Well, it's been awhile since I've had a chance to write and there is so much I want to say. First things first, I've had to realize that although I want things done as quickly as possible, it isn't feasible. When your in the states you could have that mentality but when your here, it's not polite and not the way of the country. Yesterday we had developed a list of items we needed to accomplish. We headed out with our list yesterday and stopped at the school initially to try and get CJ registered and for nothing more than the luck of us, we were there for the meeting about the school. Two and a half hours later we got up finally from the meeting which was about 90 Percent spoken in Spanish and Charlie couldn't keep up. He was surprised when I told him this long conversation that had happened was when someone was complaining about the term fee. They don't collect property taxes here to cover schools. The majority of the schools are religious based and the schools are the center of the village. The schools charge a "maintenance" fee of $30 per child per year, or $10 per term. Most schools charge approximately $60 dollars but Copper Bank charges less.
The people are poor but yet they are intense when it comes to the children. Most parents put their children's needs before their own and are always trying to give their children the best of what they can. They treat their children like their fortunes, they are honored and loved, respected and they smile at them in gentle ways.
But, they were upset that the term was costing so much. I was surprised though when I asked the principal what the list of supplies were and he said to have CJ come with a composition book and a pencil. Usually in the states we are paying school taxes and the list of supplies is like a mile long. You wonder about the quality of the education but yet when asked about what he had been taught that day he said he was doing some math that he had done last year, which would be reviewing for the new school year, a typical process. Hmmmm.......and we pay our teachers so much...wow.
Since the school meeting had taken up so much of our time we didn't get nearly the amount we wanted to do from the list. But then today we started out with dropping CJ off at school. Since Monday is a holiday they only had a 1/2 day of school today. It was neat to see him in his uniform and walking up through all the kids into the school and seeing them crowd around him. He was being stared at and they were peeking through the windows to see him in the classroom. I knew he would be unique to them but wondered at weather or not that would hurt him. I was so worried, it was like the kids first day in kindergarten.
We spent the day rushing around trying to get things done. First to the money changer, a really unique experience, then to the bank to see the status of our application for a bank account (you can be refused, do you believe it?) and then shopping for some of our much needed supplies and furniture. Here when your renting the house there is no formal kitchen, there are cabinets that you would buy and take with you from one house to another...No appliances come with the house and you have to watch the amperage here, nothing over 110...we bought a stove, refrigerator, 2 mattress' and then we ordered our cabinets to be built special and a bunk bed to be made. We brought CJ his dresser but we are still looking for a wardrobe, dining table and chairs and I am waiting for a day to go to Hummingbird ratan furniture to get our living room stuff.
Gotta go now....will write more later!
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