Get me to the beach

I just finished lunch. I had a fried plantain and beans; probably the most salvo meal I've made myself yet. Maybe I'm finally integrating.

Aside from lunch, I would like to highlight two major problems that I, along with every other volunteer, struggle with in this country. The first problem is fighting the cancellation battle. Everything is always being canceled for one arbitrary reason or another. The other problem is communication. People who you think would communicate with each other never do. Welcome to the developing world.

Monday was a normal day here in the campo. Taught classes at the school and prepared for my ADESCO meeting to be held the following afternoon. It was a rough day for classes because I had the kindergarten kids. Turns out though, I have reason to be frustrated. The old volunteer, Missy, called me this week to see how things were playing out for me in the community. I was asking advice on teaching the kindergartners. What I found out was that my kindergartners are between the ages of three and five. Now I get it. These kids aren't five or six like I thought. How am I supposed to control and teach three-year-olds how to manage a computer. Looks like I need a new plan. The first grade class went great though because the teacher actually took charge and taught most of the class, using me for assistance. I let her borrow the program that the kids use here for her computer at home and she's been practicing. All I need now is to encourage the other teachers to do the same. First though, as planned, I need to teach a majority of them how to use a computer. We're making progress.

Tuesday rolled around and I headed to the school around nine to teach the fourth graders. Upon arrival Don Armando, our school director, greeted me and explained that two university students are suddenly teaching the computer classes. And of course no one told me this was happening until I walked into it, naturally.

Anyway, this has turned out to be good so far. The two university students, Marjorie and Elwin, are working in the school to complete the community service component of their degree; they're getting school credit for this. Their Spanish is obviously better than mine (they're natives) and they have a bunch of free resources and programs at their finger tips. Besides, it's so much better to have two or three people teaching these classes because often times they're very difficult to manage. They're teaching through the end of the school year (through November) and my plan is to work with them to create more interesting topics, improve computer knowledge of the students, and get a working routine in order for these classes. My goal is to continue their work for the next year and to use this time to really get the teachers prepared to work with me when the university student leave. Anyway, it's great having two more authorities figures in the room with me.

Tuesday afternoon my counterpart, Elba, the health promoter called me and explained that our ADESCO meeting for four p.m. was canceled. Great, I thought. Four-forty rolls around and my ADESCO president comes to my door wondering why I'm not at the meeting. Whatever, so I head over. At five o'clock there were three of us, so we decided to postpone the meeting. Two in one, lack of communication and cancellation. Perhaps, they go hand in hand. I think there's a causal relationship here. Obviously.

Wednesday went well, working in the school the full day with one of the university students. Marjorie couldn't make it because her son was sick. It was a long day, but the teachers have started feeding us snacks during the school day for all the hard work, so that helps.

Thursday morning I show up bright and early and the computer classes are canceled because the Marjorie and Elwin both can't come. They have a set plan for the students now and I didn't want to just go in and teach whatever, so I decided to take a day off from the school.

Today, computer classes were back on track, but for some unknown reason, I was informed that my computer/English class with the teachers was canceled. School didn't end an hour early as planned, so we didn't have time for the class. I was kind of annoyed so just left and came back home.

That pretty much sums up my week, pretty average salvadoran schedule.

In the next few weeks I'd like to start some health work. I want to do an HIV/AIDS charla at the escuela de padres, I want to start a health focused women's group, and I want to start working with the seventh, eighth, and ninth graders on reproductive health. And hopefully, I can tap into my resource at the hospital, Dr. Rafael Bonillo, head of education.

Oh yeah, one last thing, I finally decided to stop drinking the water in my community (pass on any long term damage) and start getting bottled water. I get five gallons of drinking water a week for $1.70 from a truck that passes every Thursday morning. After word spread to my health promoter that I wasn't drinking the safest water, I caved. I am a health volunteer after all.

And finally, tomorrow I leave for the beach. Hooray.