Class Time in the School

March 7, 2008

Well, Juan José, Don Raul’s youngest, is now officially hooked on sudokus. He is in the fifth grade and already starting the mediums. I’d say that’s an accomplishment. He’s been going through all the old newspapers he can find to bring them for us to do after dinner. Good stuff.
It’s been a little while since I’ve posted so as usual there are a bunch of random stories, and a few full days worthy of talking about I guess.

The principal and secretary of the High School.

We had a meeting at the Instituto (High School basically) with all the scholarship students that we have in the program and layed out some ground rules for what we are going to supply with the scholarship, the service hours, etc. Afterwards I had to take pics of all of them and hopefully we’ll eventually get their pics all up on the scholarship website INSERT HERE…. I think we already have some of the case studies up there.
Oh yeah, same ole problems with the ATMs here as far as getting change goes, but don’t want to go into that in detail online…. Ask if you’re interested.

Our meeting in a classroom.

A giant among men. Crazy gringo. haha.

Also, the other night at Don Raul’s, his eldest son, and my immediate neighbor, had brought over the twins to watch them crawling around, which is new. They are a little behind being pretty premature babies. We got to play with them a ton and take interesting videos while some watching a big soccer game on a borrowed little antennae tv thing.

The two stinkers and their momma.

William!

Celia cracking up.

Roiiiigggghhhttttt.

Milagro with Manuel.

There are lots of avocados here, it is awesome. Jerome, watch out, here comes my cholesterol :)
A few days ago the madre, the familiar name for the nun, came back without her friends this time and brought a bunch of basic food staples and things for the kids. And, as usual, the community filled the little pickup they were driving with oranges, bananas, coconuts, and chickens, and a duck I think, for her to take back to the convent that has 30 nuns she said. Its always a fun time when she comes, even without her clic, haha. She’s a jokester.

Loaded down.

Babies!

FIRE!

Yesterday, was a big day for me giving talks in the classes here 1st-6th grade in the school. I hung out there giving talks on trash and what we should do with it in the morning and evening. I didn’t know how it was going to all turn out at first, but it went ok. Although, I had to learn what “dinamicas” (activities that you use to liven the kids up a bit) I could incorporate with which age groups. It all worked out though. Also, I took some of the day to demonstrate the new computer programs that I got from the embassy for teaching English to the kids. We had some problems at first, but now it all seems to be working. We are in search of headphones right now because there are 9 computers and 3 kids to a computer pretty much, and with these audio programs, they are a must if you don’t want chaos. That is exciting though to see how it all works out with those.
Finally, today I helped Don Raul and Dona Amalia make raffle tickets for a sewing machine they came into possession of. They are going to raffle it off in May to make money for the putting on of the patron festivals here in La Comunidad in August. Sweet.

The rest of March promises to be very busy. Tonight is the semi-vigil in the pueblo in preparation for Holy Week. It will be tonight from 7pm-12am up in the Calvario, the other smaller church in town that they use for smaller gatherings. I have lots to do and read here, but it will be a good experience so I think I’ll attend. Normally they have the “vias cruces,” or “ways of the cross” at 4pm on Fridays of Lent, but today they are going to leave from our little hermita church in La Comunidad and do the Via Cruz at 5:30 to get to the Calvario at 7 for the semi-vigil. Apparently they have kept the ancient Christian tradition of the all night Vigil on Holy Saturday here. Sweeet. Go El Salvador.

After getting back tonight round 1am, I get to leave at 4:45am the next morning to the northeastern part of the country to help translate for some US Military doctors that are doing a medical deal out there until Wednesday. I think 3 other volunteers will be there with me, so that will be fun in the barracks.

"Whatever you are, be a good one"

-Abraham Lincoln