Hoy es Miercoles

Alvaro, shopping at the China Store

It seems like every day now, the kids ask me what day it is, what date it is, and how much longer I will be living with their family.

This makes me sad.

While I have loved teaching them, and living with their family, I realize that 5 weeks will be the perfect amount of time to do so. Originally, I was going to stay here for 2 months (July, Aug) but my start date at DraftFCB got moved up, so I had to shorten my trip. I could keep on traveling for quite some time without a problem, but I'm realizing how challenging it is to teach kids this young during the summertime.

For them, it must be difficult as during the mornings, I am their teacher. But as soon as class is done I'm their friend, like an older cousin or a neighbor, who can play Wii with them, swim in the pool with them, and just goof around. Then at night i'm their mom's friend who goes out with the parents, or the person who hold all the top records in Wii Fit.

Mer & Cousin Laura

This experience has been incredible, and I am so glad and fortunate that I was able to do it. There is no better way to experience the culture of a place than to witness, day in, day out, what the people actually do. How they treat their family, what they eat, how they work, what they do for fun. Sure, going to the major cities and spending a weekend there is great, but that's the way to learn the city - not its people.

I would love to do something similar to this again in the future as I think I've learned so much about myself, what I want in my life, and what I want in my future in terms of work/life balance, children, spouse, and family relations.

Alvaro, on several occasions, has asked if he can come visit me in the states. I told him to wait until he's 16, or until he learns English. While I don't know how realistic this visit is right now (he's 10 years old . . . I'm starting my first full time job while still living with my parents) I truly hope that it can happen some day in the future.

Paula with the BK crown

Last night in the pool, he was talking to his dad about going to college/university, and how much things cost. His dad would like him to go a school in the states as it provides you better life experience and gives you more options. Alvaro says "Oh! So I should go to school in Chicago, so I can live with Jenna!"

Kids are so great. They are so young and innocent, and know just what to say to make you smile.