First Time Teacher & Other Insights

Today was my first official day teaching at Soacha.  I was planning on teaching English to 5th and 6th grade, followed later by an after-school class.  Over this past weekend we got 4 new volunteers and all of them were scheduled to join us at Soacha.  I paired up with one of them named Melanie, who is staying in Colombia for 6 weeks.  This is great because the kids have vacation next week, so I really only have 4 classes with them.  These older kids, haven't had an english teacher for a while so it is nice that they will definitely have english classes for the next few months.

The education department of the government was surveying the school today, so it was not an average day.  There were no teachers in the classroom while we were teaching, and we got confused about the length of time each class was supposed to run.  We ended up teaching 5th grade for too long, and did not go to sixth.  After lunch the after-school class went much more smoothly.  The kids who attend class after school choose to be there, and are pretty eager to show off their english skills.

5th Grade Classroom

This is my after school class.  Very smart kids!





I look forward to continuing with these kids, and planning some lessons for them based on the assessment of the knowledge today.  As far as 6th grade is concerned, I am going to plan a lesson for them to and adjust it if need be come thursday.

We did not get back to Los Rosales until late this afternoon.  I rested for an hour or so before dinner.  Then I began looking for volunteer opportunities in Boston.  I would love to volunteer at the children's hospital, or something similar.  I will have to wait to find a position on the career path I am looking to start, before I can commit to volunteering anywhere.  I love volunteering with children, but I have to make sure I can do it consistently because I would like to build relationships and provide support.  I am feeling more positive than ever about the direction of my life.  This journey has verified that giving to others in return also gives something to yourself.  I am not a changed person but I am a more fulfilled person, I have more purpose, and more security with my decisions past, and security in the decisions regarding the direction of my future.  I am constantly grateful for the life I have in the States, for the friendships I have built, and my unbelievable family.  I have gotten some answers to questions I have had about my biological family, and though I am still processing everything, and have more concerns and questions, I am more at peace with the mystery that is adoption.