Kelli's blog

Grad school?

2010-04-07T13:46:00.002-04:00

So I started to apply to New Tribes Bible Institute today. I never saw myself going to bible school as a grad school thing. I started the application process online yesterday. To some this may seem like a waste of my MSU education, however, I feel more right about this decision then I ever did going to MSU. Brett and I want to be missionaries, therefore I should start my training towards that... NTBI is the most logical next step. Also, I am really looking forward to learning so much more about the bible and God in general... I feel like I am lacking this necessary thing in my knowledge of my faith.
So NTBI it is for me for the next 2 years. I am excited!

Power

2010-02-13T01:34:00.002-05:00

My last visit to my placement I was trying to focus my observations on power in the classroom. Who holds power? What does this power look like? Is too much power a bad thing? What does power mean in the classroom? Those types of questions I was trying to ask myself as I observe and analyze my placement. (Continuing with the usual structure)

What happened in the classroom?
First hour economics was interesting. I do most of my observing during that period now and take a lot more action in second hour. The students were given a packet with six scenarios and they had to say how it affected all the different people that economics affects, like the consumers, producers, savers, investors, etc. This seemed like an interesting way of showing the students that economics affects everyone and in different ways. That seemed to really bring it home to the students and they cared more about it after my MT explained it in that way. Second hour was history with the freshmen students. My MT told me once again that she was going to "throw me in the river," I am getting use to this now. By throwing me in the river this means I will be leading some sort of lesson or teaching it all in general. I know I am able to refuse, although my MT is very intimidating and I want to impress her in some way as if that really makes a difference on how she perceives me or my grade in general. However, I am enjoying this throwing around. This time I only had to check students answers before they were allowed to put it on the board. Not too difficult, though the subject was not fresh in my mind on every little definition of the civil rights. I pretty much read the students answer and assumed they were right, I didn't have the time or resources to just look up if they were right. The good thing about this was that the students had to come to me to approve something, that I was an authority figure to them, and that I had to talk to each one face to face. This was a better chance to be a presence to them.

What my MT specifically taught me that day?
I am realizing more how dominant a figure my MT is in this classroom. Everything is heavily guided by what she says and does. She usually starts every class with some sort of story about her past and how it relates to the students. This is interesting because she has a lot of things to relate to the subjects she teaches. We are heading into the civil rights period and my MT was alive during this time, so the stories she can share are possibly beneficial to the students. Whatever she asks of the students they do, no one puts up a fight or seems to complain about any of the work. Perhaps this is because its a small rural type of school and she is such a dominating force. I have hear my MT say, "if the workload gets too much for you let me know." I assume she wants to know so she could help you. The students have a large exam next week and were given a lot more work to do over the weekend before this exam; I didn't even hear one student complain about this. Maybe I just come from a generation of complainers, but I would be complaining, no body likes exams. Its almost hard to describe the time of power my MT exerts in the classroom, one can really only understand once they have observed her. If someone had told me that their teacher was exerting a great amount of power over the student I would just assume they were a bad teacher and they lecture the whole time. However, my MT may talk for thirty minutes or less and then realize that students don't really pay attention after that so you have to give them something else, a different way to understand the information. I have never seen any form of class discussion or group discussions about anything, however I am not there every day either. There is a lot of jigsaw type of learning and short readings that students are allowed to do in groups. Its difficult to describe the power situation, I am still figuring it out myself.

What does this all mean as a future teacher?
What have I learned from these small teaching lessons? Really its starting to confuse me. I thought the idea I had in my head of a great teacher was someone who encourages discussion and critical thinking, and I just don't see a whole lot of that in this class. But that is not turning into a bad thing, whatever is going on in this classroom I am in is working for them. Teachers are so different, they are not all teaching the same way. Instruction is so differentiated and students still learn. So its hard for me to try and develop who I am as a teacher, when I cant peg down the "right" type of instruction.

Thursday's class

2010-02-07T15:51:00.003-05:00

Before I begin, I realize posting same day would be more beneficial and I will try to be more consistent, however, it has been one crazy busy weekend.

I will set up a bit of context here. The school I am placed at is in a rural/suburban area. The students are either very rich or poor. There is no city aspect, there is one strip down Main street. The community use to be all farming and lately has catered to the people who want to get even farther from Lansing to build large elaborate homes. I walk into the building using the side door that my MT uses so that I can save five minutes of going all the way around through the front door. The minimum security allows me to do this. I have yet to ever see a security guard or a menacing teenager for that matter. The school is definitely not over-crowded. We have plenty of space for more students in my MT's classroom. Each graduating class consists of around less then 200-150 students. My graduating class was probably triple that. You rarely see any students of another ethnicity than white, to be honest I have yet to see a black or hispanic student. The school system itself is wonderful. I have met many amazing teachers, graduates from Michigan State as well at this high school. I actually have friends at MSU who graduated from this high school I am describing. So the students have the option to go to college and are encouraged to do so.

What happened in the classroom?
I arrive at school the exact same time as my MT does so we walk in together. She explains to me that she has to teach a war she is not entirely up to date on for second hour history and would like me to go over what the text book has to say during first hour and then let her know. So I review the text book all during first hour economics while listing to her teach at the same time. I really enjoy observing my mentor teacher teach. She has all these amazing stories to tell because she had once owned a business of her own before she came to teach at this high school. The bell rings, freshmen start to trickle in for second hour history. I gave my notes on the text book to my MT and then something scary and incredible happened; she asked me to teach it. I had a 2 minute warning! Alright, I can do this, as I talked myself into it. The lesson wasnt anything unique or special, we just went over a bunch of facts as the students took notes. They had a time period where they had to read something for themselves and they were allowed to take a break. All in all the lesson went well, it may have been boring, but I suppose every lesson cant be amazing especially with a 2 minute warning. Some students asked a lot of questions that started to get off topic. They wanted to know more about communism and why it was so bad if the basic ideals of communism seem okay. As a teacher this would be a great teaching moment, or perhaps a time to realize I need to teach the students about communism before the Cold War.
What my MT specifically taught me that day?
"Dont be afraid to just jump in!" That's what she told me as she sprung the teaching on me. It was a good wake up call though, to always be prepared and not expect everything to go perfect. Lessons dont have to be amazing works of art that are just brilliant and belong in one of those social studies magazines. Sometimes they are just to teach the students the facts and then perhaps you can go back and reiterate the subject in a different way. My MT believes students should hear something six times before they really know and learn it. I suppose I was number one for them this particular day.
What does this all mean as a future teacher in this classroom?
I realized how unprepared I was to teach the lesson that day. I gave the students basic content from their book and I spent very little time preparing. The lesson still went okay, so I realized I dont have to plan every lesson for hours and have it brilliant. However, I also realized that I would like to spend more time on my lessons and really understand why I am teaching this lesson the way that I am and for what reasons. I dont like teaching without having some sort of rationale, even if I have not wrote my rationale out, I would like to have thought about it prior to teaching that particular lesson. Its important for me as a future teacher to understand why I am teaching the way that I am and why that lesson, why should these students care? And what do I want them to learn from this lesson? When I think about these things it helps me build a more solid lesson for that day, so I include these things.

Sick

2010-02-01T23:15:00.003-05:00

Being sick is like the worst thing for a teacher. I got sick after going to my placement last Monday and I was not able to go to my placement again that week. I realized that being sick is the worst for a teacher because they would have to figure so much stuff out. Leaving your classroom is difficult, You have to leave instructions for the substitute depending on how long you will be gone. My mentor teacher told me that missing a day and being away from her classroom is awful, she hates it, because it means so much more work and catching up when she comes back.
Being sick this past week made me realize all of those things and just how much it sets you off track. I feel like I have missed so much.
My project should be back on track very soon.... this was just a little set back.

Last Monday

2010-01-27T21:53:00.002-05:00

(This ethnography will be based on three questions)

What happened in the classroom?
I wanted to make sure I talked about this past Mondays experience in class. It was the first time the other intern and I were in our mentor teachers classroom together. We had never been there at the same time; so this created some awkward situations. We both sit in the only seat in the back of the class that is not a desk, so because the other intern got there first I had to sit in a desk with the students. At the start of the class my mentor teacher couldn't find me because I blended in.
First hour is economics. My mentor teacher, MT for short, teaches a lesson on mortgages and what it means to be upside down on your house. My MT uses a lot of arrows and pictures of houses to try and illustrate the point. I copied one of the students notes from class just to have as evidence of the incredible arrow making, and how it is reciprocated through the students notes.
Second hour is History, which I thoroughly enjoy. My MT asked the other intern and I if she could throw us in the water? Well, why not? Throw me in the water of unpreparedness. MT assigned the other intern and I the task of teaching about the atomic bomb to freshmen. No big deal, just the worst bomb in history completely destroying entire cities. MT divided the class in half I took one group Bob, the other intern, took the other group. Through guided reading and a packet we taught this lesson. Interesting way to teach it, not my first choice though.
What I was specifically taught that day through my MT?
You cant always lecture with fancy pictures sometimes they have to learn it for themselves. Throwing the interns in the water is not such a bad thing!
What does this all mean as a future teacher in this classroom?
I may not teach about the atomic bomb through a packet of guided reading someday, however, it is important to realize that I cant always lecture and try to make the lesson that day amazing or I will get burnt out. Some students learn better through reading or group work than lectures with fancy pictures.

Ethnography Project is taking over this blog

2010-01-27T14:04:00.002-05:00

In my teaching class we have to write an ethnography about our placements. We are allowed to do this through whatever means we choose. Some people in my class are pretty talented and are creating paintings, collages, posters, videos...etc. I will be doing my ethnography through my blog. I will be keeping track of what goes on in my classroom through my blog. This means I collect data on the culture of the classroom and the observation I make through my own participation.
So my blog posts will be based on my TE class project for the next month.
Feel free to comment on what I write, that will be part of my project and data collection.

Please don't die.

2009-03-19T23:17:00.003-04:00

I recently received a disturbing email from my study abroad professor. The little boy who I wrote a previous blog about, Mfanakhona, is HIV positive. He is 6 years old and an amazing little boy. He is in the hospital now for meningitis and it doesnt look good. Two other children were recently buried because they lost their battle. South Africa is losing its children because of AIDS and this little boy who became a great friend to me is going to become another statistic of this terrible epidemic.

Being so far away, I feel there is nothing I can do. My professor asked her students to pray; and coming from her says a lot. She is totally not a believer in Jesus Christ, and to hear her tell me to pray scares me.

So I will. I will pray. I ask you to pray as well.

Ill keep you updated.

Thanks :/

Um

2009-03-19T18:26:00.002-04:00

Clearly I don't blog much, but I use google reader to stalk everyone else.
No real updates, im boring.
Went to Hawaii and got into the college of Education. Thats sweet.

mmm Mouthwash

2009-02-22T00:51:00.001-05:00

I have come to really like mouthwash, not so much enjoy the burning part. But I feel really clean after. Any one else have this connection with mouthwash?

Happy Birthday to me!

2009-02-16T21:46:00.002-05:00

So its my birthday, so the only thing I could do instead of another tattoo was a piercing. If anyone knows me they know I cant do piercings but I can get tattoos. But I did it; Brett and I went to Splash and got my eyebrow pierced. It was pretty simple and painless. I like it a lot. Im pretty much a badass now.

Okay Then

2009-02-02T17:33:00.001-05:00

So it looks like I have around 6 viewers; give or take a few. So this blog will be for you select few people. I guess.

Um does any body even read my blog?

2009-01-30T00:29:00.002-05:00

So I was wondering, since I am fairly new to blogging, if any one actually reads my blog or if I am just wasting my time. So if you read my blog just comment and let me know!
THANKS!

This is sweet, its all pictures!

2009-01-29T01:29:00.000-05:00

The Japanese Office!

2009-01-05T01:19:00.000-05:00

Pukin at Target.

2009-01-03T14:33:00.002-05:00

So I was really sick yesterday, still getting over it. My friend Angelina and I went to target just to get me out of the house, bc i wasnt feelin good. The lady at the customer service counter was so mean to us, Just a real chip on her shoulder. Then we walked around for a little bit and I just kept getting really tired and hot, then i realized we needed to get to the bathroom as soon as we could because i had to puke. Kinda made a mess in the bathroom... but the best part is; the lady being a biotch came walking in and had to clean it up. I know gross but I guess what goes around comes around.

Getting settled, kinda

2008-12-31T02:19:00.002-05:00

So we did get married on the 19th as planned, Whoever is reading this probably was there. Being Bretts wife has been a great experience so far, we pretty much do all the same things- could be annoying to some people to have someone similar to yourself. We have been trying to get the apartment together, which is difficult with our busy schedules. We went to IKEA yesterday and got some neat tables for things to sit on, so that looks cool. But we still dont have a dinning table or any chairs besides a couch. So were not having people over yet until they can sit somewhere besides the floor- sorry if your so eager to visit our sweet apartment.
I still have yet to change my name besides facebook. All that stuff takes a lot of time and effort that I just dont have yet- next week I think, kind of important!
Bretts been super busy preparing for his teaching this weekend at Riverview and working on his photography site.
Tomorrow is New Years Eve and I am pretty excited to go to Jeremy and Kristens; Ive actually never been to a New Years Eve celebration, Im pretty lame. I guess you get invited to all the cool stuff when your married. So you could say there are some perks- im on the inner circle now.
New Years day were doing our family Christmas at my moms house and my sisters psycho boyfriend is going to come, So that should make things interesting.
But all in all marriage has been pretty great for the first 2 weeks, Never had a roomate before!

Finals... This guys a great way to not study

2008-12-09T23:20:00.002-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/user/sxephil?ob=4

Gettin Married!!

2008-10-23T23:07:00.002-04:00

I got engaged last night! It was amazing and perfect. I was totally surprised!.... http://www.brettandkelli.com/
Im really excited to marry Brett and start a life with him. Two months away, so now comes the crazy planning time/ I cant wait!

Good thing you cant smell this!

2008-09-27T17:23:00.002-04:00

This is the pool in my back yard. I like to think of it as a pit of despair. It was difficult to take this picture, because I was trying to hold my breath so I didnt breath in the fumes.
My mom is trying to find someone to fill it in for us. Filling in a pool is almost as much as building one! Pretty rediculous.

So I did make it home

2008-09-27T17:05:00.003-04:00

So I probably should have posted after coming home from Africa. I did make it home okay. I didnt get a chance to post anything on here from Cape Town. We basically got lost on the mountain and made it up and over and found our way back alive.

This Wednesday I leave for California. Brett's cousin is getting married. So im pretty excited about that (other than the fact that I have to take 3 exams before I leave!)

Today was long and heartbreaking!

2008-07-24T17:55:00.002-04:00

This is from my journal:

Day 18

July 24, 2008

I learned so much about this screwed up country today. A couple of us visited the high school in Zonki today. We were supposed to observe the classes. Instead we were thrown into teaching. I was supposed to observe English classes; not teach them. My first English teacher of the day decided to skip her first class because she was “too busy”. Then she didn’t have class for the 6^th period, so I stapled papers for her… that was boring! Then it was lunch time. The students do not have lunches unless they bring one, and no one has money for that. After lunch we finally went to an English class. I asked the teacher what she had prepared for the students, she said nothing. So she told me to basically get up and teach and I didn’t know what to teach because she didn’t tell me what they were studying, so I went over some verbs, but the students didn’t want to do that. They only get 30 mins for class anyway… and time was up before I knew it. I don’t know how someone can teach a lesson in 30 min… won’t be a good one that’s for sure. So then I went to another English class with the Department Head of English; I figured this would be a better experience. We walked into the class and she told me to teach about indirect, and direct speech. I couldn’t understand what she said first because her English was so poor, and she was the head of the English department. So I stood in front of the class giving different sentences and examples… everyone seemed to understand it pretty well though. I really didn’t know where they were at with their studies… but they definitely were past that, but I didn’t know what to teach- I had no structure to work with. The dep. Head just sat in the corner the whole 30 min and read a book. Then after that I told her I wanted to observe her teach the next class. She wrote 5 sentences on the bored and told the children to find the verb. She never went over anything with them; after 30 min she just was going to leave. They asked her if I could teach them and she asked me what I had to do next; and I asked her if anyone else was coming in to teach them… she said no because there wasn’t enough teachers so they would just sit there. So I said I would teach because no one else was. So the Dep. Head left me to teach by myself. So I asked the students if they liked their last lesson, they said no because it was short and boring. I agreed with them- they thought that was funny. So they asked me if I could go over their last assignment and help them with more sentences. The students are smart, they are just not being challenged. There are no resources for the students: no maps, pens, computers, paper, text books, good teachers, food, etc.

I talked to the dep, head, Anna, for a long time after that class. She wanted to ask me about high school in America. I told her a lot, she was shocked with the salary difference. She gets paid half of what a starting teacher in America gets paid- and she is a Department Head. So the system is failing everyone, teachers, administrators, students… no one cares about anyone else. We asked the teachers to give us lessons plans for tomorrow and they assumed we would just make some up. I would think that a teacher would have her week planned out and ready to teach. But the teachers are so unprepared and do not even teach part of the time. We tried to tell them countless times we do not have our degrees yet, we just came to observe. They didn’t understand us, and they teach in English. How can an English teacher teach English but barely able to speak or understand it themselves? Its so frustrating!

Another group of us went to volunteer and observe at the town clinic today. They were thrown into it too. They were asked to do counseling and testing on patients. Its one thing to get your facts wrong in teaching and correct them but its another to play with human lives. You cannot just allow anyone off the street to be a doctor. This whole town needs so much help in all sorts of systems. How are these people supposed to survive with a failing health and education system? Something big has to change. I can see how the people would be able to take this forever, they are going to get angry and do something about it. Its just not human nature to allow this. I can understand how people live so well in the cities, and then just think the townships will eventually go away. People are sick and dieing and need help, and no one wants to help them. Why does it take people half way around the world to come and help these people when theres plenty of people here that could do it, if they got off their high horse and lend a hand. I get so frustrated and I don’t have to live with this, I can go home after this. These people are stuck here, child after child will have to deal with this. There are plenty more people to get sick and die and still not receive the attention they deserve. Who is going to help them? Some sort of authority needs to step in and help these people!

There was also another situation with Mpumi and her family. She has lost 3 family members recently, her mother, brother and uncle I think. Her dad is on his death bed and she tries to take care of her siblings while balancing and education. She is brilliant too. Hospice told VVOCF today that her dead passed. So Jeanne went to check it out and sure enough the man was still alive, in terrible condition, but alive. So Jeanne, Natalie, and Todeso cleaned the house; it smelled awful in there. There was an infestation of rats living in the mattress they slept on, I think they were dead now though. The conditions for this man to live out the last of his life is just terrible. How can someone keep their dignity dieing like that with your family watching? What is Mpumi and her siblings to do. Her family will probably take the house from them. How are they supposed to survive. Nmosa is talking about taking them in but she cant fit anymore children, she doesn’t have the means. The women just has a huge heart and wants to protect them. Who is supposed to protect the children when they are orphaned by AIDS? Who is there for them? Where do they go? Why did MSU have to come in and do something? Why didn’t their own government help? Life just has too many hard things to deal with. Its not fair!

Crazy Cow

2008-07-23T17:56:00.001-04:00

I just love this sweet picture of the crazy cow. I thought he was going to take off after me. This was a random stop in Pietremaritzburg, on the way back to Joburg from Durban.

Indian Ocean

2008-07-23T16:52:00.002-04:00

Finally made it to the Indian Ocean. Ive never seen waves so big! Mfanakona was so excited, he had to come with us because he was too sick to stay in Zonki. It was a lot of fun and really warm; Its not that warm in Joburg- today was warm though.

I love this little boy

2008-07-15T15:54:00.002-04:00

Day 10

July 15, 2008
We had the past two days off, a lot of us randomly got sick though and so we were completely exhausted when we had to start our day today. We had to work in the new VVOCF garden. It needed a ton of work. We had to rake and clear brush, then we had to till- but the only way to till here is to dig and turn the earth. It took a long time, we got half way done today. It was some really hard work though. Sometimes there would be large ant piles and the ants bit so we tried to work fast around it. Lets just say gardening is a ton of work. Then after that we ate- and I bought some avocado and spread it on a sandwich with salt and pepper and it was so good.

So today Jeanne and Sly took Mfanakona (7 year old boy) to the hospital to see the doctor and get ARVs, (he has been tested, and is positive for HIV) it was successful but it took a really long time. (He has been getting worse since we have been here) ARVs were not available until 2006 and the only way you get them is if you have been diagnosed with HIV. But to get tested you must be 18 or have your guardian with you. Most guardians do not have the time or money to take their kids to a doctor; also they do not want people to know their kids have AIDS. There is still a certain stigma and stereotypes that come with being HIV positive. People still don’t fully understand the virus here. They think you can get it from touching or playing with the person. Mfanakona’s uncle told the other kids not to play with him because they will get AIDS. That’s so heart breaking to hear. VVOCF wants to get other kids tested as well so they can get the right treatment but it’s just so difficult. There are only clinics in the townships and no hospitals, and the hospital is where you have to go to get the right drugs. Hospitals are far away though and to get to them you either need a car or a taxi; which can get expensive. If you make it to a hospital then you have to wait all day to see a doctor, they don’t do anything by appointment, and then you have to wait even longer for your drugs. So it would appear that it is an all day event; and if you have to go several times a month or week then it can get pretty expensive and difficult to do. Basically the systems set up here are not working and most people do not have the means to take care of themselves or others. There are a lot of kids who need medical attention, and a lot of people who need to be better educated. VVOCF has a program that is teaching the kids about HIV/AIDS and how they can be peer educators in their communities. I think this is a great way to create collective efficacy- or Ubuntu- which is the ability of people joining together to help one another in their community, to address problems and affectively solve them. This is trying to be instilled in most African communities to create more awareness about HIV/AIDS so that people can get better treatment and help stop the epidemic all together. Well it’s been a pretty long day, and I need rest so I can do it all again tomorrow.

Zonkizizwe

2008-07-11T14:29:00.004-04:00

This is part of Zonkizizwe. There are 6 zones to the town. when you cross over the highway from Joburg... everything looks like this. they are informal settlements. People basically just set up shop after aparthied ended. Its really sad to see. Its gets cold during the winter, last night was the first night it got to below zero... thats dangerous bc these people dont exactly dress warm or have ways of keeping warm. In the morning when i meet up with the kids i always hug them and hold them and try to keep them warm, their hands are always ice cold... its so sad. I wish I brought a ton of clothes to give them... Im going to try to find like a goodwill and maybe get a bunch of warm clothes. I just wish there was more I could do sometimes... I want to take them all home with me. This place definintely confirms me wanting to adopt someday!

Origami

2008-07-11T13:13:00.005-04:00

I was teaching origami today. I remembered how to make somethings from when i was younger. were making flowers here. They had no idea what origami was! Today was so cold i felt so bad for the kids. We also made kytes today and they had never seen them before so we had to explain how you use them. It was pretty funny to watch, they loved it. people in the town would stop and watch us, they had no idea what was going on. Tomorrow we are going to Gold Reef City, its an amusement park and the kids are going to freak. I have about 5-10 kids who age around 7-10 year olds for the park tomorrow...its going to be a crazy day. We all tiedyed shirts to wear tomorrow so we wont lose the kids and they love the crazy colors.
I know i should write more, but i might lose my connection again!

vumunzuku-bya-vanna Our Childrens Future... VVOCF

2008-07-09T02:25:00.003-04:00

This is the orphanage. Theres also classes in the building to the left. Its little but it cost about $12.000 to build last year. Ill try to post more pictures but we are about to leave for camp today. I get to tiedye some shirts today. Its about 8:40am and about 2:40am for you guys in MI so im going to go start my day.

Internet is so slow... here goes 100th attempt

2008-07-08T17:27:00.002-04:00

These are my amazing kids! The rock star with the glasses is Cebile and her brother nhkanhla. they are such sweet hearts. nhkanhla knows english fairly well and Cebile can understand me atleast... me on the other hand cannot understand them. I try though and I have learned a few words already. We played soccer today... or football and it was awesome.. besides all the red dirt here that gets on everything. we also walked around the township of Zonkizizwe and it was amazing... people literally build their homes out of scrap metal, and sewage just runs down the streets. Most people say hello- or sowbona to us and its really awesome to talk to them, they know a bit of english. Alot of people think we are South Africans from the city and so there is a bit of racism to get over because the two races do not get along. I will try to keep up with my blog but it is so so hard because the internet is so slow here!

arrived safely

2008-07-07T16:17:00.002-04:00

Kelli arrived safely in South Africa yesterday. Her internet connection is terrible and seems to work decently for instant messaging, but not for any web browsing like posting blog updates, so she may be sending me posts to put up for her. That's all really; she got to see the town and village today and they're starting work bright and early tomorrow.

Going to South Africa

2008-07-01T19:06:00.000-04:00

I will be in South Africa for 5 weeks, starting this Saturday the 5th. Funny thing is I will be on this beach the 18th of July and this sign is still there.... hmm.

Test

2008-06-07T23:54:00.000-04:00

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