When I was fifteen years old (long before the Internet), the only exposure I had to places like Peru was what I learned in my Spanish class. I distinctly remember a poster that was taped to my Spanish teacher's desk. For two years, I would stare at it and daydream about the people who decided to make a city high in the Andes Mountains. I promised myself that one day I would go there to see it for myself.
Fast forward to 2012. I received an email at my school account announcing a trip to Peru with EF and Primary Source, a non-profit organization in Massachusetts that promotes history and humanities education by connecting educators with people and cultures throughout the world. (Check out: www.primarysource.org) When my husband gave me the thumbs up, I signed up immediately.
Just a two weeks ago, I got an email from Primary Source inviting me to login to my Moodle account to begin my pre-orientation assignments. The nerd inside of me is having so much fun learning about Peru.
I will share a few of the things I have learned so far.
1. Geography
Do you know what caused the Andes Mountains to form? I found it fascinating. Geography needs to be taught!
http://youtu.be/iyCGq-rt9jU
2. Biodiversity
Do you know the difference between llamas, alpacas, vicunas, and guanacos? Read this! http://www.discover-peru.org/relatives-of-the-camel/
3. El Nino
I remember having heard about the El Nino on the news when I was a kid, but I really didn't pay too much attention to it. Now as an adult, I'm definitely more concerned about our climate.
http://youtu.be/7FVZrw7bk1w
4. Food
Potato is the most important food in Peru. Learn why.
http://www.discover-peru.org/native-crops-peru-potato/
I hope you join me as I prepare to travel to Peru! 100 days to go!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Live(ly) Colombian Music
It seems a little ridiculous to be posting about something that happened over two months ago, but I really want to share this.
Since we had only a few members of our Colombian family at our wedding, the rest that couldn't come to the wedding wanted to throw a party in our honor when we went down for Christmas. They bought us presents that symbolized Colombian culture like straw hats, coffee cups, a hammock with the colors of the Colombian flag, and other art work.
The best present of all was the experience of live music. First, my brother and sister-in-law hired a band to come play música llanera for us. My husband and I were brought to tears because we were so touched. The band came with a singer who is a master of improvisation. He asked a few questions about the crowd beforehand and based off of that and in addition to what he saw, he would sing us a story off the cuff. Of course, everyone got a big kick out of it.
Not only we did we have live music, but my in-laws hired dancers as well. It was really something, and like good Latinos, people started dancing. It was such a fun dance and really easy to pick up. I love how my husband says he can't dance, but when really he can. It's in the blood. (A "bad" Colombian dancer is "good" in my book.)
Música llanera comes from the llanos, which is a large grassland that is shared by western Colombia and eastern Venezuela. The typical musical instruments are maracas, a harp, and a guitar, and the dance is called a joropo. Check out of the video below!
After the band played their last song, we enjoyed the pool for a few hours. Once night fell, another band came to play for us! They were not going to leave out vallenato! We put on our sombreros volteaos, and the party continued.
Vallenato is from the Caribbean coast. My favorite vallenato singer is Carlos Vives. I just love dancing to his songs. The musical instruments are a caja, guacharca. and an accordion. Since the singers were costenos, or people from the coast, they also brought the mask of a maimondes, a character from the Barranquilla Carnaval festival.
 |
| caja, guacharca, and an accordion |
I tried to capture everything on film so I could share it with others who might not know about this great music.
 |
| Wearing the maimondes mask |
Even after the vallenato band left, we were still people lingering around. When I heard salsa, I just had to dance. Colombians are also known for being great salsa dancers especially the ones from Cali, which is the World's Salsa Capital.
If you ever go to Colombia, bring your dancing shoes.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Mexican Tonight
For some odd reason, I was craving posole yesterday. I had some leftover rotisserie chicken, and I went to the store to pick up the rest of the ingredients. After looking at a variety of recipes, I came up with this variation which I have to say was just what I was looking for. Perfect for a cold winter's night.
This is my recipe for posole.
oil
onion
chicken broth
cilantro
dried thyme
small can of diced green chiles
14 oz. can of posole (hominy)
2 cups of rotisserie chicken
Dash of Cholula hot sauce
Saute the onion in oil until it becomes transparent. Add some dried thyme. Then, add the chicken broth, diced chiles, and cilantro. Put in a food processor or blender unless you can use an immersion blender. After, add the chicken and drained posole. Let everything heat up. Serve with a few dashes of hot sauce. Lettuce and radishes are common accompaniments, but I didn't feel like it. The soup was already perfect in my eyes.
How did I learn about Mexico? Well, here is a picture of me when I was working for the Embassy of Mexico.
Before becoming a teacher, I was hoping to break into the Foreign Service. I was in Washington, DC studying for my Masters in International Relations at American University's School of International Service. After finishing, I was so happy to have scored a job at the Embassy of Mexico's Cultural Institute. It was housed in a historic building in downtown DC. Everyday as I walked up the stairs seeing the mural that decorated the staircase, I would pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming.
Although I was just the Cultural Minister's secretary, I realized what I had an opporunity to immerse myself in Mexican culture. While there, I developed a love for Mexican food particularly "real" Mexican tacos, posole, and chiles en nogadas. I met some amazing people who showed me a beautiful side of the Mexican culture. I get nostalgic when I hear "Mexico en la piel" by Luis Miguel remembering that we stuffed 3,000 envelopes while singing this song. Tonight's post is dedicated to Maricarmen, Humberto, Euri and the others that worked with me. Los siempre llevo en mi corazon.
As a side note, today is a FIFA Day. Club teams are required to send the players home to their national teams. Tonight, Mexico is playing Jamaica in a game which my husband tells me is going to count as a qualifier for the World Cup. The other option that the countries have is a friendly game which is to help prepare them for the World Cup. My husband is watching Colombia play Guatemala on the computer, and we also have the Mexico-Jamaica game on the television. We are getting pumped up for the World Cup!
This is my recipe for posole.
oil
onion
chicken broth
cilantro
dried thyme
small can of diced green chiles
14 oz. can of posole (hominy)
2 cups of rotisserie chicken
Dash of Cholula hot sauce
Saute the onion in oil until it becomes transparent. Add some dried thyme. Then, add the chicken broth, diced chiles, and cilantro. Put in a food processor or blender unless you can use an immersion blender. After, add the chicken and drained posole. Let everything heat up. Serve with a few dashes of hot sauce. Lettuce and radishes are common accompaniments, but I didn't feel like it. The soup was already perfect in my eyes.
How did I learn about Mexico? Well, here is a picture of me when I was working for the Embassy of Mexico.
Before becoming a teacher, I was hoping to break into the Foreign Service. I was in Washington, DC studying for my Masters in International Relations at American University's School of International Service. After finishing, I was so happy to have scored a job at the Embassy of Mexico's Cultural Institute. It was housed in a historic building in downtown DC. Everyday as I walked up the stairs seeing the mural that decorated the staircase, I would pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming.
 |
| Mural painted by Miguel de Covarrubias, student of Diego Rivera |
As a side note, today is a FIFA Day. Club teams are required to send the players home to their national teams. Tonight, Mexico is playing Jamaica in a game which my husband tells me is going to count as a qualifier for the World Cup. The other option that the countries have is a friendly game which is to help prepare them for the World Cup. My husband is watching Colombia play Guatemala on the computer, and we also have the Mexico-Jamaica game on the television. We are getting pumped up for the World Cup!
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Colombian Christmas Part 3: El Año Nuevo
Although I was in Colombia for Christmas, unfortunately, we didn't have anything organized with my husband's family ahead of time so I can't really report on exactly what Christmas is like there. Maybe, I can save that post for next year. What I can describe first hand is some of the traditions that have to do with New Years.
Growing up on the East Coast, many of my New Years revolved around watching Dick Clark and Times Square on television. Usually, it was very cold so most celebrations were indoors. Only once did I do Boston First Night which included a parade and ice sculptures. As a teenager, I spent some of my New Years babysitting because the parents were invited to a party and they needed someone to watch the children. I rang in the New Year by myself because the kids were in bed. I was sad celebrating New Years alone especially when I would see all the people kissing and hugging each other in Times Square looking like they were so happy. I remember thinking that I couldn't wait to be older so I could celebrate it with others.
When I got older, New Years was a hit or miss. I remember working as a waitress the night it changed from 1999 to 2000. I remember wondering if the predictions of Y2K were going to come true. (Luckily, it was uneventful although my Dad and I did have a backup plan just in case.) Other times, I would be with my parents who I'd have to wake up because they were too tired to make it to midnight. However, I was with friends a few time, and three years ago, my sister and I decided to go out to a fancy restaurant because neither of us wanted to be at home watching the ball drop on tv.
Last year, when I spent my first New Years outside the US, I realized how different other cultures view this day. For Colombians, it is just as important as Christmas or any other holiday. Everyone travels to be with family since family is so important to the Latin culture.
There is a lot of traditions associated with this day because how you celebrate determines how well the year will go for you. The first is dressing up nice to "receive the New Year". You don't want to receive the New Year in nothing but your best. The family I was celebrating New Years with decided to dress all in white with the men wearing the traditional guayaberas which are the white linens worn in the tropics.
The next thing you will probably see in Colombia are the Año Viejo dolls. Last year, I saw on being paraded around on a truck. I also saw one made in the likeness of a street vendor. (Didn't get a picture of that one.) Then, I saw someone with a miniature sized doll. When the clock stroked midnight, she burned the doll. The burning is symbolic because it means you have a fresh start. By leaving the old you behind, you can have a new version of yourself. Sometimes the Año Viejo is stuffed with paper that has the person's hopes for the New Year.
Another interesting tradition is grabbing your suitcase and walking around the house (or pool in our case) to ensure that our New Year is filled with lots of traveling. It's a fun one to do.
After, we sat around eating grapes. You are supposed to eat twelve of them which symbolize each month of the year. In the picture, below you can see the grapes being sold along side wheat which symbolizes abundance for the New Year.
Another thing that surprised me was that children were allowed to stay up late. Actually, it is encouraged since the children are part of the family, too. Although it doesn't mean that the children will actually make it. After a full day of swimming, my nephew just didn't have it in him to stay up.
I said to my husband that I love the Colombian traditions. They make me happy to be alive because I'm surrounded by people who find joy in the little things in life.
So far, 2013 looks to be a promising year. My hope is that I can take my family down to Colombia this year. The first time any of them have gone to a South American country. Plus, I will be happy to go during the summer when I have more time off to visit. Also, I have booked a trip to go to Peru to see the famous Machu Picchu. I have been dreaming of Machu Picchu since I was 15 years old. A truly once in a lifetime experience. I can't wait for 2013!
Growing up on the East Coast, many of my New Years revolved around watching Dick Clark and Times Square on television. Usually, it was very cold so most celebrations were indoors. Only once did I do Boston First Night which included a parade and ice sculptures. As a teenager, I spent some of my New Years babysitting because the parents were invited to a party and they needed someone to watch the children. I rang in the New Year by myself because the kids were in bed. I was sad celebrating New Years alone especially when I would see all the people kissing and hugging each other in Times Square looking like they were so happy. I remember thinking that I couldn't wait to be older so I could celebrate it with others.
When I got older, New Years was a hit or miss. I remember working as a waitress the night it changed from 1999 to 2000. I remember wondering if the predictions of Y2K were going to come true. (Luckily, it was uneventful although my Dad and I did have a backup plan just in case.) Other times, I would be with my parents who I'd have to wake up because they were too tired to make it to midnight. However, I was with friends a few time, and three years ago, my sister and I decided to go out to a fancy restaurant because neither of us wanted to be at home watching the ball drop on tv.
Last year, when I spent my first New Years outside the US, I realized how different other cultures view this day. For Colombians, it is just as important as Christmas or any other holiday. Everyone travels to be with family since family is so important to the Latin culture.
There is a lot of traditions associated with this day because how you celebrate determines how well the year will go for you. The first is dressing up nice to "receive the New Year". You don't want to receive the New Year in nothing but your best. The family I was celebrating New Years with decided to dress all in white with the men wearing the traditional guayaberas which are the white linens worn in the tropics.
The next thing you will probably see in Colombia are the Año Viejo dolls. Last year, I saw on being paraded around on a truck. I also saw one made in the likeness of a street vendor. (Didn't get a picture of that one.) Then, I saw someone with a miniature sized doll. When the clock stroked midnight, she burned the doll. The burning is symbolic because it means you have a fresh start. By leaving the old you behind, you can have a new version of yourself. Sometimes the Año Viejo is stuffed with paper that has the person's hopes for the New Year.
Another interesting tradition is grabbing your suitcase and walking around the house (or pool in our case) to ensure that our New Year is filled with lots of traveling. It's a fun one to do.
After, we sat around eating grapes. You are supposed to eat twelve of them which symbolize each month of the year. In the picture, below you can see the grapes being sold along side wheat which symbolizes abundance for the New Year.
Another thing that surprised me was that children were allowed to stay up late. Actually, it is encouraged since the children are part of the family, too. Although it doesn't mean that the children will actually make it. After a full day of swimming, my nephew just didn't have it in him to stay up.
I said to my husband that I love the Colombian traditions. They make me happy to be alive because I'm surrounded by people who find joy in the little things in life.
So far, 2013 looks to be a promising year. My hope is that I can take my family down to Colombia this year. The first time any of them have gone to a South American country. Plus, I will be happy to go during the summer when I have more time off to visit. Also, I have booked a trip to go to Peru to see the famous Machu Picchu. I have been dreaming of Machu Picchu since I was 15 years old. A truly once in a lifetime experience. I can't wait for 2013!
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Colombian Christmas Part 2: La comida
One of the most important components of any holiday celebration is the food. During Christmas time, the most important dishes are buñuelos and natilla. I actually got to make both of these dishes back in the United States for my Spanish club. It was a big hit. My husband gave his stamp of approval, and since being in Colombia, he has been telling everyone that his Irish-American wife can cook.
Now, that I have gotten my first batch under control. I can learn to try different flavors. When we arrived, my father-in-law had some leftovers for us. The natilla he left us was cinnamon flavored. The one I made was more coconut-flavored.
A friend from high school had contacted me about a week ago asking me what to make her Colombian daycare provider. I totally her make natilla. Not only will she love it, but it is really easy to make. She wrote me back to thank me for the recipe and said that it made this woman's day.
Making food for me serves two purposes - teaching people about another culture and bringing a piece of home to those who live far away from the place where they grew up.
Now, that I have gotten my first batch under control. I can learn to try different flavors. When we arrived, my father-in-law had some leftovers for us. The natilla he left us was cinnamon flavored. The one I made was more coconut-flavored.
A friend from high school had contacted me about a week ago asking me what to make her Colombian daycare provider. I totally her make natilla. Not only will she love it, but it is really easy to make. She wrote me back to thank me for the recipe and said that it made this woman's day.
Making food for me serves two purposes - teaching people about another culture and bringing a piece of home to those who live far away from the place where they grew up.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Colombian Christmas Part 1: Día de las Velitas
Christmas is celebrated in many different ways in various parts of the world. Right after Thanksgiving, my husband and I bought decorations for our apartment. For the first time, he hung lights and helped me decorate our little tiny Christmas tree. We also listened to Christmas music that I have grown up hearing. However, being the bi-cultural couple that we are, it would only be fair to include some of his customs.
One of them is Día de las Velitas (Day of the little Candles) in Colombia. It starts in most places on December 7th, the eve of the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Colombia is a very Catholic country, and this holiday reflects that tradition. Although when I was teaching it to the students, I didn't go too deeply into origin of the holiday. The pictures of the holiday was all that they were interested in anyway.
To incorporate this holiday into our house, we lit candles and listened to some of the traditional Christmas music that they sing in Colombia. They are called villancicos. Of course, the most famous one is "El burrito sabanero". My favorite version is the one sung by Juanes who by the way I am going to see this June when he comes to Boston. :)
The other thing I love about Colombia are the decorations. In Quimbaya, Colombia they are well known for the faroles, or paper lanterns, which they display on December 7th. Medellin, another city, is one of the 5 best cities to see Christmas lights in the world.
I hope one day to be able to see these beautiful sights in person and not just in people's home videos.
One of them is Día de las Velitas (Day of the little Candles) in Colombia. It starts in most places on December 7th, the eve of the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Colombia is a very Catholic country, and this holiday reflects that tradition. Although when I was teaching it to the students, I didn't go too deeply into origin of the holiday. The pictures of the holiday was all that they were interested in anyway.
To incorporate this holiday into our house, we lit candles and listened to some of the traditional Christmas music that they sing in Colombia. They are called villancicos. Of course, the most famous one is "El burrito sabanero". My favorite version is the one sung by Juanes who by the way I am going to see this June when he comes to Boston. :)
The other thing I love about Colombia are the decorations. In Quimbaya, Colombia they are well known for the faroles, or paper lanterns, which they display on December 7th. Medellin, another city, is one of the 5 best cities to see Christmas lights in the world.
I hope one day to be able to see these beautiful sights in person and not just in people's home videos.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Taking ACTFL's OPIc language test
After speaking Spanish for almost twenty years (I guess I am giving you a clue to my age) and speaking Spanish at home with my husband, I was curious to see what I would score on a proficiency test.
How does a teacher go about finding out his/her level of proficiency? Well, the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL) just tells you if you pass the exam or not based on the overall score which they have set at 240. It does not indicate what oral proficiency level the teacher needs to have since the oral section is only scored on a 1-4 point scale. It is hard to really assess the teacher's ability with only one oral sample. Interestingly enough, Pearson Education, Inc. makes the exam. I guess they are the ones who correct it, too? Not sure.
However, there are two internationally well known exams that you can take. The first test is called OPIc which stands for Oral Proficiency Interview - Computer. It is a test administered and correct by ACTFL, America's leading foreign language institution. Salem State University where I did my teacher educator program does tell its candidates what level they expect in order to be granted a degree (Advanced-Low), and the school is an ACTFL testing site as well. (Click here for a link to the descriptions of the various proficiency levels set by ACTFL.) http://www.languagetesting.com/scale.htm
There is another test that also determines proficiency levels. It's called the Diploma de Espanol como Lengua Extranjera, or the DELE. (www.dele.org) The Instituto Cervantes administers it, the University of Salamanca creates and corrects it, and the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport supports it. For the highest level C2, there are three different exams - (1) the use of language, and reading/listening comprehension (2) integrated skills: listening and reading comprehension, and written expression and interaction (3) integrated skills, reading comprehension, and oral expression and interaction. It definitely looks challenging.
Ultimately, it was much more convenient for me to take the OPIc at Salem State because it's not as expensive ($65 vs $161) or as long (40 minutes vs 90 minutes) as the DELE. I got to the language lab at Salem State, and logged in. I had to fill out a background questionnaire in which I identified what level I thought I was at, what job I currently have, and some of my interests. I felt as if I could handle a variety of situations, both formal and informal, concrete and abstract - especially since I have worked and studied in Spanish for many years now so I checked the highest level. Then, I chose education for my job. The last section I was told was really the most important. The key is to pick topics that you know that you can speak the most about. I chose cooking, dancing, music, and travelling internationally for pleasure. Even though I do participate in sports and other recreational activities, I felt as if I did not have sufficient vocabulary to be able to carry on a conversation so I clicked that I do not participate in anything.
After a warm-up question about the weather, the test began. The avatar, Ana, asked me several questions about my family and what my responsibilities were in the household. The questions grammatically got harder, and it was a matter of trying to recognize what they are testing. Also, the length that I was expected to speak got longer and longer with the longest being 2 minutes. The next group of questions concerned food. Since I am the principal cook in the house and familiar with Colombian cuisine, I really felt confident in those sections. I was asked what I like to cook (Colombian food!!), when was the last time I cooked and what, and when was the last time that a meal didn't go as well as I had hoped. The next section then got more serious as I had to start talking about the economy. I mentioned the crisis in Spain for that one. There was also a question about what role the government should take in managing the economy. Since this was right before the presidential election, it was not hard for me to think of something to say. Finally, I was asked to talk about issues inside of our own borders. I talked about the issues regarding immigration. I felt confident overall except one question where I spaced out halfway through forgetting what the question was. I just kept talking about the topic instead of leaving dead air. Overall, there were 17 questions. My results will come back in about two weeks or so. I look forward to seeing what they are.
After taking the exam, I had a new understanding of exactly what it must be like for an student to take the AP Spanish exam. Especially the new exam that they are putting out in 2014. I think it's a good idea for all Spanish teachers to take it so we know what exactly is expected of us and as well as our students. With better insight, we can better prepare our students to pass the AP Exam with high scores and to obtain high levels of proficiency that will serve them well in college, the workplace, and the world.
How does a teacher go about finding out his/her level of proficiency? Well, the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL) just tells you if you pass the exam or not based on the overall score which they have set at 240. It does not indicate what oral proficiency level the teacher needs to have since the oral section is only scored on a 1-4 point scale. It is hard to really assess the teacher's ability with only one oral sample. Interestingly enough, Pearson Education, Inc. makes the exam. I guess they are the ones who correct it, too? Not sure.
However, there are two internationally well known exams that you can take. The first test is called OPIc which stands for Oral Proficiency Interview - Computer. It is a test administered and correct by ACTFL, America's leading foreign language institution. Salem State University where I did my teacher educator program does tell its candidates what level they expect in order to be granted a degree (Advanced-Low), and the school is an ACTFL testing site as well. (Click here for a link to the descriptions of the various proficiency levels set by ACTFL.) http://www.languagetesting.com/scale.htm
There is another test that also determines proficiency levels. It's called the Diploma de Espanol como Lengua Extranjera, or the DELE. (www.dele.org) The Instituto Cervantes administers it, the University of Salamanca creates and corrects it, and the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport supports it. For the highest level C2, there are three different exams - (1) the use of language, and reading/listening comprehension (2) integrated skills: listening and reading comprehension, and written expression and interaction (3) integrated skills, reading comprehension, and oral expression and interaction. It definitely looks challenging.
Ultimately, it was much more convenient for me to take the OPIc at Salem State because it's not as expensive ($65 vs $161) or as long (40 minutes vs 90 minutes) as the DELE. I got to the language lab at Salem State, and logged in. I had to fill out a background questionnaire in which I identified what level I thought I was at, what job I currently have, and some of my interests. I felt as if I could handle a variety of situations, both formal and informal, concrete and abstract - especially since I have worked and studied in Spanish for many years now so I checked the highest level. Then, I chose education for my job. The last section I was told was really the most important. The key is to pick topics that you know that you can speak the most about. I chose cooking, dancing, music, and travelling internationally for pleasure. Even though I do participate in sports and other recreational activities, I felt as if I did not have sufficient vocabulary to be able to carry on a conversation so I clicked that I do not participate in anything.
After a warm-up question about the weather, the test began. The avatar, Ana, asked me several questions about my family and what my responsibilities were in the household. The questions grammatically got harder, and it was a matter of trying to recognize what they are testing. Also, the length that I was expected to speak got longer and longer with the longest being 2 minutes. The next group of questions concerned food. Since I am the principal cook in the house and familiar with Colombian cuisine, I really felt confident in those sections. I was asked what I like to cook (Colombian food!!), when was the last time I cooked and what, and when was the last time that a meal didn't go as well as I had hoped. The next section then got more serious as I had to start talking about the economy. I mentioned the crisis in Spain for that one. There was also a question about what role the government should take in managing the economy. Since this was right before the presidential election, it was not hard for me to think of something to say. Finally, I was asked to talk about issues inside of our own borders. I talked about the issues regarding immigration. I felt confident overall except one question where I spaced out halfway through forgetting what the question was. I just kept talking about the topic instead of leaving dead air. Overall, there were 17 questions. My results will come back in about two weeks or so. I look forward to seeing what they are.
After taking the exam, I had a new understanding of exactly what it must be like for an student to take the AP Spanish exam. Especially the new exam that they are putting out in 2014. I think it's a good idea for all Spanish teachers to take it so we know what exactly is expected of us and as well as our students. With better insight, we can better prepare our students to pass the AP Exam with high scores and to obtain high levels of proficiency that will serve them well in college, the workplace, and the world.
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