Day 162 January 16
Saturday started well as I ate breakfast in Picame before meeting up with Caroline, Dave, and Alex for a hike to La Pintata and the river. We had a good time exploring and it was finally hot, so the water felt really nice. I was able to show off my new know-how with termites, ant-tree co-evolution, and touch-me-nots, which was fun.
We got back to town in the early afternoon. I stayed in for a few hours doing school work on my bed until I showered and got ready to go to Franqui and Norma’s house for dinner and a viewing of “New Moon” the new Twilight movie. Though, before I left I managed to have my computer fall off my bed, close on herself, and shut herself off. I thought it was strange, but knew it was bad news when I tried to turn her back on and it took her 15 minutes to do what she normally does in 30 seconds...get to the log on page. When I logged on, she showed me the background picture, but none of the icons or my start menu. Not a good sign. I held down the off button but she wouldn't turn off, so I unplugged her to let her die, hoping I'd be able to turn her back on. I was, but made no progress. I turned her off and left.
I saw Caroline and Dave on my way there and Megan yelled out her window that she’d be along her way soon. When I got there, we talked about the house some (they just moved in, but it’s a house they lived in many years ago.) We chatted for an hour or so before putting in the movie. Megan arrived, and after the movie we ate dinner, which was delicious. We chatted a while more, and Franqi and Norma seemed shocked that I haven’t been to the bay islands yet. Maybe a road trip is in the future?
Around 9, Megan and I decided it was time to head home. I thought of calling up other teachers to see what they were up to, but I was sleepy and even if it’s a Saturday or Sunday morning, I know I won’t be sleeping in. So, I got home, read a bit, and went to sleep (after playing with my computer, which still wouldn't load icons, but was loading faster. I went to sleep with it on hoping it would load in a couple of hours, but it didn't, so I turned it back off at 3 in the morning.)
Day 163 January 17
Sunday morning was slow, but I got a lot of shopping done and cleaned up my room. I also broke into my computer, looking for loose bits or some obvious problem. There wasn't one. I did however get her load up enough to put my grades and school stuff on a zip drive. I closed her back down (which she did reluctantly) and started her back up (moving slightly faster) to get all my important pictures and my logs.) After a few more standard shut downs (instead of forcing her off by unplugging her or holding down the button when she froze) she started to come around and seems almost normal now.
I made grilled cheese sandwiches for worship and walked over with Allan and Abby.
Megan showed interest in a mid-week bible study or something similar. We listened to a sermon and sang our songs. During the sermon, some of our students came by and we fed them sandwiches. They seemed thoroughly bored by 4 adults sitting around listening to a computer speak in English, so they left.
Immediately after, I met up with Caroline and Dave (who is a huge man by any standard) to walk up to Mayatan to collect Alex for a trip up to the hot water springs. One of the nice things about Central America is that hitchhiking is very common, and you’re usually in the back of a truck. We started walking up the road, but we shortly picked up by the Honduran police. Two men in the cabin and 4 riding in the back. We piled on and chatted. They took us a little more than half the way up and then we caught a ride with a family from Copan, including two boys I’ve seen around town, who were going to the hot springs themselves.
A second cold front was coming in, so it was a little chilly, but the water felt wonderful. We hung out for a few hours before deciding we should get on the road before it got dark. We weren’t walking along for very long when a truck drove up and took us to Mayatan. Alex and Caroline got some things from school before we walked back to town.
I stayed at her house for a dinner of vegetables and the four of us watched “Hancock” which I hadn’t seen yet. It was fun, but when it was over I was ready for bed. I got home and took care of a few things before getting to bed at 9:30.
Day 164 January 18
I woke up earlier than usual and read for a little bit before I got up. I was ready early, so I headed out at 5:25. I saw Chando walking back from work and he let Caroline know I wasn’t far ahead of her so when she caught up to me, we walked in together. My walks have all been in the dark recently, but coming in this early there are still stars out.
The day started well and I feel good about what we hae planned for the week. We had a morning meeting with the organism of the week (common basilisk, or the Jesus Lizard) and I asked them what their favorite parts of last week for: PE, breakfast, journaling, and smashing rocks were the common answers. I can handle that.
We had a math class where we used chocolate soccer balls to understand multiplication more. I think it was both one of the best and one of the worst ideas I’ve ever had. However, they all did pay attention at least to some degree.
After school I gave make up tests, and then walked home with Chris. We took a fun adventuring way using trails and rivers. It was beautiful and I collected a lot of red rocks which I later hammered into dust.
I made a dinner of steamed veggies and went up to my room to hammer rocks until bed.
Day 165 January 19
I woke up early again, after a night of bad dreams, but was more like a zombie than anything else (not eating brains and the like, just unable to function real well.) I got out of bed late and headed up to school. Sierra, Caroline, and I had the morning pow-wow and then I headed into the day. We did test prep, jeopardy (which I ended early because of behavior), and took a practice test for science. Their behavior was horrendous. And my emotions got the best of me, I think I actually heard myself growl an order. No good.
After school I had tutorias followed by an epically long staff meeting (talk of ITBS, trash on campus, earthquakes, grades, and Women’s day.) When it was done, I rushed home to have more tutorias with Isaac. On my way home, I saw Kelvin and we talked for a while in the park before we headed to my place, and then we saw Luis coming up the hill after a run. The three of us went into the house, where we talked and I hammered rocks.
A bit before 6:30 I grabbed the vegetables I had in the house still and headed to Chris’s to make dinner. We cooked up a mean pasta, listened to music, chatted, and ate. It was wonderful. Being me, I headed home pretty early.
Day 165-6 January 20-21
We had more practice tests and real tests. I beat myself up over the fact that I forgot to return their practice math tests to them when they had the real test the next day (and I couldn’t give it to them later because that day was the last day of the semester.) We did some extra review and my kids, for the most part, did well despite having the practice test at home. I’ve really increased the difficulty of my tests, for things that my kids had never seen before, and it was remarkable (you can tell because I’m remarking on it.) Some of my lower student came up and met the challenge, and some of my high students were challenged enough to fall back some. Instead of having 10 fail and 10 get As, which is what seems to happen too often, I had a real curve.
I also mixed up rock paint and we had a nice art/science class. I spent hours searching for and crushing red rocks with a hammer. I then mixed the dust with water and we painted. They loved it.
I spent some good time reading on the roof and thinking. I slept as much as possible.
Day 167 January 22
On the teacher workday, Friday, I enjoyed the sleeping in, but still got there a little early. I got my grades in as early as possible, and then rushed to finish up my comments and get my worksheets done for the next week before rushing home to get to the bank and pack. I explored down by the river with Chris before we caught the bus, and discovered that under the bridge would be a nice place to sit…if it were not such a nice place for other people to relieve themselves. With the evidence obvious and abundant, we abandoned our explorations and went back to the bus.
There were 11 teachers on the bus, headed to 6 different places. Chris and I went to Cofradia, just outside of San Pedro, where his girlfriend works. I thought I’d be crashing on the floor, but her roommate was out of town, so I got a bed. Whoo! We cooked up some stir fry, and I spent a good about of time chatting with the Cofradia teachers. There’s a young man who’s teaching 4th grade after teaching 3rd grade there last year. He had some nice insight.
The climax of the night was finger painting a mountain sunrise/set and colorful tree (as we ran out of standard tree colors, we improvised.) Shortly after I headed to bed.
No comments:
Post a Comment