My kids...

So considering the reason I came here was to volunteer in a school and teach, it’s pretty unbelievable that I’ve been here for 3 weeks and have only written one blog entry about the school I teach at. Somehow hippie lodges, volcanoes and laundry adventures have all taken precident over these kids...but that is all about to end right now.

I can’t promise this blog entry will be hilarious and I definitely CAN promise that the words: amazing, incredible and inspiring will probably be pretty prevalent throughout this one but I can’t go any further without telling you all about “my kids.”

So this is a pretty overwhelming task because I could literally write forever about each and every one of them but I’ve decided that the best way to write about them is the “feature” a few at a time and maybe next week, I’ll feature a couple more...

So just to back up a little bit, I have two classes: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I have about 15 kids in each class and they are between 8 and 11.

Ladies and gentleman: Introducing a few of the most wonderful kids I’ve ever met:

Meet Leona (in purple):


Leona is brilliant. Short and simple...brilliant. Not just good at math and reading and everything but it’s like she is wise for her years. She is really quiet and it took me a while to get her to warm up to me but we have moved right on past that and I somehow feel a really unique connection with her. Her eyes remind me of Jasmine from Aladdin and it’s like when she looks at you, she has a secret.

This past week, suddenly I looked at Leona and tears were rolling down her face. I asked her several times what was wrong and she never told anyone. I think there is a lot going on in that girl...she is a hidden gem and it’s like those Jasmine eyes have seen more than anyone knows.

Sandra (the little one on the left):

Like Leona, Sandra is also very smart...but she also knows how to smart off. It’s great. I will tell her that it is time to clean up and she will look me straight in the eyes and just say “nope.” It’s like she’s outsmarted the system and knows that there is really nothing anyone can do if she doesn’t help so she just doesn’t! She is about half the height of all the other girls and is quickly becoming one of my favorites. She puts the A in attitude and I love it. It’s so wonderful to see a girl who comes from so very little still feel so very big.

Wilmer:
So I’ve never been a teacher before but from what I’ve heard there are different types of intellengence. Wilmer is living proof of this theory...what he lacks in IQ, he more than makes up for in EQ. I think I could explain the concept of “borrowing” in subtraction to him for the next 4 weeks and I’m still not sure he’ll ever be able to successfully complete a problem.But Wilmer is so in tune with other people and their emotions. It’s incredible to see a little boy who has only one t-shirt to his name come straight up to me every day and truly ask me how I am. Last week we watched a movie (Buscando Nemo!) and he came up to me afterwards and asked me how I liked the movie. I know that doesn’t seem like much but for a 9-year-old, it’s amazing to see how much he cares about others.

Brenda:
Oh Brenda...Brenda is actually not one of my students but she is one of the really little ones that I have fallen in love with quickly...and it’s a very unlikely love story. The first day I was in class, Brenda peed her pants. Actually, she peed her indigenous skirt. Slowly a puddle started growing under her chair. The next week, while Brenda was eating a big piece of watermelon, she threw up and quickly put her foot over it to cover it up. We asked her if she was ok and she seemed completely unphased by the entire ordeal and went on eating her watermelon.

Everyone calls Brenda “Gordita” which essentially means little fat girl...but believe it or not, that is not considered offensive. Brenda is round, wears high heels and is the most generous with her hugs. I don’t know if I’ve ever gotten a better squeeze.

Edwin:
Like Brenda, Edwin and I had a strange beginning. I walked into class on the first day and Edwin was covered in blood. Yep..blood spewing from his nose. It was quite a site...but a little kleenex and a new shirt and Edwin never looked back.So I’m assuming all you reader out there went to elementary school and there was just that one “weird kid” in class. The one who ate glue and made weird faces...for me it was Joe Gracia. For this class, it is Edwin. Edwin is literally in a world of his own. Every now and then I catch him having full on conversations with himself. Every day at break, Edwin climbs these posts that are in our room. He doesn’t get too far up but once he finds a spot on the post, he just clings to it for dear life...for no reason. Up on the post, sweat dripping down his face with his short sleeve polo short and belt that is way too tight...him and Joe Gracia would have gotten along just fine.

Henrri:

It’s possible that I have an actual crush on this 8 year old. He has big ears and the deepest dimples I have ever seen. He is VERY bright and quiet. I’m telling you, this guy is a lady-killer. One thing that most of the students are lacking is imagination. It is so difficult for them to do the simplest things just because they’ve never really been asked to use their imaginations before. Henrri doesn’t have this problem. He is very good at coming up with ideas and he definitely has a spark in him just waiting to be let out.

Just writing about them makes me realize just how incredibly lucky I am to be with them every day. I seriously have the best job in the world. It starts out with kids waiting in a line to give you a good morning hug and race you to the school and ends with one kid holding each finger on the slow walk back up to the bus.

I already miss them all but know there are more incredible kids in Honduras to meet. It’s just amazing that kids are kids anywhere and everywhere...and I’m so glad I still feel like one of them.

xoxo,
Debra

P.S...Here are a few more pictures I just had to post...oh...and keep the comments coming!!