Settling into San Pedro, sort of

Greetings from San Pedro! (where golf carts out-number automobiles.)

My trip here went smoothly, although a little nerve-racking. My previous trip down here has forever scared me and I think I will always hate customs agents. Last time, they confiscated 200lbs of donated school items and wouldn't release them for over a month without lots of pressure from the Anglican Diocese and Ministry of Education. This time, I was carrying over 40 lbs of books that my Grandmother graciously donated to the school library. I could tell the customs agent was skeptical of me and kept asking me if I had brought any items down for the people I was visiting. I kept saying no and she let me pass. I hate lying (or stretching/omitting the truth). Needless to say, I don't think espionage is anywhere in my future.

My short flight from the mainland to Ambergris was short and sweet. The gate agent actually put me on an earlier flight so I arrived an hour early in San Pedro. It's definitely the off-season because my flight had 5 passengers on a 12 person, single-prop Cessna. The school's taxi driver met me at the airport at took me north to the school to meet Francis and Vernon.

I have a small efficiency apartment in town, but I have been staying at Francis and Vernon's house this weekend. They flew to the mainland and needed a house sitter to take care of their dogs. They have a very nice piece of beach front property. I am totally spoiled right now and it will be a culture shock when I move into my "cozy" place.

I spent my first day shadowing the Standard VI class. Most of these students didn't start school at Holy Cross, so they have a lot of remedial work (long division in particular) to do before moving onto high school. I also happened to be there for their anatomy lesson of the male reproductive system. Compared to what I remembered growing up, these students seemed much more engaged in the lesson. I don't think students in my 5th-grade class asked questions. I think we thought that if we kept silent, the awkward lesson would end sooner. It was actually refreshing to hear kids ask questions rather than rely on their peers.

I've spent all day Saturday monitoring the computer lab. The University of Belize is here working with the teachers to get a teaching certificate. Now that the school has a computer lab, the university professor can come to them rather than making all of the teachers travel to the mainland (unrealistic). Most teachers here have a high school education and no teaching credentials. To improve the teachers' skills in the classroom, the University provides summer and weekend classes on the island so that all can earn a teaching certificate.

With the introduction of a computer lab, the teachers now have access to a plethora of teaching aids online. Many of them come to the lab here after classes to find worksheets and course material for their lesson plans. What an improvement from the first years of the school's operation!

Mr. Freddie just came in to notify me that he has to turn the fresh water pump off for the Wilson's house and surrounding area for a while because the water level is getting low. In the words of Dorothy, "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore." 

Pictures coming soon!