Happy Belated Halloween (and Election Day)!
November 4, 2008
Students (and a skeleton and parrot) wish you a Happy Halloween.
Class in session at a local high school.
Greetings from Belmopan! The rains have subsided and the sun is out in full force once again. School is in session– full speed ahead. I’ve been extremely busy helping the Infant 1 class with a new English curriculum and creating lesson plans for two “Writing Composition” classes I’ve been tasked with, for the older students. Also on the “to do” list is preparing for the Writing Workshops I’ll be leading Saturday mornings, starting this week (the beautiful cayes, which I’ve read and heard so much about, will just have to wait).
Working at the local school has been both challenging and rewarding– challenging because despite the teachers’ desire to educate and the children’s willingness to learn, the lack of resources is frustrating. So many things I’ve taken for granted in the states– for example, a safe, sound classroom facility– are lacking here. When it rains, the thin wood-panelled classroom shakes and the rain beating on the tin roof makes it impossible to hear anything. Even the most basic school supplies– paper and pencils– are in short supply, and the teachers must buy their own paper. Time is another resource in critically short supply. There is only one schoolbus to take the 120 or so students home every day, and that bus picks up the students (and teachers) as soon as classes end, so there is no opportunity for after-school help/instruction. Hence the Saturday workshops. Of course, there is the public bus system, but as Holly and I painfully (and patiently) learned this weekend, it’s not the most reliable mode of transport. Fortunately for us, we were able to “hitch” a ride back home. A very Belizean thing to do, I’m told.
Nevertheless, the teachers and students are amazing; they are resilient, enthusiastic and optimistic, and as exhausted as I am at the end of each day, I am happy to be working alongside them. One thing I’ve noticed is that despite the hardships and frustrations here, the people definitely maintain their sense of humor. Playful teasing, jokes, and giggles are doled out in abundance.
One subject of many chistes here is Obama, e.g., “Obama Osama …” Many Belizeans have their eyes glued to CNN, the overwhelming majority of them rooting for Obama. Some locals like Obama because of the historical and social significance of having the first black American president. Others have told me that Obama’s presidency will mean better relations between the U.S. and Central America. I guess time will tell. For now I just pray that the better man wins … and has the moral fortitude to go beyond mere campaign platitudes and the moral compass to know in which direction.
I will post photos of some local animals soon (when I can get to an internet cafe). Hasta luego.
Hello, Heidi! Wow — I finally got around to reading all your posts. I’m glad you arrived safely and seem to be getting along quite well. It sounds like you are having an amazing experience and are meeting a lot of wonderful people. My heart fills with pride when I think of you squeezed into your seat on the school bus, pondering what lessons will best help the students learn english composition.
You are an excellent blogger, by the way. It is fascinating to hear about your day and how much it contrasts with mine. It is reassuring how much all people share in common wherever you go — it was great to read about all the good-spirited humor, the shared concerns about what the future holds for us and the generations to come, and the fact that kids will always be kids. However, it is eye-opening to learn that, despite the fact that people share so much in common, our environs and resources create very different cultures, challenges, and rewards.
Keep up the good work, and keep the posts coming. The blog is a good idea because we get to share a tiny bit in your experiences as they unfold, and you will have a lasting account of your time in Belize, as well.
Finally, I just wanted to tell you a bit about my election night experience. I had been out with friends, watching the results trickle in to the news stations. At about 10:30pm, we decided that we all had to leave and get ready for bed since, in the past, results were never certain until the following day. Though, as I walked from the metro rail station back to my apartment, the sky suddenly lit up with fireworks (launched by random individuals — nothing organized). In the distance, I started to hear car horns honking, and people began opening their windows and shouting cheers into the night air. I could literally hear excitement sweeping across the land. That’s when I knew that Obama had won.
I almost cried to think of what this momentous occasion must mean to those who fought in the civil rights movement and to those who followed who always wondered just how far this country would let them rise. It was as if those fireworks were blasting away old barriers with their colorful explosions. I also thought about what Obama’s victory meant to me, and I felt as though a heavy weight that had filled my gut for nearly a decade was suddenly lifted and was replaced with hope for better days to come.
Let me know if there is anything you need or that I can help with.
Much love,
Jason