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Published: October 27th 2008
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7th Grade Madness!
My 7th grade boys creating a human table. Buenas!
So, I apologize for not writing sooner. Many, many, many things have happened since my last entry and I have been a little busy, so again, I’m sorry. Let me catch you up:
1) Independence Day Parade: It was really cool to witness another country’s Independence Day. I suggest you try it some time. The kids were troopers. We marched about a 5k, and it was probably the hottest day of year, and for the first time we go to sport our incredibly cool (by cool I mean, BOTH, stylish and light weight) Mayatan polo’s. The parade ended at 12 and at 2:30 I was on a bus to Tela.
2) Trip to Tela: Took a bus to San Pedro Sula, but then it was too late to catch another bus, so for the first time traveling in a big group was advantageous and we were all able to chip in and get two taxis. On our way there we were stopped by the police. The police are the lowest paid public officials in Honduras, and as a result are very corrupt. Our taxi driver simply had to pay him a small fine in order to pass.
My students!
Here are my students! This was taken on Dia del Nino when we were visiting an orphanage. They give the children a pinata, cake, coke, candy, and presents. No wonder everyone has bad teeth here. (Speaking of public officials, there is a mayoral election going on, and before we got here the candidates were buying votes from the people for 1,000 limperas/ $50ish each. This is more than the average Honduran makes in a month.)
Finally got to Tela and had an interesting time staying in a Garifuna village (they are descendants of displaced slaves and speak a mixture of English, Creole, French, and Spanish, ). The first night we got there we ate this crazy restaurant where the lady did not give us menus, and instead told us that they had chicken, conch, beef, or shrimp. We all ordered chicken, except of the vegetarian in our group. About an hour later, she came back with our meal that we watched her cook over a campfire-like stove. It was good and I still haven’t had any stomach issues while being here! We stayed at this cute bed and breakfast and relaxed on the beach for a few days. The town was a bit trashy but it was nice to get away.
3) William came to visit and we went to Antigua, Guatemala, paid way too much to get across the border, survived a
Independence Day!
The stage at Independence Day before marching. cramped bus ride, and I had bagels, McDonald's French fries, and a legitimate salad! Antigua was a really cool town. It’s bigger than Copan, and way more touristy. We got to climb a volcano, and we where so close to the lava we could have roasted marshmallows. Antigua used to be the Spanish capitol of Central America so it has a lot of really cool old buildings and churches.
4) I had the best birthday! My roommates made me pancakes, eggs, and coffee for breakfast. This is a big deal when you normally wake up at 5:15.am. Then, we got a taxi ride to school!!! At school, during first period, Angie and Michelle brought their entire 1st grade class over and sung Happy Birthday to me in Spanish/English, with my 8th grade pounding their desks along with them. The also made me a sweet construction paper crown. My 7th grade class, (in particular 3 boys who are the funniest children alive) decided to throw me a pizza party. It was great until the pizza came; only three boxes, for 16 children, Will, Ty (Lit. teacher) and myself. So there was only enough for 1 slice per student, and then I cut the rest in half so everyone could get an equal amount. However, the boys who organized it were upset because they put a lot of money in to buy the pizza, while some kids did not put in any money or couldn’t afford to chip in. It all worked out in the end and everyone was happy with their share. While we were eating the pizza, all the boys got together, and started arranging chairs, and then started to make a human table (I will attached photos). Also, if you sent me gifts/cards with William, thank you so much! You have NO IDEA how much all that meant to me.
5) During Wills visit we went to see the Mayan ruins. They were aMAYANzing (shout out to El Salvador team)! Will broke his shoe, we simultaneously “stole” some kid’s umbrella and left my new umbrella there. Next time I go, I want to get a guide.
6) Our librarian, Zach, went back to the states to be in a wedding and brought back the 1st four episodes of this seasons OFFICE! One day we got home at 9:00 because the rain was so bad, so we tracked down the projector from school and finally put my big, dreary, white walls to use by projecting a few episodes onto them. Then we crammed 15 teachers into my place and had an amazing afternoon of laughs and no class.
7) Saturday night we had a girl’s night at this missionary couple’s house. Megan (administrator at the school) was house sitting and told us to all come over. It was like I was transported back into America. They had real furniture, actually lazy boys that reclined, bright, cheerful lights, wireless, direct TV, an actually TV, a phone that made calls to the US, and lunch meat. They told Megan to eat the turkey because it was going to go bad, so I made everyone a turkey and cheese sandwich and it was the most amazing thing EVER.
8)Yesterday, I went with some teachers to a little town called Santa Rita. From there, we hiked for about 30 minutes to a waterfall. It was amazing. We were only gone for 2 hours but I felt like we were in a different world. We were climbing and swimming around everywhere. It will be fun to go back when it’s warm (and with a swim suit).
So, those are the highlights from the past few days/weeks/months. Here are some things I don’t like about Copan/Honduras/Central America:
1) The men. They are very disrespectful to women. Even when I am wearing my Mayatan polo, so they know I live here.
2) The water. You never know if it is going to be on or off. You do not realize how many things you use water for when you don’t have it for 4 days. It’s the rainy season, and last week we went home early because kids from Santa Rita couldn’t get to school because of the roads. Since I have been here, I have seen 3 semi trucks completely flipped over. Angie saw one that fell in the river. Crazy.
3) Sketchy Honduran men
4) Doing laundry.
5) The mud.
6) The weird hours business keep.
7) Taking out the trash. We don’t have a can (for outside), you can’t buy them here, and dogs get into it if you leave it outside.
8) Making photo copies. (The school has no copy machine, so we have to walk…very far…and up a big hill to make them.)
9) Creepy Honduran men
10) No lettuce, no coffee yogurt, no bagels, no Steak-n-Shake, etc.
11) Honduran men
12) The NASTY, gross, sickly dogs that run around.
13) How people really do not like Americans. Whenever we travel, or here in Copan, people always make comments about how we are some of the 1st Americans they have seen. Most of the tourists are European or Canadian, and when we get to talking, negative comments about ignorant Americans usually get slipped in. Makes me sad, and often ashamed.
I like so many things here that I thought I would give you a taste of the things that kind of annoy me. Anyways, I miss everyone from home and I promise to do a better job about writing on this thing. Take care!
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Amanda Z
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SO interesting to hear about everything Katie. Thanks for the El Salvador shoutout!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you and miss you!!