3500

What is 3500? Well, a quick google search tells me that Nokia makes a phone with the serial number of 3500, but no, that's not it. "Yes, you in the back, what do you think?" The teacher asks (hint hint, wink wink, nowhatImean?) Maybe it's the Dodge Ram 3500, available with an 8L engine which produces 310hp? A mighty beast, but no!!!! No ! NO! ño! 3500 is the amount of hours I have working with students in the last two years. That's 1700 in Salinas, 1700 in Federal Way, and another 100 in Cusco. Of course, that doesn't cover all the work I've done with students. I have coached gymnastics for years, another set of hours and not to mention all other random volunteer work with students that I've done. I consider myself quite qualified to work with students, not only because it is something I am comfortable with, but because I'm bloody good at it.

Lets put away the record books and take a look at what's going on right now. Right now, I find myself watching many movies and TV on DVD. I have read a fair amount, the best thing I've done in the past month, and I work out about 9 times a week, also a perk, but all in all, I do a lot of nothing. Nothing leads to boredom and boredom leads to a desire to spend money, however, I'm bored because I'm desempleado, ergo, no money, ergo, I can't do things that cost money, ergo, I'm bored.

I have an idea, that's advance my life plans. Dear god, can you hear me, it's me Mar...Jason, I want a shiny toy spaceship and to be a teacher. Well, to be a teacher one, me, needs their, my, certification. To get this certification one has to earn it. That is why, twice a week, I go to classes at a local private university. I spend 5 hours in two different classes, learning....nothing. These classes have been disigned for people who are completely new to education and schools. Yes, there are people who are currently observing in classrooms, have helped in their child's class, or who are subbing, but they don't truly know what it's like to be at a school, each day, working with the same students, and working within the system of a school...but I do. I'm sure that I sound quite arrogant. I find myself sitting in my class thinking that I am wasting my time. I know that these classes will lead to other and then I will be all certified, which is definitely what I want. But there has to be a better way, I can't see anything worthwhile in what I'm doing. The last thing that I did that fits with my lifestyle was saying goodbye to a student in Peru. I personally went to her house and made sure that I was able to say goodbye. Those were the days, eh? I miss having students, I miss doing something with my time, I miss doing the things that I love. It wasn't easy to figure out what I cared about in this world, but I figured it out, and now, after two straight years of doing things I love, I find myself, stagnant, stalled, and starving to find an outlet for my passions.

Random factoid: I ran a 5k last week and I got 3rd place for my age group...wow, 20-24 year olds are slow if I got 3rd.

La Cultura Cura

Restless Landscape

I don't really have much to write about...which is what I'll write about. I feel like I've stalled. Class and coaching are a chance for me to do something, class even helps my future, but I just keep applying and not hearing anything from other jobs. I feel like all the things I've done since I've left college have no impact on my current life. I am not suggesting that they weren't great experiences, they were lo mejor, it's just I am sad because my life now is not based on anything that I've done in the last 26 months.

On the bright side I am working out a lot, which is cool. Plus, I coached on Friday and it was so much fun being back with students. One of my girls only spoke Spanish and I really hope she keeps coming back because I have been researching gymnastical words in español. I won't have a full coaching schedule until octubre but I'll be doing a couple classes and a couple of private lessons...don't let me forget to call those privates tomorrow.

Random factoid: I like the look of my posts better with pictures so I'm adding one on here, it's from Peru, which I know isn't all that current.

La Cultura Cura

Worst Metaphor Ever

"If nothing is done immediately, many cohorts of students will miss their educational opportunity and sink into poverty." A quote from the final paragraphs of the book in front of me. It is a World Bank Country Study, Peruvian Education at a Crossroads: Challenges and Opportunities for the 21st Century. Written in 2001 the book has five chapters that only take up 68 pages of this 281 page book. The remaining pages are all taken up by the appendix and background notes. Por ejemplo, for the chapter that most intrigued me, the one about teachers, there was a background note last 15 to 20 pages explaining how teachers become teachers. Why this couldn't've just been part of the normal chapter I'll never know. I just finished this book not but an hour ago...and when I say "finish," I don't mean that I read every page, cover to cover. It means that I "finished," all of the chapters and only read the background notes that appealed to me...like the one about teachers.

This book is just one book from the stack of books I have about education in Peru in my room. Combine those with the education books I have to read for my classes then I'm doing to major learning about learnering. I am going to start coaching at BV again in the afternoon but I still I'm longing to find work for the morning/early afternoon and weekends. I would love to have a job in a school because I miss being around students all of the time, I miss the lil' scamps.

My reading is a nice way for me to stay connected to Cusco. I sit here now with the TV off and no music...ergo, no distractions. This is when my longing is the strongest. My life is so connected to Cusco that it will truly never leave my mind ( don't worry Cusco you'll always be on my mind when I am living in you again...not creepy, I promise) I am choosing not to build a bridge and get over it (here comes the garbage metaphore) but instead to build a dam and channel that energy towards making my all my decisions focused and I am able to live up to my dreams.

Random factoid: Peruvian teachers make roughly $3,000 a year

La Cultura Cura

The Teacher Becomes The Student

There are 168 hours in a week. I spend roughly 56 of those hours sleeping. I had planned to spend 10 hours each day working and a couple hours a week in school. I now spend roughly 5 hours a week in school, a start, but I still need to find a job(s). I've applied to be the guy who drives the food from the central kitchen to all of the Claremont schools, a sub in Chino, and a job at Edible Arrangements...no go. I'll keep looking because I NEEEEEEED to occupy my time with work. I need to save up money and I need to go home.

I am super glad that I've started school. I've have one class so far and it was all about ELL, it reinforced a lot of things I already knew but that's only be I've worked with my share of ELL kids. I have class on Monday too. That means I won't be super busy, but now I'll be less bored too. I am still not registered at the school but while I get all of my paper work together they let me go to class.

I miss Cusco, but I've been talking to some people. Emails from students and I've been calling friends. I also got an email from a student from Salinas and another from Federal Way. I truly love hearing my students...my life=my students. My life on track, location...still working out the bugs.

Random factoid: I just finished my cup of coffee

La Cultura Cura

Concerned Cycles

I am afraid I'll fall into traps. Traps that I always fall in when I'm living in California. Cycles of the unemployed. Traps of a generic American coming back from time abroad.

Hopefully I'll be starting school real soon, but I am still unemployed, something I would like to fix two times over. My goal to be so busy that I don't realize I'm living at home has had the opposite happen. I am not busy at all. I do what I always do when I'm home for xmas, go to Klatch and work out...both great things, but neither a footing for a worth while life, that works towards my goals. I've had some communication with my future home but have only dreamt and hoped about how to get there. Frustration is fueled by inactivity and boredom. Hope is fueled by memories and imagination. I need to find a way to live more in the realm of hope and hold on tight to memories and imagination and parry all negative activities that come with inactivity and boredom.

Random Factoid: None of the school districts around me are hiring subs.

La Cultura Cura

Transition

Let me preface this post by saying that it is not anticonsumerism or antiUS…got that Washington….get out my grill! I’ve been back in the States for almost three days. To my surprise I have not wrestled with being back as bad as I did my first trip. I hated everything my first time back…the fat people, the food and the malls…all of it. I was at the mall today and I didn’t have the urge to set it on fire. I have no problems with malls, at least not any more than I did before my trip. Here’s the thing…I have just about zero dollars…I want a lot more…I need a lot more…but without money it is quite hard to leave your house in Claremont. Even if I want to go to the village I have to sit on a bench and either stare at a storefront or a nondescript road. The only parks are super small and tucked away in weird parts of town and lack any usable seating. The colleges aren’t a bad though, so there is that option.
All places where people gather here on the raggedy edge of the Inland Empire are shopping centers. The coffee shop I went to today was right next to a target and cleanest and brightest non-shop in the area was the newly paved parking lot. Take the Claremont village, a place design for people to gather and spend some time, maybe a car show or a just a walk around but to expand the village they added stores. There is no place in the village where you can come and sit and read, without buying anything. However, you are surround by shops and soon just want to buy something. The plazas in Cusco are much bigger and are centered about just being a plaza, a place where people meet, sit, take pictures, and yes spend money. There are businesses in every plaza…but they are not businesses are not all that you notice when in a plaza, but the village isn’t the village, it becomes 21 Choices, Yogurt Land, The Grill or Rhino. (Sorry if these names don’t mean anything) I’m not declaring one better than the other, only making an observation...interesting, eh, by?

I went in for my writing sample today at ULV and it seemed easy…hopefully I didn’t mess it all up. I have my interview next Wed. which means I have nothing to do for a week…which sucks…that means I’m going to want to spend money and I have nothing. I’d rather have no time to spend money because I’m too busy working and making money. I think I applied for a subbing job in Chino but I don’t know if I’ll get it or not….

Random Factoid:The Brits don't use a Z in the word organization...they write organisation...wierd!

La Cultura Cura

9 Hours...Just The Begining

It's true, the rumor mills can finally rest...I've left Cusco. Just writing those words sucked....blerg. I guess this is what it's like being a responsible grown up or something. My sadness doesn't not reflect the excitement to see all of my friends in EEUU. I'm just being a grumpy pants. Of course I am sad on the day I leave...if I'm not then the trip must've sucked or I'm a cold soulless meany-face.
I am super glad that my flight was the early afternoon. When I first left Peru in 2007, my flight was something like 9 in the morning. Today I didn't get in the airport until 1230. I was able to get a lot accomplished this morning. Starting around midnight I was able to throw up a few times....before you assume anything I can promise that I wasn't drunk. I was lucky enough to be among the majority of travels in Cusco and get random stomach bugs. I had quite a few my first time but this time I came out okay, I even ate crazier things this time around. But, I wasn't left out of the fun and got attached by the stomach military last night...so that was fun! After a few hours of bad sleep I was able to shower and get on with my day. Since my stomach still didn't love me I didn't have to worry about eating anything, this saved valuable seconds for the morning. I was supposed to me Kathy, my favorite student, at 830 this morning. Her mother had came to my house the night before to try and set up a time because her daughter really wanted to say bye. Of course, they're Peruvian so they were late...and by late I mean I left after waiting 20 minutes and then meet up with another friend, Shella. Shella is a really fun Columbian girl that I really started to hang out with in my last week in Cusco. We hung out for a little over an hour and then she had to go to work. I had promised to meet Ursula, a bartender at The Crown, a bar where I knew all the employees, but I stayed out late with Soriada and Rossmery...not to mention the vomit sitch....so I made sure to say goodbye this morning. I just sat around in the Plaza for a while reflecting and watching a parade of some sorts. I decided to walk home and finish my packing...which I didn't really have time to do...but I did it anyway....in your face father time! When I finally made it back home I had only just barely started packing when 7 year old Ana-Luz showed up asking me to follow her...um, small adorable latin kid...how can I say no. She is Kathy's cousin so I finally got to say bye to Kathy...after I did some chores. Her mom put me to work right when I got to their house, they are having a pollada....well, as I type this, so I had to take the chicken to the oven to be cooked. finally I got my stuff ready and set off for the airport. My main flight from Cusco to Lima was delayed in Lima so the lady put me on an early flight. Now I'm in Lima. I bought the Peruvian equivalent of an energy bar so I wouldn't have to buy anything here in the airport to eat...but I'm still hungry and the Papa John's looks delicious.

Random Factoid: I only took 200 less pictures this trip than the first, and this trip was only half of the time and I didn't leave Cusco.

La Cultura Cura