Funny, tough and meaningful...

Oops! It has been a while since the last post and that while I'm almost on my way to Canada again to help prepare a new bunch of Huron students for their trip to Honduras in May. But before that, here some of the funniest, toughest and most meaninful experiences of last year's group...

Carin

Funniest…

It’s tough to pick one moment. I would say just every day trying to get the kids at one particular table in the younger class to listen. They were so high energy but at the end of the day very entertaining. Bernice

I'm going to have to go with Krystle on this and say the times that we were in our room in the dark trying to entertain ourselves! Especially trying to speak in accent. Hahaha... it makes me laugh just thinking about it. Kayleen

Oh dear, where do I start!? Either throwing bugs on Jenn (sorry, Jenn) or incessantly chasing boys at the school with absolutely no success and constantly tripping over myself while they flawlessly scamper across the mountain. Lindsay

Although not funny when it happened, looking back I guess it makes a funny story...getting trapped in the house due to the fish line across the street, resulting in both Kayleen and I sitting in the dark trying to entertain ourselves...power was out. Krystle

Breaking into my homestay with Kara after getting locked out (this involved trying to get our keys to work for a good 20 mins, yelling pitifully for Gilma our host mom to come and help us, hanging off the garage wall for about 10 mins while contemplating climbing down the face of the door, and finally deciding to jump into the back of their pick up truck from the garage wall, all while a Honduran man watched and wondered what in the world us crazy gringas were doing. After which my host mom ran out from her bedroom screaming que paso! que paso! and told us we had to much beer to drink that night and were a little crazy as a result, that there was no reason why our keys would not have worked. ) Allison H.

Going into the tourist "market" and attempting to pay 3L for something that cost 50L. Needless to say the store clerk was not very impressed. Julie

Following Tony the one-eyed man around Copan to change traveler’s cheques with Lindsay (after we convinced him that changing them with his friend on the street was not going to fly). We finally found a shady little hole-in-the-wall, quite literally because it had only one bare bulb, where an elderly man was willing to rip Lindsay off. Danielle

Funny moments, oh, there were lots of them! I thought it was pretty funny when I joined the students on their first trip to Barbasco and while returning in the back of the pick-up truck, the kids from the neighbouring village of San Rafael (who receive English classes) were yelling at us. One of the students asked me what they were yelling. It was “bye-bye!” In ENGLISH!!!! Other funny moments: one student after the other losing her flip-flop or sandal in a tropical downpour that turns the streets into rivers. And don’t ever be late, because Londin will come and get you to drag your butt all the wat to Guatemala and back! Carin

Most meaningful…

Having the opportunity to go on the community walk with the kids and them trusting us enough to let us into their homes. Bernice

Seeing the change that the kids had from when we first arrived to when we left and also the change that that the community had. In the beginning there was a lot of shyness and curiousity, but when we left the kids were always happy and smiling and the community would come around and watch us during certain activities, even kids who were not in school started joining in the activities, I loved that!! :) Seeing their faces light up when we arrived each day... And swimming in the river with the kids, I loved that too, showing them that we could have fun just like them. Kayleen

Other than every moment I had with the kids in the schools, it would have to be when the boy in my host family (who is typically extremely shy) called me over one day all excited, only to sit with me and show me his family photo album! Lindsay

Seeing the excitement in the kids when we got there to set up for the movie night. Krystle

Seeing the smiles on the kids faces everyday, seeing them enjoying the activities, seeing the progression that took place over the course of three weeks in terms of our relationships with them and the way the kids acted around us, hearing the kids say when we left for the last time that if we ever did something like this again to come back to their community, and hearing from Wendy how much Gary (the teacher) appreciated us being there and thought that we had done something really special for the kids and he noticed a difference. Also I think I will always remember the kids from Santa Cruz running towards the truck and yelling excitedly at our arrival and in anticipation of watching a movie in and with their community. Allison H.

Seeing the results after each of our activities and seeing how the children progressed throughout our short time with them. Julie

Melvin's smile while being swung in a circle. He may not have always understood what was going on and he may have drooled all over himself and he may want to be a woman when he grows up, but his smiles will stick with me forever. Or Marco wanting to be an artist when he grows up (and knowing that he has a chance to work with Arte Acción through the new training program). Go Marco! Danielle

The one-on-one attention the students were able to give the kids that they otherwise never have, the fact that they really established relationships with the children, the fact that they were able to communicate despite not-perfect Spanish, the interaction with our instructors, just to name a few thinks! I also think the final evaluation we did was important, helpful and meaningful. Carin

Toughest…

Definitely leaving the kids was the toughest moment. It was so hard to leave Copán as well. Bernice

On the last day having to leave the children and the community. Seeing them for the last time and not knowing if I would see them again. And, like Allison, hearing what Gary had to say about us after we had left our last day. Kayleen

Saying goodbye...hardest thing I've ever had to do. Both to my host family and the kids in Barbasco. Lindsay

Saying goodbye is always hard. Krystle

Adjusting to the language the first week. Julie

Leaving on the last day and knowing that it is very likely, albeit not certain, that we may not see these kids again, that our experience, however great it was, had to come to an end. Allison H.

The evangelical church service. We were all insulted when they started translating just in time for the offering and then the message about women’s' place was too much. You all know that I'm a Christian, but I couldn't take that either. Danielle

Having fourteen volunteers and an anniversary event at the same time was a tough cookie! But then again, we couldn’t have organized the event without them… But I wish I’d had more “personal time” to spend with the students. Yes, I think for me the toughest was to have so many people to attend to, so many questions to answer, but at the same time, that’s part of the fun! Carin