\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"don4c\",\"text\":\"\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"ikct\",\"text\":\"I loved seeing their jaws drop. I didn’t receive standing ovation, but a pretty loud applause!\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"3vj8i\",\"text\":\"When the class ended, Mentor took me into the room of another teacher, who I’ll refer to as JF.\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"5c5lr\",\"text\":\"JF taught the more advanced students. I gave the same introduction to them and received a similar set of questions. However this time they asked me what my last name was.\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"4vp4i\",\"text\":\"I had to write it on the board to sound it out. I find this so ironic because as a kid, I despised my last name. I hated the way it’s pronounced. I hated how it was paired with my first name. I dreaded the beginning of the school year when teachers said my full name in front of the whole class.\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"8ie6b\",\"text\":\"And now, I was writing it on the board for over 40 Colombian adolescent girls, all at the same time, going “M-AWWOO -RRRR eeen MOO-LAWWWRK-EHHH-EE”\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"el5ia\",\"text\":\"I’ve grown to love and appreciate my name. I explained that “Maureen” was another form of “Mary”, like “Maria.”\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"bm789\",\"text\":\"It’s an amazing feeling, knowing you’ve gotten over a past insecurity, of how strong you’ve grown in your self-confidence.\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"9ojb9\",\"text\":\"In the third class, I had the opportunity to help out with a lesson. This class was more on a basic level Mentor spoke to them mainly in Spanish.\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"dgq63\",\"text\":\"Mentor explained to me that they had just been reviewing personal questions.\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"2ihqi\",\"text\":\"We reviewed two questions: “When were you born?” and “Where were you born?”\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"5lki7\",\"text\":\"I didn’t know how to feel about the first question. The example answer he gave was my birthday, December 2nd. However in English, saying “When were you born?” has a connotation more towards the year you were born. If you want to know someone else’s birthday in general, you would say “When is your birthday?”\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"1eh44\",\"text\":\"I didn’t want to say anything. I figured I could always say something later if I really felt that strongly about it.\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"8qar7\",\"text\":\"Mentor went around the room and asked the girls these questions. He then encouraged them to ask someone else.\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"1c2gh\",\"text\":\"I also asked some of the girls these questions! Some of them were definitely shy to say the phrases out loud. It felt so good to say “That’s right, good job!” and see their faces click from worried to a reassured smile.\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"6ve6b\",\"text\":\"At 9am, the classes stop for a 30 minute break. I couldn’t believe it was only 9 am! And it was the “meal” break. I’ve only known meal breaks to be for lunch. And this was breakfast!\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"e5j69\",\"text\":\"Mentor took me back to the teacher’s lounge. He explained the break to me, and said I could hang out here for the break.\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"eq6pi\",\"text\":\"Then, JF came up to me and asked me if I wanted fruit. I couldn’t finish my coffee that morning in fear of losing the taxi, and I didn’t bring my water bottle with me. So I gladly said “yes” thinking any form of sustenance was a good form of sustenance.\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"b16sf\",\"text\":\"I followed JF down the same ramp I took with the Academic Coordinator. All of the girls had come out of the classrooms, like bees in a hive. Groups of them sat down in random spots on the ground, some walking, some standing, eating homemade lunches,\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"823jj\",\"text\":\"JF led me past the classrooms and to the outdoor kiosk, explaining the meal break along the way. Like a ship he navigated past the waves of blue and grey jumpers.\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"16gfi\",\"text\":\"I remembered then in our meeting, that the principal had said there were 900 girls in the school. She wasn’t lying!\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"6gfjn\",\"text\":\"JF showed me the food stands and introduced me to a kiosk worker, a woman wearing a Starbucks-green apron. He pointed out all the fruit to me.\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"3p6iq\",\"text\":\"There were strawberries, grapes, cups of watermelon, and another fruit which I had never recognized. JF told me I could have my pick. Fruit had been a delicacy for weeks for me. I said thank you and grabbed a watermelon. I offered to pay but he insisted he paid. He also showed me the specific juices they had. Apparently blackberry juice is a common thing here. I look forward to trying that next!\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"bdao6\",\"text\":\"
\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"7tklg\",\"text\":\"Actual footage of me going at the watermelon.\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[{\"offset\":0,\"length\":45,\"style\":\"ITALIC\"}],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"a0gat\",\"text\":\"\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"6okuj\",\"text\":\"Even though the break ended, Mentor and JF stayed in the teacher’s lounge for a bit. I assumed they had a free period. JF was so interested in my life. He wanted to know what I thought about Barranquilla, what kind of house I lived in the states, and about American baseball teams! My mind was so overwhelmed from all the information I was taking in. JF was alot more enthusiastic than Mentor, who kind of just sat, listening. From seeing Mentor interact with students in class, I could tell he was that teacher that didn’t have to go over the top to show he cared, and the students loved him for that.\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"8th61\",\"text\":\"While we were on the topic of my life, Mentor did ask me an interesting question. He asked how I felt teaching, with my previous experience, in an American public school, despite all the shootings. It didn’t bother me to talk about how I felt about the current situation. I told him the truth - that while it’s so scary and a tragedy, the easiest coping strategy is to not think about it. That while it’s a horrible thing, I personally am not surprised by shootings anymore. I hope I didn’t come off as un empathetic . I wondered how much I’d be asked about that here.\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"5negd\",\"text\":\"We then went to one more class. I did the standard introduction and questions. This group was definitely the most rowdy, but I liked them anyway. All of the girls here have such high energy, and it gives me such a positive feeling. Mentor told them I spoke no Spanish, but they didn’t believe him (they’re not wrong haha). He told them this so they wouldn’t try to ask for help in Spanish, and so they could use their English skills. So he made me repeat a joke in Spanish to make it sound like I didn’t know what I was talking about. I made an effort to mispronounce a word or two, and they laughed alot at that!\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"4b8g\",\"text\":\" \",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"a5j4f\",\"text\":\"One other thing happened, which I found interesting. I was asking them about their favorite places in Barranquilla. Mentor then told this class I was looking for a place to live or a habitacion, and they knew of anything, they should help me out. In the United States, we would never leak out something personal like that about a teacher. I knew it was only a good intention, so I didn’t say anything.\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[{\"offset\":183,\"length\":11,\"style\":\"ITALIC\"}],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"83le3\",\"text\":\"When the class finished, Mentor told me I could go home. I thanked him for the day, and we parted ways. I was about to order a taxi when two teachers introduced themselves to me. They spoke only Spanish, and asked me about my life. I tried my best to communicate with them. My Spanish wasn’t perfect, but I could tell they appreciated how much I was trying.\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"fciq0\",\"text\":\"They then asked how I was getting home. I told them a taxi, and they both said in Spanish “Oh no taxis son muy peligroso!”. Then one of them, Maude, asked me my address, told me to wait, and left the room. A minute later she came back and told me that another teacher lives near me and will give me a ride home.\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[{\"offset\":91,\"length\":29,\"style\":\"ITALIC\"}],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"ev271\",\"text\":\"Maude also said that her parents were moving and had an extra room they needed to rent out! We exchanged numbers. Maude told me the teacher driving me would be about 15 minutes. While I waited I met other teachers. They asked me if I was hungry. One gave me a pear and another offered me coffee. COFFEE!! The coffee came out of a communal, drip pot coffee maker.\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"7bb1m\",\"text\":\"There is no coffee maker of any sort in my current apartment, so for the past two weeks I’ve been living off of instant coffee. So seeing a drip coffee machine made my eyes light up!\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"evgnk\",\"text\":\" \",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"6drhf\",\"text\":\"Me.\\n\",\"type\":\"blockquote\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[{\"offset\":0,\"length\":3,\"style\":\"ITALIC\"}],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"edf4u\",\"text\":\"They had these plastic shot glasses, as if it were espresso. Even though poured out from the pot, it was sweet, as if someone had already added a bunch of sugar.\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"5ct2v\",\"text\":\"One of the teachers I met, an older woman, eventually led me downstairs to the courtyard. We waited for the teacher who’d be driving us, who’s name was Ally.\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"d9l0o\",\"text\":\"The courtyard was so packed! So many girls swarmed in and out of the blue gate, which was now open. Ally drove me and another teacher home. The only entrance for cars and people was that blue gate. So as we drove through, the security guard had to make the girls stand at the sides. There were so many students I felt like a celebrity in a van, trying to drive through a swarm of fans and paparazzi.\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"di9pe\",\"text\":\"Ally also spoke English, and asked me about her life along the way. She taught Spanish, and told me about her daughters. She said she drove the fellow from last year to school, and could do the same for me.\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"52smg\",\"text\":\"Today we have no school because of a nationwide teacher’s strike.\\n\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"a70h4\",\"text\":\"Yesterday was definitely alot, but nothing I couldn’t handle. I’m so happy and grateful for the teacher’s kindness and generosity. I’m looking forward to the next five months!\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}},{\"key\":\"9teao\",\"text\":\"*I have changed the names of all the people I’ve mentioned*\",\"type\":\"unstyled\",\"depth\":0,\"inlineStyleRanges\":[{\"offset\":0,\"length\":59,\"style\":\"ITALIC\"}],\"entityRanges\":[],\"data\":{}}],\"entityMap\":{\"0\":{\"type\":\"IMAGE\",\"mutability\":\"IMMUTABLE\",\"data\":{\"src\":\"//img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/c95feb5a-97b9-4848-97c3-e733ec3a0e16/tumblr_inline_p4ibo5HwHb1t2i2s2_1280.jpg\",\"loading\":false,\"left\":\"0%\",\"top\":\"0%\",\"width\":\"100%\",\"height\":\"100%\",\"rotation\":\"0\",\"editedAspectRatio\":\"1.3333333333333333\",\"filter\":\"NONE\"}}}}","socialSharing":{"twitter":{"enabled":true,"profile":""},"facebook":{"enabled":true}}}};