What do I remember about what has happened since I last posted? Hmmmm....
A new intern, Jon, arrived. He is very nice. He'll be with us until July.
We had class as usual this week. I think I have a stalker in one of my classes. I forced one student to read like a girl and his nickname is now "Mrs. Green." Another student's nickname became "Very Good," because he repeats it every time I say it. I learned other nicknames my students have: Tilala, T-Wes, S.O.N, Noky....great stuff.
We have played countless games of board Scrabble and Speed Scrabble...Luke is addicted.
Friday, Liz and I had a great idea to have a puzzle war where we each try to finish a 500 piece puzzle first. We both got so stressed out that we agreed the whole purpose of relaxing with the puzzle was being defeated and we gave up. We still haven't finished them. But that night we did make a cake! Oh how the KitchenAid would have been so nice. The stirring of butter and sugar took (literally) 1.5 hours in the metal bowl with a wooden spoon. We rotated stirrers...though I, myself, only had the strength to last about 30 seconds. It was delicious, though, and all the labor made it taste that much better.
Today was a really great day. We went to the BEACH! We had a rocky start with Nadege calling Valentin so he could try to convince us not to go and then the car not starting, but it all worked out. It was a gorgeous hour drive to Kaliko Beach and it was perfect beach weather. We swam in the blue water and lounged on the beach...we had a buffet lunch...and hung out at the pool. It was a really great time and just absolutely beautiful. It was so different than the Haiti we experience every day and it was just nice to have a day away from the house.
Tomorrow we'll go to church, I grade quizzes, and hopefully I can get some laundry done.
That's about it for my exciting Haitian adventures for today! <3
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
January 12: Nou sonje!
Ok...let's see what I can remember from the last couple days. If I don't write immediately after things happen, I tend to forget.
Tuesday, we had an argument in class about whether men can be nurses. I wrote on the board: "Is he a nurse?" and they were supposed to make it plural. Straly said: "Andrea, why do you write 'he' and not 'she.'" I said: "Men can be nurses too." He disagreed and he and Nocky (I just learned this nickname) continued to quietly argue about this after I had moved on to something else. Sorry dad, apparently you are not allowed to be a nurse according to Straly. I'm struggling with having them write their first name (prenon) first and their last name (non fanmi) last. When I wrote my name on the board, they told me my first name was Nissley. I went around and asked every student what their first and last names were, so I'm hoping we will make progress. Then, in my last class, I taught them dates. I asked everyone their birthday. When I came to one student (an older man) I asked: "What is your birthday?" He said: "Flanguins" (his name.) The whole class started cracking up and, terribly, I was trying not to laugh too. He figured it out after some prompting.
Wednesday we took off school because it was the one year anniversary of the earthquake. Camp Hope was having a 6am-6pm memorial church service. I spent the morning reading Toni Morrison's (or as Liz calls her "Toni Boringson") book, A Mercy. Around 4, Liz, Henery, and I headed to Fond Parisien. There were a ton of people in the Camp Hope church tent with a band up front. Everyone was singing and dancing. I saw Thomas and Straly and we stood together. Yes, mom, Thomas asked about you, you cougar! : ) When the same time came when the earthquake hit one year ago, we all had to squat/kneel down. I had a cute, but very dirty, child on my lap and my surgeried knee could barely handle the stress. But, when I thought about how my few moments of discomfort were nothing compared to what these people had suffered, the mind can do crazy things and it wasn't quite as painful. I also got to see my little buddy, Tito, who cried when I left in September. He was looking quite snazzy in his church clothes and wore a giant smile. We stayed about an hour and a half and then headed back home.
A pita! <3
Tuesday, we had an argument in class about whether men can be nurses. I wrote on the board: "Is he a nurse?" and they were supposed to make it plural. Straly said: "Andrea, why do you write 'he' and not 'she.'" I said: "Men can be nurses too." He disagreed and he and Nocky (I just learned this nickname) continued to quietly argue about this after I had moved on to something else. Sorry dad, apparently you are not allowed to be a nurse according to Straly. I'm struggling with having them write their first name (prenon) first and their last name (non fanmi) last. When I wrote my name on the board, they told me my first name was Nissley. I went around and asked every student what their first and last names were, so I'm hoping we will make progress. Then, in my last class, I taught them dates. I asked everyone their birthday. When I came to one student (an older man) I asked: "What is your birthday?" He said: "Flanguins" (his name.) The whole class started cracking up and, terribly, I was trying not to laugh too. He figured it out after some prompting.
Wednesday we took off school because it was the one year anniversary of the earthquake. Camp Hope was having a 6am-6pm memorial church service. I spent the morning reading Toni Morrison's (or as Liz calls her "Toni Boringson") book, A Mercy. Around 4, Liz, Henery, and I headed to Fond Parisien. There were a ton of people in the Camp Hope church tent with a band up front. Everyone was singing and dancing. I saw Thomas and Straly and we stood together. Yes, mom, Thomas asked about you, you cougar! : ) When the same time came when the earthquake hit one year ago, we all had to squat/kneel down. I had a cute, but very dirty, child on my lap and my surgeried knee could barely handle the stress. But, when I thought about how my few moments of discomfort were nothing compared to what these people had suffered, the mind can do crazy things and it wasn't quite as painful. I also got to see my little buddy, Tito, who cried when I left in September. He was looking quite snazzy in his church clothes and wore a giant smile. We stayed about an hour and a half and then headed back home.
A pita! <3
Sunday, January 9, 2011
"You make me fly. You make me cry. 'Cus you're an angel!"
"Hocks" Update: Definitely a great idea! Go Liz! The bites on my hands and wrists, due to the nighttime pests, has greatly decreased. But when my earplugs fall out in the middle of the night, removal of the hand socks and re-hocking is kind of annoying.
My new favorite pick-up line from Liz's student learning the conjugations for "to fly": "You make me fly...You make me cry...'Cus you're an angel!" (Not delivered to me...but if it were...I'd be a goner! : ))
My favorite writing exercise quote: "I'm a Haitian because I am a black boy."
.............................................................
Yesterday morning I did a couple hours worth of hand shriveling laundry. It's always a pain to do, but when it's all done, it does feel like an accomplishment. In the afternoon, Liz and I went to a wedding with Nadege. It was interesting...yet confusing. First, a woman wearing a fancy silver dress walked in. Both of us thought: "Ok, so maybe the bride opted out of white." But then the bridesmaids in violet started walking in. Confusion. Then a woman in white gown and tiara came walking in. Both of us thought: "Ok, so this is the bride." Nope. Wait. Everyone stands up and the actual bride, also wearing a white gown and a tiara with a veil, comes walking in with her father. Confusion! After all of that, I'm not really sure what happened. I couldn't see over heads very well and I couldn't understand anyway. So, anyway, it was interesting to see what a wedding here is like...it's confusing for us Americans!!!
Just recently, Liz and I had an "episode." Both of us detest spiders, but they keep showing up above our beds. We pulled out the paper towels with the determination to take care of business ourselves. We even sang "Eye of the Tiger" to pump ourselves up! When the radio turned on, Shania Twain's "From this Moment" provided a less inspiring background. First, the spider above my bed moved when I went to crush it and I started screaming and almost fell off the bed. Liz put socks on her hands and was ready to get her monster of a spider. That was also a disaster. It started running along the wall and we were both screaming our lungs out, me running out of the room with tears running down my face laughing and searching for someone else that could do the job for us. Claudmay, Nadege, and Mani just laughed at us and got them all down with a broom. Wow. Us "blans" can't do anything! I'm cracking up as I type this just remembering how ridiculous the whole situation was.
That's about it for our wild, crazy, and embarrassing adventures...for now. School tomorrow. Wednesday is the one year anniversary of the earthquake, so I'm sure it'll be a tough day for everyone here. Keep Haiti in your thoughts.
My new favorite pick-up line from Liz's student learning the conjugations for "to fly": "You make me fly...You make me cry...'Cus you're an angel!" (Not delivered to me...but if it were...I'd be a goner! : ))
My favorite writing exercise quote: "I'm a Haitian because I am a black boy."
.............................................................
Yesterday morning I did a couple hours worth of hand shriveling laundry. It's always a pain to do, but when it's all done, it does feel like an accomplishment. In the afternoon, Liz and I went to a wedding with Nadege. It was interesting...yet confusing. First, a woman wearing a fancy silver dress walked in. Both of us thought: "Ok, so maybe the bride opted out of white." But then the bridesmaids in violet started walking in. Confusion. Then a woman in white gown and tiara came walking in. Both of us thought: "Ok, so this is the bride." Nope. Wait. Everyone stands up and the actual bride, also wearing a white gown and a tiara with a veil, comes walking in with her father. Confusion! After all of that, I'm not really sure what happened. I couldn't see over heads very well and I couldn't understand anyway. So, anyway, it was interesting to see what a wedding here is like...it's confusing for us Americans!!!
Just recently, Liz and I had an "episode." Both of us detest spiders, but they keep showing up above our beds. We pulled out the paper towels with the determination to take care of business ourselves. We even sang "Eye of the Tiger" to pump ourselves up! When the radio turned on, Shania Twain's "From this Moment" provided a less inspiring background. First, the spider above my bed moved when I went to crush it and I started screaming and almost fell off the bed. Liz put socks on her hands and was ready to get her monster of a spider. That was also a disaster. It started running along the wall and we were both screaming our lungs out, me running out of the room with tears running down my face laughing and searching for someone else that could do the job for us. Claudmay, Nadege, and Mani just laughed at us and got them all down with a broom. Wow. Us "blans" can't do anything! I'm cracking up as I type this just remembering how ridiculous the whole situation was.
That's about it for our wild, crazy, and embarrassing adventures...for now. School tomorrow. Wednesday is the one year anniversary of the earthquake, so I'm sure it'll be a tough day for everyone here. Keep Haiti in your thoughts.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Let's Play Checkers!
Ok, so I need to vent about the trauma my hands are undergoing.
They look like flippin checkerboards! I currently count 29 bites between my two hands and wrists.
Mosquitoes...ants...you name it, it's biting me.
In my sleep, nonetheless!
I will be following Liz's advice and wearing "hocks" tonight...that is: hand socks.
Wish me luck!
They look like flippin checkerboards! I currently count 29 bites between my two hands and wrists.
Mosquitoes...ants...you name it, it's biting me.
In my sleep, nonetheless!
I will be following Liz's advice and wearing "hocks" tonight...that is: hand socks.
Wish me luck!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Bon Ane Zanmi Mwen Yo!
I haven't posted since before the new year so I feel obliged to wish you all a "Bon Ane!" (Happy New Year!) I hope you had fun, but not too much fun, of course!
So I have to admit that it was a little difficult readjusting to Haitian life, those first few days here. I don't know if those are the words I really want to put to my feelings, but it's the best I can come up with right now. The fact that I put up all of my pictures of friends, my parents, and my cat and dog made it a little more difficult. I look at them every night before I go to sleep and I feel a little homesick, missing everyone. I know it's only natural being this far away. But, as the days pass, it gets a little easier. I wish you could all be here with me though.
Liz and I graded the exams the students took before we left and the results were a little discouraging. The main problem is that most students don't attend regularly. Those who do did much better. And the last few days, we have only have a few students for each class. It messes up lesson plans and I feel bad when I don't have much to do with the couple who come. I've been bringing books and having them read aloud. Woo-hoo. Today, I wanted to work on conversations about family a little, so I wrote on the board: "What is your _____'s name?" "My ____'s name is _____." So I asked one student: "What is your sister's name?" She said: "My sister is dead." I asked her: "What is your father's name?" She said: "My father is dead." What do you say to that?! It's times like these that I'm reminded where I am and what the disasters this countries has faced and continues to face.
But, I've been able to play soccer for a few minutes after class the last two days! That always gets me revved up. I am so out of shape it is ridiculous. (I will admit that last night I walked up one flight of stairs and a ladder and was tired. Don't laugh.) I failed one of my students several times during the game for blocking my shots and causing me to fall on the dirt playing field. I miss exercise! I might just have to start running around the house or sneak out since Valentin will be in the states for a few weeks. Don't tell!
I'm just about to head up to the roof to watch some "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" with Liz. The generator ran out of gas so I'm typing in the dark...but it's all good!
Orevwa.
So I have to admit that it was a little difficult readjusting to Haitian life, those first few days here. I don't know if those are the words I really want to put to my feelings, but it's the best I can come up with right now. The fact that I put up all of my pictures of friends, my parents, and my cat and dog made it a little more difficult. I look at them every night before I go to sleep and I feel a little homesick, missing everyone. I know it's only natural being this far away. But, as the days pass, it gets a little easier. I wish you could all be here with me though.
Liz and I graded the exams the students took before we left and the results were a little discouraging. The main problem is that most students don't attend regularly. Those who do did much better. And the last few days, we have only have a few students for each class. It messes up lesson plans and I feel bad when I don't have much to do with the couple who come. I've been bringing books and having them read aloud. Woo-hoo. Today, I wanted to work on conversations about family a little, so I wrote on the board: "What is your _____'s name?" "My ____'s name is _____." So I asked one student: "What is your sister's name?" She said: "My sister is dead." I asked her: "What is your father's name?" She said: "My father is dead." What do you say to that?! It's times like these that I'm reminded where I am and what the disasters this countries has faced and continues to face.
But, I've been able to play soccer for a few minutes after class the last two days! That always gets me revved up. I am so out of shape it is ridiculous. (I will admit that last night I walked up one flight of stairs and a ladder and was tired. Don't laugh.) I failed one of my students several times during the game for blocking my shots and causing me to fall on the dirt playing field. I miss exercise! I might just have to start running around the house or sneak out since Valentin will be in the states for a few weeks. Don't tell!
I'm just about to head up to the roof to watch some "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" with Liz. The generator ran out of gas so I'm typing in the dark...but it's all good!
Orevwa.
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