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