Week 5 and the futbol match

Day 29 September 5
I woke up for the first time at 7, and forced myself back to sleep. I did that several more times until 8:30, since my alarm was going to go off at 9 anyway. I lounged around until 9:45, and Sierra had come in at 9:40 to chat and lie down. Mornings without school are so relaxing. I ate the rest of my salad from 2 days ago and the last piece of pizza from last night.
Tammi arrived at about 9:50, and asked if I was interested in tutoring one of my students, Isaac. She has tutored him in the past, but doesn’t feel up to tutoring him twice a week, and being his teacher, I’m a better match anyway. I’m inclined to say yes, especially since he’s one of my top 7 most rambunctious kids. I’m very okay with holding it over his head that I see his mom every week (and she pays with food, so if I tutored at the end of the week, I wouldn’t have to stress about the market as much.)
At 9:57, I headed off to my meeting, apologizing for running off on Tammi and Sierra like that. I ordered a bagel and coffee (glorious!) and Megan, Beth, and I pretty quickly figured out what we needed to do for next week. We handed off our worksheets to Megan so she could make copies for us. Eileen and Michael were there too, so we caught up a little. Then I headed home to get ready for the game.
One of my students, Yoela, was with her mom on tourist street and I heard a small “Hello Miss!” from behind me. I’ve met her mom before, but had never made the connection, so I went over to say hello. Her mother said my earrings were pretty, and I very brokenly told her I bought them here, on tourist street. I think it was fun for Yoela, one of my worst English speakers, to hear me struggle with Spanish. I was wearing my jersey, and her mom commented on that too and I told her we were going to the game at one. Her mom helped me say it a little better and I thanked her and then we said our goodbyes.
I’ve decided it’s good when my students hear me struggle with Spanish. I have to speak to them in English, even on the streets, but if I’m talking with someone else, they can see that I’m trying to learn too, and I know it’s hard. But, the key to it all, is you have to listen. And I do listen.
I also let myself get suckered into buying a dyed doll made out of corn husks. I’ve seen kids selling them everywhere, and always found it easy to ignore them. But this pair of girls had been practicing English to take on the tourists, and it worked. They had a sign in English explaining that the dolls were made my the women in La Pintada, a very poor aldea near here. They asked for 50 lemps for one. I said I didn’t have fifty, so they asked for 25 and I bought it. These were also the prettiest dolls I’d seen so far, most of the time they look pretty tacky. When I got home, Tammi said that they’re supposed to be 20 lemps, so I am glad I didn’t pay the 50 and 25¢ more isn’t going to break me.
I bought a disposable camera, and we left on Honduran time—an hour late. The ride was about 3 hours, but it wasn’t bad. There was good conversation, and for the last half, fun music (mostly Michael Jackson, which many Hondurans seem to really enjoy.) Once we got there, we split ways with Tito (the same driver I didn’t get a ride from but who drove in Sierra during our first days) and his three friends and the eleven of us ( Nash, Theo, Beth, Sierra, Abby, Allan, Michael, Eileen, Tammi, me, and our Honduran friend Luis) headed to the stadium, joining the throngs of people also headed to the stadium. There were tons of men with semi automatics and I saw tear gas and rubber bullets for the first time in my life. At one of the doors, people were getting too anxious to get in and started throwing rocks over the wall, so the police sprayed them down and started shooting. Eileen said she saw a boy with blood gushing from his eye. We had to get away, and quickly. We weren’t real close, but my eyes were slightly agitated, and we were in rock throwing range. After, Luis told me he was very embarrassed, that he doesn’t like to see his country react like that. I told Eileen, who was still pretty shaken up and Tito said there was another problem at that gate later in the evening. I can only imagine how nervous Luis was escorting ten gringos who are bad at listening, bad at staying together, and would didn’t all have the common sense to move away from the gate when shots were fired. I just stayed right by him at all times, and kept an almost constant count going, to make sure we never lost anyone. Periodically I would update him, so he knew he could move on without fear of leaving someone behind.
I had heard of Hondurans having a hard time with American tourists in Honduran jerseys. We were harassed a little. Some guys came up, non-maliciously and asked if we knew how many games had been won this season or what our ranking was. I actually could have answered, but didn’t know what the question was. I know that after today our ranking went up to first! Which, by the way J, means above Costa Rica. The only two games I’ve seen, we’ve trumped the other teams.
We found the shortest line, with the least commotion, and stood as close together as possible so folks couldn’t slip in between us. We got in (I was handed back both parts of my ticket!) and had to link up to push through the crowd to our standing spot. We were right beside a large fence with razor wire at the top of it, which made it difficult to see, but with some maneuvering, I was able to see almost everything.
Luis and I were standing by the fence and he explained to me why the crowd was cheering (when it wasn’t so obvious) and I learned that our fastest player is number 4, Edgar Alvirez and our best player is number 15, David Tressel.
We scored twice in the first half and twice in the second half, Trinidad and Tobago scored once in the second half. Hon-dur-as! Hon-dur-as! Olay, olay olay olay o-lay, o-lay! It was also really cool to watch them do the wave at a futbol match. Luis explained it to us, and we said that it happens in the states too, but usually with baseball.
About half the group went to go stand out away from people, to get some fresh air, which I could tell made Luis nervous. Apparently, Sierra got caught up in a crowd and lost her shoes (flip flops) because they were stepped on and she had to keep moving. When she went back to look for them, they were gone. She had to spend the rest of the game shoesless, which was funny, and then the guys alternated carrying her back to the car so she didn’t have to walk over rocks and glass.
We left with 5 minutes left and just barely beat the main crowd out. We got to our car and waited for Tito. Luis told us his birthday is October 13, and the Hondurans play the States in San Pedro that weekend. He wants us to come to the game with him, but I think we’ll have to see. I don’t care much about American soccer, but I’m not sure how the crowd would take to a couple Americans in Honduran jerseys.
Tito decided we should join in the celebration, so we drove around San Pedro with the masses, watching the crowds and cars with folks hanging out going crazy. It was fun. Periodically, we saw a car get shaken back and forth by the crowd, but Luis promised that only happened when the folks knew the person who was driving.
We all tried sleeping on the way home, but those roads are rough for sleeping. As anyone who knows how I travel sleep would expect, my head was bouncing from the back of my seat to the shoulder of the person next to me (isn’t that right David? James? Random man on the plane on the way back from Italy?), which was Luis. I thanked him for the use of his shoulder, in Spanish and he had been sleeping heavily enough that he didn’t transition into English, so I have no idea what he said.

Day 30 September 6
Getting to sleep in was nice, but I didn’t get to sleep in as late as I wanted. I had a big breakfast with fried banana, scrambled eggs with bits of burned fried banana, peach juice, and the left over mango meat from my fruit salad for Megan’s English speaking ‘God time.’ It’s a potluck gig, for anyone who wants a type of worship in English.
There were 12 people and a lot of food, which was glorious. We sang a lot of songs and had silent periods, it reminded me a lot of adoration services at St. Bede’s. Theo requested we have Bible passages next time, so that’ll be added in. It was nice. I took the rest of the day pretty easy. I spent some time at Casa Villamil after all, just to relax and I even ate dinner there (rare that I’ll get a full meal there.)
Luis was at the house when I got home for an intercambio with Sierra and Allan and Abby were cooking so we all saw around chatting in Spanish for a while, until I decided I really needed to get to bed.

Day 31 September 7
Getting up for school was very difficult and I kept hoping that, somehow, the lack of power was a sign that I could go back to bed. Nope.
Sierra felt awful and so did Caroline. Around lunch time, a time in which I usually feel very tired anyway, I was really worn out. During my break, I started feeling really sick (luckily, there was no homework on the weekend, so I didn’t fall behind on my grading.) I made it back to class in time for my last class and made it through.
I was feeling pretty sick again and was about to leave my room when a couple of parents came in to talk to me about their children. And, nothing in Honduras happens quickly, so even after we were done, they were in no rush to leave. They finally did and I felt bad for wanting them gone so badly, but I hope it didn’t show.
The walk home was pretty miserable, but I got back home and crashed in bed. I vowed to take it easy for the rest of the evening and go to sleep early.
I did some Spanish study and wrote here (though I obviously don’t feel like writing as much when I’m sick.) Sierra came home from running errands and had brought with her a care package from Lucy Adams. Lucy sent stickers, candy (though, my kids don’t get to know I had Now and Laters—those bad boys are mine, a lovely letter, and last but mostcertainly not least: the 2009 staff mix complete with a song list and who picked what. Awesome. I listened to at least part of every song to get a feel for it and plugged it all into my computer. I also wrote back immediately
Sierra invited me to ViaVia for a movie I’ve never heard of, and I opted out. Kelvin dropped by to give her something she let him borrow and then wanted to hang around. I really enjoy practicing my Spanish with him, but he always wants me to practice at night and I just don’t have the attention span or brain capacity when I’m tired. He was hungry though, and I hadn’t eaten in a while so I cooked us up something. Sierra got home and Kelvin was engaged in a conversation on the phone. When he got off the phone, he wanted to talk to her and sometime after nine I got to bed.

Day 32 September 8
The morning was much easier than the day before, but I had a lot to take care of around the house so I still ended up “late” (by my standards) to school. I got everything in order just in time for an hour of marching practice.
My kids were saints. They were fantastically good. They were getting compliments from other teachers. I was amazed. They really were the best behaved class out there. I kept telling them how proud I was and comparing them to the kids around them. They seemed pleased, and because they kept it up until we got back to the room, everyone got a star (ooooo!)
But, the marching wore on me, and I started feeling fevered again. One of my students, who had been absent on Monday, went home early with the same symptoms as I had. I tried not to let the class know I wasn’t feeling well, but I think the overall energy was drained from the class and as the day went on, they fell apart on me. Though, two boys that I held back from lunch for 5 minutes took it upon themselves to clean the room while I was out walking the rest of class to the caseta. I was impressed.
When the day ended, I wanted nothing more than to get out. I did a bunch of prep work for the next morning so if I felt worse, I could sleep in a little bit. Wednesdays are my easy days and we get to wear jeans and jerseys for the game (the kids do too!) I left around 2:40, which wasn’t bad at all.
We’re planting seeds in soda/water/anything bottles and so I needed to go to the market to buy plant-ables. While I was out I got a few groceries and sent a letter (in response to the care package with my staff mix! Which I haven’t stopped listening to. Very very excited!)
I laid in bed for a while and decided I was feeling well enough for Caroline’s weekly Spanish speaking potluck. I made potato crisps and they went quickly.
In the beginning, there were only 5 Americans, and I could keep up with the conversation and contribute quite a bit. Once the crowd grew and Hondurans joined, those who could keep up went, and I just tried to listen.
Listening made me very tired very quickly and I felt a little fevered again so Michael, Eileen, and I headed out.
The thing I talked most about at the potluck were the ants in my room. They are tiny and bite hard and are in my clothes, my “fresh” sheets, everywhere. I don’t know what they are eating because I don’t eat in my room. But originally I thought they were fleas, and they live in my bed. Great.

Day 33 September 9
I noticed the ants on my floor for the first time. They’re so small you can’t see them when you’re standing up, or even sitting on the bed, but if you get down to the floor, they’re just everywhere. So small…but so annoying.
I did a lot more cleaning and cooking in the morning. Though, I’ve been making chips and my own home-made mac and cheese, and all sorts of new dishes: I struggle with toast. It burns one side so quickly and the other side is hardly warm. I just need to flip it 5 seconds after I put it on, I guess. After eating my burnt toast, I decided to catch the bus with Abby. I’d been up several (five-ish) times in the middle of the night, so I knew I wasn’t better, and I wanted to save as much energy for class as possible.
We got to wear jeans and a jersey (if we wore a jersey, otherwise we had to stick to the dress code) and so did the kids, but I forgot to tell my class yesterday so I was just really hoping they would know. And, as luck would have it, they did, so I wasn’t an evil witch. I still wore a skirt, but the jersey was fun and kids who were wearing one identical to mine were stoked.
This Wednesday was not an every-other period day, like Wednesdays should be because Diana closed the Library to help with Dia del Nino stuff. I had a three hour block and it took a lot out of me. I went to the teacher’s lounge and actually breaked, which I never do on my break, I always grade. I found a book on the stack-o-books and started reading. I read the first 62 pages before going back to class. It’s a beautifully written story and the style is amazing. It’s appealing to both the critic and the story-hunter in me. I also found my Nature Camp mug, which I know I had not mentioned was missing, but I had been distressed and am no longer!
Most of my kids failed my math quiz. I had two kids get 12 out of 12, two got 11, two got 10, but I had a 1, two 2s, a 3, three 4s, and on up. Fourth grade is having the same problem with math. In class, it seems like at least half are with me, though I really only have 3 kids who actively participate (and we’re currently working on not shouting out the answer when I don’t call on them, but they just feel the need to say it if they know it which then makes calling on someone else pointless.)
Tomorrow is the Science quiz, so we’ll see how that goes. The spelling test at least rocked the curve. While I wish most of my students would just ace it, the curve does seem pretty…standard.
I also had a break through with a trouble maker. During his lunch detention, he started cleaning up the room (like he did yesterday, and I still appreciate the gesture.) He’s a good kid, just very distractable. And, his English is very good so I knew I could talk to him about it. I asked him what we needed to do to fix the problem and at first he was sheepish and just said “nothing, miss.” But I pressed it and explained this was not part of a punishment, I wanted to help him pay better attention. He told me he gets distracted by Isaac and Daniel and I asked if it would help if I moved him away from them. He thinks so.
I know he’ll still be distracted by something, but at least now he’ll be thinking of what we can to do help him pay better attention, and he knows he can talk to me.
When I was getting ready for the class to leave, Miss Norma came to get the money for the parents to buy gifts for Dia del Nino (which I’d collected in class) so I told my kids to stay in a nice line in the hall (which I knew wouldn’t happen.) When I came back, all of my kids were in line except for Francis (the kid I had the talk with during lunch) and he was on the ground, being held up by his neck by his older brother. I went off on the kid. I told him it didn’t matter if he was in my class or and it didn’t matter if Francis was his brother or not, but that was unacceptable and he needed to leave and go back to his class now. Francis was rubbing his sore spots on his neck and ears the whole way to the buses.
I got home and figured it was a good day for internet and then meeting folks at ViaVia for some futbol. I met up with Vicky and Casa Villamil and we sat and chatted, while chatting online. The power went out while we were there, but Casa Villamil has a generator and so they got it up and running, and the internet came back. After we were done, I waited on the corner with Vicky for Megan to come so they could walk to the outskirts of town where Vicky lives (and her husband, back in the states, prefers that she doesn’t walk there alone after dark.)
I dropped my computer off at home and got over to ViaVia where some other teachers were watching the game. It was an intense game. I had two goals for the night: the Honduras beat Mexico and the Costa Rica lose to El Salvador. Both of these things would ensure a good spot for Honduras in the finals. At half time, both games were 0 to 0. Mexico was making shots on Honduras every five seconds, but not getting any. In the second half, they made a penalty shot and in the last few minutes, we missed ours. We lost to Mexico 1-0. However, Costa Rica also lost, so we still have a decent placement (they were only one point behind us). We are not as behind as we could be in the rankings.
I headed home, running into the student I mentioned earlier in this post, Francis, who was playing in the street. He greeted me with a hug and went back to playing.
I got home and finished up my laundry before bed, which put me past my bed time, but tomorrow is effectively Friday. I just have to make it through the night without more illness.

Day 34 September 10
Today is technically Dia del Nino, or Children’s Day, but our school celebration is tomorrow. I woke up, luckily with enough time to get ready. My alarm went off at 4:50 and I reset it for 5 o’clock, but I apparently only reset the time. When I woke up, my clock said 5:26, but it was 5:16. Makes for a rushed morning.
The school day went well. My kids, overall did much better on the Science quiz than on yesterday’s math quiz and better on this week’s spelling test than last weeks. They were pretty crazy by the end of the day, but we got a lot done anyway. After all, it is Dia del Nino and tomorrow is a come to school late, leave school early party day.
I’m getting excited, but have a bunch to do for it. I stayed after to finish grading my tests and had five little guests as the cleaning ladies’ kids were running around. They’re usually outside but there was a 20 minute downpour (downpour here means water continues to run down the hills for more than an hour after it stops.) I gave them candies as I got ready to leave. And one of them was a student of mine who fails pretty much everything and aced the spelling test.
I checked the mail (picked up a letter for Alan) and sent a letter, then headed over to Casa Villamil for some internet before the big staff dinner (Honduran and foreign) at Nora’s house.) At Casa Villamil, I had to make a bill that I’d have to pay the next day, because I owed 25 Lemps and I only had a 500 lemp bill on me. They didn’t have change. Ah well, they know I depend on them, and Honduran society, or at least Copan, is pretty lenient about when you pay.
We also got our first electricity bill, which was more than I was hoping for, but still manageable. It was more than most of the teachers’ because we lose power less often and for less time. The boys also have timers for their fans, so they go off two hours after they go to bed. I’ve begun to notice how freely some of my roommates use to fridge—when the powers out or just leaving it open while they talk before they grab what they need. Those things use a lot of power.
I think that the things that make me stand out as an American most are: my dress, my lack of Spanish, my lack of confidence, my backpack (or my Nike bag), and most importantly, my quick paced walk. No one here acts like where they’re going has any importance at all. Even when I’m going to the store with hours and hours to spare, I still walk quickly.
On a completely different note, my kids have started competing for my affection. Which involves giving me stickers or buying my yogurt in the caseta. On the up side, the yogurt from the caseta is an individually wrapped and come with cereal. I’ve gotten two so far and it’s the only yogurt I’ve had while being sick. Good job students.
I went with Sierra to meet up with folks in the park. We were 5 minutes late, but the first ones there, the others arrived in about 10-15 minutes. We made the walk to Dona Nora’s house, which was much further than I expected and with much steeper hills and a lack of lighting. It was a poor neighborhood and We all knew we wanted to walk back as a group. We arrived around 7 and Pedro, one of my Honduran coworkers, informed me that the food would be 1) late, 2) delicious and 3) in small quantities. Two of these things distressed me, as I had not eaten in a while (delicious was not one that distressed me.) Luckily, they served appetizers around 8, and I found I had plenty to eat by the end of the night.
Seeing the house made me feel underdressed, just by proxy. I have not seen anything manmade so beautiful in Honduras, I obviously need to go to the ruins. The yard was huge and had pond with singing frogs and rows of trees and trimmed grass. There was a heated pool and a tree house from my dreams. The views of the city were spectacular and the house was simply a mansion. I didn’t know anything so nice was in Honduras. I don’t think I’ve ever been inside such a nice house. The first living room was full or oriental décor and the second was full of Mayan décor. The furniture was all the finest and the swinging benches were the most comfortable seats I’d sat in since entering Honduras. I was in awe.
I had no idea we were eating dinner at such a nice place, and the event was catered, with free drinks and food—which was delicious. Pedro was wrong about this year’s serving size, most of us were gorged. The food was too good to stop eating, and for fear of the coming meal, I had eating more of my share of the appetizers. It was an amazing evening.
I walked home with Chris, Tammi, Eileen, and Michael, and met up with Alan, Abby, and Beth at my door-who had taken a taxi.
With Dia del Nino around the corner, sleep was a sweet relief, as dinner had been served around the time I was hoping to leave. Nora said we were welcome anytime, and seemed sincere. Word on the street is they host dinners 3 times a year: in the beginning, around Thanksgiving, and around Christmas. It’ll be nice to have a family when away from my family for the first time.

Day 35 September 11
At last night’s dinner, I was notified that my kids’ parents wanted to set up the classroom around 7, so even though we didn’t have to be there until 8, I had to be there at 7. I was a bit late, but not much. At expected, no parents were waiting. They came around 9, when I was manning a game station.
My room was completely reorganized (and I might try it for a day, see if I like the table set up) and balloons were put up. We organized candy bags and prizes and games and a piñata, and cake and lunch and gifts for everyone.
I’ve heard a few folks complain, wondering why kids need a kids day at all, but I think I know. Mayatan is private, it isn’t as prevalent, but in public schools and for the scholarship students, they get to celebrate life. Most of my students are spoiled rotten, like American kids. They don’t need another day to celebrate being a kid. But some of these kids, and I’m sure more kids in public school, don’t even get to celebrate their birthdays. Some of my students couldn’t even tell my when their birthday is. With a children’s day, any child in school will get, at least, something. Even if it’s not a lot, it’s something their parents don’t have to provide that they get in recognition of being a human being. When you don’t have much, that can mean a lot.
My kids came to my room for just enough time for me to explain the rules to them, then they were off to the twelve stations, in whatever order they wanted. They were supposed to go to all stations in the hour dedicated to stations, but there was no organization to it, and most did not. I was working the Frisbee station, though I had to keep leaving Miss Kathy to herself to let parents into my room. I played Frisbee with a couple of my students who didn’t have partners, they were impressed with my ability to catch and through. That’s right “Whoa! Miss!”
Kathy and I tried to have some organization to the station, but gave up quickly as kids came and went at varying speeds. We just made to stamp everyone’s activity card and play with kids who didn’t have partners.
The classroom party was crazy. My kids were going nuts. There was food and cake and candy and prizes. We played pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs, and nail the piñata. They loved it. Every kid also got a gift. I finally had a chance to take pictures of my kids and I got all but three of them, who didn’t make it (either because of illness, shame of lack of funds, or I don’t know Yoela’s reason, but I saw her riding by on the back of the truck yelling in a happy tone “Hello Miss!.”)
I was exhausted by the end, but I was happy to go to the bird park with Allan and Abby. I creek stomped up until I saw a man taking a swim upstream. Then, I headed back toward the park. I took a lot of pictures and enjoyed the cool water after the hot day.
On the way back we stopped by the school to pick up some things (even though we all made sure to sweep our own rooms for the cleaning ladies, which they seemed to feel awkward about, they were still on campus) and then by Anne’s house to get Abby’s laundry (I’m not sure why it was there.) This was a trip I expected to take only a couple minutes, but we were there for more than an hour, and I fell asleep on the couch for half an hour or so.
We got back to town shortly before 4, but I gave up on getting to the post office or to the market and just paid Casa Villamil for the day before and did grocery shopping at the Mini Super we call “Target.” I started soaking my laundry and cooked up a quick dinner of scrambled eggs on cheese and bread before meeting folks at Twisted Tanya’s, our weekly tradition.
Most of the group went to Guatemala for the weekend, and is going back again for our 5 days off. There’re two trips going to Guatemala for the 5 days off, and one going to Roatan, but I’m hoping the 5 of us in limbo will go to the lake not far from here. We put it on the table during dinner and research will be done, so we’ll see. Since I let yesterday come and go without getting malaria pills, I know the beach trip and one of the Guatemala trips are out for me, so it’s down to this lake trip or the other Guatemala trip. I’m really hoping for something that doesn’t take the whole time, and Michael and Eileen (two of the others in limbo) are in the same boat, so I hope we can make this work.
I left twisted Tanya’s with the understanding that Abby and Allan would be coming over soon to make tortillas and that Michael and Eileen might join. Sierra was home, but went to dinner at Picame. An hour later, at nine, I had not heard from anyone and no one had come home, so I just went to sleep.