Alica's Adventures

A New Year

2010-12-31T17:51:00.000-08:00

My very dear friend and colleague has been a blogging machine recently, and she has inspired me. She is a resolutionist and has been excitedly setting goals for the new year. I am not. I make an effort not to call any goals I set a resolution because I know I never follow through with my resolutions. I always fail miserably.

The new year does seem to be a time to take an accounting of your life, though, to figure out what has gone well in the past year and what you want to change. I've been reading what friends have been posting on Facebook. Some are happy with what they experienced in 2010 and some are thrilled to kick 2010 through the door at midnight. As I've been thinking over the past year, I find myself somewhere in the middle. I had some great experiences in 2010, but there are certainly things that I would rather not relive. I think every year has a bit of both, though, so I expect I'll feel the same way in a year when we are ushering 2011 out the door.

As I said before, I do not make resolutions. I do, however, try to set some goals. I know I may not meet all these goals, but I can always start over later. Maybe putting them in writing will make them more permanent. Goals for 2011 (for now):
1. Eat more fruits and vegetables. (I admit, this is my goal every year, and it never really takes. Maybe this year will be different.)
2. Write more. This will take the form of blogging at least once every two weeks and writing in a journal of thanksgivings almost daily. I say almost daily because I know myself, and I know every day probably won't happen. I'm trying to be realistic.
3. Take a daily vitamin.
4. Try a new recipe at least once a month. I need to expand my personal cookbook.

I'm sure there will be more later. This is enough for now. Maybe even more than enough. I will say, though, that I have ended 2010 in the way I want 2011 to continue. I tried a new recipe (it wasn't bad) and fixed green beans with dinner. I'm blogging and I'm on the way to take a vitamin right now.

Happy New Year!

final post

2010-07-29T12:46:00.000-07:00

Hi guys,
Well, two more sleeps and I'll be headed home! We had a great time on the trip in the south despite some pretty horrific hotels. The landscape is significantly different in the south than around Addis. Coming back "home" to the guest house was great - and not just because we came home to clean, dry towels. Everyone who works here greeted us with hugs and was so happy to see us! We were happy to see them, too. :)

However, we've had to start saying our good-byes. One of our favorite drivers of the guest-house vans is off for the rest of the week, so we had to say farewell to him. He always listens to old-time country music on the radio in the van, which is kind of a kick to be listening to that when you're riding down the road in Ethiopia! Our wonderful driver on our away-from-Addis trips, Tsourey, came by this evening to tell us good-bye. We had hoped he'd be at the farewell dinner tomorrow, but he is scheduled to drive for another group, so he can't be there. We all appreciate him so much, and it was sad to say good-bye to someone who has become a good friend.

Right now, my roomie, Jeanne, is packing up her things. We have to take her to the airport after our farewll dinner, because her flight leaves at 2 am (yuck). The rest of us leave around 11 pm, so we'll have a whole day to worry about packing. And I'll have a lot to pack! We did a little shopping at the textile market today, and tomorrow we'll go to the Piazza and Churchill Road for more shopping.

This will probably be my last email before I get home. Hope someone remembers to come get me on Sunday! :) Family, I'll try to borrow someone's phone to call from Newark to let you know about our flight status. See you all soon!

Love,

Alica

july 25, 2010

2010-07-25T07:56:00.000-07:00

Greetings! Hard to believe that this time next week I'll be on the way home (or maybe all the way home. I haven't taken the time to figure out which). Things have been much better since my last little rant and rave session on email. The hotel in Arba Minch was a pit, and we did have to stay there 2 nights (yuck), but the cool things we did sure helped make up for it! We started our day on the 22nd with breakfast on the veranda. Usually that is not too exciting, but we were joined by an olive baboon. That sure spiced up the morning meal! There were a whole family of them that came and hung out. The restaurant posted 2 guards - a woman with a broom and a man with a pocket full of rocks. We saw them later, eating out of the trash bin with the mangy cats that kept annoying us at every meal.

We followed up the baboons with a boat trip on Lake Chamo, one of the Rift Valley Lakes, where we saw lots of birds (pelicans, spoonbills, and others), crocodiles and hippos! Wow! I can hardly express how amazing that was! For the afternoon, we went to a village up the mountain from Arba Minch. The village was associated with a people group known as the Dorze. They have really cool homes (I got some good pictures), and they are big-time weavers. We went to a weaving cooperative, a market, and then to a family compound where they showed us how they live, and how they make a bread (kojo) from the false banana tree. Then, we had a chance to shop after we tried the bread and before the dancing.

The good thing was the next day, because we got to pack up and LEAVE Arba Minch. We knew we were headed on a long bus trip, but that we were staying at an eco-lodge/coffee plantation that was supposed to be much nicer than where we'd been staying. Let me tell you, it is REALLY NICE!!! We are in tukuls (round homes) made of bamboo in the traditional style of the Sidamo people, only the tukuls are updated with lovely things like water and electricity. And clean sheets. It is BEAUTIFUL! Then add to that the fabulous meals...nearly heaven! We took a tour of the coffee plantation yesterday and the grounds of the lodge. We hiked for probably 3-4 hours, all together. During the first part of the hike, through the coffee plantation, we went through a village area. We were, as always, a source of curiosity and discussion for the people in the village. The kids came and chatted with us or just smiled at us and walked with us. They talked with our guide and I had to laugh when I heard the discussion! Evidently, they wanted to know if a ferangi (foreigner) died and we were the funeral procession. :) Nope, just touring around!

A really good thing is that we've actually extended our stay here because everyone is SO happy here and it is SO wonderful! We'll only be staying in Awassa one night and at Lake Longano one night, then back to Addis to wrap up the trip. How did a month go so quickly? Guess when you're busy and learning, time flies!

Will write again as I have time. I'm due at a coffee ceremony in a few minutes (no, I have not started drinking coffee, but the cermony should be interesting). I was sad to hear that Elliot is allergic to Archie. Poor Elliot! I'm sure Archie feels bad about causing such a terrible reaction. :(

Be home soon!

Alica

July 21, 2010

2010-07-21T12:20:00.000-07:00

Surprise! I have email at the moment! :)

Well, we're on the trip to southern Ethiopia. We were told by one of the organizers that when he lived here as a kid, they always came here for vacations and it was always hot, sunny and dry. No need to bring warm clothes and rain gear. So guess what...it has been cold (like in the 50's at best) and rainy the WHOLE TIME!!! Of course, we all left our warmer clothes and rain gear in Addis Ababa at the guest house, so we're all just a little soggy and miserable.

The hotels thus far have been noteworthy only for how much they are different from our lovely hotel in Lalibela. Oh, how I miss that hotel! We're here for tonight and tomorrow, and then we're supposed to be at a really nice resort for a couple of nights.

The good thing about this hotel (in Arba Minsch, which is on Lakes Chamo and Abaya in the Great Rift Valley) is that it has mosquito nets already hanging over the beds. Please pray for no mosquito bites, as this is in malaria range.

Sound miserable? You should see the roads in this part of the country! Our bus driver, Tsirouey, is a ROCK STAR for getting us here in one piece without getting stuck more than once (that was yesterday - today we didn't get stuck). The road is still being constructed, so we drove on lots of detours that were little more than jeep trails, and often there were huge mud-puddle/ponds/fall-to-the-center-of-the-earth-potholes that we had to drive through.

So the good thing is that this area is really lush and has beautiful plants. There is a poinsettia tree outside our building here, and flame trees and banana trees and plants I've never seen before that have lovely blossoms. We can see both lakes from the veranda at the restaurant, and the scenery is lovely. So, we put up with yucky rooms (and yuckier bathrooms) and look forward to the next place, that should be better.

We've been working a lot on developing curriculum for fitting Ethiopia into our plan for the year. We'll be working on tweaking the plans this year and then will have them vetted through someone who is familiar with Ethiopian culture and then published online for other teachers to use. We're trying to get as much done as possible here, because it will be difficult when we get home, since life will intrude and we'll have other responsibilities.

I guess we're 10 days away from coming home. I hadn't realized it until someone said so today. I really am enjoying myself, but I am looking forward to familiar food (like cheese! and ice cream! and cold beverages!), my own bathroom with clean towels, and my own bed with clean sheets. I'm sure when I get home, though, there will be things I miss about being here - like comfy weather (it hasn't been much above 70 most of the time), fresh fruit, and spicy tea.

Until next time,
Alica

july 19, 2010

2010-07-19T03:49:00.001-07:00

Still having fun, although it has been a little chilly today. We spent
the mornings in schools (I went to 2 of them and one would be a REALLY
COOL partner for Vinland if there is interest) and this afternoon
we're having specialists in children's lit come from Addis Ababa
University to speak with us. We all came back to the guest house and
put on long sleeves, sweaters and sweatshirts! Not typically what I
think about doing in the middle of July! They tell me it will be a bit
warmer in the south. We leave on that 9-day trip tomorrow, so I will
have to do some more packing this evening. Fortunately, I got my
laundry back from the laundry service last night, so I have something
clean to pack!

Not sure if I'll have much access to a computer for the next week and
a half. The satellite account we've had is done as of tomorrow, I
think, and I'm not sure if people are wanting to chip in to extend our
service or not. So if you don't hear from me, don't worry too much!
I'll try to find an internet cafe, if I can. If not, I'll be back
online the 29th or 30th when we return!

Hope you are all staying cool and having a great summer!

Love,
Alica

2nd July 18, 2010

2010-07-18T11:57:00.001-07:00

Today was the most relaxing day we've had since we got here! We had a semi-lazy morning, primarily working in groups on writing curriculum and lesson plans for teachers to use to incorporate Ethiopia in their classrooms. I worked with George and Kelsey who teach 3rd/4th combination classes and Amy and Carol S. who are librarians and we brainstormed all kinds of fun things! We were really on a roll when it was time to stop for lunch and afternoon activities.

This afternoon we went to the home of a woman known by several of the organizers, who they call Tiay, although that is only a nickname. She is a nurse/midwife and one of the co-founders of the first-ever daycare in Ethiopia. She talked about challenges of healthcare in Ethiopia, primarily focusing on challenges to healthcare for women. Her daughter, Salome, works for World Bank and talked about challenges in balancing home, family, and social expectations, which are very different here from what they are in the United States. We also enjoyed a lovely traditional meal in their home.

You can tell that our little group is growing closer. Early in the trip, there was lots of chit-chat - fun but mostly meaningless. The conversations have deepened and broadened daily. Today seems to have been a turning point, though. We've gone beyond getting to know each other to being "family" or something like it. The entire dinner, van ride home, and now an hour since we got back, the primary activity has been singing! 80's tunes, R&B, Conway Twitty (courtesy of the van driver's CD), Aretha Franklin, The Supremes, Broadway show tunes, and now Disney musicals! You can tell that some of the Ethiopians are amused and some are just thinking "Crazy Ferengis (foreigners)!" It has been fun. :)

Tomorrow we get to tour some schools and then we'll have a couple of lectures in the afternoon by two professors from Addis Ababa University who specialize in Children's Literature.

Until next time,
Alica

july 18, 2010

2010-07-18T04:29:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone!
I'm actually writing a second message today, although it may not be sent until late. With this group account, messages are uploaded and downloaded only once or twice a day, so I never know exactly when things are sent.

I thought I'd touch a bit on the foods we're experiencing here. There are, of course, things I like and things I'm not crazy about. The food tends to be pretty redundant. We sometimes have traditional foods including the pancake-like bread called injera, served with several types of stews, called wats. Sometimes they include meat, like doro wat (chicken stew), or tibs (bits of meat that are cooked but not in a stew). There are frequently vegetarian options too, like chickpeas, lentils and split peas. There are a lot of fasting days in the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian church, which means that people do not eat meat on those days until the evening, so there are a lot of vegetarian options.

Meat tends not to be served quite as often at meals here as at home. Fish is a frequent option, though, and is very good. Blue Nile Perch and tilapia are the most common fish options, and I have enjoyed both many times! We eat a lot of rice and vegetables, which are quite satisfying. We have a lot of potatoes, carrots and cabbage. That is a frequent meal when we are on bus trips and have a take-away meal for lunch. Pasta is very popular here, as well. Ethiopia was occupied by Italy for a while, so there are a lot of strong Italian influences, especially when it comes to food. The Ethiopians make Italian food their own, though, with the use of a spice blend they call berre-berre, which is nice and spicy. I'm hoping to find some to bring home with me, because the taste of it has grown on me! Makes a marinara sauce much more interesting!

The fruit is very, very yummy. We have had watermelon the last couple of days, and often mango, papaya, bananas and fresh pineapple. The fruit juices are like nothing I've ever had. I say juice, but actually they are more along the lines of pureed fruit. They have a drink you can order here that they call "mixed juice" and I've started ordering that pretty much any time I get a chance. It is several juices - usually 3-5 different kinds - layered in a tall glass. It is beautiful and DELICIOUS! Usually there is mango, papaya, pineapple and avocado. Yes, avocado. Sounds weird, but as one of the layers, it is really delicious! Last week at Bahir Dar, one of the layers one day was banana, which was a treat, and the guava juice was something we hadn't had before.

Breakfast is pretty consistently eggs - scrambled or boiled, usually. When we're at the guest house they sometimes make waffles. At restaurants and at the guest house, we get french toast, but it is usually deep fried, which isn't as good as what we have at home. Always at the restaurants we get toast and/or fresh-sliced bread at breakfast with butter and marmalade. I feel a little like Paddington Bear with all the marmalade I've eaten.

Bread is a staple at meals. I'm not sure if they serve bread at all meals for themselves, or if they think Americans expect to get bread. The evening we were in Dessie, we ate at a little cafe. I was sick that day, so I didn't eat much, but every single person at the table got a LOAF of bread with their meal, no matter what it was! I ordered plain noodles with no sauce and still got a loaf of bread! Terrible that so much goes to waste when there are so many here who are hungry. We've finally got the hang of telling them "enough" when it seems that a large amount of bread will be served.

The other thing people are figuring out is how to order coffee. I'm a tea drinker and always pretty happy with what I get. When I go to a cafe, it is a special treat to get tea because they spice the water before they fix the tea, and so you get a spicy, cinnamon-y tea with just a regular tea bag! The coffee drinkers have not been quite as lucky because although the coffee is delicious, it is served in itty-bitty espresso cups, and that is usually not nearly enough coffee to suit their needs. It got to be kind of funny - my tea in a regular-sized coffee mug, and their coffee in a cup the size of a thimble! They finally started ordering "coffee in a tea mug" with a lot of milk (always served steamed) to go with it, and then they could kind of make their own coffee concoctions.

I went looking on the computer for pictures to see if someone had a picture on here of the layered juice, but no luck! Instead, I found a picture of the mule ride I've attached. It was clearly taken at the beginning of the ride, because I'm still looking somewhat fresh and relaxed! The young man with me was my "mule-a-teer" whose name was Malisha, or something along those lines. I can only remember because we laughed that our names kind of rhymed.

Until next time...

Alica

July 17, 2010

2010-07-17T06:18:00.000-07:00

Hello again! We have had a really great day! Today we got to go to Fregenet school and work with the teachers from that school and two others on a bookmaking project. Books are relatively hard to come by in Ethiopia, so we were helping them with ideas on how to have kids make their own books so they can either take them home or they can use them in their classroom libraries. We had so much fun getting to know the teachers and working together! We also got to take the books our students made to share with the teachers and give to them. Fregenet school is a private school that is for low-income students in two specific neighborhoods in Addis Ababa. It was started in memory of a young woman who always dreamed of returning to her childhood home to help the needy children get a good education. Unfortunately, shortly after graduating from college, she died in a car accident. Her father is continuing her dream by naming this school after her. They admit the 31 poorest children in the neighborhood each year for Kindergarten 1 (ages 3-4), and then they move up through kindergarten 2, grades 1, 2, 3, and 4. They graduated their first group of fourth graders just last week, and are supporting those children as they go on to fifth grade at another school. It is a remarkable school with a fantastic mission and a great group of teachers.

Next we have a man coming to talk with us about the coffee industry. He was supposed to come earlier in our stay, but was ill, so I'm happy they were able to reschedule his talk.

I realized that I'm going to have to find a time to get a little more computer time - I have so much to share! I'll work on that. :)

Love, hugs and kisses,
Alica

july 16, 2010

2010-07-16T04:00:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone! Just a quick message to let you know that I'll be back in Addis as of tonight, and back to my "regular" yahoo email for a few days. Hopefully the electricity will be working for the next few days at the guest house so I'll be able to get on the computer. We stayed in Debre Markos last night - just a stop along the way - today we'll see the Portugese Bridge, the Blue Nile Gorge, and another church whose name escapes me. The roads have really been quite good on this trip, but the stretch we're on today is not good at all! Not even a little!

I'm going to try to attach a picture that someone took of me. :) Will have more pictures to share when I get home!

Love, Alica

NEW July 15, 2010

2010-07-15T13:04:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!
On the road again....just can't wait to be on the road again....

Well, that isn't quite true. We are on the road again today, though. We spent 2 nights in Bahir Dar and are on the way back to Addis Ababa via Debre Markos. Bahir Dar is on the banks of Lake Tana, the largest lake in Ethiopia and the headwaters of the Blue Nile River, which combines with the White Nile River to become the Nile River. There are many churches and monasteries on Lake Tana, because it is considered a holy place. We went on a boat ride yesterday on the lake and then hiked to a monastery that was really interesting. It is a round building, but the inside is more rectangular. Inside, each side of the building is covered with paintings that depict different things. One side depicts stories from the Old Testament, one side is stories from the life of Christ, one is stories of saints, and the last I can't recall. The walls are covered with these paintings because historically (and still, to be honest) people are primarily illiterate, and they can use these paintings fo
r religious explanation and training.

Yesterday was hiking day for sure, because we not only hiked up and down a mountain to see a monastery, but we also hiked up and down in ankle deep mud to go to the Blue Nile Falls. Everything we had read indicated that the Falls were not nearly as impressive since they built a hydro-electric plant and most of the water now goes to that. We got lucky, though, and it rained all night before we went, so the Falls were very impressive. They aren't blue, though, as the name implies, because we are deep into the rainy season and the silt causes the river and the Falls to look like chocolate milk! The rain was definitely a mixed blessing for us. It made the Falls absolutely stunning and amazing, but it also made the walk there very, very, very muddy. I was sure glad for my cute rubber cowboy boots! They actually worked pretty well. :) It also helped that there are always kids around wanting to earn money that you can hire to help you up and down the rocks and mud. Sometimes they h
elp you whether you want them to or not. The kids at the Falls were probably the pushiest we'd seen, but I managed to find a very nice young lady on the way back who I was happy to pay, just because she was so very nice, pleasant and unpushy. She is 18 and in grade 10. Her village doesn't have school above 8th grade, so during the school year she goes into Bahir Dar and rents a room and goes to school there. She says she wants to go to University and study Business Administration. I hope she is able to be successful. Some of the kids tell you their tales, and you doubt that sincerity and truth of the stories, but I didn't doubt this young lady at all. It felt good to give her a few birr for helping because I felt she'd been truthful.

It gets difficult, sometimes, because sometimes the kids (and occasionally the adults) get kind of pushy asking for money or "sponsorship" or asking for your email "so we can keep in touch" even after you've only known them 2 minutes. I have to remind myself that often, these people are in pretty desperate situations, and if I were in their shoes, I might do the same thing. It is nice to be able to give people the opportunity to earn money (even if it is as being an unofficial guide or carrying luggage) instead of just giving it to them because you feel sorry for them. It can be overwhelming when you see all the need - the significant need - and know that there is no way you can help everyone.

I better go. I'm kind of skipping the Amharic lesson on the bus right now. :) Hope all is well! Will email again when I have time.

Love,
Alica

July 15, 2010

2010-07-15T02:30:00.001-07:00

Hello to all!
Today we left Gondar and are driving to Bahir Dar. Fortunately today is a short bus ride. The 8-10 hour days on the bus are a little rough. Bahir Dar is not much of a tourist town, from what I understand, but it is on the banks of Lake Tana, the largest lake in Ethiopia and the source of the Blue Nile River. Today some of us will visit a water project (on mule because the road ends)while the rest of us visit with some educators about barriers to education in rural settings (which often have to do with the need to collect water). I'm not sure yet which group I will be in, but am okay either way. As long as the mule doesn't have to go up or down a steep incline, then I'm fine. Today will also be an opportunity for us to have laundry done at the hotel, which is a seriously good thing. I have washed out a few things, but haven't had REAL laundry done since we left the guest house in Addis Ababa.

Yesterday we spent the day touring around Gondar, which was the capital city of Ethiopia from 1635-1855. Most of the rulers during that time each built some building to show their might - a castle, church, banquet hall, or concert hall. Most of them are in ruins, but you can see the beauty and grandeur even in the ruins. The highlight of the day, for me, was visiting Debre Birhan Selassie Church (the Church of the Trinity). It is not large, but is amazingly spectacular. It is famous for its paintings. On one wall is the story of Christ, from birth to resurrection. On another wall are paintings depicting various saints. The ceiling is the most memorable, though, as it is covered with paintings of angels looking in all directions, to remind you that God is always watching over you. That building was important in one of the books we read, and it was really neat to get to see it in person.

I appreciate the info from Susan and Rita that the board is not voting on school closures this month! That was a relief! I know it will come up again soon, but at least not while I'm gone!

Can't wait to hear how things are going at home! Hopefully I'll get back to my email in a few days (for a few days).

Love,
Alica

july 12, 2010

2010-07-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

We are in Gondar now and today we'll get to go see all the castles and churches. We had a long trip yesterday, so it will be nice to be out and walking a bit. The roads have been quite nice - much nicer than when LeAnn and some of the others were here 3 years ago. They are mountain roads, though, so they're pretty twisty-turny. Gondar is the third largest city in Ethiopia, so it is a pretty bustling place. We're in the Quoroa hotel, which is right in the middle of the city. It has a lovely terrace that overlooks the city, where I'm enjoying breakfast right now.

I didn't say very much about the mule ride we had the other day, so let me explain a bit more about that. Each of us had a mule and a "mule-a-teer" which can otherwise be called a "mule boy." That person is in charge of getting us on and off the mule and keeping us going on the hiking part. The poor kid who was assigned to me had no idea he was getting such a klutz! What I learned is that I am not part mountain goat! I do not like scrambling on loose rocks, whether it is on my own two feet or on a mule. The flat parts weren't too bad, but I was pretty glad to be back on flat ground. My mule was one of the "express lane" mules, so it liked to speed whenever we had a chance. My "mule boy" was a nice young man who said he was in 10th grade. However, you hear that a lot from the boys in Lalibela - a sob story about not having enough for school...a poor family...won't you please sponsor me for school? It is always hard to say no and deflect, but you can't always trust what the
y say. I tipped him well at the end, and felt that he had certainly earned his money.

Our wonderful tour guy, Habtu, is an example of a "Lalibela boy" who did well for himself. He impressed the husband of one of our organizers many years ago and was sponsored and now owns his own tour business. And he does a great job! He is a wonderful guide and if anyone decides to come to Ethiopia, I highly recommend Vast Ethiopia Tours!

Hope all is well. I'll email again as I have time.
Love,
Alica

july 10, 2010 10:36 pm

2010-07-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! I had a lovely day yesterday for my birthday. I was finally feeling pretty good, so felt like eating (yahoo!). All the things we did and all the nice things done for me made for an absolutely wonderful day. We went to the rock-hewn churches (there are 12 of them), some in the morning, and some in the afternoon. They are amazing! The churches were "built" by digging down into the rock, so almost all of them are considered monolithic. The also "big" thing is that we went to the family home of our wonderful guide, Habtu, and his family made a traditional Ethiopian meal and we got to observe a coffee ceremony there. Everything together made for a memorable and fabulous day.

The hotel where we are staying in Lalibela is FABULOUS!!! It is quite new and absolutely beautiful. The chef here at the hotel is from Jamacia (I know I spelled that wrong, but can't figure out the right way right now), and he makes really great meals. The menu each day is set, but has several choices. My lunch choices for my birthday were mushroom soup, pot roast & mashed potatoes, with creme caramel for dessert. I was satisfied and happy with that meal, and everyone sang Happy Birthday when we got our dessert. The chef had a little secret for our lunch, though...another dessert! He found out that morning that it was my birthday and made me a special cake. :) Everyone was so sweet and kind. The Ethiopians don't celebrate birthdays for adults, so I think it was kind of a different thing for a lot of them.

Today was a really neat day, too, but exhausting! We spent the morning (7:30 am-1:30 pm) on a mule ride/hike. We traveled 2 km to go to a monastery that was also rock-hewn. The priest spent some time with us, talked with us, and then blessed us as we went on our way. It was really neat to experience that part of their religion. We came back for a yummy lunch and then went to the museum that has artifacts from the rock-hewn churches. Amazing to view those 600-900 year old crowns, Bibles, and robes. Beautiful!

Tomorrow we are on the road again - probably at least 10 hours to Gonder. We'll be there a couple of days. Thank you all for the wonderful birthday wishes and messages. This year was certainly a birthday to remember!

Jessica, tell Joshua that I am thrilled he is on the mend! Give hugs and kisses to the boys and a special scritch-scratch for Archie!

Love,
Alica

NEW/UPDATED July 8, 2010

2010-07-08T09:01:00.000-07:00

Hey,
We're on the road again today. We made it to Dese last night in time for supper, and I survived being sick. I ate some noodles and drank papaya juice, so kept it pretty bland. I felt so much better today after a good night of sleep! The people around me aren't so lucky, though. Several are feeling icky today. I'm still sticking with a bland diet today, and that seems to be a good idea since we're still driving in the mountains.

These mountain roads are really pretty nice, but very twisty. We've gotten a good look at some rural life on our drive. The "big towns" we've gone through are still very rural. We've seen people plowing their fields with oxen, sowing seed, and herding animals. It is amazing to watch a tiny child of only 4-5 years old herding big cows, leading camels, or chasing goats around. We've seen a lot of people walking to get water, or getting water from wells, too. The majority of the economy is subsistence farming, which I can totally believe after seeing this part of the country. The fields are so rocky, though, that it makes it hard to grow anything. The rocks are huge! We came upon a bus that was broken down, and instead of the orange cones we use to alert cars to go around, they used some of the big-ish rocks from a nearby field! Saw the same thing with road construction when they didn't want people to go down a certain area - used rocks to block off the road.

Today we're on the way to Lalibela to see the rock-hewn churches. I'm excited to see something I've read so much about. The highlight of today (so far) is the market we came upon in a field on the road right outside Dese. They were selling animals, spices, salt (not the kind that we get out of the shaker! Real rocks! There were people selling fruits, veggies, shoes, grains, clay pots, injera pans...all kinds of things. The people were curious about us, of course, but kind and friendly. It was crowded, but not the crush of humanity like at the Mercato. I believe we'll get to go to the market in Lalibela, too, so I'm looking forward to that.

Hope all is well at home. I'll email again as I have time. :)

Alica

july 8, 2010

2010-07-07T23:12:00.000-07:00

We have been incredibly busy the last few days, and then, on top of that, we've had very iffy electricity the last few days, so it didn't bode well for emails being sent. We had more times the last few days without electricity than with. Let me tell you that it is very disconcerting to be taking a shower in a well-lit bathroom and suddenly have the lights go out.

We are on the way to Dese or Dessie - I have seen it spelled several different ways. That is what happens when you try to write Amharic words using the Roman alphabet. There are very few words that are spelled consistently - even major cities! We left at 7 am and will be "on the road" for the next 10 days. We will be in Dessie tonight, then on to Lalibela for a few days and Gondar. We'll come home via the Blue Nile Falls. We were originally supposed to go to Axum, but it was too far and too expensive to be able to fit it in the grant. That's okay - I think we'll be overloaded on Ethiopia history as it is. Lalibella and Gondar were both capitals at different times in history. Lalibella is famous for a series of rock-hewn chuches and Gondar is famous for having something along the lines of 40 churches along with ruins of a bunch of castles.

The last few days have been really busy. The highlights:
*speaker from the ministry of Education.
*a visit to Addis Ababa University school of music for a look at some traditional instruments and a demonstration (very cool!)
*A talk by a man named Ibrahim about how the Muslims have been treated and persecuted in the past in Ethiopia.
*Walked around a mosque at the Mercato, a large market. It is about 1 mile square and gave us lots and lots of experiences with beggars and pickpockets (no one was successful getting money from our pockets, but it was pretty uncomfortable).
*Dinner at a really nice traditional Ethiopian restaurant for injera and wat (bread and stew) and a demonstration of traditional music and dance from various areas and tribes in Ethiopia.

We just drove past a banana plantation!

More highlights:
*Visited the first all-girls school in Ethiopia. It is where two of our organizers lived as children when their parents came to Ethiopia to work as Presbyterian missionaries and then where one taught as an adult.
*Art day! We heard a talk by two artists about their work and about traditional Ethiopian art.
*Went to a museum at Addis Ababa University (the main campus, this time) that is in what used to be Emperor Haile Sallise's palace. It had information about life in Ethiopia in different areas of the country, traditional art and traditional instruments. It was a really good museum.
*Got caught in a major traffic jam. We decided that they must not require cars to pass an emissions test.
*Went to a grocery store to stock up on a few things for the trip
*Talk about curriculum links and things we might want to buy when we're on the trip north for our classrooms.

So that is the good, and busy, news. The bad news is that last night I got really, really sick. Thank God for immodium and zofran! I'm doing much better than I was this morning, though, so I think I'll survive. Fortunately there were snacks for the whole bus that included something very much like Saltine crackers! Yahoo!

Okay, so hopefully things are going well at home. I hope Archie is behaving and that Joshua hasn't broken any more bones. ;) Will email again when there is time.

Alica

July 5, 2010

2010-07-05T03:28:00.000-07:00

Good morning,
We had a good day yesterday, although our July 4 did not include any fireworks. :) We got to wander around the area where we're staying, which was kind of interesting. There were more shops than any of us really expected, and all kinds of people. The kids all like having their picture taken, but we always ask permission before we take their pictures.

Yesterday we worked some on curriculum, started thinking about ways to incorporate this into classrooms, even when the main focus of classrooms is almost exclusively reading and math. We also got to hear about some of the history of Ethiopia. I'd read some about Ethiopia's history before I left, but it was kind of tough because I have absolutely no previous exposure to the topic. I read the book The History of Ethiopia, and then I read the history in the guide book, and then when I heard the lecture yesterday, I felt like I actually knew something! A lot of the history we're discussing took place in the north in Gonder (also spelled Gondar) and Lalibela, where we'll be touring in a couple of days. We'll leave Wednesday and be gone for 10 days, I believe. We'll also be seeing the Blue Nile Falls while we're gone, I think. I'm excited about that trip!

One thing I've found interesting is that addresses here mean very little. When I had to apply for my entry visa, I was given the address of our guest house. I thought that meant something, but evidently it means very little. A street here might be named something officially, but called something different by everyone. I have only seen one house number the whole time. If people are trying to find our guest house to come for lectures, they come to the sub city and then they call for instructions on how to actually get here! Sure makes life interesting!

Today we're going to have someone associated with the government who will come and talk to us about schools - this time from a more "official" point of view. This afternoon we'll be going to a music school and museum to learn about traditional music and instruments. We'll also be doing a tour of the city and visiting a mosque, although most of the group won't be able to go in, since we're women. I believe we're also going to some sort of history museum, but I don't remember exactly what the name of it is.

The weather continues to be lovely. It rained a bit yesterday afternoon and evening, but nothing like I'd expected (knock on wood). It has been mostly sunny and warm!

Hope you're all doing well. Until later...

Alica

july 4, 2010

2010-07-04T05:39:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It is 9 am on July 4 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Sorry I didn't get an email sent yesterday. I only slept about 4 hours the first night and was exhausted yesterday. We had a great day yesterday, even with the lack of sleep. We had two men come in to talk about the educational system in Ethiopia, and barriers to education that exist in the country. We were supposed to go to the bank to change money, but the banks were closed in the afternoon, so we ended up changing plans. Our guide, Habtu, arranged for someone to come to the guesthouse to change money for us - somewhat black market. :) Then we went and did a little shopping. We went to a couple of places where there were little shops. When I say "little shops" I mean LITTLE! Tiny little shops stacked to the gills with all kinds of things! I didn't buy anything - I was a bit too overwhelmed and didn't feel prepared to barter. At all. I did see some neat things, and I think we're going back to some of those places later. I also was a little overwhelmed trying to figure out the exchange rate ($1=13 birr). I have my "cheat sheet" now and I'm ready for the next time we go shopping!

This morning we got up early and went to an Ethiopian Orthodox church service. It was fascinating. There were many beggars outside the gates, but also inside, near the church. There were LOTS and LOTS of people there outside the actual church. In fact, not that many even went in. Evidently, if the worshipers don't feel that they've been right with God, then they will stay outside and worship instead of going inside. There were speakers on the outside, so everyone could hear, even from far away. We didn't go inside but we did look in, and we spent about 45 minutes experiencing the worship and talking with one of our guides, Habutwold, who is the son of an Ethiopian Orthodox priest. It was nice to have someone to explain to things to us.

This afternoon, we were supposed to have someone who is a bigwig in the coffee industry come speak, but he is ill, so we're changing plans. Good to be flexible! I think we're going to start working on curriculum today. Not sure what the plan is for tomorrow - haven't looked that far ahead.

The food has been yummy - breakfast yesterday was waffles and fresh pineapple juice, lunch was pasta with a spicy sauce and steamed veggies, dinner we ate pizza out. There is a significant Italian influence here since Ethiopia was occupied by Italy for a time.

Driving around the city is an adventure. There seems to be little regard for lanes of traffic. Today we got held up by a herd of donkeys. We have seen several people selling goats along the side of the road. There are lots of fruit stands that are absolutely beautiful! Avocados, mangoes, bananas, and papayas stacked in the most beautiful arrangements. The van driver today said the avocados would cost about 4 birr for 1 kilo. 1 birr = 7 cents...pretty good price!

That's all for today. I think we might get some breakfast soon. :) Will email again when I have time. Hope all is well at home!

Alica

Thursday, May 7

2009-05-07T19:45:00.001-07:00

Today was the last day of the convention. The day started with a big session - I think they called it the "closing session" or something like that. It was in a huge room, and there lots of people there. The president of the International Reading Association did a little speaking, thanked some board members who were completing their term of service, and introduced the new president, Dr. Kathryn Au, from Hawaii. I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Au a couple of years ago, and she was as impressive this morning as I remember her being. She spoke of her experiences in education, her family, and the plans for next year's conference in Chicago!

The main speaker this morning was Dr. Ben Carson. Dr. Carson is the head of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins. Let me explain - he is a medical doctor whose specialty is brain surgery on kids, and he is the main doctor for that at one of the leading hospitals in the world. One thing he is famous for is doing a surgery to separate conjoined (or Siamese) twins who were joined at the top of the head. When he talked about that surgery, he said it took more than 28 hours. More than 1 whole day! But the twins lived and are now finishing sixth grade. Wow! Dr. Carson did talk some about his job, and the two books he has written, but mostly, he talked about his childhood. He did not have an easy childhood. He lived in a very poor area of a very big city. His mom didn't know how to read (although he didn't know that at the time) and they did not have an easy life. However, his mother would not allow him to make excuses and be "stupid." She required him to take responsibility for his actions, and wanted him to be the best he could be. To help him do that, she would not allow him to watch very much television, and required him and his brother to read two books a week from the library and hand in written book reports. (Hmm...maybe I should start making you guys do that. What do you thin LOL!) Dr. Carson became a curious person and decided he wanted to know about lots of things. He learned, on his own, about classical music, literature, and art. He studied just because he wanted to know more. Little did he know, when he was learning those things, that the knowledge of art and music would help him get into a special program that allowed him to learn to be a neurosurgeon! Dr. Carson was very impressive, and I think I'm going to have to buy his books and read them! (I also think I'll watch the Hallmark movie about him - Gifted Hands - when it comes on TV again.)

After the closing session, I went to a session about "inquiry groups" - kind of like small group research. The presenters were Stephanie Harvey and Harvey Daniels, and they jokingly called themselves "Harvey-squared." Theirs is another book I'm going to have to buy and read! I have a lot of studying to do this summer!

Last, I went to a symposium about a "book of the month" club that one school does. At that school, each month the whole school reads a different book and responds to it. They don't do it all at the same time - each class works on it at different times. I really like that idea, and think I'll do that with my class next year, and maybe I'll see about partnering with other classes, too. This year, the school worked to respond to the books using technology tools. They used things like voicethread, glogster, and google docs. Using tools like those, I think you could even do this kind of project with classes at different schools. My thoughts are kind of whirling with possibilities!

Wednesday, May 6

2009-05-06T21:31:00.000-07:00

Well, it was another long, but good, day at the convention! It is after 11:00, so you're not going to get much from me tonight, I'm afraid. Tomorrow, I'll be back at the hotel earlier, though, so I'll be able to give you more description then!

Here are the highlights:

*A really nice breakfast put on by Pearson (an education company) to celebrate and kick off the "2009 Jumpstart's Read for the Record." This program is designed to celebrate reading and encourage people to read to preschoolers. This year's book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, and they gave each one of us a copy of the book! Thank you Pearson!

*A couple of really good sessions about using technology in the classroom. I got some ideas that I think might work for next year, and some websites I need to check out. There were a couple I think you guys might like.

*Another session about how teachers can best help kids with reading.

*A last visit to the exhibit hall. Today was the last day for the exhibitors to be selling things, so I went and bought some things for our classroom (I'll show you those when I get home!) and a few more books. The books were on sale, which was exciting, and a nice excuse to buy a few more.

*A yummy dinner at a local diner.

*The poetry olio (pronounced o-lee-o), which included poetry performances by several poets, including Brod Bagert (we have some of his books in our classroom library). It was a lot of fun! (And I got a free book there, too!)

Tuesday, May 5

2009-05-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

**This is a post from my class wiki about my activities and experiences at the International Reading Association Annual Convention.

I thought we'd start today with some pictures that I finally got uploaded to my computer. :)

This picture is the stage at the convention center. This is where we had the Awards Ceremony and where the speaker was on the first day.

The theme, as you can probably tell, is Beyond the Horizon.

This picture is of my bags - completely full of books and posters! And this is just what I got on MONDAY!

Here I am with author, Julie Danneberg, and the very first-ever-purchased copy of her newest book, Family Reminders.

This is the advance copy (also called a galley) of Andrew Clement's newest book. He wasn't at this conference, though.

No, this was not at the conference! This is a picture I took at the Mall of America at Lego-land. I'd never been to a lego store before, and I was amazed by what they could make with legos!

Tuesday

Now that we're caught up with pictures, let me tell you about what I did today!

1. Breakfast meeting: The breakfast I went to was very nice. Not only was the food good, but the program was nice, too! There were six people on a panel who talked about ways teachers can help kids be better readers.

2. Symposium: When this convention talks about a symposium, they are mean that there will be several people who all speak, but about one central topic, and it usually lasts for more than 2 hours. The symposium I attended was a group of authors who all talked about touching the hearts and minds of students. The authors were all so good! They clearly enjoyed visiting together and listening to each other.

First was Annie Barrows, who writes the Ivy and Bean books. i'm not sure if you guys know those books or not. I know I have the first of the series, but they're mostly written for kids who are probably 2nd or 3rd grade. They're pretty funny books, though!
Next was Ashley Bryan, who is a poet and illustrator. I have one of his books, I think in the poetry tub, called Shine On. He is such a wonderful speaker! I saw him once last year, as well, and he always recites poetry with his audience. He says a line, and then the audience would say it back to him. Some of the poetry he recited with us was by Langston Hughes. He talked a lot about students finding the voices of the poetry and the importance of reading poetry out loud.
Katherine Paterson spoke next. She wrote Bridge to Terabithia, Same Stuff as Stars, The Great Gilly Hopkins, and many other books. She was wonderful! She spoke so eloquently about where she's gotten ideas for her books. She made us laugh and cry - just like in her books. I really enjoyed listening to her.
The next person was a huge thrill for me - Seymour Simon! You know how much I love books by Seymour Simon! He used to be a science teacher, and said that in writing books, he is actually trying to explain things to himself. He explained how he tries to compare big things in ways that help people understand. Did you know that he has written more than 200 books! Wow! I actually got to see Seymour Simon yesterday, too, when I bought some of his books and had him autograph the books. :)
Martin Sandler spoke last. I was unfamiliar with his books before today, but I sure am going to get familiar with them! His most recent book is about Abraham Lincoln, and it sounds so interesting! I went to buy it after the session was over, but by the time I got there, they were already sold out! I was so disappointed! I'm going to buy it when I get home, that's for sure!

After lunch, I went to a "Special Interest Group" meeting. This group of people work to promote quality literature for children. They put out a list each year called the "Notable Books for a Global Society." This is fancy-talk for books that help kids understand people and cultures in the world. Author Jacqueline Woodson spoke at the meeting. She has written chapter books like Locomotion as well as picture books like Show Way and The Other Side. I know I have Show Way in our classroom, and Mrs. Tutschulte has the other one in the library. Both of those books are really wonderful, and it was interesting to hear her talk about and quote from her books. Hearing an author read his or her book aloud to a group is really meaningful. At the end of the meeting there was a drawing for books, and I won a book! (Have I mentioned how much I love free books?) I chose a chapter book by Patricia McKissack about Negro League Baseball.

I did go back to the exhibits and bought more books and met more authors:

Katherine Paterson
Ashley Bryan
Eileen Spinelli (she is the wife of the guy who wrote Maniac Magee and has written several picture books)
Trinka Hakes Noble (this is a new author to me - I think we'll enjoy her book The Orange Shoes)
Jane Yolen!!! (She wrote that picture book about the missing Roanoke Colony, Owl Moon, and many other books. I got to buy one they haven't even put in bookstores yet!)
And many more...

I went to dinner with my friend, Dr. Susan Knell. We went to a family-owned Italian restaurant, and had a nice dinner. We were so tired this evening that we decided not to go out and try to do anything. We want to be all rested for tomorrow, because there is lots to do tomorrow! Tomorrow I have another breakfast to attend, and three sessions I want to attend. I'm really going to try to be financially responsible tomorrow and not spend too much money in the exhibits, so it is probably good that I have so many sessions to attend. That will leave me less time to go to the exhibits! I do need to go to the exhibits at some point, though, because I found a really neat thing I want to buy. It is called a "clearboard" and you use it kind of like a whiteboard. You use the same kind of markers that you use for a whiteboard, except that it is clear and you put a paper inside it, then answer the probalems right on the board - and erase them when you're finished! I have some other teacher-y kind of things I want to buy, too. The really fun thing tomorrow is the Poetry Olio. I went last year and got to hear lots of really great poets and enjoy a fun evening listening to them perform their works.

More tomorrow...

Monday, May 4

2009-05-04T21:37:00.000-07:00

My day at the convention started with what is called the "Opening Session." It is like a big assembly with almost everyone attending together in a huge room for speakers, and other things. It started out with a junior high choir from St. Paul, MN singing two songs. They did a really good job, and I think their choir director was pretty proud of them. There were people who made announcements, welcomed everyone to Minneapolis and the convention, and things like that. The main speaker was a man who writes for adults, and has had some best-selling books. His name is Khaled Hosseini, and he wrote Kite Runner. He was very interesting and passionate about the importance of education for all people.

Next, since I had a little time, I went to the exhibit hall. The exhibit hall is where companies set up booths to show what they have to offer teachers and students, and to sell things to teachers. These companies also know that teachers love free stuff, and so a lot of them have things to give away in addition to the things they are selling. I got bunches of posters, pins, bookmarks...and free books! Some of the books are "real" books that have been out for a while. Others are called "advance copies" and are uncorrected proofs, meaning that there may be changes once the book is published in its final form. I got several advance copies, including a new book by Andrew Clements! Hooray! It is called Extra Credit, and I can't wait to read it!

A lot of the companies that come to this conference sell books, because this is a conference for reading teachers! The book companies also bring in authors so teachers can meet them, ask questions, and get the books signed that they buy from the companies. One of the first books I bought today was by the author Julie Danneberg. She wrote the picture book First Day Jitters, but she also has a new chapter book out called Family Reminders. I thought it looked like a good book, so I bought it. When I took it to her to sign, she said this was the first of that book ever to be sold! Isn't that cool?! It isn't even in bookstores, yet, so I bought the first copy of the book! She autographed it, and also put a note saying it was the first one sold. I thought that was pretty cool. I have a picture with her, but my camera and my computer aren't cooperating, so I can't get it posted right now. I'll try to get it working so I can post some pictures later. I did meet several other authors, including the poets Bruce Lansky and Brod Bagert, and my favorite author of nonfiction, Seymour Simon.

In the afternoon, I went to the Delegate's Assembly. I was sent by the Kansas Reading Association to be a representative at this assembly. It is kind of like when we elect representatives to go to the senate. I was supposed to speak for and vote according to how our state association thinks is right. I sat with people from Maryland, Michigan, and North Carolina. There were also people there, who spoke at the meeting, from Australia, New Zealand, and Finland. It was interesting to hear people speak and hear what they had to say.

This evening I went to the Mall of America with my friend who is travelling with me. Wow! What a place! We ate dinner at Bubba Gump's Shrimp Company. It was so yummy! I was incredibly full when we got done there, so I wasn't up for riding the roller coaster or any of the rides. We did look at some of the shops in the mall, but we only saw a few compared to how many stores are in that mall. It has 4 floors of stores! I did go to the Lego store, though, and bought some new pieces of legos to add to our class set. I thought some new pieces might spice things up a bit.

Tomorrow is going to be even earlier than today, so I really need to get to bed. I am going to a special breakfast that one of the publishers is doing. I also have some really interesting sessions I'm going to tomorrow, and I don't want to be too sleepy to pay attention! I'm hoping that my camera will cooperate tomorrow, so I can get the pictures uploaded.

2009-05-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

I am so happy to be in Minneapolis! I am exhausted tonight, but thrilled to be here.

I love Minnesota. I have lots of happy memories of being here for fishing trips as a child. I have lots of bittersweet memories of Minnesota from being here with my niece, Eliza, when seeking treatment at Mayo Clinic just a short distance from here. And I'm happy to be back for the International Reading Association Annual Convention.

I decided that it was really close enough for me to drive here - and it really is. However, I'm not really used to driving that far all by my lonesome. I did okay, though, and didn't feel too guilty stopping when I needed to...or just when I wanted to. IMy favorite thing during my drive here were the wind farms in Iowa. The windmills are absolutely enormous, and just fascinating to me. I love seeing those huge windmills scattered over the horizon!

The first day, I drove from KS to Albert Lea, Minnesota, just over the state line. Albert Lea is a nice town, and I had a restful night there. Today I came the rest of the way to Minneapolis, which was less than 2 hours of driving. I got to my hotel here, checked in, and then went to get registered at the conference. The main thing I had to do at the conference today, besides registering, was attend the Awards Ceremony. I got to receive an award for the Kansas Reading Association called the Award of Excellence. It was a nice ceremony, and then they had a reception for us, too.

Tomorrow will be a good day. The Opening Ceremony is tomorrow, and there is always an interesting speaker the first day. After that, I'll get to go to the exhibits hall where they have lots of things for sale, lots of free stuff, and lots of authors!! One of the authors I'm hoping to get to meet this time around is Jane Yolen. She has written lots of books, including Owl Moon.

I'd better go for now. The bus will come to shuttle us to the convention center very early in the morning, and I am very tired tonight. More tomorrow...

Manners

2009-02-06T07:46:00.001-08:00

Someone on plurk posted a request recently for a list of positive lunchroom behaviors. Isn't that a constant battle in schools? There is so little time for lunch, that you wouldn't expect things to go badly in such a short period of time, but it often does. Behavior seems to go right down the tubes for a lot of kids when food and friends are in the same space. Why is that?

Our school is not typical. I teach at a very small school of only 92 students, kindergarten through fifth grade. Our kindergarteners are only at school for half a day, so at lunch, we have fewer than 80 students present. Another thing that is unique to our school is that we eat family style. Each person at lunch has a plate, silverware and a napkin. Bowls and platters of food are at each table, and everyone passes the food and serves him or herself. There are requirements for what foods must be on each plate, of course, but there is a bit of leeway that allows for trying new foods without a major commitment.

We have been doing lunch this way for more than ten years, but still struggle some with appropriate behavior at the table. Or secretary read the book The Essential 55 by Ron Clark and formulated a list of manners based on that book.

When you first sit down for a meal, immediately place your napkin in your lap. If your silverware is wrapped in a napkin, unwrap it as soon as you sit down and place the napkin in your lap.
Never place your elbows on the table.
Use one hand to eat, unless you are cutting or buttering food. Never have your fork in one hand and a glass in the other.
Do not lick your fingers or use any part of your shirt as a napkin. There is a napkin provided for the purpose of cleaning your fingers and face. There is no need to lick yourself clean.
Do not smack your lips and chew noisily.
Do not chew with your mouth open.
Do not talk with your mouth full. Sometimes people will place a hand over their mouth and talk anyway. Don't do that. Wait until you have swallowed your food to speak.
Do not slurp.
Do not play with your food.
You are to use your utensils for eating almost everything. Here are eight types of foods you may use your hands to eat:

pizza
cookies
bread
corn on the cob
hot dogs, hamburgers and sandwiches
french fries and chips
fried chicken
small fruits (like grapes on a stem), apples, oranges, carrots, etc.

Never reach over someone's plate to get something. You should say, "Will you please pass the bowl of potatoes?"
You should never complain if you do not like the food or if there is a wait.
When you are finished eating, ask to be excused.
It is always polite to think the cook for preparing your meal.
When it is time to leave, remember to WALK down the hall.

Does each child manage to follow these guidelines of etiquette exactly? I wish! It is amazing what sticks with them, though. Some students have to be reminded constantly to keep their elbows off the table and use a napkin, but they always stop and thank the cook for making a nice meal for them. Some children consistently reach over others for food, but always remember to put their napkins in their laps.

Every day is a learning experience. We keep plugging along, reminding students (and sometimes teachers) to use their best manners, and we do see progress. I hope our efforts to improve manners at lunch will help you do the same thing at your school!

Decisions, decisions

2009-01-06T20:29:00.000-08:00

This picture was taken this afternoon in my classroom. Three of my students had been looking through books, trying to decide what book to read for this month's book review assignment. Suddenly, it was time for PE, so I told them to leave the books and finish up when they got back to class. I was struck that this is a common scene in my class - and that made me happy. I like that my students have choices, that we have to be creative about book storage because there is never enough room for all the books. And I'm so happy my students love to read.

I've been tagged!

2009-01-03T20:49:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged! Now I have to figure out 7 things to tell you about myself. I hope I can tell you something interesting. :)

1. I was a 4-Her when I was younger. I participated in lots of different projects, but my "main" projects were foods and crochet. I was fairly successful, although there were certainly a few exceptions! The major exception in the foods project was the year I did the yeast breads project. What a disaster! A wonderful mom from our club was the project leader, and she helped my friend, Shelley and I through all the pitfalls of yeast, but it was just no use for me. I was a yeast "murderer", and unfortunately, not much has changed since then. I did quite well as a crocheter. I never earned a ribbon lower than a blue, and was awarded reserve champion a couple of times, and even got the champion ribbon once!

2. I went to a small, country school in elementary school. All the kids and teachers knew each other, and classes were small - rarely more than 25 kids in a class. I think that is one reason I love teaching at Vinland - it reminds me so much of my own elementary school. There aren't very many other places in the US where the entire school can be in the lunchroom (or even the library) at the same time, and where every teacher knows every child's name.

3. I have several charities I support, but the 2 that are my "pets" are Habitat for Humanity and the Ronald McDonald House Charities. I make a crocheted afghan for each Habitat house in our community on behalf of my church, and also have the honor of presenting each family with a bookshelf and library of books on behalf of our local reading council. The Ronald McDonald House is close to my heart because in 2005, my niece, Eliza Mae, was diagnosed with cancer. Our family spent a lot of time at the Ronald McDonald House in Rochester, MN while Eliza received treatment at Mayo Clinic. It wasn't just that it was "home" for my sister, mom & Eliza for several months, but it was a safe haven. While we were there, we met people with sick kids, who were experiencing some of the same ups and downs as us. It was a built-in support group. The kids at school know the Ronald McDonald House is meaningful to me, and they bring me their pop tabs to take to the House. I love the way the kids open up their hearts and give, when given the opportunity.

4. I hate bell peppers. I hate them in any way, shape, or form. My mother insists that I used to eat peppers when I was small, but I think she is telling tales, because I can't even stand the smell of peppers.

5. I used to tell people I was allergic to chocolate so they wouldn't make me eat chocolate cakes, brownies, or chocolate chip cookies, because I really didn't like any of those things. It wasn't that I didn't like chocolate, though. I loved (and still love) chocolate candy, ice cream, and pudding! My tastes have changed, to some extent. I like chocolate chip cookies, now, and brownies if they are gooey and fudgy. I still don't like chocolate cake, though.

6. I love tea. I drink lots of tea every day. My favorites are black teas - Lady Gray, Assam, English/Irish/Scottish Breakfast, etc. I also collect teacups and teapots. I'm especially fond of the teacup my great-aunt Doris gave me that has an intricate floral pattern decorating the cup.

7. This is my first real blog. I did a kind of blog last year when I went to the International Reading Association Convention, but it was more of a daily letter to my students each day. So many people in my PLN (Personal Learning Network) are bloggers, and I've been intrigued by the thought of having a blog. I've toyed with the idea, looked at other blogs, and then discarded the idea. I'm a bit intimidated, because I'm not sure I have enough to say that would be meaningful to anyone to have a blog! Thanks to Anne for tagging me so that I can get over my trepidation and "just do it!"

Now...who shall I tag...
amymcordova
saffield
TeresaTCA
campinglisa
MaryannM
Heidi
DrlaurieinAL

I hope I got (mostly) people who had not been tagged!