Monday, June 05, 2006
Day five!
Today was a "take care of bidness" day. After going over the "Rank the Facts" exercise and "What makes something newsworthy exercise?"--the students did a great job on both--we headed over to the University of the Incarnate Word's International Center to register for international student I.D. cards. Then, we traveled to Palo Alto College to pick up the students' scholarship checks (A big thank you to the ACCD Foundation for their support!!), buy textbooks in the college's bookstore, and have current Palo Alto College I.D. cards made in the Palomino Center. The students also met Lamar Duarte, the director of Financial Aid, and Rachel Montejano, the director of Admissions & Records, who both helped get everyone on track for this summer adventure. (Another round of thanks!!)
Then the students made their way over to the Writing Lab in the Applied Sciences Building to type up their lead exercise that was due today. (They had written the leads by hand, but I need them typed, using double spacing. My eyes are bad enough as it is!) The assignment was to write four 19-20 word leads (35 words max) with provided information. The bonus of doing this assignment at Palo Alto rather than SAC is that Palo Alto doesn't charge for printing. (SAC charges 10 cents a page.) Thanks Thomas (Murguia, director of the center)! We jumped back in the van (still the 11-seater..we're hoping for the 12-seater by Wednesday), and headed back to SAC. Karen passed out a packing list. Very thorough!
Karen and I met after class to go over the proposed schedule Ana Maria, our contact in Oaxaca, sent via e-mail this weekend. We are definitely going to be on the go while we're there! Ana Maria wasn't clear what our service-learning activities will be while we are in Mexico, she just wrote "service learning", so I sent a follow-up e-mail for clarification. She does know that we're studying poverty this session, and a couple of the "charlas" (talks) she has arranged cover this theme, like "Social Assistance Programs in Oaxaca," "The Regional Economy," and "Indigenous People of Oaxaca". It would be nice to know ahead of time where we'll be "rolling up our sleeves" while we're there. I heard that there's an orphanage in Oaxaca, and I'd like to do some work there, if possible. (And, I'd like to bring a gift of books, art supplies, clothes/shoes, etc.) I'll post a full schedule for you to see once it's been worked out.
I also asked Ana Maria about computers in Oaxaca. We are going to continue our blogs while we are there, so we need access. I imagine we'll use Internet cafes, but maybe Ana Maria's school has a lab we can use?
One student brought to my attention that the airport in Oaxaca was closed last Friday because of a education workers' protest. I hope things are resolved by next Monday! The road from Mexico City to Oaxaca is long (nine hours, according to the bus station manager) and windy.
Tomorrow, we meet at the San Antonio Museum of Art at 4 p.m. to see its Latin American collection. I think the students will be impressed with what our city has to offer, and I think they'll gain a greater appreciation for what they will see while we're in Oaxaca. It's hard to believe that we'll be winging our way there a week from today!
Then the students made their way over to the Writing Lab in the Applied Sciences Building to type up their lead exercise that was due today. (They had written the leads by hand, but I need them typed, using double spacing. My eyes are bad enough as it is!) The assignment was to write four 19-20 word leads (35 words max) with provided information. The bonus of doing this assignment at Palo Alto rather than SAC is that Palo Alto doesn't charge for printing. (SAC charges 10 cents a page.) Thanks Thomas (Murguia, director of the center)! We jumped back in the van (still the 11-seater..we're hoping for the 12-seater by Wednesday), and headed back to SAC. Karen passed out a packing list. Very thorough!
Karen and I met after class to go over the proposed schedule Ana Maria, our contact in Oaxaca, sent via e-mail this weekend. We are definitely going to be on the go while we're there! Ana Maria wasn't clear what our service-learning activities will be while we are in Mexico, she just wrote "service learning", so I sent a follow-up e-mail for clarification. She does know that we're studying poverty this session, and a couple of the "charlas" (talks) she has arranged cover this theme, like "Social Assistance Programs in Oaxaca," "The Regional Economy," and "Indigenous People of Oaxaca". It would be nice to know ahead of time where we'll be "rolling up our sleeves" while we're there. I heard that there's an orphanage in Oaxaca, and I'd like to do some work there, if possible. (And, I'd like to bring a gift of books, art supplies, clothes/shoes, etc.) I'll post a full schedule for you to see once it's been worked out.
I also asked Ana Maria about computers in Oaxaca. We are going to continue our blogs while we are there, so we need access. I imagine we'll use Internet cafes, but maybe Ana Maria's school has a lab we can use?
One student brought to my attention that the airport in Oaxaca was closed last Friday because of a education workers' protest. I hope things are resolved by next Monday! The road from Mexico City to Oaxaca is long (nine hours, according to the bus station manager) and windy.
Tomorrow, we meet at the San Antonio Museum of Art at 4 p.m. to see its Latin American collection. I think the students will be impressed with what our city has to offer, and I think they'll gain a greater appreciation for what they will see while we're in Oaxaca. It's hard to believe that we'll be winging our way there a week from today!
