Quito, Ecuador

I´m sorry I haven´t written sooner, as promised, but computer time here is scarce. When I´m at school all I do are lesson plans and when I´m at the internet cafes I don´t have a lot of time.

I am in love with the Latino culture! I only wish I had more experience with the Spanish language. I have been trying to immerse myself as much as possible, e.g. going to an all Spanish speaking church, renting an apartment in a Spanish neighborhood, etc. The people are very warm and friendly. They have opened up their homes to me and Sonia and they have gone over and beyond to show us Ecuador.

The city of Quito is very large (close to 2 million) and there are some very lovely parts. The weather is constant in the upper 60´s and usually rains every day some time. We climbed close to the top of one of the mountains of Pichincha (an active volcano) and had a majestic view of the city one morning with a group of people. The altitude (over 9,000 ft.) gets us out of breath, but we continue to walk, walk, walk everywhere. I would recommend this place for people who want to gain stamina and lose weight!

The students are very respectful (I have second graders). They love the way I put drama into my teaching and they, in turn, are also very dramatic. So are the parents. I have never had so many people kiss me in my life as the day we had conferences. I loved it. On my birthday the students had a surprise party for me and served me every kind of fruit imaginable. Wow.

On our time off of school for Easter week we went to a town called Mindo where they have a world famous butterfly farm. We also went on a fabulous walk to see some gorgeous waterfalls (cascadas). The best part, however, was the zip-line tour over the canopy. Whew! We were harnessed onto a cable that stretched over the tops of trees and took us across vistas that were breathtaking. All for $10 U.S. For the second half of our vacation, we flew to the coast to a town called Manta. From there we took a 40-minute taxi ride and headed to a coastal town where we boarded a ferry that took us across a channel. We hopped in another taxi and 15 minutes later were in the resort town of Canoa where we stayed at a charming hostel,rested for three days, and stuffed ourselves with seafood.

Well, I have lots of pictures, too, that I would love to show to anyone who is interested. My intent, of course, is to make you just a little bit jealous. Hopefully you, too, can spend time in this wonderful part of the world someday!

Su Amiga,
Robyn

How to Be Perfectly Miserable

Some time ago I came across this simple list (author unknown) of how to be perfectly miserable. Thought I'd share it - not that any of it pertains to any of us, of course ...

1. Think about yourself
2. Talk about yourself
3. Use the personal pronoun "I" as often as possible in your
conversation
4. Mirror yourself continually in the opinion of others
5. Listen greedily to what people say about you
6. Insist on consideration and respect
7. Demand agreement with your own views on everything
8. Sulk if people are not grateful to you for favors shown them
9. Never forget a service you may have rendered
10. Expect to be appreciated
11. Be suspicious
12. Be sensitive to slights
13. Be jealous and envious
14. Never forget a criticism
15. Trust nobody but yourself

Can you think of anything to add?

Sausage Spinach Loaf

The following has been a VERY popular recipe which my family has enjoyed for many years. It is a great company dish and looks very pretty when sliced. Enjoy!

Sausage Spinach Loaf

350 degrees for 30-35 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed, and drained well (I squish it through a paper towel)
1 pound hot Italian sausage, fried, drained, and cooled
2 C shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg white, whipped with 2 t. water
Sesame seeds, dill weed, etc.

Roll out the bread dough until it forms a rectangle, not too thin. Place cheese on dough, leaving a one inch border. Spread sausage on top of cheese, then spinach on top of sausage. Roll up carefully and pinch edges together (may need to use a bit of that whipped egg white). Place on cookie sheet. Brush egg white mixture all over rolled loaf and sprinkle sesame seeds, etc. on top. Bake until golden brown. Let stand for five minutes before slicing and serving (I use a good bread knife).

What Time Is It?

My students are sweet, but they aren't always focused on what we, as a class, are doing at present. Friday we talked about how there is a time for everything - a time to listen, a time to clean up, etc.

I came up with a little poem that I'm going to teach the class this coming week. I actually got the idea from a wise man who wrote a different poem many years ago; I'll post his words at the end of this blog. I've called my poem, "What Time is It"?

What Time Is It?

A time to listen
And a time to speak

A time to work
And a time to eat

A time to rest
And a time to play

A time to give thanks
For a wonderful day

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Now for the poem from Ecclesiastes (3:1-8, NASB):

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven--

A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up.

A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance.

A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.

A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away.

A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak.

A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace.

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Do you have any classroom management techniques you would like to share?

The Manna Principle

I've been recently challenged when reading through my One Year Bible. The other day I was thinking about how anxious, frustrated, and helpless I can be. I realized that as a Chrisitan I have access to God the Father's provision in the same way Jesus did. God showed me that I did not need to worry about the future - that when each day presents its own troubles, I can call on Him, and He will give me the grace I need for each situation (just as He provided daily manna for the wanderers in Exodus).

If the people of Israel tried to collect more than a day's worth of food (i.e. when they thought they might not get enough), the extra portion of manna would become full of maggots. What a creepy thought! So, I've decided that I want to live by what I'm calling "The Manna Principle." I want to learn to enjoy the privileges of being a child of God through my daily reliance on Him.

Travel Bug

One of things I love to do is travel. Once a person has caught the travel bug, there really isn't a cure. I've added the Currency Converter link to my blogspot for recent immigrants, temporary residents, and those of us who want to compare the US $ with other currency.

I like to joke that one of my travel goals is to visit all of the "I" countries I can. I've got a small start: Iceland, Israel, and the Ivory Coast of Africa. I would really love to experience Ireland, India, and Indonesia. How about you? I love travel stories; if you would have one, please tell me about it under the "comment" section of this blog.

Days of Discovery

I've been working with a teacher at Discovery Elementary in Waite Park, MN. We have a wonderful, eager group of students. I am very blessed to be a part of the action, but also very exhausted! Elementary teachers have to be very strong and resourceful. This is an example of where "persistence" comes in handy.

I know I'm exactly where I should be, and I am determined to make the best use of my days at Discovery. I am looking forward to learning from each student. (They've already tried to teach me the words for "cat" and "dog" in Spanish, Somali, Korean, and Vietnamese!)