Typically, I like to keep this blog as a means to update all of you at home on the things I have been doing here. I like to share stories about people, places, and events that have touched my heart because I know many of these same things have touched yours at one point or another. For some reason though; I am at a point in my journey here where I feel as though I need to take a deeper look at this experience and the place I am at in my life right now because of it. I guess I am sharing some of my current feelings and reactions on a more personal level than I ever have in my blog but for some reason I feel the need to do so.
Prior to my coming here, I just wasn't happy with my life in any aspect. I felt as though many of my relationships with people were strained, I was working a dead end job, and my faith in the good of humanity had all but disappeared. That is why I made the decision to come down here and spend a year trying to help better an organization and a group of people that myself and many people in my life who I consider important felt an attachment too. I believe that maybe by coming down here, I would find something that was missing in my life and gain some sense of direction on where I wanted to go from here both with my career and my personal life. I have to say that at times I feel very bipolar here- a rollercoaster of emotions to be exact. There are days where I will be laughing one moment, and break down into tears at the next. However. although this has definitely been the most difficult 6 months of my life it has also been the most fulfilling. I have learned things about myself that never would have been revealed to me had I not come here. I have found things about myself that I don't like and have resolved to change them. I have learned that I have talents that I never knew that I had before. I have figured out both my greatest strengths, and my greatest weaknesses as well. Coming here has stripped me down to my core and made me realize exactly who I am. Some of it is difficult to see, but sometimes you have to realize what things you need to work on in your life to get where you really want to go.
Being here has been so fulfilling. I often wonder how I will ever be able to return home. Sure, there are a million materialistic reasons to return home. There's the hot showers. There's the endless list of delicious foods that can't be obtained here. There's the family vacations on extravagant cruise ships. There's the nights out on the town in Boston and the 9.00 Expresso desserts with my girl friends.
Then of course there are the non-materialistic things- knowing that I have an amazing group of people around me who love and support me. There's the sense of comfort and familiarity that I don't have here. There's the knowing that those around me know me and understand me, and I can always be myself- flaws and all. There's the relationships that I have spent years developing with friends that will always be there no matter what. These are things I have learned to cherish during my time here that I maybe never really thought about before.
However; despite all these things I am starting to wonder- how will I ever return? I came here to search for things that I'll never find when I go back to the States. I worry that my life will seem even LESS fulfilled now that I have had this experience. I wonder if I'll ever be able to pick up and leave. A part of my heart will always have to be left here. Will I be able to function and return to a state of normalcy with so much of my heart left in this country? Friends here will be wearing the wardrobe of clothes I leave behind. Wendy will be wearing the bracelet I brought back for her from the States for being such a good friend to me. My students will forever hold on to the notebooks of English vocabulary words I have taught them. The friendship bracelets I have given them will be kept in safekeeping I am sure. I'm starting to feel as though this is becoming my home. I am starting to realize that I have come to a point in my journey here where I am in fact thinking of the day I eventually will have to leave. Despite my weeks of seemingly never-ending illnesses recently and my longing to go home and take a hot shower and see a REAL doctor, the thought of actually leaving and not turning back breaks my heart. I am starting to think about how I am going to be able to do it, and where I will go on my next journey when I do actually leave here. Where will I go from here? Who will I be? What will I ever do in my life that will rival what I'm doing now? In a school setting, where will I EVER find the challenge that I've found here (both behaviorally and academically- BELIEVE ME- teaching ESL is HARD!) When will I ever be embraced by a different culture and people the way I have been here? Where will I ever find another opportunity in my career to feel as though I am being surrounded by people who I have set out to help, but are in reality helping ME in more ways than I'll ever help them? When will I ever be humbled in this way again?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
A much needed update...
Hey all. I just realized it has been 2 weeks since I have updated my blog. Things have been absolutely insanely busy here, and I have had little time to actually sit down and think. I hope this entry finds you all well and healthy. I'd like to say a special congratulations to Bob and Sandy Fisher on the arrival of their new bundle of joy. I'd also like to extend a special congratulations to my friend Meghan on her pregnancy. I'm so happy for you all!!!!
I have to admit that I've had quite a challenging couple of weeks. I have been trying to work on some behavioral problems within my classroom and I broke down into tears the other day because I felt at "wit's end" with a couple of my students. I actually had two kids who were on suspension for 3 days last week for trying to strangle other students. To say that I've been a bit frustrated would be an understatement. Sometimes I feel as though all I do is play referee when I really want to be teaching. Thankfully, I have since gone to Annie's house and vented to her for 2 hours straight. I think that is all that I needed, because I was able to head back into my classroom last week and implement new behavioral methods that SEEM to be working (knock on wood!) Additionally, one of the parents approached me on the playground last week and thanked me for being so hard on her son. She told me that she was "on board" with me with any behavioral expectations I wanted to set. The crazy father who yelled at me on the bus in November has also been super nice to me as well. He brought me a piece of chocolate cake today at lunch. All in all, it has been the usual rollercoaster that being here in general has been for me. I know that in the end, everything I am doing is in the best interest of my children. Let me tell you though; disciplining here is HARD!!!!! I am known as the "tough teacher" around here. I never thought I would hear myself with that type of label. Yikes!!!!
On a more positive note, we are well into the third of four quarters at Santa Clara. Last week was the true test of how much my students have learned up until this point. I have to proudly announce that out of 43 students, only 3 will probably not move on to second grade next year. I can hardly believe that 40 students who did not know a word of English in September know all of their letters and sounds. I have about a dozen who are actually reading in English. Every morning, the other section of first graders (who are with Brenda first thing) come in to say that they want to spend the entire day in English class. I must be doing something right!
On a sadder note, I have to say that I was a bit heartbroken last week. DonaMarina, who is one of the cleaning women at Santa Clara was in my class cleaning up after our Valentines Day party. She is a woman with a heart of gold, who is always inviting me over to her house, or making me a cup of hot coffee in the morning (which I gratefully take...although WHO drinks hot coffee in 100 degree heat?). In any case, after our party I caught her poking through my trash can and stuffing the remains of a Valentines Day cake (all that was left was the frosting and some crumbs) into her purse. It is so often that I forget how poor she really is. I learned that she only makes about 3.00 a day working at Santa Clara, and she has a daughter in the second grade. I am living a pretty simple life on my 50.00 a week stipend, so I cannot even begin to fathom the struggles that she is facing. It's so hard to remember how she lives, because she comes to work with a smile on her face every morning, and is always wondering how I am doing. She never ever complains about her struggles. I guess what she lacks in material riches she makes up for in spirit and heart.
I wanted to announce that I will be home for the Semana Santa week in April. I'll actually be taking a few extra days off and flying back here with the Holy Family group on April 16th. As much as I would have loved to travel to Costa Rica, I really think I just need a couple of weeks of doing absolutely NOTHING. I need to just relax and process everything that has been happening around me. And honestly; I'd rather spend the 2 weeks with my family and friends who I am missing quite a bit these days. Besides, there's always next year's Semana Santa for a trip to Costa Rica; right? :-)
I have to admit that I've had quite a challenging couple of weeks. I have been trying to work on some behavioral problems within my classroom and I broke down into tears the other day because I felt at "wit's end" with a couple of my students. I actually had two kids who were on suspension for 3 days last week for trying to strangle other students. To say that I've been a bit frustrated would be an understatement. Sometimes I feel as though all I do is play referee when I really want to be teaching. Thankfully, I have since gone to Annie's house and vented to her for 2 hours straight. I think that is all that I needed, because I was able to head back into my classroom last week and implement new behavioral methods that SEEM to be working (knock on wood!) Additionally, one of the parents approached me on the playground last week and thanked me for being so hard on her son. She told me that she was "on board" with me with any behavioral expectations I wanted to set. The crazy father who yelled at me on the bus in November has also been super nice to me as well. He brought me a piece of chocolate cake today at lunch. All in all, it has been the usual rollercoaster that being here in general has been for me. I know that in the end, everything I am doing is in the best interest of my children. Let me tell you though; disciplining here is HARD!!!!! I am known as the "tough teacher" around here. I never thought I would hear myself with that type of label. Yikes!!!!
On a more positive note, we are well into the third of four quarters at Santa Clara. Last week was the true test of how much my students have learned up until this point. I have to proudly announce that out of 43 students, only 3 will probably not move on to second grade next year. I can hardly believe that 40 students who did not know a word of English in September know all of their letters and sounds. I have about a dozen who are actually reading in English. Every morning, the other section of first graders (who are with Brenda first thing) come in to say that they want to spend the entire day in English class. I must be doing something right!
On a sadder note, I have to say that I was a bit heartbroken last week. DonaMarina, who is one of the cleaning women at Santa Clara was in my class cleaning up after our Valentines Day party. She is a woman with a heart of gold, who is always inviting me over to her house, or making me a cup of hot coffee in the morning (which I gratefully take...although WHO drinks hot coffee in 100 degree heat?). In any case, after our party I caught her poking through my trash can and stuffing the remains of a Valentines Day cake (all that was left was the frosting and some crumbs) into her purse. It is so often that I forget how poor she really is. I learned that she only makes about 3.00 a day working at Santa Clara, and she has a daughter in the second grade. I am living a pretty simple life on my 50.00 a week stipend, so I cannot even begin to fathom the struggles that she is facing. It's so hard to remember how she lives, because she comes to work with a smile on her face every morning, and is always wondering how I am doing. She never ever complains about her struggles. I guess what she lacks in material riches she makes up for in spirit and heart.
I wanted to announce that I will be home for the Semana Santa week in April. I'll actually be taking a few extra days off and flying back here with the Holy Family group on April 16th. As much as I would have loved to travel to Costa Rica, I really think I just need a couple of weeks of doing absolutely NOTHING. I need to just relax and process everything that has been happening around me. And honestly; I'd rather spend the 2 weeks with my family and friends who I am missing quite a bit these days. Besides, there's always next year's Semana Santa for a trip to Costa Rica; right? :-)
Monday, February 2, 2009
Tengo meido!!!!
Hello all...things are really starting to "heat up" here. Gone are the days of going for runs at 3:00 in the afternoon and enjoying a nice breeze. I came in from my afternoon run (which I left for at 3:00) and I have decided I don't think I'll be doing that again anytime soon. Since it hasn't rained too often, my lungs are full of dust. I also don't think I've ever sweat so much in my life. Thank GOD I have a shower that works here at the Colonia. I think I'm going to be using it more and more frequently!
In any case; I just wanted to share a bit of a funny story from my classroom last week. We read a story about Franklin (for those of you over 12 and/or those of you who don't work with children); Franklin is a turtle and a popular children's icon. In any case; in this particular story, Franklin was afraid of the dark and didn't like to hide in his own shell. After the story, I had the children share some of the things that they were afraid of. Most of the answers were pretty predictable: spiders, bugs, the dark, big dogs. However; a half a dozen or so kids kept screaming out "Chookie, chookie!" I had no clue what this was, so I asked Wendy (my third grade teacher friend) what on earth the kids wer etalking about. Well, lo and behold; they were making a reference to CHUCKIE. As in, the scary redhead doll from the horror movies. I don't know why I thought it was so comical, but apparently "Chookie" is huge here even though he is well past his day in the States. :-) Just thought I'd share a little Juticalpan comedy with you all.
Bree and I enjoyed a lovely weekend in Isla De Tigre; which is the southernmost part of Honduras. It's actually an island a 15 minute boat ride off of Coyolito (southernmost point). From the island, you can see the neighboring countries of Gautamala and El Salvador. Pretty darn cool, if you ask me! In any case, we enjoyed 2 days of swimming on black sand beaches (my first time swimming in the ocean in Honduras...can you believe it), and enjoying fresh squeezed lemonade in the hotel hammocks. There's more. Get this: We enjoyed LOBSTER for only 10.00 U.S money!!!! The seafood was incredible! I had this fantastic soup with lobster tail, crab legs, and steamers in this ridiculously delicious cream broth. Mmmmm! O.k, enough about the food! (Sorry, I can't help myself when it comes to talking about good culinary experiences, since they are few and far between here). In any case, the weekend was fun but tiring . It was a 7 hour trip that required us to switch buses 3 times to get where we were going. Add in the factor that we only had a regular 2 day weekend to do all of this, and you have the equation for fatigue.
In any case, the island was beautiful, but a bit saddening. It was breathtaking and there is so much potential there for an amazing tourist destination. We talked to a couple of the locals, and it seems like it is a "hot spot" for the Holy Week for some of the Hondurans and a frequent backpacker stop for people like ourselves; but overall the island's beauty is under utilized because of the poverty and lack of people who can invest in it. I definitely hope to head back again at some point during my stay here.
Speaking of my stay, I wanted to announce that I am seriously considering the possibility of staying here another year. I have really begun to "find my groove" in the past 6 or 8 weeks and I think I could accomplish even MORE next year having a year of experience under my belt. Just a thought, but it is something I am considering!
Hope you are all doing well! I know you were eagerly looking forward to this entry :-) (I got a couple of emails this week from past Team Members). Love and miss you all!
In any case; I just wanted to share a bit of a funny story from my classroom last week. We read a story about Franklin (for those of you over 12 and/or those of you who don't work with children); Franklin is a turtle and a popular children's icon. In any case; in this particular story, Franklin was afraid of the dark and didn't like to hide in his own shell. After the story, I had the children share some of the things that they were afraid of. Most of the answers were pretty predictable: spiders, bugs, the dark, big dogs. However; a half a dozen or so kids kept screaming out "Chookie, chookie!" I had no clue what this was, so I asked Wendy (my third grade teacher friend) what on earth the kids wer etalking about. Well, lo and behold; they were making a reference to CHUCKIE. As in, the scary redhead doll from the horror movies. I don't know why I thought it was so comical, but apparently "Chookie" is huge here even though he is well past his day in the States. :-) Just thought I'd share a little Juticalpan comedy with you all.
Bree and I enjoyed a lovely weekend in Isla De Tigre; which is the southernmost part of Honduras. It's actually an island a 15 minute boat ride off of Coyolito (southernmost point). From the island, you can see the neighboring countries of Gautamala and El Salvador. Pretty darn cool, if you ask me! In any case, we enjoyed 2 days of swimming on black sand beaches (my first time swimming in the ocean in Honduras...can you believe it), and enjoying fresh squeezed lemonade in the hotel hammocks. There's more. Get this: We enjoyed LOBSTER for only 10.00 U.S money!!!! The seafood was incredible! I had this fantastic soup with lobster tail, crab legs, and steamers in this ridiculously delicious cream broth. Mmmmm! O.k, enough about the food! (Sorry, I can't help myself when it comes to talking about good culinary experiences, since they are few and far between here). In any case, the weekend was fun but tiring . It was a 7 hour trip that required us to switch buses 3 times to get where we were going. Add in the factor that we only had a regular 2 day weekend to do all of this, and you have the equation for fatigue.
In any case, the island was beautiful, but a bit saddening. It was breathtaking and there is so much potential there for an amazing tourist destination. We talked to a couple of the locals, and it seems like it is a "hot spot" for the Holy Week for some of the Hondurans and a frequent backpacker stop for people like ourselves; but overall the island's beauty is under utilized because of the poverty and lack of people who can invest in it. I definitely hope to head back again at some point during my stay here.
Speaking of my stay, I wanted to announce that I am seriously considering the possibility of staying here another year. I have really begun to "find my groove" in the past 6 or 8 weeks and I think I could accomplish even MORE next year having a year of experience under my belt. Just a thought, but it is something I am considering!
Hope you are all doing well! I know you were eagerly looking forward to this entry :-) (I got a couple of emails this week from past Team Members). Love and miss you all!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Weekly Update
I have to report that things have been pretty calm this week here in Juticalpa. That is, pretty calm if you are used to writing out report cards and collecting grades from a multitude of different specialty class teachers who are running on Honduran time. :-) The week has been pretty uneventful and full of TONS of paperwork. I now do not envy all of the teachers that I had growing up. In fact, I have a newfound respect for them.
My kids must have sensed how much work I had to get done last week. They rewarded my fatigue by making sure to come to school with extra sugar in their systems. I had to deal with a lot of side drama last week, including one student trying to stab another one in the eye with a pair of scissors. Welcome to first grade! Never a dull moment!
In any case, I was feeling pretty exhausted this weekend. Only in Juticalpa would I be ready for bed by 8:00 on both Friday and Saturday night. I went out for dinner with Lissy (a teacher from Nazareth) and her friend Roberto (who owns Plasticos de Juticalpa) on Friday night with Bree. It was a lot of fun and we had a lot of laughs. I am amazed at how my Spanish is coming along. I'm able to hold full conversations with people now, and I am really starting to actually prefer listening to and speaking in Spanish over English! Sure, I talk primarily in the present tense, but I figure it is better than where I was at when I arrived in August! In any case, it was a fun night out. I confessed to Roberto; whom we all call "Roberto Plasticos" due to his family's store that I genuinely thought his last name was "plasticos" for months on end. This created a good amount of laughs. It's so funny how I am continually saying ridiculous or funny things and everyone is so good natured about it.
Anyways, off I go to grade a stack of papers about a mile high and finish up some paperwork for Annie for report cards. Next weekend will provide some much needed R&R as Bree, Ginny, and I head to the South coast. We will be headed away for 2 nights to Isle de Tigre, which is a small island about 90 mins south of Tegus. It should be interesting. It will be my first time getting to lay on an actual beach in my six months here thus far. Can you believe it? I; Erin, Beach Bum of the World, have been living in a climate where the temperature exceeds 80 degrees everyday and I've yet to lay on the beach. I am very much looking forward to it! Love and miss you all and sending you some sunshine to freezing cold Boston!
My kids must have sensed how much work I had to get done last week. They rewarded my fatigue by making sure to come to school with extra sugar in their systems. I had to deal with a lot of side drama last week, including one student trying to stab another one in the eye with a pair of scissors. Welcome to first grade! Never a dull moment!
In any case, I was feeling pretty exhausted this weekend. Only in Juticalpa would I be ready for bed by 8:00 on both Friday and Saturday night. I went out for dinner with Lissy (a teacher from Nazareth) and her friend Roberto (who owns Plasticos de Juticalpa) on Friday night with Bree. It was a lot of fun and we had a lot of laughs. I am amazed at how my Spanish is coming along. I'm able to hold full conversations with people now, and I am really starting to actually prefer listening to and speaking in Spanish over English! Sure, I talk primarily in the present tense, but I figure it is better than where I was at when I arrived in August! In any case, it was a fun night out. I confessed to Roberto; whom we all call "Roberto Plasticos" due to his family's store that I genuinely thought his last name was "plasticos" for months on end. This created a good amount of laughs. It's so funny how I am continually saying ridiculous or funny things and everyone is so good natured about it.
Anyways, off I go to grade a stack of papers about a mile high and finish up some paperwork for Annie for report cards. Next weekend will provide some much needed R&R as Bree, Ginny, and I head to the South coast. We will be headed away for 2 nights to Isle de Tigre, which is a small island about 90 mins south of Tegus. It should be interesting. It will be my first time getting to lay on an actual beach in my six months here thus far. Can you believe it? I; Erin, Beach Bum of the World, have been living in a climate where the temperature exceeds 80 degrees everyday and I've yet to lay on the beach. I am very much looking forward to it! Love and miss you all and sending you some sunshine to freezing cold Boston!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Something I wanted to share with you all
Hello all...just a quick update to let you know I am doing well and keeping VERY busy. We are in the process of starting a new reading curriculum at Santa Clara and I have been meeting with Annie to help decide how we will train Honduran staff on using it. Additionally, grades are due in at the end of this week. Not a whole lot to report on as I've mostly been busy with paperwork and planning (no exciting travel yet!)
I would like to share with you an email correspondance I've been having with a woman from Kansas City, MO. Her family hosted one of my students a couple of years back when she had a major hip surgery. This year, the same woman and her family decided to sponser this particular student's Santa Clara education. Sandra is one of my favorite students. She is a beautiful, bright, loving child. I did not realize that anything had ever been wrong with her until I received this email. I hope that you are all touched by this woman's kindness just as I was.
Miss you all, and hope to write up an longer update this weekend!
Erin
Erin;
How we met Sandra is sort of a long story but I love to tell it and I am chatty so here goes . . . Mario Castro is a pulmonologist here in St. Louis who goes to Honduras every year on a medical mission. I was a youth minister at the church he attended, Our Lady of the Pillar. I had his 3 sons in various VBS, Confirmation, etc. He has become friends with Bishop Muldoon and is trying to help Muldoon get a Catholic hospital going there. He knows a woman, Kathy Corbett, who runs a non-profit here in St. Louis called Healing the Children. They bring kids over to the US for surgery - all of it paid for by donation. One of Sandra's legs was longer than the other and it caused her to limp, It was b/c of a hip problem she had ... possibly from birth ... it was never in socket properly. She was used to walking with a limp and it did not really cause her much trouble but as she grows and into adulthood, the pain would become more severe and there would be more problems for her. Dunia, Sandra's mom, heard on the radio that some doctors from the US were going to be somewhere in Juticalpa checking kids to see if they qualified for surgery in the US. Sandra qualified so Mario sent out an email asking for host families. At the time, we had 2 sons, RJ and Michael who were 2 and 5. We had just moved into a bigger house which was VERY handicap accessible down to bars in the bathtubs, etc. We met Kathy Corbett, saw the pictures of Sandra and asked if we could host. The VERY NEXT DAY, I found out I was pregnant again. I do not have the easiest pregnancies but I did not want to back out on our commitment either so they allowed Dunia, Sandra's mom, to come with her. Well it was a good thing b/c Sandra's surgery was very invovled and she was in a full body cast for almost 8 weeks . . . flat on her back in a LONG wheelchair that she learned how to manuever in our house in about a day. She needed a bed pan, someone to assist her with most daily tasks and most of all . . . to help alleviate her boredom!!!! :-) Dunia and Sandra ended up living with us for almost 6 months and became like family to us. They left a few weeks before my baby was born but accompanied me through the whole pregnancy! Sandra's surgery was very involved and required round the clock care. She had lots of therapy and had to learn to walk again, etc. Dunia, her mother, was a diligent, loving, devoted caretaker. She kept Sandra very CLEAN (difficult to do w/a full body cast on), and made her do her exercises all the time. Sandra is a doll but those last 2 weeks in the cast were pretty tough on everybody. I learned a lot about patience and perseverence from DUNIA at that time. We also learned how smart Sandra was. My Dad made her learn her Spanish alphabet. Somewhere around here, we have pictures of her out on our patio flat on her back in a wheelchair with MY DAD pointing at an easel w/ the ABCS on it. Before they left we were struggling with trying to figure out how to help them. When we realized how bright Sandra was, we knew that the key to breaking the poverty cycle in her family was a good education for Sandra. It was sort of complicated though. Sandra had never lived with her mother. She lived with her "Abuelos" and aunts and uncles in a small town outside of Juticalpa. Dunia lived in the city and sent money home to Sandra and her abuelos, seeing Sandra on weekends, etc. Dunia had Sandra very young and Sandra's father was abusive to Dunia during the pregnancy so she left him. Sandra definitely has issues with not having a relationship with her father but she is very blessed with loving faithful grandparents and a loving patient mother in Dunia. As with most families there, there is very little money to go around and Sandra went to school but not so great as far as academics. We asked Dunia if we could pay to send Sandra to a better school . . 1. B/c the education so important and 2. so they could live together. Dunia said yes and so with just a few days before school started, Mario looked into it and the Bishop helped us arrange it all. Our Lady of the Pillar Vacation Bible School actually helped pay for a good portion of her schooling this year just by bringing money with them from their piggy banks. They met her b/c she went to Bible School there - wheelchair and all! Just last week we found out that Dunia lost her job in the store where she cleans in Juticalpa. I guess the economic struggles are everywhere. We really are praying she finds a new job soon so she can keep her apartment, etc. If you hear of any good cleaning jobs, maybe you can let me or Dunia know. There is so much more to tell but my husband just walked in and saw this email, laughed and suggested I keep it brief so you will keep reading them! :-)
Hope to write more later. Please give Sandra a kiss from us! Sara Clark
I would like to share with you an email correspondance I've been having with a woman from Kansas City, MO. Her family hosted one of my students a couple of years back when she had a major hip surgery. This year, the same woman and her family decided to sponser this particular student's Santa Clara education. Sandra is one of my favorite students. She is a beautiful, bright, loving child. I did not realize that anything had ever been wrong with her until I received this email. I hope that you are all touched by this woman's kindness just as I was.
Miss you all, and hope to write up an longer update this weekend!
Erin
Erin;
How we met Sandra is sort of a long story but I love to tell it and I am chatty so here goes . . . Mario Castro is a pulmonologist here in St. Louis who goes to Honduras every year on a medical mission. I was a youth minister at the church he attended, Our Lady of the Pillar. I had his 3 sons in various VBS, Confirmation, etc. He has become friends with Bishop Muldoon and is trying to help Muldoon get a Catholic hospital going there. He knows a woman, Kathy Corbett, who runs a non-profit here in St. Louis called Healing the Children. They bring kids over to the US for surgery - all of it paid for by donation. One of Sandra's legs was longer than the other and it caused her to limp, It was b/c of a hip problem she had ... possibly from birth ... it was never in socket properly. She was used to walking with a limp and it did not really cause her much trouble but as she grows and into adulthood, the pain would become more severe and there would be more problems for her. Dunia, Sandra's mom, heard on the radio that some doctors from the US were going to be somewhere in Juticalpa checking kids to see if they qualified for surgery in the US. Sandra qualified so Mario sent out an email asking for host families. At the time, we had 2 sons, RJ and Michael who were 2 and 5. We had just moved into a bigger house which was VERY handicap accessible down to bars in the bathtubs, etc. We met Kathy Corbett, saw the pictures of Sandra and asked if we could host. The VERY NEXT DAY, I found out I was pregnant again. I do not have the easiest pregnancies but I did not want to back out on our commitment either so they allowed Dunia, Sandra's mom, to come with her. Well it was a good thing b/c Sandra's surgery was very invovled and she was in a full body cast for almost 8 weeks . . . flat on her back in a LONG wheelchair that she learned how to manuever in our house in about a day. She needed a bed pan, someone to assist her with most daily tasks and most of all . . . to help alleviate her boredom!!!! :-) Dunia and Sandra ended up living with us for almost 6 months and became like family to us. They left a few weeks before my baby was born but accompanied me through the whole pregnancy! Sandra's surgery was very involved and required round the clock care. She had lots of therapy and had to learn to walk again, etc. Dunia, her mother, was a diligent, loving, devoted caretaker. She kept Sandra very CLEAN (difficult to do w/a full body cast on), and made her do her exercises all the time. Sandra is a doll but those last 2 weeks in the cast were pretty tough on everybody. I learned a lot about patience and perseverence from DUNIA at that time. We also learned how smart Sandra was. My Dad made her learn her Spanish alphabet. Somewhere around here, we have pictures of her out on our patio flat on her back in a wheelchair with MY DAD pointing at an easel w/ the ABCS on it. Before they left we were struggling with trying to figure out how to help them. When we realized how bright Sandra was, we knew that the key to breaking the poverty cycle in her family was a good education for Sandra. It was sort of complicated though. Sandra had never lived with her mother. She lived with her "Abuelos" and aunts and uncles in a small town outside of Juticalpa. Dunia lived in the city and sent money home to Sandra and her abuelos, seeing Sandra on weekends, etc. Dunia had Sandra very young and Sandra's father was abusive to Dunia during the pregnancy so she left him. Sandra definitely has issues with not having a relationship with her father but she is very blessed with loving faithful grandparents and a loving patient mother in Dunia. As with most families there, there is very little money to go around and Sandra went to school but not so great as far as academics. We asked Dunia if we could pay to send Sandra to a better school . . 1. B/c the education so important and 2. so they could live together. Dunia said yes and so with just a few days before school started, Mario looked into it and the Bishop helped us arrange it all. Our Lady of the Pillar Vacation Bible School actually helped pay for a good portion of her schooling this year just by bringing money with them from their piggy banks. They met her b/c she went to Bible School there - wheelchair and all! Just last week we found out that Dunia lost her job in the store where she cleans in Juticalpa. I guess the economic struggles are everywhere. We really are praying she finds a new job soon so she can keep her apartment, etc. If you hear of any good cleaning jobs, maybe you can let me or Dunia know. There is so much more to tell but my husband just walked in and saw this email, laughed and suggested I keep it brief so you will keep reading them! :-)
Hope to write more later. Please give Sandra a kiss from us! Sara Clark
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Sweet Home Juticalpa
Finally, the weekend has arrived and I have a few moments to sit down and collect all of my thoughts. I arrived back in Juticalpa on Sunday evening and was right back up at the school working on Monday morning at 7am. I barely have even had a moment to just step back and think "wow, my time here really is almost half over." I can hardly believe it is January, but it is.
The two days before I left and my first day back in Juticalpa were difficult. First of all, I somehow acquired this nasty cold at home. After my doctor's experiences here in September and October and my neverending hosts of stomach ailments, the worrywart in me started thinking "what if this turns into pneumonia and I end up in the Juticalpa Hospital". Let me tell you, that is NOT a place where I have any desire to spend any of my time.
Anyway, I have started to get back into the rhythm of things here. My kids were off the wall all week and not much was accomplished, but I think by Friday I had gotten them at least back to understanding my behavioral expectations. (Believe me, this has by far been the most difficult of all of my endeavors here.) In any case, my students seem to have retained all of their letters and sounds and I'm really pleased with the progress they are making. I had 7 students in November that I seriously thought were in "danger" of not being promoted to second grade. Now; I only have 3 that I'm seriously worried about. I have been holding extra classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school for these students, and think I may start doing it on Monday and Wednesdays as well. I am realizing that I should never lower my expectations for these kids, because they CAN do it. It is amazing how they are like little sponges, soaking up everything that I say. I do have to say that I'm really proud of myself for how far they have come. Annie told me the other day that my kids are more ready for second grade NOW than last year's class was in JUNE. I must be doing something right!
Even though coming back was a bit difficult, as soon as I stepped off that plane and as soon as I arrived in Juticalpa" with my now old friends; it felt like I had never even left. There was once a time where weekends consisted of sitting around trying to entertain ourselves while sitting in front of 3 fans inside our sweltering apartment. Now; my weekends are loaded with places to go, people to see, and things to do. This weekend, Ginny (the new volunteer) and I have plans to hang out at Wendy's and learn to cook Honduran food. Tonight, I am going to Los Arcos (the local disco) with a few of the teachers from Santa Clara. Tomorrow; we'll all head into Catacamas for some hiking fun.
Realizing that my time here is starting to dwindle, I have to decided to soak up every moment that I have with these people, this culture, and friends I have made that I will have for a lifetime, even though we will be thousands of miles apart. For now, this is home. Sweet home Juticalpa!!!
The two days before I left and my first day back in Juticalpa were difficult. First of all, I somehow acquired this nasty cold at home. After my doctor's experiences here in September and October and my neverending hosts of stomach ailments, the worrywart in me started thinking "what if this turns into pneumonia and I end up in the Juticalpa Hospital". Let me tell you, that is NOT a place where I have any desire to spend any of my time.
Anyway, I have started to get back into the rhythm of things here. My kids were off the wall all week and not much was accomplished, but I think by Friday I had gotten them at least back to understanding my behavioral expectations. (Believe me, this has by far been the most difficult of all of my endeavors here.) In any case, my students seem to have retained all of their letters and sounds and I'm really pleased with the progress they are making. I had 7 students in November that I seriously thought were in "danger" of not being promoted to second grade. Now; I only have 3 that I'm seriously worried about. I have been holding extra classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school for these students, and think I may start doing it on Monday and Wednesdays as well. I am realizing that I should never lower my expectations for these kids, because they CAN do it. It is amazing how they are like little sponges, soaking up everything that I say. I do have to say that I'm really proud of myself for how far they have come. Annie told me the other day that my kids are more ready for second grade NOW than last year's class was in JUNE. I must be doing something right!
Even though coming back was a bit difficult, as soon as I stepped off that plane and as soon as I arrived in Juticalpa" with my now old friends; it felt like I had never even left. There was once a time where weekends consisted of sitting around trying to entertain ourselves while sitting in front of 3 fans inside our sweltering apartment. Now; my weekends are loaded with places to go, people to see, and things to do. This weekend, Ginny (the new volunteer) and I have plans to hang out at Wendy's and learn to cook Honduran food. Tonight, I am going to Los Arcos (the local disco) with a few of the teachers from Santa Clara. Tomorrow; we'll all head into Catacamas for some hiking fun.
Realizing that my time here is starting to dwindle, I have to decided to soak up every moment that I have with these people, this culture, and friends I have made that I will have for a lifetime, even though we will be thousands of miles apart. For now, this is home. Sweet home Juticalpa!!!
Friday, December 26, 2008
Reflecting From Home
"We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. "- Mother Teresa
Upon coming home and having time to reflect upon my experiences in Honduras, a particular picture and series of events keeps replaying in my mind. It is a beautiful picture, one filled with hope, love, appreciation, and a better understanding of the meaning behind Mother Teresa's words.
Two months ago, a dear friend of mine by the name of Juan Carlos lost his humble home and everything that he owned in the horrific flooding in Juticalpa. The other volunteers and myself spent an entire day surveying the wreckage, unable to comprehend what our friends must have been going through. Furthermore, we struggled with the feeling of being so helpless, unable to do much to help those whom we now considered family. We knew the only thing we could do was to ask for your help, and the help of others. You came through.
The image that keeps replaying through my mind is the change in the Juan Carlos' family's life through the generous donations of our family and friends. In October, that image is of a young girl of about 5 crying outside the remains of her home saying she couldn't go to school because her shoes had washed away in the rains and they couldn't afford to by her new ones. She had no bed to sleep in, no place to call home. The day before I left Honduras for Boston; that image changes to the same little girl prancing around a beautiful new home innocently singing "Noche De Paz" ..or "Silent Night". A family who had two months ago lost everything and seemed to have lost all hope now has a beautiful home accentuated by a Christmas tree covered in sparkling lights. Not only do they have a home, but everything within it has been replaced as well.
There are some days where I feel as though I am not making a difference. That I am in fact just making a drop in that ocean. Then I remember Juan Carlos and how that tiny little drop has made such a big difference in his life and the life of his family.
Upon coming home and having time to reflect upon my experiences in Honduras, a particular picture and series of events keeps replaying in my mind. It is a beautiful picture, one filled with hope, love, appreciation, and a better understanding of the meaning behind Mother Teresa's words.
Two months ago, a dear friend of mine by the name of Juan Carlos lost his humble home and everything that he owned in the horrific flooding in Juticalpa. The other volunteers and myself spent an entire day surveying the wreckage, unable to comprehend what our friends must have been going through. Furthermore, we struggled with the feeling of being so helpless, unable to do much to help those whom we now considered family. We knew the only thing we could do was to ask for your help, and the help of others. You came through.
The image that keeps replaying through my mind is the change in the Juan Carlos' family's life through the generous donations of our family and friends. In October, that image is of a young girl of about 5 crying outside the remains of her home saying she couldn't go to school because her shoes had washed away in the rains and they couldn't afford to by her new ones. She had no bed to sleep in, no place to call home. The day before I left Honduras for Boston; that image changes to the same little girl prancing around a beautiful new home innocently singing "Noche De Paz" ..or "Silent Night". A family who had two months ago lost everything and seemed to have lost all hope now has a beautiful home accentuated by a Christmas tree covered in sparkling lights. Not only do they have a home, but everything within it has been replaced as well.
There are some days where I feel as though I am not making a difference. That I am in fact just making a drop in that ocean. Then I remember Juan Carlos and how that tiny little drop has made such a big difference in his life and the life of his family.
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