Patty

This is my team-mate Patty. We seem to be a good pair so far. I do think she is rather tired having to work 12 hour days. Her second teaching job starts at 4 p.m. and she works until 8. Our styles are very different but we have much respect for each other. She is the most accomplished bi-lingual person on staff, but is very humble about it. Patty and I have been team-teaching this week in the same classroom. Next week we should have our own classrooms right next to each other. The classrooms are very sparse and bleak but the students are anything but bleak. Their English is very good and they like listening to my Minnesota accent. I find that I am glad to work in these bleak surroundings because of the quality of the students here, When I toured around last spring I had a different feeling about the values at this school compared to Mission and I think I may be right. There seems to be more respect for academics here and the religious part of things I have found to be a rather positive influence. Worshipping Mexican Oprah and the god of materialism did not work for me. I am finding that I really enjoy the older students and am very impressed with their English. I am hopeful this year will be more fun and less crazy. Signs are good so far. I feel it is safe to be myself in this environment. Have not met with the owner of the school, Elsa, as yet to negotiate my salary. (the school accountant did not come today as scheduled so I did not get my appointed time to meet with her.) The workload I think will be lighter and my paycheck will be as well, but I think it will be worth it. It is my goal to enjoy what I am doing this year and so far I really have.