Spanish (mini)lesson II

2 more of my faves that are more than applicable today:
De hoy en 8
Literally:  From today, in 8.  Otherwise.. a week from now.  So counting today, Tuesday.. next Tuesday...hoy en ocho... I will be on a plane headed to for the Texas heat.
I am pretty-equally sad about leaving this life that I feel like I fit into as naturally as possible, new friends and family, and an inspiring work setting as I am excited to return to wooonderful friends and loving family.  Hoy en 8, I will be eating at Chick-Fil-A and buying a bottle of wine to take home and drink in the comfort of my home, primero Dios... whhhiich brings us to the next lexical treasure:

Primero Dios
Literally: First God.   Used as 'God willing'.  It can be interchanged with Si Dios quiere which means 'If God wants' and is used after any future plans are mentioned or made.  Ex: "See you tomorrow!"  "Primero Dios"  or  "So you'll be at your daughter's graduation?" "Si Dios quiere." 

So, I'll be home hoy en ocho, primero Dios.   

A picture is worth a thousand palabras

To see what we've been up to go here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YwCwc5j0lY

New Hope

Yesterday Ligia and I shared a training on the Estrellitas Program with teachers from anotherbranch of Common Hope called New Hope, or Nueva Esperanza which is a school run by Common Hope, just outside of Guatemala City.  It was so much fun and the teachers were really excited to learn about the program and new activities that they can use to develop phonemic awareness and basic reading skills.  

I am always thrilled when asked to share a training...It has definately been one of the highlights of my

time here and has inspired some future plans!  In just a few weeks I will be back home preparing (frantically, I'm afraid) for the beginning of the 11-12 school year, in which I will be teaching 3rd grade at Caldwell Elementary.  I'm very grateful to have received a position after so many cuts were made statewide this year...and because of my experience here, working with all grade levels, I was more open and confident to take on any position in which I was needed.  I have also enrolled in a Masters Program through Texas A&M Commerce in Educational Training and Development which I am reeaaally excited about, and believe was a direct answer to prayer and discernment.  From what I've experienced here, training is basically teaching, which comes pretty naturally to me, so I look forward to refining some skills, gaining new knowledge and seeing where it leads!  My coworkers here and hoping that it leads me back to Guatemala in a year or two! :)

My last day with the foundation, and friends, will be spent at New Hope receiving a training from the teachers that participated in our training yesterday.  I can't think of a more appropriate and balanced way to round out my time here. 

"In African language we say 'A Person is a person through other persons.'  I would not know how to be a human being at all except I learned this from other human beings.  We are made for a delicate network of relationships, of interdependence.  We are meant to complement each other." -Archbishop Desmond Tutu