It's the end of October!!

Well, it has just hit me that October is almost over – Halloween (the last day of October) is THIS Wednesday!!  When did that happen?!?!  Haha!  I’ve already been asked if I’m dressing up…I haven’t thought of anything yet that I could do with my limited clothing supply…except for an oldie, but a goodie that I did my first year in college – a domino :) Wear all black, put some dots on you, and wear a white belt on your waist to be the white line that splits the domino (I do not have a white belt…) But I haven’t decided if indeed I will dress up as a domino (it will be kind of warm/casual in black sweatpants when I’m out in Antigua).  So…if any of you have any simple, but fun ideas within the next 24 hours, feel free to let me know! :)

This week was basically work as usual – a lot of prepping for my programs (there always seems to be new ideas/things that come up that I need to think about and figure out) and then working with the students whenever they come in..tutoring and such.  There has been quite a bit of math tutoring this week (get excited, Mom! :) ).  I’ve gotten better at my Spanish vocabulary for the basic math (add, subtract, multiply), but this week I was doing more with algebra…golly, there are so many little words that we use to describe things that I just don’t have in Spanish yet!  I just did a lot of demonstrating and thankfully I think the two different girls I worked with understood.

There was one day in particular this week, Wednesday, where I had three distinct moments occur that were significant in their own way and elicited different emotion.  First of all, in the morning I was asked to translate a sponsorship visit.  This was for a couple, Trent and Tracy, who are new to Common Hope.  Trent is a dentist and he and his wife were down here to volunteer their services for the first time in the clinic.  Before coming down, they decided to become sponsors of a child and this was their first visit with the child that I would be helping translate for.  Both Trent and Tracy had such a fun, new energy as they were curious about Guatemala, Common Hope, their Godchild, etc.  On the way to the visit we usually talk with the social worker and get an update about the family and if there is anything we should know about the family situation before getting to the house.  I was very happy to translate to Trent and Tracy that everything overall was going very well for the family – the children (all daughters – 5 in total I believe) were doing well in school (a GREAT accomplishment!) and health was good for everyone.  When we arrived in the home, it was obvious very early on just how beautiful this family is.  They are a younger family; both the parents and the younger three girls were in the house (the older girls were at school).  The connection between Tracy and Trent and the family occurred quickly.  Tracy took some years of Spanish back when she was in college and was eager to try out what she remembered…it was just beautiful.  Again, just a fun, great visit – you had to be there to feel why it was so wonderful.  It was actually sad to leave (and we’d only been there an hour!)  Tracy and Trent have plans to be back soon – within the time that I’ll still be here, I guess. :)  It was just a pleasure to see their eagerness and energy to start to collaborate with Common Hope.  Their connection to the place and excitement for the work reminded me of how I was “hooked” early on in my first visits to Guatemala and Common Hope…fun to see!

On that note…I’m going to do a little advertisement :)  If you aren’t a sponsor of a child yet with Common Hope, maybe it’s something you want to consider.  It really is a beautiful thing…a beautiful relationship you can have…and it gives so much to the children and the families.  Sponsorship is a huge need of Common Hope’s right now…so, just think about it. :)  If you want more information you can definitely find it on the website www.commonhope.org or I’d love to help you find information as well, so just send me an email or facebook message.

The second event of Wednesday was not as uplifting.  I was at my desk working in between getting children going on math games and other tutoring help when one of the young guys who attends the Saturday activities and other youth events came over to say “hello.”  When I asked how he was, he replied, “mal” (bad).  Now, sometimes they joke around with you, so I assumed this was the case, but still replied “mal? Por qué mal?” (bad? Why bad?).  His response…”Perdí el año” (I failed the year).  He failed his school year…he will have to repeat.  Oh my.  What do you say?!?  Of course, I did say some comforting words (or I tried) and asked a few questions about recuperating and stuff…but mainly what hit me was during this very brief conversation I saw the moisture in his eyes, the tightness in his face…a look I understand all too well…he was fighting to hold in the tears.  A 15-16 year old young guy, confiding this painful news with me, but then fighting the emotions that came with it.  He changed the subject quickly and had to leave to get to the youth program he was going to attend that day.  Sadly, his story isn’t an uncommon one…I’m curious to find out how many of the youth that I work with regularly will be repeating their grade.  It is such a problem here…many factors involved…one of the problems we are diligently working to change.

The third event came very soon after the second.  Like I said, I was working on getting children ready with math games and exercises that afternoon.  I am still working with the two sisters, Keila and Nataly, on math.  Even though they are done with school, they are continuing to come so that we can keep working on multiplication and division for the next year.  Well, I have introduced them to some RightStart math card games and the abacus…they LOVE playing the games (especially the skip counting memory game – this helps them with multiplication).  Well, they were playing this game and then I overheard my colleague Jóvita asking each of them some multiplication problems that were related to the numbers they were playing the game with…and they we answering them!  Well, I decided to ask them a few too after they were done playing their next round of the game.  When I was asking Keila multiplication problems with 9s she was able to quickly answer me WITHOUT LOOKING AT HER SKIP COUNTING SHEET.  She’s LEARNING!!!  She was VERY proud of this fact and it was just wonderful to see her proud of herself.  Her younger sister Nataly was still using her skip counting sheet (which is just fine!) and Keila was very proud to point out that she did not need to look at her sheet.  Haha!  SO wonderful because not long ago when I first started working with them, Keila would have counted on her fingers from one to whatever the response was for the problem (even up to 63!).  It was a proud and exciting moment for me too!  :)  The kids here are so fun to work with…they LOVE any math game you give them…and Keila and Nataly always want me to give them more math problems to practice.  If I give them 10, they do them; return to me to have me check them; and then ask for more!  Can you believe it?!  It sure makes my job easy :)

I love the relationships I am making with the youth…it is quite fun to be walking in the street of Santa Ana or on my way to Antigua and every once in a while here a child’s voice call out “Seño’ Teresa” o just “Seño’” (which is like calling out “Ms.”) and then see a smile and a hand waving…usually it means a quick peck on the cheek (the common greeting here) and a few exchange of words asking how everyone is doing and what we are doing for the day.  I even know a few of the moms of some of the girls I’ve worked with, and they always pleasantly greet me as well.  I am amazed at the great respect I have gained so quickly by my position at Common Hope…from the children and the parents.  It is quite humbling and energizing to live up to their expectations and kindness.

It was Karen (my cube mate’s) birthday this Saturday, so we had a special lunch for her on Friday.  It was just Jovita (and her daughter Lucy), Francisco and I with Karen as Rigo and Jaime were not in the office that day.  Here a few pictures from the event.  Our team is so fun! :)

Lunch and cake outside!

Jovita and her daughter Lucy