More reading

Another book recommendation for those of you looking to learn a bit more about Honduran culture:

I’ve only read a bit of it so far, but it’s quite informative and very interesting. It’s divided into three chapters: Violence, Alcohol, and Maquiladoras (sweat shops).

(Thanks Kris, for sending us down with this book!)

"Can we borrow your dog?"

Today we came home from work just like usual, put the bikes on the side of the house and I grabbed Ranger’s bowl to feed him dinner. Two boys came to the fence and asked to speak with us for a second. I was prepared with the usual, “No, we can’t play because we have work to do. This weekend we’ll have more time to play.”

I almost wish that they were asking us to play like usual. Instead they were wondering if they could borrow our dog. I wasn’t sure if I simply misunderstood, but after clarification, I realized that they were explaining that their female dog was in heat. They wanted puppies, and for our dog to father them.

What?!

So instead of sending the two kids back, I wanted to clarify with the grandmother who sent them over. She explained to us (multiple times and with some wonderful new vocab) that they could bring their dog to our house or we could bring our dog there. They just wanted to borrow him for a little bit, she said.

Thankfully Matt came with me because I didn’t know how to say no. He explained that it was the Sister’s dog and that we should check with them before we lend him to anyone. So even after giving a few more excuses, they insisted that we see the dog. She made sure that we realized that they would be a good match for each other and that we would talk tomorrow.

I’m interested to see what the sisters have to say about all this! Who knows if this is culturally acceptable or if it’s just a crazy abuela aching for some pups..

Challenges

Every Friday the students leave right after lunch, so the four of us have dedicated those afternoons to reflecting with the sisters. This is only our second time spending a few hours with them talking, but it has already been immensely beneficial. The weeks are busy, so I’m thankful to have this time set aside to bring any concerns or thoughts to the table about how things are going.

We had a really great talk with Sister Teresa yesterday. We sat around for a couple hours talking about cultural differences within the educational system.

Over the past three weeks of teaching, the four of us tutors have recognized a great disparity between the students’ ability to know and understand the material. This ranges from the chiquitas (little ones) to the eldest. All of the classes have great difficulty taking the information that they receive and apply it. For example, if we’re doing grammar exercises then they won’t think about what a noun is; instead they’ll refer to the previous example to copy it. If the noun comes first, they’ll assume that the next example also begins with a noun.

The students also lack investigative curiosity, something that’s highly valued within the US educational system. In class the students rarely ask questions or challenge an opinion. At first I was willing to blame my accent/slow Spanish and my strange new face. But after three weeks, it’s hard to believe that their apprehensions are only temporary.

It’s incredibly frustrating to have a lecture, do activities, ask questions, and still not have any feedback or sign of understanding. Over time I hope to be able to find ways to better manage the class and get them more involved, but how does someone instill critical thinking skills? (Especially considering the ten years they spent in schools where memorizing is the only necessary skill.) I don’t even know where to begin.

This cultural difference is so strongly integrated into how the country functions, not just concerning education. When we first started classes we all asked our students what they wanted to do after they graduated. Many wanted to be teachers or agriculturalists and others said they wanted to be engineers, journalists, psychologists, or doctors. I’m inspired by their aspirations, but disappointed by their attitudes towards actually achieving these dreams. It’s as though they’ve accepted their lives as is and don’t look for other possibilities. There’s a disconnect between the education that they’re receiving and their everyday life. For me it is strange to see the youth of low economic status who don’t take advantage of the opportunity to change the course of their lives. Sure, some may become leaders of their communities, but I get a feeling that most would be okay with going back to the aldeas, having children, and just living their lives. In no way am I putting down this choice to support a family and be content with little. But I can’t help but wonder why they aren’t challenging the norms of society. Oppression and acceptance has been infiltrated into all levels of the culture.

Even when it comes to violence or death, there’s such an apathetic attitude. Every Monday I ask the students how their weekends were. This past week the younger girls responded with “bad”. They explained that someone died in their aldeas. They said it so nonchalantly, as if it were part of everyday life…most likely because it is.

So this is the challenge that we are faced with: Of course, it is to inspire our students to make social change with the education that they are receiving. But more importantly, it is to understand how poverty, oppression, and violence have become a normalcy, how we can find the balance between what we’re used to (growing up in a country where everyone has rights that they are entitled to and fought for) and a new culture and attitude.

I feel very overwhelmed, but confident that we will challenge ourselves and the students so that they can start to consider their dreams as more than just dreams. 

Feliz dia de amor y amistad!

(Yesterday was el dia de amor y amistad: the day for love and friendship!)

So much has happened in the past month, and I certainly haven’t been keeping up to date..

Teaching has been keeping me busy, but I’m really enjoying what I’m doing. (I’m mostly teaching Spanish and English for Primero Ciclo: 7th, Segundo Ciclo: 8th, Primero Bachillerato: 10th, and Segundo Bachillerato: 11th).

Before the students came we were told that we would have to start from scratch with the younger students. I didn’t believe it until I saw their work. Not using capital letters in the right places, never using periods, and misspelling a lot of basic words. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but so many are eager to learn that I’m not too worried.

With the older students I’m having them practice writing (and not just summarizing but expressing their opinions effectively). It sounds like it could be pretty complex, but I’m hoping that they’ll grasp the basic ideas to form a basis.

One of the biggest challenges has been getting the students to think critically and apply what they’ve learned instead of relying on rote memorization. Fostering those skills will take time, so it’s been a frustrating process without any immediate results. (On top of this, the classes are pretty shy and they revert to giggles when someone is called on.) Differences in the educational approach are mostly cultural and finding the balance between the two cultures has been tricky. (It’s easier to rely on what I’m used to…) Hopefully ways to intertwine the two approaches will become clearer as we continue.

I’ve recently become the unofficial librarian. Our library certainly isn’t comparable to a high school library in the States, but it serves its purpose. All of the books are locked away behind glass doors so the students have to ask permission to borrow a book and then sign it out. There are mostly reference books for the teachers, but I’ve enjoyed directing the students through the books that we have for them. It’s a nice way to get to know the girls and encourage them to read age-appropriate books. The majority like to read but just don’t have a whole lot of practice. (A few days after I was given this new responsibility I lost the only set of keys (!) but luckily they were found later the next day. Phew!)

We’ve had some really wonderful times here already: Last weekend we accompanied the priest to an aldea mass in the country -what a beautiful service! We’ve had our share of dinner guests and luckily have been invited over to dinner with our neighbors. The cook at the center came over one Sunday with her son to exchange recipes and cook for a bit. We cheered for our neighbor at one of his football games. Ate fried tortillas and guacamole while we watched the Super Bowl (in Spanish). And unfortunately got some amoebas at Valley of the Angels but quickly recovered.

In the future I hope to do a better job of keeping everyone updated : ) Good night!

Our First Day

Today we met nearly all 70 students, their parents, and some extended family. They travelled (some for hours) from their small aldeas in the campo to drop off their daughter(s). Some came by bus, others by bike, and still others by foot.

The four of us spent a good part of the morning tracking down the students and making sure that they all had name tags. Later Sister Teresa gave a bit of an introduction to the center and said a few prayers. Then the families said their goodbyes and left their daughters in our hands. Then came the fun part: all of the rules and regulations. This ranged from respecting each other’s things to no makeup or nail polish. The sisters really try to make sure that academics are the students’ main focus.

Each girl will have received a medical evaluation before they start classes. This includes collecting some general information (parents’ names, birthday, etc.) but also what their living conditions are like. The girls reported what their houses were made of, if they had dirt or cement floors, and whether or not they had things like electricity, potable water, or a latrine. As Tori and I went around helping the girls fill out the forms, we noticed that the answers varied. Some had brick houses and cement floors while others didn’t have potable water or electricity. It’s easy to forget the conditions of home life (at least regarding physical comforts) while the girls are at the school. I’ve been getting a lot of flashbacks to my days of recess and lunches in the cafeteria with my friends. Yet instances like filling out this medical evaluation keep me grounded and make sure that I’m in check.

After a few questions about their general health, they got checked for lice-sometimes followed by a chemical shampoo. Tori and I spent the afternoon supervising the students while they tried not to get their clothes wet washing their hair in the shower. Quite a feat if you ask me.

It’s typical for women to have two first names and two last names. For someone like me who can’t remember my own name, it is a challenge to remember 70 of these double names… On top of that, they’re different than what we’re used to. For example, one of the girls is named Blanca Rosa and it seems that they call her Blanca for short.

I’m still really looking forward to getting to know the students (even if it means remembering all of their double names). They seem like a great bunch so far!

Tomorrow starts our first real day of classes. We’ll have our normal schedule so I’ll be starting off with Spanish with the 10^th grade class. Wish me luck!

Community

It’s only been a little over a week and already I can tell that we’re going to be well taken care of and a part of the community here. It’s been humbling to see so many people reach out to us after only knowing us for several days. We’re blessed to be surrounded with loving neighbors- including the dozen kids in the barrio that come and yell for us to come out and play. Norlan lives to the right of us with his wife and two daughters. He’s incredibly patient with us while we learn Spanish and is entirely down to earth. Last week we spent a few nights sitting in a circle in the front yard telling jokes and sharing stories. One of our first nights here he invited us to his yard while his friend and daughters sang and played guitar. He’s so willing to share his life with us and find out about ours. He has a great sense of wisdom about him and I can tell that we’ll be learning a lot from him over the course of our year here. 


Norlan’s oldest daughter, Alexandra, is seven or eight. She’s very bright and quite mature for her age. She looks out for the other kids when we’re playing and is also very patient with our slow Spanish speaking.

Emilio and Sonia live behind us with their son Emilito. They’ve been keeping a close eye on us, making sure that we feel safe in the neighborhood and giving us insights to the life here.  Emilito is the most energetic six year old that I’ve ever met, and I’ve enjoyed playing with him. It’s amazing how children can bring out such joy in our lives.

At mass I appreciate the seriously long period of time dedicated to greeting each other with the sign of peace. The church is a place of community, for the people, and this is strongly felt the moment you walk through the door. It’s a decent sized parish, and yet it seems like everyone knows each other. After only two services I already recognize a good number of faces. 


These are only a few of the people that have touched our lives and with whom we will grow in friendship. Before embarking on this trip I had my worries. I was afraid that as four gringos living in a house by ourselves we would feel the stark separation between our cultures, languages, and backgrounds. Yet something much more profound  has connected us to the surrounding community, in which we will continue to find our place. 

Marie Poussepin Center

It’s been almost a week since I left Stonehill and the foot of snow. So much has happened since then: moving into our incredible home, playing in the street with all the neighborhood kids, attempting to make beans, bike rides around the barrio, and training our dog Ranger to sit.

But for now I’ll just focus on the school. We’re working at the Marie Poussepin Center, named after the founder of the Dominicans of the Presentation. It’s a school for about 70 girls from grades 7-11. Since the country only requires that students complete 6^th grade, this is an opportunity for these girls to continue their education. All come from the surrounding aldeas and stay at the Center throughout the week and return home on weekends. A rigorous interview and application process ensures that the families and the students are dedicated to their education and faith.

Over 40,000 students in the country rely on an educational system through the radio for grades 7-11. They receive workbooks and follow along to learn the sciences, history, math, Spanish, and even English. Since the teacher is essentially the radio, it is very self-directed. It’s the student’s responsibility to make sure that the homework is completed and the material is understood. Some students are visited by tutors once a week who are trained to assist the distance learners.

This is essentially the same system that the sisters have implemented at the Center. There is still a strong reliance on the books which dictate the structure of the trimesters. Yet, there are several tutors which aid in educating in a formalized manner. The students come to class prepared (having read the book and listened to the radio) and the tutor helps with comprehension. We're also there to help provide activities to make sure that the material is understood well. 

When the students come to the school they are at very different levels. Some have been to a public school in their aldea while others may not have had the opportunity. Living in the “city” is very different than the aldeas where there may not be electricity or running water.

This first trimester I’ll be teaching two Spanish classes (grammar and literature) to 10 and 11 grades and a Techniques to Study course to the 7^th graders. I’ll also be holding review sessions for two English classes and two Spanish classes. I just finished some of my lesson plans for the semester and am getting excited. It was pretty overwhelming at first, but I’ll have fun with the material and it will be wonderful to be a part of the students’ learning.

I’m proud to be part of a school that has made so much change. Now many of its graduates continue to an agricultural college with scholarships. And the students seem to develop holistically. They learn about good eating habits, hygiene, staying healthy, faith, and being a contributing citizen. The three words painted on the wall that they chose to describe their school are: responsibility, respect, and honesty. I’m already inspired by the students and I haven’t even met them! And outside of the incredible support that the sisters offer, it is an absolutely beautiful place. It’s pretty quiet now, but in a week and a half, it will be brimming with activity.

Well I meant this to be a short post, but here it is! Hope everything is well back home. I send my love!

Paz, Cassie