I'm so thankful for the group. Jan (my academic advisor and the faculty member leading the trip) and her husband Rod are doing a great job as leaders. The students are a wonderful bunch. They have really committed themselves to a challenging first week and have bonded well. We are also blessed with some fantastic Brazilian contacts (through Jan) on the ground who have been the driving force behind the trip.
We spent Tuesday at a prestigious high school, participating in two chapels and spending every break with students of various ages. Kids in Brazil either go to school in the morning or the afternoon, so we had two different groups of students that we interacted with. Once they got over their shyness, an incredible mass of Brazilians huddled around each of us, hoping to talk to the "norte americanos". Normally, one or two of the kids in the group spoke English pretty well and would translate for their friends. Before too long, we realized that EVERYONE in Brazil knows at least one word in English: selfie! Almost every student wanted to take a self portrait with us! :) Then of course, we also needed group pictures and on it went...This was repeated at the next two schools on Wednesday and Thursday and Friday morning.
Tuesday afternoon was spent at an orphanage. One of the teachers, who has been planning our trip, is currently teaching a "community service" class. He takes students from this upper class high school on a weekly basis to this orphanage to serve the kids there. It is really cool to see the way these high school students jump right into help. I think their teacher is a great role model for them. The picture below is of Joyce and me after an afternoon of face-painting. Joyce is a high school student who speaks English very well and has a very sweet personality. I've enjoyed getting to know her.
We all have been getting mass requests to be friends on facebook with the students! I have added over 100 new friends on facebook since getting to Brazil! At this point, I think it is easier to add everyone.
Starting on Wednesday, we became the teachers. We decided on pairs before leaving the USA and were supposed to prepare two lessons that we could teach that were adaptable to a variety of ages and levels. This is quite a challenge for the MC students, none of whom are English education majors. (Thanks to this trip, a number of them have talked about declaring a TESOL minor though!) Due to Jan's busy schedule, I worked with the students to help them refine their lessons. Everyone was a little anxious on Wednesday morning.
All went well! We got used to the siren of a bell (seriously, their bell at the end of class sounds like an air raid warning) and the fact that everyone would mob us at the breaks between classes. Each pair taught at least one lesson in the morning and one in the afternoon, in addition to assisting in two other classes and doing a large group lesson with Jan. My partner Sara and I taught a lesson on body parts, using Simon (Sara!) Says, the song Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes, and the song Father Abraham. We had a great time.
Friday, we returned to the same high school, this time to teach English rather than do the chapel. It was so much fun to see some of the same kids again. However, by this point, I had hardly any voice left!
Friday afternoon, we rushed home, packed frantically, and left for a camp outside of the city. Jan's father built the camp and it has continued to be used for church camps. This weekend was for youth, which in Brazil seems to mean anyone 15 and older who is still single. I'll have to write more about the camp later! :)
