Yes, we are STILL in school! The funny thing about there being no significant weather changes is that the kids’ behavior is not so raucous as I’m used to at the end of the year. Sure, kids are still anxious to be on break, but I feel that with the noticeable shift from Winter to Spring to Summer, bad behavior is through the roof (at least in my experiences!) So I have 9 and a half days (but who’s counting) with my little munchkins. When I lose my patience (as all of us do, some days especially at the end of the year) I remind myself that I want my kiddos to remember Ms. Rachel in a good way, right? No, certainly they will, I’m only joking J We’ve got some fun projects to keep them hooked till the bitter end. Meanwhile, I’m expected to pack up my classroom, while keeping the kids in their routines. I anticipate lots of movies those last few days as I have to return all the library books and pack up all the centers and manipulatives…as well as donate all the old school supplies.

In other news, I’m counting down the days for my parents and aunt and uncle to see my favorite spots. SO very excited for that.

I’m blogging from El Monte (one of the places we’ll hit in a few weeks) with a bunch of teachers from Cotopaxi. We all do yoga after school on Thursdays, so we’re doing an intense weekend of yoga, hiking, hot tubbing. Not a bad way to end the school year, huh?

And to all the daddies…happy father’s day! Especially to mine J Love, Rach

An Afternoon Lunch

Hi! Just a quick update from me. Last weekend I was invited to the country home of one of my students. It’s about an hour outside of Quito…lots of families have their country homes, a place to escape the city on the weekends. This family, from Lebanon has a beautiful (palace is one way to describe it!) home- way over the top-a pool, sauna, outdoor grill, pizza oven, outdoor seating all overlooking the Andes.

Claudine, the wife, loves to cook and entertain, so she went all out to prepare the best foods of her country. We started with a salad course, hummus, handmade pita, empanadas, fresh fruit. Then was the meat course-marinated chicken and lamb on the grill with a lemon and garlic. The seasonings were perfect…Then a huge platter of rice with almonds, lamb, pistachios. When we thought that was enough…she brings out three desserts. Layers of crepes with fresh peaches and cream, pistachio flan and chocolate cookies and finally Arabic coffee! A feast indeed…

 Along with me, was the director of our school and his wife, another Lebanese couple and an Ecuadorian couple. I think there were about 10 of us in all. It was an interesting mix of Spanish, English, and Arabic (Spanish being the unifying language…although not really the mother tongue of any of us!). The conversation didn’t get too deep. I asked about the violence in their part of the world, with Syria being in the news so much and Lebanon being so close. According to the family, Lebanon is peaceful and they are planning to spend the summer months there. Of course, it’s their country and they speak of it as a paradise. I believe the man is a cloth merchant…he’s been here for years and years, but like immigrants everywhere longs for his country and maintains his traditions. They did speak about the times during the war when they had run through the streets to avoid getting shot. That’s when he decided to leave and come to Ecuador to sell his cloth. Actually, I learned that there is a small population of Lebanese here…mostly merchants, business people and that Ecuador has had two presidents of Lebanese descent. All this was to illustrate that “Lebanese are the most successful people where ever in the world they go.”

I felt blessed to have been invited by this wonderful family for a great afternoon of conversation and delicious food.