The Start of September

The past few weeks have flown by, and here at CIPLC we are already into our fifth week of school!  My class is working on historical fiction pieces as part of an author’s study on Margriet Ruurs, who has had dozens of books published and is coming to CIPLC next week to do student and teacher writing workshops with us.  My class also received 1:1 iPads for daily instruction, so I've been working with Ku, the tech integrator, to have my students create “book trailers” on iMovie once they’re done with their historical fiction projects so that they can advertise their masterpieces.  There are also a few other technology-based long term projects for Venezuelan historical studies in the making.  (Did I mention that I love my job!?!)

Since my last post I’ve been learning to scuba dive.  Nancy took 6 of us out on our first two dives two weekends ago, and was patient enough to let us do them near shallow beaches rather than sentencing us to pool sessions initially.  We were fortunate enough to do both dives in a day, and we got to see some fish and eels while we learned all about our buoyancy, the equipment, general procedures, and more.

Also since the last post, I've shared a birthday with Lisa (my CIPLC birthday twin), begun teaching OULA to some of the high schoolers and parents, and am soaking up rays at the pool or beach whenever I get the chance.

Before each weekend, we've been spending Fridays at a tiny beach-side bar with ten times its size in character, complete with a thatched roof, weathered white and blue paint, plastic furniture, Latin music, and plenty of ice-cold blue Soleros to drink.  Then, we walk across the street to a (Venezuelan) Mexican restaurant for tostadas or flautas.  Nothing says Friday Happy Hour quite like that!

Although we didn’t have Labor Day off, we are fast-approaching Virgin de Valle, a Venezuelan holiday.  A three day weekend is on the horizon, and I’ve got plans to scuba dive, check out the carnival, and take advantage of an extra day of recuperation!