I never got to go prom. Be it a sports tournament or my lack of popularity, my own high school prom was just not in the cards for me. When I became a teacher, Prom became an excuse to go out to a nice Nashville dinner, drink a bottle of wine with the other lushes … Continue reading My Favorite Prom
Uruguay
A Tiny Graduation with a Big Heart
I love graduation. It is that culminating moment when all of the blood, sweat, tears, anger, laughers, failure and successes pay off. It doesn't matter how much grief a student has given me over the years, seeing him or her walk a stage and receive a diploma makes all of the pain worth it. My … Continue reading A Tiny Graduation with a Big Heart
Despedida
When people leave Uruguay you throw them a going away party. It is called a Despedida. Considering that this year we had so many people leaving, it only made sense that we had one big despedida. That being said, the people leaving all had their plates full and no one was taking the initiative. Plus, … Continue reading Despedida
Jorge Drexler
One of the first Uruguayan singers I listened to was Jorge Drexler. He was introduced to me by my friend Camilo back when we were trying to do Spanish and English exchanges. Then when I decided I needed to pretty much go back to the basics and enrolled in my Spanish emersion class, he was … Continue reading Jorge Drexler
UAS Gym sale
If you come to Uruguay for long enough you will discover that besides their very bland cuisine tastes and mate drinking, Uruguayans do not throw anything away. Rich, poor, it doesn't matter. They use and use and use until something is falling apart. And then they try to figure out how to fix it before … Continue reading UAS Gym sale
Teacher Prom
For the second year in a row, Edison Garrone has outdone himself. In an effort to increase teacher morale at the school, Edison was permitted to throw a teacher prom during a Friday evening in our auditorium. Teacher prom is exactly what it sounds like: Food, alcoholic beverages, dancing, and a lot of teachers getting … Continue reading Teacher Prom
Mom Donates Blood
In Uruguay, whenever a person has a surgery, it is expected that blood donations are contributed in your name. Basically, the system is that you have family and friends donate blood to replenish the bank if there is a possibility you will use blood. It is a great way to keep the system free and … Continue reading Mom Donates Blood
Piriapolis with my People
When you have a day of feeling well and a friend asks you and your mom to go on a road trip for the day, you say HELL YES! Piriapolis is a beach town snuggled along the Rio de la Plata. Montevideo people especially love to go there because it is close and doesn't have … Continue reading Piriapolis with my People
Uruguayan/American Conversations
What happens when three intelligent people (one from Uruguay and two from the United States) are interested in learning about cultural, societal, and political differences between the two countries? Nicolas, my Mom, and I had a fascinating conversation (half in Spanish and half in English) comparing the cost of living for a family of two … Continue reading Uruguayan/American Conversations
Love from the States
Mail in Uruguay is spotty at the best of times. Send a package regular mail from the states for Christmas...expect it to arrive for Valentine's day. And with the arrival of summer, you never know when you are going to get mail. There was a huge mail strike not too long ago, and the mail … Continue reading Love from the States
Teach Abroad Coyle 