Ecuadorian Survival Words Part 1

Showing the lack of excellent Spanish I have, I accidentally deleted (instead of editing) an entry about my Ecuadorian survival words. So here I go again (and with corrections):

1) CHÈVERE - like `super` or `excellent`. Everything is chèvere in this country! I am going on vacation - chèvere. We watched fireworks two weeks ago outside our window - that was chèvere too! My dog died - chèvere (ok, bad joke).

2) SIGA and SIGA NO MÀS - to continue or move forward. I was recently educated that they both mean the same thing. I thought `siga no màs` meant to not go anywhere but it´s not. Some things we just don´t ever understand. I hear both of these all the time on the bus from the assistant of the bus driver. Doesn´t really help to get people moving to the back of the bus!

Don´t Cry for Me, Argentina!

So I couldn´t resist the subject!! I just spent 6 wonderful days in Buenos Aires with my new ¨cousins¨- Hector and Beatriz. With some excitement (the Uruguay soccer team was on my first flight) and bumps (bought a brand new ticket for a bit more; flight was 4 hours late b/c of fog in B.A.), I safely arrived on Sunday morning into the arms of a lovely couple.

Hector and Beatriz picked me up at the airport and spent the next 3 days spoiling me with the sites (Recoleta, La Boca, San Telmo, Puerto Madero, Pink House, etc), sounds (danced the tango), shopping (leather, jewelry), food (yummy carne, Danish pastries), and drinks (mate, VINO!!) of B.A. I also spent time with another couple who showed me more of the northern part of the providence (Tigre, San Isidro, San Fernando) and took me into their home for some delicious meals!

It´s an amazing city with so much history (2010 is the bicentennial - I plan to be there for it!). I can´t say enough thanks to all my hosts that welcomed me into their homes and lives in Buenos Aires. And it´s all thanks to my amazing cousins David and Marcia in Israel who connected me with my newfound family in Argentina!

Now back to work on Monday....better schedule this cycle. I am only working from 2-8 in the afternoon/evening! Whoo hoo!

The Highest Compliment

My first cycle as a teacher in Ecuador ends on Friday. Today is our review day and the following two days are exam days (Thursday - written exam and Friday - oral exam). I have really enjoyed the majority of my classes, especially my 6-8 pm Immediate 1 class. They are a great bunch of energetic adults and we have a blast in and out of class. At the end of class last week, they asked me if I would be their teacher for the next level (Immediate 2). Even though I have never taught that level before, I really enjoyed being with them so I accepted their invitation (I guess it´ll require some lesson planning effort on my part). On Monday, they passed around a petition and about 10 students signed it. The director came to inform me of the petition and it looks like I´ll be teaching these students next cycle. To be asked by my students to teach them again was the highest compliment for me as a new teacher!