First Weeks of Teaching

Jesse and I began teaching classes a couple weeks ago. It´s going well and we´re enjoying it. Our students are at different levels, but they´re enthusiastic. (Last week, the theme of the lessons was elections. At one point, my whole class was chanting "Obama! Obama!") We´ve submitted a bunch of proposals for opportunities for the students to practice English outside of class. Hopefully they´ll be approved by the director of the school and we´ll be even busier soon.
The English track of the teacher training program has 3 classes of 30 students each. The students stay in one room and the teacher of each subject goes to them. Jesse is teaching Speaking Class and I am teaching Listening Class. Most of the students live on campus in a boarding house. They have a disciplined schedule of waking up at 4:30 to exercise, gathering to sing the national anthem at 6:45 before class, and filling assignments of work in the gardens after classes. Some of our students are in their late teens, many in their 20´s, and a few even older. Many have families of their own and are motivated, giving up a lot of time with their families to be here.
If anyone is interested in corresponding with one of our students, we have some motivated students who would be excited to correspond and practice their English. Send us an email to let us know if you would like to do that.
One of my favorite parts of Peace Corps so far is that I´m living in the community as a neighbor, not just a visitor. That´s why I love it when the kids stop by after school to kick the soccer ball with Jesse, when the neighbor´s baby toddles in the door to visit, or when when I can share dinner samples or cake recipes back and forth with my friend.