15 weeks later...

Alright, so I'm terrible at this and you ask a good question Pete. I'm not sure how long I get to keep my blog without blogging, but I don't want to find out. I'm not even sure where to start. I'll be brief about my holiday break first. Time with family and friends was needed and I had a blast, but I was eager to get back to Bolivia and my students by the time break ended.

We have a week left in the quarter and so much has gone on I feel. Ashlyn and I broke up. It always seems like I have a tougher time with break-ups than the other person. But we both knew that it was for the best and now, at the end of the third quarter, things have become much more comfortable and easier as we teach together. I'll try to give some highlights from these past couple months now.

Highlights from School-
*I got another new student, 4th grade, whose name is Isaias. He is from Bolivia and is an amazing student, very eager to learn and please the teacher. :) What teacher doesn't appreciate a student like that? I now have a total of 18 students. 12 third graders, 6 fourth graders.
*We have a student teacher at our school teaching high-school math. It's great to have another young guy in the mix of teachers. His name is Nate and he is engaged. With math teachers being in such high demand, he has already found a job for next school year. Wow! It took me two years and moving to another country to do that!
*We are picking a new mascot for our school, because pumas just doesn't fit, due to the other rival American school being the cougars, which is the exact same animal. Thanks to my class it is now between White Tigers (their choice) and Condors (the one the principal really wants to stick). Well when the vote was between the two, White Tigers win, but we'll have to wait and see if Jason (prinicipal) really accepts the new mascot. Some of the other nominees (Fighting Manatees, Penguins, Bats, Stallions, Dragons, and the Ligers). Which would you have voted for?
*My students just finished their social studies projects which was to create their own business/company, accompanied by a poster advertising their product/service, a story on how it all started, a persuasive paper as to why anyone should buy, and a 10 step flow chart as to how their service is run/or their product is made. What a mean teacher right? To top it all off, yesterday they pitched their products to the fifth graders and were graded by the fifth graders on their presentations. Ah, they had a blast!! :)
*I've taught two chapels in the past two weeks. The first on Josiah, the next on Jeremiah. With Josiah the students performed a skit I had written called "The King Is Right" a spoof on "The Price is Right". We had about six kings come on to get interviewed by a panel audience (the rest of my kids). The first five being ones that did evil in the sight of the Lord and getting booed off, the last one (Josiah), getting cheered off. I talked about the cleansing of the temple, and how our hearts are a sanctuary also that need cleansing of any false idols and disrepair, so that we can be whole-heartedly serving the Lord. Yesterday was also Dr. Seuss day for my kids (I'll tell you why it was so late in a bit), so they introduced Jeremiah with a nice rhyme called "Would You, Could You", all about would you be able to give bad news to someone you loved, when you knew it would happen, and you knew they wouldn't listen. My talk wasn't as prepared as I would have liked, but I stressed how when God calls you, the task ahead will not necessarily be easy or fun, but how important it is to trust Him through each and every moment of it.
*So yeah, I celebrated Dr. Seuss Day two weeks late. There's a reason for it. I wasn't planning on celebrating it period. Kindergarten celbrated it on the day. First, second, and fifth grade celebrated it last week. I didn't think fifth grade was going to. My kids come to me all bummed, "Mr. Bjorlie, how come we aren't celebrating Dr. Seuss Day?" So I ask in return, "You want to?" "YEAH!!" And that's pretty much how it happened. Their activity was to write interview questions for the Grinch as if they were the Whos down in Whoville and then I allowed those comfortable with acting in front of the class a chance to improv as the Grinch. I found out I have much more willing actors/actresses than I thought. We have to continue the activity on Monday, because of it. Speaking of Monday, yes, I'll definitely be wearing me kilt, just not in the authentic fashion. ;)
*Our library is up and running and I was able to find books at each of my reading group's appropiate levels, so that I could do guiding reading with each of them, except the ones pulled out for reading help. My highest group's book is set in Norway, so the kids have enjoyed hearing more about my heritage. :) (Like lefse and Ole & Lena jokes)
*We also had a team day, and the theme was water. The weather was beautiful and the kids and teachers alike loved getting eachother extremely soaked in the huge water fight at the end of the day. You guys really can't do that in the states can you? Keep in mind this occurred the beginning of February. :)
*Our school is trying to decide between expanding the property that we are on or moving to another location nearby in Achucalla. Please be in prayer for this big decision.
*I was also observed while doing my dual grade math lesson. She thought it went very well and my scores came back as "at" or "above standard", which was very encouraging.

Highlights from Home
*My big brother Beto is going through a rough back and forth relationship. We've grown close through talking about truth and following the Lord in the midst of pain and heartache. It's been a time of bonding.
*My youngest oldest sister, Danielle, is getting married to Randy (youth for Christ guy). The bachelor party 3-day hike will be this next weekend. Yep, I know. That's Easter weekend. The wedding will be April 26th, so I'm excited to be in my first Bolivian wedding! Not only that, but my older sister's one.
*Charro is back (stay-home mom) from the states and it's been alot of fun learning more Spanish from her, and her learning English from me. She really treats me as part of the family, which is just one of the many reasons why I've decided to live with them again next school year. She went into the hospital a few weeks ago with a problem with her ankle. I don't know exactly what the problem was, my Spanish isn't great when it comes to medical terms, but she was in quite a bit of pain. She's doing much better now.

Highlights from Outside School
*I've started playing basketball on Tuesday nights. I'm terrible! But I am getting better slowly by slowly. I actually scored three baskets last Tuesday. Get ready Chris, I might be able to give you a bit more of a match when I get back this summer. It's also been getting me in pretty good shape for what I hear is going to be an extremely brutal bachelor party hike. The other reason why I can't wait to go on the hike is because I'll be prepared with good hiking shoes and a good backpacking pack. I'll finally be equipped.
*We had a four day weekend in which I actually got to go to another country, Chile. Arrica, Chile to be exact. Lots of desert, all the way up to the beach! I had a great time running along the beach in the morning and swimming up the waves in the afternoon. This happened a week after the break-up and Ashlyn also was on the trip, so it wasn't easy in that sense, but I still found other ways to enjoy myself. One of them was to get extremely sunburned. I know I'll get skin cancer one day, but the day out in the sun and surf was worth the pain. I compare it to Spring Break of junior year in college. Some of you know what I'm talking about! :)
*I'm becoming more active in our church here in La Paz. Today, (I actually have to get going right now), I am going to be participating in a little drama, I only have to act, not speak. Whew! Although, I have to act to a narraration in another language and yeah, I've gotta make sure I'm listening very well. :)
*The sunday school in the church wants to adopt the Children Desiring God curriculum as well and when they do, hopefully in Spanish, they want me to help with teaching the teachers how to teach the curriculum. I've never had to teach teachers before, should be an experience!
*My Spanish is getting better, but I still have a long ways to go before I'm fluent, but I'm getting better at holding on mini-conversations in topics that i know most the vocabulary for.
*We had a Texas Hold-em poker tournament last Saturday and I came out in the middle of a pack of 8, so I felt alright about my playing.
*I meet with Nate, Tom, and Scott on Saturday mornings for a time of accountability and fellowship which has been good. The only sad thing is that I do the same thing on Friday morning with the same guys minus Tom and adding John, just because of the group dynamics. Both times are good, although I wish we could just have one where we all get together.


Alright, I'm sure I'm missing stuff and if I remember anything I'll try to send it on out, but now I want to hear about you all back home and how things are going. Like, how cold is it there in Minnesota? Just kidding! I want to hear about you, so send me an e-mail if you want or just a quick response via the blog. I wish you all a Happy Saint Patrick's Day, which also means Happy B-day Tara! I love you all! Thanks especially to those of you who stayed on me to get this blog done. That especially belongs to Jason and my mother. Thanks Pete and Chris for the reminders also. I'll be seeing you all in about three months!