Mini Lessons and Massages

Last week, our teacher split us into 2 groups to present our mini lessons to groups of eager Peruvian students -- half of us went on Friday and the other half Monday. Gabriela and I chose to go on Monday, incorrectly thinking that it would give us next Friday off to get to Pisaq. I should've warned her that not only am I mathematically challenged I am also date-inept. We have to teach this Friday, but fortunately it's only in the morning, so we still have plenty of time to get to Pisaq for the ceremony at 7pm (and also have next Monday off!).

Teaching TEFL is completely different from the traditional teaching methods we use at home. The main goal of a TEFL teacher is to talk less and elicit more from the students. And guess who's a talker? Yep. That would be me. Yet another challenge meant to teach me a HUGE lesson. Truthfully, I don't think I even realize how big a lesson this is going to be...

Our mini lessons had guidelines. First, the topic was "How To," so we had to bring a level of comprehension to an activity, complete with easy, step-by-step written instructions that the students would read aloud and then demonstrate. In addition, we had to teach them any vocabulary words they didn't understand. Try explaining with as few words as possible what a word like "often" means. Yeah. The presentations were a lot of fun though. One of my classmates taught an Irish dance (she's from Ireland), another taught how to make sangria (and 10am -- I guess it's 5pm somewhere). I taught them how to give a hand massage.

I was well-prepared and it still wasn't easy. I got my point across and my teacher said that my presence was warm and welcoming. I'm definitely comfortable in front of a class (as many of you know), but I talked waaaaay too much and echoed everything they said (a big no-no). I definitely wasn't the worst in the group, but there is a lot of room for improvement. I'll get there.

I ate lunch at school (a quinoa, queso, tomato and cucumber salad I prepared the other day -- soooo good) and made my way up to San Blas to give Nikki a massage at 3. I was hesitant to rent the room until she had received my work (I don't like referrals without it), so we set up exchange dates rather quickly. It was wonderful working again -- on a table and everything! It was such a grounding experience and I can't wait to be practicing full time. I just need to get through this program...

Some of my lovely, homemade quinoa salad...


I hung out with Moses for a little while. We stopped by one of the churches about a block from the main square and walked around inside for a while. He's an architecture student from Venezuela and is fascinated by the Spanish/Incan structures around this part of town. He knelt to pray while I admired the beauty of space. Sacredness abounds here, whether it's a church, an Incan wall that's now part of a hotel, or an empty bench in a quiet square.



Becca and I had a late bite to eat at The Muse, a cute (but overpriced) cafe in San Blas and made our way home by 11. In bed soon after. Long day of school on Tuesday.