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.