The sun is warm and welcoming in Manizales today.  Her rays are streaked across the mountains and the green, green grass and I am happy to be here.  The children are laughing, thoughts of summer and five weeks of freedom on their faces.  And there are blackberries on my desk. The bag is brimming with […]

Posted in books, colombia 4 Comments »

When I was a kid, I went to a good home town doctor whose name I can’t recall at the moment, although I’m sure he still works in the same building in the same home town.  In his office was a nurse.  I remember her hair pulled back tightly in a bun and glasses on her […]

Posted in colombia 8 Comments »

Lou comments here often and asked about Pedro’s attire in yesterday’s post. So, here’s the thing. No, those aren’t the uniforms the kids here wear. Pedro was dressed for a mini production of Newsies that the fifth grade class presented. I’ve always loved Newsies and have seen it countless times. I like the history, the […]

Posted in colombia 1 Comment »

I can’t help it.  There are kids that I just really like a lot.  Pedro is one of them.  Pedro (left in the photo) is a 5th grader which means he isn’t in my class.  Still, we interact a lot and I’m constantly impressed by his enthusiasm, his attitude, and what a leader he is […]

Posted in colombia 4 Comments »

I got a package in the mail today. Y’all know I love mail.  It was full of starbursts, skittles, suckers, pictures and a letter from a friend who describes motherhood just beautifully.  And then there were puzzles for my students.  Crosswords.  Sudoku.  Word Games and Mad Libs.  The mad libs were a huge hit and a great […]

Posted in colombia 4 Comments »

Luis Miguel just walked up to me.  He looked at me sweetly and motioned with his finger for me to bend down, as though he had a secret.  I obliged and he wrapped his hand around my neck, pulled me closer and kissed me on the cheek with a loud shhmack sound.  I was still […]

Posted in colombia 6 Comments »

Blondes don’t always have more fun. Especially when big, way-older-than-you men get your attention by screaming “Oye, mona!” Perhaps it isn’t a good idea to live in the mountains if you’re prone to carsickness. It’s hard to eavesdrop on conversations when you live in a foreign country where they speak another language. There’s a reason […]

Posted in colombia 7 Comments »

There are lots of things that I like about teaching in Colombia.  Dark faces and hair.  Precious little accents.  Hugs in the mornings.  Kisses in the afternoons.  Open air classrooms on pretty campuses.  The challenge to learn a new language.  The chance to meet new people, to see a new world.  Learning to appreciate coffee […]

Posted in colombia 4 Comments »

Last week the art teacher (who teaches all 12 grade levels) held an expo to display student work.  It was a truly amazing event.  Colombian kids by nature are artistic and expressive and I was awestruck by their creativity.  My favorites were the big projects by the jardín which serves students ages 1 through 3.  […]

Posted in colombia 6 Comments »

The bus picked me up. 7:02. As always. I climbed aboard, sat on the third seat. Left hand side. Music on. Another day. But the ride was different. The view changed. We passed three landslides. Trees uprooted, mud, grass and boulders lying in piles on the street. Houses leaning toward the valley. Their foundations moved […]

Posted in colombia, faith 4 Comments »