Fiesta Tipica, moldy houses, and other stuff

Every time I get to the internet these days, it feels like a month since I was last here! In reality, it hasn't been that long. But if someone had told me a few months ago that I would learn to exist with internet only once or twice a week, I would not have believed them! There are a lot of things that I live without these days. I can't remember the last time I watched the television. I can't remember the last time I was in a car or a van. I don't frequent anywhere that has windows or central heating. I have completely cut all of the excess noise out of my life, and I can't help but think I'm going to face some serious culture shock when I come home for Christmas.

Anyway, since I last wrote, all sorts of things have gone down. Our school had its annual fundraiser, Fiesta Tipica. I had really mixed feelings about Fiesta Tipica. On one hand, it was a great idea. The school rented out the park for a morning, and everyone dressed up in traditional Honduran clothes and sold typical food and the children performed Honduran dances. Sounds really nice, right?

Well, yeah. But as usual, we (the American teachers) weren't informed whatsoever about what would be going on. First of all, my class was one of two classes excluded from the program. I have no idea why only my students weren't allowed to dance (believe me, the principal will be explaining it to me at the next staff meeting), but they weren't. Furthermore, the Spanish-speaking teachers stopped teaching their classes in the middle of the week in order to choreograph the dances. Okay, I would have been alright with covering their classes if someone had told me that I would have to do it. But what happened was the bell rang, and I thought I would have a planning period. But the teachers never showed up, and when I went to find them, they told me that I was in charge of their classes because they had to teach dancing. So on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of last week, I had to watch my seven-year-olds from 7:40am-3pm, without a free period. I didn't know what to do with them! Furthermore, there was super loud music playing right outside of my classroom, and I couldn't hear myself over it. I tried to take my students outside to watch the other kids practice dancing, and the principal told me that they weren't allowed to be there. aaagh.

So I was entirely frustrated. On the actual day of Fiesta Tipica, I had three different bosses giving me three different sets of instructions about what to do. Selling food was stressful, because people would just yell what they wanted until they were served. There was no order or manners. It actually made me really miss the USA and how good our country is at standing in line.

But even after all of that, I still really enjoyed the festival. It was so fun to see the students all dressed up in little dresses and shirts. I had a Honduran dress that I wore, which was fun. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was jovial. I just like things to be more organized than they were.

I am still loving teaching, and where I live. I had a little mold infestation in my house, so I have actually been sleeping up in the other house this past week. I got really, really sick from the mold, which was growing on my floors and on the walls. The lady who owns the house put another window in my room, so maybe that will help it air out. I have no idea. Today one of my students brought me the most delicious chunk of cake. I forgot that teachers get presents sometimes! But for anyone who reads this...sucking up to teachers by buying them gifts totally works.

In any case, my complaints about the school and communication and stuff all really pale in comparison to how much I love it here. A couple days ago I actually had to stop on my way to school because the clouds and the mountains were so, so beautiful that I just didn't know how to look at them. I had to just stop and stare. I love everything that I'm doing and I feel so lucky that I finally found something that makes me feel...fulfilled. I can't believe that it's November already...where is the time going??