Just another day in paradise?

This is a semi-revised journal entery for the other night...

I wake up every morning tired and exhausted from a partial night sleep where I toss and turn all night long. Partly form the heat and partly from random dreams, that seem to haunt my sleep. Dreams about home, dreams about here in Hondruas, dreams about friends…and just random dreams. I hit the snooze button at least 2 times each morning and just make it up in time to shut if off before the next alarm goes off. I shuffle my way to the bathroom where I plug in and turn on my straightener and put on my uniform…what color depends on the day. Shirts off white, maroon, gray, blue, or red. Pants black or kaki. I place my keys around my neck and my watch on my wrist and then open my door to go to the kitchen where my roommates are already making themselves breakfast and packing a lunch. As a person who hates mornings and a over all selfish human being I dream of having the house to myself at these early hours…but that is not the case so I try to be as nice as possible, sometimes this means I just don’t say anything at all. If I had this year to do over again I think I would splurge and buy that coffeepot I so often thought about. I think that would have made life a little better for everyone. But now with only 3 and a half weeks left its just not worth it.

The walk to school is filled with small talk between one or two other missionaries. By the time I have reached the school I am already hot and sweaty because the humidity is so bad. I swear the sun is hitting us straight on. Its just not right to be sweating before 7am! Then its off to a quick staff worship…its all in Spanish, a language I have learned to tune out quite well in large group settings. That is I really only understand Spanish when it is spoken directly at me in slow easy vocabulary…and even then it can be sketchy…and my answers in return seem to be limited to bien, bueno, si, no or siemprie. Its not that I have not learned other words but my brain just seems to freeze up when I have to speak.

After that the day seems to screech by in a torcherous blur of class after class of hyper, screaming, fighting kids. Don’t get my wrong…I love them to death but man they wear me out and I just wish they would be quiet for two seconds. I have figured out how to keep most of them in their seats for the most part but dang these kids have lungs on them.

Afternoons zip by way to fast with grading, errands, dinner and other chores. At the end of the day when I reflect on how it was...the things that I realize that make my day worth while are the hugs and laughs I had with my students. These next three weeks I want to remember this and take advantage of all the hugs and laughs I can have with my kids. I know they are what is going to make this place heartbreaking to leave. It really is true that as a missionary you come to teach but in reality you really are the one learning the most.