I realized today that whenever I am describing something here it´s ALWAYS followed by the word enough...
Like after a shower. Feeling Clean? Clean Enough. Which actually means I couldnt stay under the freezing water for long enough to get a good scrub in. Or Í´m clean despite the dirt engrained in my feet. Or I got clean but am already sweating and sticky. Clean Enough.
Or when describing the food, its good enough. At school this usually means despite the bones in that they forgot to take out. Or despite the fact that I cant figure out what it is. Or despite the fact that I got a hoof instead of meat. Or despite the fact that its the same thing as ever other day. Good Enough.
Or how on a good day, my class is quiet enough. Which actually means I could hear myself yelling unlike most days. The sad thing is most of the time they arent even quiet enough.
Or worst of all when the work is correct enough. Spelling errors, misarranged words and unconjugated verbs... If you can mostly understand a sentence, its correct enough! (Dont get me wrong we do encourage proper english, but I try to work on one grammar aspect at a time).
Anyway, toda was a pretty frusterating beginning to the week. After planning alot to do with them it was a huge stuggle to get them to stop fighting, talking and wandering long enough to accomplish anything! But theres always tomorrow!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Mellow
Well, its the end of another relaxing weekend and the beginning of anothing wild week. Last week was the first full fove day weeks we´ve had for over a month! And despite the pressure of working that hard (compared to the chill lifestyle of gotten used to here) it was good to actually get something accomplished!
In english we´ve been working on past tense verbs (regular and then memorizing irregular). After a full week of flash cards, races, worksheets... I had them write sentences about what they did last summer. I was feeling like for the most part the kids understood it. Then, out of the blue, one of my kids proudly handed in the sentence "Last summer, I slept on my cousin" and I completely lost it. I marked it right for him because I was about to try and explain that one.
I´m really enjoying it here and I think it´s mostly because of the other volunteers. There are 10 of us now and we´ve gotten really close. We take trips together, laugh at the ridiculous things our kids say, try and meet more locals, go dancing, laugh at the strange inbred animals wandering the streets (sheepgoats, midget cows, warrior cocks...), try and keep track of the web of everyone being related around here (its really messed up, pretty much everyone is related to everyone and if you´re over 14 you have a kid)... Anyway, we´ve created a strange little family amoungst ourselves and its going to be wierd to leave it! You definately get sucked into this world!
In english we´ve been working on past tense verbs (regular and then memorizing irregular). After a full week of flash cards, races, worksheets... I had them write sentences about what they did last summer. I was feeling like for the most part the kids understood it. Then, out of the blue, one of my kids proudly handed in the sentence "Last summer, I slept on my cousin" and I completely lost it. I marked it right for him because I was about to try and explain that one.
I´m really enjoying it here and I think it´s mostly because of the other volunteers. There are 10 of us now and we´ve gotten really close. We take trips together, laugh at the ridiculous things our kids say, try and meet more locals, go dancing, laugh at the strange inbred animals wandering the streets (sheepgoats, midget cows, warrior cocks...), try and keep track of the web of everyone being related around here (its really messed up, pretty much everyone is related to everyone and if you´re over 14 you have a kid)... Anyway, we´ve created a strange little family amoungst ourselves and its going to be wierd to leave it! You definately get sucked into this world!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Normal?
Well, life in Cofradia is tranquilo as usual. But despite how mellow it is, you get used to it reallly fast. This weekend we went to our local merengue bar/restaurant/dance floor to celebrate one of the volunteers birthday. Which despite how unclassy the whole thing is (its a shack on a dirt road), proves to be a ton of fun everytime because you can kick back and dance without a care in the world! And other than that I spent alot of time doing laundry. Seeing as its done by hand, laundry is a full day, painful activity.
Tomorrow I´m heading back to school and hoping to get more done with less interruptions (we always seem to have surprise days off for things life a professional development day which turned into a shopping trip with the principal).
I´m finding it hard to write recently because everything here seems normal to me, not really noteworthy. But then again when I think about it I catch myself doing and saying ridiculous things like ¨Victor, put down the cinderblock and come to class¨. Or how they deal with things.. For example they principal forgot to pay the power bill at the school, so that day they sent home a letter saying it was colour day tomorrow (dont wear your uniform but pay 5 lemps) and collected money to pay the bill. Or seeing animals that you cant tell what they are because they hae the body of a goat with sheep wool. Its amazing how quickly you can meld into things that are so far from what you´re used to and begin to see everything as normal!
Tomorrow I´m heading back to school and hoping to get more done with less interruptions (we always seem to have surprise days off for things life a professional development day which turned into a shopping trip with the principal).
I´m finding it hard to write recently because everything here seems normal to me, not really noteworthy. But then again when I think about it I catch myself doing and saying ridiculous things like ¨Victor, put down the cinderblock and come to class¨. Or how they deal with things.. For example they principal forgot to pay the power bill at the school, so that day they sent home a letter saying it was colour day tomorrow (dont wear your uniform but pay 5 lemps) and collected money to pay the bill. Or seeing animals that you cant tell what they are because they hae the body of a goat with sheep wool. Its amazing how quickly you can meld into things that are so far from what you´re used to and begin to see everything as normal!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Guatemala
Well I just got back yesterday from 5 awesome days in Guatemala! It was such a nice change of pace, and although we were mostly in tourist areas you can definately tell a difference in the people! We started in Antigua (which I LOVE and could definately live in), headed to the hippie town panajachel, kayaked on lake atitlan (an imploded volcanoe, surrounded by 3 other volcanoes and many mountians), shopped in the largest market in central america (chichicastenago). Mostly the trip was wandering around, eating good food (a nice change!) and bartering for christmas gifts.
Although I loved the places, the people and the whole trip it was certainly nice to get back home to our crappy little town. And especially nice to get back to the frusterating days with my grade fours. We´ve just finished exams.. so now at least I know what level my students are at. Which leaves me at the frusterating point of how to deal with the stranglers (some kids have little or no comprehensions of english and therefore dont understand anything thats going on) and how to keep the bright ones moving.
Although I loved the places, the people and the whole trip it was certainly nice to get back home to our crappy little town. And especially nice to get back to the frusterating days with my grade fours. We´ve just finished exams.. so now at least I know what level my students are at. Which leaves me at the frusterating point of how to deal with the stranglers (some kids have little or no comprehensions of english and therefore dont understand anything thats going on) and how to keep the bright ones moving.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Chicken Trucks
well today we got a surprise day off school due to the hurricane/tropical storm. Here in cofradia, its just a TON of rain but apparently in other parts of the country theres severe flooding. So I´ve just been reading (onto my 6th books since arriving).
anyway, i figured i would use this gift of time to share with you a distinctly central american experience that the other volunteers and i joke around about alot... riding the bus (or as they call them here chicken trucks).
Things you would never do on a bus anywhere but central america...
1. sit 3 to a seat and cram another 30 people into the aisles (literally)
2. be expected to get on and off the bus while moving
3. use the emergency exit as a door
4. use the roof as a seat
5. take the old broken down school buses (not longer legal in north america therefore shipped down) at full speed
6. pass another school bus while climbing a mountain around a corner
7. had chickens loose on the bus
8. had the bus driver stop so a drunk could buy a beer
9. had the bus driver stop so the drunk could take a leak on the side of the rode (x2)
10. had the police search the school bus and not arrest the drunk man who was currently feeling up a woman
11. Had a portable toothbrush salesman give a live infomercial.
12. been sold fried chicken (and a variety of food) through the bus window by people running beside the bus
13. had a man selling pills to make your kids smarter
14 had people buy pills to make their kids smarter
15. get charged more because your white... and yet still pay under 2 dollars for an hour and half bus ride
16. Have someone on the bus transporting their matress.
17. always feel surprise when you actually arrive where you intended safely.
anyway, i figured i would use this gift of time to share with you a distinctly central american experience that the other volunteers and i joke around about alot... riding the bus (or as they call them here chicken trucks).
Things you would never do on a bus anywhere but central america...
1. sit 3 to a seat and cram another 30 people into the aisles (literally)
2. be expected to get on and off the bus while moving
3. use the emergency exit as a door
4. use the roof as a seat
5. take the old broken down school buses (not longer legal in north america therefore shipped down) at full speed
6. pass another school bus while climbing a mountain around a corner
7. had chickens loose on the bus
8. had the bus driver stop so a drunk could buy a beer
9. had the bus driver stop so the drunk could take a leak on the side of the rode (x2)
10. had the police search the school bus and not arrest the drunk man who was currently feeling up a woman
11. Had a portable toothbrush salesman give a live infomercial.
12. been sold fried chicken (and a variety of food) through the bus window by people running beside the bus
13. had a man selling pills to make your kids smarter
14 had people buy pills to make their kids smarter
15. get charged more because your white... and yet still pay under 2 dollars for an hour and half bus ride
16. Have someone on the bus transporting their matress.
17. always feel surprise when you actually arrive where you intended safely.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
honduran living
welll.. last week i was teaching grade 4. and yyes they are a handful but i actually feel like i can get across to them more! they are pretty good at math, double digit multiplication, division, addition and subtraction, we´re going the human body in science which i love teaching but english is proving to be difficult. most of them can communicate at a basic level.. and they know a ton of grammar, but forming sentences is an issue!
anway, i feel like im settled in here, as much as one can be. i mean as soon as you think your used to everthing (the culture, disorganization...) something ridiculous takes you off guard! like this week.. i found out our cute little janitor lady, makes runs to the local pouporia (corner store) and smuggles chips in for the grade 5s who then proceed to mark up the prices and pawn it off to the younger kids.
oh and this week the oldest kids decided to throw a fundraiser and show a movie in an unused classroom during classes and charge kids to watch it. (we had no idea, until our kids didnt show up for class but apparently thats how things work around here). anway, an hour later i look up to see 40 grade 2s and 3s chanting MONEY BACK in spanish. apparently the older kids had turned off the movie half way when the kids were loud. anyywa, the whole situation escaladed to the older kids baracading themselves into a classroom and the younger kids forcing their way in (even climbing between the barred windows)... it was a complete riot including a nosebleed due to a garbage can to the face! anway, eventuall it all settled out.
all to say, even though im settled, i dont think i could ever get to the point where things dont catch me off guard!
This weekend, we took a short trip to the lake. it was definatel a much needed break! we rowed (in a jalapy of a boat), wandered to a waterfall, ate amazing food (closest thing i´ve had to food from home) and had hot showers (you dont appreciate them till you dont have them)!
anyway.. back to school this week, and the normal cofrdian life! and im actually pretty excited to see what i can do with these kids!!
anway, i feel like im settled in here, as much as one can be. i mean as soon as you think your used to everthing (the culture, disorganization...) something ridiculous takes you off guard! like this week.. i found out our cute little janitor lady, makes runs to the local pouporia (corner store) and smuggles chips in for the grade 5s who then proceed to mark up the prices and pawn it off to the younger kids.
oh and this week the oldest kids decided to throw a fundraiser and show a movie in an unused classroom during classes and charge kids to watch it. (we had no idea, until our kids didnt show up for class but apparently thats how things work around here). anway, an hour later i look up to see 40 grade 2s and 3s chanting MONEY BACK in spanish. apparently the older kids had turned off the movie half way when the kids were loud. anyywa, the whole situation escaladed to the older kids baracading themselves into a classroom and the younger kids forcing their way in (even climbing between the barred windows)... it was a complete riot including a nosebleed due to a garbage can to the face! anway, eventuall it all settled out.
all to say, even though im settled, i dont think i could ever get to the point where things dont catch me off guard!
This weekend, we took a short trip to the lake. it was definatel a much needed break! we rowed (in a jalapy of a boat), wandered to a waterfall, ate amazing food (closest thing i´ve had to food from home) and had hot showers (you dont appreciate them till you dont have them)!
anyway.. back to school this week, and the normal cofrdian life! and im actually pretty excited to see what i can do with these kids!!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
snow day!
do you remember that amazing feeling of a snow day and a gift of all this free time to do anything (in em and my case to build a snow fort)?! well today i experience that except honduran style!
At 4 am this morning one of the volunteers left to head home and i guess without thinking she locked the door. unfortunately when you lock the deadbolt from the outside, you need to unlock it from the outside. so we (me and 2 other volunteers) woke up this morning to being locked inside our house! literally, our windows are barred, theres no other door... completely locked in! its a very strange feeling to just not have the option of leaving! anyway, i used to time wisely, and moved into my new room, we cleaned, went through and got rid of stuff... and wondered how hectic the school was short 4 teachers. finally about half way through the day, mirna (school director) came down after being forced by the other worried volunteers and let us out!
anyway, i dont start grade 4 until monday.. and as for this weekend, no trips but we´re going to a club in san pedro and at he rocks (pool, bar, restaurant owned by ben, we get everything there for free) they are getting a tv for a canada vs honduras fifa party... which may be embarrassing for me seeing as soccer isent really our sport!
anyway, its absolutely roasting here, i would guess 30 degrees, so before i sweat out my eyeballs im going to go! oh and i am sooo jealous of everyone having a thanksgiving dinner this weekend!
At 4 am this morning one of the volunteers left to head home and i guess without thinking she locked the door. unfortunately when you lock the deadbolt from the outside, you need to unlock it from the outside. so we (me and 2 other volunteers) woke up this morning to being locked inside our house! literally, our windows are barred, theres no other door... completely locked in! its a very strange feeling to just not have the option of leaving! anyway, i used to time wisely, and moved into my new room, we cleaned, went through and got rid of stuff... and wondered how hectic the school was short 4 teachers. finally about half way through the day, mirna (school director) came down after being forced by the other worried volunteers and let us out!
anyway, i dont start grade 4 until monday.. and as for this weekend, no trips but we´re going to a club in san pedro and at he rocks (pool, bar, restaurant owned by ben, we get everything there for free) they are getting a tv for a canada vs honduras fifa party... which may be embarrassing for me seeing as soccer isent really our sport!
anyway, its absolutely roasting here, i would guess 30 degrees, so before i sweat out my eyeballs im going to go! oh and i am sooo jealous of everyone having a thanksgiving dinner this weekend!
Monday, October 6, 2008
weekend at gracias
this weekend was a long weekend, so the other volunteers and i set out on an adventure to a town 4 hours away called gracias. the trip there was ridiculous as always... betwe4en crowded buses, 80s music videos and water pouring from the bus ceiling, quite comical. the first night we got there we wandered the town and headed to the hot springs which were pretty great! they were out of the town, and still pretty natural. And then we hitched a ride back to our cute little hotel that overlooked the town. (hitching rides= getting to sit in the back of a pickup as it flys around corners!)
the next morning we woke up early, to conquer the highest peak in honduras! this part is to make my dad proud! we got up at 5:30 and headed on our way for a 7 hour hike! i for the first time appreciated being prepared with a mec backpack (and even used the hip belt that i begged to cut off do to the lame appearance when first purchased) and mec rain coat. as you ascend you enter a cloud forest which feels like thick fog! anyway, it was really intense and really exciting!
that evening we felt ambitious and decided to grab a ¨half hour bus¨to the nearby village to do this pottery clinic thing. unfortunately, the bus ride was extended, due to stopping for a drunk man to buy beer, to urinate, for the police to search our bus, to catch a loose chicken on the bus... and by the time we got there it was getting so late we needed to get back. desperate times call for desperate measures! so we hitched a ride in the back to a cattle truck (seeing a cow lying down) and soon were crwding in the corners as the unhappy cow moved and slid around, peed everywhere... after being terrified, we climbed out and clung to the back to the truck for the rest of the 45 minute ride. if you know me at all, you´ll realize that this is the kind or retarded adventure that i LOVED every moment of! anyway.. it was a pretty great weekend and im excited for more to come however, back to school today was a draining experience!
With my grade ones.. I have basically given up treeaching them new concepts and am basically working on keeping them busy with activites. And seeing as another volunteer is leaving I asked if I could move to grade 4.. which she said yes! so now im just hoping to survive the rest of this week and trying to motivate myself to accomplish more with the older group! i still am really unsure about what im accomplishing here.. and hopefully this switch will bring about a change for the better! and maybe my new class will give me a purpose to be here more than punishing kids and adventure on weekends!
more updates to come...
and pictures when i go into the city with faster internet!
the next morning we woke up early, to conquer the highest peak in honduras! this part is to make my dad proud! we got up at 5:30 and headed on our way for a 7 hour hike! i for the first time appreciated being prepared with a mec backpack (and even used the hip belt that i begged to cut off do to the lame appearance when first purchased) and mec rain coat. as you ascend you enter a cloud forest which feels like thick fog! anyway, it was really intense and really exciting!
that evening we felt ambitious and decided to grab a ¨half hour bus¨to the nearby village to do this pottery clinic thing. unfortunately, the bus ride was extended, due to stopping for a drunk man to buy beer, to urinate, for the police to search our bus, to catch a loose chicken on the bus... and by the time we got there it was getting so late we needed to get back. desperate times call for desperate measures! so we hitched a ride in the back to a cattle truck (seeing a cow lying down) and soon were crwding in the corners as the unhappy cow moved and slid around, peed everywhere... after being terrified, we climbed out and clung to the back to the truck for the rest of the 45 minute ride. if you know me at all, you´ll realize that this is the kind or retarded adventure that i LOVED every moment of! anyway.. it was a pretty great weekend and im excited for more to come however, back to school today was a draining experience!
With my grade ones.. I have basically given up treeaching them new concepts and am basically working on keeping them busy with activites. And seeing as another volunteer is leaving I asked if I could move to grade 4.. which she said yes! so now im just hoping to survive the rest of this week and trying to motivate myself to accomplish more with the older group! i still am really unsure about what im accomplishing here.. and hopefully this switch will bring about a change for the better! and maybe my new class will give me a purpose to be here more than punishing kids and adventure on weekends!
more updates to come...
and pictures when i go into the city with faster internet!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Settling In..
Hey everyone!
so sorry thi has taken so long.. ok so from the beginning i guess.
after pretty much 24 hours of flying and airporting, i arrived safe and sound to no luggage and no one to pick me up. After finiding one person who spoke english, he was helping me look up`a number to call, when a sketchy greesy hhonduran who spoke NO english cap to me with a sign. he hda his cell with him which had the school director Mirna on it. anyway, after a very fun ride (i wish i could drive like that all the time!) i ende up at ¨the rocks¨ aka bens house. ben is the old man, mirnas husband, who funds the school nd gets volunteers... he tells me all bou honduras... and finally mirna takes me to the house.
the girls at the house are all older that me, theres carla who is a pharmacist, daniella a permanent wander (going home for grad school) and betsy, done grad school and taking a break. In the other house there re 2 guys and heather who just left without even giving the place a chance. anyway, i was super disppointed because noone was social, put in much effort of was passionate about the school. It just seemed like everyone wa here for the hell of it and was independant. The village is sweet and only if you´ve been to central america can you begin to understand it.. from the bags of water, to the wild dog, the barbed wire, crazy driving... i hopeto put up pictures soon!
anywy, since then it been a struggle to truely feel settled in this place with noone to relate to. At the beginning i felt like i had tobe someone else, but since then I´ve gien up trying to fit in with these people nd stuck to what i believe.
Anyway, I got my luggage yesterday and have been in the school 2 dasy now. The kids are INSANE·! i teach kinder in the morning and then grade 1.. they have no structure and just go where they want, climb bookshelves, take what they want... they dont even acknowledge you´re there for the most part. its going to take a really long time to build engough sturcture in te class to actually get to the point of learning. oh and do i ever wish i spoke spanish! anyway, i just hope that i can stick with it enough and keep my determination to make a difference in these kids lives, because english sklls will truely change their lives, although that seem impossible now.
anyway, i´ve just been prying my way through it!
this weekend the other volunteers and i are going to gracias, a cool town with hot springs, a mountiain to climb, cloud forest... so at least thats something to look forward to.
anyway, thats all for now! Ill try to keep in touch as best i can.
i wouldnt say i love this plaec yet.. but its definately a change, and ill just have to put in alot to make it a full, passionate experience!
Pray for me!
miss you alllll and thnks for the commments!!
so sorry thi has taken so long.. ok so from the beginning i guess.
after pretty much 24 hours of flying and airporting, i arrived safe and sound to no luggage and no one to pick me up. After finiding one person who spoke english, he was helping me look up`a number to call, when a sketchy greesy hhonduran who spoke NO english cap to me with a sign. he hda his cell with him which had the school director Mirna on it. anyway, after a very fun ride (i wish i could drive like that all the time!) i ende up at ¨the rocks¨ aka bens house. ben is the old man, mirnas husband, who funds the school nd gets volunteers... he tells me all bou honduras... and finally mirna takes me to the house.
the girls at the house are all older that me, theres carla who is a pharmacist, daniella a permanent wander (going home for grad school) and betsy, done grad school and taking a break. In the other house there re 2 guys and heather who just left without even giving the place a chance. anyway, i was super disppointed because noone was social, put in much effort of was passionate about the school. It just seemed like everyone wa here for the hell of it and was independant. The village is sweet and only if you´ve been to central america can you begin to understand it.. from the bags of water, to the wild dog, the barbed wire, crazy driving... i hopeto put up pictures soon!
anywy, since then it been a struggle to truely feel settled in this place with noone to relate to. At the beginning i felt like i had tobe someone else, but since then I´ve gien up trying to fit in with these people nd stuck to what i believe.
Anyway, I got my luggage yesterday and have been in the school 2 dasy now. The kids are INSANE·! i teach kinder in the morning and then grade 1.. they have no structure and just go where they want, climb bookshelves, take what they want... they dont even acknowledge you´re there for the most part. its going to take a really long time to build engough sturcture in te class to actually get to the point of learning. oh and do i ever wish i spoke spanish! anyway, i just hope that i can stick with it enough and keep my determination to make a difference in these kids lives, because english sklls will truely change their lives, although that seem impossible now.
anyway, i´ve just been prying my way through it!
this weekend the other volunteers and i are going to gracias, a cool town with hot springs, a mountiain to climb, cloud forest... so at least thats something to look forward to.
anyway, thats all for now! Ill try to keep in touch as best i can.
i wouldnt say i love this plaec yet.. but its definately a change, and ill just have to put in alot to make it a full, passionate experience!
Pray for me!
miss you alllll and thnks for the commments!!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Leaving
ok..
so todays the big day. Up until yesterday, I didn't really know what to feel about leaving. But in the past 2 days I've flipped between feeling excited and that I make dumb decisions. Feeling really ridiculous for signing up to move so far away for 8 months, when i don't know anyone, don't know how to teach, have never been there and don't speak the language. And then feeling excited to try a million new things, go on adventures, and be apart of a whole new culture. As of now, I just feel stressed about all the packing and details.
I fly out at 8 tonight, to begin my flights and layovers. And I guess the next time I post will be when I get there!
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