Cleveland, Ohio - 7th day - 01/18/2011

A broad smile played around the edges of my lips! I woke up extremely happy! I had looked forward to spending a whole day with my host brother at Westlake High School. I had breakfast with bagels: bread shaped like a donut. I ate them with chocolate and butter.



Bagels

Each Youth Ambassador would watch the classes with their host siblings. When Campbell and I entered   the school, we headed to his locker, and talked to his friends. By the time the bell rang, everyone headed to their classes. Each student can choose the subjects they want to study in High School. We went to art class. He introduced me to his teacher and the first thing he did was look at where I lived on Google maps.

We didn't have obligations that day, because they were close to the end of the semester. So they were just working to finish their art projects. I walked around inside of the classroom to get to know more students and talked to Campbell and his girlfriend who was always nice to me. Also, I shared some thoughts about their work with his friends.



Art done by students on the wall

 

Painting done by a student from Westlake High School



One of my host brother`s paintings


After art class, Campbell went to his locker again to leave some belongings and get his book. The halls were really crowded every time the bell rang. 

Chemistry class now! The time passed in a rush. It finished and ended so quickly. The teacher gave the students an exercise about moles and scientific notation. She asked me if I lived near Rio de Janeiro, because she saw on television the constant rain and landslides there. I talked to her for a while and went to Spanish class.

I thought it would be nice to attend a Spanish class which would be taught in English. Sometimes, when I said that I had classes in three languages - English, Spanish and French - at my High School, IFRN (Institute of science, Technology and Education) in Brazil, students tried to speak in other languages with me. They considered my language skills pretty much developed, mainly referring to Spanish. The class was about verb conjugation.



Wall in Spanish classroom

The third class was English. As I entered in the class, I saw Gilmar. He was attending every English class during this day. The teacher was teaching standard vocabulary. Campbell showed to me a sheet with many words. It was an exercise given to them in the last class to improve and build their vocabulary. I recognized some of the words, such as nuisance and languish. The English teacher also did a kind of a game: if a student answered her questions, this student would get candy from her.



English class



Candy given to a student

When this class finished, we went to have lunch. The students spend almost the entire day at school; as a result, they need to have lunch there. The cafeteria got so crowded and there was a huge line to buy lunch as well. I got in line, chose the food I wanted to eat and came to sit with Campbell's friends to keep chatting with them about their classes.



Lunch time: I am in the middle of the circle. Campbell is on my right and his girlfriend is on his right as well.



The next class was history. As happened before, the teacher was finishing the quater and she was meeting individually with the students. I took some time with her to talk about Brazil. She was interested to know about us. When the bell rang, Katlyn ushered me to her class. This class was psychology and I talked to students about my country, since the teacher was there to help students to finish their semester work. My brother came to take me with him. It is interisting that teachers need to sign a paper which they hand to students to allow them to leave class for any reason. We headed to her last class.



Katlyn Schrumpf  and I in the corridor of Westlake High School

We stayed with Campbell's girlfriend during this class. In this class, students create their own false jewelry. She used welding, her own tools to make her jewelry, and her work was beautiful. The teacher announced that she would call them to give them their grades at the end of the next class.



Katlyn Schrumpf working during her last class



This is me, Campbell and Katlyn Schrumpf 


It was time to go. There were many buses outside of the school. I loved spending this day with my host brother, his friends and also with Katlyn. It was a different school environment from what I was used to in my country. It was so interesting and enriching.



Buses in front of school

Campbell gave a ride to his friends when we were our way home. At night, my host parents asked how the experience was. I answered: "It was unique, adorable and unforgettable."