Today, we danced.
With big skirts that you swish around and they look like waves rolling on the ocean.
So much fun!
The teachers, and the new volunteers, practiced a dance with the big skirts and performed it this morning for Buenas Dias. The students, of course, loved it and cheered and took pictures. Are students like that in the United States? Because I love the encouragement here. I never have any problem singing or dancing in front of the students of this school because I know the students will love it, even if I perform terribly.
One of the teachers has a video of the dance, so hopefully I´ll be able to post that soon. I haven´t seen it, but am really excited too!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Goodbye Solidea
It´s finally happening: Solidea is leaving. Tomorrow.
I do believe it has taken all this time for the reality to sink in for me. I woke up in a bad mood and couldn´t figure out why since I had such a great time playing guitar and singing with Gina last night, but I soon realized I was sad because Solidea is leaving tomorrow.
I have spent the last nine months doing everything with her. We lived together, worked together, and took vacations together. We were united in that we were foreigners trying to adapt to a new way of life and commiserating over the differences. When one of us had a problem, the other helped fix it, we were each others confidant, and even when we made friends at the beach, we were always loyal to each other first. I´m losing my best friend here, and it hurts.
Sometimes I wonder if we would have become friends if we had met under different circumstances where we weren´t sharing the same experience. We are rather different one from the other, and perhaps our situation has made us more accepting of differences, but either way, we have had a ball together. I hope and pray for the best for her as she returns to Italy.
I do believe it has taken all this time for the reality to sink in for me. I woke up in a bad mood and couldn´t figure out why since I had such a great time playing guitar and singing with Gina last night, but I soon realized I was sad because Solidea is leaving tomorrow.
I have spent the last nine months doing everything with her. We lived together, worked together, and took vacations together. We were united in that we were foreigners trying to adapt to a new way of life and commiserating over the differences. When one of us had a problem, the other helped fix it, we were each others confidant, and even when we made friends at the beach, we were always loyal to each other first. I´m losing my best friend here, and it hurts.
Sometimes I wonder if we would have become friends if we had met under different circumstances where we weren´t sharing the same experience. We are rather different one from the other, and perhaps our situation has made us more accepting of differences, but either way, we have had a ball together. I hope and pray for the best for her as she returns to Italy.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Busy Birthday
Birthdays are a busy business here.
In the morning at the breakfast table there was a small gift and flowers for me and all the Sisters sang 3 different versions of Happy Birthday.
There was a school wide mass that morning (very nice way to start my birthday!) and afterwards the whole school sang 3 different versions of Happy Birthday for me - while I stood up in front - and then they sang the chicken dance, while I danced. This is not the same as our chicken dance, but it does involve shaking of the butt. :)
Shortly after that all the teachers and workers of the school had a quick meeting with Sor Silvia (inspector from Rome - awesome lady) where everyone once again sang Happy Birthday to me.
I fielded a few birthday phone calls and in the process missed half of one class. When I got to the class they all sang Happy Birthday to me - 3 different versions.
We had cake for lunch! Sydney came to visit and say Happy Birthday, then the Interna´s scolded me because they thought my birthday was on the 27th and were going to serenade me in the morning - which apparently is a tradition for birthdays. I told them to do it today, but they wanted it to be a surprise, so they may or may not do that later.
I even had a heart to heart with my insufferable interna Cecibel - we both felt better after that. :)
What a good day!
In the morning at the breakfast table there was a small gift and flowers for me and all the Sisters sang 3 different versions of Happy Birthday.
There was a school wide mass that morning (very nice way to start my birthday!) and afterwards the whole school sang 3 different versions of Happy Birthday for me - while I stood up in front - and then they sang the chicken dance, while I danced. This is not the same as our chicken dance, but it does involve shaking of the butt. :)
Shortly after that all the teachers and workers of the school had a quick meeting with Sor Silvia (inspector from Rome - awesome lady) where everyone once again sang Happy Birthday to me.
I fielded a few birthday phone calls and in the process missed half of one class. When I got to the class they all sang Happy Birthday to me - 3 different versions.
We had cake for lunch! Sydney came to visit and say Happy Birthday, then the Interna´s scolded me because they thought my birthday was on the 27th and were going to serenade me in the morning - which apparently is a tradition for birthdays. I told them to do it today, but they wanted it to be a surprise, so they may or may not do that later.
I even had a heart to heart with my insufferable interna Cecibel - we both felt better after that. :)
What a good day!
Monday, September 21, 2009
New People
Sor Silvia is coming to the school today to inspect, or something. She´s pretty important to the Sisters.
Solidea is coming to the school tonight and taking off tomorrow for El Tunco for the rest of the week.
I´m heading over to El Tunco Friday morning to spend the weekend with Solidea.
The new volunteers fly in this Saturday.
Molly will be meeting the new volunteers (who happen to be her friends) at the airport and spending the night in Soyapongo with them.
Then I´ll come back on Sunday and the week will start over with a few new people in tow.
I´m excited for new people!
Solidea is coming to the school tonight and taking off tomorrow for El Tunco for the rest of the week.
I´m heading over to El Tunco Friday morning to spend the weekend with Solidea.
The new volunteers fly in this Saturday.
Molly will be meeting the new volunteers (who happen to be her friends) at the airport and spending the night in Soyapongo with them.
Then I´ll come back on Sunday and the week will start over with a few new people in tow.
I´m excited for new people!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Geckos
Yesterday, a gecko fell from the ceiling!
While talking to a few internas after dinner last night I saw something fall from the ceiling out of the corner of my eye. Then we all heard the splat as it hit the floor. One of the girls went to look and a gecko scampered away, back up the wall. While it made a splat sound, apparently nothing was damaged and it made it´s escape. Not too often that a gecko falls!
While talking to a few internas after dinner last night I saw something fall from the ceiling out of the corner of my eye. Then we all heard the splat as it hit the floor. One of the girls went to look and a gecko scampered away, back up the wall. While it made a splat sound, apparently nothing was damaged and it made it´s escape. Not too often that a gecko falls!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Independence Day
Yesterday was the Independence Day for El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Honduras. 188 years of independence from Spanish rule. To celebrate, there is a huge parade of all the public schools and many of their students through the streets of the cities. By ¨Huge¨ I mean, ¨really long¨.
We went to the door of the school when we heard the drums and stood outside on the street as the students walked by. Usually the schools were separated by banners announcing the name of the next school. Many schools had drums and a few had trumpets and trombones, there were girls in traditional dresses and some with cute little outfits and batons. Surprisingly, all they did was swing their baton or skirt back and forth as they marched/walked. Every so often the ¨band¨ would break out a short song, the skirts and batons would swing faster for a bit, and then everyone would continue as before.
As we stood watching, I thought we were waiting for our school to walk by, but it turns out that only public schools have to march, private don´t. So our school was not marching. So I don´t know why we stood watching for an hour and 1/2. Not going to lie, I was bored.
Turns out they don´t do much to celebrate their independence other than this. You can read about more here, http://www.naturelandings.com/articles.php?article=11
We went to the door of the school when we heard the drums and stood outside on the street as the students walked by. Usually the schools were separated by banners announcing the name of the next school. Many schools had drums and a few had trumpets and trombones, there were girls in traditional dresses and some with cute little outfits and batons. Surprisingly, all they did was swing their baton or skirt back and forth as they marched/walked. Every so often the ¨band¨ would break out a short song, the skirts and batons would swing faster for a bit, and then everyone would continue as before.
As we stood watching, I thought we were waiting for our school to walk by, but it turns out that only public schools have to march, private don´t. So our school was not marching. So I don´t know why we stood watching for an hour and 1/2. Not going to lie, I was bored.
Turns out they don´t do much to celebrate their independence other than this. You can read about more here, http://www.naturelandings.com/articles.php?article=11
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Changes
As you can see, I´ve made some changes to my blog page. Actually, I picked out a whole new template. I hope you like the change.
I´ve also added a Donation button in the right side bar. Hopefully this gets used a lot. :) (hint hint!)
The donations go to a paypal account I set up, and from there are transferred to the Sister´s School account, so if you have Paypal you can donate with that, or you can donate by credit card.
To give you an idea of what your money can do here:
$30,000 = Pay off construction bill
$250 = 1 year of high school
$200 = 1 year of junior high
$150 = 1 year of Kindergarten through 6th grade
$30 = New CD player for a classroom
$25 = One Fan for a classroom
$12 = New book for one class
$10 = Backpack
$10 = 10 notebooks for a student for her 10 classes
$5 = Pens, pencils, erasers, compass, protractor, white out, and carrying case
$3-5 = Spanish/English Dictionary
$0.50= School lunch
$0.20= Bus ride to school
$0.05= Sucker (they love suckers!)
As you can see, any amount you can donate will be very helpful!
Thank you again!
PS - let me know if you have any questions
I´ve also added a Donation button in the right side bar. Hopefully this gets used a lot. :) (hint hint!)
The donations go to a paypal account I set up, and from there are transferred to the Sister´s School account, so if you have Paypal you can donate with that, or you can donate by credit card.
To give you an idea of what your money can do here:
$30,000 = Pay off construction bill
$250 = 1 year of high school
$200 = 1 year of junior high
$150 = 1 year of Kindergarten through 6th grade
$30 = New CD player for a classroom
$25 = One Fan for a classroom
$12 = New book for one class
$10 = Backpack
$10 = 10 notebooks for a student for her 10 classes
$5 = Pens, pencils, erasers, compass, protractor, white out, and carrying case
$3-5 = Spanish/English Dictionary
$0.50= School lunch
$0.20= Bus ride to school
$0.05= Sucker (they love suckers!)
As you can see, any amount you can donate will be very helpful!
Thank you again!
PS - let me know if you have any questions
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