The Good, Bad, and the Ugly

The light at the end of the tunnel…. This past month has been filled with ups, downs, and everything in between.  My roommate described this beginning period of teaching similar to putting a 500 piece puzzle together. I could not agree more.  You know the end result, but you have to figure out how to get there.  Using various teaching methods, activities, and strategies trying to figure out what best fit the needs of your students.  Many times, you find pieces that do not fit, but you keep trying.  You find that pattern, color, texture that meshes together.  Before you know it, you have already put together the corner pieces of the puzzle.  You see glimpses of your end result, a piece of hope and a sense of relief that you may actually be doing something right… A shine of confidence growing in your shyest student, a simple understanding or “A-HA” moment, excitement, eagerness, and teamwork.  All of a sudden a student that you didn’t think was paying attention in math for the past two days comes to the board and perfectly executes a rounding problem following the exact steps you taught.  And my cheeks hurt so damn much because I am so proud I cant stop smiling while writing this thinking about all the pieces that my class has already been able to put together. This puzzle called teaching is never ending.  Teaching will be continually trying to put this chaotic, insane, yet amazingly beautiful puzzle together.

It is hard not to love these kids.  My heart bursts looking through pictures reassuring me that I am where I’m supposed to be.  Here are some pictures of 5^th Grade during Dia Del Nino and Dia De La Independencia.  Children’s Day was a day celebration at school where my class participated in a “Secret Santa” type gift exchange, beat down two piñatas, and ate so much candy that they had a sugar hang over the next day in class.  Dia De La Independencia was on September, 15^th, and on this day almost 200 years ago, Central America was granted their independence from Spain.  Each school within Copan marched in the parade throughout town.  The town was packed with people, covered with bright vibrant colors, decorated with tiny Honduran flags, and pine needles filling the streets.

Dia Del Nino:

Fernando (far right) is totally peaking during our
"Secret Santa" gift exchange.

Emilio and his gift

The girls 

a few students :)

5th grade!

They requested a "girls only" picture. Such Sass!

Sara

Hector

Dia De La Independencia:

Hector rocking the shades! 

One of my students, Nahomy

5th Grade girls: Sara and Naara 

Some of my 5th Graders :) 

What happens when I ask Hector to smile... OYYY.

Check out that view

Emilio "mid parade photoshoot"

5th Grade boys: Roberto and Emilio 

Bright and Beautiful colors 

La Pintada- Every Saturday I am eagerly excited to wake up at 7:30 and hike an hour up a steep mountain… WHO AM I?! Don’t worry… you will understand my excitement after you check out the pictures below.  La Pintada- a place filled with barefoot, fearless, playful children that have so much love that it is flowing out of their ears.  They bombard you with smiles, hugs, and simple conversations that tug at your heartstrings.  My heart grows one size each week after being around these amazing children.  This is my happy place here in Honduras. (PS We are always looking for school supplies: books, crayons, colored pencils, pencil sharpeners, ect to bring up to La P. Let my mom know if you are interested in donating!) 

Looking like the next Ranchero 

Sweet Deimi

Bryan 

Julie and beautiful Suyapa 

These Boys: Neiser and Junior

That SMILE!!!

Walter and his cutest Mohawk 

Milten: so excited to be working on his homework

Jefferson

A Jefferson "Selfie"

The Bad….Creatures

1) I arrive to school around 6:15 every day.  6:15 is way too early for me and I have barely had time to guzzle one cup of coffee.  It’s a Tuesday morning, I am dragging my feet walking up to my classroom door.  I take out my keys with my eyes half open and begin unlocking my door.  I feel something on my foot, not being in the mood, I just kick it off.  Well… come to find out after one of my students waiting for me to open the door screamed, “MIZZ MIZZ, ESCORPION!!!!” Yes, yes, it is what it sounds like… It was a scorpion.  It was about the size of my palm and it crawled on my foot.  I think I peed my pants a little.  Thankfully one of my fearless 5^th graders grabbed a rock and smashed it with no issues.  Oh Honduras…

 2) The bathroom rule is still in FULL effect for my 5^th graders. It is the 6^th week of school so you can only imagine my annoyance when one of my students during the first 20 minutes of the day came to me and asked if he could use the bathroom. He held one of his arm straight out reminding me of Frankenstein and was plugging his nose with his other hand. I was then intrigued.  I asked him what was wrong and he pointed to his arm and he gave me the classic “MIZZ”.  I looked closer only to see a gooey black mark.  I asked what happened and the whole class burst into laughter.  He said, while still having his nose plugged, “The Gecko on the ceiling pooped on me.”  Oh. My. God. How do you not laugh at that? Of course, I let him go to the bathroom… without using one of his bathroom passes… rules always seem to have exceptions. 

3) While at La Pintada last weekend, I saw moms doing lice checks on their daughter’s hair.  My worst childhood memory came rushing back to me.  I had lice a few times when I was in primary school… and it is something I NEVER WANT AGAIN.  I have been freaking out about having lice ever since I saw the moms checking for it.  My head itches while I write this, which is totally me just freaking myself out.  I am begging the lice gods… please, please, please spare me from getting lice….

The ugly…

Learning a new culture can be hard work.  There are times where your body, mind and soul crave normalcy. I am very thankful for the friendships I have made here.  They are my piece of home and my peace of mind.  There are many times when the culture shock can be extremely overwhelming and push the buttons within you that you never knew existed.

1) Treatment of animals-  There are stray dogs almost everywhere you look here in Copan.  They are extremely mistreated and malnourished.  As an animal lover, it is so extremely hard to see so many dogs suffering.  I want to take them home with me, give them baths, and feed them.  Unfortunately it is hard to go near them because they are so skittish around humans.  

2) Staring and Cat Calls- It doesn’t matter what time of day, if a Honduran male sees you walking past him… he will stare…and stare… and stare.  To make it worse… he will ask if you have a boyfriend, make cat calls at you, whistle, practice their English, which consists of “Hey Baby” and “Hey Honey.”  While they are completely harmless and are only trying to boost their ego, it can at times be too much to ignore.  It is hard to hold back your anger, frustration, and eagerness to punch them in the balls.  

5^th grade quote of the day:

During recess… Naara-“Miss Jenny, you can be weird sometimes.” Me-“Oh well that’s good! I don’t want to be normal.” Naara- surprised by my comment… begins to smile…”I want to be weird too!”

Escuela Mayatan

Back to School

Copan Ruinas?....a place where the sweat NEVER stops!

My first week as, Miss Jenny the 5^th grade teacher at Mayatan Bilingual School, was nothing short of exhausting, thrilling, and completely unforgettable.  Is there life after 9:00pm…because I am telling you this gringo is horizontal and eyes closed tight!

Monday was an Open House where both students and parents were invited to the school.  The school staff was introduced during an assembly and afterwards students, along with their parents, made their way to their classroom.  This was another moment where I kicked myself for slacking off in my high school Spanish class and immediately regretted every day dream…”Can I go to the bathroom?” excuse to escape class. As parents and 5^th graders began to file into my classroom, I came to the realization that the parents of my students did not speak English.  Again, my Spanglish skills (that are now growing since I have been taking Spanish lessons from a local Honduran woman once a week) were put to the test.  This was my first hurdle of the school year.  Here I am, my first classroom, the parents of my students sitting in front of me, and I was unable to communicate my excitement, expectations, and goals as their child’s teacher this school year.  Hello…Spanish Lessons!!  Luckily the parents were extremely kind and accepting of the fact that I was unable to speak Spanish I vow to make a better impression the next time we meet!

The view from outside my classroom!

Primary Wing at Escuela Mayatan

If only you could see the cows roaming outside my
classroom windows..

Notice all the Pepto-bismol on the ledge, after asking
them why they brought it... I found out that it
was on my students school supply list! 

Reading Nook

Tuesday was the first full day of class and I was so excited to spend time getting to know my students.  I arrived to school about 45 minutes early and I already had 5 of my 5^th grade boys waiting outside my door…REALLY?? What is this place??  They stood with their backpacks weighing them down full of school supplies, wearing white Mayatan polos tucked into their red plaid pants with a black belt and black shoes. While their uniforms looked extremely uncomfortable in the 90+ degree heat, there was no denying how completely adorable these children looked.

We spent the day playing fun getting to know each other games and discussing our classroom rules and procedures.  My students seemed to catch on quickly, (literally… amazing how effective catching a beach ball can be) to all the new rules and expectations. Although there was one rule that created a lot of room discussion and stories…The “Bathroom Rule”.  This rule took a while for students to comprende?  and realize that I was in fact serious.  My class has two breaks throughout the day, recess and lunch.  There is enough time during these two breaks to eat, play AND use the restroom, therefore they are only given two extra bathroom passes per quarter.  This was my first “test” as a teacher.  While I made the rule and wanted to be true to my word, I couldn’t help but notice about 10 different students throughout the next three days wiggling around, tapping their feet, with a look of panic on their faces.  As I asked them what was wrong, they quickly replied with “Mizz, I have to use the bathroom.” Ah the potty dance… lets just say that they have not forgotten to use the bathroom during our breaks since.

My class is extremely well behaved, sweet, and well mannered.  I am greeted every morning with a “Good Morning, Miss” (Pronounced Mizz, in their adorable little accents) and a huge smile.  It took me a while to realize that it didn’t matter if they knew my name, that I would only be called “Mizz”.  For every question or comment they have during class, their tiny hands shoot up and immediately say, “Mizz, Mizz, Mizz.”

Snap shots of 5th grade during Art class: 

La Pintada

Every Saturday, there is a group of teachers that go on an hour hike up to a village called La Pintada.  The veteran Mayatan teachers have been doing this every Saturday for the past two years.  This has quickly come to be one of my most favorite places within Copan.  As we hiked up and up and up…did I say it was UP?  to this small Mayan community, we were immediately greeted by the most adorable barefooted children ranging from 3-13 years old.  After we arrived, we passed out books, math worksheets, and coloring pages to the kids. It is so relaxing to spend time with them.  After an hour or so, we got out the soccer balls and played games with them.  

Last weekend, Naizer brought his homemade bow along.   He also made his own arrows out of sticks and thick bamboo-ish grass. He would not let the bow leave his sight.  HOW CUTE IS HE? I couldn’t get enough.

Food of the week

Alright ya’ll, the food here is different.  But different is good! Here is my find of the week.  They are called lychees and look extremely freaky.  On Saturday after hiking to La Pintada, we were walking past the open market and found a man selling these by the vine in the back of his truck.  So of course I had to buy some…

You begin by opening them up and getting rid of the spikey outside.  What you find in the middle is a clear round squishy substance.  It tastes like an extremely sweet grape!