Short Stories

Armpit Hair

I am just going to come out and say it, men here shave their armpits (I think it is more aerodynamic when fighting).  Now with that in mind, my first short involves my least  cooperative co-teacher asking me to do something for her....again.  I agree because I heard something about taking the kids to the beach to have Phys Ed.  I quickly go back home change cloths (tank top and shorts) and then take the 4th grade class down to play some beach soccer.  As we are about to get started I feel a pull on my armpit hair and look down to my left to see one of my girl students who does not even come up to my chest looking up at me.  She then says, “pelo” or hair for all of you English speakers out there.  Her eyes are wide open as she if she has never seen armpit hair before, but than again maybe she hadn’t (see first sentence).  Although very cute I learned my lesson and will no longer be wearing tank tops to teach PE again.

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Bordering on SWAG

At one of the schools I work at the rooms are separated by a thin layer of drywall and there are no doors so technically, and too often, students can leave the classroom and come watch what is going on in the MYSTERIOUS ENGLISH CLASS.  This is both really distracting for the students and for their teacher that has ADHD, me.  One day I see a fifth grader walking up to the class room with an air of confidence.   He got real close to me and said 21, 22, 23 and walked away.  That was all......He just felt like leaving his class to share that he knew a few numbers in the twenties.  This kind of stuff happens all the time, the kids just want to show you they ‘know’ English!  

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Profe Sandwich 

In one of my secondary projects, teaching English to a women’s empowerment group, the word got out that I didn’t know how to dance Champeta (very popular music in La Boquilla).  So one woman pulled out a cell phone and put on some music and then four others stood up and attempted to teach me the basic steps.....How truly Colombian!  Before I could even ask what I was supposed to do, I found myself sandwiched between two of the women.  So in the span of five minutes I went from speaking English to being sandwiched between two of my students while the rest chanted ‘Profe, Profe, Profe.‘  Again only in Colombia!   

Sorry for the lack of pictures, but I am still looking for a place where I can fix my camera.

CARNAVAL 2012, a Blur of a Weekend

Part of the group

“IM BACK!” I shouted in Spanish as I arrived at the bared in porch of my old family’s house in Barranquilla.  A minute later I was greeted by my old host uncle who looked really confused.  I guess my old host mom did not relay the message that I was coming back for Carnaval to all nine members of the family.  After a minute of a fairly awkward explanation of what I was doing at their house and the fact that I would be staying there for the next three days, it felt like I never left.  

Blackface/body costume (not considered racist here)

The reason I went to Barranquilla was to enjoy the second biggest Carnaval (Rio de Janeiro is home to the biggest) in the world.  If you are not sure of what Carnaval is just think of the party atmosphere and costumes of Mardi Gras with a Latin twist (i.e. great dancing, lost of body paint, and general anarchy).  Ever since I got the invitation to serve in Colombia and started doing research about the costal region, Barranquilla’s Carnaval began popping up everywhere on the internet.  It is in fact so important to the country that in 2003, UNESCO declared Baranquilla’s Carnaval to be a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.  Based on that information alone, I can not even begin to do justice to that weekend by explaining it in written word, but here goes nothing.

   This UNESCO masterpiece went far above and beyond anything that I could have ever imagined and ended up with me returning to the house at around 4am every night!  The first night we went to a live cumbia concert in a packed dirt lot.  It was there that I learned that at Carnaval it is tradition to get flower thrown in your face (look right) and get sprayed with foam out of huge ‘silly string’ canisters by complete strangers.  

The second day we went to the opening parade, la batalla de flores, where there were ornate floats and tons of dancers.  Also it was there that my camera ran out of batteries and I realized that I had left my charger at home.  However it turns out that it would not have mattered anyway because I am now at home and my camera is not taking a charge.  I think something is wrong with the battery.  So it may be a while before I can post any new pictures :( 

As I could literally write a book about this amazing experience, I will spare you all and describe the rest of the weekend in 10 words: sweat, loud music, dancing, friends, no sleep, street food, and beer (and does not count as a word)  

First Few Weeks of School

Part of a class (about 30 some-odd students in each class)

The Peace Corps recommended a 4-6 week observation period where we could familiarize ourselves with the teachers, students, and classroom dynamics.  However, my experience working in the elementary schools, Madre Bernarda and San Juan, in La Boquilla has been a bit different.  I believe the vast majority of other volunteers are entering schools with ‘established‘ english departments or at least English teachers, but my schools don’t have any of the above so that meant that when the teachers wanted to start teaching English the first day of school it took a lot of convincing to even work my way into one week of observation.  

During this week I learned that the elementary students of La Boquilla are really cute, love to fight, and eat tons of junk food.  As for the teachers, they all have varying levels of English.  There is one that I can hold basic conversations with, she also brings me fruit on Tuesdays!, and then the others that...... well know some words in English.  The hardest aspect by far for both students is teaching pronunciation.  There was one day where I was practicing English with a teacher and for the life of me could not get her to pronounce the T in PUT and she kept saying the word pu-CH.  She later changed the topic to “Beeeeer and Daaaancing” so all ended well.

So after a few weeks I now kinda have a “schedule” and it looks like this:

Monday, San Juan:  Co-teach from 10-11 (4th Grade), plan and practice English from 11-12, Lunch and Break, co-teach from 4-5 (5th Grade), plan and practice English from 5-6

Tuesday, Madre Bernarda:  Co-teach from 10-12 (4th Grade), plan and practice English from 12-1, lunch and break, co-teach/plan from 2:45-5 (4th Grade)

Wednesday, Madre Bernarda:  Co-teach 7:50-8:50 (3rd Grade), lunch and break, co-teach from 2:45-5:00 (4th Grade), Community class in Tierra Baja, an even smaller and poorer town 5 minutes away, from 6-8

Thursday, San Juan: Co-teach 7:00-8:00 (4th Grade), Break and lunch, co-teach from 4-5 (5th Grade), plan and practice English 5-6

Friday:  Community Outreach with an organization called: Formación Humana para Ensenar al Servicios (or FHES), a girls/women’s empowerment group that teaches girls/woman skills to make them more attractive for job opportunities 2:30-4:30.  Also I hope to set up a conversation club at the HS.

And if you are familiar with life on the Colombian coast then you will know that this is only a rough outline and that being said many days I stray from this schedule in all sorts of ways.  So what I am saying is that it is very important to be flexible at all times and sometimes no expectations can be better than high expectations!!!  

Kid with a cast getting after it

Memorable class activity:  On Valentine’s Day we made bilingual heart shaped cards on construction paper.  The kids loved this art project and were all so proud of their work.

Some student work

More student work

Lasting Memory:  So one day when I was walking out of school, Madre Bernarda, I hear a teacher saying, “inside the butt-crack” (in Spanish obviously).  I then pass the teacher on the school patio to find she is with a little preschooler who is cleaning herself off because she just pooped her pants.  The adventures never stop here in the elementary schools of La Boquilla.


New Feature:  So I love music and am almost always listening as I am writing these posts.  So my new idea is to post a song that I was listening to as I was writing.  This post: tUnE-yArDs: Gangsta

The Most Watched Sporting Event in the World?

The Superbowl may be the most watched sporting event in the world, but I can now tell you that the people of Cartagena are not helping with that number.  Not only did I have a softball game scheduled during the same time as the game, but when talking to people about the upcoming game I got a lot of blank stares.  I did talk to one local cab driver, who I am proud to call my friend, who actually was actually enthusiastically talking about watching the game and claiming he was a big fan of the Patriots.  He did however later ask me who was playing in the game and when I responded, “the Giants and the Patriots,” he was very surprised to find out that his ‘favorite team‘ was playing.  So I learned from this short chat that in order to be considered a huge fan of a football team here in La Boquilla all you have to do is actually know the name of a team.

I on the other hand left my softball game early due to a “reunion I had with other volunteers” and caught a bus to a bar.  This bar was conveniently located in a mall and even served more than the typical three beers of the coast: Aguila, Club Colombia, and Costeñitas.  I was running a bit late because of the softball game, but nonetheless  welcomed by the whole Cartagena crew.  Together we caught up on how our first week of school was and tried to pay attention to the game.  The next day my friend, the ‘Patriots fan,’ asked me who won the game.  When I responded the Giants he appeared upset, but really how upset can you be when you chose to watch, La Mariposa, a telenovela over your favorite team play in the most watched sporting event in the world. 

Observation:  I am sure that the big companies are not dishing out 1 million plus for commercial spots for the Superbowl here in Colombia as the commercials were just everyday boring commercials.  Were there any good commercials I need to YouTube and which company had the best this year?  

Also don’t forget that if there is anything you want to know about my life or La Boquilla/Cartagena just shoot me an email or comment on the blog and I will be sure to include the topic in my next post.   

Well I guess I am batting 7th

The field

 Well I guess I am batting 7th

Cleanup hitter 

Some of the team hanging out between innings

Diabetes Festival 2012

What I mean by this is this past weekend was Cartagena’s annual fried food festival.  So six of us Cartagena volunteers met up and attended this greasy holly grail.  The set up was some 30 odd food stands lining the right and left sides of the grounds, which resembled what would essentially be a narrower version of an American football field. Sticking with the football analogy at one of the end-zones was a stage that held Cumbia bands that played all night long.  The crowds were packed at all of the food stands and there was not too much dancing, as the majority of the people I imagine were either too bloated or in food comas.  I fit into both of those categories.  This event however was not exactly what I expected.  

I was hoping for a wide variety of fried greatness, but instead found that all the stands had the exact same options:  empanadas, yucca  balls, arepas, and a few other options.  This was because the festival is actually a competition and to even be privileged with having a stand inside the grounds, your food stand must be first tested and then asked to partake in the festival.  So as it was the final night there was a winner announced, but we did not stay long enough to hear who won this years first prize, which I can only assume was a trophy adorn with gold platted insulin.  All in all it was great food and there is a 100% chance I will be returning next year to eat my share of greasy goodness once again.      

Los Caribes vs Los Playeros

While casually drinking beers, a La Boquilla past time, and meeting my host ‘Fathers’ family and some friends for the first time, I met a man named Vidal.  We began chatting and one thing lead to another and the next thing I know I am the newest member of Los Caribes, A mens Softball team that plays in the local La Boquilla League.  I was extremely surprised to find out how well organized the league is as there are two umpires, a set schedule, and even uniforms.  We had a scrimmage on Saturday and I got put in as the starting Right fielder, but did not receive one ball hit in my direction the entire game. 

Game Recap:  Los Caribes are an interesting mix of players that include people over the age of 40 and younger than myself, but the most interesting player is the cleanup hitter, Angel.  He plays catcher, has about five braces brackets not connected by any wire, and wears a fanny pack.  However, don’t let that description lead you to believe that the team is not competitive because when walking on to the ALL SAND field the game faces are on and the baseball banter begins.  Which brings me to my next point, I really need to learn some Spanish baseball banter!  So as a recap I went 1-3 with an RBI and didn’t really do anything too impressive.  However, that did not stop me from gaining a cheering section that chanted Gringo every time I stepped up to bat and ran out to the field, most of them teen girls who have never seen such a spectacle as a gringo playing softball before.  I have never felt so much like Justin Beiber. 

Until next time, 

#20 Gringo