Track and Field

We start track and field on Monday, September 3rd (yes, we have to work on Labor day...that is a US Holiday, not a Honduran Holiday!) I am the head track coach (because I have so much experience and everyone else is pretty recently out of college) and Mike is coaching hurdles...yes, he ran 300 M Hurdles and 110 Hurdles in high school. The track season only lasts for a month and a half, unlike the track season in the states that lasts 3 months! They also only have two meets a year and not one or two every week! We only have to practice 3 days a week and not 5 like in the states either...I won't have to take anyone home because they have an activity bus that takes them home at 4:30 in the afternoon!! Why can't they do that in the states?? Things are just so much more laid back here than in states, I am so much less stressed and it is wonderful!!! Above is a picture of the gym and soccer field area where we will be practicing...there is no track.

Out of School for Strikes

No More Strikes............................Beautiful View

Aaron and Rachel Halbert

We didn't have to to go to school on Monday, August 27th because all the public school teachers, doctors, bus drivers, and anybody that had a problem with the government was striking and they blocked the road...so no school. Some of the other missionaries' children were striking against the strike and they were shouting "No more strikes!" We hung out and I helped the neighbor, Rachel, work on some covers for her bookshelf. Then Rachel and her husband Aaron took us to dinner to this restaurant that we walked 30 minutes up hill to go to called La Cumbre. It is a German restaurant and it was wonderful. It had a beautiful view of the city and we took lots of pictures. We hope you enjoy them.

Fabric Store Visit

On Saturday, Mrs. Smith (Mary, the director's wife) took us into town to the Market and to the Fabric and Craft stores. There were tons of fabric store, but none of them had notions (thread, etc.)...they had separate stores for that. I needed some yarn for class and that was so expensive! It was 83 Limperas ($4.36) a skein! I bought drapery fabric and that was 45 Limperas ($2.37) a yard and it was 110" wide!!! So fabric is cheaper, but yarn is not. Mike was excited about taking pictures. He took some pictures at the market and some in town. There was this little girl under a table at the market playing with another girl and they were so cute! It is amazing the wealth and poverty here. There are so few middle class.

First Full Week

This was our first full week of classes. Since it was the first week, they decided that it would be Spiritual Emphasis Week. I went on a retreat with the 7th and 8th graders on Tuesday to a camp about an hour away and Mike went with the 9th and 10th graders on Wednesday. I think Mike had a better time than I did because he didn't mind having Vaseline smeared on his face with cotton balls! Yeah, that's right, the kids did a relay in which they put a cotton ball in their mouth with Vaseline on one side of it and ran and had to put the cotton ball on our face! That was terrible and I have the zits to prove it! There was no hot water or soap! About 12 hours later I got to wash my face...yuck! The rest of the time was fine and a good time to get to know the kids that were in my group. I really like the 7th graders...they are very sweet. Here are some pictures from the retreat... Enjoy... Caroline

Mike's Group

Caroline's Group

Hey, guess what? I'm teaching...

It's kind of weird changing careers like this but so far it hasn't been that bad. I'm teaching Algebra I and Geometry, both of which I did during my student teaching. Here is a view of one of the hallways. The kids are really good...a bit talkative, but not too bad. One of the neatest things is that Caroline's classroom is pretty much next to two of my classes, and less that a minute away for the other classes. I get to taunt and make fun of Caroline all day long! It's great!!!

By the way, we installed Skype so we can call over the Internet. Our connection has been intermittent at best. Every time it went out we had to shut everything down and reboot. The cable company came out today to fix it and praise the Lord (seriously) it is working now. It seems like we aren't that far away of we can pick up the phone and call or send an email.

It's almost a working vacation. Except for the bugs. And the milk. And the water. But other than that, it's great and God is blessing us daily as we realize how lucky and blessed we were (are) to have the things we have. Some here have far less than us and it's hard to see kids just come up to you out of the store begging to help you carry your bags for a nickle. Please pray for us to somehow be a witness to them.

I'll write more now that the connection seems to be working.

Caroline's Classroom

Thursday was the first day of class. We had a half day on Thursday and Friday and will have a whole day on Monday. Monday will be a shock to the system since I have taken a nap every day after lunch since I have been here. I guess I will have to wait until after 2:30Pm for my nap! These are some pictures of my classroom when I first got here. I have cleaned some since, but it is not exactly how I want it. When I get it how I want it I will post picture of it then. Notice below pictures of some tables with equipment on them...that is all the small kitchen utensils that are in the classroom. I threw more away than that in my old home ec. room! It is amazing what North American's have and what Central American's don't have!

Adios!
Caroline

About the landing

By the way, Mark Pemberton and James Milner said the landing into Tegucigalpa was a harrowing experience. I don't fly well, so I was really nervous about it. Guys, either I am getting less nervous or the pilot made it look pretty easy. I am thankful for a safe landing, and pray the return trip is just as uneventful.... That's all I want: an uneventful flight.

Mike