Monday, April 30, 2012

Fair Days - Beginning


Friday was a field day to Pulhanpanzak waterfalls. About 100 students and guests piled on two buses and enjoyed the day at the falls. There is ample swimming room above the falls - rather odd but safe and enough picnic tables to accommodate many visitors. We were a bit anxious when we saw that there were eight bus loads of people visiting the falls. However the anxiety was not necessary.

Because this is the end of the dry season the water levels were lower than normal. Still, a spectacular set of falls and the water was warmer than usual. The staff did a marvellous job of organizing everything and I just went along for the ride and enjoyed the day immensely. It was amazing.
English Class in Session

I appreciate the Latino approach to events more and more. Even before the bus arrived (a bit late of course) everyone was having a good time and considering the day a success. Each thing that went according to plan only made the day better. The Canadian approach would wait until everything went perfectly and then people could relax enough to have a good time. Voting Latino in this scenario.

The last two or three weeks, I have begun coaching some of the local teachers in English. We meet twice a week and are working our way through basic stuff. The letter 'v' is a real challenge and I am trying to figure out how to teach people to make that sound. I have no expectations of success with the letter 'r'. Each class begins with the short vowel sounds. Working in Canada, I have found that once people can hear, differentiate and enunciate the short vowel sounds clearly, reading English becomes, suddenly, rather easy. There are many rules that make sound different but, if you have the basic starting point, you can 'get there from here'.
Digital Cameras - You can afford to have me in the picture as well.

Swimming hole friends

More friends

Saturday morning, as I was heading to town, I heard the town crier talking about a horse event in the afternoon. I assumed it was a gymkhana type event so didn't worry about catching more. It turns out it was a parade of horses instead. Nevertheless, I passed by the starting point on my way home from Santa Rita. I got out of the car to enquire what the program was. Some delightfully gorgeous horses, many of them trained in dressage type movements. While standing watching, the mayor rode over and invited me to come to the 'after parade' barbecue at his place.

After a shower and change of clothes I headed back out of town to the mayors place. The barbecue was lovely, typical Honduran fare with well prepared beef, beans, cheese, tajadas and salsa. A brass band was providing the supper music. Three trombones, a trumpet, saxophone, tuba along with a snare drum, bongo drum and a larger drum with cymbal attached. The music was Honduran cowboy songs done very well.
Yeni, Anna, Edel, and Maricella

Maricella, Edel, Anna, Manuel and Yeni

I told you it was pretty spectacular

As I was enjoying supper, the staff started moving the tables away from a small circle near the band. As they finished, a vaquero on a dapple grey stallion rode into the circle and had the horse dance in time to the music. Rather spectacular. The circle was just the right size for the horse to dance in place and turn on the spot. There was not a lot of room for error ... or spirited steed activities. No one, especially the band, seemed to worry and they played along for two songs. I was impressed let me tell you.
On the bus - heading home

The fair has arrived and so the town centre and streets surrounding are filled with tiny booths selling carnie food, clothing, games of chance and so forth. Lots of activity and lots of strangers. Everyone is a bit tense during this time because often, sadly, there is accompanying violence. Will try and keep up with the gossip on that.

TTYL
BB

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Community In Action - Las Delicias


Another rewarding morning. Yeni, Edel and I left at 7.15 to take two more computers to Las Delicias. They have over 40 students now meeting in Trinidad's house. Six of those students come from a neighbouring village a couple of kilometres away. I hope you find that as exciting as I do.
Setting up

Ready to roll - opportunity for more than 12 students

This week, Trinidad was in the office wondering how to get a classroom built so that students could study without having to be in his tiny house or on the porch. We talked about options. In the end, he said that he would organize the students to make adobe blocks and go ask the mayor of the region for money for roofing. We promised to find some money to help with odds and ends - that will be another challenge.
Adobe blocks curing and more adobe being mixed for molding

The beginnings of the new school

Today we saw where they have started digging space for the classroom and using the soil, mixed with long pine needles, to make adobe blocks. They need about 800 blocks so are well on the way. It is so wonderful to see a community beginning to take their future into their own hands. They are talking about setting aside a plot in the community for starting demonstration projects in sustainable agriculture as well.
Bags of pine needles used for binding the adobe

We talked about the school plans. They are considering building an African concept latrine.  That would be exciting for me. Maybe they will put a fish tank at one end to use the rainwater from the roof.  Trinidad is just the type of person to try new ideas.
African Concept Latrine - no doors, no water needed, no breakable parts


TTYL
BB