recap of a weird week

I’m using the email that I wrote to my friend to explain everything that had happened in the school until Wednesday to remember it all. The 3 of us that remain at the school are sticking together and trying to laugh at the many things that happen. Starting with the dreaded swine flu. Finally there are some confirmed cases of the influenza type A at school. No swine flu that we know of yet but you can imagine how rumors are flying and the hysteria it creates. Me? I just trust God. What can we do? 1,500 children and a whole bunch of employees. Everything is under control for know but I know it’s going to get worst. Plenty of work or too much work and to that we should add the new grade program, the hand sanitizer , the water bottles and you get a very slow beginning. I don’t know what is it but we haven’t clicked. Something is wrong and I haven’t figure what is it but this kids are not really that prepared for third grade. Handwriting, reading, everything. Each time they come more inmature and they get distracted very easily. It has been a though 2 weeks. It was only Wednesday when I came to school all worried with all this things in mind. I have lost a notebook and an important paper things I never do. I was so distraught that the new Brother replacing my friend noticed and asked me twice if I was ok. He told me that if I needed anything he was there on his office( remember or refugee?) Ahhh how nice! made me day. I’m glad that the one that came to replace my friend is also different not like the others. He is not likw my friend but at least he is caring and that makes a difference. Me and my 2 friends like him but we still haven’t got time to visit him at the refugee. We are planning of taking control again JA! No, really we need it. This week they show us that this thing is not really over. One of my co workers went to my boss office to complain about something my new assistant did. I won’t get into details but we know that there are still many people we can’ trust. I’m also trying hard to get the Brother superior to send me to Guatemala for like a 2 week retreat they do every year. He teases me with it. He has never asked me to go before and now he tells me it’s not my time. Why not? Nobody else wants to go Why not? he likes to do that. He tells you no and at the last minute he sends you. He likes the power I think. Oh well. Tomorrow I have to get Gloria aka Sue and her mother on the airport. We are having lunch and we are going to take a ride to see some things before I drop them at the Carnival Victory. It’s going to be fun.

Back to the Carnival Freedom

Yesterday we went to visit John on the Carnival Freedom. We were supposed to be there from 5:30 to 6:00. This time it was not that easy to enter the ship and it took at least half an hour to get inside. Many paper work first at the entrance of the pier and later at the ship. At the pier the workers were not very quick doing this and also wanted someone to escort us to the ship. We had to wait until the supervisor called the ship (or went there I don’t know) and when he came back he told us that they were coming to take us. Jaime came to escort us to the ship. Many of you know Jaime and know she is a gem. She is very nice and sweet. We were talking all the way to the ship and on the line to go in. She waited for us through all the paper work on the gang way and took us directly to the dining room. On the gangway she introduced us to Happy Cole that was there and was doing a show that night. He was very nice. I couldn’t see any of his show because this time we had to leave by 10:30. Last time Cristian,Vivi and Eugenio got to see some of it and love it.  Jaime took us directly to the Posh and introduced us to the Assist. Maitre D who was also super nice and we talked about our Med cruise were we were seated and about our waitress. Jaime had to leave because she was going dinning in SJ with Wee Jimmy . She told us that John was going to meet us at 8:30 at the Cigar Bar like the last time. After we exchanged hugs, pics and goodbyes with Jaime the Assist Maitre D took us to a  booth table at the center of the dining room were everybody took great care of us.We had a wonderful dinner and after that we spent like an hour going around the ship reliving  many special memories at each place we went. At 8:20 we went to the Cigar bar to wait for John. It was very good to see him after more than a year an a half. After some huggos we got to share with him 1/2 hour.We talked about all of us, how much he misses Kye and Heidi, all of you my blogger friends and Carnival Dream plans. We also had a few laughs when I told him about his booble head at school. It was a great conversation as always. At 9:00 he started to get some calls until he couldn’t stay more . We had pictures and hugs and he was gone. I always stay with the feeling that I could have told him so many things. I wanted to tell him how much this visits and the time he spends with us meant. The time and the language are handicaps. I appreciate everything he does for me so much!! He doesn’t have to do it and I don’t ask for this things but he is always so kind  and gives so much… Thank you John !! You are one of my special people. The ones that God sent me in times of need to make it easier for all of us. I will never forget that. Well after that we spent more time around the ship trying to get pictures in places that we never took on the 12 days we spent there. Yes I look happy on the pictures… I was ….for a few hours we were dreaming and cruising again. We got our fix for now thanks to John… again. Can’t wait for the Carnival Dream!!! That is going to be some day. That is another thing the Carnival Dream. Don’t worry people he didn’t tell me much. He did ask some things. Planning a day around me is too much! What an honor . One that I don’t deserve. I know it’s going to be a day I won’t forget.

Back to the Carnival Freedom with John and Jaime

Here are some pictures of our visit to the Carnival Freedom last night. The others are at my facebook. I will write a blog asap.

We are going!!

The ship is finally coming one day later. So tomorrow I will see John and Jaime. We are all excited to see our friends and have a few hours on our favorite ship. WO HOOO!!

sad :(

So it’s official the ship has been re routed. Since John wrote on the blog that he was going to be on the Freedom I was hoping that I could at least say hi on one of the 3 sailings that the ship was coming to PR. The first time he couldn’t come out of the ship and he was busy. The second he had a meeting and now that we were finally going to meet a tropical storm comes out of nowhere and it’s going to be on the island exactly the same day that the ship was going to be here. What are the chances? I can’t believe it. I am disappointed and sad. I was going to see my friend after a year and a half and I was going to be in my favorite ship. Love to do that, more now that we can’t cruise and John’s invitation gives us the chance to be on a cruise at least a few hours. sigh…. At last we were doing something exciting.. back to the regular schedule then. Now we have to wait until Dec 9. Then we are going to see John, Ken and all my friends. Can’t wait! In the mean time don’t forget me John! I’m still here reading every day even if we don’t talk so much. We love you!

The first week is over and it’s a mix of things.

I am determined to find only the good in my job. I’m determined to have fun. I’m going to find the way to look forward to and enjoy each day at work. I’m going to do what I like and what makes me happy. I’m stuck here ? ok fine I’m going to enjoy it. Since the first day I have come with a smile. I’m having fun with my friends. With the 2 that are still at the school. It’s  like a part of a whole missing and we all feel that but he is always in touch and calling to hear what’s happening. We are always playing jokes on each other, plotting against each other and later complaining against each other on the phone with the brother. Like kids, yes, like kids but that only shows you how good we feel in each other company. I have filled purses with junk and written strange notes with “special gifts”. We have laughed a lot and the others have seen our change. About the kids well at first I though it was going to be a group difficult to control but it seems they have structure and they don’t seem so dependent on the teachers. Above all they  seem …well…nice. No stuck ups, smart ass or divas. They behave like normal kids of their age. Maybe 1 or 2  but not like last year. I saw that also in their parents on the parent – teacher meeting on Thursday night. They were all very nice. ummmmm!! Let’s see. On Thursday night I pick up my friend from Guatemala at her house to go to the meeting and when it ended at 9:30 pm we decided we wanted to do something different and instead of going with the routine of a normal school day we went to Condado to take a walk. We walked , got some sodas and we went by the sea to talk almost until midnight. Yes… on a school day. That’s what I want to do be spontaneous, change the routine and the boredom!! Be different or just be… me. Love that. That day was emotionally difficult and I needed that. Why not do it? I have change and now I’m oficially not invisible at school. I’m making some noise and I’m liking it. Not longer invisible to the Brother superior our boss. Read http://nanetteali.wordpress.com/2009/05/01/my-school-angels/ if you want to know why I say i’m invisible. Remember the assistant for the afternoons?  Well the other day I ran in the hall with my boss and I made a comment to him. I told him that he forgot about me . That he didn’t get me what he promised and that I didn’t even get a change in my schedule because of it. He told me that he got the assistant and to wait till next week. Later I learned that my new assistant is going to start on Monday and that I know her. She is a mom from second grade that worked with me in the summer at the office. She is nice and everyone agrees with that. So I’m happy. I plan on having her help with the making of the materials for my class. I have been told that she is very good at that and at the computer. So I’m good.. I’m not longer invisible because of another thing. The Brother Superior came to my classroom on Thursday to ask me if I was available to work until 5:30 each day on the extended care. It’s not a sure thing yet because there are already teachers doing this job but he is asking just in case they have to open more space. I have asked him for that due to the current economic situation but I got scare, really scare and negative. Everybody knows how this job drenches me. It takes so much of me. I am the taxi of my home. Do I really want to do it? but I have too!! Many questions on my mind. It really made me anxious. I didn’t tell nobody at school but I really needed someone to hear me before I talked it over with my husband. I know he didn’t wanted me to do it but I had to!! Thank God my friend from Guatemala told me that the brother was early out of the university and coming to her house for coffee and to do some work for my other friend. I was not going because I was on a tight schedule with things to do at home before the meeting that night but I really had to talk about it so thank God I went. Even though the Brother was in hurry when I told him I had to talk to them he stayed and took me apart and listen to me . With love but strongly he made me see things in another light. He made me see things clearly. The other two joined the conversation from time to time and they also helped a lot. I was seeing things in a negative, closed way. When I left the house I was convince to take the job. It’s not that difficult. God is giving me the opportunity. If I can’t I can always get out. Why not try it ? I told my superior that I was available that night. Let’s see if it finally comes through.I have been blessed with something I have not felt so closely for quite some time. The support of my friends and knowing that they are here for me gives me strenght. Early the next morning I received a message from the brother asking at what time I was free for him to call me and know how I was doing. All this means a lot to me. They believe in me and they care. I can do it at least I think I can. All in the family have to make changes and cooperate but we will get used to it as it is with everything. AGH!!!!!!!!!! And now to the worst part. There is a storm!!!!!!!!! And  to this hour when it is coming?? MONDAY!!!!!!  AHHHH I have waited to see my friend John for a year and half. I can’t take cruises because of the situation. The only way to see him is if one of his ships is coming to PR. He is coming and I was going to see him on  MONDAY!!!!! Why? Pray that this storm goes away, slows down, disappears or change directions so the ship can come. It doesn’t look good right now. BUUUUU HUUUUU!!  We were all really looking forward to that!! If not we will have to wait until Dec 9…ohh pleaseeeeeeeeeee

The meaning of friendship

Today I was so rushed and busy that I didn’t see it until the afternoon. Since very early in the morning I have been going in and out of my classroom, working on the computer, searching and taking things from my desk and I didn’t see it. It was right there under the computer and I didn’t see until after the kids leaved for their homes and I had lunch that I came back to the computer to translate a story for my friend from Guatemala. There was a little paper from my friends with this words: We love you a lot Nanette!!! signed by 2 of them. It seems that the Brother had made it yesterday when I left them in my classroom working to go to a meeting. How could I have not seen it? It doesn’t matter it made me smile. I needed that. It’s now on my computer so I can see it to remind me that they are here for me. Simple details mean a lot.

First day with Kids

Today was my first day with kids, everything went fine the only thing that I don’t like very much is the new grade thing because you have to take attendance for every class at the computer and…. What about cleaning desk and using the hand sanitizer for each class. Takes time! And in the meantime they form a party. Great! Trying but I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep up. I think this group is going to give more trouble with the behaviour. This week has been a little bit rushed for me. Yesterday I didn’t stop all day at school and home. Only half hour for lunch and up and running again. My friends have choosen my classroom as temporary refugee and I like that.It is also good to have the computer at my classroom. Even though one of my friends is in another town that hasn’t stop him of coming to see us so he comes and works at my classroom also. So at least until today and for some hours we became what we used to be. It seems it’s going to be difficult to keep us apart. When it seems things are going to be diferrent in reality nothing changes. When there is a will there is a way they say. On Sunday we went to and outlet mall in a town near the other school. It was the girls only and I’m telling you we had a blast just buying clothes for school. We were there from 11:00 until 5:30. When were done buying our friend joined us for ice cream. Tomorrow is my first complete day with my kids. Today was half day.Tomorrow I have to organize all the books and materials. It’s the day that I have all the afternoon in the classroom and only 2 periods with them in the morning. You know what???? I’m still waiting for my helper in the afternoon. No he didn’t get me one at least not until today that I know of. We didn’t change my schedule because he was going to find me a helper. So I didn’t get one thing or the other…I’m going to talk to him tomorrow. I also have to watch in my lunch time…. argh!

Ahhh another thing John’s booble head has become famous among my co workers specially my friends. They want to carry him everywhere. He has a place besides my computer. My friends tell me to tell John that they all love him. I have to wait until Monday to do that.

Group pictures from yesterday

Here we are both schools together

Our sister school

Like I told you yesterday today all the teachers went to the other school in the town of Manati. We were supposed to get to know the school and the teachers.Even though it’s been 9 years since I started working on the school I have never been to this one. It’s a smaller version of ours but with the big difference of being in the country. Plenty of vegetation and that is a big change for us. Nothing in front or behind the school. Trees, trees and more trees. Funny how many of my co workers started to take fruits from the trees with the help of my friend the Brother. It’s other type of life completely. More peaceful and serene. We had a great day getting to know the others. It was also good to see my friend who inmediately asked for his brownies. I always do brownies for him. He could eat the whole box alone. He asked for them in front of other co workers and for their surprise I took a container full of brownies from my purse and said to him that they were all for him. The other gasped and reply with envy. He look at them and told them; I’m not going to share. Later we had coffee with brownies at his house.One thing was the same the humidity and heat!! I’m melting!! John’s boble head didn’t go with us but he was missed. They all want him now. So it’s not the end of it. I already have my to do list for tomorrow. Let’s see what tomorrow brings. BTW tomorrow is the day that some members of the family are going to be at the Amalfi Coast with Giovanni. Today I got an email from them some problem the has for being … well..absent minded. I sent and email to Giovanni and talk to him on the Messenger everything is good now. I will talk about that tomorrow.