I Still Hate Kids...

Work has been going alright. I really am so so so so so so so glad that I have co-workers because without them my day would be super dull. I have been learning more German :) because they have started speaking directly to me in German, which is actually nice. I would really hate my project if it weren't for them though. There are there of us working there because it really is a huge project, but the sad fact is that there really isn't much for us to do. All they seem interested in is us giving English classes. I gave my first English class in the library the other day and it actually went a lot better than I thought it would. One of the German girls was helping me, which I was really glad about. She knew all of the things that were tricky in English which I had never realized because I didn't learn it as a second language. That class is open to the public and is offered every Tuesday and Friday. Their ages were as follows: 71, 57, 54, 38, 30, and four 14 year olds. The 14 year olds motivated me a lot more to be a good teacher because I knew that I could really make a difference in their lives if I were to be able to teach them English. The 71 year old is just kinda cute. He is AWFUL at English, but it's really a pleasure to be teaching a class where everyone is there because they geniunely want to learn and are interested. I know at the age of 14 the last thing I was focused on was learning a language, so I love that these kids know that it's important! I also taught my first English class to the Transition kids (age 5 and 6). I walked out of there and decided I was never going back. Ok, that isn't quite an option, but the last thing I want to do is go teach them again tomorrow! It was a disaster. I still hate children. I cannot deal with them! They do not listen (putting 25 kids in a classroom where none of them really care about learning English and expecting them to pay attention is one of the dumbest things I have ever heard). Their teacher seems to think it's ridiculous to be trying to teach them. The only person who really cares about them learning is the preschool director, and she never actually has to deal with them. I am actually teaching the oldest class- one of my co-workers is teaching 3 and 4 year olds!
My favorite part about my project is now the bakery. I really loved working there and learning how to make bread and arepas! Everything is done by hand. The main baker woman loves us, and she lets us bake whatever we want! Considering I discovered that I don't have an oven, it was really nice to make "American" Chocolate Chip Cookies. They actually turned out nothing like I had expected, but they were okay. It was nice to bake something that I wanted because I really miss baking and cooking! I do love Colombian food though so I am not too sad that I can't cook exactly what I want.

I have still managed to avoid culture shock but there are so so many things that I miss about home. I miss driving and being able to get myself around. I miss the outdoors more than anything I think. The air here is so suffocating and I never feel like I can breathe! I miss just being in a quiet, peaceful place. Even when I am alone in my apartment there is so much outside noise and noise from the neighbors. This weekend I am probably going to Giradot (a little town down the mountain from Bogota so it is warm!) and hopefully I can have some alone, quiet time there :).

Little stories:

When I was walking through the comedor (like a soup kitchen for the people who work in the streets selling sweets and other things, but not the homeless), one guy asked me if my eyes were real! I thought that was kind of strange.

My co-workers and I all got sick off the food that they give us for free, so we started bringing our own lunches. That is kind of a perk because then we don't have to eat lunch with the girls from Casa Hogar and we can sit in the park and relax, for basically as long as we want :).

On Tuesday, when we 'helped' teach the English class, the English teacher just sat down. He had told us that we would only be helping and that we didn't have to prepare anything, but then he sat down waiting for us to start! It is ridiculous how little English he knows for supposedly being an English teacher.

I was looking into biking to work (about 15 miles each way, with 4 or 5 overpasses) and was very seriously considering buying a bike, but I could tell my host parents were very worried about that idea. My host dad did most of the bike ride there and back with me one day, and this week I have been sick so I haven't biked at all. I also got a little scared when they said that within the last 3 miles or so I have the very high likelyhood of being pushed off my bike and having it stolen... I thought that sounded kinda sketch.

Until next time!

Love,

Anna