Un dia a la vez

I met some of my students parents yesterday and OH BOY!!! They were all very friendly and understanding that I don't speak much Spanish, but they expect SO much from me. I had a few parents ask if I could make them a CD to listen to at home that had the English alphabet, songs we'll sing in class, numbers, and any other key phrases we'll be saying throughout the year. Then they want me to create a blog (which I had planned on doing) and put the class spelling and vocab words up. The catch is, they want me to make videos of myself saying all of the vocab and spelling words. Oh my goodness, that's a lot of extra work a week! On top of that parents have asked that I don't give any vocab tests on Friday's because the students don't have long enough to study if I don't present the list until Monday. They told me four days just isn't enough time. Then they asked that I never give two tests in one day. Another parent asked me if his child would be able to read in English by the time he left the first grade. I told him that was the goal, but I couldn't promise his child would be able to read. Right now I don't even have English books yet. I have two groups of 26 children coming into my class on Monday morning and I only have 17 desks. I told myself before I came that I am going to be the BEST teacher I can be. I am going to try to do what the parents ask of me within reason. I'm going to do it with a smile and take this year as a learning experience. I am in a completely different culture and things are not done the same way here as they are in the states, and I need to remember that. It's definitely going to be an interesting year!!

On a funny note -- Rosita, my counterpart teacher who I've never heard speak a word of English said "You are sexy" to me yesterday, AHAHAHA! I was cracking up! Then she went on to say "I can speak a little bit of English, but I just don't practice enough." She is a firecracker and she's going to be very fun to work with this year!

We have to submit plans to Peggy every Monday of what we will be doing for the week. In the next two weeks she wants an overview of where we expect to be by the end of the year. Today will be spent reviewing state standards for first grade (since there are no Honduran standards), finding creative lessons, researching ways to best teach ESL students, writing a letter of introduction about myself, creating a blog for my parents, and submitting plans to Peggy! It's BEAUTIFUL outside today (not too hot, yet) and I'm happy I can just lounge around my house and get things done :).

I did my first load of laundry today. I got up around 7, filled up three buckets of water and got to work. I had the intent of washing my sheets, little blanket, pillow cases, towel, and all of my clothes. After I got to the towel (around 8) my arms hurt so bad I couldn't do anymore. I forgot how much work hand washing your clothes is. I'll have to wash the rest tomorrow and get these arm muscles built up!

Tonight we are going to the "park" (I'll try to post pictures soon) in the middle of town to eat baleadas and celebrate Dan's birthday. Baleadas are a Honduran "snack" but we've had them for dinner a few times now. It's a tortilla with refried beans, onion, scrambled egg, cheese, avocado, and mantequilla (Honduran's call it butter, but it's more of a sour cream...people put it on almost everything). Some have all of these ingredients, some have more, and some are served with just the refried beans, onion, and cheese. I was having some stomach issues my first four days here, so I actually haven't tried a baleada with all of the ingredients. I've only had the egg and cheese. I'm excited to try one tonight--I'll keep you posted on how my stomach holds up!

"One day at a time-this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering" -Ida Scott Taylor

I finally took some pictures of my house, so without further ado ...

1. Our Bathroom
2. My bedroom - there are no sheets on my bed because I am washing them :)
3. Living room
4. The front of our house
5. The gate outside out house
6. Our neighbors down the hill, these are the party people
7. Backyard
8. Street we live on
9. View from my front gate
10. Our Kitchen