Real teacher for a day

Julia was not feeling so well this morning so I covered for her at the school today. This is a big deal because Julia has the most advanced class. I, on the other hand, teach the youngest class with Danni. That is, not actual English grammer or syntax. So today I got to be a real English teacher for a day. It was hard but I did enjoy it. Only Gustavo, Lizet and Elisabeth showed up so the class was smaller than usual but perfect for role play and such and together we practiced the present simple, past simple and irregular, and of course everyone´s favorite, the future conditional. It was strange having to name and give examples of the things I naturally just say nevermind having to explain exactly why I say them that way. I realize how I completely have no idea. Fortunately, the students didn´t seem to really care or mind and were happy to just be practicing conversation.

Since today was also Wednesday, we had our weekly 8 pm meeting at the house to discuss how things are going. We usually split into 2 groups, between those that are volunteering at the Flora Tristan school and those volunteering at the orphanage (another key project). Those of us at the school have lots of ideas about how we can help improve the structure and cirriculum for the kids and also the handover to new volunteers, with so many coming and going every week and month. So we are creating documents and pulling together resources that can be centralized and regularly updated for years to come... Hopefully they will prove helpful.

The house itself is getting fuller by the minute. This week so far seven new volunteers will have arrived: Laura and Ombretta from Sardinia; Kath from Brighton (46 year old mother of 2 college boys who has been traveling since July and has another 5 months to go. How so very cool is she??) ; Sarah from northwest France; and apparently three 21 year old Icelandic girls who arrive tomorrow. The general rule is that volunteers staying for more than 1 month go directly to the orphanage where the tias need all the help they can get. But we are hoping some of the new volunteers will opt to come to the school, as we will soon be very shortstaffed. Julia, Danni, Kerri, Victoria and I will all be gone after next week. Which just leaves poor Jim.

Ah, my first inkling of this leg of my trip coming to end. The Arequipan leg, if you will. Already feeling a bit sad to think of it so near. Unsurprising for easily wistful nostalgic me. But we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

Meanwhile, the house has turned dark and everyone has gone off to bed and now so shall I (yes it only 10:49 pm). Buenos noches.