A Typical Day

Nothing is as you plan it and that is what makes living abroad both interesting and a challenge. I ended up working mega hours with the Teachers of English program. All teachers of English must pass four years of English before they can student teach. I taught one section of 32 third-year students. I also taught the writing to the other 58 third-year students. Blaine spent his time in research and teaching seminars on best known instructional practices. Looking back, I am not sure what we expected but it felt a whole lot like work - especially the grading.

Usually we were up by 7am and off to teach a class by 10am. The University was an easy 10 minute walk. We often walked it several times a day just to be able to come home for lunch or whatever. Everyone walks everywhere.Walking is the best part of Chile. The streets are always filled with people going about their business. It is not unusual to meet someone you know and spend some time chatting with them. Lunch is a "civilized" two hour break that often stretches to three hours for shopping or going about your personal business. The work day is generally over around 6 or 7 when we would go to the gym or shopping. Dinner is at the second civilized hour - around 8-9pm. Awfully late! We never did get used to the late dinners although I could live by the long lunches.

The best of all of this experience for me was my students. The first day I greeted them, they were timid, sotic, nervous. They had no advance notice they were getting a "foreigner" as a teacher. In reflection, I am amazed and privileged at how naturally they entrusted me with their education. We spent a lot of time interacting. They have informed me my student- centered teaching style is what confused them at first. But they relaxed and opened up. And I think, I hope, they learned a lot of good English and some different teaching practices. Take a look at them now. They are not a shy group now!