February Boycott

I'm not sure about all teachers, but February is my least favorite month of the school year. I don't care that it has the least amount of days of any other month, it is the longest month of the year. Here is why...

The excitement of the first of the year is gone. The kids are no longer on their best behavior and willing to try the new can crazy ideas that come out of their teacher's heads. During the second quarter of school, we all have our eye on Christmas vacation. We might get a little impatient and the crazy level might rise a bit, but we all are still working and willing. But third quarter (aka February) we've got nothing. The kids are grouchy, there is nothing to look forward to, and, most shocking of all, they are no longer impressed with my special brand of humor. The nerve.

Not to mention the weather...

Idaho weather during this time is gray, dreary, and cold. There usually is slushy snow, black ice, or biting wind. Ecuador weather is hot, gray, and wet. I just can't win. This is the month that I usually want to be anywhere else but where I am. It is the month when I'm sure my real dream job is working in a coffee shot instead of helping to shape the minds of the future.

I'm not the only one who struggles with the month of February. I'm pretty sure more teachers detest this month than are willing to admit. There are many different ways we all deal with the February doldrums. My friend Sarri took a positive route by posting something she loved each day of the month. Brilliant!

I went the other extreme by denying the existence of February, hence the silence on the blog. But, February is almost over (only one more day!) and Living the Good Life will be back in business. How do you survive February?

Vivo en Guayaquil, Pero Mi Corazón Está en Quito

Oh Quito, how I love thee... Dave and I needed a break from the heat and honking of Guayaquil, so we hopped on a quick flight north. We spent a wonderful four days in beautiful Quito, Ecuador. Enjoying the many artisan markets, coffee shops, restaurants, mountains, and cool weather. I wore jeans and long-sleeved shirts, slept with three blankets on the bed, and never left without my jacket, hat, and gloves for the first time in months. It was pure heaven. Quito is a very tourist friendly destination, with people from all over the world walking through the streets. It is not uncommon to hear whispers of French, Dutch, German, English, and, of course, Spanish as you travel down its cobblestone avenues. The people are also so very friendly, pointing out points of interest that they have discovered to any other tourist they see. People often can be seen giving tips on which restaurants to try or where the nearest bookstore can be found to complete strangers they bump into. Many ar

Años Viejos, Pyromaniacs, and Fireworks...Oh My

I have to admit, it has been quite awhile since I have actually been awake to ring in the new year and say goodbye to the old. Dave and I have always been a bit more concerned about the eight hours of sleep necessary to enjoy life rather than seeing the ball drop. But this year...is different. It is 12:58 and the neighbor's hired band just started, there are rapid fire explosives (aka fireworks) going off in three minute intervals, and the car alarms throughout our block seem to be answering the loving call of said fireworks. There will be no eight hours to start off the year for the Richert's this time. Nothing about our experiences in Ecuador could be classified as typical, and New Year's Eve is proving to be no exception. The evening started out quite and low key, dinner at home with a movie. There were the occasional firework, but that isn't anything atypical. I was even contemplating continuing the tradition of snuggling into bed by 10:30. Before I called

Yes or No?

A couple weeks ago, slipped in the far reaches of my mailbox, I found a note that took me back to the good ol' days of elementary school. You know what I'm talking about. Remember how you would just be sitting at your desk, one leg pumping back and forth, pencil eraser nudging your bottom lip, as you tried to puzzle out those mind-boggling multiplication tables? And then, out of the corner of your eye, you would see Andy passing a note to Melissa, who would then pass it on to Mark, who would then palm it off to you right before Mrs. Nelson turned around from the blackboard. Your name would be written all in cursive and curly-q's on the clumsily folded paper. Carefully, stealthily, you unfold the paper to find: Well, InterAmerican sent me a 'check yes or no' note, and it raised the same sensation of anxiety that those old love notes of yesterday used to inspire. Instead of the traditional, "do you like me?" question, it was the "will you continue

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