9 months in...

Well... we've passed the 9 month mark (newsletters will be coming out soon - I promise!) and so now have less than 2 months working left and 3 months in total! It's all going much too fast!

So... the last couple of weeks.

the Mother's Day show put on by the school

Well we had the Chilean Mother's Day which is the same as the American one. For this we made Mother's Day cards in all our lessons (in English of course) as well as with the girls in the internado. The actual day was on Sunday 12th but was celebrated in the school a week later, on Friday 17th. For this day, we had been working all week with a group of 40 or so kids from 3ro - 6to grades, who were forming a choir. One of the songs they were singing was "Stand By Me", a Spanglish version. We were therefore helping with the English pronunciations as well as generally learning of the song. We also helped one of the girls in 4to Medio learn another Spanglish song. I was very proud whenever they managed to get the pronunciations and timings right! On the day, they were to perform as part of an 'acto' being put on for all the mothers. It was in the dining hall which had been decked out with decorations and tables filled with mother's of the students and food. After we'd prepped them all, we went and performed. I was sitting just in front of them singing so that if they were lost at any point they could look to me for help. But I'm glad to say that I wasn't really needed. They all sung extremely well and pronunciation was really good. I was very proud. The music teacher wants them to attempt "I Dreamed a Dream" next! But it's nice to get involved in the school in a slightly different way.

The week before, on Friday 10th it was the 'Día del estudiante' (Student's Day). For this, all the classes had 'compartirs' where they eat food and watched films, and then there were 4 different activities set up around the school. We were helping out in the Karaoke. It was good fun and ended singing one of our favourite spanish songs with some of the girls from 3ro Medio. We did also get to have a bit of a look round the other activities before the end of school.

the lovely rose I was presented with for Mother's Day

After lunch, the official end of school on a Friday. We, along with all the other staff were swept into the Technology room where the administration staff had set up tables of biscuits, sandwiches, crisps and juice. We had a few speeches and then food and afterwards, each one of the female staff were presented with a rose and a present for Mother's Day! This even included us, even though we are nowhere near being mother's! I got given a lovely purse which has now replaced the grubby one I had previously. It's lovely how much the school appreciates it's female staff, this day and the International Women's Day celebrations we had a couple of months ago have really shown me that!

In the last few weeks I have also had friends round to make sopaipillas, attended a suprise birthday party (not mine) and then for the first time, I'm on my own in the house as my partner has gone to Chiloe for a long weekend, leaving me on my own. My friends have been amazing though and I have spent most of the weekend at their house anyway so I've been fed and not bored!

I'm very much looking forward to the next few weeks, my sister arrives this coming Friday to visit me for a week and I am VERY VERY excited about that! Bring on the adventures!

Hannah :)