Last of the Cold Fronts

I'm sitting in the cool spot in the house; where the breeze blows from the (open) front door to the (open) back door. I imagine it's still going to get a lot hotter but it's sitting around 30C at the moment!

Quick explanation of the education system:
Their Primary Schools have classes 'infant' 1&2, and 'standard' 1-6, roughly corresponding to English 'years' 1-8. About 85% of primary schools aged children are in education. Then High School, with 'forms' 1-4. And then Junior College for two years.

I've somehow managed to get invited on a couple of school trips with the primary schools (one with infant 2, and one with standard 3; so years 2 and 5 in the English system.) One took me to the airport, the Weather Bureau (!) and Altun Ha; the other is tomorrow and we're going to a nature reserve among other things. On a slightly less frivolous level, I've met several of the primary principals, as well as having spoken to the Principal and Head of Maths at Wesley College, the High School, where I hope to be helping out with small group projects in Mathematics after the Easter Holidays.

I've also started helping Maggie with English lessons for Haitians who live in Belize City (most of them have been here for quite a while, but it became apparent after the 'quake how many of them were living here). Maggie started the lessons shortly before I came, and we try to do it three times a week. It is a bit of a challenge as all we have is a blackboard and chalk, and I've never done anything like it. I am assured they understand what I'm teaching, and I quite enjoy it, but I'm having to practice not saying any more words than I need to; as you'll all know, this does not come naturally!

I've still been taking opportunities to see a lot of what is going on- so I've been out to YES (Youth Enhancement Services) which provides vocational and transferrable skills and education for girls and young women- some of these have dropped out of edcuation, some were/are teenage mothers, et cetera. There is quite a lot of building work going on there, and since Maggie works in part with YES, we went to have a look at how it's going.

In the Methodist Church, I've been to some meetings planning events for children, young people and young adults; more on that when the events take place!

As well as Sunday services, all the churches have Wednesday evening services during Lent, and I've been doing a bit of a tour of the methodist churches in the city (there are 4), since I'm singing with the Methodist Praise Singers, who are based at Wesley but are often invited to sing in other services. I'm having to hone my singing-by-ear skills, and also my kriol pronunciation; if everybody is singing 't', me singing 'th' might perhaps sound odd. Some linguistic highlights from what we were singing 'Wen Jesus around da wi Devil ha fi Cool'; I think I had to ask for a translation for that! Also 'the Devil think him strong: him a ediot'. Awesome! We sing at Wesley on a Sunday morning as the choir, so we have to wear robes, which are sweltering in the heat. I'll have to find the lightest, thinest thing I own to wear underneath.

Many of you will have been wondering about all the cupcake activity on my birthday. Much as I love cupcakes, these were not for my own benefit; the Children and Youth Commission hold an Easter Bag sale each year to raise money for the summer camp. All items for the bags are donated; chocolates, crisps (called 'chips'), biscuits, sweets, easter candy, and...cupcakes. They aim to make 1200 bags, and Maggie and I ended up baking 240 cupcakes. We then spent the evening packing the bags! I could have spent my birthday in far worse ways, since I got sung two versions of happy birthday, was in good company, AND was given a huge chocolate cake by Maggie to share around (but there was still lots left. It is now in our kitchen slowly decreasing in size).

Happy birthday version 2:
A Happy Birthday to you, a happy birthday to you,
May you feel Jesus near, every day of the year.
Happy birthday to you a happy birthday to you,
and the best year that you've ever had!

Oh, one other thing- went for a run in the pouring rain on Sunday afternoon (there was a power cut, and it was too gloomy to read, even before we shut the shutters to keep out the rain, so what else was I to do? Plus, it was cool enough to run, for once!) It was glorious, but Belizeans don't go out in the rain, so I got lots of strange looks from cars, doors and bus stops.

Easter looks like being busy, here as everywhere; blessings to all in Holy Week and over the Easter period, and I pray that you all somehow get the rest that you need over the Easter season!

Caroline