The Sweaty Days at San Pedro High

The past four days have been some of the hottest days in my entire life, maybe even hotter than hiking up the Grand Canyon!

Saturday, the high school had an Intramural Track and Field meet. The school is divided into ‘houses’ with students assigned to each group. Throughout the year students within the school compete with one another to score points for their house. All of the student teachers at the high school got up early and went to work at the meet. Although we were asked to be there promptly at 8:00 nobody actually started showing up until 9:30. (It’s called Belize time). The meet was held at a local park and one of the teachers came the day before and pained lines on the dirt field. Some of the students that came were amazing athletes! Many of them are going this weekend to compete for the school in the national competition. I talked to a few kids who went last year, but aren’t going this year because they simply can’t afford it. I was also amazed at the number of students that were running without shoes or socks because they didn’t have running shoes. The biggest difference between students here and at home is that they aren’t upset about what they don’t have. If they don’t have shoes for the race, it doesn’t matter and they will run just as fast as the kids who have them. What amazed me the most was that many of the students ran 6-7 races that day, and although they were exhausted they kept competing for their house. The track meet was the beginning of the heat, and I don’t think I have fully cooled off since then. We spent about five hours out in the sun that day and I drank about a gallon of water due to the heat. All of us that volunteered now have beautiful tank top tan lines to prove it! :)

After the track meet we biked about 3 miles to get a place called Palapa bar. It is a restaurant out on the water with inner tubes and a beautiful deck to relax at. I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see the ocean as I was when we got there! They had a chicken burrito lunch planned for us and watermelon juice. Watermelon juice is amazing! It tastes like watermelon in a glass because, basically it is! The area was also having an outbreak of Pica pica’s, which are little tiny jellyfish that make you itch when they touch you. Luckily, I didn’t get stung.

 

Sunday was also an exciting day, but a little bit less hot because I spent the morning diving! The surf has gotten stronger and created a surge underwater, which has made visibility a little murky. Nonetheless, I had two great dives and say rays, morays and nurse sharks. 

The classroom of 1G at San Pedro High!

The past two days I have been teaching at San Pedro High and I haven’t stopped sweating the entire time! You know it is hot when all of the local teachers are complaining about how sweltering it is. The average daily temperature for this time of year is a comfortable 82F, however, the last two days have been 91F, with the heat index making it feel like 110! The classrooms are like sweat boxes, since there is little breeze and the fan’s that the students have in their rooms can’t keep up with the heat. Today, I even sweated through my shirt that is supposed to be sweat proof! As I was writing this blog, one of the teachers came up to fill his water bottle and said, "Water is like gold!"

Hopefully it will start to cool down soon, but if not at least there is an ocean out my window! 

Until next time,

AAA

Chicken Drop and Chow

    One of the biggest differences between here and the USA is lunchtime. Instead of having a cafeteria where all of the students go for lunch there is a cantina on the edge of campus where they serve one food. There’s also a Chinese restaurant, convince store, and a street vendor that the students can eat. They stand at the concrete fence at the edge of campus and yell their orders over the fence.

Best Pupusaria!

    Speaking of food, I’ve eaten some phenomenal food here already! The first day at school I ate at the cantina, chicken, rice and beans. I’ve since eaten donuts at the convince store, and chicken chow mien, fried chicken fingers, and chicken burgers at the Chinese restaurant. My overall favorite meal is pupusas! It’s basically two pancakes filled with your choice of meat, beans, cheese and vegetables. The place we go to get them has the best banana smoothies, and I can spend seven dollars and have an entire meal! It’s fantastic! Another fantastic meal I’ve had is shrimp nachos at a place called Hurricanes that is sitting on the water.

Hurricanes

Last night a few of us went to a Chicken Drop out on the beach. Yes, you read that right, a chicken drop! Its basically where they have a board filled with numbers. You pay a dollar and get a ticket for the drop. They then take a chicken, spin it in a circle three times, hold it up and down three times and then blow on its butt. Afterwards, you basically wait for the chicken to poop, and whatever number it poops on, that person wins $100! A few of the chickens didn’t need to go, so they brought out backup chickens. When three chickens wouldn’t go they brought out a rooster. I can honestly say that I never thought I’d pay to watch a chicken poop, but life surprises you sometimes.

Hope you have a wonderful Friday,

Until next time,
AAA

Classroom Comparison.....

All of the lab supplies at the school.

    Check it out! We're in the newspaper! 
Monday we started teaching at the schools! I observed all day Monday and Tuesday and then started teaching some on Wednesday! San Pedro High School is very different from Topsail High School! I guess the easiest way to explain the school in Belize is to describe a typical day in the life of a teacher. Actually, describing a ‘typical’ day isn’t very easy. Each morning the teachers’ shows up and go to their desk in the ‘teachers lounge’. That’s basically where the teachers go in between classes and spend all of their planning time. (This is about the point in the day when I start sweating because 97% of the school does not have ac). The teachers’ lounge really creates a feeling of community of between colleagues, because all of the teachers see each other throughout the day unlike in US schools where you only see the teachers that are on your wing of the school. Once the bell rings the teachers go to their homeroom class and take roll before proceeding to their first period. This is where you notice a drastic difference between US schools and Belizean Schools… Teachers move around, not students! Students are divided into classes based on their grade level. They stay in those classrooms all day and their teachers come to them. Each classroom consists of between 30-40 students, a chalk board and desks. I actually wrote for the first time on a chalkboard on Wednesday! Everywhere you see desks. The only time that the students leave this room is if they have a computer class or a lab. There is one lab for the entire school, so it is very hard to get time in the lab. In the morning students have three classes, followed by a ten minute break, two more classes, a 35 minute lunch, and three more classes in the afternoon. Their schedule changes daily by week, therefore classes on Monday are always the same, but they change on Tuesday. This schedule really keeps it interesting.

      Generally, students in Belize act very differently than students in America. Students are used to a lot more direct instruction, copying notes from the board, and a lot more homework. I thought I was very laid back as a teacher in the USA, but I’ve learned during my time in Belize that I am not. It is not uncommon here to have students getting up, moving desks, or talking during class. At first I thought it was strange, and wanted to yell at them in class to quiet down. But I’ve since realized it’s a cultural difference. Students here are naturally louder. When they want your attention they yell ‘Miss! Miss!’ When they have questions, or concerns in class they speak up, and voice their opinions. Some of that might have to do with the fact that the same students are in the same room with one another throughout the entire day everyday! It’s going to take me some getting used to the roar of the classroom while teaching, however, I love the fact that the students are so willing to speak up and provide opinions.

     Classes are organized very differently here. For example, soil profiles and types are covered in biology, radioactivity and electrons are covered in physics. While the subject that concepts are placed in is different most of what we teach is similar. I will be teaching an integrated science class for first year students, which is basically like a mix of science from different content areas. They cover some biology, chemistry and earth science. Right now they are learning about nutrition, so I taught a lesson on vitamins. The other class that I will be teaching is a Biology class. Right now they are learning about different ways of collecting population data. Today we spent three hours outside creating line transects of the shoreline. They by far have the BEST natural environment for teaching a biology class. Literally, we walked outside with our materials to the beach to collect our sample data!

Time to go play a round of volleyball with the San Pedro High School Men’s national champs!

Until next time,

AAA

Right Foot in the ocean; North, Left food in the ocean: South

Hope you all had a great St. Patricks Day! Thursday we explored the town a lot more! We walked around, and found out where all the good restaurants and our schools were at. This island is unique because 50 percent of the population is under the age of eighteen. We think a lot of schools in North Carolina have a large amount of growth, however, the growth of the island is remarkable. We were only able to have a quick meeting with the schools, and then we came and found a local bakery . We spend a couple of hours at the beach before our meeting that afternoon. I went snorkeling at the end of the Ramon’s Pier and saw my first lion fish of the trip L I talked to the dive shop there and they said that they have began killing them when they see them and that the government has passed a law allowing the spear fishing of lion fish. That night we had a meeting as a group to talk about our plans for the trip and after wards I went with Jessie and Katy to a local stand and had stewed chicken, rice and beans for dinner. Because it was St. Patrick's day that night we went and listened to local music at the place we were staying. It was funny because about half of the ‘local’ music was actually American songs. Friday all of the Interns who were going to teach at San Pedro High School met and stopped at the bakery on the way to school. You can get delicious pastries for about 35 cents US! After we stopped at the bakery the school was only a few blocks away. 

This is the view from right outside the high school. The wall on the left is the school grounds.

 

San Pedro was having what they called ‘open day’ which was the perfect first day. It is basically where they showcase all of their projects that they have created throughout the semester. The highschool is home to about 450 students, typically having between 30 and 45 students in each class (which is actually very large for a high school in Belize). The students are divided into three ‘forms’, first, second, third, and fourth. The students all wear white uniforms with the school badge on them, and the girls wear a scarf to denote what form they are in. Open day at the school was very exciting! It really showed us how involved the students are in what they are learning! Basically, you walk around the classrooms and the students present their projects. There were different rooms, such as Science, Social Studies, Business, English , Spanish and Math. I thought it was great that they teach so bilingually, having both Spanish and English classes in school. Some of the students actually did their projects on the lionfish invasion, and there was a plethora of very interesting science experiments! I also found it interesting that the students learn about plate tectonics and religion in their social studies class. They don’t just teach Roman Catholic, which is the dominant religion in the area, but all religions. After the open day was over we went and had quesadillas at a place on the beach, right next to the school before a quick trip to the beach. Friday night we had a large group meeting and then dinner at a place called the Reef. I had snapper for dinner and it was so good! 

The high school Auditorium.

Today Casey, Katy and I got up and went diving early with Amigos Dive Shop. We went to two sites, one called Victoria’s Canyon, and the other was Mermaids Ledge. They were both great dives, filled with nurse sharks, free swimming morays, angelfish, trunkfish, puffers and a turtle. The DM actually fed the sharks and they were so used to the human interaction that he held them and played with them like a guitar. While it was really cool, I didn’t like the fact that they were so used to the human interaction. 

San Pedro High. The science labs are on the 3rd floor.

Students presenting their project on lion fish. The picture on the right is the view of open day at the school.

I can’t wait to start school and meet my teacher on Monday morning!

Until next time,

AAA

At last...

We have arrived safe and sound in Belize! I think today was one of the best travel days I have had in a long time, despite the early flight. I got up this morning at 4am and took a flight from RDU to Miami, in first class! My mom and step-dad gave me my flights for graduation, and first class was all that was available. :) I’m not complaining. I also didn’t get chosen for a security checkpoint a single time today, which with my record is a miracle. Then I had a three hour layover in Miami until I left for Belize City, another first class flight. I had forgotten that I had been to the small Belize City airport before, but I quickly recognized the Caribbean palm trees, old airplanes and single runway. As soon as I stepped off the plane I felt the refreshing warmth of the 82 degree air, which quickly started making me sweat. From the time that I landed in Belize City to the time I landed in San Pedro, Belize it was less than thirty minutes! I enjoyed it when I went through customs and the gate agent asked why I was in the country, I got to say that I was student teaching in Belize J Once I got my bags and went through security I bought a ticket on a flight with Tropic Air. The little island hopper was fun, because I got to see the reef along the way, including some manatees. We also went through some clouds on the flight and it made me think of my Earth Science class in the states, because of the condensation that formed on the windows. Once I arrived, I carried all of my bags up the three flights of stairs at Pedro’s Inn and started unpacking! It is nice to be able to say, after so much preparation, that I am FINALLY here!

 The Belize City Airport

Mine and Michelle's Room 

My bed is the one on the right and there is a bathroom next to it as 

well as a window and sink on the other side.

Until next time, 

AAA

Bitter Sweet

Today was my last day teaching at Topsail High School. I am very excited for the uncertainty, opportunity, and excitement that next six weeks will hold. However, I am sad that I will be leaving the staff, and students at Topsail. Over the past six months I have developed friendships with the staff and a strong comfort level with my content area and in my classes.

Today we talked about the devastating effects of the earthquake that hit Japan and how tsunami waves formed and worked. The timing of this event in geologic history is almost surreal, since we began our unit on Earthquakes yesterday. After we talked about Science, I had my students create an ‘about me’ bracelet and write a letter about themselves to the students that I will teach in Belize.

Normally, many of these students would not care about geography or learning about other cultures. However, many of them began asking questions about the location, language and culture in a country that they know little to nothing about. Perhaps the fact that they know someone that is going to this country, or the fact that the letters they wrote will be delivered to students that are their age sparked a large interest in the country of Belize.

Today is very bitter sweet for me for as sad as I am to be leaving Topsail, I am very excited for what the next two months have in store! Time for me to start packing!

Until next time,
AAA

This is the front of THS. My window is just out of the picture on the top right.

Preparations in Progress

I can't believe that I will be in Belize in less than two weeks! I am currently scrambling trying to finish all of my UNCW work, teach my classes, see everyone that I will miss while I am gone, and pack! I am incredibly excited for the trip, but trying to figure out what you pack to teach in a foreign high school that has no AC for 4.5 weeks is rather difficult :)

Yesterday, I taught a lesson to my Earth Science class at Topsail High School that I will get to teach in Belize. Basically, the students designed experiments to change how fast sugar dissolved and a film crew from UNCW came to film them. I have to do an inquiry project as part of my graduation requirements for my masters program, so I decided to compare how students in the USA differ from students in Belize while they conduct labs in which they have to do more critical thinking. The lab itself wasn't that exciting, but I was super excited because I know that the next time I do that lab I'll be in BELIZE!

Going to Belize is very exciting for me because it will be the longest period of time I have been out of the country without family or friends! It's definitely a trip that will push me out of my comfort zone and something that I probably would not have pursued a couple of years ago because so much of the trip is uncertain. Fortunately, I'm at the right place in my life to go on a trip like this one, and I can't wait to push myself and get to know so many new people.

I should probably get back to my homework now...


Until next time,
AAA