December weather

Two weeks into December and I was completely wrong about how cold it could get here.

Everyone is telling me that I am a baby, but sometimes I hear them say "Qué frio!"

There have been days where I've worn 3 shirts, a sweater, and my rain jacket (just to try to keep the wind out). And still, I was cold.

I need gloves, a hat, thicker long Johns and socks. Then, I would be comfortable.

Also, it wouldn't hurt if the school had some actual windows to help keep the blowing cold out. But, alas, that is the fun of working in a school in Honduras.

Luckily, this is only supposed to last for two months.

third grade

I teach third grade twice a week for phonics and reading.
When I first started teaching this class, they were the worst. Or, at least I thought they were the worst.

I dreaded coming to their class because they would always jump all over me, tell me they loved me, gave me kisses, and would be so excited that I was there that they would take about 30 minutes to settle down. This gave me 10 minutes to do our lesson.

Since the beginning of the year, I have calmed down a little bit, especially with this class. Even though sometimes they have a difficult time getting into their seats and paying attention, they have come to be the class I look forward to teaching the most.

I am really not one who likes little kids. I've worked with teens almost my entire career, and little kids have just not been my thing. But, these third graders are so excited to see me every time I come to class, even when I disciple them or tell them that they didn't behave well, that it's hard to not feel appreciated.

Last week we worked the "Frosty the Snowman" song for a presentation that they're going to give. Today, we worked on "Silent Night".
I'm not much for Christmas stuff, either, but they were precious, though a bit rambunctious.


It's hard to describe. They are a bit out of control. They like to eat candy, copy off of each other's work in class, talk really loud, speak in Spanish, show me their boogers, etc. And, they are the class that makes me feel like I'm actually doing my job right.
This is why I love third grade.

weather

So far, the weather has not been as people have told us it would be.
The rainy season was not really rainy. I don't know if it's just a fluke, but it's the truth.

August and September - We arrived at the end of August. For the last 8 days of this month, it was pretty sunny in the morning and afternoon. Then at 6pm it would rain and rain and rain. Though ever morning was sunny and pretty comfortable, there were large puddles in the middle of the roads which sometimes flowed onto the sidewalks.

October - Very little, if any, rain all month. It was pretty comfortable weather. We would wear light jackets to work everyday and then carry them home.

November - We were told it was supposed to rain a lot during this month, but there was hardly any until the end. Sometimes it would rain a little at night, but not enough to see any traces in the morning.


Everyday we wake up and wonder what we should wear because the weather can change on a dime.

Today it was quite cold in the morning. I wore a long sleeve shirt and a jacket, jeans, and sandals. My toes were cold and I thought that it would be stormy all day. But, around 1pm it lightened up and was a bit warmer, with less clouds and way more sun. Tonight, it has rained quite a few times, for a couple of minutes each session. It is quite windy and sort of cold in our room.

You have to be prepared for the elements, is what I've learned. We carry our umbrella around everywhere, in case it rains or gets too hot (then it's called a sombra). If it looks cloudy in the morning, I wear long sleeves and take a jacket. Sometimes, though it backfires by the afternoon and you're too hot. You have to decide which is worse for you: being too hot or too cold.


It's kind of tricky, but this is how we've been dealing with it so far.