A Day in the Life

On a typical school day, I find myself getting up before the crack of dawn to go running. That's right; Nancy, Kathy and I have formed a "missionary running group" of sorts. We try for three times a week. It feels good to start my days off that way!

*None of these pictures were taken by me. My camera is broken, so I figured pics from the internet are the next best thing! Don't worry; I'm getting a new one.

After our run, I return home to spend time with Jesus and get ready for school. Kathy meets me at my house at 8:10. From there, we bike to work. Biking to school is a fulfillment of a dream for me! I love car-less commuting.

School starts at 8:30am. I am in kindergarten with Mrs. Yam (the teacher), Morine (the Deaf student) and twenty-some bright smiling faces. They call me, "Teacher Chelsea" even though I am not really a teacher. I love my title all the same because it is said with such love. In the mornings sometimes, the children will get warm milk and maybe bread from the kitchen. Morine is a slow eater and savors every bite, so she is usually the last one done. After this snack until break at 10am, Morine and I work together. I interpret what Mrs. Yam says into ASL. Usually, language arts happens during this time. I love it because we are using a British phonics curriculum. Maybe when I come back I will have a British accent (in addition to Kriol and Spanish)!Morine is fascinated with the speaking world and so tries to speak the word blends along with everyone else. On some of them, she does a good job!

During break the kids get about 15-20 minutes to be outside (rain or shine), buy snacks and play with friends. I think it is cool that our school has what I would call a, "concessions stand." You can buy anything from candy, oranges, chips, coke, and chocobananas to more substantial snacks like, hot dogs, garnaches and chips and dip. That is, when it is in stock. I have tried many things and I really like the chocobananas!

From 10:20 to 11:30, Mrs. Yam usually teaches math (which is pronounced, "mat" here). We have been learning about the greater than and less than crocodiles.

When the bell rings, it heralds in the lunch break. We have a super-long break (11:30-1) so the kids that live far have enough time to walk home, eat and then come back. Some days I bring my lunch. Other days I go out to each because there are so many little shops that sell lunch foods. I love that I can get a great lunch of tacos, tostadas, or burritos for under $4 USD.  Either way, I am eating my lunch with someone – Nancy, Kathy, Miss Mesh, Miss Karla, and/or Mrs. Yam. I am so blessed by my friends!

I'll admit after lunch class is a little slow. We have religion and either science, social studies, health or PE. I think the kids are sleepy from eating lunch and then being inside. So, some of them sleep! This is Morine's most distracted time. Because eyes are a muscle (and ears are not), I think her poor little self is done watching me wave my hands around. God has blessed me with a few inspirational moments, though. To this day, she still remembers one of our first science lessons about sources of heat.

The lower division (kindergarten and first grade) finish school at 2:30pm while the others finish at 3:30pm. I really enjoy this "extra" hour, though sometimes I spend it helping Mrs. Yam in evening classes. "Evening classes" happen from 2:30-3:30. It is a tutoring time for those children who are behind. I think it is special that I get to have one-on-one time with some of the hearing kids in class. During the school day, I cannot really pay attention to them. When Morine goes home, then my attention can turn to them.

I love the kids in my class! They are so sweet and funny. For example, Adrienne (Morine’s younger sister) was teaching me the Spanish words for animals. When she got to the sheep picture, she looked at me and then the card before exclaiming proudly, “El sheep-o!”* That one try to pull the wool over my eyes in a second! The other children will come up to me and start signing or gesturing. This is especially true of Carlos and Darrel. Both Mrs. Yam and I have told the class that I can hear, but it doesn’t make a difference. It is so cute, so I just sign back! There is a real reason for their behavior, though. Nancy who is Deaf, was working with Morine last semester. They got use to needing to sign and tap a person for attention (they “tap” really hard sometimes!).

I do my errands right after school finishes. Since I am already in town, it makes perfect sense. My errands consist mostly of grocery shopping now, but before my time was consumed with the work permit and teacher's license. Sometimes, I treat myself with a trip to the library before heading home.
At home, I take some time to sit with Mrs. Toledano (she became eighty on February 8th!). Every time, I spend time with her, I learn something new! Our conversations teach me a lot about Spanish. The Toledano's are so kind and generous. When I returned home the other day, they were eating coconut meat and drinking coconut water. They shared one with me. Together we sat around peeling the coconut out of its shell and sipping the water from the “young” coconuts.

It is usually very hot by this time of day, so I am ready to take my cold shower. I’m sure this sends shivers down your spine, but I really look forward to it now.

A few days a week, I also go walking with Miss Delila, Mrs. Toledano’s daughter. She said she has no one to go with her, so I volunteered. I am so thankful for the extra time to be outside and the chance to spend time with Miss Delila.

Immediately after my walk, I head over to Nancy’s house where the four of us (Nancy, Sulmi, Kathy and I) share the evening meal. We take turns cooking which is SO nice. I love all the gourmet meals everyone comes up with.

In the evening, I come home and crash into bed. Sometimes, I will watch part of a movie or TV Show. Other times I will read. Then its lights out and off to dreamland.

And that’s a day in the life of this Belizean missionary.

*For those of you who are wondering, oveja is actually the correct word for sheep.

“This is a story of how a Baggins had an adventure, and found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit