Per Request

• It's no secret that I have a problem laughing at inappropriate times, and Friday was no exception. One boy who never raises his hand, actually raised his hand. So, of course, I called on him. Then, he proceeded to describe someone at the school by saying, "He smells like sweat." I was not expecting this response at all! Now a good teacher would have said something like, "That's not a nice response," or "That's not appropriate to say," and would have continued teaching. I, however, started laughing and could not stop! Even as I tried to keep explaining systems of linear equations, I kept laughing!
• Three teachers currently have some weird, penicillin-resistant strand of Staph. Apparently it is asymptomatic, so they have had it for about 3 weeks without even knowing it. The symptoms that they eventually experienced were stomach issues (like food poisoning), fever, and sore throats, along with urinary tract infections. So I went to the private hospital this morning to get a throat culture and blood test. I am hoping I don't have this, especially because the treatment includes multiple butt shots! I should know the results by Tuesday.
• I am thinking about changing the name of this blog...any suggestions? 
• Yesterday we planned to hike Santa Maria, one of the volcanoes here in Xela. We were going to leave at 7:30 PM, hike through the night, sleep for a few hours at the top, wake up, enjoy the sunrise, and then head back home. I had prepared myself both mentally and physically. Though I packed a bunch of fleece and wool clothes, I knew that I was going to be freezing. However, I knew it would be worth it! It would be one of those experiences that I would never forget! Yet, as 7:30 rolled around last night, there was lightning and some thunder. We still met at the park, ready to go. We even hopped in the bus and drove a little bit, hoping the skies would clear up. Instead, it started raining really hard, so we turned around and hung out at someone's apartment. Hopefully, we will try it again next Friday.
• We have a staff retreat in 2 weeks at a waterpark about an hour or two from Xela. I am excited for the mini vacation and warmer weather! The school pays for the entire trip, which is an added bonus! Also, I've heard that there's a spa, so I'm considering getting a massage!
• This afternoon I went to the zoo. Really, "zoo" is a loose term. There were ducks, foxes, birds, malnourished monkeys, one lion, two jaguars, and that's about it. It was actually really sad. I am not really an animal lover, but I felt bad for them. About 10 teachers from Inter sponsor teenagers that go to a school created for kids that have to work during the day to help support their families. So the event at the zoo was a way to spend time with these students. We played field-day type games and then ate snacks. It was fun! Right now, the relationships still seem a bit forced, so I am hoping that we can do more things like this.
• I have to give the school an answer about next year at the end of this month. During Christmas, I felt strongly about signing a two-year contract, but now I am not so sure. I am trying to be very prayerful about this decision, and I would appreciate your prayers as well. It's hard, because most of the current teachers are not coming back next year.