The workload is intense but the lunchtime adventures continue

This picture has absolutely no relevance to anything I'm talking about here, but this is, by far, the creepiest mannequin I've ever seen (and he lives off the main square in Cusco). I thought I'd share.



These next two weeks are insane! I haven't had a workload this heavy since college. Class observations and write-ups, 5 mini lessons, 2 papers and -- get this -- next week we each take over a class for AN ENTIRE WEEK and teach. Oy.

I wouldn't mind doing this if I thought this were still my path here. But let's be honest: This was never really my path -- it was just a way to make $$ until I figured out how to set up my massage practice. I just didn't think that would happen as quickly as it did.

I went out on a date last night. Well, I didn't realize it was a date until I was actually on it. You see, all of the students here are very friendly and some of the more advanced ones love talking to us TEFLers in English. Raoul befriended me last week and we've spoken a few times since. Then yesterday, he told me that it was his day off from work and would like to meet up for coffee. Since I'm swamped with work and basically travelling from school to cafe (w/wifi) and back to school again all day every day, I told him that I could meet him at a cafe around 7.

He arrived much more nicely dressed than I remembered from the morning and was very uh, "attentive." I realized a little too late that we were completely NOT on the same page (I just wanted coffee and to take a break from work -- he wanted a girlfriend). I cut the evening short because I had to get back to school to continue working, so he walked me back, bought me some anticucho (street food -- meat on a stick with a potato at the end) and proceeded to hang out at school, hoping I'd finish quickly. Oy. At one point though, he saw me talking to another student (a guy) and I think he got a little jealous -- when I saw him today and said "hello," he seemed less than pleased. It was not my intention to hurt him, but I think it was inevitable. I'm such a heart breaker.

So, lunch today was a much-needed break from a long day of grammar lessons. Greg, Sierra, Gab, Alex, Kelly and I wandered back up the cheap-food street we love so much and stumbled upon a little restaurant with a multi-course menu for 3 soles (about $1.25). Excellent. We started with a soup and got to choose a second course. I picked the "carne" which turned out to be a deep fried cut of beef and a side of fried rice with cut-up hotdogs (arroz con chaufa). Too much food. Alex and Greg finished my plate and then we all waddled back to class.

Our hostess


First course: Soup


Second course: Carne!



The mini lesson today was speech-focused. I had the students talk about their favorite movies. Kind of boring (and I don't think I did too well). Ugh. The next mini lesson is on grammar. Double ugh.