At World Camp Honduras, a central attitude that we have to adapt is "rolling with it." There can often be sudden changes and things you don't understand when living in a new culture.
As most of you probably know by now, World Camp has decided not to proceed with the July session due to the political situation here. All June Volunteers are safely in the United States, and the three program coordinators have a flight scheduled for this Saturday at 2:50. We really appreciate all of your and your understanding. I encourage those of you who aren't coming to take the Honduran lesson of rolling with it and make the best of wherever you are.
Thanks for sharing this adventure with us!!!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Signing off...
It is hard to believe this session's last full day in Honduras is almost over... The day began early for some, as five of the volunteers left the house at 3:30am to head to the airport and catch their flights back to the United States. We weren't completely sure what to expect, as the president of Honduras was arrested and imprisoned last night, but other than increased security (never an unwelcome thing) things at the airport went off without a hitch. So, it was a lonely three volunteers who spent the day cleaning, packing, and at the beach. We then enjoyed a rousing game of CatchPhrase before partaking in a lovely last dinner with the coordinators, our driver,and our translator. Overall, it has been a peaceful day in Tela despite the political unrest.
At the beginning of the weekend, on Friday, we went back to the Garifuna nursery in the morning to spend a few more hours playing with the children. Helpful hint: if you ever feel unloved, go and meet these kids. We were bombarded with hugs as soon as we stepped off the van, and the children did not lose their enthusiasm as we played games such as Pato Pato Ganzo (Duck Duck Goose), sang songs such as Cabeza Hombros Rodillas y Pies (Head Shoulders Knees and...Legs), and of course broke out the much-anticipated parachute. Despite all the fun we were having, however, it was eventually time to say goodbye to the children, so we loaded back into the van to have lunch at a restaurant on the beach. We got in a few good hours of sun and wave time, ate some yummy fish, and then returned home to prepare for our final party later that night. At the party, we enjoyed an incredible meal, good company, a healthily competitive game of trivia, and, of course, a good amount of dancing.
After a late night on Friday, we were able to sleep in on Saturday before we began our mission for the day: cleaning. We cleaned the house, the living room, the kitchen, the bathrooms; we scrubbed the fridge, the showers, the toilets; we swept, mopped, and swept some more. Due to a combined group effort, however, we were able to get everything checked off by around noontime, so we headed out to the beach for the afternoon. Alas, our time in the sun was shortlived as clouds quickly moved in and it then started to rain. In order to preserve the dry clothes we later needed to pack, we returned the house for chill time, dinner, and a movie and popcorn. We then turned in for what was, for five of us, our last night sleeping in this house.
Reflecting back on this month, it is hard to believe we have accomplished so much. We educated over 700 students ranging from 8 to 20 years old, plus a group of prisoners and a handful of local teenagers. We climbed waterfalls, rafted rivers, hiked up 653 stairs, saw the Mayan Ruins, and flew through the forest on ziplines. We hauled rocks, built walls, painted signs, and took a census. We ate beans, rice, licuados, beans, pupusas, tortillas, and some more beans. But most importantly, we made countless new friends, and forged an even larger number of new memories. You know never what to expect when you throw nine strangers together for four weeks in a foreign country, but I believe we were all pleasantly surprised at how well our group got along, and how good of an experience we all enjoyed. Returning to the states is certainly a welcome event, but our time in Honduras has been unforgettable, to say the least. To all you readers in the states - we will see you soon!
Ciao, and thanks for reading,
Anna
At the beginning of the weekend, on Friday, we went back to the Garifuna nursery in the morning to spend a few more hours playing with the children. Helpful hint: if you ever feel unloved, go and meet these kids. We were bombarded with hugs as soon as we stepped off the van, and the children did not lose their enthusiasm as we played games such as Pato Pato Ganzo (Duck Duck Goose), sang songs such as Cabeza Hombros Rodillas y Pies (Head Shoulders Knees and...Legs), and of course broke out the much-anticipated parachute. Despite all the fun we were having, however, it was eventually time to say goodbye to the children, so we loaded back into the van to have lunch at a restaurant on the beach. We got in a few good hours of sun and wave time, ate some yummy fish, and then returned home to prepare for our final party later that night. At the party, we enjoyed an incredible meal, good company, a healthily competitive game of trivia, and, of course, a good amount of dancing.
After a late night on Friday, we were able to sleep in on Saturday before we began our mission for the day: cleaning. We cleaned the house, the living room, the kitchen, the bathrooms; we scrubbed the fridge, the showers, the toilets; we swept, mopped, and swept some more. Due to a combined group effort, however, we were able to get everything checked off by around noontime, so we headed out to the beach for the afternoon. Alas, our time in the sun was shortlived as clouds quickly moved in and it then started to rain. In order to preserve the dry clothes we later needed to pack, we returned the house for chill time, dinner, and a movie and popcorn. We then turned in for what was, for five of us, our last night sleeping in this house.
Reflecting back on this month, it is hard to believe we have accomplished so much. We educated over 700 students ranging from 8 to 20 years old, plus a group of prisoners and a handful of local teenagers. We climbed waterfalls, rafted rivers, hiked up 653 stairs, saw the Mayan Ruins, and flew through the forest on ziplines. We hauled rocks, built walls, painted signs, and took a census. We ate beans, rice, licuados, beans, pupusas, tortillas, and some more beans. But most importantly, we made countless new friends, and forged an even larger number of new memories. You know never what to expect when you throw nine strangers together for four weeks in a foreign country, but I believe we were all pleasantly surprised at how well our group got along, and how good of an experience we all enjoyed. Returning to the states is certainly a welcome event, but our time in Honduras has been unforgettable, to say the least. To all you readers in the states - we will see you soon!
Ciao, and thanks for reading,
Anna
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Session I Done. Session II Begins
The first session finished up on Thursday with the last of the volunteers departing from Lilongwe. After much consideration and consultation with their respective airlines, Megan and Sarah G. decided to stay on for one more session. It will be great to have them around for another five weeks to help bring the new volunteer up to speed.
The new group arrives today and tomorrow, with orientation starting on Sunday. The first camp will start on Thursday and then I am sure the time will fly right by. We'll keep updating this blog regularly so keep posted for more info.
Below is a story from a 2007 volunteer describing her experience in Malawi. Check it out. http://www.jpgmag.com/stories/11972
Until next time!
-Scott
The new group arrives today and tomorrow, with orientation starting on Sunday. The first camp will start on Thursday and then I am sure the time will fly right by. We'll keep updating this blog regularly so keep posted for more info.
Below is a story from a 2007 volunteer describing her experience in Malawi. Check it out. http://www.jpgmag.com/stories/11972
Until next time!
-Scott
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Home Stretch...
We have all returned safely to Tela after five days in El Pital, located on the beautiful Cangrejal River. This trip was quite the adventure. We woke up bright and early Saturday morning to smush 12 people into our rental van and begin the two hour journey from our home in Tela up into the Cangrejal River Valley, known by locals as La Cuenca. We made it to El Pital around lunchtime on Saturday, and were dropped off at different families' houses to begin our homestay. We ate lunch with our respective families and then met back at the local high school (which, by the way, World Camp helped to construct last year) for an orientation of what we were scheduled to do Monday and Tuesday morning: a census of the Yaruca community. These questionnaires were quite the adventure, as we surveyed families ranging in size from one to 15 members, and talked to some people as old as 85. By lunchtime Tuesday we had almost completed the entire community, consisting of about 70 families.
Those surveys were not the beginning of our work, however. On Sunday morning we had painted and installed some "SLOW: SCHOOL ZONE" signs to put on the road outside the school. We also installed a few trash cans near the community soccer field, which involved hauling rocks from the river up a hill and down the road. It was pretty exhausting physical labor, but the river itself was gorgeous.
Emily with our basurero and newly-constructed wall
Monday and Tuesday afternoon we taught at the primary school in Yaruca, where we found the kids were the best behaved out of all those we have taught. The groups were split into boys and girls for both days of the curriculum, which seemed to make a huge difference in the flow of the class. We were pretty exhausted after two mornings of doing the census, but we made it through teaching the kids and enjoyed a yummy snack of pastelitos and soda on Tuesday after we finished teaching.
Our trip was not all work, however. On Sunday afternoon we embarked on a "river hike" that actually turned out to be a "trek up a raging tributary over three waterfalls and some raging rapids"... in a torrential downpour. Thanks to some intense teamwork we made it up the river safely, and enjoyed a natural rock slide at the end before walking through the jungle to a cooperative on the other side of the river from where we were living. How does one get back across the river, you ask? Well. The answer lies in the form of a canasta - which is basically a metal basket suspended on a cable across the river. It was up to the lone male individual in our group, one of our translators, to use the crank-type device to ferry us all across. Of course, he was up to the challenge, so once we were all safely across we changed into some dry clothes and then went home to have dinner with our host families.
Oh, just climbin' a waterfall
The canasta in the middle of the river
On Wednesday morning, we said goodbye to our wonderful hosts at around eight in the morning and then drove down the mountain to Omega Tours, where we were scheduled to go white water rafting. In three rafts, the group wound its way down seven miles of the Cangrejal River, going over several rapids and enjoying one boulder that offered a prime spot to jump off. When we reached the end, we were all exhausted from the trip coupled with the work we had been doing the previous days, so we piled into a few trucks to be driven back up the mountain and be fed a delicious lunch of pasta. We then relaxed around the pool for a few hours before traveling back to Tela in the afternoon. All in all, El Pital was an enjoyable trip, but we were all happy to use our own shower and be back in our own beds... our house in Tela really has become home during the past month.
The group at our last school!
Hasta pronto,
Ana
Friday, June 19, 2009
Another Week On the Job
It is hard to believe we have reached the end of our last full week in Tela, and what a busy week it was. After arriving back from Copan, we jumped right back into teaching Monday afternoon. We were all glad to get back to working with the students since it had been a while since we last taught. We were at the same school for Monday afternoon, all day Tuesday, and Wednesday morning - many Honduran schools have one group of students that comes in the morning and a completely different group that comes in the afternoon, so we were fortunate enough to be able to work with both groups at this school. Also, for the first time we worked with actual parents in the community: we normally do a teacher training at each school, and the director decided to invite parents of the students along with a few teachers. Over 40 parents showed up! It was very rewarding to see adult members of the community taking the initiative to educate themselves about HIV/AIDS.
Holding class outside!
On Wednesday afternoon, we were in for quite the surprise. We have been working with a group called Projoven that is working to unite and educate the youth of Honduras. Last Wednesday we taught them our curriculum, and we were told that this Wednesday they were going to teach us about their culture. When we arrived at the designated meeting location, we discovered that we were the guests of honor at a cultural show that showcased more than ten different cultural acts from both the city of Tela as well as more distant communities. We received a beautiful certificate recognizing our program in Honduras. The show lasted for more than three hours, and we experienced traditional dance, an acrobatic display, and two impressive break dancing groups, among other acts.
On both Thursday and Friday afternoon we taught children ranging from 12-20 at a rural school. We were pleasantly surprised to find that many of the children already had some basic knowledge about HIV/AIDS, so we were able to correct a few misconceptions as well as impart more important informations. This whole week we have been privy to another Honduran cultural event: Carnival. The festivities began last Sunday and will last through tomorrow night. The entire town is bedecked with decorations and flags, including the boulevard right outside our house. We found this out in full force when a live band played on our street corner from around ten at night until four in the morning... it was difficult to sleep, to say the least. Several nights this week we tried to attend a nearby event, but we seem to have officially entered the rainy season as we have experienced torrential downpours for the past two nights. Every night, however, we have been able to hear live music from downtown while remaining cozy and dry inside our house.
Tomorrow morning we are departing at 8:00am for the rural community of El Pital. We will be doing homestays, and most of us will experience life without electricity or running water. Many of us have been looking forward to this experience from the beginning of the program, and it is hard to believe that it is already here... these past few weeks have flown by! We will enjoy one last shower tonight before squishing into our rental van in the morning. It is sure to be an adventure!
Until next time,
Anna
Holding class outside!On Wednesday afternoon, we were in for quite the surprise. We have been working with a group called Projoven that is working to unite and educate the youth of Honduras. Last Wednesday we taught them our curriculum, and we were told that this Wednesday they were going to teach us about their culture. When we arrived at the designated meeting location, we discovered that we were the guests of honor at a cultural show that showcased more than ten different cultural acts from both the city of Tela as well as more distant communities. We received a beautiful certificate recognizing our program in Honduras. The show lasted for more than three hours, and we experienced traditional dance, an acrobatic display, and two impressive break dancing groups, among other acts.
Meredith receiving our certificate
On both Thursday and Friday afternoon we taught children ranging from 12-20 at a rural school. We were pleasantly surprised to find that many of the children already had some basic knowledge about HIV/AIDS, so we were able to correct a few misconceptions as well as impart more important informations. This whole week we have been privy to another Honduran cultural event: Carnival. The festivities began last Sunday and will last through tomorrow night. The entire town is bedecked with decorations and flags, including the boulevard right outside our house. We found this out in full force when a live band played on our street corner from around ten at night until four in the morning... it was difficult to sleep, to say the least. Several nights this week we tried to attend a nearby event, but we seem to have officially entered the rainy season as we have experienced torrential downpours for the past two nights. Every night, however, we have been able to hear live music from downtown while remaining cozy and dry inside our house.
Elise and our translator Monica teaching the Day 2 curriculum
Tomorrow morning we are departing at 8:00am for the rural community of El Pital. We will be doing homestays, and most of us will experience life without electricity or running water. Many of us have been looking forward to this experience from the beginning of the program, and it is hard to believe that it is already here... these past few weeks have flown by! We will enjoy one last shower tonight before squishing into our rental van in the morning. It is sure to be an adventure!
Until next time,
Anna
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Letter from Mr. Nkhoma
The following is a letter from Mr. Petros Nkhoma, the head teacher at Chadabwa Full Primary School in Mitundu Malawi.
On behalf of teachers, students, parents, and my own behalf, I would like to thank you for your nice three day visit here at Chadabwa. Learners, parents, and us have enjoyed your interesting lessons. For your interesting lessons taught in these three days, learners and parents are requesting that you come again next year.
So, may you kindly take this request seriously. We too, would like to meet you again next year.
Lastly, I hope you have enjoyed your stay here. Visit us again in the near future. May our mighty god bless you all.
Many thanks,
Petros Nkhoma
Head Teacher
Chadabwa Full Primary School
On behalf of teachers, students, parents, and my own behalf, I would like to thank you for your nice three day visit here at Chadabwa. Learners, parents, and us have enjoyed your interesting lessons. For your interesting lessons taught in these three days, learners and parents are requesting that you come again next year.
So, may you kindly take this request seriously. We too, would like to meet you again next year.
Lastly, I hope you have enjoyed your stay here. Visit us again in the near future. May our mighty god bless you all.
Many thanks,
Petros Nkhoma
Head Teacher
Chadabwa Full Primary School
Camp VI at Chadabwa + Homestay
We’re now back at the World Camp house after yet another successful three-day camp at Chadabwa. This camp has been especially exciting because on Tuesday we were able to stay overnight in the village for the volunteers’ second home-stay. Before we got to go into the village, we were able to enjoy a steaming hot dinner cooked from our homemade solar ovens. It was a canned food feast of “short spaghetti,” “creamed corn,” and everyone’s favorite—“spicy chakalaka.”
While the men (Scott, Jaren, and Peter) held down the fort by camping at the school, the girls were split between three different host families in the village. G-Funk and Alex stayed in one home where G was especially pleased to be surrounded by babies and sugar cane, while Megan, Paige, and Laura stayed in another home where a good portion of the night was dedicated to a photography session. Meanwhile, Katy, Jess, and I were led into what seemed like Narnia--a home tucked away behind a shop—where our host family proceeded to give us Chichewa lessons for the rest of the night.
Overall, the home-stay went really well. As everyone packs their teacher boxes for our last camp of the session, we all are excited to meet the new students and teachers, but also sad to be leaving so soon.
Christine
While the men (Scott, Jaren, and Peter) held down the fort by camping at the school, the girls were split between three different host families in the village. G-Funk and Alex stayed in one home where G was especially pleased to be surrounded by babies and sugar cane, while Megan, Paige, and Laura stayed in another home where a good portion of the night was dedicated to a photography session. Meanwhile, Katy, Jess, and I were led into what seemed like Narnia--a home tucked away behind a shop—where our host family proceeded to give us Chichewa lessons for the rest of the night.
Overall, the home-stay went really well. As everyone packs their teacher boxes for our last camp of the session, we all are excited to meet the new students and teachers, but also sad to be leaving so soon.
Christine
Monday, June 15, 2009
week 3!
As we approach the halfway mark of our stay in Tela, we find that we are continuing to learn as much as we are teaching! Last week we spent the first half at some rural schools, learning what over-crowding and under budgeting can feel like. It was difficult to say the least. By the end of the week we were more than happy to be getting on a bus that would take us to Copan.
Copan is a very cute little mountain village with cobble-stone streets. This is a place where one can find ancient mayan ruins as well as some beautifully crafted jewelry. The first day our group took a tour of the ruins, where we learned about Mayan games, towns, and Mayan art. Copan is said to have been the hot spot for artist and even now one can see the detail that was put into their statues and other decorations. That afternoon some of us decided to explore the town, while others did more adventurous things such as a canopy tour (ziplining down a mountainside)! We all soon discovered the beautiful jewelry and good food that Copan offered. It was nice to have real coffee and something besides rice and beans!
Now we are back in Tela enjoying a cool afternoon because of the first rainfall we have seen since we arrived! Teaching started back up today and will continue for the rest of the week until we go to El Pital. WE all can agree that it felt good to be back in the classroom and are looking forward to teaching some more tomorrow!
Copan is a very cute little mountain village with cobble-stone streets. This is a place where one can find ancient mayan ruins as well as some beautifully crafted jewelry. The first day our group took a tour of the ruins, where we learned about Mayan games, towns, and Mayan art. Copan is said to have been the hot spot for artist and even now one can see the detail that was put into their statues and other decorations. That afternoon some of us decided to explore the town, while others did more adventurous things such as a canopy tour (ziplining down a mountainside)! We all soon discovered the beautiful jewelry and good food that Copan offered. It was nice to have real coffee and something besides rice and beans!
Now we are back in Tela enjoying a cool afternoon because of the first rainfall we have seen since we arrived! Teaching started back up today and will continue for the rest of the week until we go to El Pital. WE all can agree that it felt good to be back in the classroom and are looking forward to teaching some more tomorrow!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Mwanzeze FPS
We just completed our fourth camp Mwanzeze Full Primary School in Chimwamba. Little did we know that on Monday there would be no children at the school due to a “holiday” that only the children knew about. Despite the small glitch in our schedule, we were able to enjoy a nice day off and then using our quick improvisational skills, we combined our curriculum into a jam-packed two day camp. The days started earlier and lingered well into the afternoons, but we are confident that our objectives were met and that the kids still had just as much fun.
Adding to our theme of unexpected turns of events, today’s camp started a little bit later than planned due to a special celebrity guest appearance by President Bingu Wa Mutharika. The roads were blocked on our way to school, so we took a detour and waited with several Lilongwe locals for the chance to see Bingu drive by. Excited cheers and waves greeted the President as he and his motor brigade of supporters (decked out in Bingu gear and riding in Bingu-decorated vehicles) passed by. It was definitely a worthy excuse for being late to our school today.
So overall, it was yet another successful camp for the World Camp volunteers. Time seems like it’s flying by as we realize we only have two weeks left here in Malawi. We look forward to meeting new students and teachers at our next schools and can’t wait to see what else the future holds. Maybe a surprise Bingu visit to the house? We can only hope.
Adding to our theme of unexpected turns of events, today’s camp started a little bit later than planned due to a special celebrity guest appearance by President Bingu Wa Mutharika. The roads were blocked on our way to school, so we took a detour and waited with several Lilongwe locals for the chance to see Bingu drive by. Excited cheers and waves greeted the President as he and his motor brigade of supporters (decked out in Bingu gear and riding in Bingu-decorated vehicles) passed by. It was definitely a worthy excuse for being late to our school today.
So overall, it was yet another successful camp for the World Camp volunteers. Time seems like it’s flying by as we realize we only have two weeks left here in Malawi. We look forward to meeting new students and teachers at our next schools and can’t wait to see what else the future holds. Maybe a surprise Bingu visit to the house? We can only hope.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Safari, Safari, Safari
Just got back from our safari holiday in Zambia, and it was awesome! We camped at a resort called Flatdogs (or Lazydogs, either way). Due to some delays crossing the Zambian border, we arrived at our campgrounds after dark. We were apprehensive at first about all the sounds we could hear in the bush, but Katy reassured us that they were just hippos far away in the river. On our way back from dinner, however, we were quickly confronted by a giant hippo munching its way through our campsite. So thanks for the reassurance Katy. We soon discovered that hippos weren’t the only wildlife we would find in our campsite. Elephants, monkeys and giraffes were frequent visitors as well. We also quickly discovered how delicious the food was, and how friendly the staff was. G-Funk was quick to befriend a lovely British chap named Ed (or Todd by Scott and Jaren). We think it was the mice in his pocket that was the source of his endearing and charming demeanor.
On our first drive, we stopped for bunny rabbits and owls among others like elephants, giraffes, zebras, hippos, bison, wild dogs, hyenas, baboons, velvet monkeys, and a leopard. Lions weren’t spotted until the second and third drives for some, on which some of us witnessed them hunting at night, which also may be the scariest thing ever. Saturday night was full of fun and hilarious bonding time among the group, and more hippos wandering the campsite. On Sunday morning we packed the bus to return to Lilongwe, but were delayed again due to some curious and hungry elephants digging through the bus for snacks and Katy’s bag. After a while they moved on, but Katy’s snack and memory card were eaten unfortunately. After a lovely four days of rest, relaxation and adventure, we are now back in Lilongwe and ready for the next camp!
Paige and Laura
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Weekend!
As Sunday winds to a close, we are all exhausted from a busy past three days. On Friday morning, we became the first World Camp program to teach at a prison, when we presented our curriculum to a group of over 40 inmates. Overall, they were well-behaved and seemed interested in what we had to say. They particularly enjoyed the healthy competition of the Jeopardy review game at the end, as one team was quick to point out that we had not awarded them enough points. Everyone came away with a newfound understanding of the Honduran incarceration system, which, to say the least, is markedly different than that of America.
On Saturday we had a full free day, so after doing some errands in town we headed out to our favorite destination: the beach. Five of us decided to try out a banana boat, which we learned after the fact was aptly nicknamed the "Red Shark." Despite hanging on for dear life the group flipped once (the driver definitely did it on purose), and it was a bedraggled group of girls that returned to shore. ...It was great.
Beach!
Saturday night was the Honduras vs. United States soccer game, an event which we had been highly anticipating. The street right outside our house set up the equivalent of the North Carolina state fair just for the game. Being American, we chose to enjoy the spectacle in a less populated area in town, so we watched the US beat the Hondurans 2-1 in a restaurant along with a few other locals.
Trash.
Sunday morning (today) we left the house at 6:15 to go clean a beach that is part of the Punta Sal National Park. Just one hour and one boat ride later, we were transported to a little slice of heaven (#1) where we picked up about a million pounds of trash, including countless flip flops and soda bottles, some jacks, fake grapes, and Mr. Potato Head's feet. Our next endeavour was a hike up to a scenic overlook on the island. A mere 653 steps later (yes, we counted), we arrived at the highest point on the island, only to find that the view was mostly obscured by trees. There was, however, a gorgeous overlook about halfway through all those steps, so it was not all for nought.
Paradise.
Once we regrouped from all those stairs and cooled off in the water, we rode the boat over to paradise #2 for the day, where we were supposed to eat lunch. However, in true Honduran fashion the cook had just not shown up that day. Despite the group's growing appetite, we followed our philosophy of "rolling with it" until we could find another place to get some grub. We got back on the boat once again, and this time the ride got a little choppy due to the incoming tide ("If you are not wearing a life jacket put one on now.") Needless to say, we arrived to paradise #3 safely and enjoyed some rice and beans along with chicken, veggies, or fish.
After lunch and some quality time in the hammock, we came back home and commenced to hang out for the rest of the afternoon until a delicious dinner of rice, veggies, and fruit salad. The week ahead brings many exciting events, such as more teaching at schools, going to the nursery for more cute-kid time, and teaching at the centro de salud (health center) here in Tela. This one will be a short but busy week in Tela, as we depart on Thursday for the grand city of Copan. Until next time!
Hasta luego,
Ana
Thursday, June 4, 2009
First Week on the Job
It is hard to believe we have already been here for one week. Time is flying by and we have already accomplished so much. Since Monday, the volunteers have taught at four different schools and a community center, as well as gotten a taste of the local culture and volunteered (er.. played with really cute kids) at a Garifuna nursery.
Yeah, we live here
Monday and Tuesday were double days, which we have quickly realized are exhausting but leave us with a big feeling of accomplishment on that last bus ride back home. Monday and Tuesday morning we taught at bilingual schools, and being able to communicate in English with the students was a great way to start off the program. In the afternoon of both days we traveled to the rural community of Lombardia, and discovered just how wonderful our translators are. We found the children at this school to be particularly engaging and eager to learn. One group got to hold class outside!
At the school in Lombardia
On Wednesday and Thursday morning we left the house at the bright and early hour of 6:00 am, and traveled to the community of Mezapa to teach at the Celestino school. The bus ride there took us over dusty gravel roads with speed bumps every 20 feet - to make us slow down and enjoy the beautiful Honduran countryside (..or to try to minimize the amount of dust that is raised). Needless to say, we have had more enjoyable car rides. However, the travel tribulations were totally worth it, as the students at Celestino were very welcoming and interested. Each teaching pair was teaching around 40 students, but more students crowded outside the classroom to listen in. 
The group with translators at Celestino
Wednesday afternoon brought free time for some and more teaching for others. Half the group explored town and went to the beach, while the other half went to a community center and taught to city officials. It was an interesting change to work with adults as opposed to children, but overall the experience offered several new insights and was a rewarding one.
On Thursday afternoon, we got our first chance to wear our snazzy World Camp t-shirts when we went to a Garifuna nursery for a few hours. It brightened everyone's day to see the smiles on the kids' faces that came simply from us being there... and the smiles turned to shouts of joy as we broke out the big parachute to play with. We were touched to see how children can be so happy amongst such rough conditions - and you should see them dance.
On Thursday afternoon, we got our first chance to wear our snazzy World Camp t-shirts when we went to a Garifuna nursery for a few hours. It brightened everyone's day to see the smiles on the kids' faces that came simply from us being there... and the smiles turned to shouts of joy as we broke out the big parachute to play with. We were touched to see how children can be so happy amongst such rough conditions - and you should see them dance.
Our first week in Honduras has been memorable, to say the least. We have had dinners of quesadillas, baleadas, panqueques, and stir-fry rice (an impressive variety that will likely progress to that good ol' stand-by rice and beans as the month wears on). We have wandered through town, relaxed at the beach, folded more journals and safety-pinned more AIDS ribbons than we care to count, and sweated more than any of us thought possible. We have practiced our Spanish, discovered licuadas, seen a solar eclipse, and befriended Canadians. Friday and the weekend bring with them teaching at a prison, cleaning up a beach, and the Honduras vs. United States soccer game. Stay tuned for more updates!
Ciao for now,
Ana
Mountains, Music, and Matipila
We began this week with an invigorating (aka excessively tiring) 4-hour round-trip hike up Mt. Nkoma. Scott and Jaren raced to the top, and while some managed to keep up—more or less—many found themselves tiresomely battling their way through 5 foot tall grass, across fields of scratchy stickers, and up sheer rocks. But, lunch at the top, accompanied by the hum of more bugs than any of us could ever care to see in our lifetime, the distant drumming in villages far below, and a spectacular view of perhaps half of Malawi (being a relatively small country) made the trip well worth our while.
On the second night of our third camp at Matipila Full Primary School, we all participated in an overnight homestay. We hiked a short distance through shrubbery and fields to a small village of no more than a dozen brick homes, housing four generations of a single extended family. The girls set to work helping the village women with their daily chores almost immediately—everyone joined in to help separate dried kernels of corn from their cobs, and many volunteered to help the women carry water from the nearest pump (though only Sarah G. has quite mastered the art of balancing large burdens on her head). Everyone but Channell (who was quite content to sit quietly in the village with her new-found friends) climbed a nearby hill to watch the brilliant orange and red sunset.
Evening came with some practice pounding ground nuts for Ashley and Sarah W., cooking nsima for Jess, and plenty of singing and dancing for everyone (with the exception of the boys, who were busy having bro-time with the chief). After dinner, the girls gathered in a circle with the village women to dance and clap along to traditional Chichewa songs and perform stunning acapella renditions of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and “Build Me Up Buttercup,” when pressed to share some musical highlights of their own culture.
Nighttime was somewhat less than restful for most, as we tried to adjust to an 8pm bedtime and the constant bleating of goats. A brilliant sunrise came around 6am and most of us were up to see it, thanks to the insistent crowing of what seemed to be an entire flock of roosters. We finished off the morning with a friendly game of soccer, in which the schoolchildren easily showed up their teachers and the WC volunteers. Presentations went well—and were apparently hilarious, though the Chichewa made the plots a bit difficult to follow.
And now, after one night’s much-needed rest back at the World Camp house, we’re headed off for four days of safari in Zambia! It should be a very exciting experience and we’ll be sure to update about it when we return.
Until next time,
Alex, Channell, and the rest of World Camp
Having some trouble uploading pictures. We'll try again later!
On the second night of our third camp at Matipila Full Primary School, we all participated in an overnight homestay. We hiked a short distance through shrubbery and fields to a small village of no more than a dozen brick homes, housing four generations of a single extended family. The girls set to work helping the village women with their daily chores almost immediately—everyone joined in to help separate dried kernels of corn from their cobs, and many volunteered to help the women carry water from the nearest pump (though only Sarah G. has quite mastered the art of balancing large burdens on her head). Everyone but Channell (who was quite content to sit quietly in the village with her new-found friends) climbed a nearby hill to watch the brilliant orange and red sunset.
Evening came with some practice pounding ground nuts for Ashley and Sarah W., cooking nsima for Jess, and plenty of singing and dancing for everyone (with the exception of the boys, who were busy having bro-time with the chief). After dinner, the girls gathered in a circle with the village women to dance and clap along to traditional Chichewa songs and perform stunning acapella renditions of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and “Build Me Up Buttercup,” when pressed to share some musical highlights of their own culture.
Nighttime was somewhat less than restful for most, as we tried to adjust to an 8pm bedtime and the constant bleating of goats. A brilliant sunrise came around 6am and most of us were up to see it, thanks to the insistent crowing of what seemed to be an entire flock of roosters. We finished off the morning with a friendly game of soccer, in which the schoolchildren easily showed up their teachers and the WC volunteers. Presentations went well—and were apparently hilarious, though the Chichewa made the plots a bit difficult to follow.
And now, after one night’s much-needed rest back at the World Camp house, we’re headed off for four days of safari in Zambia! It should be a very exciting experience and we’ll be sure to update about it when we return.
Until next time,
Alex, Channell, and the rest of World Camp
Having some trouble uploading pictures. We'll try again later!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Bienvenidos!
We have all arrived safely in Tela, we have spent the last few days learning cirruclum, exploring Tela, and learning about la vida en Honduras. Last Wednesday, we were severly rocked by a 7.1 earthquake. Nevertheless, all of the volunteers arrived in San Pedro Sula safely and we are already working hard! Quickly the volunteers felt the sweltering heat that the tropical climate brings. It is impossible to not spend every moment sweating here in Honduras, lucky for us, the Carribean brings a nice breeze once in awhile.
Friday and Saturday we spent the day learning the cirriuclum, about World Camp, and the struggles that Hondurans face every day. We had some great discussions about the cultural implications that are intertwined to the many inequalities found in Honduras.
This summer we are trying many new projects. We have a brand new teacher training session and are becoming more involved with the local communities around us. We will update you about how our new projects are going. Next week we will travel to the Hospital here in Tela to teach HIV/AIDS to a group of students and to those working at the hosptial. Also we will be working with a local non-profit, Projoven every Wednesday night. Projoven targets low income youth and gives youth the power and educational tools to better their lives. (think "Boys and Girls Club" in hondo) Also, we will be visiting the small prison in Tela, where we will target an at risk population. We are so excited to implement new changes in our curriculum and to learn more about the populations we will work with.
On Saturday night we attended a drama program hosted by the cultural central here in Tela, the drama was held in the old Tela Railroad Company building. The building dated back to the early 1900's and the factory closed when United Fruit, a mammoth U.S. banana company, left Tela in the 1970's. There was dancing, fire, and even dialogue about how important it is to use condoms! Every Saturday the cultural center in Tela holds performances so we will definitely be learning a lot about the cultural scene in Tela.
Today we had our first day of Camp! We had a double day, and traveled to two schools in the morning and one in the afternoon. We taught over 170 students! The first school, Tela American is right around the corner, a mere 5 minute walk from our house. The students were vivacious and had a lot of energy. The second school we traveled to was in La Lombardia about an hour away.
Our days are full of hot rays, hard work, while our nights are much more calm and usually involve the consumption of rice beans and some sort of vegetable. Tonight the first cook group of volunteers will be cooking enchiladas con queso.
We will post some photos from the first camp soon, and we will let this blog be a free space for volunteers to write and describe their experience while in Honduras and more about World Camp.
saludos de honduras,
tara
Friday and Saturday we spent the day learning the cirriuclum, about World Camp, and the struggles that Hondurans face every day. We had some great discussions about the cultural implications that are intertwined to the many inequalities found in Honduras.
This summer we are trying many new projects. We have a brand new teacher training session and are becoming more involved with the local communities around us. We will update you about how our new projects are going. Next week we will travel to the Hospital here in Tela to teach HIV/AIDS to a group of students and to those working at the hosptial. Also we will be working with a local non-profit, Projoven every Wednesday night. Projoven targets low income youth and gives youth the power and educational tools to better their lives. (think "Boys and Girls Club" in hondo) Also, we will be visiting the small prison in Tela, where we will target an at risk population. We are so excited to implement new changes in our curriculum and to learn more about the populations we will work with.
On Saturday night we attended a drama program hosted by the cultural central here in Tela, the drama was held in the old Tela Railroad Company building. The building dated back to the early 1900's and the factory closed when United Fruit, a mammoth U.S. banana company, left Tela in the 1970's. There was dancing, fire, and even dialogue about how important it is to use condoms! Every Saturday the cultural center in Tela holds performances so we will definitely be learning a lot about the cultural scene in Tela.
Today we had our first day of Camp! We had a double day, and traveled to two schools in the morning and one in the afternoon. We taught over 170 students! The first school, Tela American is right around the corner, a mere 5 minute walk from our house. The students were vivacious and had a lot of energy. The second school we traveled to was in La Lombardia about an hour away.
Our days are full of hot rays, hard work, while our nights are much more calm and usually involve the consumption of rice beans and some sort of vegetable. Tonight the first cook group of volunteers will be cooking enchiladas con queso.
We will post some photos from the first camp soon, and we will let this blog be a free space for volunteers to write and describe their experience while in Honduras and more about World Camp.
saludos de honduras,
tara
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