We hope you're having a good week! We had another great week on site! This group of students is so creative, insightful, and energetic they're giving us a run for our money! Before we get started, I wanted to leave a quick note--some of the students are having trouble accessing their emails and facebook pages because of the two-step verification (That's when you need to recieve a phonecall or a text message to prove its you). Some of them have been creative (creating new accounts), and some are stillstruggling. If you haven't heard from your student, it's not from lack of trying! The instructor team has been going crazy trying to figure out a way around this, but please be patient!
On Monday, we had the first official day of class! Students are taking grammar and culture with Odalys, and literature and linguistics with Daniel. This week in culture, students are learning vocabulary related to family as they discuss cultural differences between Mexican and American families with their host families as part of a Conexión Familiar (Family Connection). In grammar they've started their studies with description, working especially with the two "to be" verbs (which always cause problems!). In literature, after a brief introduction to what literature is and some basic tools to analyze it, we launched into interrpreting and creating microrrelatos, short stories (usually less than 100 words). In linguistics, we spent the week talking about human comunication, second language learning, and the difference between languages and dialects.
Here are some highlights from the week!
Los rojos (The red group) hard at work in literature class with Daniel, trying to define "literature"
What is literature?? Featuring, the daily schedule.
Los verdes (Green group) working on deciphering the microstories we worked with this week!
Is human communication unique? Some food for thought...
Working on pronunciation, feat. Daniel's expert art skills (it's a mouth!) and the Spanish vowel system
Los rojos, figuring out what grammar points they want to cover with Odalys.
Grammar is such a tricky subject to teach in the program--students come from all over Indiana with such a range of experiences and curriculums that it makes knowing what to cover difficult! Odalys opts for a student driven approach--her grammar book is a wide range of different topics, and students spent the first day going over the table of contents and and identifying new points (or points they want to review). Of course, as instructors, Odalys and Daniel have also been listening hard for where the students struggle to include it in the grammar class.
Los verdes, trying to define culture. Monday was a very philosophical day!
On Monday we also started our afternoon activities! This year, Odalys is leading the choir and dance group (think showchoir, but done in five weeks, in a second language). The students were quick to settle on songs. You can click the links below to listen to them on youtube! This week, they were working on memorizing the lyrics to Puebla and Robarte un beso.
Daniel is leading the theatre group this year. This year the students have settled on writing and performing original sketches about their time in Mérida, as well as a published text (if Daniel can find one!). To get warmed up, Malachi taught us a game called "Si me quieres" (if you love me). Students stood in a circle and one of them was in the middle. They approached their victim, and said (in some way) "Si me quieres, sonríe" (If you love me, smile). The other student had to respond (without smiling) "Te quiero pero no puedo sonreír." Here's a quick video of one Malachi's turn below:
This week in theatre, the students worked on writing two sketches (The consequences of sí and Confusing words), while Daniel worked on finding a text for them. Since we only have six students, it got a little hairy, but we have one! It's by a Mayan author, and talks about the first meeting of the Mayans and the Spanish. Hopefully they like it, we'll see Monday! Once it gets approved, I'll updoad the English translation!
The host moms have truly outdone themselves this year. They have a rotating schedule of activities for the students for their free time, and they've gone through and assigned themselves to days to accompany the students! This Tuesday, the students went to see Godzilla at the local movie theatres--it was all they'd talk about during class on Wednesday! We wish there was a way to communicate just how much the host families here care for and about their students! The host moms are basically full-time teachers, working overdrive! They were telling us this week that every day is Spanish class at home, with them constantly teaching new vocabulary, giving quizzes, and keeping them on the move! We think this is a good thing, though! While we were on excursion on Friday, the students were talking about active they've been, and we think it's been great for helping to counteract culture shock and homesickness! It's hard to miss home when your Mexican host mom has you constantly on the move!
Unfortunately, on Wednesday, our sports time got rained out. :( We just started the rainy season in the Yucatán, which is both good news and bad news. It's good news because the temperature gets down to the low 80s (it almost felt cold during the worst of the storm! ...almost...), but bad news because it makes sports difficult to do, and the mosquitos come out. We'll keep trying!
On Thursday, it was a roughlogistically. We had classes and afternoon activities like normal, and afterwards we were scheduled for our first visit to CECUNY, our community engagement activity. Unfortunately, at the last minute they had to do state-mandated evaluations (we all know how that goes...), so instead we went to the Centro de Bellas Artes (Center of Fine Arts). We were going to attend a workshop with some local students, and they were going to show us some of the art they were working on, which would have given the students time to interact with some yucatecos around their age. But just as the instructor team was arriving, a huge aguacero (downpour) started that lasted for nearly an hour. I use aguacero because downpour to me just doesn't have the same meaning--it rained so hard the streets flooded and the city basically shut down for two hours. Some of the host moms were late dropping their students off, and by the time we were all assembled, the teacher we were working with told us that only three students out of thirty had come to class. (In the US that would be unthinkable, but with the streets flooding, I have to say I get it.)
It doesn't seem that bad until you realize this was a covered courtyard.
So, instead, we got a short tour of a building that now acts as an office building but originally was a prison, and the students got to see an exhibition of art that students from different ages had produced. We have to admit, we were really impressed with the group on Thursday!! They are such a happy bunch, and any time they're together is a good time! They weren't remotely worried about the changes in plans, and had a great time hanging out with us and each other!!
While we were waiting, Odalys had a photoshoot with the students who got there early! If your student doesn't appear, never fear! It just means they were caught in the aguacero and wouldn't pose for pictures when they got there!
Hi, Odalys!
Emma wasn't about to let us get a candid shot.
Watching the rain.
This used to be a prison! Can you tell?
Explaining to the students that if they break the honor code end up here.
The pictures in this room were made by students from ages 7-8 to adults!
Art critics
"What do you think this one is?"
Sculptures, feat. Doña Fabiola
Waiting for our Mexican moms!
We're not really sure what this was, but it happened and Odalys got it on video.
On Friday, we had our excursion to Chichén Itzá and Izamal. We assemble in a small park up the street from the school.
Waiting...
All there!
In the bus! We won't catch Olivia sleeping!
Wish we could say the same about Daniel... tsk tsk
Chichén Itzá is one of the most visited archeological sites in Mexico. It has one of the most reconizable pyramids in the Yucatán (the background of our blog is a photo Daniel took in 2017). Tiem in Chichén Itzá included exploring the park and the students buying souvenirs from the different vendors. In sites like this, bargaining is crucial, and the students were so excited to share their successes. They quickly became pros--make sure you ask them about it!
This was Odaly's view! As our logistics coordinator, she usually takes the lead when we're on the move as a group.
This was Daniel's view! He keeps an eye on the back end and makes sure we don't lost anyone!
Here's a video giving an overview of Chichén Itzá!
Getting them into position is always a challenge.
"Do something funny!"
As happens in the Yucatán, we got rained out! It blew up out of nowhere and rained hard for about 15 minutes. Luckily it lowered the temperature by a lot!! It almost felt nice afterwards! (...almost...)
Well, that doesn't look good.
Post-storm group shot!
All of Equipo Mérida!
After Chichén Itzá, we went to Izamal. Izamal is known as the Pueblo Mágico (Magical Village). Izamal houses the fifth convent constructed in the Yucatán, which houses the second largest open air atrium, after the Vatican! Time in Izamal included lunch, exploring the convent of St. Anthony of Padua, and the two main plazas that were attached
Travel video of Izamal. Our own trip wasn't as sunny, but I think Izamal is just as beautiful in the rain!
Wide angle of the main square
The convent of St. Anthony
Inside the convent
Group photo in Izamal!
"¡Hola padres!"
Below are an assortment of pictures taken by the host mom's during the students' first week in Mérida. We'll try to include some every blog post. The Mérida host families are AMAZING, and they love this group, almost as much as we do!! The students filled out an evaluation of their host families during our first support and success groups on Tuesday, and the resounding, unanimous opinion was: Our host families rock!!
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