surprises & frustrations
Aaaaaaiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!
That's the sound of me screaming and running down the street in Gracias as I saw my friend Emily in Honduras again. (She left in January). She came down to spend 3 weeks here with her boyfriend and celebrate the 4th of July here.
The 4th of July was pretty great. A volunteer who lives in Gracias, Jamie, planned a 2 day fiesta. I got a sweet jalon from San Ramon to Gracias (cutting almost 2 hours of travel time) Monday evening. He invited PC Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua...crazy stuff. We got to spend a fun evening at the hot springs right outside of Gracias, where I have never been even though I am pretty close. (Defintely need to return.)
The 4th was spent at a pool, eating hot dogs (no ketchup naturally), watching world cup, and spending time with some volunteers from my group that came a long way to chill in the city of thanks. It was a really chill party and I think that most people had a good time. I definitely felt a pang of homesickness as I thought of roman candles, saturn missles, Chicago cops, yuppie neighbors complaining about noise and my dad yelling at them, BBQ's and M-80s, but this was a good replacement.
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I am facing some frustrations in my site right now, the biggest being the intermittent school schedule. I went to the colegio on Monday and classes ended at 9 am with no school on Tuesday. Yesterday several teachers didn't show up and some refused to teach because they haven't been paid yet. Teachers only get paid twice a year and since they were supposed to be paid at the end of June and have yet to receive that check, there are rumors floating around of a strike. Because of that, there are no classes today either. I understand that it is hard to work almost 6 months without a paycheck but it is irritating to see teachers show up and not teach or not show up at all, especially when they make a really good salary for Honduras. The subdirector of the school makes 4 times what I make per month and I have yet to see her teach a single class. I know I shouldn't be so critical considering I don't do much work as a volunteer but....
the most frustrating thing about it is that the kids want to go to school. Some of the seniors want their classes so they are ready for the university. Kids at the grade school want to go to class too. I don't remember liking school that much as a kid but then again, I never experienced a strike during my time in school. Last year, there were 3 separate strikes, one of them lasting over 17 days.
Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy my site and the people in my site but this school schedule has become a big hassle and something that I have been worrying about a lot. When they're not in school all the kids watch TV, play video games, eat junk food and it's just sad and so unhealthy. I hope that they don't strike and this is just a temporary thing.
That's the sound of me screaming and running down the street in Gracias as I saw my friend Emily in Honduras again. (She left in January). She came down to spend 3 weeks here with her boyfriend and celebrate the 4th of July here.
The 4th of July was pretty great. A volunteer who lives in Gracias, Jamie, planned a 2 day fiesta. I got a sweet jalon from San Ramon to Gracias (cutting almost 2 hours of travel time) Monday evening. He invited PC Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua...crazy stuff. We got to spend a fun evening at the hot springs right outside of Gracias, where I have never been even though I am pretty close. (Defintely need to return.)
The 4th was spent at a pool, eating hot dogs (no ketchup naturally), watching world cup, and spending time with some volunteers from my group that came a long way to chill in the city of thanks. It was a really chill party and I think that most people had a good time. I definitely felt a pang of homesickness as I thought of roman candles, saturn missles, Chicago cops, yuppie neighbors complaining about noise and my dad yelling at them, BBQ's and M-80s, but this was a good replacement.
*************************************************************************************
I am facing some frustrations in my site right now, the biggest being the intermittent school schedule. I went to the colegio on Monday and classes ended at 9 am with no school on Tuesday. Yesterday several teachers didn't show up and some refused to teach because they haven't been paid yet. Teachers only get paid twice a year and since they were supposed to be paid at the end of June and have yet to receive that check, there are rumors floating around of a strike. Because of that, there are no classes today either. I understand that it is hard to work almost 6 months without a paycheck but it is irritating to see teachers show up and not teach or not show up at all, especially when they make a really good salary for Honduras. The subdirector of the school makes 4 times what I make per month and I have yet to see her teach a single class. I know I shouldn't be so critical considering I don't do much work as a volunteer but....
the most frustrating thing about it is that the kids want to go to school. Some of the seniors want their classes so they are ready for the university. Kids at the grade school want to go to class too. I don't remember liking school that much as a kid but then again, I never experienced a strike during my time in school. Last year, there were 3 separate strikes, one of them lasting over 17 days.
Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy my site and the people in my site but this school schedule has become a big hassle and something that I have been worrying about a lot. When they're not in school all the kids watch TV, play video games, eat junk food and it's just sad and so unhealthy. I hope that they don't strike and this is just a temporary thing.
posted by Kathryn @ 9:31 AM
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