School hunting!

I forgot to bring my camera yesterday when we went to visit the smaller sister school of the big fancy international school yesterday. EIS (Escuela International San Pedro Sula) is the one we visited first. It is very big, very fancy, in the city, and the home school of the most wealthy children in the city (also making it subject to a great deal of potential snobbery and values disparate from ours). But it is also the most academically rigorous program in the area-- offering an American diploma upon graduation. Ninety-seven percent of the students are Honduran.

Yesterday we visited EILL (Escuela International La Lima)-- which is the sister school in a smaller town. The school is definitely less fancy, but has the same academic rigor. At the end of the eighth grade year, the girls would have to transfer to the EIS to complete their schooling. The price is about the same for both. We met the new principal who arrived from Minnesota last week and the vice-principal and many of the staff. They were warm and very kind to the girls. They are also very familiar with CURE. Both girls were tested for two hours (at a cost of $100 for each) by their potential teachers. They both did great! And (an answer to lots of prayers) Lillian was accepted for admission to the school. Neither the EIS or the EILL have EVER even considered a child with Down Syndrome, much less tested and accepted one. It is a miracle.

La Lima is a town about 15 minutes east of CURE (which is already on the far eastern side of San Pedro Sula). It is much more rural and was started as a living area for the TELA railroad and United Fruit (Chiquita) company workers. The school is inside a Zona Americana which is a gated community guarded and patrolled by workers. Inside the gate are homes, the school, a swimming pool, a slightly neglected golf course, and safety. Ruth, who is constantly worried about our safety, said it would even be safe for Abigail to ride her bicycle to school inside the gated area. The drive to CURE would be about 15 minutes in a lot less traffic. We did see two homes for rent inside the Zona yesterday but neither seemed suitable for our family.

After this exciting visit, we went to see SERAN, a private secular school that is about 1/3 the size of the EIS. Eighty five percent of the students here are Honduran; and this school also offers an American diploma. It houses all twelve grades-- and apparently does not have the reputation for economic exclusivity as does EIS. It was an absolutely beautiful school with a chemistry lab that is, in appearance, nicer than mine at Princeton. All the teachers were away-- as was the principal and director-- so we only had a chance to meet a secretary who showed us the school.

SERAN (as well as the other excellent schools except EILL) are all on the western side of SPS-- about 40-60 minutes away from CURE through terrible traffic. CURE is located in the industrial eastern portion of the city-- and all of the "safe" gated communities and the other schools are in the west. (La Lima is even further east of CURE). So now we have to make a decision regarding our school and home locations. We will look for a home in La Lima to see if there is anything available-- since the relative benefits seem good. However, we do have concerns about planting ourselves in that community knowing that we will need to get Abigail to the EIS in six years on the opposite side of the city while Charlotte would still only be in second grade in EILL. While our first commitment with CURE is for three years, it makes the most sense to plan for the long-term. So pray for our decision. Where we plant ourselves in terms of our home/school determines our community and church. We would rather not uproot the children yet another time.

A few memories:
--First trip out by ourselves after dinner to Diunsa (Walmart-type store) to buy a walker for Charlotte.
--Abigail caught a baby gecko for Zoe, but Lillian stomped on it, pronouncing it "DEAD!"
--First load of laundry in the new world.
--Hot tired and cranky afternoon.
--Adjustment to face-saving culture of Honduras where people often tell what they think you would like to hear, but don't necessarily mean it. Case in point, multiple discussions with EILL regarding the time of testing. Compared to the North American obsession with accuracy without as much regard for relationship.
--Adjustment to relative "inefficiency" of Honduras compared with the time-conscious US.

Today we will go to see two more schools: Agape Christian school and a montessori school. As well as one home in SPS.