I don’t understand…

Today I looked at someone straight in the face and said, “umm… no entiendo”, translation, “I don’t understand”.  Let me just let you in on the whole story.  I wish I could tell you in person b/c it would be so much funnier.

All of my days in Honduras have had one thing in common, they contain all kinds of things that I did not expect to happen.  Like the day that the horse drawn cart took my trash pile away.  Or the day that I woke up to men in my backyard fixing my gutter. Or the day that there was a festival, basically in my driveway.  I just am caught off-guard here all the time.  Today was no exception.

I had an appointment with our team’s lawyer this morning.  We were going to go and have some meetings with people who can help my vision for working with young moms come to fruition.  I was excited, and nervous.  This was going to be hours of Spanish, meeting new people, networking… all things that drain me. 

So we go to this one place that is sponsored by the government.  They give all kinds of skills classes for free to anyone who wants to take them.  (Which, by the way, I don’t think very many people know about this, because its awesome and they would be doing it.)  Its going to be amazing once I’m working with girls to send them here and let them learn skills that can help them get jobs.  For example, cooking, sewing, english, hotel work, etc.

We get there and go in to talk to the receptionist.  Of course they don’t have a catalogue of classes, that would be too easy.  So we’re looking at some lists of classes they offer, but they aren’t all written down anywhere.  She’s telling us about the classes and how to sign up.  There isn’t a schedule, they just wait ‘till there are 15 people who want to do it, then offer the class.

So there is sign-up going on for a basic cooking class.  I’m not totally paying attention b/c I’m doing something else, but I see my lawyer writing her name down.  Umm… okay?!? 
So she says to me, “can I write your name down?” 
Which is when I say… “I don’t understand.  Am I going to come and attend this class.” 
“Yep, you and I are going to take this class together so that you can get to know people and learn how the system works.” 
“Well, umm, okay, sign me up.  When is it?”
”We don’t know.  Four hours a day for five days whenever they have enough people.”

Well, okay flexibility.  Here I come :)  I’m taking a cooking class, for research!  I’m sure she had told me this beforehand that we’d be signing up for a class, but somehow I totally missed that part.

So here’s to hoping that I meet lots of people, understand something, and don’t fail every test!