After several days of cleaning, unpacking, and organizing, we were just about settled in. Then we were informed that because of some unforseen, unpreventable changes in plans, I was going to have to move to a different room in the teacher's house, and Heather and I were going to have to use the kitchen, living room, and bathroom on the other side of the house in order to give the only male teacher his own separate space. We spent a 12-hour day cleaning our new kitchen and sorting through the things left behind by past teachers. Then another day or two organizing our bedrooms and making that side of the house livable. It was hard to have a good attitude about it at first, but I actually enjoyed the chance to take inventory of everything in the house and do a better job organizing my room. My new set-up is much homier, and there are a bunch of reasons why it's turned out to be better on this side of the house. Kind of like the situation where I was named the 5th and 6th grade teacher, even though 3rd and 4th grades were my first choice...but I turned out to be happier with this position and declined when given the option to switch. It was an exhausting first week, but we're finally settled in. You can see before and after pictures in my online album.
The other U.S. teachers got here on Saturday. They are a great group, really friendly and ready to learn. They've had plenty of culture shock already, but they've shown they're willing to adapt. Two other girls and one guy live in the teacher's house with me and Heather (the guy has one side to himself, though he always hangs out with us), and three other girls live in a house down the street.
We started orientation on Monday, and parts have been boring, but other parts have been helpful or inspiring. I've gotten to know some of the Honduran teachers, and I'm getting a better idea of what is expected of me and how to go about planning my curriculum - the school has no curriculum, but the project this year is to develop one. The best meeting was when one of the founders came to tell us the history of the school, which was established in 1990. It is a story full of faith, prayer, and God's provision. The woman told us of two or three occasions when they were praying for funds, and the exact amount of money they needed came in from unexpected sources at just the right time. Getting to see and listen to one of the people that made this school a reality made me think of Hebrews 12 and filled me with a sense of purpose. You can read more about the school here: www.ceehonduras.com
Everyone is scared of my dog, which makes me feel protected. This is just one of many instances: I took him outside the school gate to go to the bathroom, and a young man walking down the street threw his hands up over his head, ready to defend himself with his bag until I called Tova to me. There's been a problem having the dogs on school property, though. They've escaped the fenced-in area because my oh-so-smart dog figured out how to open the gate using his mouth. They also bark when people pass by, and these two issues are going to be huge when there are students here. When added to all the other issues I won't take your time to mention, it seems the only solution is to send the dogs somewhere else for the school year...Georgia is going to live with Heather's boyfriend, and I'm still looking into options about what to do with Tova. It's really upsetting, but the school has already tried to work things out, and there's no other way. So pray that I'll find someone I can trust to take care of my dog until next year when hopefully I'll find a house away from the school with a yard where I can have a dog.
I'll end with a few positive/comical notes about life in Honduras...
The weather has been amazing. Every day has been warm and sunny, and it has rained every night. It also rains in our bathroom because there are leaks in the roof, but hopefully that will be fixed soon.
Occasionally, we hear a loud bang, but we've come to learn that it's mango season, and what seems to be a door slamming open is really just a mango falling from the tree in the yard onto the roof. I tried to eat one of them, but I stopped peeling it when I found a worm.
My last year in Honduras, I lost ten pounds, but I gained it all back over the summer. Then I got in shape and gained another five in muscle weight. When I saw a Honduran friend for the first time since May, he was impressed by my muscular arms and kept commenting that I was bigger. At one point, he pointedly asked me how many pounds I had gained. Which is completely acceptable in Honduras and not at all offensive, so I told him.
So if you pray for me, thank God for His faithfulness, and pray for my dog. Also pray for me and my coworkers to have time, wisdom, peace, and joy in our lesson planning and teaching. Thank you.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. -Hebrews 12:1
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