The Trip Back Home: Stuck Between Two Places

I moved to Quito on August 17^th and wasn’t originally planning on making the trip back home until the Summer of 2015. However, on September 10, 2014, my Nana passed away, and joined my Bumpa in Heaven. I was so fortunate that I was able to find a flight at last minute and make it home in time to be at the visitation and service. My Nana was such a positive role model and influence, and her love will always stay within my heart. (there aren´t any pictures in this one… just a fair warning)

My last memory of her was at the Ter Maat gathering in Cedar Grove, and I somehow snapped a picture where she was both smiling and had her eyes open! That rarely happened. But my fondest memory is actually recorded on a cassette tape. I grew up away from her, so to still be there for me when she couldn’t, she recorded herself while reading and singing to me. I am going to have that tape converted into a CD so I can store her voice and preserve that memory forever.

A few positives came out of this really quick, exhausting, busy, crazy trip back home. First, I got to see and spend time with my family, while paying my respects and reaching some closure with the death of my grandmother. Second, I got to see a couple of my great and best friends in Milwaukee, which will give me strength as I return to Quito. I also was able to go shopping for all sorts of things that are either too expensive or impossible to find in Ecuador (DUTY FREE!!). I returned to Milwaukee with two empty checked bags and returned with two at-capacity bags storing the contraband I purchased and the clothes I left behind the original time (soccer boots, softball mitt, and coffee pot!!). Lastly, I was able to share—nay, brag,-- about my life in Ecuador that I love so much. I can’t wait to have visitors so they can see what the big deal is all about.

Since I did move there for work, a lot of people wanted to know about how my job is going. I have only been in Quito for four weeks: three of those at the school, and two of those with students. However, it is so clear that I have found my dream job in Colegio Americano.

My alarm is set for 5:20 am each morning, yet I don’t get out of bed for at least a half hour. I need to wake early because the school provides school buses to pickup both staff and students. Mine stops at the major intersection down the street aka mountain around 6:50 am. My bus is exclusively teachers, whereas there are a couple of student buses that pickup in my neighborhood that some teachers also ride. The ride seems quicker to me now that I am used to the ride, but we don’t get to the school until around 7:30, and classes begin at 7:40. Thankfully, I only have one day per “week” where I teach first period. I know it would stress me out a lot if there were more days I had the first class of each day.

The most difficult adjustment to the school is the way schedules work. My daily schedule rotate son a 6-day cycle, but over Monday through Friday. That means I don’t have ANY consistency when it comes to my day-to-day. The students seem to not struggle with it at all, but they’ve been doing this for a much longer time than I have.

The most rewarding part of my job are the people. My colleagues are incredibly supportive. During our first/organizational week before students, I kept hearing the word “community,” and I’ll admit that I was skeptical about it at first. Just based off of past experiences. However, I receive so much support for my diverse set of obligations at school. Further, when I got the news of my Nana, they were more than encouraging in expressing how I needed to return to home for the services. No questions asked.

            The students are such an inspiration for me, at work. They have such a strong desire to learn, and ask questions to gain deeper understandings, and come to class on time ready for class, and…. I have warned them that if I look confused because they are doing what I am asking/requiring them to do, it’s because I am not familiar with it happening. I am also not familiar with having such few students! I teach in the international section, and have five separate classes: two-10^th grade sections; two-11^th grade sections; and one-12^th grade section. Between those five classes, I have a meager 62 students. WHAT?! That alone is an adjustment I haven’t gotten used to.

            Between these classes, though, I have a huge workload. The entire school is an IB school, or International Baccalaureate. Tenth graders are still part of the Middle Years Program (MYP) and a new guide was released for them this past summer. Eleventh and 12^th graders are part of the diploma program, and because a new guide was released this fall, I have to operate out of both. On top of this, not all students are going for their IB diploma, some are going for certificates, and some are going for higher level. I need to find some balance with this. (I realize that this makes no sense to most of you but just trust me on this. I am busy with work). Lastly, I have a homeroom responsibility with half of the 10^th graders. Once a month, I will be leaving the campus with them to participate in their community action and  service at an “old folks home for women only” (their words, not mine). Needless to say, I will earn every moment of travel I take over the next few years!

Splitting the day into three different chunks are recesses. Yes, even the high schoolers still get recess. After 3^rd and 6^th periods, there is a 25-minute recess for students to hangout with their friends, run around and play, listen to music, or get lunch. I could definitely get used to this. Two times during each six-day cycle I have a duty to stand in the lab hall outside my room and monitor students. Just to make sure they’re being safe and whatnot. Otherwise, it is an opportunity for me to meet with my colleagues or use it as a prep-period. Or just to look out to the volcanoes.

The lunches at the school are incredible and delicious and balanced and nutritious.  For $2.77, I get a meat, vegetable salad, rice, soup, fruit, dessert and juice. WHAT?! I think that will be my meal once a week, so I don’t have to always make and pack lunch but also to have some freaking awesome food.

Thank you to all those who expressed support and condolences this past week, both in Quito and in the States. I could not have made it through the weekend without it. I do not take for granted the love that I receive, and I hope I can share at least half of the love my Nana gave everyone.