The English School of La Cruz
'The Year of the Perfect Storm'
The English School of La Cruz was an idea blossomed from a desire to help the people of La Cruz (a small fishing village that I call home in the winter) by teaching them English. I began with 2 students and a wonderful partnership with Aruna and Wayland, the owners of Octopus Garden and my husband, and computer guru, Scotty.
As this idea grew in volume through the years with more and more students wanting to learn, it took reaching out to the retired community from Canada and the United States living in this area, for additional teachers. They have been so generous with their abilities and time.
I have been blessed with so many absolutely wonderful teachers through the years and formed a base of teachers that allowed me to depend on them to form our classes.
This year, “the perfect storm”, for a variety of different reasons, I was left with less than half of that wonderful base on which I so depended on. This required me to turn away about 1/3 of the students on registration day. That was difficult. However, the smaller amount of student base was able to be taught by fewer teachers and many new teachers came to the rescue and they are exceptional. I must say that my teachers that I have been able to depend upon for years were even more dear to me this year than ever.
I have always said, “God must like what we do here and somehow smiles on us and makes miracles happen.”
The school is a happy and bustling place this year as we have 11 separate classes of 6 year olds and up going on all at the same time on two different floors. As I look around and see the learning and the joy it warms my heart.
This year “The Treehouse Bar” moved to a new location. With them went our tables they had so graciously allowed us to use. Also, the 75 little chairs I had purchased 5 years ago were in desperate need of sanding and repainting. I was able to have all the chairs completed and fresh and purchased all of our OWN tables now, partly through the generosity of a former teacher’s memorial.
Thank you to the “Carl Jackson Memorial” and his lovely wife Gerry and a night run to Costco, the first day of school, was perfect. New tables, freshly painted chairs and over 80 students and 15 teachers began the year 2020.
Teachers are all wonderful and we so enjoy the friendships developed and our Tuesday refreshments. We gel into our own little Mexican family. Children smile and greet you on the street and say “teacher”. It is definitely a joy all around.
Every once in a while we get a taste of the long term good we do.
This year I had one of my students who had come for several years, usually perfect attendance, come by just to give me a hug and say hi. She is in school for tourism and looked wonderful and happy. Those are the “special moments” that make it all worthwhile.
The little fishing village of La Cruz is growing with condos going up on every block it seems. But, somehow in La Cruz, the Mexicans, the local residents, didn’t move. We live among them. In this way, La Cruz, has kept its charm and friendly atmosphere. We are not just a bunch of tourists living together in another country; we are living as part of this town and its people.
This year we have artists in the town painting the story of some of the residents on the exterior of their buildings. It is absolutely awesome.
The fish market is a frenzy of fishermen bringing in the catch of the day and people from all over the bay buying all of this delicious fresh fish, shrimp. oysters and logostino (small lobsters).
The Marina is full of every type and size of boat imaginable. We love to sit on the terrace and watch the boats come and go over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.
The weather here during these winter months is as perfect as it gets. We enjoy beautiful breezes, warm without being hot and cool evenings so that we can sleep with the windows open and hear the ocean waves.
I hope to see ALL of my teachers next year, regulars and new….that would be awesome. Also, I look forward to another year of all of our wonderful students. I have often been told by fellow teachers, the good that they do here they feel all year. God Bless Them.
Blessings to all from Paradise
Della Sullivan
P.S. To be a teacher in our little school, you do not need a teaching degree. All you need is the willingness to help, some time, and a smile. I provide all teaching materials and lesson plans in both Spanish and English. You will learn a little Spanish along the way.
Next year our school starts on Thursday, January 7th 2021 at 4:30 at Octopus Garden in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Nayarit. It ends in mid March. You can spend two weeks with us as a teacher’s helper or the whole time as a teacher or anything in between.
Rentals are varied and plentiful. Search La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Mx. It is in the state of Nayarit.
I
f interested in teaching feel free to contact me by email at delksullivan@yahoo.com