So it looks very much like I've survived not only the first semester of teaching at the Rural Education Institute of Mexico, but also the prophesied End of the World As We Know It. Guess the Mayans screwed up. Or, you know, something written a thousand years ago was - gasp! - misinterpreted.
The semester finished up pretty well, with the Christmas concert coming off as smoothly as could be expected. The middle-schoolers sang quietly but well, and the primary class plays were hilarious. Arturo, the world's biggest space cadet, played the part of the sad Christmas tree whose ornaments are fighting over their respective places on his branches. He was covered in tinsel, painted green, wrapped in lights and actually plugged in. Although we told him many times, "Arturo, once you're plugged in, you CANNOT MOVE", he insisted on shuffling forward to the microphone cautiously and painfully slowly every time he had to recite a line. He was a big hit. The middle-school media projects also went over well. One of the girls in the pollution group even recited her speech in English, which I think impressed both the guests and the parents a fair amount. Another highlight of the evening was the gift I received from Fernanda, a quirky and outgoing little girl. It was nicely wrapped up in pink tissue paper - and it was a marshmallow.
Finally, after having been at the school for almost twelve hours - teaching three classes, mopping floors, filling home-made piñatas, scraping paper-mache from the tables, organizing sixty kids, greeting guests, and setting up and taking down decorations, someone made us a stiff drink and fed us and drove us home. It was around ten o'clock but it felt like three in the morning. And although I think it was a pretty decent success, I am very, very glad to be on vacation! Already I've spent a couple nights camping and attended one of my students' quinceanera party. Now it's time to relax and get into the Christmas spirit. Though I'll miss my amazing, un-frazzle-able co-teacher Erin and our "fearless leader" Catherine this Christmas, I hope they're having a wonderful time in California/Oregon and Toronto. If you guys are reading this, please enjoy the colder weather for me and Catherine for the love of god eat some sushi!
Merry Christmas, Happy holidays, Feliz Navidad, Happy New Year, or whatever floats your boat to everyone. Que la pasen muy bien!
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