SHALOM's Computer Lab - My New HomeJanuary 19th 2005 |
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So I have spent a good amount of time in SHALOM's computer lab to get it ready for students on Monday. I thought we were going to be teaching this Monday, but that's how things are here in Guatemala, always late. If the mechanic says your car will be fixed in a week, you might as well not expect a fixed car for about a month. That's just how it is here in Guatemala; I have to let go of my "anal-American" tendencies about time. But it's all good.
So Antonio is the guy I am training to take my place when I leave here in 6 months. He is extremely computer literate for a Guatemalan, but in American standards, he knows nothing. He knows Word, PowerPoint, Excel... and that's about it. So naturally, as I start talking to him in "nerd-talk" I realized that he has SOOOOOO much to learn; so much in fact that I had no idea where to start. One of the first things we have to do to the lab is to format all the current computers and load Windows XP on them, so yesterday I walked him through the process of formatting a computer - a process he had never seen before. After formatting one, I gave him the CD and let him do one on his own. I was amazed at how quickly he learned. He is quite amazing. He will be a fellow Guatemalan computer nerd in no time! Then we can talk about the API's for PHP and MySQL.
Today was spent shopping for junk for school. For those of you who know me, you know that I like shopping just as much as I like needles in my eye. With that said, I am happy that we got almost everything we needed. However, I know I will need to go back out for something soon. BLAST! Oh! I got this book entitled, El secuestro de los congos. It's a children's book in Spanish about monkeys. I am using it to teach myself some more Spanish. Ahhhh, a Spanish book about monkeys.
Comments
Great comment Dave, that's some choice use of nerdy words :yikes:
Frith
posted at 11:43 PM on Jan 23rd 2005
c:> format c: -u
I'm sure you are doing a great job teaching Antonio, because you are a computer wizard. If anyone doubts your prowess, whip out some Q-Basic action and school all in your presence.
David
posted at 1:57 PM on Jan 23rd 2005
I hope I am doing this right! This is a first for me! Let me say... I am so proud of you for what you are doing and allowing the Lord to guide you in this direction of short term missions.
I know that I have been out of it lately but it has to be a "God Thing" that allows us to have this technology and to be able to keep up and actually talk to people via the web. Thanks for sharing so we can keep up with you and how God is using you daily. Our prayers continue for you and your work.
p.s. The public facility at the nut farm has been my favorite pix so far!
Vivian Stillwell
posted at 12:43 PM on Jan 22nd 2005
Antonio has a really killer goatee.
Will we be seeing you get a goatee, Sam?:jester:
Thanks for the updates.
Some of the most interesting reading on the web.
James Stillwell
posted at 10:18 PM on Jan 20th 2005
Well, Sam....Im gonna have to agree with Friths point. You really aren't one to be anal about the time....I love you anyway!!!!!!!!
Jennie
posted at 1:41 PM on Jan 20th 2005
Sam, not to dissappoint you, but you really never had anal tendancies about time. You kind of didn't pay attention to time as I remember. So Sam, when we meeting for lunch, "Noon, Ok, Thanks." at 12:30pm, "Sam, yeah, where are you, I'm at home, why?" "It's 12:30, and your late for lunch." See, that's kind of a conversation I've had with Sam at one point. Sam, I'm just giving you a hard time, I love ya man.
Frith
posted at 6:41 AM on Jan 20th 2005
Love the picture. :) It's so good to hear you are getting started at Shalom. You will be a blessing to them, and they will be a blessing to you.
Keep sending those updates as we all look forward to hearing from you and all the details of your days.
Remember, your my precious.
Mom
Mom
posted at 11:59 PM on Jan 19th 2005
How can you NOT LIKE SHOPPING?!?! Miss you sam
Danielle
posted at 3:10 PM on Jan 27th 2005