TECingles13

TI 13: Special Summer Issue Stories from Teachers for whom English is a second language, Summer 2008 Forum: Ima Ratt’s Rules (Advanced English 4, Spring 2007) Uncle Monty’s Advice (Lengua Extranjera, and Advanced English 3, Fall 2005) plus Magazine Supplement from students of English 6 – Summer 2009

CONTENTS STORIES Untitled Untitled Untitled Untitled A Great Discovery The Special Gift Great Party Untitled The Real History of “La Paisana” Untitled The Colon Lakes Ruins My Visa Untitled Untitled Untitled 1-C Source Flash Heart

Mary Carmen Pineda Camacho Angelica Arias Cardenas Mario Lezama Zavariz Sara Gabriela Ruiz Arturo Farrera Vero Vera Dolores Vazquez Elba Casanova Ozuna Mauro Gomez Ana Laura Moreno Juan Carlos Alfonso Fanny Jimenez Lucia Zambrano Teofilo Chacon Lucia Robles Solis Álvaro Zúñiga Michael D. Brown

FORUM Ima Ratt’s Rules Students lash out at a teacher whose punishment and rules are too harsh.

ADVICE Letters to Uncle Monty (some with responses) Students write to Uncle Monty for advice. Uncle Monty (other classmates) responds to some of them.

MAGAZINE SUPPLEMENT 2009 Summer Semester – English 6 Students designed their own magazine, including stories and fictional scenarios of their own future lives.

UNTITLED

by Mary Carmen Pineda Camacho It was a rainy day, so Carol, the most famous chef in Mexico, decided to stay at home baking cookies, a very special new recipe.

She walked down to the kitchen, as she had many times before when she used to cook her famous meals. It was all set.

Her hands started working with all the ingredients. She was acting like a robot until she realized that she needed one thing that she didn’t have on her kitchen table. So, she looked in a specific place, but it wasn’t in the pantry. She looked down and stopped under the sink. She opened the door, put on gloves and…finally, she smiled. She had found her secret ingredient.

Twenty minutes later, the main door was closed. Somebody walked into the kitchen and stopped in front of an attractive plate.

A voice just said, “Go ahead. They are especially for you.”

“Thanks, Mom. I came home early from school, and I’m starving!”

Carol just yelled, but it was too late…

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by Angelica Arias Cardenas Seventeen years ago, on December 31, a pregnant forty-year-old lady was in the emergency room of the Moscow Hospital.

The woman was getting cold. She was remembering the last time she had gotten sick; she had lost her last baby.

But this day she had a resolution; she had felt peace. She had to believe in the physician this time! *** After one hour, she was holding her newborn baby.

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by Mario Lezama Zavariz It was nighttime, and in the billiard club my friends Daniel and Luis were practicing to start a game. Daniel prepared his billiard cue, while Luis grouped the balls at the indicated point on the table.

Luis started the game hitting the white ball so hard that it flew off the table, and he was forced to restart the game.

When it was my turn, I started to give them some tips on how to play better and not have too many errors in using their energy.

They understood very well, and the game became very interesting and competitive, until Luis’s girlfriend called him and he had to go at that moment.

Luis was gone, but Daniel and I continued playing and having a nice time while improving our billiards technique. We felt that with only two people playing the opportunities for improving other shots increased because we had more time.

At the end of two hours, we had had such a good time and had practiced enough that we agreed to meet and play again the next week.

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by Sara Gabriela Ruiz Five years ago, a young man was watching a cooking show on TV, when suddenly he decided that he wanted to be a chef.

The men and women cooking on the program seemed to be so happy and satisfied that the man couldn’t help himself. Even though he had never cooked anything in his life, the man realized that he wanted to be like them. He stood up and went to the kitchen looking for the ingredients of a recipe that would make history.

He opened the refrigerator and looked inside. There were two eggs, some cheese, and vegetables. He was a little bit disappointed, but it wasn’t enough to discourage him.

He took the eggs, the cheese, and the veggies, and mixed them in a weird revolt. After all that, he served himself the resultant dish with a cup of white wine.

He sat very slowly, took a fork, and tasted the food. It tasted awful! It was the worst thing he had ever eaten in his life.

After that, he decided that maybe being a chef wasn’t the best idea. “I’d be better as an accountant,” he thought, “after all, you can’t choose a profession based on a TV show.”

Now, he is neither a chef nor an accountant, but a career advisor in a high school.

A GREAT DISCOVERY

by Arturo Farrera Two years ago, in a mysterious forest, a hunter was looking for a rare animal that nobody had trapped yet.

The hunter walked for hours, following the prints in the soil of the forest, but did not find the animal.

He was very tired and disappointed with his hunt. So, he decided to stop looking and go home.

While he was returning, he heard a loud roar that made him stand still for a moment.

Then, he turned his head, and behind him he saw a big animal with a body like a lion and the head of a dragon.

Quickly, he threw a rope and immobilized the beast.

Then, he went back to the city and hundreds of photographers took pictures of the animal.

The hunter thought that the animal would be in danger due to the unconscious acts of humans and the improbable experiments that dentists would try on it, and so he decided to release it. he was still very proud of his discovery, but he thought, “Better, I’m going to hunt rabbits and ducks.”

THE SPECIAL GIFT

by Vero Vera Last winter, on the Blue Mountain, while young Tito was watching the stars in the darkness, there appeared a huge white light.

Tito, who had never seen this phenomenon, said, “Unbelievable!” and then ran toward where the light came from.

Indeed, all the environment was in the vast deep darkness.

Tito found the most beautiful stone. It was blue, radiant, and warm.

Excited and nervous, he thought of keeping the stone with him, but conjured that the object was not his only, despite his having found it.

He decided to deliver the stone to the city museum for all the people to enjoy seeing.

GREAT PARTY

by Dolores Vazquez I went to Lizeth’s baby shower on Saturday, June 7. At the party I found many old friends. We had a nice conversation and we remembered old times.

We had a lot of fun when the mariachis arrived and all the people sang the songs. After a couple of hours, the mariachis left the place and we continued the party.

I won two gifts and my friends were happy for me.

The dinner was delicious. We had many choices of food among fish, chicken and pork.

It was a great party!

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by Elba Casanova Ozuna Five years ago, in the city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mary was in her house sweeping, when she heard a sound at the door, went to see who it was, and found a red suitcase on the floor, with no message.

She felt a great curiosity to open it, but also felt scared because it could be something dangerous. She felt an insecurity because it could be a bomb, and she thought for a moment to call the police, but on the other hand she felt that it could be a good thing, such as a gift or a surprise.

She decided to call her boyfriend Israel so they could open the suitcase together and see what it was. She telephoned him and in fifteen minutes he was already there, but before he arrived, Mary had tried to move the suitcase into the house and noticed that it contained something heavy.

When they were together, Israel and Mary gave in to the curiosity and they opened the suitcase, and what was the surprise that they found? Inside were valuables that had belonged to Mary’s grandfather, and letters and photographs. But when they were closing the suitcase, they found it had a compartment, and in that compartment they found a lot of money. So, they decided to have their dream; they married and traveled around the world.

THE REAL HISTORY OF "LA PAISANA" Mauro Gómez Two months ago, a little old woman who lives in San José Teran, bought a big red car.

“The tires of her car were made with the Pegaso’s wing,” said the people when she passed on the streets.

The people who lived near her, knew the old woman as Romelia,“La paisana”.

One day, Romelia, La paisana, filled the trunk of her car with shrimp and a variety of dry food made of corn. La paisana called this food totopo, and she put in her car a basket of turtle eggs and five animals that looked like little dinosaurs. She named them iguanas.

She washed her car carefully that morning to erase all the possible clues. Then, when she was going to sell the articles at Los Ancianos market, she turned on the radio and was singing while she was driving. When she arrived at the intersection in front of the high school, there suddenly appeared a police patrol car and the officer who was driving said, “The red car must stop, please.”

They took all the products for themselves and left La paisana with nothing. She broke down and cried. Then, returned to her home.

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by Ana Laura Moreno Last summer, my sister Elena, who is a doctor, went to live in Majomut, a little town near Chamula in the highlands of Chiapas, where there are around 400 people. She was doing social service and she was happy and amazed because she had her first clinic.

She knew that she would have to stay in the clinic to get people’s attention, and she had to live there, but she didn´t know the clinic. When she came to it, she was surprised because it was very small. It only had four rooms: a living room for waiting patients, a consulting room, a room to store medicines and a bathroom; also a lot of space in the back. Elena had to sleep in the medicine room and take up her bed every morning. She didn´t feel comfortable with that. For this reason Elena decided to build a little room of wood in the back.

Now, Elena had her own space and had many things for her comfort like a microwave oven to cook for herself, a television, a table to eat at with some chairs and she wouldn´t have to take up her bed every day. Elena was happy again, she enjoyed her little room.

THE COLON LAKES RUINS

by Juan Carlos Alfonso Many years ago, in Colon Lakes they discovered some ruins, Archeologists thought that it belonged to a Mayan culture. The people of the town were happy because the place became more turistic. The principal attractions of the Colon Lakes are the crystalline water, the walkthrough waterfalls and now, the ruins. In the majority of the lakes the people can swim, but it is necessary to use caution because the water is cold.

MY VISA

by Fanny Jimenez Last Friday, I went to Mérida because I needed a VISA to go to United States. I was visiting Chichen Itzá and Puerto Progreso with my family. The hotel was beautiful, and I had a delicious meal. I didn't want to swim because the water was cold, but the sun was shining.

When we were going to the consulate, there were several people in the street. Everybody wanted a VISA. Fortunately, we got ours.

Now!! I think I will go to Disney World next.

(The end)

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by Lucia Zambrano Once upon a time, in a place whose name I don’t remember, Francisco de Cabrini, an old man with blue eyes, arrived in the town bringing a big bag in his arms.

He hid the big bag in a closet.

Francisco de Cabrini had come to this place because his father had died. Furthermore, he was very sad and began to cry.

Then, he took the big bag out of the closet and opened it to take out his father’s things.

He began to cry again because he remembered him. Then, he went mad and could only cry and cry…

He took a gun and he killed himself.

----

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by Teofilo Chacon One weekend I went to a waterfall with some friends, and a friend discovered a ring.

We sold the ring and with half of the money, we bought something for the children to eat.

With the other half, we made a party for these children. We bought some cakes, piñatas, sodas, and paid a clown who helped us with the show, sang songs and made us laugh.

We created a friendship with those kids, and now every weekend, we teach them history, math, chemical sciences, and play games.

Our partners help us with clothes, shoes and some things they do not use any more.

If we have done these things with little money, imagine what we could do if we had thousands of pesos.

For this reason, we created an association where we can help other children.

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by Lucia Robles Solis Dafne and Alberto are originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

They have lived in Mexico City for 19 years with their three children, Eitan who’s now 14 years old and twins Alan and Ariel who are 11 years old.

They are professional dancers.

They would work all day and earn little money.

Dafne was thinking of opening a dance academy but she couldn´t.

Alberto who had great dreams and great faith; was happy with an incredible attitude.

One day, Alberto received a call from Chen Blomm. Chen is a good friend of Dafne and Alberto because he is a dancer too.

He had lived in Israel but came to Mexico to visit his friends.

After the call, they met with Chen Blomm, and he told them of a business that he had begun in Israel and wanted to share with his friends.

They listened attentively and were very excited. They said they liked the business, and began to work very hard in Mexico.

Now after 9 months, they are better people and will change their lives, have financial freedom, many friends and above all may see their dreams made. Dafne is very happy because she can open their dance academy!

1-C SOURCE by Álvaro Zúñiga Steven walked into the school, as if a cold and foggy day stood in front of him. There was nobody else in the hall. It was the beginning of the semester. He walked quietly, almost silently. The rest of the students might be busy in the study hall, getting an early start on their homework or they were attending classes.

He would never understand why he was enrolled in this high school. He was handicapped. He couldn’t read or write properly. He was blind in one eye and was missing an arm. His chances of being accepted into a circle of noisy rambunctious kids were very slight.

Nervously, he tapped on the door of 1-C, his first class, Spanish 101. Then he nudged the door open, walked in slowly with his head down and decided to sit in the middle of the room. He must have expected a big reaction from his classmates, but was surprised to find there were only four others and… They were all handicapped. He said a few words of greeting and a couple responded but the others remained quiet. Then silence descended on the room as the students waited for the teacher.

A few minutes later Miss Boro entered, saying, “Good morning, boys,” and “Buenos días. I’m sorry for being late. The reason is there was a terrible accident very close to the school and I took a different road to try to be here on time. I’m glad you could make it. I saw a lot of people standing around, but I decided not to stop and check because it makes me nervous and I don’t like to see that kind of thing.”

She did not tell them that she had waited at the top of the stairs at the end of the hall for a little while as the students had entered the room because she experienced a little stage fright. This was her first day of classes.

“Well, anyway, let’s start, okay?”

They said, “Okay.”

Miss Boro called on all her reserves and delivered the lesson she had always dreamed of.

The class was amazing. The students seemed to have fun. A few laughs were heard and they were smiling throughout. There was a surprisingly pleasant ambiance in 1-C that day.

At one point, she said, “Remember boys, Spanish is a language of romance and mystery.

It is a language pulsing with the life of centuries.”

They seemed to find her assessment fascinating.

Before the class finished, Miss Boro asked one question to be resolved for homework: “What is the reason why you’re here?” Since this was her first experience teaching, she wanted to know why they had chosen this particular class.

The students looked at her in silence.

“Don’t worry,” she said, “You have all day to think about it. You don’t have to answer until tomorrow.”

Then the bell rang and they all left quickly.

Miss Boro went to the teachers’ room hoping to meet some of the others with whom she could discuss her very satisfying first class, but only the principal was in the room. He was drinking a cup of coffee.

“What are you doing here?” he asked. “The whole school went to see the accident.” Very quietly, he added, “I’m sorry to tell you the Spanish class will have to be canceled – at least for this year.”

Astonished, after her grand success, Miss Boro asked, “But, why?”

Mr. Carlson replied, “Well, it’s been confirmed that your only five students were on the bus that crashed. They all died an hour ago in the accident.

Miss Boro trembled and began to cry. “That’s not possible,” she said and ran out of the teachers’ room and down the hall to 1-C. The door was open. The classroom was empty.

She stepped inside and looked at the empty desks. Just moments before, five lively students had been sitting at them. And Steven, the boy who had been the last to enter the room, the one whose enthusiasm had spurred her into giving her first marvelous lesson?

What Mr. Carlson told her made no sense. She walked between the desks and then being closer to them she could see letters, messages, not written in ink or carved into the wood, but appearing as if made by fingers on a misty window.

“Good luck, Miss Boro in your new career.”

“Thank you for the great class, Miss Boro” “You’re a good teacher!”

And on the desk that Steven had sat at, “Thanks, Miss Boro. Please tell my parents that I had a great time before I knew I had to go.”

Thirty years have passed since that day. Miss Boro still teaches in the same high school.

Everytime she passes 1-C she remembers it as the source of her desire to teach Spanish.

© 2002 Jorge Álvaro Zúñiga Velázquez

FLASH HEART

by Michael D. Brown Woke from a vivid dream. Hurriedly scribbled the details. Thought, “This has the makings of a brilliant tale—born of my unconscious.” Went back to sleep.

Next morning, upon rereading, thought, “Too abstruse. Lacks verisimilitude.” So, fleshed it out; smoothed the edges. 1006 words.

Showed it to a trusted friend, who said, “I don’t get it.”

Rewrote and pared for about a week. 902 words. Showed it again.

“Better,” he said, “But don’t like the ending.”

“My favorite part, damn! I’ll work on it.”

Took the opportunity to prune “–ly” words, excess “ands”; modified half the original vision. Tallied 727. Skipped the friend—posted directly to the online workshop.

Waited five days. Garnered five paltry reviews.

One remarked, “The ending is too upbeat.”

Second advised, “Cut ALL adverbs.” Did. 682 words.

Another complained, “Run-on sentences.” Tore away more conjunctions. 590 count.

Another suggested, “Lose the first, third and sixth graphs.” Performed surgery; at 348 words, its heart was still beating.

Number Five chimed, “Every word of Flash must have resonance. Use more colorful verbs.” Restructured. Had a 256-word-piece that sang—to me; more surreal than the dream that woke me.

Reposted on the big board.

A newcomer carped, “I think Hemingway already wrote this.”

Forum: Ima Ratt's Rules

Times Read: 666

Mrs. Ima Ratt laid out some rules for her students to follow and the penalties for not following same. Here are the students’ reactions and some thoughts about why Mrs. Ratt may be the way she is: Advanced English 4, 2007 Spring Date: Wed Feb 21 2007 19:58 Author: Martínez Cano, Rubén Darío Subject: Ima Ratt?? ... hey, now i got it!!!

Mrs. Ima Ratt has a reputation for being one of the strictest teachers in the school. Some people think her rules are unfair, others say she is right in laying down the law. What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with her philosophy? By the way, what does she teach? Is she really married? If so, to whom? Where's her husband? What else do you know about her?

I disagree on some points or rules of her philosophy for example: Rule 1 (even do I did not copy her rules I am sure she remembers them, lol) -I don’t agree with the first statement, I surely think people should be punished for theirs crimes, if they did so, no mattering whoever they are. But I think not every crime is the same so, not every crime should be punished severely as she claims. So I think punishes must be according to the crimes or faults. (I am not planning to commit a crime during her class) Rule 2 - I think she will be not a good teacher if she does not care about her student’s problems or reasons for their absences. Maybe they had some strong reasons for not being in her class someday. Sure, the extra homework would help them with the missed class. But I think the extra homework should be not that much considering it is extra.

Rule 3 I agree with the third rule but I think that more important than facing a problem with a smile, problems should be faced with a strong will of get over them.

Anyway, as her future student I hope she will be facing our class problems with smiles and not with angry faces or extra assignments.

Rule 4 I think she is right with the fourth rule. The most difficult problems are almost all the time the easiest ones to solve but the problem happens when we let them

accumulate. They seem big because we want to solve them at once and that is when they are overwhelming, but if we decide to solve them one by one we notice they were easy at the very beginning.

Rule 5 I think fifth rule is sick. If someone is in bad shape, sick or even bleeding I think is imperative to let them go out. They should be permitted to go out immediately or something even bigger might occur.

By the way: (according with what Michael Brown said) -She is the physics teacher.

-I think she was married because her real name was Mrs. Ima Flat Ratt. And of course she is Mrs. and no miss.

- She was married to Mr. Downa Flat Tire.

-Do you really want me to tell you what happened to him?

-DO YOU REALLY WANT ME TO TELL YOU WHERE HE IS? -Hmmm… What else do I know about her? I think she is sad of because what happened to her husband that is why he is so strict on her rules but I think she will find love again and become a happy and non strict teacher as she used to be. jaja Date: Thu Feb 22 2007 11:57 Author: Zavaleta Salinas, Nora Alejandra Subject: Mrs.Ima Flat Ratt´s class

It’s Monday and rumor has it… The worst teacher of all school is going to give us this class. Some people say her class is like a dictatorship where her rules must be followed if you want to pass the curse. Suddenly, a brown, chubby hairy mouse comes in the room. She has a hat and is lack of breasts. She presents herself as Mrs. Ima Flat Ratt.

As soon as she walks in the class she writes something on the board, it says something about crimes being punished whatever the circumstances where. I totally disagree on that rule. What if we are forced to commit a crime by an evil force? It wouldn’t be our fault, or perhaps we have a life-death situation and we have to do something illegal in order to survive from it. It wouldn’t be fair to punish people and not listening to their reasons.

Then she writes something about extra homework… Come on! Students have other important things to do, and she has to respect that and just put an absence in the student’s files.

The third rule is surely one of her most reasonable statements. It’s right to face problems with a smile and not with frustration and not thinking. That’s really a good advice for her students, especially on the Biology class, where whatever topic is teached makes us feel frustrated.

The fourth is not so correct. I understand most problems have a solution, but I’m not sure if the most difficult problems are always the easiest to solve.

Sometimes, the most struggling problems can smash someone. But as she says in the third rule if you face these problems with a smile things will get better.

I’m not very sure about the last rule about not giving permissions to go to the bathroom even if we are sick or bleeding. It’s true some people abuse of these permissions and instead of going to the bathroom, they go to cafeteria or just to go for a walk. I understand Mrs. Ima Ratt wants to avoid these situations, but she should let students that are sick to rest a while in the bathroom and do their needs. This rule is extremely exaggerated.

Well, I survived her first class, even though her size isn’t normal for a teacher, she is respected for her students, which is very important.

After this class I had several questions about teacher Ratt’s personal life. I decided to ask to a friend who had classes with her on last semester. She says teacher Ima Ratt is from Texas and that she is actually married to a nice and smart mouse, called Stuart Little. He works on some experiments about mice’s genomes. Ever since he entered to the project she hasn’t seen his husband, but he sends her letters every month saying experiments are going well, although he always feels dizzy and doesn’t know why… Guess if he is the experiment or the scientist.

Date: Thu Feb 22 2007 16:59 Author: Láscarez Salas, Edwin Subject: Opinion of Mrs. Ima Ratt

Until today, I have never heard about Mrs. Ima Ratt, but according to her rules I think she is a little crazy.

First, I think that is good to punish whoever commits a crime, but she doesn’t have to be so strict. May be is a good idea to give a punishment to them but an easy one. I think it is crazy to give an extra homework to whoever skips class because it is our decision to enter or not.

Also I think that it’s a good idea to face problems with a smile. It doesn’t matter how big the problem is, whoever face it with a smile will be awarded. I think that is good to believe that we can do everything and that whatever situation pass trough by us is the easiest to beat.

Finally, it is not fair that we can’t go to the bathroom whatever need we have.

Sometimes we need to go there because of a disease or something else.

Now I know that she is our History teacher, I think that someone told me that.

She is married to Mr. Martin Daniel Brush and he is on a tour all over Europe, I

think his husband is a famous archeologist that works for the National Museum of Mississippi. Both of them are full of love for each other, but I think that Mrs. Ima Ratt is cheating his husband with another handsome guy. May be that is a trauma for her and that’s the reason why she is so evil and crazy.

Date: Thu Feb 22 2007 19:49 Author: García Jiménez, Luis Subject: Mrs Ima Ratt

Well I think Mrs. Ima Ratt has a very contrasting ideas about what student should or shouldnt do. I dont really know too much about her, but by the way she is I might say that she is a very complicated person or whatever she is ('cause she looks like a rat) but i think she has a very soft heart that just need to be shake with simpathy and in a good way to let her be a little empathic and less grumpy.

Maybe she is not married, but she sure is looking for someone that can go throught all that bad looking mood and find the way to her heart. But i think im talking too much about her, i know i must focus in her rules.

Well actually I agree with the ones from 1 to 4, I think they are very reasonable, positive and full with good intentions, but the last one (the fifth) was very shocking. I was like O_O when i read it... even with a bleeding nose... i thought she must be insane (lol) but anyway i think, she should be a little bit soft in that topic because its kinda creepy for a theather to be like that, specially if it is an emergency like a bleeding nose (maybe the boy has anemia or something, dont you think >_>??) But i dont know, i think i like mrs Ratt im sure, i would have a good relationship with her and maybe not friends, but even in a doomed person you can find a bumping heart ^^ Date: Thu Feb 22 2007 20:12 Author: Thomas Pang, Lai Yeng Subject: ImA rAtt's ruleS

I think Mrs Ima Ratt’s rules are totally unfair, obviously she’s not married and she has never been married, that’s why she is so pathetic. She is also a little bit crazy bacause of her silly rules and her maths. I want to tell her so many things about them.

Whoever commits a crime needs to be punished, but no that severely if it is an insignificant one. Also I desagree with her because sometimes you can’t enter a class because you had a problem. And you don’t need to be assigned extra homework because it is your responsability if you skip classes and lose some work o lessons.

Not every problem could be faced with a smile, especially when they are cause of sadness. In that moments it is difficult to be happy even if you have your

friends or family to support you. When you have the “biggest problems” they’re are more difficult to overcome, that’s why they’re called “big”, little challenges are easier just because they’re little and everybody knows it.

I also desagree with her last rule because whenever a student want to go to the bathroom must be let go wherever he is, doesn’t matter if he is in classes or not.

We have our own freedom and responsability to be honest and organize our time.

She must be fired!!!!!

Date: Thu Feb 22 2007 22:00 Author: Trujillo Pariente, Verónica Subject: Mrs. Ima Ratt....crazy!

When Mrs. Ima Ratt enter to school, I thought that he was a nice teacher, that was reasonable and that he hear the students. But the first day of class I got very impress. First of all, I desagree about all his rules, specially in the rule of the bathroom, the pushiments and the extra homework. First of all, I thought that all was a joke, but a friend enter late to the class and Mrs. Ima Rat said to him that he must do 300 copies of “I will not be late at Mrs. Ima Ratt´s class”. I was in shock.

1. The first rule is unfair because there is a difference in the types of things that you do. Its different the punish you have to give to people to stole and to people that talk in class. So, he have to measure in the type of punishment that he must give. I think that in his class there´s not bad people, only young people that want to have fun and learn.

2. The rule of the bathroom, is bad too because if you really have to go, but you are not bleeding or sick, you can´t go. You cannot control your body, and if one day the teacher has a big necessity to go to the badroom, the class will not allow him to do it.

3. The last rule that I desagree is the rule of the extra-homework. I think that if you punish severely a person with homework, this doesn´t work because people, and specially teenagers, are very light and dont care about that kinds of things.

Finally, I think that the reason that Mr. Ima Ratt is like that, is because she needs love. He is not married but maybe, if he changes a little about his rules, he can find a person who loves him. He teaches physics in the Tec, and that´s a good subject, but that teacher makes that the class gets scared and bored. Maybe if he finds love, he can change.

Date: Thu Feb 22 2007 22:56 Author: OrduĂąa Lazos, Alejandra Subject: Ima Ratt

I think Mrs. Ima Ratt is divorced. That could be the reason for her grumpiness.

She should hang out with normal happy people in order be nice with her students.

The rules Mrs. Ima Ratt gave us are a little bit out of order and normality, as I see it.

1) Well, I believe in punishment, but I also believe in justice. I think crimes should be punished, but it must depend on the seriousness of the crime. Because it is not fair to receive the same punishment of a person that cheated, if you were only chewing gum.

2) It is wrong to skip classes, but if you are dying (exaggerating) of any illness, and you are at the hospital, you should be forgiven with a justification and a note from the doctor.

3) This is the only rule I completely agree with. We should always be smiling. To smile is to be happy, even if you are angry for any reason, if you smile, you will feel the difference.

4) I kind of agree with this rule, not entirely but in some way. Many times we have had serious problems and as always we have tried to solve them in the most difficult way. When we already solved the problem we noticed that there was an easy way to solve the problem.

5) This is the worst rule of all. I think they should never forbid the bathroom permissions, because, holding could complicate, it could bring you an illness.

And besides, girls, we have necessities, we always need to go to the bathroom.

So I totally dislike this rule.

Date: Fri Feb 23 2007 09:47 Author: Chavero Brunet, Laura Andrea Subject: MRS. RATT...

Well, in the first place, I have to admit that Ima Flat Ratt really scares me. I think she had a very tough life, maybe her childhood was problematic or maybe she was just borned that way.

Mrs. Ima Flat is always bitter, I´ve never seen her smile of laugh and that is very sad. Some classmates say that her husband left her but it is just a rumor; nobody knows it for sure.

Anyways, her rules are the most polemic characteristics she has. I agree in a lot of things, but disagree in a few other.

Of course, if you want to have a disciplined class you need to stablish boundaries and rules in order for the students and the teacher to achieve fullfillment. Perhaps she made those rules while she was going through a difficult moment of her life.

I disagree en rule 1, sometimes there are little crimes that don´t need to be punished because life itself has the chore of returning the good and bad things you do. As a teacher, she has the authority to imput this rules on to us; but she should be a little friendly if she wants her students to understand the importance of these rules.

I agree in her statement that we have to overcomes all the challenges in our lives, because if we don´t we might become mediocre and we will never succeed.

In rule 2, she says that every student that fails a class should have extra homework. I have to say that this rule is the only one I would totally delete from her list, because we are grownups and it is our responsability to go to class, if we don´t we will receive our own punishment.

I don´t want to bore you with that many words about Ima Flat Ratt; I just have to say that I feel sorry for her becuse when you look at her you can tell right away that she is not happy. Maybe teaching is not her thing, she should try doing something else.

Date: Fri Feb 23 2007 10:34 Author: Valanci Penagos, Sofía Subject: Mrs Ima Ratt

Hi teacher, it's friday!!

Mrs. Ima Ratt teaches anthropology at the New York University since she got married with Mr. Ratt of course; who died 6 years ago… he had some sort of cancer and the treatment did not respond anymore so he couldn’t make it. She stills teaching in the same university she began her career as a teacher… but there’s one thing her students do not like very much of her teaching method and that is her philosophy about the class rules.

• Whoever commits a crime (no matter how insignificant) must be punished.

I disagree the first rule established by Mrs. Ima Ratt because I think that whoever commits a small crime can not be compared with whoever commits a big one. I also consider that whatever the punishment is, it can not be equal, for example, to someone who stole a book than to someone who just lent it without any permission • Whoever skips class must be assigned extra homework.

I also disagree the fact of assigning extra homework in case if skipping one of her classes because I consider that is up each one to e aware of missing any of the courses; it is in each person’s decision and responsibility.

• Whatever becomes a problem must be faced with a smile.

I totally agree the idea of facing any problem with a smile, that’s the kind of a person’s attitude that I like to learn with… and even though she’s a bit closeminded, she has a nice sense of humor sometimes.

• Whatever challenges appear to overwhelm you are the easiest one to beat.

I disagree her point of view about the “easiest-to-beat challenges” theory… I believe that the ones who tend to overwhelm someone are because these issues have to have an important meaning to the person, and when it means something you care about it and it’s just not something simple to avoid.

Date: Fri Feb 23 2007 11:13 Author: Lara Bassoul, Alejandra Subject: Mrs. Ima Ratt. Who'd love her?!

The first time I saw Mrs. Ima Ratt I thought she was very nice person and an excelent teacher. In the first class, she gave us all a candy so whoever saw her would think she’s the best person in the World. In the second class Mrs Ima Ratt was a completely different person. She just said us “good morning” and then she started to write all her rules in the blackboard.

We all think the are unfaire but we didn’t say anything because we tought it wasn’t true.

We realized they were true when Poncho didn’t came to class. Mrs. Ima Ratt made him to investigate the whole store of his country and the next class she made him an exam about it.

I think Mrs. Ratt’s Chemistry rules are very unfaire because everybody needs to go to the bathroom and sometimos have to skip some classes bacause of a ahomework. I think that each one have to decide what to do with his/ her own time.

Because of her mood i reaaly don’t think she’s married. Who Hill want to be with a person like this? And if is, her husband surely love her really REALLY much!!

O r maybe he doesn’t live with her, maybe he works in other country.

Date: Mon Mar 05 2007 23:51 Author: Stringel Montes de Oca, Olivia Subject: Ima Ratt vs Me

Definitively Mrs. Ima Ratt has a completely different way of thinking about mines; specially talking about her rules and her philosophy. For example, analyzing rule one, it is true that people should be punished for their crimes; but there are different kinds of crime and so, different kind of punishments. So they would be find if the punishes are according to the crimes, because if there isn’t, I swear not to commit a crime in her class.

Another different point of view between Mrs Ima Ratt and me is about the absences. I know there are no reasons to forgive an absence; but there are reasons that explain them and make everything clear. May be asking if everything is all right could help between the relation with her class; and also extra homework that cover the activities of that day could help their students not to lose lots of grades.

I like her idea about smiles, I think is a positive way to solve problems. And also, it is important to remember that a smile could steal another smile. Smiling and a strong will would be the perfecto combination to get over problems. So mix them up should give a nice result, and with some of lucky, solve the problems.

About number four, it is true what she says about accumulating problems.

Solving them is not too difficult; the difficulties come when we let the to accumulate; because then, when we have less time, more stress and more things to too, problems are also accumulate and we do not even know where to start. Organizing is the solution.

About sickness, is she crazy!?!... Obviously if somebody is sick, he or she must go out to check the problem out. We are not talking about excuses there. When its about health, teacher shouldn’t let the person to stay. Teacher must call somebody or take that student personally to a health care center.

About the other information.. I think she is like a maths or science teacher. And may be she was married or she has no purposes, is kind of extrict and boring, sometimes people get scared... like me this time... Any way.. Now she is single..

Date: Mon Mar 05 2007 23:56 Author: DĂ­az Morales, CĂŠsar Subject: Mrs. Ima Ratt

I think Mrs. Ratt is a little bit CRAZY! She is totally crazy!

I really disagree with some of her rules.

For example the first one is absurd. The punishment should be according to the grade of crime it was. It can not be the same punishment to someone who steal an apple to someone who is killing many people.

The second one is like for kindergarten students. We're in high school, we know if we skip our classes or if we don't. And if we did, may be it was a very good cause.

Smile is one of the good thing Mrs. Ratt has said. A big problem should be faced with a bigger smile, this makes it easier to solve.

Going to the bathroom is a necessity! Or may be Mrs. Ima never goes.. THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! Everyone of us need to go to the bathroom to make our necessities when our body ask us to.

I liked 1 of 4 laws that Mrs. Ratt have. She appears to be single, she don't know the word LOVE because even when you ask to go to the bathroom, maybe you are trying to see your love, but it appears that Mrs. Ratt don't know nothing about love. She obviously didn't have any boyfriends. She should be working at the church! Not as a teacher.

Uncle Monty’s Advice Lengua Extranjera, 2005 Fall Dear Uncle Monty: I don’t know if you really care about this, but I have a problem with my body I’m not like others, I’m really different, I hope that you are going to keep this in secret.

Maybe you have noted this before but I need to confess, “I have 21 fingers”, 10 in my hands 10 in my feet and a big one additional, I feel proud of this finger because it makes me feel different.

I have another secret to confess, I don’t have only 2 legs, I have 3!!!!, I only walk with 2 because the other I always keep in my pants, I don’t know if people are going to accept me If I always show my third leg, I only show it in very special moments.

Please don’t think that I’m a monster, I’m only different maybe better equipped than others.

Please help me in this, tell me if I have to show me with everybody like really I am, confess me the true if some people are going to discriminate me, maybe some ladies are going to love me, maybe some ones are going to label me like a nasty person, maybe some ones are going to brand me like an arrogant, I don’t really know, please help me!!

Dear Uncle Monty: Sometimes I feel a little strange with my height, I don’t know if this is a real problem or is just awful for me…

The thing is that I would like to be a little bit taller. I feel comfortable but sometimes when I see a pretty girl that is very tall I feel uncomfortable. I think that is because the girls seem to be taller than they are.

Do you think this is a serious problem? Should I take this more seriously?

I hope you can help me - giving me your opinion… thanks.

Dear Uncle Monty: Hi I have a big problem, It could sound strange but I need to tell you that I have two heads, some people think that two heads think better than one, and that’s the best part of my problem, I have never liked being a boaster... But I don't know if other people are going to accept me if I'm different...

Please give me advice; I need your help.

Dear Uncle Monty: How are you? I know that you have a lot of things to do at this moment but I need some opinion about my cosmetic surgery that the doctor did this weekend.

The doctor changed my face and body, I don’t know why? But he told me that it's to improve my appearance.

He changed my little eyes for some blue, bigger eyes, and my nose for a small nose, and my short, brown hair he changed for long blond hair, and my arms and legs now are more stronger .....

Uncle, now you know my new identity, what do you think about it?????

Dude!! What are you doing? You know that I have many problems with my job and I can’t help you!!!! Ha-ha, this is a joke...

I can’t imagine the face that you see since you had the operation, maybe you should work in a movie like Robocop or Terminator instead of some other artist.

How is it possible nephew that the doctor changed parts of your body and he didn’t tell about these changes? This human is stupid, if you are not in agreement with this surgery we can help to break the face of this man ha, or I don’t know. I need to see you to give you an opinion.

OK…Tomorrow I will see the other man ha, with many changes, maybe I won’t recognize you, but I’ll try to help you...

See you later friend!

Dear Uncle Monty: I have a big problem, because I don’t like my body because it changes when the night falls. I turn to another person. My body looks like a frog. I am afraid because if somebody knows, I think I won’t have a boyfriend in my life. This problem began one year ago; I don’t want to go to a doctor because I know that I will be an experiment.

Can you help me? But don’t tell anyone. It is a secret between us.

Dear Uncle Monty: I have a little problem I would like to tell you about, because I am afraid to tell this to my friends and family.

Last Saturday there was a party in my house. We ate, danced and drank, and we were having a lot of fun. That is all I can remember. I woke up on Sunday in my yard, and I couldn't remember how I got there, or when my friends left.

I was lying on my back, and I tried to stand up, but I felt I was stuck to the ground. When I could stand up, I touched my back and I felt a tip. I ran to my bedroom, and when I looked at myself in the mirror, I could see a whole line of tips on my back, as if I were a dinosaur or something.

Since Sunday, I have been wearing my dad's old coat, so I can cover these tips.

I wish you could tell me how to get rid of these things, because I feel strange, but with an unusual defensive weapon, ha-ha.

Hi Nephew: I have studied your problem and it’s serious.

I was in your house on that party. I can refresh your mind and tell you what happened: You drank a lot, and you were trying to seduce everybody in the party, and you didn’t take care about the gender of the ones that you tried to seduce.

You got into the bathroom with 5 strange guys, then some rare sounds began; they were like some slaps, claps, grumbles and groans.

You were there more than 3 hours without stopping the things that you where doing.

Then you appeared in your yard.

The pain in your back is a consequence of your dirty acts, and the things on your body are surely a sexually transmitted disease.

I feel really frustrated to tell you that the only solution to your problem is the suicide.

Remember "When life is a torment the only efficient solution is suicide."

Good bye!!

Dear Uncle Monty: I don’t know how many problems I have, there are a lot but the most important is my height.

My feet are very short and if they were larger I would be taller, and my spine would be longer too.

Dear Uncle Monty: How are you??? I hope fine.

I haven't seen you since 3 weeks ago; what have you been doing? I need to tell you something because I don't have another friend like you. Yesterday I noticed that my boyfriend is changing, his eyes are bigger and he has 6 fingers on one hand, I didn't want to tell him something about it because I think that he would get ashamed.

I don't know what is happening with him, his face is different, his head is growing and his nose is smaller than before. I don't know what to do, I'm worried about him. I love him but I can't stand this situation. Please call me, I need to talk to you.

Dear Uncle Monty: I have a problem I don’t like my body because I have 4 arms and I’m really strange; to be more specific, I look like an alien, but my big problem is that nobody wants to be my friend and I know that is because of my appearance - so that makes me feel so sad and depressed. Sometimes, I know that my mother feels the same and I don’t want her to feel that.

Please, I need your help, but I hope that you are going to keep this a secret.

Hi Niece!

Well I think that your problem is really serious, but of course it has a solution.

First you have to talk with your mother and tell her that you're very scared about your problem and that you need her help so you can be secure about yourself.

Talk to your friends too, and ask them for help, go to the doctor or a specialist and talk with him about it, so he can help you and find a solution for you.

Don’t forget that you count on me for anything, ok? And don't hesitate to ask for my help!

Uncle M Dear Uncle Monty: I hope you are very well, because sincerely I’m bad! In the hard soccer training on Friday a girl kicked me and I fell, suffering a strong blow in the head. Since that day I have seen a ghost on all sides. He’s a little boy, around eight years old, of white complexion, curly black hair, blue eyes and he’s always smiling.

When I see him, my fingers, hands, legs, and all my body are immobilized and I feel a horrible panic. I am scared and I don’t know what to do. What can I do?? Help me!!

Please.

Hi Niece, I have just received your message. I think that you can invite this little ghost to play or invite him to talk about something he wants. If you are seeing this kid everywhere maybe he is now part of your life and you need to know if he is friendly or not. For now, just enjoy your friendship with your little ghost.

Good bye!!! Keep in contact...

Dear Uncle Monty: Today I woke up thinking like serious my body was outside the one of a human. Because my body is that of a monkey, I did not go out. I stayed alone in my house because I am scared that they’ll make fun of my monkey body.

I just want this problem to be finished. I went to Doctor Villar so he could correct this problem with a surgery, but he told me that he can’t and this problem doesn’t have a solution!

Dear Uncle Monty!!

I need you!! Help me please, you are my best friend and I don’t have another in whom to trust. I need to tell something. Yesterday, when I was in my house, my body started to change, I have more eyes! I have two eyes in my face and two in the back of my head!

Can you believe that?...ahh… I haven’t finished, my legs are growing longer! And I don’t have pants! Hizzam!! What’s happening with me?? I need you! Please!! You mustn’t tell NASA and you can’t talk with anybody! I’m afraid!.... Awaiting your answer! See you and take care!

Dear Uncle Monty: I really need your help because I have a big problem, I don't like my hands. I’m a kind of freak because on one hand I have 6 fingers, what's that?! I want you to help me; I don't know what to do.

Because of my problem nobody wants to be my friend and all the people talk to me only out of pity.

Please I beg you, help me! Give me some advice, ok?

Thanks I’ll really appreciate that!

Advanced English 3 Hi, uncle maybe you can help me, because I had a big problem when I try to talk to other persons in English, because when I talk in English, I though in Spanish, and I put nervous when I talk to other persons, can you help me out with a tip???

Esteban, try to listen to music in English, or watch movies, in that way you will learn to think in English Dear uncle M: hi, I'm writing you because I want to tell you about my concern; you’ll see since I moved living near by the nuclear station I have been feeling a strong pain on my forehead, and I think I'm growing a ear on it! , also my hands are getting smaller and my feet bigger.

The good thing I think is that my eyes are getting navy blue!

What should I do? ...help me!

Hi uncle I’m writing you because I have a little problem, since my mom started to cook I have been experimenting some problems, like my ears, they're getting bigger, and I also have terrible headaches all the night, the great part is that now my weight is of 49!!!!

Help please bye Hi nephew I think that what you need, is to be with a new guy, maybe you can go to a Pericos concert, to dance reggae and ska, drink something and meet someone named Toño... I don't know why Toño... I just like that name... it can be a good thing that you can do... and let’s have some fun...

Uncle Monty PS: If you do this, your problem with your ears will disappear... and your weight problem it’s not a problem, it’s non important for him...

Dear uncle: Last night I was watching the T.V. for many hours and I noticed a big problem my eyes started growing and growing, so I couldn’t close them, I was wake up all the night and by consequence I had a headache all the morning so I searched in the drugstore for a medicine that cure my pain but I didn’t asked to a doctor and I noticed that my hair started falling and my head started looking very big. I put some ice in my forehead but my hands didn’t resist the low temperature and changed to red color. Now I look like an alien. I need help! What should I do? Could you give me some advices to cure my deformity please?

Thanks Mónica Hi Monica, You should keep an eye on your eyes, because they are very important, and you should keep on your head, because if you lost control, then your problem will be bigger.

I hope my help will be useful for you.

Take Care...

Uncle Monty Uncle I’m in big troubles, so I need a SHOULDER TO CRY ON and I think that talking to you will get this problem OFF MY CHEST. Well the problem is that I’m a person who likes having everything UNDER MY THUMB and last week I had many troubles with my dad because of that attitude of mine and we can’t SEE EYE TO EYE each other.

I hope you can advice me well because you are AN OLD HAND at teaching... see ya!

Oh dear I see you are in big troubles and they’re not as easy to solve as you think. First you have to do is to buy a chocolate cake and give it to your dad; I’m sure he’ll love that detail and then talk to him and explain your problems.

You should give him a hand on his job and then, after talking, you will be able to see him again eye to eye.

You ought to care more about how you treat every one else because that’s very important to keep a healthy relationship.

Then you can bring me a piece of cake to my office.

Uncle Monty.

Dear uncle: I have felt awful last days. I had a lot of work and I was very stressed. I thought a good solution would be to do exercise, so I decided to go to spinning. I never thought that it would make me feel worst because I got a terrible pain in my legs. Someone told me that I need to do more exercise, so in spite of the pain I continued going. Now, I can’t stand my back, it hurts me even if I’m in bed. The doctor advises me to change the kind of exercise; I looked for information and I found that “Pilates” will help me, because I had a

trouble with my spine. It looked easy, but it doesn’t. I have exercised my arms and my abdomen a lot, I thought I was going to lose weight but I think I’m fatter and I feel swollen. My head is going to explode, I’m getting crazy. I was looking a solution to feel better and now I feel terrible. I have already tried everything and I can’t get over. I know you can give a good advice, tell me what to do please.

Cinthia.

Well if the spin hurts you, you can try with the options that you already have. I can give you other options, such as run five days at week twenty minutes or you can practice the swimming. And if you feel fat you can try a diet, but not very restricted because with time you can be affected. With a good exercise and a good alimentation you will be healthy.

Dear Uncle: This time I'm not glad to write you because the reason of my letter is that I’m in big troubles. I had a fight with a guy that is in my school and I need you to give a hand with the director.

The problem started when one of my friends tell me that my now ex-best friend stabbed me in the back trying to get my boyfriend away from me, even when I helped him in many occasions. When I went to ask him if it was true he slapped me in the face and it made my blood boil and it wasn’t in my hand to control me, so I hit him in the face.

I think the best thing you can do is give the cold shoulder to your ex-best friend because you are a nice girl and you don’t deserve that kind of friends love uncle M Hi uncle Monty, I’m writing to you because I wanted you to give me a HAND ‘cause I’m in big troubles.

First, my babe is giving me the COLD SHOULDER because two days ago we broke up.

I swear I spent a lot of time searching my HEART in order to try and find out why my girlfriend didn’t love me.

I think my relationship with her got off on the wrong FOOT because I should have known better what she likes and what she doesn’t like before being my girl.

I’m beating my HEAD against the wall trying to figure out what did I do because she never looked for me or called me if I didn’t do it.

What can I do?

Hi, I need your help uncle, I'm Hoping you to answer me with good advice.

Well, my problem is that I don't like to write so much, because my hands usually get tired, and then my fingers start to hurt me, but that's not all, because then when I'm looking so much time to the notebook, my eyes start to cry because they become tired, but the worst comes with my head, because when I have all those pains I usually have a terrible headache, and then I feel like if my brain want to get out of my head...

Can you tell me what can I do Uncle Monty???

Hi I would like to get some help. Since my dog was so thin, people recommended me to give him Chocolato the new nuclear food. Everything was going great. But one day I started to eat my dog food and now I’m getting fat. Now I feel a horrible pain in my knees because of my weight. Now I’m in overweight. So I try to drink slim fast and I started to have a terrible headache. Now my legs are getting bigger. What can I do please help me First of all, what you need to do is to go to a doctor that will give you a special diet for your problem. Also you need some exercise, so go to a gym and there they will help you. Use some medicines to get better.

That’s all you need to do.

Bye. HI UNCLE MONTY I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU BEACUASE I NEED YOU TO GIVE ME A HAND BECAUSE I THINK I`M IN TROUBLES. WELL LAST NIGHT I WAS BEATING MY HEAD AGAINST THE WALL BECAUSE I COULDN`T FIND OUT WHY DID I START THE DAY WITH THE LEFT FOOT. IN MY JOB I COULDN`T SEE EYE TO EYE WITH MY BOSS... SO I JUST NEEDED TO TALK TO YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE AN OLD HAND AT GIVING ADVICES SO I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD HELP ME TO SOLVE MY PROBLEMS. Well, nephew, first of all, I’m not going to answer you until you stop SHOUTING at me.

Oh, uncle, I’m so sick, because yesterday I ate some bad food. Today, I woke up with a horrible pain in my mouth; I think it is because of the spicy food. I went to the drugstore and I bought some medicines but I think I’m allergic to them, because now my hands are bigger than usual, and I got some blood coming out of my nose, there is hair growing out of my ears and I can’t feel my legs.

Please help me uncle¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡

Well, well first of all you most get yourself calm because with that fool attitude you aren't going to be fine.

Ok, you most put on a glass of water 3 little drops of orange juice and then mix it up with the half of a cup of coca cola, after 3 hours you most drink all.

This most solve your problem in one week, if all the problems persist I recommend you to go to a doctor.

I don’t know why but I’m not feeling very well today, perhaps it is because yesterday I went to eat hamburgers in the corner of my house and today when I woke up I had a stomachache. I had used several medicines but they’re not working.

What can I do?

Well Gabriel, what you can do is to promise yourself never to eat hamburgers at this place and for the moment, you need to take some laxatives, je-je, I think is a good idea.

Well, see you later.

I need some help, my birthday was the last Monday, and since that day a lot of people tell me that they're going to go to my house, but I don't like that idea, because my house isn't very big and I haven't ask for permission from my parents.

Also some of my friends (well the majority) are people who actually don't like to be without drinking beers, so my house will finish in a big mess. What can I do? Could you borrow me your house Uncle Monty? I know you live in "la Esmeralda" don’t you?

Well, I think that's the best option so I'm waiting for that answer... is everything for today... see you

Hi Uncle Monty, I don’t know what to do about this problem, I just got my grades, and I have a 77 of partial average. I feel very bad, because I don’t know what to do about this.

Can you help me?

I can only tell you that try harder in the coming partials. And if you don’t want to show your notes to your parents, don’t worry I can sing it, so you don’t have problems with the school and you parents.

Some times I don’t have enough time to do my homework and study for my English class because I have to study to other subjects HI UNCLE, I HAVE A PROBLEM IN THE SCHOOL, BECAUSE I CANT CONCENTRATE IN MY CLASS OF MATH. SOMETIMES THE TEACHER TAKE ME OUT OF THE CLASS AND I DONT KNOW WHY. WELL I KNOW WHAT IS THE PROBLEM BUT I DONT WANT TO SOLVE IT, FIRST MY BEST FRIENDS WERE IN THE SAME CLASS AND THEY ALWAYS WERE TALKING. BUT THAT ISNT THE ONLY PROBLEM, IM ALWAYS TIRED BECAUSE I SLEEP 6 HOURS FOR DAY. CAN YOU GIVE AN ADVICE? Are you the same guy who was SHOUTING at me before? Learn to relax, please…

Hi dear uncle; See, I don't know what's happening with me, I have been very stressed out and it is causing me a lot of troubles with my family, with my friends, and with my school teachers.

I need an advice because those are the reasons of my splitting headaches, and of my terrible hay fevers.

For example, when I want to talk about some of the troubles I have with my friends, they're always doing something, like Cinthia, she always has her hands full.

Another problem is my sister. She never does her duties, I always have to tell her what she has to do, and it’s a pain in the neck, maybe I should put my foot down with her, but maybe not, because she is only 11 years so... I don't know: S And the worst of all ...my math teacher. Ahhhh!!! He's always punishing our group with more exercises, and I certainly do not have time to do more homework. He makes my blood boil! but I can't complain with him, so I just hold my tongue.

I think I have started behaving as if I had a chip on my shoulder. PLEASE HELP ME!

Hi uncle Monty... i'm feeling terrible, i'm just having a horrible headache i can't sleep on the night i feel like if my head is going to explote... what can i do please help me!!

Dear Uncle: Last Friday I went to a restaurant with my friends and we ate a lot of seafood, I didn’t know that I was allergic to it. Then a few minutes later, my eyes started getting bigger and bigger it looked that I had been on a fight, in my stomach appeared red dots, I was very scared and I realized that I had a terrible hay fever, everybody started asking me if I felt okay, but those where symptoms to be sick. As soon as possible they took me to the doctor but he couldn’t help me, my ears started getting bigger and bigger like my eyes, my tongue was in a bad shape, now I feel a little better, but I still with the red dots on my body, It looks awful, please uncle Monty I need your help.

Hoping for your answer Karina