Tuesday, February 3, 2009

February 3.

I hung out with my new friend last night. Her name is Hiromi. She speaks Japanese and Spanish, and a little bit of English.

Sometimes it's weird because neither of us can communicate with each other in our native language. But we manage ... she has an awesome mini-computer thing that lets us look up words in any language ... this helps a lot. She teaches people in a textile factory. Talking to her about this job has given me a lot more insight into maquilas (sometimes known as sweatshops).

There are several maquilas here in La Ceiba. Honestly I don't know much about them, but today in my Sociology class I learned a little more when my students debated whether sweatshops were good or bad for workers. I was really proud of their work and interested in hearing their perspective. It would be awesome to take my classes on a field trip to a local sweatshop, but getting permission and money to do that is probably impossible.

In conclusion, we have a week off of school. Micah and I are going to Guatemala!! YAY!!!!
We're going to climb an active volcano near Antigua, then we're going to split up ... he's probably going to Copan and I'm going surfing along the South-west Coast. I can't wait. Guatemala is supposed to be AMAZING!!

4 comments:

Seth J. Putnam said...

Tuvé un sueño que yo estaba caminando en los tejados en Paris cuando yo encontré dos chicas franceses. Nigunas hablaban el ingles, pero una hablaba el español, y ellos se hacían mis escultistas por el día. So el resto del sueño era en español.

Debes tratar de obtener para vistar. No te supongas que no puedes. Tambien, yo ha estado trabajando en un artículo sobre apicultores que voy a publicar pronto. Mandaréte el link.

Anthony said...

"split up" eh??? haha. surfing in guatemala sounds exquisite.

Jordan_Ryan_Stewart said...

Thanks for the comments on that. I guess being in a developing country is giving you a good perspective on "economic justice". Good times...hope it's not being too hard on you this week.

Palindroman said...

What are you guys looking for in the active volcano?

There has to be some sort of treasure in it, don't you think?