friday

My day started at 8a.m. with a meeting to help finalize the surveys that we are going to be conducting starting next week. A member of another group that is here doing research and I met and discussed the clarity of the questions, the organization, and how to receive as much information in the fewest amount of questions possible. We worked until almost 11 a.m. and then we headed out to Villa Soleada for the rest of the day. We first had to stop at the mall to go to Ace Hardware so we could put in an order for some supplies that are needed at VS. The mall is fairly new, but received some damage after the big earthquake last week. At lunch time we again had our ESL class with the adults at VS. We're trying to emphasize the use of phrases such as: I need, I want, I like, Where is/are, etc. I think if we continue with the same methodical approach as we have been they will able to reacall these phrases with more fluency in no time. For the afternoon we were supposed to help with a kids camp that is held every Friday to reinforce what students are learning in the future and teach some new things that will better prepare them for higher level classes. The students didn't have class yesterday and won't have class for the next two weeks because the government has run out of money to pay the teachers. Therefore, we only had a few students at VS to participate. Normally all the students just come after school but since there was no school there was no way to organize picking all of them up in a timely manner. I helped with the 3rd graders and some of the young children who were just coloring. I had to recall my multiplication and division skills so I could check the 3rd graders' work every so often. It was interesting because their division problems were written the opposite way we write them in the states. I had to have one of the high school girls give me a crash-course in where to put the numbers, but I got it and was able to help with the rest.

Last night we were invited to dinner at some friends of Shin & Cosmo's; they are more like their aunt and uncle and they were so nice to get to meet. We had a wonderful time at their house, talking, and relaxing. We ate rice with chicken, vegetables, fruit, and empenadas with beef inside.

Today is our "day off" so some of the people are going to the beach again, but I want to go to the Nutrition Center so my plan is to go there this afternoon and maybe do laundry or something this morning. I was so lazy this morning I didn't get up until almost 9, but it was so relaxing just laying in bed with the fans blowing on my face. I feel like even though I'm not doing physical labor, the mental and organizational labor that I do here still can take a lot out of you; so, today will be a good day for everyone to chill.

Each of the interns now has the opportunity to write a weekly blog on SHH's website so you can see what we all have to see at http://www.studentshelpinghonduras.org/summerfellows.