"Life doesn't always have a perfect plan"

Today was a crazy day in paradise. Segundo gave Andrew and I sole responsibility of both of his classes. I was not ready to teach two classes at once but it was a fun chaos. Segundo had to go practice his dance and music for the community festival on Friday. Andrew and I got the second graders off painting pictures of a boy and a girl. We taught them parts of the body today. The first graders had a workbook to go through. We constructed scarecrows out of paper and glued them in their books. I was covered in paint and glue in the first 5 minutes. We do not have paper towels or anything to wipe up their paint spills. I resorted to wiping the desks off with my hand - what's art without getting messy?

(What we have done thus far)

(Luis and Diana. Diana is the best at English and helps the others)

After class we went to recess and the boys took me on a walk. The boys told me that they wanted to go find Segundo and he went on a walk down this particular path. JOKES. Now, I did see Segundo go down this path in front of the school, but he went into a house to buy school supplies. So, we ended up going on a walk to nowhere basically, but the views were spectacular. I also downloaded an app that helped me ask the students questions on our walk.

(Path in front of the school)

(Boys will be boys)

We finally went back to the school and I realized Segundo was nowhere to be found. I was worried that I wasn't going to be able to workout this trip but trust me, the kids kick my butt. They have this thing where they want me to do bicep curls with the boys hanging off my arms. Holy crap they are heavy. This is the game that they always want to play... I don't get it but I'm gonna have some big arms by the end of the trip. LOL.

(Recess selfies)

(Yeah - this is my workout)

Rumi, took us on a walk through the community around the school. He gave a talk on Andean agriculture and then took us through the fields. My shoes are trashed but the memories and views were certainly worth it. We saw all the crops, how they cultivated them, and the animals that assist them. We headed back to Cuenca and had a grad student meeting. We worked on the final details of the program and class.

(The school children joined our walk)

(Rumi discussing agricultural methods)

(Mi perrito Carinoso)

(Sam and I taking a break)

(Best friends)

(Farm in the hills)

("baby shoe" flowers)

(Biffles)

We went shopping and I bought more stuff again. I don't know how I am going to get all this home. I went to the market to buy a pair of pants because I ripped my pants doing frog hops in gym class with  my students. Definitely my life. Nancy made a fantastic meal again! We had a Ecuadorian soup, rice, tomatoes, plantains, and seasoned pork.

Today we discussed how the teachers gave us complete freedom over their classrooms. I did not have have an issue with Segundo leaving but some of the students are not comfortable with the amount of time they are spending with the students without the professors. One of the teachers was sick and my friends were free to design the lesson plan. The school has limited resources so the students are used to being self-sufficient.

Rumi described to us that time is life and that they look at the past to learn in the present. He said that time doesn't matter at the Cordero school. As long as the students are engaged in their education and with others, they are learning. Some teachers plan, but it doesn't matter if they stick to the plans. Plans are not important. What is important is that we all are learning and growing from each other. Time is life - Life doesn't always have a perfect plan.