The house from the front.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
La Montaña
So far, I will be working at La Montaña, the second phase for the kids. Right now the kids are on school vacation until February, so there is a lot of free time where we are just playing with them. The kids seem to be really patient with how frustrating the language problem is. But the other day, one of the kids got mad at me and said "Understand my language!" And I really wanted to say to him- You're right, I should know your language, but now I am here and this is just the way it is going to have to be. So I really am trying. Laura, Faith and I have Spanish time at home and try to tell one thing from the day in Spanish. A two minute story takes us maybe 15 minutes to get through... sooooo painful!!
On Friday at La Montaña, a group came to talk to the older kids about HIV/AIDS. They were really good, with a lot of interactive little games... like freshmen orientation icebreaker things. They did a skit about what HIV does to your body, and how it handles other infections then. It was really good. Laura and I were sitting in on it and participating in some of their activities. But then the organizer asked for volunteers to demonstrate how to correctly put on a condom. And Laura says that she didn't know what they were asking for, but she volunteered and went right up to the front. The man handed out condoms and then brought out this wooden, varnished penis. So I am sitting in the back of the room watching Laura look so cool and calm...and trying so hard not to laugh out loud. Because the kids were generally very serious and dead silent. (Like as young as 11, and they were very serious about it... I don't know how that would go with 11 year old US kids). Anyway, Laura took her turn putting the condom on the wooden penis and was very cool about it. Then we ate "Felicidades!" cake with the kids.
The whole experience seemed so ridiculous at the time, like how did we get to into this. But thinking about it, it's sad that there's such a need to do presentations like that. The group showed statistics about Honduras...the county in Central America with the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS. It's so great though, that they do come in to talk to the kids about it though. It was a very honest, very realistic presentation about it. But so strange, that a half hour before that presentation I was helping one of those kids with his really basic math that he couldn't understand. Such an irony.
On Friday at La Montaña, a group came to talk to the older kids about HIV/AIDS. They were really good, with a lot of interactive little games... like freshmen orientation icebreaker things. They did a skit about what HIV does to your body, and how it handles other infections then. It was really good. Laura and I were sitting in on it and participating in some of their activities. But then the organizer asked for volunteers to demonstrate how to correctly put on a condom. And Laura says that she didn't know what they were asking for, but she volunteered and went right up to the front. The man handed out condoms and then brought out this wooden, varnished penis. So I am sitting in the back of the room watching Laura look so cool and calm...and trying so hard not to laugh out loud. Because the kids were generally very serious and dead silent. (Like as young as 11, and they were very serious about it... I don't know how that would go with 11 year old US kids). Anyway, Laura took her turn putting the condom on the wooden penis and was very cool about it. Then we ate "Felicidades!" cake with the kids.
The whole experience seemed so ridiculous at the time, like how did we get to into this. But thinking about it, it's sad that there's such a need to do presentations like that. The group showed statistics about Honduras...the county in Central America with the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS. It's so great though, that they do come in to talk to the kids about it though. It was a very honest, very realistic presentation about it. But so strange, that a half hour before that presentation I was helping one of those kids with his really basic math that he couldn't understand. Such an irony.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Neuva gringa
Hola!
I got into San Pedro Sula on Saturday night and got settled in the volunteer house in El Progreso. It is a nice place with a stove, sink, outside washer, warm shower and the three of us each have our own room.
These first couple days have been exciting and very overwhelming. Adjusting is tough and spanish skills would have made it a lot easier. It is very frustrating not to be able to communicate with anyone, or always need someone around to translate. Right now I know that I am a lot more of a hassle than any help at all. But hopefully, I will catch on soooooon!
I spent yesterday at Las Flores, the first stage for kids who come off the street. It was nice to see some of the kids still there from last year, and a lot of them have moved up to La Montaña, which we went to today. The difference between the two places is huge, you can really tell the .difference between the kids who have been in the program long enough to get to La Montaña.
Still haven't exchanged any money, gone shopping, or tried to make a phone call yet. There's just so much going on right now. And getting places is very scattered. It's bus, or walking, or bike, or taxi.
Well I have to get going for now. (We can use the internet for free at a hotel next door to our neighborhood, which is really nice!)
Hasta luego!!
I got into San Pedro Sula on Saturday night and got settled in the volunteer house in El Progreso. It is a nice place with a stove, sink, outside washer, warm shower and the three of us each have our own room.
These first couple days have been exciting and very overwhelming. Adjusting is tough and spanish skills would have made it a lot easier. It is very frustrating not to be able to communicate with anyone, or always need someone around to translate. Right now I know that I am a lot more of a hassle than any help at all. But hopefully, I will catch on soooooon!
I spent yesterday at Las Flores, the first stage for kids who come off the street. It was nice to see some of the kids still there from last year, and a lot of them have moved up to La Montaña, which we went to today. The difference between the two places is huge, you can really tell the .difference between the kids who have been in the program long enough to get to La Montaña.
Still haven't exchanged any money, gone shopping, or tried to make a phone call yet. There's just so much going on right now. And getting places is very scattered. It's bus, or walking, or bike, or taxi.
Well I have to get going for now. (We can use the internet for free at a hotel next door to our neighborhood, which is really nice!)
Hasta luego!!
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