TEFL

I taught my first class today y'all!
The way this course I'm taking works is that I go to class from 10am-5pm (with like three 15 minute breaks and an hour for lunch in the middle) on Monday through Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday I have only the beginning half, then teach a class in the evening. The classes are free (they'd have to be wouldn't they) and adults from the neighborhood come in. We're allowed to make an hour's curriculum on any topic we want, so for the learners there's absolutely no continuity between classes. Today I taught about "using the future tense predictions and promises" -- promises were NOT easy to grasp (I got a few "I will to promise that children go to park" phrases) but the six people in the class were very sweet - one said he hoped I was his teacher next week (we rotate with beginner/intermediate/advanced levels, so it's unlikely) and an old woman gave me candy (toffee -- turns out old women are the same everywhere).

The people in my class are fantastic; two girls from Oregon who've been working in Ecuador for the last year, a Dutch woman who's living with her boyfriend, a very sweet guy from Jersey and Charles, who lives in my house and loves.to.party. The class itself seems kind of like a necessary evil; the certificate will be invaluable in finding work here or in any other country, but learning about "why we teach grammar" can be a bit dry. We usually get let out early though, and the classroom is actually downstairs and out the door from my place so I can't complain too much.

This morning I tried to find a cafe to do work before class. Half of the places I went to weren't open yet and no other one had wifi. I finally got sick of getting shot down when asking "tenes wifi?" and just sat down with a cafe con leche and some medialunas to watch out the window. Tomorrow I have to go somewhere at 8:30 and I'm almost afraid the busses won't be running yet.

I swear I SWEAR I'll take some pictures soon, and can someone for the love of all that is holy comment on one of these posts so I don't get insecure?