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Published: September 11th 2008
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I took this from my roof. Yeah, its beautiful.... Hello family and friends! I am sorry that I have been a bad blogger (?) and have been in Honduras for a full 2 1/2 weeks without posting at all. I do have several excuses, like the past few weeks have been the craziest of my life; with getting adjusting to living in a new country, and taking over a classroom for the first time, I have not had much free time. I will try to post pictures someday, but the internet here is slow and very unreliable.
Let me say that traveling here was an adventure in itself. First, saying goodbye to my family and Will at the gate was awful. I was also getting funny looks from the guards as I went through security. Upon reflection, I realized that this might be because I was sobbing, while holding my Little Mermaid pillow. So at the age of 22, instead of looking like a grown-up on their way to their first job, I looked like a 12 year old going off to camp. I arrived in Houston, meet my fellow teacher/roommate Angie who is way cool and we fly to San Pedro Sula together. We get to San Pedro, had a slight freak-out in line together when we thought we needed a visa, and then again when we went to the Hedman Alas bus station and I discovered we could not take a bus to Copan. We met a nice cab driver who took us to a place where we could catch a bus so it worked itself out.
Anyway, my apartment is huge. I have a double bed and my own bathroom for the first time in my life. We don't flush toilet paper, I have no microwave, a gas stove (so that way you can cook when the power goes out), a pila (giant sink to hand wash clothes), and 2 windows so our place is very dark. I live right in town which is AMAZING. If I need groceries, to go the market, use the internet, or pick up my laundry its only a 5 second walk. I share this apartment with 2 first grade teachers who are really fun. Out of all the teachers apartments, ours is the only one that always has running water. I can only think of 2x that we have not had water (you do not realize how great this is until your fellow teachers begin complaining that it has been 2 days since they've last had a shower, and with the heat and a 1/2 hour walk to school you NEED that daily shower).
School is beautiful. Seriously, its gorgeous. It's the rainy season so everything is lush, green, and blooming. An amazing lady (Ava) cleans my room and talks slowly enough that I can understand her and always has the best coffee made each day by the time we get there in the morning. My students are a handful and come from a very chatting Latin American culture but I love 'em. My biggest problem and constant struggle is keeping them from speaking Spanish. They are required to talk only in English, which they can do, but it requires a lot of work on their part. I am called Miss Katie, which I often hear yelled out in class a million times a day. (We also have trouble raising our hands.)
Next Monday is the Honduran Day of Independence (along with Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador) and so everyday this week, we lined up every single student in the school from tallest to shortest, along with the band, hula-hoop girls, and flag carriers, and we march for about an hour every day. Holidays are a big deal here. The first day we were marching along the road (a dirt/gravel road) and 3 teachers stepped in a dead chicken, a heard of cows came marching down the opposite side of the road, and cars/trucks/moto taxis are coming from every direction. In short, this would never happen in the U.S.
Today was El Dia del Nino (Children's Day), so we only had school from 8-12. Elementary had games, food, and class parties; while secondary (me!) had 100 bags of goodies to pass out in some of the surrounding villages. We also went to an orphanage and gave the kids cake, a pinata!, and LOTS of candy. Most of the kids had rotten teeth so I think a toothbrush would have been a better gift but both groups of kids loved it. I think Ty (literature teacher) and I are going to try and give English lessons to some of the kids there.
For Independence Day we get 3 days off school, so my roommates and I are going to head to the beach!!! The town we are going to is called Tela, we found a cheep, but cute hotel, and are planning to be whisked away as soon as the parade is over. So sometime next Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, think of me lying on the beach reading some Jane Austen.
Well, I know this blog was long, (that will make the parents happy though!) but this little summary doesn't even begin to describe my first few weeks here. The people are amazing, I'm picking up Spanish, plus I know this is where I am supposed to be no matter how much I miss everyone from home.
Adios!
p.s. I ask not to be judged on my spelling/grammar/writing style. Yes, I understand that is what I am teaching here, but sometime you just gotta unwind after a long day...
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Greg
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Very intersting!
Sounds like you are having a good time so far. I wish i could have played with a pinata... but im a big kid i guess so i gotta act like one. Have fun at the beach!