One of the high school boys had to translate a list of 20 English words to Spanish and asked for help with his homework. I gave him my Spanish/English dictionary. He had no clue how to use it. I'm not even sure he understands what alphabetical order is.
The other kids kept jumping in and doing the work for him if I allowed them. That is something about Honduras that drives me nuts. I see parents constantly doing their child's homework for them instead of with them. Older siblings do the same for younger siblings. And smarter kids for slower kids. So nobody ends up learning. After writing out the 20 words in Spanish the boy announced, "She made me look up every single one." I told him, "Yes. That is how mean I am." He laughed.
The kids were all in one big group together today, but we did have lunch as a class in the preschool room. Today was pancakes. I cut one of the kids pancakes because they were eating slowly. Then all of them wanted me to cut their pancakes. I cut pancakes until my hand hurt, which the kids found hilarious.
Violet is getting so grown up. She is quite a character. She keeps talking over me lately so I asked her to listen when I talk and told her I will listen when she talks. She spent the rest of the day putting her ear directly up to my mouth every time I spoke. At first I was confused as to why she kept sticking her head in my face. After I figured it out, it was really funny. After she got done eating Violet gave us a ballet show. Violet's ballet is sticking her leg out to the side, then sticking it out to the back, then twirling around. It was pretty darn cute.
Milagro told me a story about her little brother and her baby sister. Milagro used to be really shy. She is not shy anymore. One of the class's favorite thing to do is tell stories. Milagro joins in with the best of them. It is hard to pay attention to all of them. Today Milagro was so animated it was hilarious. I could see the influence of her older siblings in the way she cocked her head and opened her eyes really big to make a point. They are all growing up so fast! I was laughing inside my head, but listening seriously on the outside.
Apparently Milagro has some sort of a small pool at her house. Her two year old brother can swim in it if the water is really shallow. Milagro swims in deeper water. Milagro said that some days her brother can't walk because his foot hurts. I asked why and didn't understand her answer. I was something that happened to her brother and the story included her mother and a stick. When she realized her older sister had appeared in the doorway she got really quiet and looked uncomfortable to be sharing the story so I didn't ask questions to clarify what happened with her mother and the stick that makes her brother frequently unable to walk.
Eunice asked me to translate a newsletter for her tomorrow. That will be fun. I haven't done any translation since Lourdes left and it is something I enjoy doing.
On the way home I stopped at the gym. The treadmills and ellipticals were both all being used so I lifted weights but didn't do any cardio. When I went downstairs there was a dance class that I have watched before from the sidelines. I have always wanted to join in, but never had the guts. I just don't have the hips these Latina women have.
Usually I take a kickboxing class. Kickboxing is totally within my comfort zone because I took karate for a long time. But there is only one kickboxing class each week. I'd like to have more options. There are a million dance classes, I'm just too scared to take one. Even in the US I never dared to take a dance class to exercise at the gym.
Suddenly I had a flashback to one of the karate tournaments I competed in when I was about 16 years old. I really thought I could win. But I didn't even place. I was really confused. Afterward my mother told me I looked like I was dancing when I did karate in the competition. In my mind what I heard my mother say was that I was flouncing around like a wimp. I was not tough and precise like a person should be in a karate competition.
Finally I thought to myself, it's now or never. I was on the dance floor before I had time to second guess myself. Can't say I was great, but I didn't embarrass myself. It was really fun and I did better than I expected. It felt great to get out there and just move, even if I wasn't the best. I am already looking forward to my next dance class.
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