School!

Today was my first day of school at Nuestra Senora del Loreto! My host family and natural family had to go through a long process to transfer me from a huge public school downtown to a small Catholic private school that is a walkable distance away from the house. It is very different but very nice. The school is similar to a motel in that the classrooms open to the outside-there are no hallways. In the middle there is a big courtyard. In my grade, there are about 30 students. Nuestra Senora has younger kids as well, but no older kids I don't think. I have never been a new student at school before so it was a very new experience for me! After I registered, the principle brought me to both of the classes in my grade and introduced me as "Kerri from the United States" in front of the class. When I entered the class I was going to be a part of, all of the students started cheering "Kerri!!!" and chanting "E.E.U.U." I sat down at a desk in the back right corner and before I knew it, all 25 or so student had moved their chairs into a circle around me. A bystander would have thought I was some moviestar or celebrity. From that point on, I was interrogated with questions about school here, my friends, my family, pretty much my entire life. I was even asked if school in the U.S. was like High School Musical portrayed it, if students really broke out into song on the cafeteria tables. It was tempting to dive into a deep lie with that one. In Spanish literature class, the teacher eventually gave up on teaching for the time because the students couldn't stop talking and asking me questions about American life. The afternoon continued like this until the end of the day when all of the students meet in the courtyard and are addressed by the principal to close in prayer. However, before the prayer, she said "Students, we have a new student with a us today. Her name is Kerri Marie McInnis, she is from the United States, and lives in Montana which is next to California" (she said that with such authority that I couldn't correct her...nice try). The principal asked me to come to the front of the body of about 300 students. She went on to lead the students in a "Hello Kerri McInnis from Montana" cheer and the students broke out into applause. I think at that moment that my face could have been mistaken for a tomato...seriously. I am so glad that I was given the opportunity to attend a smaller and more personal school in such a big city. I really enjoyed it; the teachers and students were very understanding and welcoming and I know that it is going to be a fabulous experience for me, Kerri Marie Red-Face McInnis from Montana.