Honduran Education Project: Practicums and Student Projects

This week we received four young ladies who are going to do several weeks of work experience. Three of them are studying computers and the fourth is a business student. They would be the equivalent of Grade 11 or 12 in the Canadian system.

For their work experience they are required to have two uniforms complete with blouse and jacket and name tag. We let them know that they could work here without a jacket ... especially since it is +35 C and above right now in the afternoons.

Karen and her `TV` presentation

These students will help us with organization, our digital library and with some programming for course enhancement. We hope that they will enjoy their time here. One of the girls, Maricella, has been helping us out for the past few months and we are grateful for the help she has given. She will help the other three girls get settled and productive.

Yeni, one of the Practicum Students - Jacket still on

One of our students, Karen, read in the text about how to make a “TV” from a box and a roll of paper. She went to the trouble of making one and, today, gave a presentation to the other students. It is so encouraging when one of our students takes the initiative to enhance their own study.

On the plant front. I was rereading some notes on Vetiver grass in preparation for sending them to a friend. I noticed a line about using culms as a source of seedlings. Well, not surprisingly, I had missed that line – likely because the word culm is not in my everyday vocabulary. We set some culms into seed bags a couple of weeks ago and, amazingly, they are starting to sprout leaves. The tenacity of this plant is truly incredible. We had found some left over ‘discards’ from our school planting session that had, after six weeks of laying on the ground had sprouted roots and shoots. We rescued them and they are growing rapidly. It took me over a year to find the plant but now, I am finding a few locations where there is significant planting material. There still needs to be a place set aside for an acre or so of these plants so that anti-erosion projects could be started with greater facility.

We continue to experiment with pressure cooked tilapia. It is amazing how the process changes the flavour and consistency. The fish really does lend itself to this type of preparation. Our preliminary taste tests have been quite well received – even by teenagers.

Vetiver Grass - June 17

Same Grass - September 6

Our dome house project has had a couple of setbacks so is on hold for a few weeks. The welder had a fight with his brother so left without finishing the form. I need to find someone else to do a few hours work. The family we were working with has also had some internal problems and so we need to let things simmer down for awhile. Rather discouraging ... but, we continue to learn from each experience.

My son and I travelled to La Ceiba on Saturday. We found peanuts in the market. I brought some back to plant. For a number of staff and students, it was the first time they had seen peanuts other than in a roasted form. It was also a first to eat a raw peanut. Such a nutritious and versatile plant and yet so unknown. I suspect that it was available in La Ceiba because of the large Garifuna community (descendants of slaves from West Africa).