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Today, we didn’t have classes because
the finals were being held for the fútbol and basketball
tournaments. Both our teams qualified and both our teams won.
It was pretty amazing. The men were really excited they won the
soccer game and the women ecstatic they won the basketball
game. I have to wonder a bit about their priorities here
though. I don’t know about the opposing teams, but our teams
were wearing different jerseys than the last time I saw them
play. They may be donated, but they were still nice. And the
opposing basketball team had the girls’ names on the back.
Katy told me that yesterday at the assembly to honor the
teachers (which I skipped because I didn’t feel well), they
thanked the Muni for giving 10,000 Quetzales for the
ceremonies. That’s a lot of money. Why can’t they spend
that money on books or other school supplies? I’m sure the
teachers appreciate the assembly, but they don’t want to sit
for 5 hours listening to people speak and music being played.
Spend a little less on decorations, and pins for every teacher
and bands, and divide up that money into the salaries or buy
sports equipment or something. That money can be put to better
use than soccer and basketball uniforms and long boring
assemblies. Alright, that’s my piece.
Armando, the director at Chacaya, is in the red
on the left.
One thing I’ve noticed is that everyone here is so
close and very “touchy-feely”. Girls of course are like that everywhere,
but I think it’s a little more so here. Guys, though, are just as
affectionate and lean on each other and hug each other a lot. I know
there’s a homophobia here, but it still seems more appropriate to show
affection for same-sex friends than for your husband or wife in public. Men
and women simply do not interact much. Each has their own role to play,
though I think women are respected nearly as much as men, just in a
different manner. Men often forego wearing the traditional “traje”
because it’s expensive and they sacrifice wearing it in order to feed and
support their families and so that their wives and daughters can wear it.
Men do most, if not all, the field work whereas women do all the weaving and
most of the selling in the market.
Yesterday in class, Armando put my teaching skills to
the real test. I taught English before recess and afterward, he had to do
something so a student told me he wanted a drawing on the board. I can’t
draw to save my life but I found a turtle in the math book that I did my
best to copy. You could kind of tell what it was supposed to be. Some of the
kids drew scenes with a turtle, others traced pictures out of books. I guess
that was their art time. When that was done, Armando still hadn’t returned
so I had to figure out something else to do with them. A student told me
their next subject was “ambiente,” the environment, but I had no idea
how to teach that so I played Hangman with them with Spanish and English
words. At least it wasted time. If anyone ever has any ideas of games I can
play or other time wasters email me and let me know. I’m always up for
suggestions.
Theresa
go to June 27 |
