Well, well, well...January is almost over and I can't believe it! Next week (the whole week), I will be going to my first training to learn how to implement the COLGATE program and a reading and writing program in my community. It should def. be interesting and I have a teacher coming with me who teaches at a rural school with one classroom! So, it should be nice for her.
Anyways, some things I would like for you to know:
Things I thought I'd never do:
1. Mountain climb for like an hour or more...when we say in the states that mountain climbing is a hobby, here it is a reality for some people as the communities are SO far away and always up in the mountaines somewhere...I'm so upset that we have to walk so much all the way up hill, but it is good exercise.
2. Drink coffee...honestly, the coffee is good. I can drink it black or with creamer. Supposedly it's really great coffee according to my friend here who was also a coffee drinker in the states.
3. Use a LATRINE!! So, in the states, using the bathroom for me was always an ordeal. I had to clean the seat and then I had to lay down the paper on the seat. AND, if there happened to be the slightest crack in the door I would hang up my purse or a jacket to cover it up. HERE...o no...I've used a latrine, which is a toilet without a flusher. So, this means you must throw water in the toilet for it to flush. Sometimes, they're not that clean...quite questionable actually. Furthermore, I have officially (yesterda) used an outside latrine without a door. I just prayed that noone was watching, cause I def. used the bathroom. Also, I want you to know it was difficult because the latrine had three walls and a top...and the top was so low I couldn't stand up, so it was REAL awkward trying to get my pants back up. But, anyways, I made it through and used hand santizer afterwards. :)
4. I picked coffee!! It's actually really easy...but, I personally would not recommend it for long periods of time and the mosquitos or insects might get to you.
5. I eat deviled eggs. I realize this is not a huge deal, but I didn't like them in the States and know I'm quite fond of them. This is also true for oranges, beets, and some other things that I can't remember.
More culture insights:
a. (cause I already used numbers) Many families here have maids that help out in the house. I DID NOT expect to find that. I guess it's because they have large families sometimes and people need employment?
b. Sometimes when younger people meet with older family members, the older family member touches there head and says God bless you. I think it's quite neat.
c.No PRIVACY..so, everytime I walk past this one little child, he's always asking me where I'm going and where I came from...he's a little child...I do not feel like I need to explain my life to him. Furthermore, one time I was usig the ATM and I had a Honduran friend with me and you know what? She was looking all in my business while I was checking my account info. I KNOW!!
d. Sharing is a big deal here. I guess it's because some people have more than others financial wise. So, everyone shares. I am not used to sharing to the extent that I'm expected, however and this has caused some awkward situations. For instance, it's NOT appropriate to eat in front of others at any time without offering them some. Furthermore, if you buy something and have other people with you, you have to buy for them as well. Even if they have money...it's really crazy! It's not like in the States...everyone for themselves...Oh no.
>Blessings from God:
The Lord has been so good to me lately I feel like I should send a shout out to Him...lol!!
My cell phone feel on the floor of the bus coming to Teguz today...BUT, a nice gentleman picked it up and gave it back to me (NOT COMMON, especially here).
Everyday I get to wake up with new joy, strength, and hope!
Everything always works out...it really just does.
That's all for now and I hope everyone enjoys the rest of this first month of 2011!
See ya'll soon,
Victoria :)
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
A New Year, A New Start, A Blessing!
Hello Family and Friends!
The holiday season is officially over, but I hope that the feelings of happiness and joy continue throughout the year!! Here in Honduras, there was quite a bit going on. There are many traditions here that are very similiar, if not the same, as the U.S. However, there were many traditions that are different from our Holiday Season traditions. Furthermore, of course, I introduced my family to some of our traditions. So, this Christmas was definitely a Honduran-American Christmas and New Year´s!! lol. We did all kinds of things from decorating with lights, Christmas Trees and reindeer, making decorations with the children, the CD with 100 songs, a lot in English…it was very nostalgic with Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, White Christmas, Jingle Bells, Silver Bells, Frosty the Snowman, etc., watching holiday movies, drinking hot chocolate, eating peppermint sticks, and more! It was quite beautiful despite the lack of christmas lights in every house as is normal in the U.S. However, The Little girls and I watched The Polar Express and some holiday movies of Winnie the Pooh, Nora the Explorer and Mickey Mouse. It was quite interesting. Also, they got to try hot chocolate and peppermint sticks (the BEST) for the first time thanks to my mom.
However, there was of course an interchanging of culture, so I learned quite a bit also about some of their traditions during Chrsitmas. During the month of December, they charole in the church every week. They used to go around the town and visit people´s houses, but people stopped responding so they ended that. That was a little sad, because I wanted to charole and visit people´s houses, but anyways. Also, the Catholic Church makes a nativity scene in the front of the church (my host dad made it). I have a picture below. By the way, you can´t see it, but I found a dinosaur in the nativity scene! Lol. It must have been a Little kid or a joke, I´m not sure, but I´m pretty sure their were no dinosaurs in the manger. But, it was beautiful.
So, on Dec. 23, we made tamales and I got to help! It´s quite a process with the preparing the corn,the stuffings, the leaves of the banana tree,etc. I actually also helped cute down the banana trees that I later ¨cooked¨or dried on the stovetop to wrap the tamales in.
On Dec. 24, we played Amigos Secretos which is Secret Santa for us in the states. It was quite fun...I ended up giving a little girl a skirt and shirt and I got a sweater...no pics of the sweater, but oh well. It was a fun time with the fam.
On Dec. 25, I went to the bull ridings in Lamani, Comoyagua with a counterpart and the family. It was very interesting and fun!! One time, there was a drunk guy from the crown that got into the pin...lol!
On De. 31, we celebrated the New Year with food (stuffed chicken) and a doll that I helped make with my host dad. The doll represents the old year because it´s made with old clothing and you burn it at 12a.m. to represent leaving all the old things behind and moving into a NEW YEAR!!
I hope everyone´s year was great and that all the end of the year celebrations were awesome as well!! I will post more pictures later.
Also, a side note, I did a lot of preparing for this new year...my room is painted a different color, I moved my things around in my room, I cleaned my shoes, washed all my clothes, painted my nails, and swept my room (a lot of work). Here are some pics to enjoy:
Update-Jan. 6-This is the day that they celebrate the three Kings coming to visit Jesus in the stable. So, it´s tradition for someone in the community to steal the baby Jesus from the Catholic Church Nativity Scene and then on the night of Jan. 6, the town goes around house to house and asks if the baby Jesus is here and they sing and the little kids really participate! It´s really cute. And then, when it gets later in the night, the house that has the baby Jesus shoots up a firework and all the kids go running towards that direction and there is the baby and then their a service to remember the biblical importance of the event and then there´s food afterward. Very interesting!
Happy 2011,
Victoria
The holiday season is officially over, but I hope that the feelings of happiness and joy continue throughout the year!! Here in Honduras, there was quite a bit going on. There are many traditions here that are very similiar, if not the same, as the U.S. However, there were many traditions that are different from our Holiday Season traditions. Furthermore, of course, I introduced my family to some of our traditions. So, this Christmas was definitely a Honduran-American Christmas and New Year´s!! lol. We did all kinds of things from decorating with lights, Christmas Trees and reindeer, making decorations with the children, the CD with 100 songs, a lot in English…it was very nostalgic with Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, White Christmas, Jingle Bells, Silver Bells, Frosty the Snowman, etc., watching holiday movies, drinking hot chocolate, eating peppermint sticks, and more! It was quite beautiful despite the lack of christmas lights in every house as is normal in the U.S. However, The Little girls and I watched The Polar Express and some holiday movies of Winnie the Pooh, Nora the Explorer and Mickey Mouse. It was quite interesting. Also, they got to try hot chocolate and peppermint sticks (the BEST) for the first time thanks to my mom.
However, there was of course an interchanging of culture, so I learned quite a bit also about some of their traditions during Chrsitmas. During the month of December, they charole in the church every week. They used to go around the town and visit people´s houses, but people stopped responding so they ended that. That was a little sad, because I wanted to charole and visit people´s houses, but anyways. Also, the Catholic Church makes a nativity scene in the front of the church (my host dad made it). I have a picture below. By the way, you can´t see it, but I found a dinosaur in the nativity scene! Lol. It must have been a Little kid or a joke, I´m not sure, but I´m pretty sure their were no dinosaurs in the manger. But, it was beautiful.
So, on Dec. 23, we made tamales and I got to help! It´s quite a process with the preparing the corn,the stuffings, the leaves of the banana tree,etc. I actually also helped cute down the banana trees that I later ¨cooked¨or dried on the stovetop to wrap the tamales in.
On Dec. 24, we played Amigos Secretos which is Secret Santa for us in the states. It was quite fun...I ended up giving a little girl a skirt and shirt and I got a sweater...no pics of the sweater, but oh well. It was a fun time with the fam.
On Dec. 25, I went to the bull ridings in Lamani, Comoyagua with a counterpart and the family. It was very interesting and fun!! One time, there was a drunk guy from the crown that got into the pin...lol!
On De. 31, we celebrated the New Year with food (stuffed chicken) and a doll that I helped make with my host dad. The doll represents the old year because it´s made with old clothing and you burn it at 12a.m. to represent leaving all the old things behind and moving into a NEW YEAR!!
I hope everyone´s year was great and that all the end of the year celebrations were awesome as well!! I will post more pictures later.
Also, a side note, I did a lot of preparing for this new year...my room is painted a different color, I moved my things around in my room, I cleaned my shoes, washed all my clothes, painted my nails, and swept my room (a lot of work). Here are some pics to enjoy:
Update-Jan. 6-This is the day that they celebrate the three Kings coming to visit Jesus in the stable. So, it´s tradition for someone in the community to steal the baby Jesus from the Catholic Church Nativity Scene and then on the night of Jan. 6, the town goes around house to house and asks if the baby Jesus is here and they sing and the little kids really participate! It´s really cute. And then, when it gets later in the night, the house that has the baby Jesus shoots up a firework and all the kids go running towards that direction and there is the baby and then their a service to remember the biblical importance of the event and then there´s food afterward. Very interesting!
Happy 2011,
Victoria
Thursday, December 16, 2010
ALMOST CHRISTMAS!
I hope the title didn´t make you think that I was going to talk a lot about Christmas, because I will save that until the next blog. HOWEVER, their have been a lot of cool things that have happened lately.
Thanksgiving Day-
We went to the orphange and cooked and ate and hung out with the children. I made sweet potatoe souflee and biscuits. It was SO much food! The kids were quite full at the end and I believe everyone was satisfied with the day. :)
Their´s only one nun working there and theres´s like 20 kids or something. So, I´m sure she enjoyed the help even if it was just for one day.
Also, since school ended, there were a ton of graduations and I personally attended 3. I missed some, but there were too many to go to! Anyways, I have some photos of the graduations for you guys. It was really interesting the way they do graduations because the God Father and God Mother are responsible for bringing a gift and escorting the student to get their diploma. I thought this was interesting because the parents don´t escort their own children.
Furthermore, the past weekend, the family and I went to Los Esposos, a village nearby with family. It was SO beautiful...LOTS of walking, but it was great weather and we had a lot of fun. We walked around almost the whole village...to see the one school building with 2 classrooms, the one convenience store and the one half-built church. lol. It was quite small...but very peaceful. We also ended up seeing a river baptism, which was pretty cool. They sang, had a word from the Bible, and then baptised the youth (I think there were 6 in all).
All in all, it has been going good...during these times of vacations I´m just teaching one English Class and helping start a newspaper. Also, since my town is very big in cafe, I´m going to help harvest cafe and stuff like that. But, there are SO many more exciting things coming up as it gets closer to Christmas. I can´t wait to pots my next blog about Christmas! It´s going to be beautiful!!
Talk to you soon and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Victoria
Thanksgiving Day-
We went to the orphange and cooked and ate and hung out with the children. I made sweet potatoe souflee and biscuits. It was SO much food! The kids were quite full at the end and I believe everyone was satisfied with the day. :)
Their´s only one nun working there and theres´s like 20 kids or something. So, I´m sure she enjoyed the help even if it was just for one day.
Also, since school ended, there were a ton of graduations and I personally attended 3. I missed some, but there were too many to go to! Anyways, I have some photos of the graduations for you guys. It was really interesting the way they do graduations because the God Father and God Mother are responsible for bringing a gift and escorting the student to get their diploma. I thought this was interesting because the parents don´t escort their own children.
Furthermore, the past weekend, the family and I went to Los Esposos, a village nearby with family. It was SO beautiful...LOTS of walking, but it was great weather and we had a lot of fun. We walked around almost the whole village...to see the one school building with 2 classrooms, the one convenience store and the one half-built church. lol. It was quite small...but very peaceful. We also ended up seeing a river baptism, which was pretty cool. They sang, had a word from the Bible, and then baptised the youth (I think there were 6 in all).
All in all, it has been going good...during these times of vacations I´m just teaching one English Class and helping start a newspaper. Also, since my town is very big in cafe, I´m going to help harvest cafe and stuff like that. But, there are SO many more exciting things coming up as it gets closer to Christmas. I can´t wait to pots my next blog about Christmas! It´s going to be beautiful!!
Talk to you soon and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Victoria
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Thank the Lord for Peace Corps computers! I'm in Tegucigalpa now in the PC Office and the computers here are SO much better than in many of the internet cafes!! So, therefore, I was able to send you guys some photos...hope you enjoy!
This is the turkey we have in the backyard...he's always mad! He's always making noises and showing his feathers...I'm not sure if that's normal, but it is for him. By the way, I'm pretty sure we're going to eat him for Christmas-I'm SO excited! I feel a little bad for him though, cause everytime I look at him I think about how delicious he's going to be...oh well. :)
This is a street in my town...just to give you a better idea of what it looks like!
This is one of the on-going projects taht I'm helping with in the school to raise awareness about the environment. These signs are creative ways that the Lord showed me (I say it is the Lord, because I'm not really that creative, so it had to have been Him) to make signs about trash. You would be amazed how people just throw trash around on the ground when there's a trash can right near by!!
This is the beautiful view of my room in my host family's house...doesn't it look majestic! lol. I enjoy opening the door and relaxing, putting my feet up on the stole, looking at the view from my door, feeling the breeze, and reading a good book (when I have time).
This is a picture of Merari and I in Santa Maria...a town nearby my site. This is one of our many excursions over there (including the one with the dead cow). It was cold, which is why I'm wearing a jacket and you will also notice that my foot is sprained in this photo from playing with the little children.
This is a picture during the swearing in ceremony in the U.S. Embassy in Honduras...
The earrings I'm wearing are from the lady in my community who picked me up and took my to my site for the first day! They're hand-made!
This is the library in the high school that I work in a lot...after we get through working on it...it's going to look different! We finally organized all the books by catalog number *with the help of some students and now we're working on basic organization. :)
Write soon and hope every enjoys Thanksgiving!
Love,
Victoria
This is the turkey we have in the backyard...he's always mad! He's always making noises and showing his feathers...I'm not sure if that's normal, but it is for him. By the way, I'm pretty sure we're going to eat him for Christmas-I'm SO excited! I feel a little bad for him though, cause everytime I look at him I think about how delicious he's going to be...oh well. :)
This is a street in my town...just to give you a better idea of what it looks like!
This is one of the on-going projects taht I'm helping with in the school to raise awareness about the environment. These signs are creative ways that the Lord showed me (I say it is the Lord, because I'm not really that creative, so it had to have been Him) to make signs about trash. You would be amazed how people just throw trash around on the ground when there's a trash can right near by!!
This is the beautiful view of my room in my host family's house...doesn't it look majestic! lol. I enjoy opening the door and relaxing, putting my feet up on the stole, looking at the view from my door, feeling the breeze, and reading a good book (when I have time).
This is a picture of Merari and I in Santa Maria...a town nearby my site. This is one of our many excursions over there (including the one with the dead cow). It was cold, which is why I'm wearing a jacket and you will also notice that my foot is sprained in this photo from playing with the little children.
This is a picture during the swearing in ceremony in the U.S. Embassy in Honduras...
The earrings I'm wearing are from the lady in my community who picked me up and took my to my site for the first day! They're hand-made!
This is the library in the high school that I work in a lot...after we get through working on it...it's going to look different! We finally organized all the books by catalog number *with the help of some students and now we're working on basic organization. :)
Write soon and hope every enjoys Thanksgiving!
Love,
Victoria
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Things I´ve Found!
Hello!
It´s been exactly 2 months in my site today! I can´t believe it! AND, everyday I continue to learn new things and experience new things. It´s very interesting how initally I had a vision of how my service would be-I would walk around and people would greet me with happy faces and invite me into their homes and we would talk and enjoy a little snack together. I don´t know, something like that. BUT, it´s definitely not so much like that at all. I haven´t gotten invited to many homes and definitely not by strangers, which could actually be a good thing! lol. Also, Honduras is definitely much more American and developed than I expected. For example, I just visited a house this past week that had a computer and a huge scanner-copier-printer in the living room! I was amazed! AND, most the people here know how to use the computer and the people in the cities have Blackberry´s and IPOD´s and stuff...it´s definitely not what I expected. BUT, on the other hand, some people live in houses made of dirt and mud and don´t have electricity. It´s a really interesting contrast. But, despite these surprises, I´m just trying to find a way to make myself useful during these 2 years.
For instance, I have found, from an informant, that most all of the youth here do drugs and the parents don´t know about it or don´t care. SO, I´ll definitely start talking about that to the youth and I hope to start meeting with parents to discuss how to better the situation (know where your kids are and care more about them). I pray for support from God on this...cause I´m just 22 years old informing these old people on how to raise their children. LOL!
Furthermore, I would like to share some random, but I think important things with you-
Cultural differences:
*A female can´t be called a woman until she is married. I got laughed at for calling a 26 year old a woman. Clearly, to me, she is a woman, NOT a girl. But, here she´s still a girl until she is married.
*When it´s your birthday, you will have eggs thrown at you.
*There is always prayer before each meeting.
Funny Stories:
*So, one day I was walking down this dirt and pebble mixture path to the high school and it´s surrounded on one side with lots of trees (it seems like a forest) and on the other side with backyards and houses with cows and dogs. All of a sudden on the forest side, I hear a bird noise that sounds unique and interesting. So, naturally, I think to myself that I´m going to see (for the first time here in Honduras) an exotic bird. So, I curiously look up into the tree from where the sound is coming....and what do I see? ...a CHICKEN! I was quite dissapointed and confused. WHY is a chicken in the tree?
*One day I was walking and it was an especially hot day. As my arms swayed, I noticed that I was shiny and glowing! I thought to myself, ¨Self, you look awfully nice...looking healthy!¨ Then, after awhile, I realized it was my insect repellant...
*I officially introduced my family to roasted marshmallows (besitos-little kisses, I like the name in Spanish) about a month ago and since then we´ve had roasted marshmallows like at least 5-7 times! It´s a lot of fun, but after awhile it´s like WOW more marshmallows…but, for a week now we haven´t had any, so that´s been a nice break.
Well, hope you enjoy the information that I´ve found!
Talk to you later,
Victoria
It´s been exactly 2 months in my site today! I can´t believe it! AND, everyday I continue to learn new things and experience new things. It´s very interesting how initally I had a vision of how my service would be-I would walk around and people would greet me with happy faces and invite me into their homes and we would talk and enjoy a little snack together. I don´t know, something like that. BUT, it´s definitely not so much like that at all. I haven´t gotten invited to many homes and definitely not by strangers, which could actually be a good thing! lol. Also, Honduras is definitely much more American and developed than I expected. For example, I just visited a house this past week that had a computer and a huge scanner-copier-printer in the living room! I was amazed! AND, most the people here know how to use the computer and the people in the cities have Blackberry´s and IPOD´s and stuff...it´s definitely not what I expected. BUT, on the other hand, some people live in houses made of dirt and mud and don´t have electricity. It´s a really interesting contrast. But, despite these surprises, I´m just trying to find a way to make myself useful during these 2 years.
For instance, I have found, from an informant, that most all of the youth here do drugs and the parents don´t know about it or don´t care. SO, I´ll definitely start talking about that to the youth and I hope to start meeting with parents to discuss how to better the situation (know where your kids are and care more about them). I pray for support from God on this...cause I´m just 22 years old informing these old people on how to raise their children. LOL!
Furthermore, I would like to share some random, but I think important things with you-
Cultural differences:
*A female can´t be called a woman until she is married. I got laughed at for calling a 26 year old a woman. Clearly, to me, she is a woman, NOT a girl. But, here she´s still a girl until she is married.
*When it´s your birthday, you will have eggs thrown at you.
*There is always prayer before each meeting.
Funny Stories:
*So, one day I was walking down this dirt and pebble mixture path to the high school and it´s surrounded on one side with lots of trees (it seems like a forest) and on the other side with backyards and houses with cows and dogs. All of a sudden on the forest side, I hear a bird noise that sounds unique and interesting. So, naturally, I think to myself that I´m going to see (for the first time here in Honduras) an exotic bird. So, I curiously look up into the tree from where the sound is coming....and what do I see? ...a CHICKEN! I was quite dissapointed and confused. WHY is a chicken in the tree?
*One day I was walking and it was an especially hot day. As my arms swayed, I noticed that I was shiny and glowing! I thought to myself, ¨Self, you look awfully nice...looking healthy!¨ Then, after awhile, I realized it was my insect repellant...
*I officially introduced my family to roasted marshmallows (besitos-little kisses, I like the name in Spanish) about a month ago and since then we´ve had roasted marshmallows like at least 5-7 times! It´s a lot of fun, but after awhile it´s like WOW more marshmallows…but, for a week now we haven´t had any, so that´s been a nice break.
Well, hope you enjoy the information that I´ve found!
Talk to you later,
Victoria
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Pictures At Last!
This is the Principal of the High School in my town-Prof. Vinda. I work with her to plan things with the High School.
This is my host dad-they´re own a trip.
These are three of the girls who live in the house-the girl with the checked hat Merari, the girl in the middle Jasinta and the one drinking, Elda.
This is one of the girls-Elda' in my house dancing with the two younger girls-Jarissa and Jarisel.
This is a street in my town.
This is the Biblioteca that was built a long time ago by another PC volunteer.
This is the view in the backyard from my pila where I wash my clothes and my hands. lol
This is a view of the backside of the house.
On the left is the bathroom, it´s actually really clean and nice. On the right is the shower.
This is our kitchen with our fogon. We also have a stove and fridge, though.
This is the store that´s attached to the house. It´s small, but very handy with spices, eggs, meats, flour, chips, cookies, sodas, etc.
This is our living room. We don´t have sofas, but the chairs are pretty comfortable and that´s where we watch the telenovelas or honduran soap operas. lol.
This is us in the restaurant. Our last day together. H17 Youth Development Girls.
This is a picture with a member of my community who picked me up to take me to San Jose for my first day and the Ambassador of the U.S. Embassy in Honduras.
This is the U.S. Embassy in Honduras. It´s pretty nice.
Ok, more fotos to come, but I need to leave the cafe before I spend too much money and it gets too hot here in La Paz, La Paz. I just left a get-together with all the volunteers in the department of La Paz. There were like 15 or more of us. It was fun. We ate guacamole, salsa, hummus, chips, cookies, pineapple, oranges, pizza, hung out and talked FOREVER!! I actually got to talk a good bit about my life as a Christian-they were So interested. It´s amazing how God comes up all the time. So, I thank the Lord for that ministering opp. AND, it was nice to talk in English for a whole DAY!! I´m excited and I´m also exicted to get back to my site where it´s cool. It´s too hot here.
Anyways, hope all is well and enjoy the photos.
Love,
Victoria
Friday, October 1, 2010
Crazy & Fun
Much is going on here in San Jose and in life in general. On Sat. of the last week, while playing with the children in my house, I stepped on a large rock while jumping and so I sprained my foot and it hurt so bad! So, the next morning, my family got an old man in the village to come over and massage my foot. This occurred for two days! It was quite interesting and it worked to my surprise. I am now with a LOT less pain and I´m walking again just fine.
Travel
Also, I´ve been traveling a lot and I´ve seen much! Lol. One night (around 8p.m.) my host family and I went to a nearby village to get meat from a dead cow. The poor cow fell and so they killed it and all the nearby neighbors and villages came to partake in the cow meat. Lol. Also, during this trip, I got to ride in the back of the truck. It´s not a normal truck because it has large poles constructed in the back for people to hold on to. It was actually fun to ride back there and the view was beautiful! Then, also, I traveled with the girl from the Mayor´s Office to two towns sort of nearby. They were really beautiful although we had to walk in mud and a bit of rain for like 3 hours. In the very end, we were walking down a huge mountain to get to the street below to catch a bus back to San Jose, and I know I almost slipped like 10 times. It was SO difficult because we were walking straight down and it was rocky and muddy cause it had just rained. I thought I was going to lose my life a couple of times. But, I prayed the whole way and made it safely to the bottom. It was very stressful, but also beautiful. We saw three waterfalls and the scenery was very peaceful amidst the stressful walk.
Work
Also, as far as work is concerned, they are definitely keeping me busy, which is good! In the high school, I´m helping with a mural to prevent trash in the high school and to raise awareness about environmental health. It´s going pretty well. Also, I´m going to start a computer class because (to my amazement) many of the students here do not know how to use a computer! I never thought I would need to teach people how to use a computer, but it seems that´s one thing they need. Also, another teacher really wants me to help her crafts class, so I will be teaching them how to knit and whatnot. Also, if anyone has any other ideas of crafts, please let me know!!! I never thought I´d be doing these things, but to this community they´re important. Also, the Tourism Group has a BIG plan to put on an event by the end of this year with crafts, performances, etc. so I will be helping with that as well. There is much to do and I´m excited to be able to help! Furthermore, if anyone has ideas about groups that can help with funds, please let me know!!
News from San Jose:
It´s cold here! It´s like 60 degrees. But, it´s beautiful!
No more storms, but it rains every day.
Random Information:
The food is good, I just had like a potatoe salad type thing with grilled chicken and a salad.
We officially have a huge turkey, which is for Christmas dinner...lol.
I´m going to Marcala, the bigger city, to find a church.
I will probably be living with my family for the 2 years because they have a pretty nice setup downstairs. It´s like an apt. with it´s own bath-shower-bathroom and a small kitchen )I think) and they´re going to put in an electronic shower for me so I can have warm water cause the water here is crazy cold...like more than normal.
Hope all is well...
Talk with you soon,
Victoria
Travel
Also, I´ve been traveling a lot and I´ve seen much! Lol. One night (around 8p.m.) my host family and I went to a nearby village to get meat from a dead cow. The poor cow fell and so they killed it and all the nearby neighbors and villages came to partake in the cow meat. Lol. Also, during this trip, I got to ride in the back of the truck. It´s not a normal truck because it has large poles constructed in the back for people to hold on to. It was actually fun to ride back there and the view was beautiful! Then, also, I traveled with the girl from the Mayor´s Office to two towns sort of nearby. They were really beautiful although we had to walk in mud and a bit of rain for like 3 hours. In the very end, we were walking down a huge mountain to get to the street below to catch a bus back to San Jose, and I know I almost slipped like 10 times. It was SO difficult because we were walking straight down and it was rocky and muddy cause it had just rained. I thought I was going to lose my life a couple of times. But, I prayed the whole way and made it safely to the bottom. It was very stressful, but also beautiful. We saw three waterfalls and the scenery was very peaceful amidst the stressful walk.
Work
Also, as far as work is concerned, they are definitely keeping me busy, which is good! In the high school, I´m helping with a mural to prevent trash in the high school and to raise awareness about environmental health. It´s going pretty well. Also, I´m going to start a computer class because (to my amazement) many of the students here do not know how to use a computer! I never thought I would need to teach people how to use a computer, but it seems that´s one thing they need. Also, another teacher really wants me to help her crafts class, so I will be teaching them how to knit and whatnot. Also, if anyone has any other ideas of crafts, please let me know!!! I never thought I´d be doing these things, but to this community they´re important. Also, the Tourism Group has a BIG plan to put on an event by the end of this year with crafts, performances, etc. so I will be helping with that as well. There is much to do and I´m excited to be able to help! Furthermore, if anyone has ideas about groups that can help with funds, please let me know!!
News from San Jose:
It´s cold here! It´s like 60 degrees. But, it´s beautiful!
No more storms, but it rains every day.
Random Information:
The food is good, I just had like a potatoe salad type thing with grilled chicken and a salad.
We officially have a huge turkey, which is for Christmas dinner...lol.
I´m going to Marcala, the bigger city, to find a church.
I will probably be living with my family for the 2 years because they have a pretty nice setup downstairs. It´s like an apt. with it´s own bath-shower-bathroom and a small kitchen )I think) and they´re going to put in an electronic shower for me so I can have warm water cause the water here is crazy cold...like more than normal.
Hope all is well...
Talk with you soon,
Victoria
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