Beaching it in Monterrico

We headed to Monterrico this weekend for a relaxing two days before starting school Monday. Six of us rode through the countryside in a van and saw a lot more of Guatemala...We were a little culture shocked for the first time, seeing the poverty that exists here. But, the beach was beautiful soft black sand and the water was about 80 degrees! We stayed altogether in a big hotel room, which had a thatched roof and mosquito nets, and a hammock just outside on the porch. We spent lots of time in the warm ocean, relaxed in hammocks reading books and had a cheap dinner of zuccini pasta and mojitos at the hotel´s humble and beachy outdoor bar-restaurant. There were tons of stray dogs and women and children walking around selling ceviche, banana bread, and coconuts to drink.

Suntanned

Our casa for the night

Paradise

One of the most beautiful sunsets I´ve ever seen

Pig crossing the road

Homemade breakfast of Frijoles, Guacamole, Fried Plantains,

Scrambled Eggs, Picante and Pineapple shakes

Today we finally met los niños! They are the adorable...the chicas wear their colorful indigenous dress, with dusty feet in their jelly sandals, and their shiny black hair in braids, and the chicos, their best pants and collared shirts. It was a nervous first day of school for some...we had one little boy and one little girl crying, and lots of shyness in the first hour of the morning, but after some singing and coloring, everyone was happy. The school is down a little alley, and when we pulled up this morning in the bus, there were about 40 mothers and children anxiously waiting for us outside. Right now there are three little classrooms, separated by three foot bamboo walls...the concrete floors and metal ceiling are brightened up by little plastic desks and chairs, of all different colors. Men are working on building the second half of the school right now, which will be three more little classrooms for us. Just outside, there is a dirt alley with some little shack like houses and the baño is a hole in the ground behind a metal curtain at the end of the alley.

In the first day of meeting them, I was amazed by how little these kids have and how appreciative they are. You certainly can´t learn well on an empty stomach, so first thing when they sit down, we hand out a piece of bread to each of them...I was surprised because the breads were all different sizes, and it didn´t seem to cross their minds to get a bigger piece, they all were just happy to receive any and so sincere in saying ¨muchas gracias¨. And, after an hour and a half in the morning, the kids have a fruit break, when they line up and wash their hands and then receive a piece of fruit...today was bananas. Doreen says that this may be the only food that some of these kids eat all day.

Alana, Irene and I are teaching two classes, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and Kate, Leigh and Doreen are teaching the other two classes. For lunch, we go to Santiago´s home...he started this school in Santa Maria, and is the laison between the community and the school. He and his wife are the sweetest people, and she makes us a delicious typical Guatemalan lunch each day!