future teachers).

Graciela and I just got back from Brittany's despedida (going away party). She leaves tomorrow to go to Asuncion, then Wednesday she starts her lengthy process of returning home...she has several stops that her flight will make before she makes it back to Pennsylvania.

And, as you've already read, I have a busy day tomorrow, so I'd better get in bed. (Remember, it's an hour later here than at home! I'm already up past my bedtime on Texas time!)

I PROMISE to get pictures up soon. I'm hoping that tomorrow I will have some time in the afternoon or evening to do so.

Day 5: Colegio and Rotary Club

2009-06-25T23:10:00.002-05:00

This will be brief, but I wanted to update on today's activities. I went to Graciela's school again today. I observed a class of Guarani and saw a play put on by another class. The educational system is SO different here. (More on that later.)

This afternoon, representatives of the Rotary Club delivered TVs and clothes to a children's home and a home that would be like a retirement home in the states, except that the people there are lacking a lot of the necessities of life and don't have family that takes care of them.

This evening I attended my first Rotary Club meeting in Ciudad del Este. It was a celebration for Father's Day with music and food. It was a lot of fun! I have pictures, and Graciela found a cable that fits my camera! :) I will work on uploading them this weekend.

Tomorrow will be another busy day...tomorrow I will tour the hydroelectric plant and I think the city (I haven't been able to see much because it's been raining most of the week...I know you guys in Texas are jealous [or at least my husband and his parents for the boat and jetski sales!].) I may also be going with Brittany, another Rotary exchange person, to help paint in an orphanage.

I can't believe it's almost been a week sent I left Texas...and my cats and dogs and husband are still alive--with food and clean clothes (or so Shawn claims)! Hee! :)

Days 3 and 4: English Classes

2009-06-24T15:07:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was a busy day. I went to the school again yesterday morning and talked to more of the teachers there. We started talking a little about some English words. Then last night, Graciela had a planning meeting for a Rotary Club project, and I went with her. I met another American that is finishing a 10-month exchange through the Rotary Youth program. It was interesting to here about her work. It was a late night (for me), as we got back around 12:00.

This morning I had technology problems...again. Tuesday morning, my alarm didn't ring on my iPod. This morning, it rang and I got up with it, but then came to realize that when I had synced my iPod with my computer, the computer had changed the time back to Texas time...so I was an hour late getting up. Cheryl and Pam from my district technology department are helping me fix that problem. Thank you!!!

I made it to the school, and I had a class of 5 teachers/students from the school (the students were off--staff development day) that I worked with on basic English. We worked on greetings, introductions, and saying goodbye. It was fun to hear them asking each other, "What's up?" :)

I need suggestions...what is an American or Texan food that I should make for my hosts to try? From what my students told me, gravy is one (no, I won't make JUST gravy, and you won't be able to make snowmen from it, either. HA!) I appreciate your comments!

Another note...I have video chat set up through AIM (thanks to the assistance of my cousin Cheryl!). It is the same as my home email address, so feel free to IM me if you see me online.

Day 2: Colegio

2009-06-22T20:25:00.002-05:00

This morning, Graciela took me to the school and introduced me to the director and to an English teacher that I will be working with this week. Here in Paraguay, they teach three languages: Castellano (Spanish), Guarani (the native language of the area), and English.

For the linguists that are following this, they are attempting to preserve the native population's language and seem to be somewhat successful so far. I'm told that generally people in the larger cities speak Spanish as their native language, but people in the country use Guarani in their daily life. Therefore, the curriculum requires both languages be taught with (I think) about the same emphasis. My understanding is that the language of instruction for other classes will vary depending on the native language of the students.

Also, it seems that the government has recently focused on creating curriculum specifically for "educacion media," our middle school. The English materials that they have give the teachers a lot to work from. They encourage the teaching of all main language areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Their problem, however, is that the teachers don't know or don't feel comfortable implementing them in the way they were intended. As is the case in the U.S. sometimes, the teachers focus considerably on reading and writing, but tend to overlook speaking and listening. I will be working with them to improve these areas of teaching, and also on incorporating more alternative assessments into their teaching.

Please feel free to post questions that you may have. I want to be able to help you understand what it's like here!

Day 2: Host Home

2009-06-22T12:06:00.006-05:00

As requested, I have photos to show of the room that I'm staying in. No pictures yet of people, though. The first two show the main part of the bedroom. It has a desk area, then the bed is next to it. Across from the bed is another room, a dressing area, then off of it is the bathroom. FYI...Pictures are taking about 5 minutes each and video about 20 minutes to upload, so this is all you get for now. Sorry! I'll work on getting more later.

P.S. I got the video camera working again! :)

Day 1: Continued

2009-06-21T18:53:00.004-05:00

I can now say that I have visited Brazil. We went into Foz de Iguazu and my host family drove me around the city a little. Then we stopped at a restaurant that mainly served desserts. I had something made of chocolate (I know, imagine me and chocolate...and coffee [although not Starbucks]).

I took pictures to post, but unfortunately, it appears the cord to transfer from my camera to computer did not seem to get packed. But, if I was going to forget something, I'd rather it be something small that I can do without. I may see if I can find a cord--if not, I'll use the video camera to take pictures to post while I'm here and then wait to transfer from my regular camera when I get back home.

I must say that I've enjoyed my first day in Paraguay. It reminds me a lot of Mexico in regards to traffic and safety. The house that I'm staying in has a gate around the outside, with two guard dogs. (One of them is a black Lab like my nephew-doggy Jake!)

It also makes me glad to know that I'll be able to chat with my husband with a webcam, so we'll still be able to see each other. It's not the same as being together in person, but it will make it easier on us to be apart during this time.

And in case you didn't see my sister's comment, she says that my dad actually got to choose where to eat for Father's Day! That's rare! :)

From what Graciella has said, she will be showing me around the city tomorrow. I can't wait to see what we do!

Day 1: Father's Day

2009-06-21T16:13:00.003-05:00

Like in the United States, people here are celebrating Father's Day today. My host family prepared a wonderful meal of different types of lasagna: one veggie, one with chicken, and another with fish. I have to say that my favorite (yes, I had to try them all--that's what I'm here for!) was the chicken. We also watched a movie in English, The Gift, which I am told hasn't come out in the U.S. yet.

All of the family has been here at least some point in the day t0 wish their dad a happy day. Since I'm not nearby, I'd like to wish my dad, Neal, and my father-in-law, Sam, a good Father's Day as well. If I had to guess, I would say that my dad probably celebrated by going out to eat at a place that most likely my sister chose. :) And Sam, I hear, was going to ride his new X2 at the lake. Hopefully my "children" took good care of their dad today!

I can't comment much yet on Paraguay itself. I can say that my host family is great. They've made me very comfortable here. Graciella was a little worried about the driving scaring me, but it's very similar to Mexico's (Mama, skip to the next paragraph!). It's very crazy, and I would be scared to drive in it, but people here seem to manage it just fine. Graciella said that there is one main road that goes from Ciudad del Este on the east side of the country, through Asuncion to the west side of the country. It was paved and didn't seem to have a lot of traffic compared even to Frisco. We got off of that road to drop off another teacher at her home, and all of the roads there were dirt--not gravel--with speed bumps in them. Most of the side streets near Graciella's home are paved, but it appears that it is not something that is common. You forget how spoiled you are until you are away from it.

After returning from the airport last night, as I said in my last post, I was absolutely exhausted. I tried everything to fall asleep during the flight from Dallas to Sao Paulo, but I was only successful for about 1 hour at most. I did watch lots of TV--a couple of episodes of House, a couple of The Mentalist, a show on New York, even a Monk and a 30 Rock. They'd better have new episodes on my way home!

I spent about 8 hours at the airport in Sao Paulo. Again, I tried to sleep, but I wasn't very successful. I was able to call my husband to let him know that I made it. I put some finishing touches on the scrapbook, and listened to my iPod a little.

I'm anxious to get to go to some of the schools. I'm hoping that I'll get to go tomorrow.

I'm off for now. We're going to take a trip over to Foz de Iguacu.

P.S. I see either Alisson or Leila in Colombia! Who else of you are out there? Leave a comment with your first name so that I know you're there!

Arrived

2009-06-20T17:21:00.001-05:00

I've made it to Paraguay! I wasn't able to sleep on the plane much, so I am completely exhausted, but I wanted to let everyone know that I arrived safely.

Scrapbook 3

2009-06-04T15:25:00.016-05:00

The scrapbook is coming together. Here are more pictures of students working on it (and helping pack up for the end of the year). Shown are Yurina, Hikaru, Kosar, Carolina, Mattew, Gonzalo, Sofia, Serina, Kera, Alisson, Angela, Do Young, and Wallace.

Rotary Club Meeting

2009-06-04T14:48:00.007-05:00

Today I attended the Rotary Club meeting and was able to share a little about myself and my interests in the R.I.T.E. program. Everyone I met was so supportive and encouraging! I am so thankful to them for allowing me this opportunity. My husband Shawn and my assistant Angie went with me. Pictured with us is Nicole, my contact with the local Rotary Club.

Scrapbook 2

2009-05-29T12:49:00.012-05:00

My students continue making our scrapbook of American life. Here are some shots of them busy at work. In order from left to right are Angela, Carol, Mateus in the first row; Kera and Vincent in the second; ChunGe, Veronica, Leila, and Juan in the last pictures.

Scrapbook

2009-05-20T16:03:00.013-05:00

My students have been busy the last several days creating pages for the scrapbook I will take to show about American life. The students began by brainstorming ideas as a class and evaluating which topics and information were the most important to include. They planned their individual pages, then wrote paragraphs to describe their topics. Spanish-speaking students, along with Angie (my assistant) and myself, translated them into Spanish. Finally, students assembled the pages in their own style. They've done an outstanding job so far!

Here are a few of their pages.

Rotary Club Info

2009-05-16T15:50:00.001-05:00

Learn more about the Rotary Club here.

Ciudad del Este Info

2009-05-14T12:51:00.001-05:00

Check out Ciudad del Este's website by clicking here.