La Feria

Things have gotten very interesting here this week. This week the local fair began, and let me tell you...actually, I don't even know how to describe it using politically correct terms. Let me just say there have been a lot more strangers, significantly more drunk men staggering around town and a whole load of fireworks.

Where to start? The "fair" was actually set up last week, and by fair I mean sketchy looking rides (a ferris wheel) and lean-to shacks. Its set right on the outskirts of town. I guess you could say it welcomes the out-of-towners! With the arrival of the feria, the whole atmosphere of town has changed. The park is very crowded. Many of the people are quite intoxicated and a little bit intrusive. Now walking down the street I have to look for more than the crazy drivers, I have to be cautious of the staggering drunks!

There have been many activities accompanying the fair. In addition to nightly dancing in the park and street, Tuesday night was the coronation of the junior princess of the fair. It's very interesting the pomp and circumstance that accompany the events. The junior princesses and their escorts (ranging in age from 4-6) were wearing formal attire including little tuxedos for the boys! It was very cute. Wednesday night was the crowning of the "Queen", I did not attend as I have been desperately trying to catch up on my sleep! Which leads me to the "best" part of the fair...the fireworks and cannons.

Yes, that's right, fireworks and cannons. Each night starting around 3:30, they start setting off cannons at the fort. Then a little truck drives around with loudspeakers blaring "buenos dias!" blah, blah, blah in Spanish. Apparently no one has ever told them that no one is listening at 4 in the morning!! It's interesting because I think of this happening at home. Someone would be on the phone to the police instantly, telling them about the noise and the police would be right over to take care of it. Let me tell you right now, that doesn't happen here! Yes, it seems the only solution to these late night "bomb blasts" is a pillow over the head and a good set of earplugs! I guess the Hondurans don't value their sleep like we do, or maybe they do and that is why they don't have school Thursday or Friday...crazy!

The 'feria' is over around the 23rd I guess. I will definitely be looking forward to Copan getting back to it's peaceful and quiet nature!

To blog or not to blog?

Apparently since November it's been the latter. I don't know, I guess blogging just fell off my list of priorities! Things continue to stay interesting here in Copan.

The weather is changing down here, it is starting to get very dusty and quite warm. The sunshine is a welcome thing, but I'm afraid it has started to affect the children of Mayatan! I have started to notice that as the sweat factor increases so does the number of behavior problems! I teach second grade, and I have to say I have a very difficult class. I have twenty-one students, 11 girls and 10 boys. Not one of these students is lacking energy! Some know how to channel it into positive behavior and learning, while many choose to use it to make me crazy!!!!

Mayatan is actually a very interesting school. It is a private school that offers scholarships to local students. Therefore, my class is fairly diverse socio-economically. About half of my class is in some way sponsored, from having partial tuition to a complete scholarship, which provides tuition, books, uniforms as well as lunch at school. Mayatan School has a wonderful mission; To provide local students with a quality, bilingual education. Living in a poor country being bilingual can open doors to opportunities that many children do not have, but desperately need.

Teaching second grade has been a challenge like no other I have ever faced before. I have taught English Language Learners in the past as well as had difficult kids in my class, but never have I taught a class full of language learners with a majority having some kind of behavioral implication. I don't know if many of the behaviors are a result of not knowing the language that is being taught, or just the kids themselves, believe me I have done some serious thinking about this!

Is it me???? Is it them???? Is it a cultural thing??? Is it the combination of kids??? I think I have come to the conclusion that it is all of the above and at this point in the year, its all about survival!

We are down to three months to go, and these will probably prove to be the most difficult because the temperature should continue to grow. If you have any wonderful, fabulous, life changing suggestions for me, please, send them my way.