Wednesday, August 22, 2012

     I again reluctantly woke up and climbed out of bed to eat a snack. I took a shower and got dressed in my sports uniform of a sweat suit. I was still nervous because I will probably be nervous for a while  (I am just like that).
   I got out of the car and climbed up the stairs to our classroom. There was one table full so I sat alone at the empty one. The physics teacher asked for my homework and I gave it to him. He said that I had one answer right but I needed to convert my fractions into decimals. Once I realized what he was saying, I solved the problem and got the correct answer.
       More people came in after me so soon my table was also filled. I was the first on my table to finish the problem and I had to help a third year (Maya) add fractions. Unless the problems suddenly get more difficult, I will probably have to bring my math work book from the United States so that I can keep up with my classmates at West. The whole time for double physics was used trying to help kids figure out how to solve the not-very-hard-problem.
      We ate crepes and corn tamales for breakfast though I didn't realize that after we made all the cheese crepes they would make sweet crepes instead so I forced myself to eat the whole crepe (which wasn't very good) and after, half of a corn tamale. We washed our plates and brushed our teeth before we went back to class.
     Next we had Math with a teacher that I think is really nice. The class split into the two groups A and B (A for more advanced and B for less). I was in the A group and she gave us a notebook and a math book with story problems though all she wanted us to do was one problem. I finished that rather quickly and I asked her what else I should do, she told me to go from page 8-13. She put us in pairs, Favio and Maya, Toño and Anita and Emmanuel and I. I showed Emmanuel how to solve the first problem and then we went on all the way to page 11 or 12 by the time everyone else had barely finished the first problem. I think Math time may be another time in which I can work in my workbook.
    They told us it was time for PE after Math so we went outside and I asked Maya and Emmanuel what we were meant to be doing. They said that there was no PE teacher so some kids went on the trampoline and they tried to show me the horse. The horse was nowhere to be found, but we still had fun walking around the forest. They showed me the tree house that was used occasionally by students there.
    We then had jicama with chili on it but thankfully they didn't put chili on mine because I don't really like it at all. Then I thought we were supposed to have history but instead we had double Spanish class in which we did a really cool experiment. We were told the day before to bring bandanas today, we all put the blindfolds on so that we couldn't see and got into partnerships. Maya was my partner and we had to tell each other words without talking. Since I went first, I chose the Helen Keller way and we drew it on each others hands. It was easy for me to write the message but hard for me to understand what she was meant to be telling me. The activity was to kind of understand Helen Keller's situation and I was surprised that I had never thought of that before. It is kind of a "duh why didn't I think of that before?" sort of experiment.
  We went home, and after I finished my homework, Adelaide and I made pesto, garlic bread, and scones. The pesto turned out really well and the garlic bread got a little torched but the ones on the outside were good. The scones that we had at the end were DELICIOUS; some had raisins, and some had chocolate chips. All in all, it was quite successful.
Good Night!
        

10 comments:

  1. Mina-chan: Thanks for giving us details about so many different experiences. Your good explanations help to fill the gaps between our phone calls. Speaking of phone calls, I was happy that your dad called several days ago, and that I also got to talk with you and Oscar. I was particularly interested in the Helen Keller experiment, as you know.

    I have to say that you and Oscar look pretty spiffy in your uniforms! It already sounds like you are feeling more comfortable after only two days, and I think that it's great that you are already thinking about ways to challenge yourself more in several of your classes.

    Jo and I have mostly caught up from our trip to Portland, but I still think we need some more sleep ... good night!

    Love,
    Papa

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    1. We also are trying to catch up on our sleep as we haven't gotten to sleep early this entire week!

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  2. Your school sounds exciting. I am starting school on Monday, but Eli already started on Wednesday I have been doing things with my mom like Ice skating and going out to lunch. I am going to the SLArts (Salt Lake Arts Academy ) picnic tonight . I hope you like school.
    Love, Lucy

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    1. Sounds like you have been having fun in the last week of Summer! Tell me how school goes! Thank you!
      Love, Wilhelmina

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  3. I would be nervous going to a new school in a new country, too--but it sounds like you are handling things very well. (When I was your age I was always too embarrassed to ask for help.)

    We had a great time in Montana but missed you guys. We'll try to send some pictures before too long.

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    1. I do get embarrassed to ask but sometimes i just have to!

      I would love to see pictures!

      p.s. Tell Felix that thanks to him I got at least one question in my chemistry test right! (The question was name three elements, I just had to sit and think "what elements did Felix tell me about!?" I answered Iron, Calcium and Carbon.)

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  4. " More people came in after me so soon my table was also filled..." Willa, this summarizes my experience of life. I may be alone at the table right now, but if I wait, more people will come and I will not be alone. I've moved so much in my life. Of course, there are always people like you guys that I want to keep in touch with!

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  5. I love the honesty of your writing. I'm sorry you feel homesick (and can totally relate to that feeling) but I'm glad you're meeting some new nice girls. I really miss you too- and I hope things get easier for you-

    sorry for not checking in recently-
    Emery

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    1. Thank you! I can't wait to talk to you this weekend!

      no problem!
      Wilhelmina

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