Week 25: The lago and Jose

Day 168 January 23
We got up and had a quick breakfast before Chris, Katie, and I headed to catch the bus to San Pedro, where we met up with Caroline. After a few hours we arrived at the lago and met Sierra (and Jose, who she picked up on her extended adventure, and Braden who is a tourist we met in Copan and was following her on her extended adventure) at D&D brewery. It was a really cool place with plenty of hammocks and a pool. It was interesting, because a fair amount of ash was raining down that day. At first we thought it was from a trash burning, which would be pretty gross, but after a while, we decided the long, light ash seemed to be plant like and was probably from a cane field burning.
Folks really enjoyed being about to have real beers, and after a while we left to find a hostel, as the brewery was full. Luckily, there was a place right next door that was empty and beautiful. Chris and Katie camped at D& D, so Sierra, Caroline, Jose, Braden, and I split 3 beds (two girls and the kid in one and the other two in single beds.) It made for a decent price.
After settling in and getting changed, we headed to the waterfalls which were a half hour bus ride and 15 minute walk. We went in (paid the endurance fee) and then snuck out to where Chris and Katie had been before. Being the start of the dry season, there was much less water, but there were still some good jumping and swimming spots and plenty of good exploring spots. The waterfalls in the park were massive and beautiful, but further on was also awesome. It was a perfect birthday adventure for Chris. We spent hours out there, and a couple getting back. While we were out we got hungry, so Jose introduced us to some plant that’s name I’ve forgotten. It made our mouths really tingly. Unfortunately, because we were going to be completely submerged several times, no cameras were present, but hopefully I’ll be able to remember the beauty of this place.
We rode the bus back to town, famished, and I rode with Jose. He’s the best Spanish practice I’ve had, and he’s funny. The kid knows no English, but he’s really smart and patient. He’s really growing on me and I’ve decided that when Sierra leaves, I’ll continue his reading lessons.
We got back to D & D and had dinner. The folks there were so much fun and Sierra secured herself a job if she ever decides to go back. Charlie was the dog, and he was huge and timid. I thought he was a mastiff-pit-bull mix, but one of the guys said he had no pit-bull in him. Also, a cat jumped on my lap during dinner, but that did not last.
We had a good time hanging out, and then heading to bed as everyone was tired from the day. I was very cold later.

Day 169 January 24
I woke up early and so did Braden, so we headed next door to D&D just in time for the guys to wake up and start the coffee. We hung out in hammocks, ate, and drank coffee as the others trickled in during the course of the morning. I had blueberry pancakes for the first time in a long time, handpicked from that mountain. Rico.
We explored our hostel a little more, which had a ton of leaf cutter ants, coffee plants, banana plants, flowers, a river, playgrounds, and a huge garden. It was very nice. I swung for a while and it was freeing.
We then packed up and headed to the bus stop where we chewed on sugar cane until the bus came. When it did come, it was a full one and we had to stand for a while. When we sat, I was with Jose again. We’ve decided he’s like a brother. More than a friend, but we don’t have the authority or ability to be what he needs to play parental roles.
In San Pedro, there were some bus troubles, and we split into two groups, things worked out for us, but I think we pushed too hard. Other folks ended up leaving the bus and Jose was sitting in the stairwell. I didn’t like the idea of him being the one who had to sit there, so I traded with him and he slept.
I wrote some in my little notebook, which caused the start of a conversation with Carlos, the young man working on the bus with the driver. He commented several times on how I like to write. We talked about many things, and because of my practice with Jose; I understood almost everything. After a couple of hours seats came up, so Jose and I moved back to them and Caroline started chatting with Carols.
During the trip, Jose wanted to know everything about everything. You don’t really think about what illiteracy means because, hey, you can read. This kid is seeing his country for the first time, but he never knows where we are or what we’re approaching. He always wanted to know where we were, how far it was from other places and I hadn’t even thought twice. I see a sign 17 times and don’t even realize that I had to read to know we’re approaching a town. I decided that when Sierra goes home in June, I’ll continue reading lessons with Jose.
When we got home I made a quick dinner, cleaned up, and showered. I new tourist was in the house for a few minutes and Braden showered before heading to Caroline’s house. I headed to her house to watch Avatar with her, Alex, and Sierra and found Carlos and Braden there also. I ended up falling asleep before it was over so I just went home.

Day 170-173 January 25-28
Jose is living in the house for a little while until Josue comes back from his journey out of Copan. It’s nice to have him around and really good practice since I can’t fall back on English when I’m tired. I actually said “diez y cinco” (ten and five) instead of quince (fifteen). He laughed it off with me. He also has the power of manipulation on his side. He wanted to give me an anklet, which he had been wearing and I tried to say no, because it was his. He said, “You don’t like it?” and I explained again that I do, but it’s his. He just held it to me, stared me down, and said, “You don’t like it.” I took it. I now have a beautiful new anklet.
The school days have been long and coffee has felt decaffeinated. I’ve had some really good days with my kids, I just don’t feel on top of it all. And tired. As I say, I love my job, and I love every week, but not always every day. Some days you just feel off, and when you’re off, the kids are off. Tuesday was a really good, energetic day, though. I was in a great place, and my kids were too. It bounces off of them back to me and back again. They’re still rocking at multiplication and teaching me songs about the water cycle (which I actually sang out a quick, crappy, translation of during one of my 3 Spanish classes this week because it felt relevant and I am Primary Teacher.)
I only tutored at Isaac’s once, and his mom ask that I start coming more regularly again. I agreed to go back to my regular schedule and she fed me green mangos, which are really popular and very sour. They’re growing on me though. I still miss ripe mangos, though. At least now I know they’re coming.
I watched a good part of the President’s State of the Union address. The night before there was a party in the central park that I attended for 15 minutes for the political overturn here in Copan and the night before there were lovely explosions outside my house at 3am as folks set off fireworks.
Speaking of explosions, the oven exploded on Allan and Abby. I was in the other room wrestling around with Jose (and I’m glad I didn’t drop him on his head, because I felt it too.) Abby had burnt off the hair on her arm, and a little on her head, the caps on all the burners had been shot off, the tea pot lid landed in the salsa they were cooking, the pans all fell off the wall, the oven was, literally, bent out of shape, and everyone was okay. It was silently agreed that no one touched it until someone came to look at it. Now I know the downside of a gas stove. Judy was over teaching Abby to make Pizza, and she too was fine.
One of my students is currently up in the air. Public school it just now starting up again, and we’re trying to decide if he is better off going there now, or finishing out the year here. I have no behavioral problems with him; I love him. However, he doesn’t know a lick of English and in behind most of Sierra’s students in the 1st grade. He was held back in 1st grade and apparently can not be held back again. I don’t want to give up on a kid, but he’s not getting anything out of my classes. He’s always guessing and no one at home would know how to start helping him. I don’t want to lose another student.
Bobulous has an assignment to interview someone who is learning Spanish as a second language. Most of the kids in his class are just interviewing students in Spanish classes at their school, but Bob has me! So now I have a Skype date with Bob so he can take note of all my errors and analyze how folks process second languages. Weee! I am excited about it, and hey, I get to talk to Bob.
Also, I have finished two books from The Great Book of Amber by Roger Selazny, which my brother gave me for Christmas.

Day 174 January 29
Plasticina (Honduran play-doh) makes the world go round. I bought some for my kids with the extra cash I make from selling pencils in class. It was fun. I also started up a health unit for Home Ec. which involves to food pyramid and diet evaluation. It’s going pretty well.
After school, I stayed for a while and organized all of my second quarter papers into folders according to class to leave for next year’s teacher. I then walked down with Sierra and ran errands around town, including getting paid. I got home and did some cleaning while watching Arrested Development, which I got from Alex until Chris called. We went to dinner at Momo’s, which neither of us had been to before and then watched Hitch. I then attempted to sleep, but finally had the cold I’d been fighting all week catch up to me. It let me sleep for possibly 3 hours.