Currently, there are two situations
that kind of stink. First, the
schools start their three month vacation in February, so right when I start
having an actual schedule, I go back to having no schedule for three months. I will still be visiting the
communities to work with the moms; I just won’t work with the kids until they
come back in May. Now the other
situation. There is a possibility
that all of the schools that have less than a certain number of kids are going
to be closed. The government is
thinking that it might be more worthwhile to spend the money on bussing the
kids that attend these small schools into the main towns to attend the bigger
schools, sort of like how it is for high schools. To be honest, I am not entirely sure how I feel about
this. Some of the kids would
probably get better off because they would get better education. However, a lot of the schools function
just fine as they are, while fostering a sense of community. As well, a major issue here is the drop
in attendance of high school. At
least here in Pedro Vicente, it is difficult for the children in the rural
communities to get to the high schools in the main part of the town. As a result, they don’t go and will
work instead. There is always a
fear that a similar situation with the lower/middle school would cause a drop
in attendance as well.
My
counterpart told me that this could all happen over the summer, but I just
can’t imagine it happening that quickly.
Obviously it’d be a bit of a bummer because I’d have to reconstitute my
plan for work, but again, obviously, that is not what matters the most. I guess we will see what happens in the
coming months.
Anyway,
I am hoping this past month was a good sort of pilot run and that when the kids
get back into school, I will really be able to get going with the program. Hopefully it is something that can be
kept up. During the summer, like I
said before, I will go to the communities to work with the parents as well, I
figure I will also help out with the basketball classes that are happening here
in town. They basketball coach is
going to offer more classes during vacation, so I figure it is an opportunity
for me to start helping out again.
Speaking
of basketball, I’m on a basketball team.
I actually think it is I was on
a basketball team. It was a league
where we played about 8 games. We
lost all the games except for two.
One game we won outright, the other game we won because of a forfeit
(the team didn’t show). When the
team didn’t show, we played against a team of women that were just around in
the stadium. That “team” beat
us. Yeah, we weren’t so good. Actually I didn’t think we were so bad,
but I guess we were. It had a good
time anyway. Well except for the
ref, who’s lack of knowledge of the rules often made me quite angry (I think
most of you know how I feel about referees who don’t know the rules). The playoffs start Monday; I think my
team will be in the bleachers watching.
That’s
all for now for this post. There
are a few more posts after this one so click on older posts to see more.
Food Pyramid
Drawing a meal
Personally think this frog can camouflage, but the kids told me they are born this way
Peace Corps Books BY LAWRENCE F. LIHOSIT
ReplyDelete(AKA Lorenzo, Honduras, 1975-1977)
Available on Amazon.com
Peace Corps Experience: Write & Publish Your Memoir
The ultimate “How-To” book for former volunteers & staff who have hesitated to tell their story. The author describes what a memoir is and offers tips on how to write, publish & promote.
“Tell your Peace Corps story, but first study this book.”
Robert Klein, PC Oral History Project, Kennedy Library
Years On and Other Travel Essays
The author describes how he hitchhiked along bleak Arizona highways, hacked a path through wooded Honduran mountains, avoided caiman while riding bulls in Bolivia and grizzlies as he hunted caribou in bush Alaska, ran for his life after getting involved in Mexican politics and more.
2011 Peace Corps Writers’ Travel Book Award Recipient
“The best and rarest of ex-pats: the Yankee gone native.”
Tony D’Souza, author of Whiteman.
Peace Corps Chronology; 1961-2010
Includes all notable activities related to the Peace Corps in an easy-to-read style, in chronological order and lists all volunteers who died during and immediately following service.
2010 Peace Corps Writers’ Special Publisher Award Nominee
“This is a very impressive book.”
John Coyne, Editor of Peace Corps Worldwide.
South of the Frontera; A Peace Corps Memoir
Following a job loss, a worn picture postcard ignites adventures leading to the Peace Corps Honduras. This is a vivid and humorous description of Mexico and Central America between 1975 and 1977.
2011 Recipient of Commendation from U.S. Congressman John Garmamendi (CA, Dem)
“A classic.”
Craig Carrozzi, author of The Road to El Dorado.
Whispering Campaign; Stories from Mesoamerica
A collection of short stories with telling details- a taxi driver unscrews his license plate bulb before driving, a young American bewitched by a female shaman waving a necklace of dried herbs, the son of a salesman who dispels the curse of guilt, freeing the ghost of remorse and much more.
2009 Peace Corps Writers’ Maria Thomas Fiction Award Nominee
“As in Chinatown or Ballad of a Thin Man, they go directly to the gut. The mix is a rich one.”
Allen W. Fletcher, author of Heat, Sand & Friends.
Starting April 20 we are going to be in Bolivar province or a medical mission. A couple of years ago a couple of PC volunteers walked in on us and asked to help. They joined us again when we came back 6 months later. Would you be anywhere near us?
ReplyDeleteHey there! I am an RPCV from Jordan 08-10, I'm going to Ecuador in about a month and was hoping to talk to a current PCV there about some questions I have. If you have the time I'd love to be able to ask you a few questions!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Yo! RPCV! Check out Travels in South America by Lawrence F. Lihosit. You'll love it.
ReplyDelete