Mountain climbing

Saturday, I hiked to Kitchen Mesa at Ghost Ranch near Chama, New Mexico. The views were amazing and the hike was a grrreat workout. Some parts were high enough with nothing to grab onto where I got super nervous, but all in all, it was great! I would do it again in a heart beat :)

Santa Clara Feast Day and craziness

Last Thursday I went to my first Native American Feast Day! A Feast Day is a huuge celebration. We went to the Santa Clara pueblo land which is only about a 10-15 drive from Espanola. The Indians dance from about 6am and go all day. They only stop for about 20 minute breaks...its pretty amazing. There are Summer and Winter clans that do different dances, obviously for different reasons. The Summer group dances all day in hopes for rain. It was an extreme privilege to attend one. The public is welcomed and accepted to watch the dances, but you don't ask questions, clap when they are finished or get loud and crazy. Women also walk around the crowd during the dance "thanking you" by choosing random people to receive gifts. The gifts include fruit, vegetables and little toys. I got an orange :) what an honor.
We also watched a Buffalo Dance. The men actually had buffalo skins and horns on and the women dance barefoot. Remember that the dance lasts about 15-20 minutes and it was about 90-95 all day! The outfits and headdresses were so amazing. The elder men are the only ones who sing and play the drums.
Sadly, you were not allowed to take pictures. But if it were my home, I wouldn't want people taking pictures of me like I was a show either.

So far, teaching is going fine for Emily and I. On Sunday, both of us were trying to prepare lesson plans which have to be turned in a week in advance. A huge storm was brewing so the Internet wasn't working well all day--until it finally knocked down a power line and shut it down for the night. Needless to say, we couldn't get them done. Emily has keys to another building on campus--so she ventured over to see if it had working Internet. As she's going to leave, books, keys and phone in hand the massive steel door smashed her hand. Within 15 minutes, her knuckle was the size of a golf ball.....we headed to the Espanola ER.
Being there is an experience all on its own. Everything was in Spanish, I sat in the room on my own being creeped on and watching a woman come in FREAKING out, I still couldn't figure out what was wrong with her...? After X-rays and some pills, Emily is sent home in a splint with a fractured hand.....so we head to Pizza Hut :)
Feeling better about our crazy day, we sit down with some pizza to watch a movie...until the power goes out in our dorm. Well crap- we're going to make the best of it and watch it on my laptop...it still has battery. It dies in 10 minutes. After this craziness, we conclude that its just a sign we should go to bed.

Wow thats a lot.

First day of Student Teaching!

I can't believe it finally happened after a week of Orientation, staff meetings and long days in the classroom-today we had our first day of school! Being a half day it was pretty crazy in the 2nd grade classroom. We saluted the New Mexico flag, sang songs, did brain exercises, played with clay and filled the desks with brand new text books and I measured and weighed the kids. No one cried when their Moms left which is BIG! Also, we got another 2 students in the morning making our full count, 12! 4 girls, 8 boys.....oh snap. The kids were amazed at how far across the map of the U.S. I came from.
Emily and I had a great first day overall and are thinking we can handle the rest! Tomorrow we're going to a Feast Day after school to watch the Native Americans dance and sing, then we are going to a families home to have a traditional dinner! So excited =) P.s. I had a green chili, guacamole cheeseburger at a little restaraunt here called El Parisol.....delicious. Green chiles are where its at.

Espanola in the Rio Grande Valley

These are the Sangre de Cristo Mountains that I look at everyday!

I wanted to let everyone know a little bit about the beautiful place I'm staying for the next few months. The McCurdy mission school was founded in 1912 by a very passionate young woman. Espanola is in the Rio Arriba County, just north of Santa Fe...the Rio Grande is verrrry close. The elevation is 5,590 feet. When I stand on campus I can see the Jemez Mountains on one side and when I turn around, I see the Sangre de Cristo (the blood of Christ) Mountains. The entire teaching staff is so welcoming and I love my cooperating teacher, Diana :) We are going to have a blast in 2nd grade for the first semester! The theme for this school year is "Reach out in Love" using John 15:12 as our motto/scripture. I also get to help teach Music class to our 1st and 2nd graders which I am SO excited about, as well as an Elementary play! Emily and I are looking forward to traveling to some beautiful places around Espanola as well as going to some Pueblo Feast days in a week or so :) School starts on Wednesday!!!

1,000+ miles and we made it...

After two and a half days, one speeding ticket, many shady gas stations, tornado alley and the most boring stretch of Kansas ever..we made it to New Mexico! Emily and I are living in the "West Wing" (yes just like the forbidden wing from Beauty and the Beast) of the dorm here at McCurdy school. We're going to be busy this week before school starts, but we are excited to meet everyone and enjoy some sunshine! Our rooms are big, but a little sketch...we are very blessed back at home! So far Facebook is working, but that could change any minute-look for pictures soon! :)