Routines

Hi readers,

My seniors start their IB exams today.  For them that means a three-week period of tests more difficult than most they will take in college, with an open door into of the next step of their young adult life on the other side. 
For me it means.....they have stopped coming to my class!!
As a high school science teacher at an international school, I had 2 sections of 12th grade students.  I have been with them for the past 2 years, working through a 400 page environmental science textbook ("IB Environmental Systems and Societies" by Oxford University Press for those of you who are interested), designing and completing 24 individual lab projects and grading hundreds of pages of their work and projects. 
I bid them adieu and good luck in their studies at the end of last week.  Since then I have only had to organize 1 set of labs, 2 sets of cross-curricular projects/papers and 1 school-wide event.  In teacher terms, this means I have been free as a bird!! (Yes, I'm serious).   I have been able to leave work at 5 PM every. day. this. week.  Amazing!!

So, what have I been doing with my new-found free time, you ask? 

Today I have been in 2 other classes--a Chinese 2 class this morning and a Theory of Knowledge class (technically I'm "subbing" right now for our IB coordinator, but I like to think of myself as more of an "observer").  Whenever I have the opportunity to go into other classes, I'm amazed at how different the routines and practices are.  In Chinese, they were watching a video (and responding in actual, legitimate Chinese sentences when the teacher paused the video, which was ceaselessly amazing to me).  In TOK (sort of an intro philosophy class) they are drawing pictures of....something.  I think to do with perception? (like I said, I'm just here writing my blog subbing observing).  I've gotten so many good ideas for how to shake up my routines and activities just by observing these other classes. It's nice to have some time to search for inspiration. 

Photo from pinterest.  Happy Friday!

Vegetarian Croquetas

Hi readers,

I have a vague obsession with weird Spanish cooking projects.  I like cooking things only once, just to prove I can, then going back to eating take-out falafel oven-roasted vegetables for dinner until I feel "inspired to do something more complicated" (translation: using more than 1 pan).

Over the weekend I achieved a milestone of la cucina española: my first batch of Spanish croquetas. Spanish croquetas are basically olive-oil-soaked fried dough and a famous sort of Spanish tapas/bar food.  See the photo from hogarmania.com for a visual,
except you should imagine little vegetables where the jamon is (note-this may be hard for Spanish people)

The croquetas were at the end of my list.  Other items have included:
1. Spanish tortilla
2. Paella
3. Gazpacho
4. "Spanish Baked Brie" (Slices of cheese melted into empanada dough)

I consider my cooking a cultural experience--mostly because I subject my poor, unsuspecting Spanish friends to both the process and the outcome, usually with very little warning.  For example: I was once making a Spanish tortilla and when a basic stranger who I had never spoken to before delightful friend-of-a-friend walked through the door.  I made him dar la vuelta a la tortilla (a Spanish expression for flipping a hot, heavy pan full of approximately 6 pounds of potatoes and semi-raw eggs onto a slippery plate) before he had even taken off his coat.  Culture!

In making the croquetas, I was able to practice Spanish with a wonderful friend for hours--and learned the Spanish word ahumada can double as a polite way of saying "burned".  I'm fulfilled and proud to report I have turned on both the oven and the stove since the weekend feel inspired to try new things.  Though for my next Spanish cooking project, I may have to branch out into the dessert world.  I think I am at the end of vegetarian-options list for main courses.  Chuleton de tofu?  Probably not going to work...