Was I being stared at because I could throw a baseball or because I was exclaiming loudly in English? I couldn't tell which, but it was very clear to me today during my trip the batting cages that Venezuelans are not used to seeing a girl who can throw like a boy. Thankfully, Ivan was around to keep my head from getting too big, but despite this forced humbleness, I had a glorious time today playing ball with Ivan, his dad and a few of his dad's friends from his baseball team. The weather was gorgeous and we spent out whole afternoon in a park, batting, drinking beer and throwing the ball around. We finished our lazy Sunday with prosciutto pizza, Caesar salad and watermelon for dinner and really, right this minute, I cannot tell you why I am still awake to write this blog, with such a good day and all this food under my belt. I guess I just feel pretty guilty, as I have been out of touch with the blogosphere since my return in January.
Right now, my excuse for my radio silence is that I am taking two online courses, along with my regular weekly Spanish lessons. My boss Kelly introduced me to Coursera, an outline course clearinghouse where you can take some really well run Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC's) for free. I am currently taking two on classroom management. Since I have been teaching regular classes all this year, I have learned that I have no freaking idea how to teach a course. From finding appropriate content, to classroom management to assessment, I am in the dark. And with good reason- I have never taken a teaching course in my life. It's amazing that this important skill is not addressed in counseling graduate school, but that is a whole other discussion for a whole other day. In the meantime, I am treading water as a teacher and I want to do MUCH better. So I am currently learning how to manage my class via online classes and last week, I was blessed to attend a training about the International Baccalaureate program in person at my school. At the training, I learned how to teach a Middle Years Program (MYP) course up to the standards of the IB program. It was an enlightening training, as it was the first time I had been exposed to pedagogy or criterion based assessment. I am getting dangerously close to writing the most boring blog of my career, so I will stop here and say that I am currently very happy with my professional development of late, though it has been interfering with my blogging and general free time.
Speaking of free time, I've also been missing my lazy hammock time, though Ivan and I did enjoy some quality Saturday afternoon hammock this weekend. My new personal life accomplishment has been that Ivan and I can fit into a one person hammock a) without falling out due to clumsiness b)without the hammock breaking c) without the hooks ripping out of the wall along with half of my neighbors balcony. I had to admit, Ivan and I have really been enjoying more of the Caracas daylife than night life of late. I am just so tired. I will regularly fall asleep at 9pm if close enough to a soft surface. And sleep for nine hours at a time, completely unmedicated. I can't remember the last time I slept this well in my life. I just feel so blessed, both to be sleeping better and for having a boyfriend that puts up with a girlfriend that prefers to spend her Saturday evenings sleeping. To be fair, during the day, we have quite a ball- recently we have done yoga, park strolling, pool partying, and tai chi. Technically, the tai chi was in the evening, and I didn't actually get to "do it" per se. What was supposed to be a regular practice actually, that particular day, was designated as a time for filming of a TV show about dance and martial arts. So while I did not get to have my first tai chi lesson, I am now going to be on a Venezuelan TV show doing tai chi....or pretending. I am the one in the back looking around because I have no idea what's going on. I expect nothing less from my Venezuelan television debut.
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