Up to the Mountains/I'm Actually Teaching?

Some of you may have noticed, and some of you may not, but I posted pictures from the first two weeks here in Honduras. I hope this gives you a glimpse into what the school looks like and where I spend most of my time. The second half of the pictures are just a few snapshots from the team's weekend trip up to Buenos Aires...and no, not the one in Argentina.

We were looking for something fun to do and a bunch of people had mentioned going to Cusuco National Forest about 30km away from Cofradía. Confradía is the jump off point to visit this reserve and so there are fairly regular transportation options from the town square. Did I say options? What I meant was fairly irregular trucks to hop into to go up there. The reason for such transportation scarcity is that the town just below the reserve is a small one, and the road leading up to it is very rocky. So we did as my guide book said and as a friend of the school told me and found someone heading up to Buenos Aires and paid a hefty 35 lempiras a person to go (35 lempiras = $2). The journey lasts about 2 hours but we only traveled 16 miles.

We settled into a very sub par hostel up there and got acquainted with the town by searching out food. The funny thing about restaurants in Honduras is there is generally no menu. You just sort of ask for dinner and, depending on if they were expecting people, it can take any where from 15 minutes to 1 hr 30 minutes to prepare. That night it took the latter. It was worth the wait because we got a well sized plate for about $2.50--oh yeah! that included a coke. At this very same dinner we got a guide to take us into the forest and lead us to a waterfall the next day. Just show up when we want to go and he will take us.

Our guides name was Ibis. Ibis' family ran the restaurant we ate at and owned a coffee farm just below the actual reserve. So basically he led us to an amazing waterfall on his property, stopping at his house along the way. He only uses this house during the harvesting season, and it is also where he prepares coffee to shipped directly to an exporter. He exports through a company called Honducafe. on our hike to the waterfall we passed through many of his coffee fields and learned a little about the process of growing and de-shelling coffee. His family does pretty well for simple farmers. Coffee is Honduras' primary export, and because he sells directly to the exporter, there is no middle man taking a cut (YEAH FAIR TRADE COFFEE).

All in all it was a great weekend getaway. I have a feeling I will be revisiting Buenos Aires often to go hiking and explore the reserve. next time though I will probably camp out in the forest and pay the entrance fee to go check out the ecolodge.  We ran into a bunch of British scientists who were there studying different parts of the reserve. Some studying monkeys, others birds, and others were study the people studying. Word to the wise: British scientists do not make friendly travelers.

Another point of note is that I began teaching yesterday. The way our orientation is structured goes as follows: We receive two weeks of teacher training. Then 2 weeks of practice in the classroom at our "summer academy." Then two weeks of vacation/final preparation.

The teacher training is where we learn everything from how to make lessons, to how second language learners acquire a new language, to classroom management strategies, to how students from poverty learn. The Summer Academy is when we break up into two teams and teach on a rotating basis to gain experience in the classroom before the real year begins. Yesterday was our first day, but today I will be teaching my first real lesson--wish me luck.

Only two weeks after I arrived I am becoming less nervous, and feeling quite positive about teaching. The students really do bring an energy that we haven't had yet, and I can't imagine what the school year must be like. I'm not sure if I have said this yet, but I am ready to move into my apartment. The homestay  experience has not been terribly positive; then again, how could anyone replace Claudia and Alfredo from Buenos Aires (Argentina, that is). I am just tired of living out of a bag and ready to not have to plan every minute of my day so that I have everything I need in 5 different places.

Don't forget I posted pictures to my picasa site. If I am successful at placing a link on my blogs main page, you will see it. If not I will figure out another way to share it.

It's been great talking to you all. Things are all swell in Honduras.