Friday, May 9, 2008

Mothers Day Mister!

Ok, starting with Monday. Because there's a lot of stuff.

Monday May 5 we gave a workshop for 2 hours about personal hygeine. It went incredibly well. We did this activity called ''La Mano Gigante'' aka ''The Giant Hand.'' We had everyone make their own materials so they could perform it in their schools on their own (so we hope). This took a lot longer than we had thought it would, but it all wend well. This particular activity also involved me calling the kids like Señor Diarrea and Señorita Amebas. It's a good activity about washing your hands. Anyways the kids loved it. We also did a story about this dirty little girl and some songs about brushing your teeth. There were 85 people at this workshop, about 20 teachers and the rest kids. . And we got carne asada for snack which was delish.

So Tuesday we went to a school called Panatzán which was FAR. We got a ride in a pickup with the principal which was 1 hour and 15 mins. WOW. We got to know the school and what not and then before we were leaving this group of girls that were at the workshop the day before performed our activities and songs for the wholer school. It was amazing and really emotional because we felt like we really got through to them. This girl had the mannerisms and phrases down! She was like the miniature guatemalan version of me, only better at Spanish haha. It was amazing.

We went to some other schools this week that were also FAR but the kids were adorable. We went to an aldea called Xesacap where there are 2 schools with 2 teachers and 50 kids each. . . and they are like 5 mins apart. Apparently there were problems in the community years ago and the schools split. . . odd.

Today we went to a Mother's Day Celebration today. . . They made us speak, as usual. It was SO fun. The moms did games like a spoon race and musical chairs and this egg whipping thing. There were performances and lunch (of chow mein, really randomly a Guatemalan staple). It was great. And we made a friend who is about our age. . .

Ok, so for the funny stuff. Yesterday on a walk we saw these guys walking on the tops of these really dense trees. It was surreal. And strange.

One guy who drives a camioneta always calls me mister. I think he thinks it means miss but it gets me laughing every time.

Some kids today told me they thought I was 50 years old. I freaked out and then a mom told me she thinks it's because of my white hair.

Plans for tonight you ask? It is a Friday night after all. . . Well we just got pizza. Then we're having a dance party in our friend's kitchen. Wild, I know. Then we're going home and making popcorn and hot chocolate. If that's not a wild Friday night, I don' t know what is.

Miss you guys!
xoxo

1 comment:

Mark Shumate said...

I just got the link to your blog Jess and spent the first 2 hours of work reading with a map of guatamala open in another tab so I could literally track your movements!!!!!

Sounds like you are having a great time...by the way, the Lakers are up 1-0 in the Western Conference Finals.

Miss you Jess....hope to see you soon.

p.s. i emailed you a couple times....did you get them?