First Day In School

Well, we are settled in an into a routine. All four of us are wiped after a long day at school, and Liza is struggling to get through some math homework on the bed next to me. I fear a full week of work will have to take place on the plane trip home, as she is fried.

We arrived at school with our piles of gear at 9. All of the students were eagerly peeking over the sides of the walkway as we arrived with our duffels. It was obvious how excited they are when volunteers arrive. Most were so well behaved walking in lines, but a few snuck into the cafeteria to see what we were unpacking. One little boy asked Liza for her running shoes. Withing minutes I saw my first cockroach scurrying across the cafeteria floor.

Soon we had a tour of the school. It is amazing. It consists of some wooden rooms attached together with wooden walkways. It sits on a wetland on the island of Ambergris Caye, and sanitation is an enormous issue. The sewage goes directly below the school and houses into the sitting water. They try to compost it, but most of the time people are sick from the bacteria. My boys know that I received a 911 email last week asking for Mosquito Dunks to kill a mosquito infestion. That infestation is actually in the school's "water garden" or sewage compost pond. What a combination- sitting sewage and mosquitos. Our soccer field is actually surrounded by the puddles and ponds. Whenever anyone would kick the ball over into the wetlands, I would cringe. Well, actually, you cannot call this a field. It is a sandy, rocky area surrounded by swampland. We do not realize how lucky we are at home.

Anyhow the school has been funded by volunteers and the Anglican Church. It is a K-8 school. Sadly only 1 in 10 go on to high school beacause they cannot afford it.

We are teaching the PE classes for the week and running an after school soccer practice. I wish we had Mrs. Lears here! Liza, Ali and Justin coached the practice, and I had about 8-10 little kids who showed up after school to be entertained. I tried chain tag and some relays, but they just wanted to play "futbol"! So I did my best at setting up a game for them.

Finally I got a tour of San Mateo, the area behind the school where most of the students live. It was remarkable and so sad to see how little they have. It is so dirty. A hurricane would wipe them out in no time. My eyes are closing, so more tomorrow. Miss you guys!