Chileans @ McAuley HS, Maine 2008

Chileans on their way!

2008-03-15T07:55:00.005-04:00

The Chileans arrive TODAY! McAuley host sisters and families and students at the school are very excited. Schedules and the month calendar of activities are ready. The only problem right now is a bit of snow falling in Maine ... but PWM can handle that! Cecilia emailed early this morning that the Chileans are aboard their plane and on the way .. we're just a bit sad that she won't make it this year.

There are 6 students coming to McAuley, 6 to Cheverus, and 4 to Waynflete (who joins the exchange for the first time), and 2 chaperone teachers. It's exciting to see the program expand and affect more and more lives every year.

Bienvenidos chilenos!

Chileans in MAINE - week one

2008-03-20T21:31:00.027-04:00

McAuley Sisters and Dubita wait for the Chileans at the Portland Airport

. .

The Chileans Arrive!!

It’s been almost one week since the Chileans arrived. Host families waited at the airport and after the first greeting, many went in their own directions. The McAuley group went to IHOP for a late breakfast together. It gave the Chilean girls a chance to ease into their new people while still being together. Sunday night was the Welcome Get-Together where all host families and all Chileans had a pot-luck.

.

.

They are settling into their host families and schools. At McAuley the girls seem to be enjoying their new experiences and making new friends. It’s been a busy week, so it’s been hard to get things onto the blog. The weather here in Maine has been mostly a cold, spring rain, with small breaks of sunshine. Not the best – but hopefully it will improve soon.
.
There is no school Friday for McAuley and Cheverus (being catholic schools) and Cheverus has Monday off as well. Waynflete has school. It is Easter weekend and Maple Sugar weekend as well. The first field trip / city tour for the Chileans is to the Portland Museum of Art on Tuesday.
.
Friday, March 28, is our ski day to Sugarloaf USA. Each school has their own field trips as well group trips … the complete group has gotten too large to do most of the field trips together. Growth is wonderful in so many ways, but a bit sad in others.
.
Here are some of the first thoughts of host families:

.
Pita, Maria Esperanza, is a wonderful, sweet girl. She seems to be doing very well and is a very easy guest. I think the biggest difference is the fact that we live in such a rural area and have to get in the car to go anywhere and she is used to walking to everything. We colored eggs for Easter which was a new experience for her - she actually made the prettiest eggs.

The funniest experience so far was when we went to the Sea Dog restaurant and we had a bit of trouble with the menu. Pita ended up ordering meatloaf and the huge pile of unrecognizable meatloaf and mashed potatoes that came out of the kitchen was quite a surprise! The look on her face was priceless. She is such a great kid - she dug and in and tried it - she actually said she liked it (of course the portion size could have fed the entire family!)

Every day is something new and she has such a super attitude about it all. She is a great example for our entire family. ~Margaret McManus

.
Anto is a DREAM!! She seems to like school! She did not want Religion, but was able to change her classes around and now has gym and a study. So this made her happy. Anto tells me the food is very good at the Lions Den, but too BIG!! We Americans consume way too much food!!

We spoke to her mother the night before last and her Mom told me that all the parents were so nervous about the trip to the States, but she said how wonderful she felt because she knew us and knew Anto was in a safe and happy place. That made me feel great!

All is well and she is snuggling right up to my dog "Honey" every night. Oh! Kali and Anto bought pet fish together. They each have two and had fun naming them. ~Karen Pulkkinen

.
Waynflete is just buzzing with excitement! Everyone has been asking about the "chilenos" and we are all so pleased that we can share some time with them! Three of the visiting students are taking a Spanish Literature class with me, and it has been wonderful for the students to share stories about what it is like to learn a second language. We have had some real "ah ha"moments and some good laughs together. Although they are studying in the US, they have also planned visits to our LS to teach and sing, and we'rehoping that they will have the opportunity to come and visit some MS classes, too! ¡Qué bien compartir cuentos y culturas! ~Janice
.
Wednesday: What a full day! Maria Jesus, Jose Tomas, Felipe, and Paulita attended their four classes - from Pre Calculus to Literature of the Vietnam War, with all sorts of topics in between. They then headed off to visit Bates College with Breda White's husband, David. They had lunch there in the brand new Commons/Dining Hall that opened three weeks ago. Felipe went back for second and third helpings!! After that, John Harvey, a student at Bates and host brother to Diego five years ago lead the four students and Alicia on a two-hour personalized tour of Bates. They were accompanied by Paul Okot, Waynflelte graduate of 2007, and Jose Cervantes, a Mexican-American and close friend of John's.

The Colegios students had a fantastic time. One of them was quoted as saying, "I am in Heaven!" What more can we ask for?? So, all is well in chilly Maine! ~Breda M. White
.

Mrs. D, for what it's worth: I want to thank you and all involved in this program. Man, do I wish I took more Spanish. Pita is a gem. Living with us in Bowdoin must be a real shock to her! I hope she gets along o.k. Thank you again! ~Ed

We are having a blast with Camila. Thank you so much for letting us take part in such a beautiful experience. I know we are going to be very sad when she leaves. Lynn Woods :)

[email thoughts or photos to: tdubreuil@mcauleyhs.org]

Chileans in MAINE - week one - @ McAuley

2008-03-21T09:07:00.010-04:00

The Chilean girls who attend McAuley were introduced to the school by Sister Edward Mary (Principal) and Señora Dubreuil and their host sisters. Spanish Club donated some back-pack welcome bags with pink McAuley T-shirts and Lions Den (café) debit cards for lunches. Each McAuley host said her "sister's" name and a couple interesting things about them so the student body could more easily reach out and start conversations with the Chileans.
.

The first day at McAuley, the Chileans shadowed their "sisters" to classes, but after that they have their own schedules that work into their interests, such as art and music, but also get them very involved in English, math and history classes. They are not graded on their efforts, but they are expected to work along with the class. Any questions and they come to Señora Dubreuil for clarification.
.
A few McAuley teachers have also communicated with Señora that they are very much enjoying the Chileans in their classrooms and how polite and intelligent these girls are! Miss Anita (Chilean AP Biology teacher and chaperone) splits her time between Cheverus and McAuley. Every day at period 4 lunch she or Mrs. Dubreuil meet with the Chilean girls to see if there's any concerns or questions. So far these meetings have been wonderful times of sharing new experiences and joy of being here in Maine!

More Photos (and more to come):

http://community.webshots.com/user/mcauleyhs

Chileans in Maine - First Impressions

2008-03-22T09:18:00.011-04:00

The Chilean school, Colegio Padre Hurtado y Juanita de los Andes, also has a BLOG of the exchange. Here's the link: http://unaoneamerica.blogspot.com/

One of the chileans at McAuley, Cami, entered the following "first impressions" of her Exchange Experience. It's obvious how important these exchange trips are to young people today.

One week has just passed full of many new experiences without noticing it... I am going to start talking about the most important: My family. I can't be more grateful! They are 3: My sister Allyson (she is an 18 year old only child) and my parents Mike and Lynn who are very very very nice and sweet!! They are always very worried about me, if I need something, etc. And they are a lot of fun!
.
They invent a thousand activities for me, they facilitate everything to me ... we have cooked (cookies, caramel apples, etc.), they have given me many presents, have taken me to many places ... etc. And I still have many things for doing, knowing, trying, learning ...!
.
Well, at the end ... everything is new and incredible! I am very happy! They make me feel as part of their family... they are really incredible.
.
Catherine McAuley high school is an incredible school!! For us everything is new: let's start talking about the schedule (one of the things that I am impressed) we have the same subjects every day, we don't have breaks (except for a long period to have lunch at 11 am.), the classes can be of 8 students and they are not necessarily the same age! This is because they are more personal and in this way they learn faster ... so it is very good!
.
Each of us have different schedules, some have subjects such as mathematics and history ... and others have relaxing subjects like English, gym, art, theatre, etc. I like the fact that they have many possibilities of classes (they have to choose them), and the best thing is that to all these classes have the same importance ... You just have to see the classrooms! ... the room of art, theatre or the gym! They are incredible ..!.
.
But the most important for me and what more pleases me of the school is the people, they are all very nice! They always have a smile in their face! They try to speak in spanish with you, etc.
.
I'm very happy here, everything is incredible.
Publicado por Camila de Larraechea

Chileans @ McAuley: "our girls"

2008-03-23T18:31:00.004-04:00

Chileans @ McAuley - 2nd week

2008-03-29T19:47:00.015-04:00

"Our McAuley Chilenas" with the McAuley Lion

The second week at McAuley the Chilean girls became more comfortable in their classes and spending time with their new friends. Many are taking art and making clay sculptures. Others have asked to change from computer class in order to join and help in Spanish or English classes. Señora Dubreuil's Advanced Spanish classes spend the last segment of classes in conversation, en español, with the Chileans ... as a whole class and in smaller groups. It gives the Chileans a break from working constantly in English, and offers the McAuley girls a chance to actually use their Spanish in authentic conversations.

One day Señora Mendoza's class celebrated a "Quince" ... the hispanic tradition of "Sweet 15", when a young girl enters adulthood. The Chileans came and enjoyed the festivities and cultural experience. It was based on the Mexican Quince Fiesta, but the Chileans also shared their information about the chilean experience of being a "Quinciñera".

¡Feliz Cumpleaños!

~
Ski day at Sugarloaf was planned for Friday but was cancelled due to a snowstorm (as was school cancelled). We're hoping to reschedule the ski day.

This coming week is full of activities: field trips to Haven's Candy store; a tour of downtown Portland, the Old Port, and the Observatory; hopefully the ski day at Sugarloaf; and a Lobster Fest at the Agren's on Saturday night followed by Galactic Bowling. A very busy week to come!

First impressions (by Maura):

Cata was so so so cute when we came home, we were watching a movie and she fell asleep on the beanbag in front of the fireplace. Pita told me that Cata always falls asleep during movies. Every song that came on Cata hums to it, she especially loves "Mr. Lonely" by Akon! Hahaha

The best thing so far is our inside joke -- I always ask her if she is hungry or tired. She tells me that I eat a lot. :) She is just so comfortable with my friends, and she laughs with all of them!

Cata & Maura