Well this is my last post on this blog. I am now officially home. I have to say that it was sad to go. I have been back for about 30 hours and am still acclimating to being home. Waking up in my own bed was surreal, like waking from a wonderful dream. Belize was a dream, the experience of a lifetime. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Dr. Kubasko did some professional development after school with the teachers. This was one of the things they were really looking forward to. There are not a lot of opportunities like this for most of the teaches here. Some have never even attended a workshop. Dr.K got suggestions from them and then on Wednesday we, the interns, actually delivered our own professional development. Each of us picked a topic that we felt comfortable with and taught the teachers at San Pedro High. I led a group on note taking strategies. I used KWL charts and Cornell Notes. I have never actually used the Cornell Notes in my own class but I really like the idea and think that this is something that I will try when I get a job :) The other 3 taught group discussion techniques like fish bowls, concept mapping, and foldables. I heard that the teachers really enjoyed the idea of foldables. This is something I would like to know more about!
On Friday the teachers and students gathered to send us off. They called
an assembly and the school band, Peace and Rock played for us. They were great. We then gathered with the staff to enjoy rum punch and cake. The last day at school was sad and I found myself getting misty at the thought of leaving, it was becoming real. Lots of hugs from students and we were officially done with our internship. We went home to Ak'bol and enjoyed a lazy night in.
On Saturday we went for one last snorkel at a place called Mexican Rocks. This was the first time I went on a real snorkeling trip. Going off the end of the dock had nothing on this. We saw Brain Coral, Purple Sea Fans, Parrot Fish, Snapper, and the list goes on. The day was cloudy and it rained while we were in the water. That was quite an experience, to be bobbing in the ocean during a storm. No lightening though so we were safe. The storm blew over and we went to the beach to enjoy lunch supplied by our guide Adrian. More storms blew in so we went home after that. That night we went for dinner at a restaurant called Sunset Grill. This restaurant is known for the fact that you can feed the Tarpon. Now before this I had heard of Tarpon but never seen them. They are absolutely huge (and these were babies). The waitress brought us down there with some small dead feeder fish. She stuck her hand in the water with one of the feeder fish and I heard a loud commotion and there was the Tarpon attacking her hand! She pulled her hand back out and she hand little knocks on her knuckles that were bleeding. She said that once one of the Tarpon actually swallowed her whole hand and that she had to pull it out! These fish are voracious! Needless to say I did not feed the Tarpon. John, Will and Wendy did though. Braver souls than I.
On Sunday we wrapped up unfinished business and packed. We returned our bikes that I have grown so accustomed to. I think I am going to ride my bike more (and walk more) after this trip. We then headed to Dean Ellis' house for one last goodbye with the teachers. Most of them showed up and it was really nice. We cooked out and drank and hung out all night. The principle, Mr. Vasquez presented us with t-shirts that had a San Pedro High School emblem and our names embroidered on them as going away gifts. This was a really sweet gesture. He welcomed us back anytime and presented Dr. K with one of the nicest letters I have ever heard. This was the first time that I had heard that he was semi against the internship. He said that he had been wary of how it would turn out. But he said that it had all worked out and that he was very proud of us and his teachers and that things could not have gone better. He said they had really learned a lot from us. We in turn presented cards as thank yous and showed a short little montage of clips and pictures that we had taken on our trip. Will is in the process of making a documentary of our visit and of the high school. The one compliment that really stood out to me was a conversation that I had with one of the teachers, Mrs. Naima. She said they were also wary of us when we came. I have to admit that we did feel some hesitation from some of them when we started. She said that they were afraid that we would come in with attitudes that we were better than them an try to assert ourselves as superior. But she said they we came in and made ourselves part of their group with open minds and hearts and did not act as though we were above them. I let her know that this thought never crossed our minds and we were here to learn from them! This really made me proud. I felt like we really represented UNCW well and had done what we came here for. We were the first, the pioneers for this exchange program. I feel like we have all worked together to make it possible for more to come next year and to have this amazing experience and continue the San Pedro and Wilmington Sister City relationship. I know we became part of that community for the short time that we where there. I will never ever forget this experience and I am a better person and will be a better teacher someday for it.
On Friday the teachers and students gathered to send us off. They called
an assembly and the school band, Peace and Rock played for us. They were great. We then gathered with the staff to enjoy rum punch and cake. The last day at school was sad and I found myself getting misty at the thought of leaving, it was becoming real. Lots of hugs from students and we were officially done with our internship. We went home to Ak'bol and enjoyed a lazy night in.On Saturday we went for one last snorkel at a place called Mexican Rocks. This was the first time I went on a real snorkeling trip. Going off the end of the dock had nothing on this. We saw Brain Coral, Purple Sea Fans, Parrot Fish, Snapper, and the list goes on. The day was cloudy and it rained while we were in the water. That was quite an experience, to be bobbing in the ocean during a storm. No lightening though so we were safe. The storm blew over and we went to the beach to enjoy lunch supplied by our guide Adrian. More storms blew in so we went home after that. That night we went for dinner at a restaurant called Sunset Grill. This restaurant is known for the fact that you can feed the Tarpon. Now before this I had heard of Tarpon but never seen them. They are absolutely huge (and these were babies). The waitress brought us down there with some small dead feeder fish. She stuck her hand in the water with one of the feeder fish and I heard a loud commotion and there was the Tarpon attacking her hand! She pulled her hand back out and she hand little knocks on her knuckles that were bleeding. She said that once one of the Tarpon actually swallowed her whole hand and that she had to pull it out! These fish are voracious! Needless to say I did not feed the Tarpon. John, Will and Wendy did though. Braver souls than I.
On Sunday we wrapped up unfinished business and packed. We returned our bikes that I have grown so accustomed to. I think I am going to ride my bike more (and walk more) after this trip. We then headed to Dean Ellis' house for one last goodbye with the teachers. Most of them showed up and it was really nice. We cooked out and drank and hung out all night. The principle, Mr. Vasquez presented us with t-shirts that had a San Pedro High School emblem and our names embroidered on them as going away gifts. This was a really sweet gesture. He welcomed us back anytime and presented Dr. K with one of the nicest letters I have ever heard. This was the first time that I had heard that he was semi against the internship. He said that he had been wary of how it would turn out. But he said that it had all worked out and that he was very proud of us and his teachers and that things could not have gone better. He said they had really learned a lot from us. We in turn presented cards as thank yous and showed a short little montage of clips and pictures that we had taken on our trip. Will is in the process of making a documentary of our visit and of the high school. The one compliment that really stood out to me was a conversation that I had with one of the teachers, Mrs. Naima. She said they were also wary of us when we came. I have to admit that we did feel some hesitation from some of them when we started. She said that they were afraid that we would come in with attitudes that we were better than them an try to assert ourselves as superior. But she said they we came in and made ourselves part of their group with open minds and hearts and did not act as though we were above them. I let her know that this thought never crossed our minds and we were here to learn from them! This really made me proud. I felt like we really represented UNCW well and had done what we came here for. We were the first, the pioneers for this exchange program. I feel like we have all worked together to make it possible for more to come next year and to have this amazing experience and continue the San Pedro and Wilmington Sister City relationship. I know we became part of that community for the short time that we where there. I will never ever forget this experience and I am a better person and will be a better teacher someday for it.
( If you recognize these pictures I have to thank Margo. My camera broke about four days before the end of the trip so I am stealing some from her blogs! Hope you dont mind :))
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