The one with the graduation, policy changes and flying months

Getting back into the grove in Gracias… First I want to share the mural we painted at the Youth Center just a few days before my trip home. I had seen this quote, “Demuestre su educacion y ponga la basura en su lugar” which translates more or less to “Show your education and put the trash in it’s place.” For a while now I’ve wanted to get that up on the wall outside the YC and we finally did it- I was slightly nervous about how it would turn out, because as far as painting, it was a free-for-all. We all decided that we would draw things related to nature and someone using a trashcan. In the end it came out pretty well! Kids came and went through the morning to help us but a core of about 8 held strong and the mural’s been turning quite a few heads! Next step, get a new/large trashcan donated to put outside the center.

My TEAM teachers graduated the first level of the course this week and the ceremony was lovely. They wanted to have it at a restaurant so we did. I was the m.c., I congratulated everyone, showed a video I had made of our class (first part in class with me and the second part is all of them teaching English), gave a special award to one teacher who had perfect attendance and to three who earned final grades of 100% or above, and of course, diplomas (Hondurans go nuts over diplomas!). The teachers all decided to wear fuchsia, which looked great, especially when they gave their concert! They practiced so hard and successfully sang to everyone the ABC’s, Days of the Week, Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, and a song about colors. I was so proud of them!!

The best moment of the entire night was when two of them were up at the podium saying a few words at the end. One of them said that they’ve all learned so much, but really, the people who have benefited most from the class are the kids. She said how much the kids love English and respond so well to the dynamic methodology. THAT is every youth development volunteer’s dream to hear when they are doing the TEAM project…



I’ve also been busy with my other English class at the youth center, with pre-school at IHNFA (they had 2 days of strikes and are still waiting to be paid), brushing teeth, and with the Jovenes Revolucionarias (the girls group my site mate and I started). The girls have been coming with me to IHNFA and doing story hour- it’s great! And we are about to have a bake sale so we can raise money to paint a world map at their school. This group is so great for developing leadership qualities. We have 5 girls who have been with us since the beginning, and we are trying to involve more before we start the Yo Merezco program with them. In the meantime I will start Yo Merezco next week with the girls from the church group I work with. Also, my cousin Michelle started sending the supplies she's been collecting for her Girl Scout project- the kids here have gotten to make bead necklaces and bracelets, and once more supplies come in I'll bring them out to some of the rural schools.

Needless to say, work is going pretty well. I am almost always busy with something, even if it’s not a project I am doing, just being involved with activities we have at the Youth Center and helping out where I can. Peace Corps Honduras however, is facing some changes. With budget cuts, the new group of volunteers who just swore in yesterday is only 15, and all from the Youth Development project. The other two projects I came in with last year were both cut. They are re-programming the other three, and the Youth project it staying as is (which means it’s always changing too, but as a project, it’s staying). I also no longer have my special Emergency-Zone phone… they cut that phone plan and now coordinators must use their personal phones (with a small amount of money deposited in our accounts in advance). The new volunteers now have to stay with their host families for the entire 2 years, a challenge I wish them all luck with. I had a mix of host families, but I still think it would be incredibly difficult having stayed with even the BEST host family for 2 years. But safety comes first! Volunteers are also no longer allowed to have “large, overnight, alcohol-friendly” non-PC related gatherings due to an increase risk in security when a lot of foreigners are together. This new policy was welcomed with mixed reviews from volunteers. Personally, I understand. It’s a shame the annual Halloween party was canceled, and now goodbye and welcome parties must be approved, but we knew that when we accepted our invitations, we were accepting the challenge of being a volunteer 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I am more upset about why these changes had to happen rather than that they actually happened.

Anyways……… I had a parasite last week, but it seems to have died by now....Not a fun experience for sure, but it was bound to happen. I'm surprised it took 15 months! Speaking of months, they seem to be flying, even though sometimes the days drag on forever. I can’t believe it was a month ago when I came back from the states, and it’s almost October. I will turn 24 next week, we have our mid-service medical evaluations a week or two after that… Thanksgiving will be here soon and then CHRISTMAS!!!