7/11/2023 0 Comments Gracias por todoHow will I approach it? With exhaustion, after a long year of teaching? With a shout of joy, as I run into my parents' arms at Dulles Airport? Or with a song in my heart, like my student with the theme song? In all honesty, I will probably approach my upcoming departure with a bit of each of my students' attitudes, as well as with sadness.Įndings are bittersweet, and while I feel confident that I am making the right decision in coming back to the United States at this time, it doesn't make it any easier to leave the community and people I have fallen in love with here. We have lived in two different countries, and have collectively visited four more."Īs a ChACEr who is not staying another year in Chile, I too am closing a chapter in my life and coming to a big moment of transition. "ChACE 16 has officially been living in South America for 16 months. Done with 8th grade, done with middle school, now they were looking forward to the future. By finishing that exam, the 8th graders had closed a chapter of their lives. Several students left with a sigh of relief, some with shouts of "Terminé!" and one boy even walked out singing his own personal theme song. One by one, the students in my classroom finished their tests, turned them in, and left the room. They frantically scribbled their answers on their last final exam of the year (Lenguaje, or Spanish Language, in the case of the 8th graders whose test I was proctoring). Meet Rachel G.Today was our last day with students of the school year.We Decide What to Do With the Time That is Given Us.I want to thank them, an all of the other people who have made this trip so amazing. This year they invited us (and the people of Texas State) into their home for cheese, crackers, tamales, and to view the hundreds of turkeys that gather in their yard. Bill and Peggy have been incredibly generous hosts and I am incredibly grateful for the insights they give us into the history of Falfurrias. Our visit with the Lasater’s is always a highlight of our trip. I believe that I have seen him grow from this trip, and that he has seen the issues of the border in a completely new light. He was essential to communicating with families at the respite center. ![]() This year we have had the luxury of having Jorge with us as a translator. Only two of our dig team (Erica & I) speak Spanish, but neither of us speak it very well. She has an amazing way of changing all of the lives she touches, and I’m proud that I have been able to work with her so closely. She now spends her time helping the people passing through the Sacred Heart Respite Center. ![]() She is one of the most driven and compassionate people that I have ever met. I can think of very few (if any) people that I would rather have working by my side. He is incredibly informed and hard working. Since then he has worked with Texas State and at the South Texas Human Rights Center. He was one of the original members of the UINDY crew and my former roommate. Ryan and I have a long bro-mantic history. They have far-exceeded all of my expectations, and I am incredibly proud to work by their side. They also have made our job easier by helping with all of our work such as digging, troweling, moving buckets of sand, and pretty much anything and everything else. They have had an amazing influence on our team, bringing much-needed different perspectives to everything we do. She has joined us again this year and brought along two of her students, Sarah and Rachel. Alyson O’Daniel joined us for skeletal analyses in San Marcos. This year we have had the honor of working with a team of cultural anthropologists from the University of Indianapolis. I would like to take a moment to thank some of the people who were vital in making this trip so great.įrom Left to Right – Rachel, Dr O’Daniel, and Sarah ![]() ![]() There are so many people that are essential in making our efforts successful. It would be impossible for us to do this work alone.
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