Andy’s Update from Bogota: Wednesday April 7

The first words out of the kids’ mouths at the wrap-up yesterday were:  “CANCEL THE TICKETS!”  They are having a great time.  Yesterday they participated in the filming of a dramatized version of The Diary of Anne Frank.  They played the roles of the Germans and Dutch police who arrested the Franks.  Not a glory filled role, but one that they played well and seriously.  Apparently, they are going to enter the film in a South American film festival for school age children.  Our kids could be famous!

Next we spent a couple of hours in Spanish. Another excellent session during which we practiced in groups with conversation about everyday life, worked on vocabulary related to the family and the house.  We wrapped up with skits.  I participated as well.  I had a great time.  However, I want to make special mention of Jenny and Kristin’s group.  They participated in a simulation of television broadcast interviewing two norteamericanas visiting Bogota.  Kristin and Jenny’s Spanish was very fluent and relaxed.  They were amazing.

We also had about an hour of project time that all the kids spent finishing research and collaborating.

We finished the day with an hour and a half of dance.  Yes, I danced (and danced, and danced).  There is no other choice in Colombia.  We had a great time.  CIEDI’s dance teacher is phenomenal.  We practiced the meringue, the salsa and the cumbia.

…all well this morning.  Kids are doing great….well, that may not be entirely true.  We are currently in math class learning trigonometry in Spanish….a topic I find singularly puzzling…more so in Spanish.  I see our kids taking notes….that at least is a good sign.  We’re moving to Spanish next.  We will be singing I’ve been told.  Another one of my least strong suits  :)

We also had an excellent presentation on the Andean Condor by a group of men directly involved in reintroduction efforts here in Colombia.  We really got into the importance of gaining the buy in from the local population, demonstrating economic benefits from reintroduction and the importance of battling long-standing myths surrounding the condor.  I took a ton of notes.  Another aspect of the presentation that was superb was the demonstrated “sharing” of resources between the San Diego Zoo and the wildlife biologists here in Colombia.

Finally, I included four pictures from Math.  Juan Paulo is the mathematics teacher.  The other three, random photographs are of our kids furiously taking notes.  Juan Paulo is doing a great job.  He and I coordinated before class to confirm that he would do it in Spanish.  I felt strongly that was the best COA especially since the language of mathematics is international.  Erik G. just leaned over and remarked how much he was understanding just because of that one basic fact.

My last update was during the middle of math when the kids were learning some basic trigonometry…all in Spanish.  From what I understand almost all of the kids were able to successfully do the practice problems at the end of the hour.  Both Claudia and Juan Paulo were circulating and helping.  It was great to see the Riverstone kids helping Colombians and vice versa.  I was so impressed.  They are incredible kids.  Their parents should be very, very proud.

During the hour before lunch Dora Liz introduced us to a song by Juanes which we all practiced for an hour.  It was a great exercise for working our fluency with different word combinations and to increase our confidence with the language.  I think they are going to perform it next week (get ready Katie….Dora Liz doesn’t speak English and she really wants us to learn Spanish)

Lunch was great.  A huge amount of food and a lot of conversation with the other teachers.

We wrapped up the day with a 8-11 assembly.  Our kids did a short powerpoint about Idaho and then they performed the Cotton Eyed Joe.  CIEDI then put on a super cool music presentation by the 8th and 9th students.  It turned into the best school dance of ALL TIME!!!  I was dragged out on the floor by the juniors and danced, and danced.

More tomorrow!
Andy Johnson