1st Day of School

Alarm went off at 5:45 a.m.  Shower.  Extra big breakfast to tide me over until noon (didn't work).  Left for school at 6:15 a.m.  School started with the traditional Monday morning acto civico.  They brought the Honduran flag in, we sang the national anthem, prayed, the school director gave a few words and introduced the Honduran teachers, I introduced the US teachers, and words of wisdom for the students were shared (as well as the rules of no running in the hallways etc.).  Then the students were off.  I met with some parents who were transfering kids to our school, helped clear up some scheduling problems for US and Honduran teachers, and met with scholarship parents to discuss our entire process and what responsibilitis scholarship students' families have to the school.  Then came recess duty.  I got two cookies and a mint from students.  School was let out at 11:15 in the morning.  So I helped the kinder and prepa classes (kinder is pre-kindergarton in the US and prepa is kindergarton) for a few minutes (several of the kinder students were crying for their moms at that point) and then had staff meetings until lunch.  The school glorieta (snack shop) makes the US teachers lunches every day.  We get meat at these lunches but it usually comes with a strong dose of salt. 

After school I went shopping with three other teachers for fruits and vegetables as we are responsible for group dinner tomorrow night.  Its hard to know quantities for 14 people.  I then went to the school board of directors meeting (supposed to start at 6:30 p.m....the few who came tonight showed up a little after 7 p.m.)  The meeting lasted until 9 p.m.

We have a team meeting tomorrow to lay out the week and talk about things that affect all of us US teachers.  More later...as its 10 p.m. and I must get some sleep to have energy for day two.