It’s not quite been a week since I arrived here in Tlaxiaco. So far, things are good! Mostly I’ve just been getting settled in, and in general, acquainting myself with the people and routines at Casa Hogar. I haven’t completely found a routine yet, but I’m getting there. I have at least set up a class schedule. I meet with 3 different groups of students, one in the morning and the other two at night. I am also available to help them with homework. There are 24 students, 16 girls and 8 boys. Most of them are in bachillerato, or high school and there are 7 students in secundaria, or middle school. Also, Agostin and Irene’s daughter is here as well (she is in a technical school). The students all come from other villages in order to continue their education. I learned of 2 girls who had finished secundaria, but their parents wouldn’t let them continue their education. (Why should girls continue their education when they’re just going to get married anyways?) Instead they both became teachers for a year, and were sent out to remote villages. I can’t imagine. Luckily they are back in school, as students, with help from the school and Hogar Estudiantil Indigena. There is at least one boy who is coming back to school after working for a while as well.
Pleasant surprises: I bought a cell phone and it even has reception! It’s a little spotty, but still!... There is a gorgeous spot just a short walk away with a stream, fields, trees and hills…. I went for a run up the road (! No promises that that will stay part of my routine!!) and found that the houses soon ended and the road led to more beautiful countryside…. I am grateful for my Spanish abilities and find that people are pretty easy to understand…. I continue to be impressed by how nice and responsible the students are. I knew they would be… but, let’s just say it’s a very nice change. On Friday everyone went home, except for 2 boys. They were both happy to help prepare some food and clean up. I was very impressed with that, but when one boy decided to mop the kitchen floor, I was speechless. I don’t know that I’ve ever mopped the kitchen floor on a Friday night!
Not-so-pleasant surprises: It’s cold! It’s plenty warm when the sun is out, but if the sun isn’t out, or it’s windy like the first two days I was here, it is cold both outside and inside. (I knew it would be cold at night, and that part isn’t too bad… but a cold day is really cold!)
I attempted to take a shower while the boiler was on (so that I would have hot water) only to find that the hot water came out somewhere on the cold side of lukewarm. Since the sun was already mostly down, and it was getting cold, I was more than reluctant to get in. It was a painful experience of standing to the side and sticking my head under to attempt washing my hair. I kept thinking of that statistic, you know that one that says you lose 90% of your body heat through your head… I was concerned, to say the least! Jessica, who I share the shower with, says that that has happened to her before as well, which I actually I take to be a good sign. Hopefully it is not always like that?!?
My room, which is part of the upstairs family-living area.
Hot water notice: available two days during the week.
The boiler.
The wash station.
The girls dorm.
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