Hello All,
I made it to La Esperanza safely and have already begun teaching. It is an awesome experience thus far. I left Tegus with some difficulty--more than I expected which doesn´t bode well for August. Every year, it gets harder to leave.
So, to give you an idea of my typical day here, here is my new daily routine:
I generally wake up a little before the sun--around 4 or so. I have difficulty going back to sleep because it's pretty flipping cold here at nights and in the mornings. So, I lay in bed in my hoodie and sweat pants and soccer socks until there is enough light outside to bathe, as the shower is outside. Although there is a shower here, they typically only have water for two hours every day or so; thus, if you happen to snag some water (and hot water at that), it´s like hitting the lottery. Rather than waiting around, I just use the ice cold water from the pila (rainwater). Let me tell you, dunking your head in an ice cold bucket of water at 5 in the morning in a shower that is outside after you´ve been nestled in bed is quite a wake up process. Being a fanatic shaver, my legs and I are slowly growing accustomed to perpetually having the worst case of razor burn known to man. Ha ha. After shivering, bathing, and laughing myself awake, I crawl back into bed to keep warm before breakfast. We eat at 7.
We head to school after that by walking to a truck stop. We catch a ride to Chilicotoro (I highly doubt that´s spelled correctly) where the school is. The school is 30 minutes from La Esperanza, and we ride in truck taxis--in other words, you flag down a truck that is going your direction, you hop in the back, and hold on for dear life until you reach your destination. It´s the cheapest and best roller coaster ride I´ve ever had since it costs all of 50 cents and lasts for 30 minutes. We sit on the railings that surround the truck bed, and it´s a trick to balance yourself amidst numerous other people and whatever they happen to be carrying. The difficulty of this task is heightened by the fact that roads include mini-Grand Canyons, and the truck drivers drive like crazy men. By the time the ride is over, I am covered in dust, I have crazy, wind-blown hippie hair, and my back is stiff from trying to maintain my bony butt on the metal bar. I love it! It´s one of my favorite parts of the day.
Teaching is going quite well. Classes start at 8 and end at 12. I team teach with two other volunteers--Lindsay, 20, from South Carolina who has been here for a while now, and Mary Claire, 23, my roommate from Ireland. They are both lovely to work with. We typically make lesson plans together. We teach 1st-6th grades although the days alternate. It can be a real challenge as some of the classes are huge. The 6th grade has 49 students. We try to divide and do as many smaller group activities as possible to improve individualized education. It´s an amazing experience, and the classes themselves remind me of Jamaica. I am so thankful that I had a practicum teaching experience in Jamaica because I think I´ve adjusted much easier to the system here as a result.
As worried as I was about this experience, the teaching itself comes quite naturally, and I find it to be a real joy. I am so blessed by the fact that teaching English in Spanish has really been quite smooth. Realistically, the kids have no English basis. Some of them have memorized some basic vocabulary or conversational questions and answers, but they seem to have no grammar or even phonics/pronunciation basis. Thus, today, we worked with the fourth grade teaching the English alphabet and their sounds. I am learning to be quick on my feet and to adjust my loose lesson plans to better fit the environment and the disposition of the kids. Games are always the way to go. They keep them engaged and help them to learn without them even realizing that they´re learning. Meanwhile, I have been so thankful for all of the items that were donated that I dragged from the US to Mexico to Honduras since the schools seriously lack materials. Because of a lack of consistent teaching of English (and the fact that the next volunteer teachers won´t come until January), it´s difficult to know what the goal should be. We were given a set of Honduran standards, but realistically, there is no way that they´ll be reached. There simply isn´t the time or the materials to do so. Thus, my personal goals have just been the following: to show the love of Jesus to every child, to instill a desire (however small) in that child to learn English, and to teach something (anything) new to any child willing to learn. With those simple goals in mind, it is going very well, and naturally, I am learning a lot in the process.
I love teaching. I really do. I love how at home I feel in this environment. I feel as if the US school system and my field work through Shepherd has left a bad taste in my mouth in regard to teaching. However, the elements of teaching that transcend politics and standards, testing and salaries, thrill me and bless me greatly. Teaching and learning here, while the system seems rather horrific in some regards, are just simpler, and in some ways, better.
Anyway, after teaching, we ride back on the truck into La Esperanza for lunch. Our afternoons are free, and everything in La Esperanza is in walking distance. Esperanza is a pueblo--it´s small. There is only one paved road in the whole town. It is such a charming place with a central park as well, which reminds me of the zocalos in Mexico. I really like it here. I enjoy walking by myself and feel safe wandering the town. While I always love my time in Villa Vieja and Tegus, I am so grateful for this experience because of the independence it provides me. While I love having people to take care of me, and I greatly appreciate the protection and guidance of everyone from MEH, I am thankful to be all alone here. It is encouraging to me because every little victory as a single person with only the help of God further demonstrates that I can live in this country without problems.
We live with a host family--it´s actually a collection of relatives scattered in adjoining houses. In total, there are five of us volunteers. The other two are Anh--26, from Texas, and Tina, 21, from Holland and Alabama. We all get along very well, and I enjoy our time together. The family we stay with feeds us breakfast and dinner, and they are very kind. They have numerous kids that at times can be a handful. But, overall, my living situation is quite lovely as is my time here.
God has been so good to me this summer, and I am infinitely grateful that I still have time left here! Who knows what more He will do?
With love,
Sarah
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