Everybody loves math...Especially word problems...

Since I know the title of this blog is completely true and not sarcastic at all. And in honor of the fact that I’m currently a high school math teacher here are some little word problems for you all…

1. One day a gringa went to live in Costa Rica. She went to learn Spanish and another culture and to learn to love people completely different, and yet very much the same, as herself. This gringa loves her family very much and decided that 8 months was a sufficient amount of time to accomplish her non-established goals and not go crazy from lack of familial contact. There are approximately 4 weeks in each month. With 7 days in each week how many days did she sign up for? Please do work in the space provided below. Circle your answer and show all work. Worth 2 points.




2. The aforementioned gringa has now spent 6.5 months of her 8 month trip to Costa Rica. Continuing the assumption that there are 4 weeks per month and knowing that there are 7 days in a week how many days does she have left? Please do work below. Circle answer. Worth 2 points.




3. Or to put it another way this gringa has the following number of days left in CR: 7x7 – (-10 +18) =
*Remember order of operations and pay attention to negative signs.
Show all work. Worth 2 points.



4. What is the difference between the answer in number 2 and number 3? How can you account for the difference? Remember to write in complete sentences. You will not be counted off for spelling…because I can’t spell worth anything either.
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Answer Key: 1. 224 days
2. 42 days
3. 41 days
4. 1 day. Because #2 is an approximate and #3 is exact. (and no, don’t ever start a sentence with the word because.)

Anywho…assuming you have made it this far and have not harbored any hate towards me for posting a blog filled with math problems I did all that just to say WOW there is not much time left here.
My time here has been amazing and I am very much looking forward to the next 6 weeks which will include the end of our math semester, Semana Santa (which is not as it sounds a week dedicated to Santa Clause…bummer I know) actually Holy week for all you non Spanish speakers out there…however being in a Catholic nation we do holy week up right…meaning no work what so ever. Eating a ton of canned tuna and hopefully not canned sardines. And watching more poorly made Biblically based movies than I ever cared to know existed. After semana santa I will just have English and tutoring to wrap up my time here. Add hopefully two delicious Mama China (my host mom) cakes for my host sister’s birthday and mine (May 3…just in case you forgot) and then I’ll be leaving on a Jet Plane.
Has this been the hardest 6.5 months of my life? Sometimes. Sometimes it has been the easiest. Have I gotten better at Spanish? Speaking yes…however if I were to currently try to diagram a Spanish sentence for you…I’m pretty sure I couldn’t…which is a sure sign I’m getting more fluent since I’m the same with English…I speak English real good but cant figure out the grammar fer nothin. Have a learned another culture? Only a tiny part of it, I probably am about a 3 year old level as far as understanding the culture. Has my first foray into the real world (the world outside of public schools and private Christian university bubbles) been a success…depends who you ask. but I have learned a ton and thus in my book has been a definite success.
Best part of it all? Still 6 weeks left. Only God knows what He can teach me in that amount of time.
So until may 14th, know that I am missing you all but not as much as before…:) because I know I will see you all soon!
Pura Vida
KT