They're Not Going To Win

June 5, 2013. Bueno. Today was the meeting with the parents. Or... Was supposed to be. I spent the morning observing another test and then home making 110 fichas with the sillables on them (i.e. ma me mi mo mu) and taped them as lamination. Moreno watched a bit and them became super passionate about what I was doing. He went on and on about how his teacher when he was young had things like the fichas, told me all the activities she would do with them, and how now, not a single teacher uses them. They simply write things on the board and the children copy. I know it's a blame game because the teachers will all blame the parents and the parents will blame the teachers but there was passion there. It's something. I can work with something. 

At 2, I went to the school, passed out the snack, and the director, Linda and I walked over to the house of the President of the PTA for the meeting. One parent was there at 2:30 and her son wasn't even on my original list. 20 were invited. One more showed up 20 minutes later so we headed back to the school. After an hour and a half, I met maybe 5 mothers, got three kids added to my list, and have 15 more papers still in my folder... Linda even said she went around and reminded people about it. Incredible.. But. They're not going to win. I talked to Linda and she knows where pretty much every child lives. I asked her if she'd be willing to go for a walk. She agreed (I think she's going to be one of my saving graces despite how she's so not a teacher and it shows when she substitutes lol. But she also said she'd come to help with my summer classes a bit. It's funny cuz she's the one I wrote about in here the first week I visited this site; the lady who I couldn't wait to get to know more cuz "she seemed crazy and fun." She calls me sister and hugs me all the time :) ). Sunday at 2pm, her and I are going to personally walk to every house of those parents that didn't come and hand deliver the sheet with the dates on them. After that, I can't do much else. We'll see then if the students actually show up.

Before leaving, Ramona asked me what I'm doing in the other school over the summer. With a sad face I told her "Nothing" and then explained. The director only let me observe twice a week. Only in the afternoon. And she was there only twice when I was. I told her I didn't know what to do. I wanted to help, but every time I tried explaining why I was here, it felt as though she didn't believe me. Ramona then told me why. The director thinks I'm pretty much a spy for the Ministry of Education. She told Ramona that she thinks I'm here to observe and then report back all the bad things I see... Ramona tried to explain to her that that wasn't the case but she's not sure if she believes it yet or not. At least I know it's not just me the director doesn't listen to... I don't feel so crazy now but that kills me. You couldn't pay me enough money to leave my home and family to go spy on a tiny school in a campo in another country and tattle on them. But she's not going to win either. She's missing out this summer and it's going to take that much longer to get going with anything next year. So when she sees or hears about what I'm doing with the school on this side, I hope she kicks herself (my feelings, not the PC). And kicks herself hard.

Anyways, I headed home, finished my fichas with an aching back, ate a china (sweet orange) Dominican style (!! Oh yea!), and ended up playing cards for the rest of the night which I didn't mind so much. I learned a new game! I ate dinner around 7:30, read a little on the porch, got attacked my mosquitos, showered, and am off to bed with demasiadas cosas running through my head. Buenas noches.