Greg's Ecuadorian Adventure

Update on work -- I just finished my first grading period, which we call partials here. It's exactly how we used to have three marking periods in MPS each semester. The only real difference is that each partial is not always exactly six weeks. Some are longer and others are shorter. We also have to have at least one grade for each of five categories, and some grades can easily be put into multiple categories. After that, we have to evaluate our students on "Discipline Grades" which seems so arbitrary. Are they responsible? Respectful? Aware of their actions? Participatory? It's the hardest part of the grades for sure.  Furthermore, I have so many different responsibilities in my position.  I am teaching 10th, 11th, and 12th grade biology in the international section at my school. The two differences between the two sections I feel are that:  National section classes are larger (25-30 students?), international classes are smaller. My two 10th grade classes have 1...

After a long and exhausting previous weekend and a tiring time getting caught up at work, going someplace to relax was at the top of my list. I hadn’t seen anything outside of Quito in five weeks yet so going away was pretty much a priority. A number of people were planning on going to Mindo , which is located in a cloud forest in the Pichinincha province about two hours west and slightly north from the city. Just about everyone left Friday afternoon from a bus station near the school, but a few factors led to my decision to leaving Saturday morning. First, I hope to have internet this week; however, directions were lost in translation and my roommate and I thought that it would happen before the weekend. Second , almost all of the school buses leave right after the day is over on Friday, and I am not a person who rushes well under pressure. That night, my roommate and I went to a new restaurant (to us) called Sur , located on Av. Portugal between Av. Elloy Alfaro and Av. 6 de ...