Saturday Adventures

On Saturday, Kelsey, Melissa, Bridget, and I took a taxi to the market near the stadium. It was such a blast! It is only open on Fridays and Saturdays when the farmers come down from the mountain sides to sell their produce and meat. There was so much fresh food and the people were very polite. I never felt in danger or threatened. It is nothing like the market in Kinshasa, as you are not in danger of being run over by cars, people grabbing for your attention, or being hopelessly lost forever. I bought green beans, bananas, and some tomatoes. 

 

In the afternoon, Keiko, Stacey, and I rode out to Santa Lucia to another teacher's birthday. These teachers live in a giant and very beautiful home with a green lawn in tiers on the side of a hill. It was so nice to be outside the city! There were many people to talk to and exchange stories with. 

You can see the city between the mountains. 

Their lawn

Tomorrow begins a full week of school.

First Days of School

Survived my first two days of school as a real teacher! I am so excited, maybe I can really do this! The students great though, of course, I have a couple ornery ones. The majority understand English, but speak very limited vocabulary. Then there are some that don't understand much of what I am saying at all. Ms. Cuty helps me solve any problems, but Kindergarten instruction is strictly English. They have one Spanish lesson per day, that I don't have to teach. I already have girls offering to give me Spanish lessons.

I was quite amused one day when a father came in to say that he was extremely please that he daughter would have me as a teacher since I was a native speak. He said she came home the first day saying, "I didn't understand anything my teacher said!" I was sure how to take this...but I think I will just laugh.


My schedule is quite interesting because Kindergarten has specials either first or second period during the day, then circle/calendar/reading time. Third period is always Spanish, the we have snack/recess. The rest of the morning, the class is divided into four groups called stations. I instruct one, Ms. Cuty another, and the other two are independent. Following stations is lunch/recess. We come in to read a book and do either science or social studies. The last period of the day is free choice centers that are based on the weekly theme. The student eat lunch in the classroom. The most stressful part of the day is dismissal because all the students sit outside while parent drive up to receive them. Traffic is a little crazy. Teachers hand the student off to parents, guardians, drivers, maids, nannies, or family. I am in despair that I will ever learn all the faces!!!

Surviving the City

This week has been busy with all school training, working in the classroom, planning lessons, buying food, and just general survival. I was proud of myself that I bought a SIM card and Tigo minutes all by myself despite my very poor Spanish. Merely staying afloat is the mission now. School things are going well, it is just working the kinks out of the apartment that is keeping Keiko, Stacey, and I busy.

Tomorrow is the first day of school!! I am a little nervous, but Ms. Cuty and I are ready to take on this class!

View of the City

View from our Balcony!

Ready for School

    Last night was our first night in the apartment!!! So far, the washing machine has been spouting water all over the laundry room and is too dirty to actually use. I had to buy sheets as the one I brought were too small. Still no phones or internet. However, while we were mopping up the washing machine mess, our neighbor came over to introduce himself. Rainier works for the American embassy. He fixed the water hoses and lent us his wet vacuum....what a first impression we must have made!

    Today was the first day that all teachers were required to be at work, so many new faces! However, it was wonderful to meet and work today with my assistant Ms. Cuty! Here are some before and after pictures of my classroom.

Front of My Room

Front of Preschool Building where Kindergarten is Located

Circle

Circle (After) 

Ms. Cuty Work Table

Student Tables

Front of my room after windows were painted

My Work Table

 

Administration Office Window

Business Calls

      These next few days consisted of the nine new teachers running around trying to find places to live, food to eat, bank accounts open, cell phones set up, and generally attempting to stay healthy. Gina, the superintendent secretary, escorted us through this maze of misunderstandings and chaos. Don Tito, the bus drivier, loaded and carried everything we owned while still smiling and greeting us cheerfully each day despite the little Spanish we were able to communicate with. To them, we will be forever grateful!
      The group of us ate at Kennedy Baleadas, where the baleadas were tortilla stuffed with eggs, ham, plantains, cheese, avacados, and beans for only 31 lempira ($1.60). They were delicious but rough on the stomach. We also walked around at a vast mall, so far the only safe place we have found to walk. Stacey recommended we eat at El Patio in Boulevard Morazán, so we all rented a taxis and headed to the main street. It was an Honduras styled restaurant which had amazing food and we ate until we couldn't possibly eat anymore. Still haven't been brave enough to venture out with my camera, so no pictures as of yet.
    

American School of Tegucigalpa

Can't find my toothbrusth....I know I packed it somewhere....

      I ate breakfast at the hotel with Kelsey and Ara. Ara's wife was coming too, but her plane failed to take off yesterday. Then, we were all back on the bus and headed to the school for our first orientation. We were all excited to have a tour of the school. It was amazing! The campus was huge, nearly as big as Central Methodist. There is wifi (that usually works), e-beams (like mimio boards) in every classroom, and all the walkways are outdoors. You can see what it looks like at www.amschool.org. The administration sat us down to walk us through some of the business procedures and answer more of our swarming questions. Also, we met Rue, Ara's wife, who would be teaching 4th grade. They had both spend the last couple years teaching in Burma (Myanmar). We attempted to open bank accounts, but after two hours and no luck we decided to try back another day. Instead, we headed out to find apartments. Everyone was anxious to get started with that! By evening, we were tired but had a lovely dinner with the Maria (HS principal), Gina (secretary and full time babysitter for us newbies), Claudia (N-K principal), and Anahi (curriculum). The city has immensely more infrastructure that Kinshasa. It is almost American with its malls, fast food chains, and generally reliable water/electricity. Here are decent roads, trash collection, water delivery, even a mail service. For the time being, we will all live in Las Lomas, the neighborhood of the American School, which is very rich and developed. The biggest intrusion so far in the inability to walk anywhere! It is so frustrating, because we have yet to take taxis so transportation is an issue. Apparently the greatest threat in the city is armed robbery, which happens on a regular basis.

Front Of the School

My Classroom!

Overture - In a Hotel

      Mom, Dad, and I headed out the door early in the morning of July 24th. My flight was out of Kansas City at 6:10am, which meant we had to be at the airport around 4:40am and that meant leaving home just after 2am.  Before long, I was saying goodbyes and standing in the security line for my first flight to Houston. I know this was tough for Mom but I'm not dead yet....I'm only getting started! We were there in plenty of time and (thank God) these flights actually left as scheduled!
      In the flight from Houston to Tegucigalpa, the plane was packed with missionary groups. I sat by a couple that had been volunteering at an orphanage for six years. When we arrived at the airport, I started looking for other people who also might be heading to the American school. I ended up behind a girl named Keiko from Japan who would be teaching third grade at The American School of Tegucigalpa (AST) in line during customs. Amanda, a third and fifth grade teacher, was also on our flight. The school administrators met us at the airport as we waited for the second plane to land which would be carrying Kelsey (kinder), Melissa (6th - English), Karishma (7th - English), and Ara (Philosophy). We all looked out the glass walls of the airport at the city that would be our home for the next two years. Finally, all our luggage was loaded on the bus and we were headed to our hotel!
      It was a very nice hotel called Plaza Florencia. The school administrators gave us a few instructions, mainly about not walking around or getting lost, and left us with the remainder of the day to rest. Stacey, another new teacher, had already been living in Tegucigalpa (Tegus) for a year and stopped by to fill Kelsey and I in on some key information and answer our numerous questions. I had previously been e-mailing Stacey about living together in an apartment she had already picked out. She was in love with this three bedroom apartment within walking distance of the school, but we really needed a third to bring down the payments. As I had met Keiko at the airport, I recruited her to also see the apartment with us. It was an amazing apartment, tastefully decorated and very spacious. It has hot water, fairly reliable electricity, and a 24 hr guard. Then I slept.