1st week of classes

Week one of classes was kind of tough to say the least... we started the week off on Monday
meeting up with a woman who spoke great English named Carol, she wanted us to tour several
public schools in case we decided we could add more to our plate, or if we get more volunteers
we could add more sites...it was very overwhelming because  the schools she took us to were in
El Centro, meaning the center part of the town, which is a 20 lemp taxi ride...like 1 dollar
 in the states, but still traveling that everyday would add up...most of these schools were very
poor, but I've only see one that seemed to be a little nicer than all of the others and that
is at a bilingual school.  After parting ways with Carol, we went to look for things to organize
our supply closet with...there are NO WALMARTS here so you have to be really creative...its
fun I think...so I found a store that sold lots of kitchen supplies, blenders, toasters,
tupperware, silverware...stuff like that, they also had plastic shelves and drawers, this was
perfect, just what we were looking for!  So we got some supplies and got back to the house and
got busy...it litterally took us about 3 or so hours to sort out everything I brought and
all the stuff we had already...we have so much good stuff!!!  Then time with the kids at the
SOS and dinner...off to bed early for our 7am start...we went for introductions to the school
around the corner from us...the name of the school is....... and it means school of retired
teachers...however I'm not sure they are all old and retired...lol. We went to meet with the
director to set up a schedule and then go and speak with the kids, it was so amazing when
we walked into the room the kids started cheering and holaring...they saw Gringos and though
sweet, we get to learn English...it was truely amazing, it almost made me cry...When we got
to the 7, 8, and 9th graders I'm not sure how thrilled they were...I'm thinking that they
will be the hardest to work with due to age and embarassment, you would be surprised at how
shy they can be when it comes to speaking the language.  these kids have english class, but
there teachers speaks 0 english so she uses the pronounciations to try and speak...thats very
hard...take it from me...thats what I've been trying to do in Spanish...doesn't always work
out that well!  This program is very interesting as I am one of the first volunteers to get
things up and running with this program...which is very rewarding and I'm hoping I can come
back and visit at some point to see how it has progressed.  Its never easy starting something
new.  I will say I am sad that the SOS orphanage didnt work out as originally intended! Those
kids are so sweet...I'm not sure if I have said this yet but will stay it again the kids at
the orphanage really do have a great life.  Yes their parents gave them up, but it was so they
could have a better life.  These kids get allowances, they have money to spend on clothes,
and whatever they want.  They have people sponsor them, they get meals everyday and are put in
good schools! its the kids that live with their families that are the less fourtunate...it
all depends on how you see it...on one hand the sos kids don't really have a family, but
when you walk in and they invite you into their lives...you would think that every perosn at
 the sos village is one big family!  these kids are so loving to one another, I can't get
over it!!!  I wish my kids back in the states could be satisfied with what they have instead
 of wanting more, more, more, and more... So we have around 7 classes in the am and pm,. after
intros in the am, we came back for the afternoon.  We met with the director and boy was she AWESOME!
She really wanted us there, helped us figure out a schedule that would work for her and
all the other students, after we got that squared away she took us into each classroom
and gave the kids a what for on respect and how excited she was that we would be helping
their school!  It was great!