Saturday is getting closer and closer, and I can hardly contain how I’m feeling. Time has flown by, the semester is over, and we will be departing soon. Where has the time gone?
What I’m most excited for is the teaching. We will be teaching primary school students who attend a school named after WSU graduate, Mary O. Graham. I’m so excited to teach these students and have this experience. I wonder how schools are different in Argentina. Already, I’ve learned that the structure is much different than what I am used to here in the Unites States. Students only go to school for half days, so they receive four hours of educational time each day. I wonder about classroom management and how it differs from strategies used by teachers here. A few weeks ago Alicia, one of our trip leaders, sent us pictures of some of the students from the school we will be going to. Aren’t they precious?!
Some of our future students from the Mary O. Graham School in San Juan, Argentina, lining up to have their picture taken.
One thing I’m nervous about is the language. I took 5 years of Spanish in high school, but it has been a while. On top of that, Spanish is different in Argentina. There is a strong Italian influence on Argentine language and culture, and as a result, I am learning that I won’t always know what I’m doing or if I’m saying everything right. That is a fear I’m trying to consciously let go of before we leave. There are many things I won’t have control over, and that will be okay!
I hope you all enjoy “tagging along” when you read our blog! Let us know what you think!
–Morgan Brown