Who needs school?

So I already had a pretty good grasp on the fact that education here is much less important than it is at home, but this last week eliminated any lingering doubts. There is a national baseball tournament in town and the ONLY possible places the mayor could find for the 100+ players to sleep were the high school and elementary school. So there are a bunch of old, fat men/baseball players living in the schools, which means we can´t possibly have class. At first they were only supposed to be here until Tuesday, so no class Monday and Tuesday. Then Tuesday night rolled around and they still hadn´t left. No class Wednesday. Friday is TEPCE, the monthly meeting with all the teachers from the area to evaluate the last month and plan the next month, so no class Friday. That left today, Thursday, as the only day for class. But who is going to show up for just one day of class? No one! Not even the teachers because they know the kids won´t come. Technically there was class today and even knowing that the kids wouldn´t show, the teachers were supposed to show up. When I got there this morning, the vice-principal and the janitor lady were the only ones there. I signed my name in the attendance book and turned around and left. What´s more is that Saturday is ¨Day of the Worker¨ and because it falls on the weekend this year, no class Monday either! It´s comical and sad at the same time. The kids miss class here more than they receive class, and it´s accepted as the norm and has been for who knows how many years. At least I´ve still been able to have my community classes at night...in the same elementary school that is occupied by baseball players.

The other night I made gringa-style guacamole for my family. Here they make it with just avocadoes, onions and hard-boiled eggs. I took out the eggs, added cilantro, tomatoes, lime juice and chile. And they liked it (though they added a bunch of salt to theirs)! Well my mom and sister did. My grandmother is afraid to try anything new and refused.

Tomorrow after TEPCE I´m heading up to Matiguas, Matagalpa to visit my friend Jocelyn!