Schools out for summer!

Friday was my last day at school. On Fridays, I have only one 45 minute period with one of my sophomore classes. Although teaching at this school hasn't been easy (okay, it's been the hardest thing I've ever done in my life!), I have had a lot of fun with this particular class. Teachers aren't supposed to have favorites, but ... Little did I know the kids had something in store for me on my last day...
I got to school late, and as a scurried to my classroom, saying goodbye to kids waiting in the lunch line, 3 of my girls came up and dragged me with them to their head teacher's room. What I didn't know is that they had been planning a going away party for me on my last day.

Here they are: The (mostly) boys...


...and the girls (and more boys, too)





I think we hit it off well partially because it was my ONLY class with more than 2 girls (no, really).


Kevin, Mario, Rodrigo and Sebastian - Last year I was their head teacher. They wrote me a poem and recited it in front of all their classmates! Pretty ballsy for Chilean teenage boys!




If that wasn't enough, my colleagues had organized a going away luncheon for me. Here I am with my principal.












I gave a little presentation on Oregon, Portland and my family. Many were surprised to see that Oregon looks a lot like Chile!


Here I am with my Fulbright exchange partner, Veronica, outside "our" classroom. She just got back from a year teaching at my school in Portland. It was so great to see her before I left Chile!