Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Tegus
I'm loving these last days in Tegus.... seeing Enrique....hanging out with guys from the Micah Project.... not being at school.... It's a lot of fun and insightful into the country that I have been living in for 2 months. I was going to "lay low" in the house tomorrow, but after spending the day in the city, I'm going to do it again tomorrow. It's my way of enjoying Tegus for all it has to offer during my last day in the city. I might be going to an orphanage. Vamos a ver!
Random Cultural Thoughts
On Music
Music in Honduras is not the typical Latin American deal. Instead of Ranchera music or Latin pop, Reggaeton is what's usually played. Daddy Yankee is one of the popular singers. So, when one is riding the city bus, a taxi, a colectivo, or is just walking in the street, the music that will be played is Reggaeton. Although it's definitely not my favorite type of music, I have come to appreciate it enough so that I might even miss not hearing it in the States!
On Restaurants
There are many fast-food places in Tegucigalpa. McDonald's, KFC, Duncan Donuts, TCBY, Little Caesars, and Pizza Hut are all places frequented by Hondurans. However, I have actually been surprised to learn that there are only 5 McDonald's in Tegus; thus, not many Hondurans eat at McDonald's. These restaurants came to Honduras following Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Apparently, the Honduran government wanted to boost up foreign investment in Honduras, so it gave foreign businesses a tax break to establish their business here. Interesting.
On Zoos
There is one zoo in Tegus, and it is very interesting. There are some "normal" zoo animals, such as peacocks, crocodiles, and monkeys. One "abnormal" thing about the monkeys: they are not all in their cages, but many walk on the outside of the cages, roaming freely. It was the closest I've ever been to a monkey before! The zoo also had some "abnormal" American zoo animals. Raccoons, ducks, and guinea pigs were all caged! I guess they're not frequently seen here, so that makes them more interesting.
On Water
Drinking water is always purified. Brushing teeth with the normal water is fine. The faucets here have intrigued me. The conclusion I have made is that only ONE faucet works on every sink. It's not always the same faucet. I don't know why, but that's the way things are. The water is always cool. So, for washing dishes, we use a strong soap to kill the bacteria and germs. We have a special hot-water-creater for the shower, so that's actually warm. The water in the washing machine is strongest in the morning. By the afternoon, it's a small trickle.
On Police
I haven't totally figured out my opinion of Honduran security personnel. However, I DO know that I have heard many stories of corrupt police (you can pay them if you get in an accident or get pulled over). Also, I know that my view of them does not escalate when they give a group of American females the stare-down, whistles, or say "piropos" to them.
*Piropos are pick-up lines, but when they're not used properly, they can be derogatory.
Ex. We frequently hear "mi amor" (my love) whispered as we walk by.
On Health Services
*Warning* If you are poor, never get seriously sick in Honduras.
Health services in Honduras are not good. I learned this from going to Hospital Escuela and seeing the conditions there. I learned this after only seeing a few ambulances (in a city of 1 million people) during my 2 months here. I learned this from talking with missionaries who told me that even if a ambulance does come, it will most likely take forever. People who actually want the guarantee of good medical service have to pay a company monthly, so that in the event that something does happen, a private ambulance will pick them up. What happened to valuing the sanctity of life?
On Honduran Culture
From what I've observed, Honduras does not have much of its own culture. There are very few - if any at all - famous singers, athletes, musicians, artists, or writers - from Honduras. Yes, there are the traditional Latin American artisans. However, there are no currently famous Hondurans who can act as a representative for the country. A lot of this, I have heard and tend to believe, is a cause of the American presence in Honduras. For more than 100 years, America has invested in Honduras, originally because of placing the Dole banana plantations on the North shore of Honduras. Now, America continues to invest in Honduras. Possibly the largest investment comes through Hondurans (in the US) sending money back to the "home country." El Salvador changed its currency to the US dollar, because there were more US dollars in the country than their national currency.
On Work
It doesn't surprise me that many Hondurans (around 20%??) don't make more than $1 a day. They sell produce, used shoes, clothing, or jewelry. I don't blame them for selling these things - I would, too - but Who is shopping?
There has got to be a better way.
On Work Ethic
This may be a contradiction to what I just said above, but in general, Hondurans do not demonstrate the highest work ethic. Although El Salvador is a poor country, it is known for its strong work ethic. This, according to a Honduran, allows the country to make more money each year. Sometimes, taxi drivers here will refuse to take you, because you refuse to pay a ridiculous price for their services. In reality, if they would take the job (even if it didn't pay a ton) they would earn more money, because they wouldn't just be sitting idly.
Music in Honduras is not the typical Latin American deal. Instead of Ranchera music or Latin pop, Reggaeton is what's usually played. Daddy Yankee is one of the popular singers. So, when one is riding the city bus, a taxi, a colectivo, or is just walking in the street, the music that will be played is Reggaeton. Although it's definitely not my favorite type of music, I have come to appreciate it enough so that I might even miss not hearing it in the States!
On Restaurants
There are many fast-food places in Tegucigalpa. McDonald's, KFC, Duncan Donuts, TCBY, Little Caesars, and Pizza Hut are all places frequented by Hondurans. However, I have actually been surprised to learn that there are only 5 McDonald's in Tegus; thus, not many Hondurans eat at McDonald's. These restaurants came to Honduras following Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Apparently, the Honduran government wanted to boost up foreign investment in Honduras, so it gave foreign businesses a tax break to establish their business here. Interesting.
On Zoos
There is one zoo in Tegus, and it is very interesting. There are some "normal" zoo animals, such as peacocks, crocodiles, and monkeys. One "abnormal" thing about the monkeys: they are not all in their cages, but many walk on the outside of the cages, roaming freely. It was the closest I've ever been to a monkey before! The zoo also had some "abnormal" American zoo animals. Raccoons, ducks, and guinea pigs were all caged! I guess they're not frequently seen here, so that makes them more interesting.
On Water
Drinking water is always purified. Brushing teeth with the normal water is fine. The faucets here have intrigued me. The conclusion I have made is that only ONE faucet works on every sink. It's not always the same faucet. I don't know why, but that's the way things are. The water is always cool. So, for washing dishes, we use a strong soap to kill the bacteria and germs. We have a special hot-water-creater for the shower, so that's actually warm. The water in the washing machine is strongest in the morning. By the afternoon, it's a small trickle.
On Police
I haven't totally figured out my opinion of Honduran security personnel. However, I DO know that I have heard many stories of corrupt police (you can pay them if you get in an accident or get pulled over). Also, I know that my view of them does not escalate when they give a group of American females the stare-down, whistles, or say "piropos" to them.
*Piropos are pick-up lines, but when they're not used properly, they can be derogatory.
Ex. We frequently hear "mi amor" (my love) whispered as we walk by.
On Health Services
*Warning* If you are poor, never get seriously sick in Honduras.
Health services in Honduras are not good. I learned this from going to Hospital Escuela and seeing the conditions there. I learned this after only seeing a few ambulances (in a city of 1 million people) during my 2 months here. I learned this from talking with missionaries who told me that even if a ambulance does come, it will most likely take forever. People who actually want the guarantee of good medical service have to pay a company monthly, so that in the event that something does happen, a private ambulance will pick them up. What happened to valuing the sanctity of life?
On Honduran Culture
From what I've observed, Honduras does not have much of its own culture. There are very few - if any at all - famous singers, athletes, musicians, artists, or writers - from Honduras. Yes, there are the traditional Latin American artisans. However, there are no currently famous Hondurans who can act as a representative for the country. A lot of this, I have heard and tend to believe, is a cause of the American presence in Honduras. For more than 100 years, America has invested in Honduras, originally because of placing the Dole banana plantations on the North shore of Honduras. Now, America continues to invest in Honduras. Possibly the largest investment comes through Hondurans (in the US) sending money back to the "home country." El Salvador changed its currency to the US dollar, because there were more US dollars in the country than their national currency.
On Work
It doesn't surprise me that many Hondurans (around 20%??) don't make more than $1 a day. They sell produce, used shoes, clothing, or jewelry. I don't blame them for selling these things - I would, too - but Who is shopping?
There has got to be a better way.
On Work Ethic
This may be a contradiction to what I just said above, but in general, Hondurans do not demonstrate the highest work ethic. Although El Salvador is a poor country, it is known for its strong work ethic. This, according to a Honduran, allows the country to make more money each year. Sometimes, taxi drivers here will refuse to take you, because you refuse to pay a ridiculous price for their services. In reality, if they would take the job (even if it didn't pay a ton) they would earn more money, because they wouldn't just be sitting idly.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Atypical Days
How do I process what has just happened? This is my feeble attempt. However, let me add that I don't process things quickly, so this is only one small step to making sense of an experience.
I went downtown last night to meet my family's Compassion child. I was nervous about going - not so much because I was nervous about what I was going to say - but I was worried about going to El Centro by myself at night. However, I paid almost $5 for a taxi, so I got to the hotel fine. I know I was also a bit nervous about the whoel encounter, because I had such high expectations for it.
I got to the hotel, went up to the room, and no one was there. However, as I came back to the lobby, a younger man looked at me affirmingly and said something. I took a double-take at the man, and he said "It's her." He pointed and said "there's the boy." I looked and saw a handsome 12-year old boy wearing a Puma shirt and blue slacks. He had the hugest, sweetest smile.
We spent about 2 hours getting to know each other in the hotel lobby. He prefers to be called Enrique. In fact, the project director called him "que-quito," (I think). It's the endearing form of "little Enrique." It was neat to see the relationship between the project director and Enrique. It's clear that Enrique sees him as a male adult figure, and I'm guessing that the director even acts as a sort of Dad for many of the project kids. I was very impressed.
I didn't sleep normally last night, because I was so excited to see him again in the morning. I got together some extra goodies - gum, candy, a bracelet, etc. - that I had in the house that I thought he might enjoy. He did!
After a misunderstanding, we wound up waiting for each other in different places for at least an hour. However, we finally met, ate at McDonalds, and went to Picacho (the Jesus statue that overlooks the city). That was great, because it was something I had been wanting to do.
Then came time to say goodbye. I didn't want to do it. I wanted to talk more and get to know him better. Although I can speak Spanish fairly well, it's still my 2nd language, so sometimes I don't think of things to say as easily as I would in English. (actually, this is the case most of the time). Nevertheless, we took a final picture, gave each other a big hug, and said goodbye.
Where does this leave me? I don't know. I will definitely write him letters - because they can be more meaningful to me and to him. It seems like he's really well taken care of at the Compassion project there in La Entrada. I would like to visit.
For now, I'm left with joy for seeing Enrique, sadness for leaving him, and a heart that deeply wants to impact individual children's lives. It only takes ONE person to do that.
I went downtown last night to meet my family's Compassion child. I was nervous about going - not so much because I was nervous about what I was going to say - but I was worried about going to El Centro by myself at night. However, I paid almost $5 for a taxi, so I got to the hotel fine. I know I was also a bit nervous about the whoel encounter, because I had such high expectations for it.
I got to the hotel, went up to the room, and no one was there. However, as I came back to the lobby, a younger man looked at me affirmingly and said something. I took a double-take at the man, and he said "It's her." He pointed and said "there's the boy." I looked and saw a handsome 12-year old boy wearing a Puma shirt and blue slacks. He had the hugest, sweetest smile.
We spent about 2 hours getting to know each other in the hotel lobby. He prefers to be called Enrique. In fact, the project director called him "que-quito," (I think). It's the endearing form of "little Enrique." It was neat to see the relationship between the project director and Enrique. It's clear that Enrique sees him as a male adult figure, and I'm guessing that the director even acts as a sort of Dad for many of the project kids. I was very impressed.
I didn't sleep normally last night, because I was so excited to see him again in the morning. I got together some extra goodies - gum, candy, a bracelet, etc. - that I had in the house that I thought he might enjoy. He did!
After a misunderstanding, we wound up waiting for each other in different places for at least an hour. However, we finally met, ate at McDonalds, and went to Picacho (the Jesus statue that overlooks the city). That was great, because it was something I had been wanting to do.
Then came time to say goodbye. I didn't want to do it. I wanted to talk more and get to know him better. Although I can speak Spanish fairly well, it's still my 2nd language, so sometimes I don't think of things to say as easily as I would in English. (actually, this is the case most of the time). Nevertheless, we took a final picture, gave each other a big hug, and said goodbye.
Where does this leave me? I don't know. I will definitely write him letters - because they can be more meaningful to me and to him. It seems like he's really well taken care of at the Compassion project there in La Entrada. I would like to visit.
For now, I'm left with joy for seeing Enrique, sadness for leaving him, and a heart that deeply wants to impact individual children's lives. It only takes ONE person to do that.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Directions + Christy + Honduras = ????
For those of you who know me well (or maybe at all) you know that I am not the most directionally-inclined person you've ever met.
Imagine me trying to give directions to a taxi service on the phone, in Spanish, in a city where where are no street signs. Directions go something like this: I live in Rio Grande, by Loarque. Go straight on the big hill, until you come to the end. Take a right. Go about 3 or 4 blocks. Take a left by a little tiendita (corner store). My house is at the end of the street and on the left. It's green. (We have no house numbers, to my knowledge).
I wound up telling the taxi service that I would wait at the corner of my street and the main street. I'm not sure if our understanding of "calle principal" (main street) is the same. I guess we'll see? It's quite possible I'll be late for meeting my Compassion child.
Enough said? Maybe I'm not the taxi service's easiest customer. :-)
Imagine me trying to give directions to a taxi service on the phone, in Spanish, in a city where where are no street signs. Directions go something like this: I live in Rio Grande, by Loarque. Go straight on the big hill, until you come to the end. Take a right. Go about 3 or 4 blocks. Take a left by a little tiendita (corner store). My house is at the end of the street and on the left. It's green. (We have no house numbers, to my knowledge).
I wound up telling the taxi service that I would wait at the corner of my street and the main street. I'm not sure if our understanding of "calle principal" (main street) is the same. I guess we'll see? It's quite possible I'll be late for meeting my Compassion child.
Enough said? Maybe I'm not the taxi service's easiest customer. :-)
5A - My Class
Juan 
Mario 
Josseline
Rebeca 
Sofia
Vilma
Lissa 
Maria 
Marlon
Monica 
Oscar 
Fernando
Francis 
German 
Joan 
Kyle 
Cindy 
Cristhian 
Daniel 
Eduardo 
Ester 
Alejandro 
Alex 
Andrea 
Arleth 
AyleenFriday, December 14, 2007
I'm DONE!!!!
My last day of school was today, so I'm DONE!!!! Officially, however, I am not done, because I have to finish planning a math unit. I didn't have time to finish it during the week, so now I'm stuck with weekend work. Bah-humbug. It stinks, but at least I don't have to plan a ton of things!!
My kids through me a surprise party for me. However, I have discovered that a "surprise" party doesn't really work very well in Elementary. No one said anything, but I picked up on the "small" clues. Some of the students brought candy and small pastries, and I poured pop. They had written on the white board and some of them made me cards. It was nice of them.
I am going to bed at 7pm tonight. I'm still sick - it's in my voice and my nose now. Surprise, surprise! Also, I have been getting around 5 0r 5.5 hrs of sleep, so I am in the mood/physical state that requires more sleep. I can probably get 12 hrs now.... ahh..
Vacation is near! Thank you to those of you who have been praying for me!
My kids through me a surprise party for me. However, I have discovered that a "surprise" party doesn't really work very well in Elementary. No one said anything, but I picked up on the "small" clues. Some of the students brought candy and small pastries, and I poured pop. They had written on the white board and some of them made me cards. It was nice of them.
I am going to bed at 7pm tonight. I'm still sick - it's in my voice and my nose now. Surprise, surprise! Also, I have been getting around 5 0r 5.5 hrs of sleep, so I am in the mood/physical state that requires more sleep. I can probably get 12 hrs now.... ahh..
Vacation is near! Thank you to those of you who have been praying for me!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Most Unique Christmas Present EVER!
One of my students and his mom stopped by my house today and gave me a Christmas present. It´s definitely the most interesting present I have ever received. His dad is a fisherman in Roatan, an island on the North coast of Honduras. So, my gift was a frozen lobster! It's cut into 4 pieces and is striped. I need to figure out how to cook and season it, so if anyone has any suggestions, let me know! I'm sure it will be delicious! Until then, I have a LOBSTER in my freezer! haha.
La Tigra/Valle de Angeles
Jorge and Monika's house in La Tigra
Oh yes... my very own High School Musical tambourine. Much fun to be had !
The cloud forest of La Tigra National Park. This is where we hiked on Sunday!
The cascara on our Sunday hike.
Our cabaña at Jorge and Monika´s! It´s so exotic, really!
Teal, Debbie, and me dining pupusas and licuados in Valle de Angeles.
Teal´s future husband with the plated teeth.
Ahhh, the cloud forest.
Valle de Angeles.
Jorge and Monika´s house. Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Sick
I have a cold in my voice. It makes teaching very difficult!! I cannot speak very loudly at all - and I am exhausted. i'm really glad it's Wednesday tomorrow. I'm supposed to be videotaping my lesson, so we'll see if anyone can even hear me. :-) I'm off to take a nap.....
Monday, December 10, 2007
Not Much
There's not much to say, other than the fact that I'm really enjoying not having the pressure of teaching full-time. I'm only teaching 1 lesson tomorrow! Yes!! Tonight I'm going to try to finish all of Math and Grammar until next Wednesday. It's possible! Then, I'll just have to finish planning my math unit (the probability part) for my cooperating teacher.
This weekend, I might try to visit Picacho, the Jesus statue that overlooks the city of Tegus. Pretty relaxed, cheap, and chill trip. I'll also have to get a gift for Jesus and his family.
This weekend, I might try to visit Picacho, the Jesus statue that overlooks the city of Tegus. Pretty relaxed, cheap, and chill trip. I'll also have to get a gift for Jesus and his family.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Weekend Happenings
So, I know I still haven't written about my time in Nicaragua, but hopefully sometime I will. Most of you will just get to hear it from me in person!
Here's the short version of the weekend:
All of the teachers went to Valle de Angeles, a touristy town, to Christmas shop on Saturday. It was a cute little town with some great shops. I'm quite pleased with my purchases (family, don't get too excited, it's nothing extremely phenominal, but the things are nice).
Ro, Deanna, Debbie, Teal and I then went to La Tigra (hitchhiking, of course!). It was awesome. I will have to write more later. Basically, it was a night of delicious home-cooked food, we tucked away in the mountains and clouds of Honduras, with fresh air to breathe, and we went hiking for 3.5 hours today (Sunday) to see a waterfall. All-in-all, it was a great time. Also, it took us forever to get a ride back to Tegucigalpa. This was the first time I had seen this, but almost every person who passed us laughed as we had our thumbs sticking out. They full-on laughed in their cars. We didn't understand why. However, a really nice guy from Tegus let all 5 of us get in his truck (there was room INSIDE!), and we didn't feel so ridiculous about hitchhiking anymore.
It's the last week of student teaching!!! Yippee!!
Here's the short version of the weekend:
All of the teachers went to Valle de Angeles, a touristy town, to Christmas shop on Saturday. It was a cute little town with some great shops. I'm quite pleased with my purchases (family, don't get too excited, it's nothing extremely phenominal, but the things are nice).
Ro, Deanna, Debbie, Teal and I then went to La Tigra (hitchhiking, of course!). It was awesome. I will have to write more later. Basically, it was a night of delicious home-cooked food, we tucked away in the mountains and clouds of Honduras, with fresh air to breathe, and we went hiking for 3.5 hours today (Sunday) to see a waterfall. All-in-all, it was a great time. Also, it took us forever to get a ride back to Tegucigalpa. This was the first time I had seen this, but almost every person who passed us laughed as we had our thumbs sticking out. They full-on laughed in their cars. We didn't understand why. However, a really nice guy from Tegus let all 5 of us get in his truck (there was room INSIDE!), and we didn't feel so ridiculous about hitchhiking anymore.
It's the last week of student teaching!!! Yippee!!
Saturday, December 8, 2007
On Pollution
Pollution here in Tegus is horrible. It's been notably worse this past week, because it hasn't rained in awhile. Tegus is a bowl-shaped city, because it's surrounded by mountains. Therefore, all of the pollution "hangs" in the city and clogs our lungs. It's fantastic, really!
One of my roommates has been sick her whole time here. We think it's the pollution. It's worse, also, because there aren't any regulations about carbon emission. People buy diesel because it's cheaper, thus furthering to our early death by pollution.
However, I'm going to La Tigra today, and the air is fantastic. I've never enjoyed clean air more than when I last went to La Tigra!
One of my roommates has been sick her whole time here. We think it's the pollution. It's worse, also, because there aren't any regulations about carbon emission. People buy diesel because it's cheaper, thus furthering to our early death by pollution.
However, I'm going to La Tigra today, and the air is fantastic. I've never enjoyed clean air more than when I last went to La Tigra!
Friday, December 7, 2007
Hospital Escuela
Today all of the 5th graders went on a field trip to Hospital Escuela, a public hospital in Tegus. The hospital building was definitely modest - with small, not-extremely well-lit hallways, and older equiptment. It was a great experience, but I'm definitely tired emotionally and physically from it.
The students, who all come from middle to upper-class families, kept on saying they were scared, and that they wanted to go back to the bus. They said they were going to faint. We just encouraged them to stay positive so they could encourage the families and the patients.
We came with about 800 stuffed animals, so that each child at the hospital could receive a Christmas gift. My class first went to the orthopedics. The students each handed out a stuffed animal, and were told to chat with the patients as well.
Then, another teacher and I got to go to the Intensive Care unit. Most volunteer groups do not go to the IC, so it was special that we could go. There were 7 kids in the room, all hooked up to IV's, and ranging in ages from a few days old to 13 or so. All were sleeping, and even one was in a vegetative state. I was told that maybe 2 out of the 7 would survive. It was really sad.
We then went into another IC unit that had more kids. We delivered the gifts to the kids, although the kids, again, were mostly connected to IV's. There was a medical missionary group that was helping. There was a surgery going on right in the room -without any special procautions or safety measures in place. OIH! (Only in Honduras...and other developing countries, I guess).
When I got back to my students, they were all teary-eyed and some students were crying really hard. I guess they had seen a baby with an inflamed head. He or she had to have a needle in his/her brain to drain the fluid. Even the "tough" boys were crying.
The students were really humbled by the trip, and I think it was effective. We came back to the class, shared about some kids we had met and why they were in the hospital, and then we got into groups of 3 or 4 and prayed together. Many of the kids had been in car accidents. I was very impressed with how my teacher handled the "debriefing." She let them do 99% of the talking.
It made me thankful for my own health - which I take for granted every day. I also found out today that a student from Saline just died in a car crash last night - another reason to be thankful for life!
The students, who all come from middle to upper-class families, kept on saying they were scared, and that they wanted to go back to the bus. They said they were going to faint. We just encouraged them to stay positive so they could encourage the families and the patients.
We came with about 800 stuffed animals, so that each child at the hospital could receive a Christmas gift. My class first went to the orthopedics. The students each handed out a stuffed animal, and were told to chat with the patients as well.
Then, another teacher and I got to go to the Intensive Care unit. Most volunteer groups do not go to the IC, so it was special that we could go. There were 7 kids in the room, all hooked up to IV's, and ranging in ages from a few days old to 13 or so. All were sleeping, and even one was in a vegetative state. I was told that maybe 2 out of the 7 would survive. It was really sad.
We then went into another IC unit that had more kids. We delivered the gifts to the kids, although the kids, again, were mostly connected to IV's. There was a medical missionary group that was helping. There was a surgery going on right in the room -without any special procautions or safety measures in place. OIH! (Only in Honduras...and other developing countries, I guess).
When I got back to my students, they were all teary-eyed and some students were crying really hard. I guess they had seen a baby with an inflamed head. He or she had to have a needle in his/her brain to drain the fluid. Even the "tough" boys were crying.
The students were really humbled by the trip, and I think it was effective. We came back to the class, shared about some kids we had met and why they were in the hospital, and then we got into groups of 3 or 4 and prayed together. Many of the kids had been in car accidents. I was very impressed with how my teacher handled the "debriefing." She let them do 99% of the talking.
It made me thankful for my own health - which I take for granted every day. I also found out today that a student from Saline just died in a car crash last night - another reason to be thankful for life!
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Spelling Sentences
hoofs: the fingernails of animals.
cuffs: the theecker material at the end of a sleeve (plural of cuff)
lives: the space of time between born and dead
Sometimes these things make me laugh.
Random info: some of my students have chauffeurs!
cuffs: the theecker material at the end of a sleeve (plural of cuff)
lives: the space of time between born and dead
Sometimes these things make me laugh.
Random info: some of my students have chauffeurs!
Visit and Evaluations
I just talked with Compassion last night, and they said that I could visit Jesus (my family's sponsor child) at the hotel on Sunday night, Dec 16, as well. This gives me more time with him, which is fantastic. I have to buy his gift next weekend!
I'm going to Valle de Angeles this weekend. There are a lot of artesanias there, so hopefully I'll find some good Christmas gifts, as well as souveniers for my future house :-). I think I'm also going to La Tigra again, but this time I'm going to spend the night in a cabin owned by a German couple. Everyone here LOVES it, so I figure for about $30, I should experience the wonder. Somewhere in there, I have to figure out time to plan some lessons!
I got my final evaluations from my supervisor yesterday. They're pretty good. They definitely point out the things that I did wrong/need to improve on more than I would like, but they also add that I will be a good teacher. So, I guess they're pretty accurate.
Overall, this placement has been difficult for me - for different reasons than my placement in Indy. I wasn't ready mentally for being here, and this impacted my adjustment a lot. I thought this placement was going to be easier, but it wasn't, so I had to adjust to that. The kids in my class talk A TON, and I had to figure out what management techniques worked with them. This took (and is still taking) me a long time. My relationship with my cooperating teacher is very different, because she's only a few years older than me and has only been teaching for 4 years.
Anyway, things are coming to a close at IST, and I can say that I've gotten good practice in the classroom. I've learned a lot, I think, and I believe that I would be able to do a good job of managing this class (eventually), or had I begun the year with this set of students.
I'm going to Valle de Angeles this weekend. There are a lot of artesanias there, so hopefully I'll find some good Christmas gifts, as well as souveniers for my future house :-). I think I'm also going to La Tigra again, but this time I'm going to spend the night in a cabin owned by a German couple. Everyone here LOVES it, so I figure for about $30, I should experience the wonder. Somewhere in there, I have to figure out time to plan some lessons!
I got my final evaluations from my supervisor yesterday. They're pretty good. They definitely point out the things that I did wrong/need to improve on more than I would like, but they also add that I will be a good teacher. So, I guess they're pretty accurate.
Overall, this placement has been difficult for me - for different reasons than my placement in Indy. I wasn't ready mentally for being here, and this impacted my adjustment a lot. I thought this placement was going to be easier, but it wasn't, so I had to adjust to that. The kids in my class talk A TON, and I had to figure out what management techniques worked with them. This took (and is still taking) me a long time. My relationship with my cooperating teacher is very different, because she's only a few years older than me and has only been teaching for 4 years.
Anyway, things are coming to a close at IST, and I can say that I've gotten good practice in the classroom. I've learned a lot, I think, and I believe that I would be able to do a good job of managing this class (eventually), or had I begun the year with this set of students.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
New Critter
Tonight it was not a large ant in the living room with Jenna, but a tree frog in the bathroom with Deanna. We could almost play our own "Honduran Critters" version of Clue! He was cute, but I was ready to get him out of the house, because I had grading to do. I finally got the frog out by using a towel and a mug. I will post pictures later.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Sad Soccer Story
Am I lesson planning again? Yup, you guessed it! However, it is nice to only have 2 lessons to plan daily. I'm so pumped, because MATH IS PLANNED UNTIL FRIDAY!!! Technically, that was supposed to happen every week (have the next week planned in advance), but this is the first week it's actually happened.
For a little bit of Honduran life:
Yesterday at the futbol game I saw something that really bothered me and tapped on my heart and my head in a way that I haven't experienced yet in Honduras.
For the "quick" version (anyone who knows me well will know that my "quick" will....well... not be so quick; but, I'll try), I noticed a young boy, of 12-14 years, sitting a few rows in front of me in the stadium. He was so skinny and looked really malnourished. I also noted that he seemed to be sniffing something. "It's probably glue," I thought.
Then, he proceeded to "help" some men sitting beside him. He took their wide twine, pulled it apart into small pieces, then proceeded to place it in his seemingly-empty Coke bottle. When he pulled out the twine-like-material, it was damp. He gave the material to the men, and they proceeded to sit back and "discreetly" sniff the material. I have no idea what the material or the liquid was, but this situation evoked several emotions in me:
-I was saddened that the boy was selling this "substance" at such a young age
-I was angry at the men for using the boy in this way
And then, after Olympia (the team from Tegus) scored a goal, everyone was going crazy, except for the Americans (us), who weren't so loyal to any team. The men started laughing at us, mainly at me, because I was just sitting there, while the rest of the stadium was extatic. Call me stern, or cold, or whatever, but I refused to look at those men who had so evily used the boy for their own pleasure.
Then I realized that there are probably so many kids in Honduras being used this way and in other inhumane ways - in order to stay alive and to give pleasure to other people. Que horrible.
For a little bit of Honduran life:
Yesterday at the futbol game I saw something that really bothered me and tapped on my heart and my head in a way that I haven't experienced yet in Honduras.
For the "quick" version (anyone who knows me well will know that my "quick" will....well... not be so quick; but, I'll try), I noticed a young boy, of 12-14 years, sitting a few rows in front of me in the stadium. He was so skinny and looked really malnourished. I also noted that he seemed to be sniffing something. "It's probably glue," I thought.
Then, he proceeded to "help" some men sitting beside him. He took their wide twine, pulled it apart into small pieces, then proceeded to place it in his seemingly-empty Coke bottle. When he pulled out the twine-like-material, it was damp. He gave the material to the men, and they proceeded to sit back and "discreetly" sniff the material. I have no idea what the material or the liquid was, but this situation evoked several emotions in me:
-I was saddened that the boy was selling this "substance" at such a young age
-I was angry at the men for using the boy in this way
And then, after Olympia (the team from Tegus) scored a goal, everyone was going crazy, except for the Americans (us), who weren't so loyal to any team. The men started laughing at us, mainly at me, because I was just sitting there, while the rest of the stadium was extatic. Call me stern, or cold, or whatever, but I refused to look at those men who had so evily used the boy for their own pleasure.
Then I realized that there are probably so many kids in Honduras being used this way and in other inhumane ways - in order to stay alive and to give pleasure to other people. Que horrible.
Mixed Thoughts/Emotions
I've started only teaching 2 subjects a day, which is nice, but it has its drawbacks.
I realized today that I'm going to have to fight really hard to stay focused on school during these next 2 weeks. I'm loving the culture here, but I'm ready to be done with student teaching. However, if I end my experience with a lackadaisical (yes, I had to look it up to know its spelling) attitude, that's not only going to affect my kids, but also my teacher's impression of me. Not a good way to end this experience. So, I must keep pressing ahead, knowing that both the kids and other teachers are anxious for Christmas break. One thing that has helped me a TON during my time here has been the support of the fellow American teachers. They all know that teaching at IST and living in Honduras is no easy task. Teaching itself is hard enough, but add the gazillion (I looked that word up, too...haha) other factors that affect teaching and life here, and you've got a very challenging situation.
Anyway, we're going to Hospital Escuela on Friday with all of the 5th graders. We've been collecting nicely used and new stuffed animals and we're going to deliver them to kids who are in the hospital. So I hear, there will be a lot of kids who don't have much money, so this will hopefully mean a lot to them. Hopefully, in the process, the IST kids will also learn about themselves, their responsibility (coming from families with money), and the status of their country. It should be a good time.
I realized today that I'm going to have to fight really hard to stay focused on school during these next 2 weeks. I'm loving the culture here, but I'm ready to be done with student teaching. However, if I end my experience with a lackadaisical (yes, I had to look it up to know its spelling) attitude, that's not only going to affect my kids, but also my teacher's impression of me. Not a good way to end this experience. So, I must keep pressing ahead, knowing that both the kids and other teachers are anxious for Christmas break. One thing that has helped me a TON during my time here has been the support of the fellow American teachers. They all know that teaching at IST and living in Honduras is no easy task. Teaching itself is hard enough, but add the gazillion (I looked that word up, too...haha) other factors that affect teaching and life here, and you've got a very challenging situation.
Anyway, we're going to Hospital Escuela on Friday with all of the 5th graders. We've been collecting nicely used and new stuffed animals and we're going to deliver them to kids who are in the hospital. So I hear, there will be a lot of kids who don't have much money, so this will hopefully mean a lot to them. Hopefully, in the process, the IST kids will also learn about themselves, their responsibility (coming from families with money), and the status of their country. It should be a good time.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Partido de Futbol
You all are the recipients of my lack of focus. Writing posts is what I do when I'm supposed to be lesson planning! I hope you're enjoying it!
The futbol game was fun. The team from Tegus won. The most exciting part of the game was definitely not the numerous comments and "smooching" noises that were made toward us. Hondurans find it so cool to speak any English they know when they see us. So, sometimes you get some interesting (and inappropriate) comments. It makes me want to wear a bag.... Actually, though, I think they would still make comments. I could be FEO FEO FEO (ugly), but I would still get comments, just because I speak English. Go figure.
Really, the best part was that the fan section for Olympia (the team from Tegus) was ridiculous. Thank goodness, we didn't sit there. However, we did have to walk by them. As we were doing so, firecrackers started going off just a foot away from us. It was so loud! Furthermore, after we made it through the chaos, Jen informed us all that one of the firecrackers had hit her jeans, and that it had burned a hole in them. Yes, there are most definitely several charred marks (and a small hole, I believe), on her jeans. Of course, this happened to Jen. She's always the recipient of random occurances such as this. Anyway, that's your cultural lesson for the day. Watch out for fireworks next time you're in Latin America... they might just burn a hole in your jeans!
The futbol game was fun. The team from Tegus won. The most exciting part of the game was definitely not the numerous comments and "smooching" noises that were made toward us. Hondurans find it so cool to speak any English they know when they see us. So, sometimes you get some interesting (and inappropriate) comments. It makes me want to wear a bag.... Actually, though, I think they would still make comments. I could be FEO FEO FEO (ugly), but I would still get comments, just because I speak English. Go figure.
Really, the best part was that the fan section for Olympia (the team from Tegus) was ridiculous. Thank goodness, we didn't sit there. However, we did have to walk by them. As we were doing so, firecrackers started going off just a foot away from us. It was so loud! Furthermore, after we made it through the chaos, Jen informed us all that one of the firecrackers had hit her jeans, and that it had burned a hole in them. Yes, there are most definitely several charred marks (and a small hole, I believe), on her jeans. Of course, this happened to Jen. She's always the recipient of random occurances such as this. Anyway, that's your cultural lesson for the day. Watch out for fireworks next time you're in Latin America... they might just burn a hole in your jeans!
Prayer Request
I discovered one of the reasons that people don't want to live in developing countries - parasites. Thankfully, I have not acquired one; however, this is the situation:
One of my students has parasites in her brain. I shouldn't tell too many details, because of the "free for all" nature of the internet, but it's a VERY serious situation. The parasite comes through eating bad meat or vegetables. She hasn't been to school in a week. There is no treatment available, whatsoever.
There's also another parasitic disease here called Mal de Congas. Apparently it eats away the valves of your heart.
Anyway, if you could pray for my student, it would be great. She might be returning to school tomorrow, but only in order for her spirits to remain positive.
One of my students has parasites in her brain. I shouldn't tell too many details, because of the "free for all" nature of the internet, but it's a VERY serious situation. The parasite comes through eating bad meat or vegetables. She hasn't been to school in a week. There is no treatment available, whatsoever.
There's also another parasitic disease here called Mal de Congas. Apparently it eats away the valves of your heart.
Anyway, if you could pray for my student, it would be great. She might be returning to school tomorrow, but only in order for her spirits to remain positive.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Party!
I went to one of my student's birthday parties this afternoon. Inviting teachers to birthday parties is a normal occurance here in Honduras - until about 6th grade, that is. It was from 3-6pm at the ONLY bowling alley in Tegus - MetroBowl. Bowling is "boliche" in Spanish. I had to get her a birthday gift. I left the house with 300 Lemps (15 dollars), but unfortunately I had miscalculated how much I would need. I wanted to get her a gift for 200L, which would've left me with 100L for transportation. Clearly I didn't think that through enough. So, after spending 60L on my first leg of the trip (to the mall), I realized that my gift was going to be quite small. The gift cost 90L (a small notebook, pencils, stickers, and bag...kind of an embarassingly small gift, really), leaving me with 210L for transportation. I needed almost all of it.
The party was fun. Rebeca told me who she liked!, we bowled (I did horribly), ate pizza, cake, and I talked with the other 5th graders there.
Honduran/Latin American tradition: the birthday boy or girl takes a bite of the entire cake. When this is being done, friends and/or family push the person's face in the cake. Rebeca wanted this to be done to her, so there was a face imprint in the cake afterwards! Kind of fun!
Oh! The theme was High School Musical 2. I have a bracelet, a cup, and some random goodies now. The bracelets were shipped from the U.S. Crazy.
My goal is to finish planning math tonight (actually, I don't really have a choice in the matter) and hopefully, I'll have enough done so that tomorrow I can go to the soccer game between two Honduran teams. Yeah!
Also, I went to a SYMPHONY concert last night! That's right.... there is maybe one symphony concert a year in Tegus and I went! It was free and took place in a Basilica in El Centro (the "center" of Tegus). It was a holiday concert and was really good! The local university sponsored it. It was an orchestra and a choir. They sang Christmas carols in Spanish, as well as typical songs composed by LeRoy Anderson. Overall, it was wonderful to hear good music again (instead of Reggaton or random 80's songs which are always heard here)
The party was fun. Rebeca told me who she liked!, we bowled (I did horribly), ate pizza, cake, and I talked with the other 5th graders there.
Honduran/Latin American tradition: the birthday boy or girl takes a bite of the entire cake. When this is being done, friends and/or family push the person's face in the cake. Rebeca wanted this to be done to her, so there was a face imprint in the cake afterwards! Kind of fun!
Oh! The theme was High School Musical 2. I have a bracelet, a cup, and some random goodies now. The bracelets were shipped from the U.S. Crazy.
My goal is to finish planning math tonight (actually, I don't really have a choice in the matter) and hopefully, I'll have enough done so that tomorrow I can go to the soccer game between two Honduran teams. Yeah!
Also, I went to a SYMPHONY concert last night! That's right.... there is maybe one symphony concert a year in Tegus and I went! It was free and took place in a Basilica in El Centro (the "center" of Tegus). It was a holiday concert and was really good! The local university sponsored it. It was an orchestra and a choir. They sang Christmas carols in Spanish, as well as typical songs composed by LeRoy Anderson. Overall, it was wonderful to hear good music again (instead of Reggaton or random 80's songs which are always heard here)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)