My first week in Brazil

Hi all!

I just wanted to give everyone some updates about my time in Brazil so far.

I arrived just before the Easter holiday and Norma prepared Easter
baskets for all of us!  I guess she has prepared these "ninhos"
(nests) since they were kids. I also found out that it is very
traditional to give chocolate and chocolate eggs to all of the family
members.

On Good Friday it is traditional to eat fish because they do not eat
meat on this day. Every Easter they have "bacalhau" (codfish), which
is Alfredo's favorite meal.  He was very happy for me to try it!

On Easter Sunday, we went to Norma's mother's house and I met Pedro's
aunts and uncles from his mom's side (Norma is 1 of 7!!!). They all
told me they were so happy that I could come with Pedro and that they
hoped we wouldn't have to be apart anymore <3.

This past weekend we went to the sítio. This is their grandfather's
farm in São Bento, a small city 1.5 hours from their house in São
José. They told me that they used to spend the entire summer vacation
there with all of their cousins when they were young. The main house
has 6 rooms, and there is at least 2 beds in each room. It's a very
old house, but they have taken care of it. There is a small creek
"riachinho" that runs beside the house (almost exactly like the one
next to ours!) that holds water all year long. When you wake up, it
sounds like it's raining, it's beautiful!

While we were staying at the sítio, we also went driving around São Bento to see a famous rock on top of the mountains called "pedra do baú" meaning sort of a rock chest from it's square shape.  On the way home we stopped at an "horto florestal," a park with gardens, and walked around.

                                     

 Pedro and I have also been exercising together regularly.  I need to,
especially because Norma is happy to have me eating well here! We have
been playing tennis and running on the path around their condominium.
I've surprised myself, as I'm able to run the complete 2 mile path
without stopping!

Pedro is starting at Samsung today and will be staying with his dad at
their apartment in São Paulo. This will be my first week staying in
São José dos Campos without him :-/ .

I've had a few interviews, and after all of them I have received
positive feedback; however, since their semester just started in
February, there are not many open classes which still need
instructors. Hopefully I can work part time somewhere and maybe do
some tutoring as well. Let's see!

Meanwhile I am studying Portuguese and I'm amazed by how much more I
understand and speak compared to the last time I visited!  I did go
through a Portuguese language book while I was in Korea, and hearing
it constantly is helping my listening skills tremendously.

I am attaching a few pictures (I haven't taken very many since I
arrived...I guess I am trying to convince myself that I'm not on
vacation anymore!)

I hope you are all doing well!  I will update more next week.

Beijos e abraços,

Olivia

Getting back on the blogwagon...

Hello dears!

I've decided that I'll finally come out of my cave here in Korea and start posting again.  The fact is, I've been rather socially active these days, but I haven't been generous enough to share my experiences with you for nearly two months now...and for that I am very sorry.

This new-found ambition comes from a wonderful women, full of laughter, life, and wisdom: my mother.  Luckily, she is here with my now and will be traveling with me to a few other cities in Korea during my week vacation from school (which is in T minus 36 hours and counting!).

So far, Mom has eaten Korea BBQ, navigated the subway system and the bus alone, toured a palace in the pouring rain, explored a folk village, tasted numerous Korean desserts, shopped in Insadong, Myeongdong, and Dongdaemun, read a story to my kindergarten students, did my laundry, and still managed to muster enough energy to cook me dinner tonight when I got home from work.  And this is only the beginning folks, so get ready! 

s

Stay tuned for updates on our shenanigans...
 
Since I don't have much time, I'll just post a few pictures of the kids that will make up for the words I don't have time to type tonight. 

Me and my monkey baby

How sweet of you to all wear my favorite color... =)

One of my kindies, Sunny, gave me a purse ^^

"Is that cake good?!"

Chris and I

we love book reports!

Sarah and I

Sunny <3

Woojin singin' in the rain...er, classroom :-)

Field trip to the Children's Museum

"hello? who is it?"

Woojin and Joshua

Rachel

Woojin the Great Magician

inappropriate use of the magician hats...

more silliness~

Group shot at the magic show

Sunny and I

little Amy~

It's been SO humid here...but at least monsoon season is almost over!

I'll have to give you the reader's digest version on my recent excursions soon, but now I must get some precious sleep for my last day of teaching before a week of mommy-daughter traveling time!

Lots of love,

Miss Jones

Kindergarten field trips!

So, I figured out why I was getting presents when, on Friday, my desk was COVERED with chocolates, flowers, perfume, and cosmetics from my kindergartners (or should I say, their parents?)...they were for Teacher's Day!  I felt so loved and appreciated, which makes the long hours more worthwhile =)

Over the last few months, our early childhood program has taken a few field trips.  The first one was to some botannical gardens nearby.  We saw interesting insects and beautiful flowers, made soap, and enjoyed playing outside in the fresh air. :-)

This is Amy.  She rarely looks this peaceful, but what a cutie she is... <3

Ah, ha!  That's more like Amy.  The other rambunctious girl in this photo is Rachel.  Rachel has the attention span of a gnat, but she happens to be the smartest kid in my class.  She's always in her own little world, not listening, or moving around in her chair bothering the kid next to her.  Nonetheless, all of the students in my class were cheering her on when she got 2 happy faces the other day (you need 3 to get a sticker by your name).  

 

To help you understand her personality, let me paint this picture for you.  When everyone else in the class has happy faces, Rachel will be the one with a sad face by her name.  But she never cries, never shows remorse, and approaches the sad faces with a "C'est la vie" attitude.  

She's also in this phase where she enjoys kissing all of the boys because they hate it and she knows she's not supposed to.  In fact, she finds it hilarious. 

 

This is Sunny.  She is one of my best students.  She's a little mother hen always taking care of the other students in the class.  I can't believe that she's only 6 years old...

 

 Sunny and Olivia remind me of Becky and I when we were younger.  They are best friends and they both love school.  These girls are always helping me and are so eager to answer questions. It makes me want to go back to elementary school <3

 Joshua is usually pretty quiet, but he can be very silly.  Here he is showing his muscles =P

I wish I had taken more pictures of the gardens, but if you look away for a second, these little munchkins have run half way across the courtyard and are trying to swim in the fountain...

This is Woojin.  He is a TOTAL cutie pie.  At 6, he's already such a charmer, cracking jokes, giving hugs, and his smile is so contagious.  I adore this kid <3

The tulips were SO beautiful, one of my favorite flowers...

Sarah is actually in my other kindergarten class, the Bears.  She is so spunky and sweet.  Her personality is so fun. =)

 

 

 Randy and Micky

 

 

 We got to play in a mini hedge maze ^.^

 

We also made our own soap, but all of the kids thought it smelled bad, haha!

 

But Micky didn't mind...

About a month ago, we took a field trip to an ice museum and I never posted the pictures.

This is Randy.  He has such an adorably sly smile when he gets attention.  And, when he tells me something, he always has such a serious face and speaks with such urgency.  It's the sweetest thing. 

 Rachel, being dramatic on the slide.

 

 

Finally, meet Eddie.  He is always chewing on his hands.  When I ask him questions, he always looks confused and wide-eyed.  I always have to say "Eddie, get your hands out of your mouth, I can't understand you."  But he has this infectious giggle of a laugh and facial expressions which always make me smile.

And, just recently, we had a POLY Sport's Day in honor of the National holiday, Children's Day, celebrated in Korea on May 5th.  We went to a park nearby and played all sorts of games, from tug-of-war to jump rope, as well as other interesting competitions.

A few of my kindergarten boys from the Bears class standing in line, ready to race with a parachute backpack.

Then it was the girls' turn.

The teachers also participated in the games, but separately.  We were all divided into either the Red Team or the Blue Team.  I was on the Red Team.  The Teachers from both teams would compete against each other with all of the kids rooting us on.  It was so comical and the kids had a blast!

The Blue Team teachers desperately trying to out-jump us ;)

The mighty tug-of-war competition~

 This has to be one of my favorites, because when Ted asked for volunteers to help with this game, the teachers had no idea they would be sitting ducks...or standing ducks rather.

I'm tellin' you, the Red Team dominated.

 

Elly and Lory.

The next few weeks will be pretty exhausting because I have lots to do and I'm feeling a little under the weather.  I have to write comments for all of my elementary students, which is about 100 and give behavior scores.  I also have open class next week, where the parents of my kindergartners will come to visit my class and watch me teach.  I had tonsillitis and a few ulcers in my throat a couple weeks ago and I've since recovered from that, but I lost my voice again today and it's only Tuesday T.T  

I would really appreciate your prayers!

XOXO Miss Jones