Good morning Miss Anne!

This was our first week of teaching, and what a week it was! We showed up to our first school a little nervous but we left all smiles! The children here are wonderful. A dream compared to Canadian students for sure. Before every class we are greeted in chorus: "Good morning Miss Anne and Mr. Kyle! Welcome to standard 5!" They are then seating calmly in their maroon and white uniforms and are quiet...for a bit anyway...because the minute I say penis for the first time the class errupts in squeals and laughter. Oh I remember the days when hearing the teacher say penis was a funny thing too so I can only smile and wait until they hear erection...then we're in trouble. The lesson is a huge success! The kids love our boys vs. girls trivia games and are captivated and shocked to hear about some of the changes they are going to experience in the next few years. We've also been teaching responsible sexuality, HIV/AIDS discrimination, sexual abuse and child abuse.

I think my favourite part of the lessons are the Q&A portions. It really lets you know that you are making a difference. My personal favourite experience was during a puberty lesson. One girl shyly passes up her question: "Can you get pregnant if you've had sex only three times?" My teaching partner Emmi loudly announces..."You can get pregnant if you've only had sex ONCE!!!" The girl looks shocked. Her eyes open wide and she slaps her forhead in disbelief. Clearly we are at least preventing an early pregnancy in one person's life. In one class we tried desperately to make our voices heard over a class of older children next door practicing their native Garifuna drumming and singing about rice and beans.

So lots of happy memories are starting to develop, but also some sad ones.
The kids love to get involved in our teaching. They yell out every person they know when we ask for examples of people they could tell if they are being abused. During one of our child abuse sessions we explained that physical abuse is when someone hurts you and it leaves a mark on your body. One kid was so excited to participate he raised his arm as high as he could and with a beaming wide smile yelled "LIKE THIS!! LIKE THIS!!" pointing at the 4 inch frankenstein scar on his arm. We spoke to one teacher who said that sexual abuse within the family is common place and that although he constantly tells the administration, nothing is ever done.

We leave tomorrow for Placencia, a beautiful beach town for the weekend and then down to Punta Gorda in the south for a week. I can honestly say that ths experience is turning out to be 1000 times more incredible than I could have ever imagined. It is clear we are making a difference in many children's lives and many children are making a difference in ours.