Pics!!!

The view from my school! Yes that is the sea!


Me in front of the school
I'll post somemore later when there are kids!


The boys drumming at the drumming center. Awesome!


This is one of the walls in my kitchen/living area! The world map is one of the best things I've gotten in a care package! Thanks A!


My new bedroom! It's blue blue blue!

colleen is amazing and painted my kitchen!!


Gayla putting the finshing touches on my room!


This is one of my students, Ryan, he helped so much! and he's so cute!


My neighbor Derrick, I'm sure he painted more of my house than I did. I'm not actually sure how he got roped into helping in the first place :)

There are many more so I'm going to try to put them on a online photo album, soon! :)

paint, drumming and behavior changing

Last week I traveled down south to the town of Punta Gorda with my counterpart to take part in a Peace Corps workshop. It was called “design for behavior change”. It was amazing. We came up with behavior we wanted to change and than made plans of just how we are going to try to change them in the next 2 years. Wayne and I came up with three different behaviors we are going to work on in the next three years.
1) Half of our teacher live in Hopkins and half live in Dangrgia and we want to unite the staff and get all the teachers working together. We are going to work on this by having a retreat and doing weekly staff meetings where I’ll do some team building! Camp pays off again!! So excited for this!
2) We are going to try in the next two year to get 80% of out students reading at grade level. Right now we are at about 60%ish. We are going to do this by pull out reading groups and afterschool programs. This week I’m starting to stay after Tuesdays and thuresday with the two standard 4 teachers to work with about 5 kids from each class on their reading. I’m also starting some sort of reading program that I’m not exactly sure what will look like yet.
3) We are going to try to educate the community on the importanace of education. According to many members of the community that I have spoken with education has never been viewed as very important in the village and we want to change this. We want parents on our side. My counterpart and I are going to work on this as well as another man in the village that I meet this weekend. I’m not entirely sure exactly what we are going to do yet for this but I’m starting to meet with people this week!
So at the end fo the day I think those are the main projects for the next 2 years. There are a few side things I’m also working on, such as on Fridays there is a teacher in the village that home schools 10 kids and we meet and are going to fix up the library and catalog it and hopfully get it running on its own again. Currently there is no one there to work so it sits closed all day. hopefully we can change this soon!
Other than loving coming up with what are going to do for the next 2 years I also enjoyed having a chance to get to know my counterpart better. He is a great guy and possiably the busiest human I have ever met. He is always on the go but has a great heart and you can tell he loves those kids and wants what is best for them. I really enjoy working with him and I’m excited to see how I can help!
I was at the workshop Mon to wed and than spend thuresday and Friday back at school. I love going to school! I’m getting alone with a few of the teachers really well and its nice to have people to joke around with and talk about real things. I’m finding myself staying at school until 5:30 or 6:00 chatting and just hanging out. It’s nice!!
On the non-school front… my roommate is gone!!! She moved back the states last week! I finally have a house to myself and let me tell you its amazing!!! I didn’t realize just how uncomfortable I felt in my own house!! This past weekend two volunteers from up north came down and helped me paint and fix up my house! Actually we had a painting party! My neighbor Derrick somehow got roped into helping than one of my student Ryan stopped by and wanted to help. He is 8ish? And was a great help! He painted my closet and helped me with my selves! Such a sweet kid! It was fun and now my house looks so good! It’s now very much me and I couldn’t ask for more!
Saturday night, after all the hard work was done we headed down to the drumming center. Drumming is huge part of the Garifunia culture and right down the street is the drumming center. I can usually hear the drumming from my veranda at night. Well we headed down and watched them drum and did a little dancing. It was great and I think this weekend I finally realized just how many people I know and know me! I might have already said this but it amazes me more and more everyday how many people I already know and how welcoming me into the community they are!

*pictures of the painting will follow hopfully tomorrow!

A few people have been complaining about my lack of blogs.. again.. so I thought I would give you a little something!
Everything down here is still going good. We passed our 6 month mark in country and our 4 months as volunteers. It’s weird to think about how long its been and the fact we are almost ¼ of the way through!! Time is flying!
School is going really well! Peace Corps always makes sure to tell us that community can be anything we think, it isn’t nessiarlaly your village or city, it might be the area you live in or where you work. I guess I heard that but never really thought about it. All along I have been considering Hopkins my community and feeling kinda like I wasn’t doing a great job getting to into it. Today I came to a different conclusion. My community is my school. The 18 teachers I work with everyday are my community. Today was the first day that I truly felt that I was part of it. At lunch we were getting together to eat and hang out and celebrate the birthdays for Sept. This was Mr. Coleman and myself. Yesterday I note went around to everyone reminding them that we were getting together for Mr. Coleman’s birthday. I wasn’t surprised or hurt or anything. After all I’m not a teacher. Well today at the lunch Mr. Coleman himself made a point to correct everyone and make sure everyone knew that It was also my birthday this past month. We sat and ate and laughed than it was time for cake. Mr. Coleman and I had to cut the cake and we decided to dance while doing so. Well actually after I bought up the point that it was probably best if I didn’t dance with a knife in my head, they agreed (they have seen me fall or trip a number or times ) just goes to show you how well they already know me! After we ate this amazing cake we heading out for afternoon classes.
Next week I have to go to a in-service training with my counterpart Wayne. Today we had to go through some things to get ready for it. We spend the entire afternoon having very frank honest conversations in the office. It was amzing, we talked about the village, the teachers, social issues, social divides, eduation, and what we need to do or can do. It was amazing. It was the first time I really felt that someone from Hopkins really trusted me, like I was “in”. AMAZING!
Only to get better after school I headed to the standard 6 room. Hilton’s room. He is one teacher that I have spent some time with and really enjoy talking to. Plus he has the cutest shyest 5 year old I’ve ever met and I’m slowly convincing her that we are going to be friends! There are have been a few days that I have went and hung out and helped him in his room and then we will walk home together. When this happens it’s the highlight of my day. Today was one of those days. I helped him hang some posters and then we walked home (he lives right down the street) together. On the way home he confused that his teaching was too “boring” and that he needed some creative ideas and could I help? Umm of course!!!! I would love too!!! This whole Peace Corps thing wouldn’t work if I walked into school and starting throwing ideas around, but once someone trusts you enough to ask for help or invite you into their classroom!! That’s what I’m waiting for!!
It’s days like today that remind me why I’m here, why I left all my family and friends and everything I knew behind. Sometimes I need that reminder and I’m always so thankful when I get them!
As for this weekend? I’m planning on heading to town in the morning to pick up a few things for the house and some money! Then I plan on sleeping, reading, and relaxing the rest! Should be good!
Also! My roommate moved out!!!! AHHHHH!!!! So excited!! Zach is coming down next weekend to help me paint and then Laura is coming to the next to help..do whatever is left? Haha so in a few short weeks I should have new pictures of my house once it’s been kimed! I CAN’T WAIT!!!!!