New Adventures

Hello from Mexico! I hope all is well for everyone back in the states. It is nice here in Mexico and I am having a lot of fun! Here are a few highlights:

Food

I love the food here. The food is very fresh and prepared when your place your order. There are a few fast food restaurants but if you want to eat when you're on the run, you can find all sorts of food trucks and posts along the way. Going to the grocery store or Walmart (yes, they have those here) is usually quite an experience, trying to find the products that I used at home and seeing new fruits or vegetables for the first time. I tried jicama yesterday. I have been trying to find some good adjectives to describe it but it is difficult. Let’s just say, it has a grainy feel to it like a pear, is kind of watery like a watermelon, and the taste... I can't quite find the right comparison. Some people think it's sweet.

I have to admit I've spent a lot of time in the ice cream store across the street from me. It's not cold here, but there are so many new flavors and tastes here that I can't wait to try them all!

Traffic and Transportation

Traffic here is a bit loco. If you go in taxi everywhere, it can also get a bit expensive. If you have time, take one of the public transportation options; bus, van, or metro subway train. They are plentiful in most all areas and you can get where you need to be fast and cheap. Speaking of fast, everyone drives like they are on fire here. If you're walking, make sure to look twice when crossing the street.

Driving is another option, but be aware that some days, you won’t be able to drive your car. In an attempt to cut down of air pollution there is at least once a week, depending on the numbers and letters on your license plate, that you can’t drive. Risking breaking these rules can lead to having your car impounded and a pretty heavy traffic ticket.

Walking is a great option within your neighborhood. Most neighborhoods have everything you need within a mile of your house, so you can easily access grocery stores, movie theaters, banks, malls etc. within walking distance.

Weather

The weather where I am located in Mexico (Chiluca, Estado de Mexico) is very mild. I am in the mountains/hills that surround the valley of Mexico City and the air is dry and cool. The high this week has been about 72 and the low about 57. It can be chilly in the morning and late at night, and most of the ladies here are in fall fashion. It is sunny almost every day, but rains in the late afternoon/early evening. That's perfect if you like to enjoy a warm cup of tea or coffee after dinner and listen to the rain.

Entertainment

There are lots to do in and around Mexico City. There are lots of great fancy restaurants of all types that you can visit and try some local and/or exotic cuisine. There are HUGE movie theaters with VIP seating, meaning you have a huge leather recliner to sit and your own side tables where you can order from a menu and have a waiter serve you during your movie. A general admission ticket is about $4. The VIP are a little more expensive, about $10, but that's not bad compared to US movie prices.

There are skate rinks, parks, arcades, horseback riding, rock climbing, fishing, malls, places to dance, and tons of museums and art galleries. There are also several the historically sites to visit, like the Aztec and Mayan ruins. In Xochimilco, an area in the south east of the city, you can ancient take boat rides down the ancient canals left over from the time of the Aztec when Mexico City (Tenochtitlan) was built in the center of a lake. Lots of people have parties there. There are a lot of town festivals and celebrations throughout the year so you always have events you can attend. If you like sports- particularly soccer, these is a huge stadium (Estadio Azteca) in Mexico city where all the professional teams go to play. It seats over a million people, so it's perfect if you like to cheer with tons of fans! I am sure there is much more to do around here, but I am just getting acquainted with my surroundings.

Stay cool friends in the Memphis heat and muchos abrazos from Mexico!

¡Adios y vive tus sueños!

Estudiantes,

This has been an AMAZING year for Spanish at CMDS and I am going to miss all of my students, pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. Teaching every student in the school was a big challenge, but also the greatest priveledge. You are each a treasure to me and I can't wait to hear about your future endeavors and accomplishments. I will keep this blog open to post journals, videos and pics from Mexico, so you can still comment and let me know how you are doing!


The Spanish Spirit Award
I want to give this award to 3rd-6th grade students because learning a foreign language is about more than just getting a good grade in the subject. It is possible to get straight A's in Spanish, yet walk away only remembering a few words or phrases and never really using it in your daily life. What makes the difference is spirit. I would not have earned the Spanish Achievement Award in high school because I didn't have the highest average; I had to study hard and learn to use my dictionary quickly and I made a lot of mistakes in Spanish. However, I was constantly practicing speaking Spanish with my friends outside of class, I attended Spanish church services to listen and observe more of the language and culture, read books and poems in Spanish and listened to Spanish music. It became my dream to live in a spanish speaking country and to one day speak Spanish very well.


As you continue in Spanish or whichever foreign language you choose in the future, don't be afraid to make mistakes.  Dive right in, start speaking, writing and performing in your new language. The good thing about mistakes is that they can help you to learn-- and can be funny as well. Imagine asking for "sopa" instead of "jabón" in a grocery store, or "jabón" instead of "jamón" at a restaurant!  Ay ay ay... Don't let mistakes stop you; just keep right on going. Also, if you get the chance, IMMERSE YOURSELF! That is the single most important key to learning and understanding a foreign language and culture. You won't regret it.


Goodbye, chicos and chicas, and remember to live your dreams!

-Señorita B

Fifth Grading: Listening Exercise #1

Fifth Graders


Below is a link to a conversation by a native spanish speaker. She is describing what she likes to do. Please listen to the link at least three times and take notes on what she is saying. Then, write a comment on this post, stating what you gathered about her from the video.


Practice listening


Deadline to post: April 13th. 

En el resturante

Sixth Grade Students:


Imagine that you are going out to eat for dinner in a spanish speaking country. You will need to order from the menu solamente en español. List what items you would order for an appetizer(los aperetivos), main course(plato principal) and dessert(postre). Don't forget to include a beverage (las bebidas) as well. Use as many descriptions as possible. Use the verb preferir- to prefer to write complete sentences.


For example:
Plato principal: Yo prefiero pollo y una ensalada.


Deadline to post: April 13th, 2012

Fifth Grade Students: Gustar

Fifth Graders, 


Use the verb gustar to share what you like and dislike with the class. Remember to use "gusta" with singular nouns and verbs, and "gustan"with plural nouns. Write at least two sentences, stating at least one thing you like and one that you dislike. 


Deadline to post is April 4th.

Learning with a Global Perspective

Fifth and Sixth Graders: Global Citizens

You are not just a Memphian, an American, or a member of a specific ethnic group.You are a part of a global community. As learners, you are developing skills to participate as global citizens. Take some time to read over the quotes and statements written below and comment in your own words, stating what it means to be a global citizen and what are some ways that you can begin thinking globally/internationally today. 

"No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main"

- John Donne 

A Global Citizen is someone who:

* Is aware of the wider world and has a sense of their own role as a world citizen

* Respects and values diversity

* Participates and contributes to the community on a range of levels

* Challenges social injustice

* Works to make the world a more equal and sustainable place 

* Takes responsibility for their actions 

Deadline to post is March 9th

Sixth Grade: ¿Que lleva Pippi?

Sixth Graders: Leave a comment describing what Pippi is wearing in Spanish. Remember to use the verb llevar and colors! Deadline to post: February 27th.