The children shall NOT be motivated!

As I look at the title of Justin's last post, I realize it's a damn shame that we didn't experience all of those things at once: mullets, puppets and pirates all magically combined. What could be better? Thanks to those that have commented (although we noticed a precipitous drop-off this week)--it makes us feel like we aren't just talking to ourselves.

After torrential rains yesterday, we woke up to crystal clear mountains today. A huge payoff. Our morning commutes are usually quite spectacular as we are driving towards the mountains on a big open highway (for part of it) and in the evening, we often get the sun setting on the mountain snow. I keep trying to take a picture but it never captures just how cool it is.

So my weekly observations...

I can't pass up also commenting on mullets. Mullets here are not the hairstyle of the backwards or unhip (or damned), rather, it is THE cool-kid hairstyle. Much as ridiculous shaggy, glorified bowlcuts are cool for American boys right now (those of you not in the world of high schools may or may not have noticed), a short-in-front, just-long-enough in the back is a MUST for any hip teenager. They tends to muss the back, so it kinda puffs out a bit and is fluffy. Justin also forgot to mention that we work with someone who has a braided rat-tail that goes down to her butt. While mullets are for men here, her's is a noteworthy exception.

On the side of women, EVERYONE here loves tucking their boots into their pants and walking around looking like storm troopers or something. And, at least in the winter, the colors are pretty drab. A lot like the US. Big, wrappy sweaters are also very very cool. Can't say I dislike a trend that makes it acceptable for me to swaddle myself like a baby and feel like I'm walking around in a bathrobe all day.

This week we had our "Week Without Walls" assembly in the high school. In November, every student will spend a week outside of the school on a trip of some sort. Teachers go too (for free!). They get to choose from any number of absolutely drool-worthy trips (surfing, rafting, biking, glacier hiking, yoga...all in spectacular settings). There is supposed to be either a service component or an environmental component to each trip. I can't wait...the trips look amazing. I'm hoping for surfing but would be happy with almost anywhere. Except the freshman trip. The freshman all have to go to this one place (which I'm sure is gorgeous and lovely but quite frankly the idea of a week with freshman provokes a mix of intense irritation and exhaustion). The kids have to pay for the trips, though, so I think it gets a little unfair because the coolest trips are obviously the most expensive.

Incidentally, we also had a motivation speaker this week that was the worst motivational speaker I've ever heard. She blathered on for @80 minutes, without break or visual aid, about how they need to be more grateful and hug their parents and live in the moment by telling people you love them AND, by the way, don't have sex or drink. It was like having the students' moms come in a just talk at them for over an hour. Plus a pretty conservative, perhaps unrealistic and no useful message. You could tell there was some pent-up annoyance by the end by the following series of questions (why this woman would think that kids had legitimate questions to ask her, I have no idea..."Mees, can you tell us MORE about how our souls become old if we drink?"). Incidentally, they were asked by different kids in different parts of the room, thus verifying that it was a really group effort to undermine her.

Question 1: "So, do you think that if we have sex that means that we are corrupted?" (I know the kid who asked this question; it wasn't genuine and everyone knew it)
Answer 1 (roughly): No, you just need to wait until you are old enough, blah blah blah...

Q2: "So, you are saying that we can have sex once we get to college because we are old enough?"
A2: No, I mean that you have to have a certain maturity level, blah blah blah...

Q3: "But aren't you contradicting yourself? You said that we should live in the moment, so doesn't that mean that we should have sex and drink if that is what we want to do in the moment?"

aaaaand scene. Can't say I blamed them.

School continues to go well. Justin and I play basketball on Wednesdays with some of the faculty and other gringos in the area. This last time there was this ridiculous dude who was probably between 55 and 60 that was AWESOME. I mean, shot 90% from three point range with a hand in his face awesome. I mean, threw full court passes that were PERFECT awesome. I mean, could beat Justin (who is quick!) off the dribble and get a free shot awesome. And he was super nice. Basketball is pretty fun though. Thankfully the headmaster didn't show this week so I didn't have to guard him.

This weekend we don't have any real plans. I am throwing a bday party with some work friends who have bdays around this time. Kinda sucks because I have buy $100 worth of wine and pisco, but I'm trying to be a good sport. Oh, last weekend we saw "Death at a Funeral." If you think British people are funny, you should definitely see it. I was pulling a Meg and giggling really loudly in the theater.

We watched the DNC on youtube and saw Obama live last night. Some great speeches this week...It kinda kills me that I can't really talk about it with my kids.

Hope all is well!