Today was a day we'd all been looking forward to. It was the day that we for to meet our penpals. In January I get this epiphany that it would be an amazing experience for my students to have a penpals in Nicaragua who they could meet face-to-face during our visit there. That is exactly what today accomplishes. For 3 months we've emailed back and forth, skyped, and participated in a virtual classroom project. Today we got a chance to meet this great group for the American Nicaraguan School. This bilingual school is the best in the country and is known as the preferred school of diplomat's children. The school grounds were beautiful and well kept. Anything you could imagine, they had... Pools, courts for every sport, and state of the art everything. We had a quick introduction together then broke off in small groups for lunch, after lunch Mu students attended a class with their penpals and shadowed them as part of their learning experience,
After 2 1/2 with them were rushed off to a briefing at the US Embassy. This high security visit consisted of giving our passport info weeks in advance, submitting our passports, leaving all electronics (cameras, iPods, and cell phones ) behind and meeting 4 US Diplomats to Nicaragua. The Diplomats were cool laid back geniuses. Their was 1 from US Aid, the economic sector, the consular sector, and the political sector. They told us about their lives and their work and we got to ask them questions about life working to the US State Department. This is a job that not only I hope to have someday but that some of my students are now interested in.
Our day ended with us returning to Casa Xalteva our language school and volunteer spot for salsa dance classes and introductions to the staff and students.
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