Today, i finally got to see some americans again and I was so excited!
There's something about being a foreigner in a foreign country that makes you immediately connect with other foreigners. I mean really, any foreigners from anywhere. Yesterday, I was absolutely thrilled to see Koreans (and we all know how I feel about asians... :) )
So, today a group of Americans from Meadowbrook Academy in Ocala came to visit the school. I was so overjoyed to see some fellow Americans that I just flitted about from person to person asking them tons of questions and being utterly enthralled with all of their answers.
As fun as it was to see some Americans again, it was strange to be on the other side of the mission field for once. Having these strangers come into my life, make me so happy, just to leave as quick as they came. Honestly, the whole thing made me rethink my ideas about short term missions groups.
But, I did get to see Rachel Marcum today, and it was positively amazing to see a friendly face in a foreign place. Especially considering the fact that I have known Rachel pretty much since she was born and she's 14 now! Yikes! Where did the time go?
Wednesday
Day 28: Not all wonderful
So, So, even though I get to spend my days hanging out with kids and playing football, and my weekends climbing mountains and swimming in rivers, this does not in fact mean that life is all cupcakes and roses here in Honduras. So I'll take this moment to squash any little ideas of jealously about my life that you may in fact be having. So, here's the little list that I like to call
The Suffering of Summer (or, How God is Making Me Grow.)
1. I do not even remember what hot water feels like. Every nerve in my body is being constantly desensitized by cold showers. A cold shower every now and then does everyone a little good... but everyday? And it's not just kind-of-cold water. This is ice cold. The kind of cold that literally takes your breath away when it hits you.
2. Food. Oh, how I miss food. Everyday I have some kind of tortilla at a meal, along with some refried beans, rice and Honduran Cheese. The Cheese is the worst part of all. Hondurans make their own cheese, and they do not realize it from prolonged exposure and desensitized taste buds, but it does in fact smell like waste and taste absolutely rotten. And they put it on everything and eat it with every meal. Even though my stomach may be growling at me, the minutes it smells that cheese any trace of hunger is gone. I have a secret little list of all the foods I'm going to eat when I get home like Papa Johns Pizza, cookie dough, and sour patch kids)
3. We have no good cooking utensils. The handle on our frying pan is broken, so you can't pick it up, or when you do and it has hot oil in it, it spills and splashes and burns you. We have one good spoon and fork, the rest are falling apart. We do not have a spatula, so if we want to flip pancakes, or anything like that, we have to do it with a big plastic spoon.
4. I have to hand wash my own clothes. We have a little basin outside with a washboard and a bar of soap and that's where I wash my clothes. Not so fun. Also, they have to dry on a line outside. This I'm used to, because I enjoy being eco-friendly and trying to save the environment, but line-drying clothes is impossible when it rains for a week straight. It's not hot enough for clothes to dry so they just stay wet hanging outside. Taunting us with their clean-ness.
5. I walk or take a bus everywhere. This isn't so bad, but it's weird not being able to have a car and go anywhere I want whenever I want.
6. The trash. Oh, my the trash. We don't have outdoor trash cans, so we put it out on the porch and hope that we're home when the trash man comes. Usually, by the time that happens there are maggots everywhere and it smells utterly repulsive and we cry when we have to take it out. Also, the trash man comes whenever he wants. There is no designated time or day, it's just kind of whenever he feels like picking it up.
7. There is no air conditioning, anywhere in anyplace at any given moment that I am.
The Suffering of Summer (or, How God is Making Me Grow.)
1. I do not even remember what hot water feels like. Every nerve in my body is being constantly desensitized by cold showers. A cold shower every now and then does everyone a little good... but everyday? And it's not just kind-of-cold water. This is ice cold. The kind of cold that literally takes your breath away when it hits you.
2. Food. Oh, how I miss food. Everyday I have some kind of tortilla at a meal, along with some refried beans, rice and Honduran Cheese. The Cheese is the worst part of all. Hondurans make their own cheese, and they do not realize it from prolonged exposure and desensitized taste buds, but it does in fact smell like waste and taste absolutely rotten. And they put it on everything and eat it with every meal. Even though my stomach may be growling at me, the minutes it smells that cheese any trace of hunger is gone. I have a secret little list of all the foods I'm going to eat when I get home like Papa Johns Pizza, cookie dough, and sour patch kids)
3. We have no good cooking utensils. The handle on our frying pan is broken, so you can't pick it up, or when you do and it has hot oil in it, it spills and splashes and burns you. We have one good spoon and fork, the rest are falling apart. We do not have a spatula, so if we want to flip pancakes, or anything like that, we have to do it with a big plastic spoon.
4. I have to hand wash my own clothes. We have a little basin outside with a washboard and a bar of soap and that's where I wash my clothes. Not so fun. Also, they have to dry on a line outside. This I'm used to, because I enjoy being eco-friendly and trying to save the environment, but line-drying clothes is impossible when it rains for a week straight. It's not hot enough for clothes to dry so they just stay wet hanging outside. Taunting us with their clean-ness.
5. I walk or take a bus everywhere. This isn't so bad, but it's weird not being able to have a car and go anywhere I want whenever I want.
6. The trash. Oh, my the trash. We don't have outdoor trash cans, so we put it out on the porch and hope that we're home when the trash man comes. Usually, by the time that happens there are maggots everywhere and it smells utterly repulsive and we cry when we have to take it out. Also, the trash man comes whenever he wants. There is no designated time or day, it's just kind of whenever he feels like picking it up.
7. There is no air conditioning, anywhere in anyplace at any given moment that I am.
Day 26: Typically...
So, typically my day begins at 6 am when Celeste and I try our best to ignore our alarm clocks and the crowing roosters and curl underneath the covers for just a few more moments to precious sleep. When we finally roll out of bed, we all eat breakfast together, iron our clothes and wash our faces to try and be out the door by 6:45.
We walk about 10 minutes to school and spend the next 30 minutes doing any last-minute lesson preparation and welcoming the students to school.
On Mondays and Fridays we have special chapels for 30 minute where some of our girls do dance routine to praise and worship music, and we learn about a new Bible story. (The Bible story is always told in spanish, so it's always fun to try and guess which one it is by the way Sully has the kids act it out.)
Then we move on to classes, we have a different one at a different time everyday, so the first class varies day to day, before we break for breakfast at 8:50. Most of the kids have already eaten breakfast at home, so they play football out on the field instead, but some (like me!) prefer to eat about 6 times a day instead of 3. The school provides the breakfasts, but they invariably involve cheese, beans or tortillas in some form or fashion.
After breakfast we have a couple more classes until we break again at lunch, this time for almost an hour because most of the kids parents will cook food for them at home and bring it to them at lunch time so they can have a hot meal. I've grown to love this part of the day the most because I get to see and attempt to talk to the parents, and the kids usually fight fofr who gets to sit next to Meez Sahmer. Somedays it can be a little overwhelming, but I love it because I sneak the kids whichever food I don't want to eat. (Boiled bananas? No thank you.)
Since lunch is so long we invariably wind up playing football once more, or playing on the playground. I prefer the playground because sometimes running around in the heat gets to be too much for me. (That, and I tend to forget that these are children I'm playing with and they only weigh about 40 pounds and will easily fall over when you push them out of the way to get to the ball... whoops.) Plus... I have ALREADY been hit in the head by a flying soccer ball.
After lunch we have two more classes and then school ends. This is the real fun... After school we spend about thirty minutes preparing lesson plans and materials for the next day and then we have after-school activities. The boys come back adn play soccer on the field (yes... for the third time that day... they are insanely good.) And the girls come back for dance practice (yay!) on tuesdays and thursdays and cooking class on friday! Finally I get to use my talents! I am a natural born-baker and a natural born-dancer, so the kids looooooove these after school activities almost as much as I do.
Finally around 4 or so, we walk back home, watch Friends, wash our clothes and cook dinner. I've lived in a house with four girls before, but I have never lived like this. We truly live in constant community. We eat all of our meals together, we work together, we see each other 24/7.... there are absolutely no surprises, but I love living in a "whats yours is mine and whats mine is yours" kind of state.
I might be bringing this back to the States with me... so get prepared.
We walk about 10 minutes to school and spend the next 30 minutes doing any last-minute lesson preparation and welcoming the students to school.
On Mondays and Fridays we have special chapels for 30 minute where some of our girls do dance routine to praise and worship music, and we learn about a new Bible story. (The Bible story is always told in spanish, so it's always fun to try and guess which one it is by the way Sully has the kids act it out.)
Then we move on to classes, we have a different one at a different time everyday, so the first class varies day to day, before we break for breakfast at 8:50. Most of the kids have already eaten breakfast at home, so they play football out on the field instead, but some (like me!) prefer to eat about 6 times a day instead of 3. The school provides the breakfasts, but they invariably involve cheese, beans or tortillas in some form or fashion.
After breakfast we have a couple more classes until we break again at lunch, this time for almost an hour because most of the kids parents will cook food for them at home and bring it to them at lunch time so they can have a hot meal. I've grown to love this part of the day the most because I get to see and attempt to talk to the parents, and the kids usually fight fofr who gets to sit next to Meez Sahmer. Somedays it can be a little overwhelming, but I love it because I sneak the kids whichever food I don't want to eat. (Boiled bananas? No thank you.)
Since lunch is so long we invariably wind up playing football once more, or playing on the playground. I prefer the playground because sometimes running around in the heat gets to be too much for me. (That, and I tend to forget that these are children I'm playing with and they only weigh about 40 pounds and will easily fall over when you push them out of the way to get to the ball... whoops.) Plus... I have ALREADY been hit in the head by a flying soccer ball.
After lunch we have two more classes and then school ends. This is the real fun... After school we spend about thirty minutes preparing lesson plans and materials for the next day and then we have after-school activities. The boys come back adn play soccer on the field (yes... for the third time that day... they are insanely good.) And the girls come back for dance practice (yay!) on tuesdays and thursdays and cooking class on friday! Finally I get to use my talents! I am a natural born-baker and a natural born-dancer, so the kids looooooove these after school activities almost as much as I do.
Finally around 4 or so, we walk back home, watch Friends, wash our clothes and cook dinner. I've lived in a house with four girls before, but I have never lived like this. We truly live in constant community. We eat all of our meals together, we work together, we see each other 24/7.... there are absolutely no surprises, but I love living in a "whats yours is mine and whats mine is yours" kind of state.
I might be bringing this back to the States with me... so get prepared.
Monday
Day 25: In which I am given hope
We all question our life sometimes.
Are we doing the right thing? Are we being the right person? Are we in the right place?
These questions are mulled in my mind on more than one occasion each week, and today, while questioning my place and purpose I was given a little ray of hope, a little piece of God smiling down at me saying " This is where and how it is supposed to be."
This was on the side of one of my kids desks. I thought of you Lindsay.
Are we doing the right thing? Are we being the right person? Are we in the right place?
These questions are mulled in my mind on more than one occasion each week, and today, while questioning my place and purpose I was given a little ray of hope, a little piece of God smiling down at me saying " This is where and how it is supposed to be."
This was on the side of one of my kids desks. I thought of you Lindsay.
Day 24: Ash Wednesday
So, I've been thinking what, and if, I'll sacrifice anything for Lent while I'm here in Honduras.
Part of me, the selfish part, says I am already sacrificing enough, like hot water, good food, my friends, communication, air conditioning, chocolate, sour patch kids, etc. by being here, but then there's another part of me that says I should sacrifice something that's actually within my control.
So, I've decided to sacrifice spending money. I don't have anything to buy here, other than souvenirs, since all of my living expenses are being taken care of, but the one luxury I can afford myself is running to the pulperia whenever I'm feeling a need for home comfort and buying a soda or maybe a snack, or little useless things that I can quite honestly live without.
So begins my Lent.
Part of me, the selfish part, says I am already sacrificing enough, like hot water, good food, my friends, communication, air conditioning, chocolate, sour patch kids, etc. by being here, but then there's another part of me that says I should sacrifice something that's actually within my control.
So, I've decided to sacrifice spending money. I don't have anything to buy here, other than souvenirs, since all of my living expenses are being taken care of, but the one luxury I can afford myself is running to the pulperia whenever I'm feeling a need for home comfort and buying a soda or maybe a snack, or little useless things that I can quite honestly live without.
So begins my Lent.
Day 23: Hello Localism
So, tonight Celeste, Ivan (pronounced Yvonne, not Ivan) and I went to a little local restaurant.
It was dark and we walked about 10 blocks away, with virtually no street lights to this cute little restaurant that you would never know existed if you weren't a local. It has a cute shabby-chic cabana style with a palm fronds roof, chairs made out of string, and a little tv in the corner for watching football (and ONLY for watching football.)
We sat next to this cute little family that had adorable twin girls that were about two years old who laughed and danced around saying such simple spanish that even I could understand what they were singing about.
While we were sitting amidst the aroma of fried tamates and the swirl of spanish in the air I got the overwhelming feeling of "I live here." Something about the way the spanish families acknoledged and welcome me, the way I could order my own food and not have to tell Celeste what I wanted I just realized that this is a community which I am now a part of.
I mean... I live here.
That is just so weird.
It was dark and we walked about 10 blocks away, with virtually no street lights to this cute little restaurant that you would never know existed if you weren't a local. It has a cute shabby-chic cabana style with a palm fronds roof, chairs made out of string, and a little tv in the corner for watching football (and ONLY for watching football.)
We sat next to this cute little family that had adorable twin girls that were about two years old who laughed and danced around saying such simple spanish that even I could understand what they were singing about.
While we were sitting amidst the aroma of fried tamates and the swirl of spanish in the air I got the overwhelming feeling of "I live here." Something about the way the spanish families acknoledged and welcome me, the way I could order my own food and not have to tell Celeste what I wanted I just realized that this is a community which I am now a part of.
I mean... I live here.
That is just so weird.
Sunday
Day 21: Raining Fish
So, we have been without water for three days now. We have drinking water, but we have no water to bathe in, to flush the toilet with, to wash dishes with... life in Honduras isn't all sunshine and happiness.
We have a little basin outside on our porch where we wash our clothes and that typically is always full of water, however, we've been dipping into our reserve for toilet flushing purposes. Lucky for us, while we haven't had running water we have had rain water, so I stuck a couple of buckets outside to catch water in so we could have just a little bit extra. After a couple of hours, I walk back outside to pour the water in our basin, and I see something's floating. This isn't unsual. Sometimes there will be leaves or other little particles floating, so I thought maybe this was just a small piece of rope. Then, I notice that it isn't in fact floating, but swimming... it's a BETA fish!
We had a couple of these fish when i was growing up, so i knew what they were, but I have never heard of them just appearing in water. So, of course, my first conclusion is that it has rained fish. Rational? No. Logical? No. But hey, when a fish just appears in a bucket, your mind goes to extremes. I run inside and tell the other girls and they all freak out with me and we go outside to see it. So, we're thinking of where we're going to keep it, what we might name it, when the boys next door come out laughing.
They put their fish in our bucket.
I consistently have pranking neighbors.
We have a little basin outside on our porch where we wash our clothes and that typically is always full of water, however, we've been dipping into our reserve for toilet flushing purposes. Lucky for us, while we haven't had running water we have had rain water, so I stuck a couple of buckets outside to catch water in so we could have just a little bit extra. After a couple of hours, I walk back outside to pour the water in our basin, and I see something's floating. This isn't unsual. Sometimes there will be leaves or other little particles floating, so I thought maybe this was just a small piece of rope. Then, I notice that it isn't in fact floating, but swimming... it's a BETA fish!
We had a couple of these fish when i was growing up, so i knew what they were, but I have never heard of them just appearing in water. So, of course, my first conclusion is that it has rained fish. Rational? No. Logical? No. But hey, when a fish just appears in a bucket, your mind goes to extremes. I run inside and tell the other girls and they all freak out with me and we go outside to see it. So, we're thinking of where we're going to keep it, what we might name it, when the boys next door come out laughing.
They put their fish in our bucket.
I consistently have pranking neighbors.
Day 20: Luis' Birthday
So today, Valentine's Day, was one of my little 2nd graders 8th birthday. We got all dolled up to go outside on our patio and party it up with a bunch of our students. (Luis lives next door to us)
The party started about 2 o'clock and went until 6. It was probably one of the most fun birthdays I have been to in awhile. They had three clowns, which are nothing like American clowns, so it was much less traumatizing. They sang and danced, and basically deejayed the whole party, which was fun because it was a very parent-involved party.
A lot of the games involved parents and their kids, so they told the kids to run and grab and adult... naturally, I was a very popular choice. The only problem in this is that I did not ever know what the rules were or how to play because everything was said in spanish. Everyone at the party (a good 100+) could tell I had no idea what was going on, so they would all laugh and smile at the silly gringa who was completely clueless.
I played a game, where I had to run and grab clothespins and run back to pin them on my kid. I definitely plowed head-to-chest into some of the other moms, and we screamed and laugh the entire time. I am most grateful that smiles and laughter are things that are not bound by language.
The only adult-only game that was played involved everyone standing in a circle and passing a hat. We played it to celebrate the other Luis' birthday, who had just turned 21. So, the game gets down to two players, Luis and one of the moms. The game can't play with only two people, so they had a dance contest to determine the winner... guess who got chosen as Luis' partner? yep, me. Everyone gasped when the clown chose me and whispered "la gringa." And to eb perfectly honest, I think they all thought I was going to do terrible and fail. but let's face it... there are about 7 things in this world that I am naturally good at, and dancing is one of them.
So, the music starts up and it's merengue. Lucky for me, the motley crew and I back home had just been intensely studying and perfecting the art of merengue, so I knew how to lead while looking like I was following. Also, it just so happens to be a merengue song that we had practiced to "Suavement Besame" Michael's favorite, so I knew what was coming in the song and what moves would look best.
The music comes on and Luis is just standing there, laughing and refusing the look at me, while the other couple starts dancing. So... it looks like he will fail his latino people by not knowing how to dance. I grab his hands, determined to not look like a fool, so I throw a couple of the moves I know and the crowd goes wild! It was so awesome. The other couple was just kind of dirty dancing, without actually touching each other, so naturally, we won. Did you expect anything less though?
I won a sweet little High School Musical Notebook, which I desperately needed, along with the respect of the parents.
The party started about 2 o'clock and went until 6. It was probably one of the most fun birthdays I have been to in awhile. They had three clowns, which are nothing like American clowns, so it was much less traumatizing. They sang and danced, and basically deejayed the whole party, which was fun because it was a very parent-involved party.
A lot of the games involved parents and their kids, so they told the kids to run and grab and adult... naturally, I was a very popular choice. The only problem in this is that I did not ever know what the rules were or how to play because everything was said in spanish. Everyone at the party (a good 100+) could tell I had no idea what was going on, so they would all laugh and smile at the silly gringa who was completely clueless.
I played a game, where I had to run and grab clothespins and run back to pin them on my kid. I definitely plowed head-to-chest into some of the other moms, and we screamed and laugh the entire time. I am most grateful that smiles and laughter are things that are not bound by language.
The only adult-only game that was played involved everyone standing in a circle and passing a hat. We played it to celebrate the other Luis' birthday, who had just turned 21. So, the game gets down to two players, Luis and one of the moms. The game can't play with only two people, so they had a dance contest to determine the winner... guess who got chosen as Luis' partner? yep, me. Everyone gasped when the clown chose me and whispered "la gringa." And to eb perfectly honest, I think they all thought I was going to do terrible and fail. but let's face it... there are about 7 things in this world that I am naturally good at, and dancing is one of them.
So, the music starts up and it's merengue. Lucky for me, the motley crew and I back home had just been intensely studying and perfecting the art of merengue, so I knew how to lead while looking like I was following. Also, it just so happens to be a merengue song that we had practiced to "Suavement Besame" Michael's favorite, so I knew what was coming in the song and what moves would look best.
The music comes on and Luis is just standing there, laughing and refusing the look at me, while the other couple starts dancing. So... it looks like he will fail his latino people by not knowing how to dance. I grab his hands, determined to not look like a fool, so I throw a couple of the moves I know and the crowd goes wild! It was so awesome. The other couple was just kind of dirty dancing, without actually touching each other, so naturally, we won. Did you expect anything less though?
I won a sweet little High School Musical Notebook, which I desperately needed, along with the respect of the parents.
Day 18: Pico Bonito
So, today was one of those goal-accomplishing days that just makes me light up with joy. Cynthia (another sister of Sol's) came in to visit us this weekend. She is absolutely amazing, just like the rest of her sisters, except she's my age and loves to do all of the adventure kind of things (like going to ruins, hiking mountains, jumping off bridges) that I like to do.
She came in and immediately decided that we had to hike Pico Bonito this weekend. Pico Bonito is this little mountain near La Ceiba that is protected by the government and houses some of the best waterfalls, river rafting, flora and fauns that Honduras has to offer.
So, we got up about 7, drove out there with Fito and Sol, and began our journey. I saw parrots, the largest blue butterflies I have ever seen, and the longest falling waterfall I have ever seen in my life. It was about a two hour hike in and about an hour out. We had to cross a long cable bridge over the hugest rocks I have ever seen, that makes the Ocoee River look like chump change. Since, rainy season just ended, all of the waterfalls were at their streaming peak. We hiked down the base and were drenched from the spray and we were a good 40 feet away from it still. From the waterfall you can see through the trees to the shore, out to the key islands, which was a positively breathtaking view. Jungle, waterfall, beach AND island all in one... This is seriously my kind of paradise.
After hiking down the mountain. (Let's recap: This is officially the third mountain in the third country I have climbed in the past year alone. YAY!) We crossed back over the cable bridge (this time in a rickety little cable car that Cynthia and I found that Celeste and Paulette refused to join us in) and asked the guy standing there when the bus would be coming along. The buses run funny in the mountains and he said it could be anywhere form an hour to two hours. So, we started walking down the 10 mile long road to try and get to La Ceiba, thinking we would just eventually catch a bus that was passing by.... didn't happen. We walked about two miles before a couple of men in a car that I can only describe as the adventurer's dream car happened by and offered us four lovely ladies a lift.
We hopped up in the back next to a Irish scuba diving teacher and a German professional traveler and had lots of laughs and good conversation on the way back to La Ceiba, and will hopefully soon, be going to visit said scuba instructor for lessons and free dives. :)
The drove us all the way back to La Ceiba (kind gents!) where we hopped on a bus to go home. This was my first Latin American bus ride, so I was immensely excited! It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, not really crowded, no one tried to take my bag and it cost us just a little more than a dollar to ride. It was a perfect kind of day.
She came in and immediately decided that we had to hike Pico Bonito this weekend. Pico Bonito is this little mountain near La Ceiba that is protected by the government and houses some of the best waterfalls, river rafting, flora and fauns that Honduras has to offer.
So, we got up about 7, drove out there with Fito and Sol, and began our journey. I saw parrots, the largest blue butterflies I have ever seen, and the longest falling waterfall I have ever seen in my life. It was about a two hour hike in and about an hour out. We had to cross a long cable bridge over the hugest rocks I have ever seen, that makes the Ocoee River look like chump change. Since, rainy season just ended, all of the waterfalls were at their streaming peak. We hiked down the base and were drenched from the spray and we were a good 40 feet away from it still. From the waterfall you can see through the trees to the shore, out to the key islands, which was a positively breathtaking view. Jungle, waterfall, beach AND island all in one... This is seriously my kind of paradise.
After hiking down the mountain. (Let's recap: This is officially the third mountain in the third country I have climbed in the past year alone. YAY!) We crossed back over the cable bridge (this time in a rickety little cable car that Cynthia and I found that Celeste and Paulette refused to join us in) and asked the guy standing there when the bus would be coming along. The buses run funny in the mountains and he said it could be anywhere form an hour to two hours. So, we started walking down the 10 mile long road to try and get to La Ceiba, thinking we would just eventually catch a bus that was passing by.... didn't happen. We walked about two miles before a couple of men in a car that I can only describe as the adventurer's dream car happened by and offered us four lovely ladies a lift.
We hopped up in the back next to a Irish scuba diving teacher and a German professional traveler and had lots of laughs and good conversation on the way back to La Ceiba, and will hopefully soon, be going to visit said scuba instructor for lessons and free dives. :)
The drove us all the way back to La Ceiba (kind gents!) where we hopped on a bus to go home. This was my first Latin American bus ride, so I was immensely excited! It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, not really crowded, no one tried to take my bag and it cost us just a little more than a dollar to ride. It was a perfect kind of day.
Day 17: Dia de Amistad
Today our school had a HUGE Valentines Day celebration! This is great because Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays. Something about love and the massive amounts of candies and flowers just makes my heart swoon. In Honduras, today is considered more of a day of love and friendship instead of just romantic love. So, we invited all of the childrens parents to come and celebrate with us at the school.
We started out the day with a special chapel, all about the love of Christ and how He died for us. Then, we had parents come up and sit in chairs, while their kids stood behind them and fed them jello and watermelon. Most of the food ended up on clothes rather than in mouths. It was so funny to watch all the parents scream and giggle while competing with their kids.
Afterwards, we had this precious little bike race, where the boys raced across the schoolyard and grabbed little ribbons from the post that had certain girls names on them. Whichever girl they picked gave them a hug and some chocolate. It was absolutely the cutest things to watch them shyly hug and handover the boys rewards.
We also had little handmade valentines that the kids could buy and send to one another or to their parents, so it was great practice for me to sit and write little messages in Spanish like "Te queiro mucho" and such.
Day 15: Rio
In my 3rd grade science class we've been learning about pollution. We talked about polluting the air, the land and of course, the water. IN our book it talks all about why humans need water (for drinking, bathing, and of course... cooling off.) This last one I had never really thought about before. Sure, during the summer time in Florida, we all flock to the pools for cooling off.... but the reality of it is, we have air conditioning to keep us cool, we don't necessarily need water for that.
In Honduras however, there is no air conditioning. If you really want to cool off, the river is the best place to do that. So, on extraordinarily hot days, like today, that is exactly what we do.
We have about 5 rivers within a 5 mile radius of our little pueblo, but we like going to one that's a little more private and on protected grounds. There are a few people who live around here, and they have been living here for generations, which is the only reason the government lets them stay.
Rio Cummen is a beautiful little river nestled between a couple of the mountains. This place is literally the most gorgeous place I have ever swam. The water was clear and he fish swam right up to you.
In Honduras however, there is no air conditioning. If you really want to cool off, the river is the best place to do that. So, on extraordinarily hot days, like today, that is exactly what we do.
We have about 5 rivers within a 5 mile radius of our little pueblo, but we like going to one that's a little more private and on protected grounds. There are a few people who live around here, and they have been living here for generations, which is the only reason the government lets them stay.
Rio Cummen is a beautiful little river nestled between a couple of the mountains. This place is literally the most gorgeous place I have ever swam. The water was clear and he fish swam right up to you.
Day 12: Superbowl and Crazy/Love
I was the first one up this morning for almost an hour, which was perfect for my Crazy/Love devotion? study? reading? I'm not really sure what to call it.
I really like what Chan mentioned about worry and stress. It is so easy to take on the weight of our lives alone. We tend to trust and rely on only ourselves when it comes to our responsibilities. We stop trusting God. I felt a lot of this last night. After the scorpion incident, I was terrified of finding one in my bed. I kept tossing adn turning and searching underpillows and blankets convinced I was going to find one. When in relaity, I should have trusted that whether or not I got stung, God would protect me and no matter what happened, He would be glorified, and that is all that matter. Not my safety or my comfort, but His glory.
The End.
_______________________________________________________________________
Today was Superbowl 44.
Vicky was excited.
She´s one of those girls that knows tons of great superbowl stats and stories, and honestly, the way she talks about it makes it sound lke the coolest thing. She has a way of telling stories that immediately draws you in and makes you want to learn. We watched some of the greatest clips from past Superbowls, and she was full of great, fun litle facts, and completely made Sully and Celeste fall in love with the game. She even made me fall in lvoe a little bit too. I think next season I'm going to make an effort to watch the games and learn more about football. It seems so interesting now.
The best part of this though, is that I have some weird kind of sixth sense for Big Games like this (proof: I once won 100 bucks by calling the score and winner of the BCS Championship at my school) Anyways... the score is 17-24, and Vicki is predicting how the Colts are going to score and it will go into overtime, since they have to ball and are getting closer to their endzone. I just kind of laugh and say that the Saints will intercept, score again and the Colts will have no shot and catching up. Game over. I walk back into my room and start talking to my mom when they come in screaming¨"How did you know? They did it!"
I just have a sense.
I really like what Chan mentioned about worry and stress. It is so easy to take on the weight of our lives alone. We tend to trust and rely on only ourselves when it comes to our responsibilities. We stop trusting God. I felt a lot of this last night. After the scorpion incident, I was terrified of finding one in my bed. I kept tossing adn turning and searching underpillows and blankets convinced I was going to find one. When in relaity, I should have trusted that whether or not I got stung, God would protect me and no matter what happened, He would be glorified, and that is all that matter. Not my safety or my comfort, but His glory.
The End.
_______________________________________________________________________
Today was Superbowl 44.
Vicky was excited.
She´s one of those girls that knows tons of great superbowl stats and stories, and honestly, the way she talks about it makes it sound lke the coolest thing. She has a way of telling stories that immediately draws you in and makes you want to learn. We watched some of the greatest clips from past Superbowls, and she was full of great, fun litle facts, and completely made Sully and Celeste fall in love with the game. She even made me fall in lvoe a little bit too. I think next season I'm going to make an effort to watch the games and learn more about football. It seems so interesting now.
The best part of this though, is that I have some weird kind of sixth sense for Big Games like this (proof: I once won 100 bucks by calling the score and winner of the BCS Championship at my school) Anyways... the score is 17-24, and Vicki is predicting how the Colts are going to score and it will go into overtime, since they have to ball and are getting closer to their endzone. I just kind of laugh and say that the Saints will intercept, score again and the Colts will have no shot and catching up. Game over. I walk back into my room and start talking to my mom when they come in screaming¨"How did you know? They did it!"
I just have a sense.
Day 11: La Ceiba
So, the clan met Celeste up in La Ceiba today after her class. We all wanted to see a movie, plus we had to get some groceries, so we hopped in the van for a day trip.
Michael had mentioned La Ceiba as the place where you take the boat from to get to the island of Roatan, so I was pretty excited to see it for myself.
La Ceiba has a mall. I have not been so excited to see a mall since I was about 10. There was an Applebee´s and crazy stores, annnnd, my favorite.... an Abercrombie & Fitch knock off. (This was priceless.)
So, it gets to be three and we make our way over to the movie theater inside the mall, only to find out that it's actually showing in the other theater across the street, have I mentioned yet that it is POURING rain today? I´m wearing flip flops, so naturally I slip and fall, crushing my soda with my hand and causing it to spill all over me. We keep walking the 10 minutes to the other theater in the rain, only to find out we are the only ones who have showed up for the movie.
In America, we need to only sell one movie ticket in order for the movie to play... here... it doesn't work that way. So, now we are soaked for absolutely nothing. We walk back over to the mall and deicde to see the Accidental Husband. Let me just put out there that I have already seen this... over two years ago... but movies in Honduras... they run late. Also, they don't even care if you have sound. The sound kept running in and out and no apologies were made. In America... putting up would this would earn you a free movie ticket. (America is seriously the best country in the world.)
After the torture of the day, Celeste bought me a donut. (When you've been eating tortillas and beans for more than week, and desperately missing your best friends´ dad cooking, a dona is a happy little creature to lift your spirits and help you carry on.)
Afterwards, we go grocery shopping. With a 2 and 3 year-old, this is an impossible and exhausting task. Driving home with a 2 and 3 year-old also happens to be muy cansado when they're running, climbing all over and accidentally hitting you in the face.
I go to bed about 10, thinking that this long exhausting is finally over and the peace of sleep awaits. Just after 11, Sully bursts into our room (this happens quite frequently in the middle of the night) and she's muttering something in spanish i can't understand, but my subconcious understands there´s a reason to be afraid. I finally wake Celeste up enough to translate and she tells me Sully got stung by a scorpion and falls back over asleep.
I rush into Sully's room to make sure she's ok and I find her searching for the scorpion, convinced its still in her bed. I help her look for a couple moments before I spot it in the corner, and Sully is nearly in tears because she's so scared. I throw on Sully's boots, command Vicky to fetch me a bowl, a plate and some napkins, tell Sully to get the Raid, and hop on the bed determined to catch the creature that hurt my precious Sully. So, I make a quick plan in my head, in case my foot misses and I start creeping my way to the corner of the bed. I was my boot and SQUISH! The creature es MUERTA! Never in my life have I ever killed a scorpion, or even seen one so big, but now it is pasted in my journal, proof of my purpose and bravery.
After the scorpion is good and dead and mounted, I search my medicine cabinet for the right amount and combinations of meds to try and take away Sully's pain. I walk into the kitchen, give her strict instructions, then tuck her into the couch, since she refuses to sleep in her bed.
Now, finally... my day is over.
Michael had mentioned La Ceiba as the place where you take the boat from to get to the island of Roatan, so I was pretty excited to see it for myself.
La Ceiba has a mall. I have not been so excited to see a mall since I was about 10. There was an Applebee´s and crazy stores, annnnd, my favorite.... an Abercrombie & Fitch knock off. (This was priceless.)
So, it gets to be three and we make our way over to the movie theater inside the mall, only to find out that it's actually showing in the other theater across the street, have I mentioned yet that it is POURING rain today? I´m wearing flip flops, so naturally I slip and fall, crushing my soda with my hand and causing it to spill all over me. We keep walking the 10 minutes to the other theater in the rain, only to find out we are the only ones who have showed up for the movie.
In America, we need to only sell one movie ticket in order for the movie to play... here... it doesn't work that way. So, now we are soaked for absolutely nothing. We walk back over to the mall and deicde to see the Accidental Husband. Let me just put out there that I have already seen this... over two years ago... but movies in Honduras... they run late. Also, they don't even care if you have sound. The sound kept running in and out and no apologies were made. In America... putting up would this would earn you a free movie ticket. (America is seriously the best country in the world.)
After the torture of the day, Celeste bought me a donut. (When you've been eating tortillas and beans for more than week, and desperately missing your best friends´ dad cooking, a dona is a happy little creature to lift your spirits and help you carry on.)
Afterwards, we go grocery shopping. With a 2 and 3 year-old, this is an impossible and exhausting task. Driving home with a 2 and 3 year-old also happens to be muy cansado when they're running, climbing all over and accidentally hitting you in the face.
I go to bed about 10, thinking that this long exhausting is finally over and the peace of sleep awaits. Just after 11, Sully bursts into our room (this happens quite frequently in the middle of the night) and she's muttering something in spanish i can't understand, but my subconcious understands there´s a reason to be afraid. I finally wake Celeste up enough to translate and she tells me Sully got stung by a scorpion and falls back over asleep.
I rush into Sully's room to make sure she's ok and I find her searching for the scorpion, convinced its still in her bed. I help her look for a couple moments before I spot it in the corner, and Sully is nearly in tears because she's so scared. I throw on Sully's boots, command Vicky to fetch me a bowl, a plate and some napkins, tell Sully to get the Raid, and hop on the bed determined to catch the creature that hurt my precious Sully. So, I make a quick plan in my head, in case my foot misses and I start creeping my way to the corner of the bed. I was my boot and SQUISH! The creature es MUERTA! Never in my life have I ever killed a scorpion, or even seen one so big, but now it is pasted in my journal, proof of my purpose and bravery.
After the scorpion is good and dead and mounted, I search my medicine cabinet for the right amount and combinations of meds to try and take away Sully's pain. I walk into the kitchen, give her strict instructions, then tuck her into the couch, since she refuses to sleep in her bed.
Now, finally... my day is over.
Day 10: Starbucks sucks
Today I had a tasty treat.
It was this. ^
It was coffee, blended with ice, and finely chopped up oreo bits. Topped with whip cream that tasted like cake batter.
It was less than a 1/4 of the price of its Starbucks equivalent, and 10 times better.
Everything else that happened today pales in comparison to this.
Day 9: Dia de la muerte
This title is appropriate because today I feel like death.
Those worms from last night... I think they got me.
They stole my intestines, along with my happy and optimistic outlook.
I could tell it was really getting to me cuanto I was at school. I wanted to leave, to be back in America where everyone speaks English and I have my own car and air conditioning and you can go out for fast food at anytime of night. I was not myself at all, so I decided to go lay down in Fito and Sol's extra room y excused myself de clases para la dia.
So, I wind up sleeping the day away, awaking only when lovely peopl were bringing me comida y medicine. Vicky brought some medicine that she used when she was sick, and told me to take a pill, along with a really disgusting tasting solvent that I had to mix with water. So, I take the pill and it turns my teeth black. Gross. Now, I'm reluctant to also take the packet of medicine, since Vicky has warned me that its flavor is repulsive. I'm imagining some unholy mixture of carbon and charcoal that would attempt to choke me on the way down while screaming "I´m really only here to help!"
I finally buck up and decide to take the medicine, only to find out it tastes like a chopped up Fun Dip stick. You know that big white stick that everyone secretly wishes they would produce in mass quantities, so you could eat sticks until your hearts content... This is exactly what it tastes like. Disgusting? No. It is delightful, and I´m looking forward to taking more.
One of the really cute things about today though is that I wake up in a hazy, medicine-induced stupor to see little faces popping up in the front window. Then, they´re suddenly all moving to the open window by my bed, running adn screaming "Hello Miss Summer. Good Morning! Feel better! I LOBBBBE YOU!"
Kids can be a perfect kind of medicine.
However, this is also the dia de la muerte. The bad has not even yet begun.
Today, my little first graders start complaining about a bad smell. I smell it too and it is fouuuuul. I do a quick pit check just to make sure it's not me, before start searching around the classroom. Turns out it's coming in from the open window... and I spot our gray school rabbit, Princessita, not moving just under the window. I have no idea what to do. In America, this is one of those fragile moments that could easily damage a kids psyche, but here in Honduras... death is a part of life they're already exposed to. So, they kids aren't sad or upset, they're kind of excited. They´re making up stories about how it died involving snakes and ants. Unreal.
(Our rabbit Princessita is in that green plastic bag.)
Also, my great-grandmother died today. We all knew it was coming. She was 95. She lived a long full life. She saw two world wars, the Great Depression, 25 great-grandchildren, and could still remember all of it, until those last few days. It's weird being so far away because it doesn´t really seem real. I don't think it will be real until I drive to her house and realize she's not sitting inside. I was lucky enough to see her before I came back from school. I stayed for a weekend with her. I thought about staying longer, and I kind of wish I had, but the past is the past. You can't go back.
Those worms from last night... I think they got me.
They stole my intestines, along with my happy and optimistic outlook.
I could tell it was really getting to me cuanto I was at school. I wanted to leave, to be back in America where everyone speaks English and I have my own car and air conditioning and you can go out for fast food at anytime of night. I was not myself at all, so I decided to go lay down in Fito and Sol's extra room y excused myself de clases para la dia.
So, I wind up sleeping the day away, awaking only when lovely peopl were bringing me comida y medicine. Vicky brought some medicine that she used when she was sick, and told me to take a pill, along with a really disgusting tasting solvent that I had to mix with water. So, I take the pill and it turns my teeth black. Gross. Now, I'm reluctant to also take the packet of medicine, since Vicky has warned me that its flavor is repulsive. I'm imagining some unholy mixture of carbon and charcoal that would attempt to choke me on the way down while screaming "I´m really only here to help!"
I finally buck up and decide to take the medicine, only to find out it tastes like a chopped up Fun Dip stick. You know that big white stick that everyone secretly wishes they would produce in mass quantities, so you could eat sticks until your hearts content... This is exactly what it tastes like. Disgusting? No. It is delightful, and I´m looking forward to taking more.
One of the really cute things about today though is that I wake up in a hazy, medicine-induced stupor to see little faces popping up in the front window. Then, they´re suddenly all moving to the open window by my bed, running adn screaming "Hello Miss Summer. Good Morning! Feel better! I LOBBBBE YOU!"
Kids can be a perfect kind of medicine.
However, this is also the dia de la muerte. The bad has not even yet begun.
Today, my little first graders start complaining about a bad smell. I smell it too and it is fouuuuul. I do a quick pit check just to make sure it's not me, before start searching around the classroom. Turns out it's coming in from the open window... and I spot our gray school rabbit, Princessita, not moving just under the window. I have no idea what to do. In America, this is one of those fragile moments that could easily damage a kids psyche, but here in Honduras... death is a part of life they're already exposed to. So, they kids aren't sad or upset, they're kind of excited. They´re making up stories about how it died involving snakes and ants. Unreal.
(Our rabbit Princessita is in that green plastic bag.)
Also, my great-grandmother died today. We all knew it was coming. She was 95. She lived a long full life. She saw two world wars, the Great Depression, 25 great-grandchildren, and could still remember all of it, until those last few days. It's weird being so far away because it doesn´t really seem real. I don't think it will be real until I drive to her house and realize she's not sitting inside. I was lucky enough to see her before I came back from school. I stayed for a weekend with her. I thought about staying longer, and I kind of wish I had, but the past is the past. You can't go back.
Day 8 : Dia de VIA!
Today, our school dog, Sushi, had a puppy!
All day I waited for her to have more, since I've only really known dogs to have litters, but it turns out Sushi just wanted to have one puppy. He is quite adorable, and I´m trying to convince Fito to let me keep him. He could be a cute little guard dog. Maybe he would eat our bugs... although that may just be a cat thing.
On the way home, we saw a hen had just had a whole slew of little hatchlings. They were absolutely cute. We declared today a day of LIFE! VIDA!
Tonight, we sat around and watched Friends. (There are about three english channels, and during the day, one of them plays TBS.) So, we watchd the series finale of friends today, which means we'll get to see the whole series form the beginning now, which I'm excited about.
Sully also made dinner tonight, American style. She fried up some chicken, mashed some potatoes and steamed some broccoli. Though, she showed us that the broccoli here has worms. WORMS! I took a picture, but accidentally deleted it. So, we soaked the broccoli in salt water in order to kill them. I´m was suspicious though, so I checked my broccoli more thoroughly than airport security checks arabs.
All day I waited for her to have more, since I've only really known dogs to have litters, but it turns out Sushi just wanted to have one puppy. He is quite adorable, and I´m trying to convince Fito to let me keep him. He could be a cute little guard dog. Maybe he would eat our bugs... although that may just be a cat thing.
On the way home, we saw a hen had just had a whole slew of little hatchlings. They were absolutely cute. We declared today a day of LIFE! VIDA!
Tonight, we sat around and watched Friends. (There are about three english channels, and during the day, one of them plays TBS.) So, we watchd the series finale of friends today, which means we'll get to see the whole series form the beginning now, which I'm excited about.
Sully also made dinner tonight, American style. She fried up some chicken, mashed some potatoes and steamed some broccoli. Though, she showed us that the broccoli here has worms. WORMS! I took a picture, but accidentally deleted it. So, we soaked the broccoli in salt water in order to kill them. I´m was suspicious though, so I checked my broccoli more thoroughly than airport security checks arabs.
Day 7: MANTEQUILLA
Todays was Karroll's Birthday.
I constantly feel as if something exciting is happening everyday at school. Karroll is the one who's dad took us out on the boat. We all got together during the science lesson to have cake, pepsi and pass around presents and goodie bags that Karroll's mom brought to the school to give to the children. One little boy, Allan, brought out one of the small childrens chairs for me and said "Meez. You sit here by me." It was absolutely precious. Then he kept offering to get me an even bigger chair after he realized that it was indeed too small for me. All the kids kept offering me their cand too, which was so cute. One of the kids even game me the candy that Karroll's mom had made herself.
Allan also invited everybody to his house for dinner. His mom does pedicures, so she has offered to do them for us anytime we want. His mom made some fresh tortillas, huevos tomatoes and frijoles. Then... she whipped out the mantequilla. Vicky had told me awhile ago about this mantequilla, and I knew, just from her description that I would love it. (Mantequilla is a mixture of sour cream and queso blanco... or basically... Summer's dream food.) So, when I finally got to see it face to face, my eyes lit up and I got a huge smile on my face. Allan's mom thought this was absoultely hilarious and kept making fun of me the rest of the night for it.
The thing about visiting the kids houses is that usually their parents don't speak english, so communication is limited to body language. Not ebing able to the language gives you another sense almost. You learn to read eyes and faces. Allan's mom the rest of the night looked at me like a was a long-lost daughter, with love and tenderness in her eyes. So, together Allan's mom and I crossed the language barrier to a place where no words were needed.
I constantly feel as if something exciting is happening everyday at school. Karroll is the one who's dad took us out on the boat. We all got together during the science lesson to have cake, pepsi and pass around presents and goodie bags that Karroll's mom brought to the school to give to the children. One little boy, Allan, brought out one of the small childrens chairs for me and said "Meez. You sit here by me." It was absolutely precious. Then he kept offering to get me an even bigger chair after he realized that it was indeed too small for me. All the kids kept offering me their cand too, which was so cute. One of the kids even game me the candy that Karroll's mom had made herself.
Allan also invited everybody to his house for dinner. His mom does pedicures, so she has offered to do them for us anytime we want. His mom made some fresh tortillas, huevos tomatoes and frijoles. Then... she whipped out the mantequilla. Vicky had told me awhile ago about this mantequilla, and I knew, just from her description that I would love it. (Mantequilla is a mixture of sour cream and queso blanco... or basically... Summer's dream food.) So, when I finally got to see it face to face, my eyes lit up and I got a huge smile on my face. Allan's mom thought this was absoultely hilarious and kept making fun of me the rest of the night for it.
The thing about visiting the kids houses is that usually their parents don't speak english, so communication is limited to body language. Not ebing able to the language gives you another sense almost. You learn to read eyes and faces. Allan's mom the rest of the night looked at me like a was a long-lost daughter, with love and tenderness in her eyes. So, together Allan's mom and I crossed the language barrier to a place where no words were needed.
Friday
Day 6: Typical Day at School
So this new school where I'm spending 5 months of my vida is in the little town of San Juan Pueblo. Altogther this place is probably about 10 miles long I think, but most people will just describe it to you as "It begins at the river and ends at the gas station." I absolutely love this. I love places that are so small that everyone has to know everyone's name and business. I have always wanted to live in a place like that. However, in most of these day dreams, I also spoke the language and could communicate with more than just my smile. I'll take what I can get though. This is just one more check off of my Life Goals List. This is picture of just one mountain you can see from teh school. This one is in fact San Juan Mountain, which our city is named for, but it's only one of a string of mountains that surrounds the south side of the school.
San Juan has one street that runs through it. It is the only paved road in our little town, and from it subseqent little dirt roads pop off to lead to various casas y pulperias. Nosotros tenamos mucho de pequeños pulperias en nuestro pueblo. There is one on practically evrey corner. Although, I am practically a pulperia in myself. I am constantly providing things left and right para my roommates.
You need a guitar capo?
Well fancy that, I have one right here.
Medicine?
Hey, I´m a walking pharmacy.
My school serves some of the more wealthier kids in town. The parents pay ridiculous wages in Honduran terms for them to go the school. It winds up being less than $40 American per month, but for most Hondurans that can be a whole years wages. They show up in nice, new Japanese cars and get to wear the newest latest clothes.
There are those precious few though, who are here on scholarship alone. Thanks to the benevolence of some Americans, they get to have a wonderful education their parents never dreamed of being able to give them. These are the ones who have my captured my heart. The funniest thing about this though, is that they found me before I even had time to find them.
So, everyday except Wednesday I teach reading to K-3 and K-4. They are absolutely precious and I love working with them, so I pretty volunteer in there, whenever I'm not teaching other classes.
Mondays, I teach math to 1st and 2nd graders.
Tuesdays, I teach math and science to 1st grade.
Wesnesdays, I teach Handwriting to 1st grade and Science to 3rd grade.
Thursdays, I teach science and Art to 3rd grade, and Art and Music to 2nd grade
Fridays, I teach music and reading to 1st grade.
I pretty much come home everyday with paint underneath my fingernails, peeling glue off my hands, and brushing dirt off my clothes.
I wouldn´t have it any other way.
Day 5: Crazy/Love
So, currently back in the States, my wonderful friends and Sunday school group is going through the book "CrazyLove" by Francis Chan. Thanks to Pastor Matt's benevolence, I have my own copy with me in Honduras and plan on working my way through it with them. Only... without all the great questions and discussions... plus I'm not really sure how they're working thorugh the book, but I'm taking it at one chapter a week, which I plan to read on Sunday as a way to keep my home church in my life.
Chapter One was about stop praying and speaking at God, and to sit and listen and worship him. The part that I found most interesting and thought-provoking was the part about God as all-powerful.
It mentions specifically that we "live as though God was created for us, to do our bidding, to bless us, and to take care of our loved ones." This struck me because it's something that I think you forget to think about it. We go to God with our troubles, our worry and see it as his job to fix and take care of his mess that we've created for ourselves. When in reality, we were created for him. Our lives are for him. They way we live... he created that life. And yet we focus on ourselves. We ask God to do things in our lives... we have the audacity to call it our own life, when it's really all His.
That's it.
That's probably all I would have said in Sunday School.
I really liked that part.
Day 5: Tela Beach
So, today we all packed up at 8 o'clock to travel to Tela beach, which is about an hour west of our town. I was thoroughly excited on the way there, like a kid at Christmas time. A real Central American Beach, my heart could barely contain itself.
We arrived and it was so much more than I had imagined.
There was a wonderfully worn down pier with old railroad tracks that extended inot the sea, which Vicky and I jumped off of. And there were loads of old wooden canoes painted in beautiful, rich colors washed up on the shore amidst the palm groves. And there were horses... HORSES... bathing in the ocean water.
Everyday I see a little more that this is seriously my idea of paradise.
We arrived and it was so much more than I had imagined.
There was a wonderfully worn down pier with old railroad tracks that extended inot the sea, which Vicky and I jumped off of. And there were loads of old wooden canoes painted in beautiful, rich colors washed up on the shore amidst the palm groves. And there were horses... HORSES... bathing in the ocean water.
Everyday I see a little more that this is seriously my idea of paradise.
Day 4: And God said Ye Shall Rest
So, every Saturday Celeste has guitar lessons at the college in La Ceiba, so she gets on the bus at 6:00 in the morning, rides for an hour and half to be there in time for her 7:30 class. It lasts until one (too dreadfully long of a class for me) and then she once again gets on the bus in order to be home by 3.
Sully, is taking grad classes in San Pedro Sula to teach spanish, on the weekends, so Saturday mornings, Vicki and I are left alone to our own English devices.
We spent the day sleeping in until 9... sigh. Then, waking up and watching Slumdog Millionaire (in English! Hooray!) and cooking macaroni and cheese. I was glad for a non-busy day, because I've left Celeste's room, mostly a wreck with my stuff since I haven't had the chance to unpack or get settled yet.
So, I spent the day, reading, watching tv, eating and organizing.
I'll spend this post however telling you about my new town and new home.
I live with three other girls (it seems I am addicted to this, since this is how, in fact, I have been spending the past four years of my life.) So, I'm used to sharing rooms/living spaces/bathrooms with three other people. These past few years at college have prepared me excellently for this moment. Celeste, is my roommate, adn she's 21 too, but you'd never tell it from the look of her. She's an itty bitty size 0 thing, which she abhors by the way. She wants nothing more than to be taller and bigger, and I constantly try to tell her that girls in America would kill to be her. They really would. Celeste is the kind of person you instantly don't like because she's so insanely perfect. She has a beautiful smile, wakes up in the morning looking naturally gorgeous, and plays guitar and sings like an angel straight from heaven. She also has one of those iressistibly, bubbly personailities that make you like her even though you want so bad not to. Shé's also the kindergarten teacher at the school, and the fact that she can keep up and entertain 24 5 year-olds absolutely astonishes me.
Sully is 27, 5'5" and shares the same enviable genetics as her sister Celeste, but is thin enough to wear childrens clothes. Its sick. She's wonderfully dramatic, in the best possible way, and frequently starts sentences with "Guys, you know what we gotta do..." These sentences are always followed with plans of great things we're going to do, like climb mountains, go to national parks, camp on islands... etc. The adventurer in me delights in the fact that I have such a wonderful thrill-seeking roommate to abide and plan such things with.
Vicky is my last roommate, and my only fellow American. She went to Southeastern adn gradutaed early like I did, so she's my age adn we're both in the exact same satge in our life, which is always wonderful to have someone to share the journey with. Vicky played Soccer all thorugh college, so she's one of those sickeningly in shape people that are naturally good at everything, and make awkward atheletes like me realize just why we are so awkward... they hoarded all the good genes so they could be superhumanathletes.
These are the three wonderfuly people that I will pretty much be sharing my entire day with the next 5 months...
Sully, is taking grad classes in San Pedro Sula to teach spanish, on the weekends, so Saturday mornings, Vicki and I are left alone to our own English devices.
We spent the day sleeping in until 9... sigh. Then, waking up and watching Slumdog Millionaire (in English! Hooray!) and cooking macaroni and cheese. I was glad for a non-busy day, because I've left Celeste's room, mostly a wreck with my stuff since I haven't had the chance to unpack or get settled yet.
So, I spent the day, reading, watching tv, eating and organizing.
I'll spend this post however telling you about my new town and new home.
I live with three other girls (it seems I am addicted to this, since this is how, in fact, I have been spending the past four years of my life.) So, I'm used to sharing rooms/living spaces/bathrooms with three other people. These past few years at college have prepared me excellently for this moment. Celeste, is my roommate, adn she's 21 too, but you'd never tell it from the look of her. She's an itty bitty size 0 thing, which she abhors by the way. She wants nothing more than to be taller and bigger, and I constantly try to tell her that girls in America would kill to be her. They really would. Celeste is the kind of person you instantly don't like because she's so insanely perfect. She has a beautiful smile, wakes up in the morning looking naturally gorgeous, and plays guitar and sings like an angel straight from heaven. She also has one of those iressistibly, bubbly personailities that make you like her even though you want so bad not to. Shé's also the kindergarten teacher at the school, and the fact that she can keep up and entertain 24 5 year-olds absolutely astonishes me.
Sully is 27, 5'5" and shares the same enviable genetics as her sister Celeste, but is thin enough to wear childrens clothes. Its sick. She's wonderfully dramatic, in the best possible way, and frequently starts sentences with "Guys, you know what we gotta do..." These sentences are always followed with plans of great things we're going to do, like climb mountains, go to national parks, camp on islands... etc. The adventurer in me delights in the fact that I have such a wonderful thrill-seeking roommate to abide and plan such things with.
Vicky is my last roommate, and my only fellow American. She went to Southeastern adn gradutaed early like I did, so she's my age adn we're both in the exact same satge in our life, which is always wonderful to have someone to share the journey with. Vicky played Soccer all thorugh college, so she's one of those sickeningly in shape people that are naturally good at everything, and make awkward atheletes like me realize just why we are so awkward... they hoarded all the good genes so they could be superhumanathletes.
These are the three wonderfuly people that I will pretty much be sharing my entire day with the next 5 months...
Day 3: Samir's and Bolleyball
So today, I observed once again in the classes before I have my official assignment next week of where and what I'll be teaching.
After school today we had a Mother's gathering, where the Mom´s of the school came and Jennifer got to speak to them about the importance of motherhood and she entranced all of them, as she usually does at any speaking engagement because she is just so wonderfully pure at heart.) It was nice to get to meet all the mothers and grandmothers of our little children.
Tonight, another one of the children's mothers here wants to treat us to something so we're invited to dinner and a volleyball game. I am already super amped at what my time here in Honduras will be like because we are being constantly rewarded by our students parents.
We went over to Samir's house about 7, but of course dinner was not ready then. Hondurans have a relaxed sense of time which I am going to enjoy thoroughly. Celeste, Vicky and I waited in the living room with Samir, watching Spanish disney channel (seriously, my life is simply amazing), while Samir's mom cooked us a vegetarian spanish meal. We had fried plaintains with lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado with a side of boiled egg for protein.
I am very lucky that I like plaintains, or I would be in a lot of trouble here. These people eat plaintains o platanos, todo el tiempo.
Samir's dad is a carpenter, and has his shop in the front of the house, so there's wood everywhere, which I loved, just because I think there's something utterly intoxicating about the smell of wood. He made a beautiful floral carving on the door to their house, which I sneakily took a picture of because it was so incredibly beautiful.
So, after our delicious meal, we head to the church across the street (where Samir's dad also made the doors,adn they are also quite beautiful, but I couldn't get a picture of) to play a game of bolleyball. (I love the way spanish people pronounce their 'v's as 'b's.)
The church plays volleyball every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. They invite everyone in the community to play and it can get pretty intense. These people are serious about winning (so naturally I sat out this go round, I don't want them to realize just how terrible I am.) Even though it can be pretty hardcore, they slow things down in the middle of the tournament to share the Word with the players, which I just think is so neat.
Celeste and Vicki, both played in the games. (Vicky doing wonderful, since she's the ideal natural athlete, and Celeste doing terrible, because she's wonderfully awkward just like me.) We all had a great time and I had mr first conversation in Spanish!!
I was so incredibly proud to have a full conversation in spanish on my third day here that my heart nearly leaped from my chest with joy. Granted, this conversation was with a 5 year-old, and only consisted of me answering two questions she asked, but I understood every word and that for me is enough.
End of Day 3 = Summer still in a wonderful state of bliss.
After school today we had a Mother's gathering, where the Mom´s of the school came and Jennifer got to speak to them about the importance of motherhood and she entranced all of them, as she usually does at any speaking engagement because she is just so wonderfully pure at heart.) It was nice to get to meet all the mothers and grandmothers of our little children.
Tonight, another one of the children's mothers here wants to treat us to something so we're invited to dinner and a volleyball game. I am already super amped at what my time here in Honduras will be like because we are being constantly rewarded by our students parents.
We went over to Samir's house about 7, but of course dinner was not ready then. Hondurans have a relaxed sense of time which I am going to enjoy thoroughly. Celeste, Vicky and I waited in the living room with Samir, watching Spanish disney channel (seriously, my life is simply amazing), while Samir's mom cooked us a vegetarian spanish meal. We had fried plaintains with lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado with a side of boiled egg for protein.
I am very lucky that I like plaintains, or I would be in a lot of trouble here. These people eat plaintains o platanos, todo el tiempo.
Samir's dad is a carpenter, and has his shop in the front of the house, so there's wood everywhere, which I loved, just because I think there's something utterly intoxicating about the smell of wood. He made a beautiful floral carving on the door to their house, which I sneakily took a picture of because it was so incredibly beautiful.
So, after our delicious meal, we head to the church across the street (where Samir's dad also made the doors,adn they are also quite beautiful, but I couldn't get a picture of) to play a game of bolleyball. (I love the way spanish people pronounce their 'v's as 'b's.)
The church plays volleyball every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. They invite everyone in the community to play and it can get pretty intense. These people are serious about winning (so naturally I sat out this go round, I don't want them to realize just how terrible I am.) Even though it can be pretty hardcore, they slow things down in the middle of the tournament to share the Word with the players, which I just think is so neat.
Celeste and Vicki, both played in the games. (Vicky doing wonderful, since she's the ideal natural athlete, and Celeste doing terrible, because she's wonderfully awkward just like me.) We all had a great time and I had mr first conversation in Spanish!!
I was so incredibly proud to have a full conversation in spanish on my third day here that my heart nearly leaped from my chest with joy. Granted, this conversation was with a 5 year-old, and only consisted of me answering two questions she asked, but I understood every word and that for me is enough.
End of Day 3 = Summer still in a wonderful state of bliss.
Day 2: Sindy's Birthday and Boat Ride
So, I think I am off to a pretty good start here in Honduras.
Today, my first day at the school was one of the litle kindergartners birthday! Her name is Sindy and she's one fo the children that my church sponsor through a scholarship program. She is absolutely precious and I feel in love with her instantly. It was the first time her family had ever been able to celebrate her birthday, which I think has a large part to do with the school adn the wonderful family in America that is sponsoring Sindy's education. She is so eager to learn and has the most wonderful (loud little voice I have ever heard. I want to pack her up and take her with me and I know I'll have to fight the urge to do that in 5 months or so.
So we celebrate Sindy's birthday with cakes, loads of presents from the other kids and PEPSI! SODA! Oh, sweet heaven, God indeed is here with me.
After school gets out, around 2, Fito tells me that one of the girls parents wants to take us to the lake to show us how grateful he is for our work. It's Day 2, and I'm already being rewarded for my effort of getting into a plane, eating copious amounts of food, and celebrating a birthday. You could easily say I am getting spoiled very fast.
So, we travel to Karroll's house, climb in the back of her dad's pick up, and set on our way. Our adventure begins by travelling down a bumpy dirt road (just like the one to the Irwin household) for 30 minutes. In America, I wouldn't have tolerated this, but it's Honduras, the second poorest nation in the world, and I'm game for anything. We pick up the motor for the boat along with some wooden paddles and a cooler for the fish we are sure to catch, and that gets squeezed in the back of the pick up with me, Jennifer, Karroll, Vicki and Sol. (Sully and Celeste, my two other roommates were unable to come) Then we travel another 30 minutes down the road to pick up the boat (and snacks, thankfully!). We then reach the lake, and the weather is looking foreboding.
We all squeeze into the boat and travel for about 5 minutes downstream with Karroll telling us how beautiful what we're going to see is when the engine suddenly overheats. We are now trapped, floating downstream with unpromising weather up ahead. The men bust out their paddles and begin the slow torturous process of trying to paddle upstream.
We make about 100 feet in 5 minutes.
Then it starts raining.
I look at Jennifer and say that this is a pulpit story from Johnny Johnson if I ever saw one.
Finally after 10 minutes of not really accomplishing much, a boat (likely the only boat on the lake since there was only one other truck parked at the lot) passes by. The girls put on their saddest, most pitiful faces and they graciously offer to tow us in.
We climb once again in the truck to travel back along the rickety dirt road, this time in the rain.
Sully and Celeste, hear the story and tell me, laughing and lovingly, "WELCOME TO HONDURAS!!!!"
Today, my first day at the school was one of the litle kindergartners birthday! Her name is Sindy and she's one fo the children that my church sponsor through a scholarship program. She is absolutely precious and I feel in love with her instantly. It was the first time her family had ever been able to celebrate her birthday, which I think has a large part to do with the school adn the wonderful family in America that is sponsoring Sindy's education. She is so eager to learn and has the most wonderful (loud little voice I have ever heard. I want to pack her up and take her with me and I know I'll have to fight the urge to do that in 5 months or so.
So we celebrate Sindy's birthday with cakes, loads of presents from the other kids and PEPSI! SODA! Oh, sweet heaven, God indeed is here with me.
After school gets out, around 2, Fito tells me that one of the girls parents wants to take us to the lake to show us how grateful he is for our work. It's Day 2, and I'm already being rewarded for my effort of getting into a plane, eating copious amounts of food, and celebrating a birthday. You could easily say I am getting spoiled very fast.
So, we travel to Karroll's house, climb in the back of her dad's pick up, and set on our way. Our adventure begins by travelling down a bumpy dirt road (just like the one to the Irwin household) for 30 minutes. In America, I wouldn't have tolerated this, but it's Honduras, the second poorest nation in the world, and I'm game for anything. We pick up the motor for the boat along with some wooden paddles and a cooler for the fish we are sure to catch, and that gets squeezed in the back of the pick up with me, Jennifer, Karroll, Vicki and Sol. (Sully and Celeste, my two other roommates were unable to come) Then we travel another 30 minutes down the road to pick up the boat (and snacks, thankfully!). We then reach the lake, and the weather is looking foreboding.
We all squeeze into the boat and travel for about 5 minutes downstream with Karroll telling us how beautiful what we're going to see is when the engine suddenly overheats. We are now trapped, floating downstream with unpromising weather up ahead. The men bust out their paddles and begin the slow torturous process of trying to paddle upstream.
We make about 100 feet in 5 minutes.
Then it starts raining.
I look at Jennifer and say that this is a pulpit story from Johnny Johnson if I ever saw one.
Finally after 10 minutes of not really accomplishing much, a boat (likely the only boat on the lake since there was only one other truck parked at the lot) passes by. The girls put on their saddest, most pitiful faces and they graciously offer to tow us in.
We climb once again in the truck to travel back along the rickety dirt road, this time in the rain.
Sully and Celeste, hear the story and tell me, laughing and lovingly, "WELCOME TO HONDURAS!!!!"
Day 1: San Juan
I stepped off the plane in San Pedro Sula to the hottest heat my body has ever known. This was partially due to the fact that I was wearing a black hoodie, sweating my way through customs and partially due to the fact that the jet fuel from the airplanes was close enough to touch.
"What have I gotten myself into?" I thought.
Fito and Sol, my sort-of host parents/bosses/new friends, picked Jennifer and I up form the airport and took us to eat at a fast food chain restaurant called "Power Chicken." Si, it was in English, but the food was very much Spanish.
It was also probably the most delicious chicken I have ever eaten. It was moist and had all the right spices to win my stomach's approval. There was also a cute little corner bar filled with all kinds of spanish dipping sauces and salsas, and things that I wasn't ever sure were suppose to go on food, but Sol assured me they were, and showed me how to eat fast food Spanish-style. I am 100 percent certain that I prefer spanish fast food to American fast food. It is a lot more food, and a lot more taste.
The long ride to my new home in San Juan Pedro was probably about three hours, although I can't be certain because I was asleep every now and again. However, they were kind enough to wake me up to feed me all sorts of special treats.
We stopped and got fresh coconut juice, (suddenly made me realize why exactly I had come to live in this new, hot, place.)
Then we pulled off on the side of the road and bought some lichas. I think this is one fo my favorite things about Honduras... people just sell things like frit in bags on the side of the street and you just pull over and they bring it to your window. Its practically I drive-thru, only your guranteed to get your order right.)
Lichas are the most amazing fruit I have ever tasted and I am already contemplating just what I am going to do about getting them in the States. I figure by the end of 5months that I'll have a sure-fire foolproof plan. Lichas look like they would hurt you, but they'rein fact quite squishy. You crack open the shell with your mouth and waiting inside is the most delicious thing in all of the fruit family. It inds of like a chewy grape with a seed inside. I'm not sure anyone can ever properly describe just how delicious these things are, you just have to try them for yourself.
We also stopped along the way to get peritas, which are shaped like pairs, but taste like flower petals. No me gusta. We also got chocobananas. Chocolate covered bananas... I was absolutely delighted Sweet tooth fix, satisfied.
"What have I gotten myself into?" I thought.
Fito and Sol, my sort-of host parents/bosses/new friends, picked Jennifer and I up form the airport and took us to eat at a fast food chain restaurant called "Power Chicken." Si, it was in English, but the food was very much Spanish.
It was also probably the most delicious chicken I have ever eaten. It was moist and had all the right spices to win my stomach's approval. There was also a cute little corner bar filled with all kinds of spanish dipping sauces and salsas, and things that I wasn't ever sure were suppose to go on food, but Sol assured me they were, and showed me how to eat fast food Spanish-style. I am 100 percent certain that I prefer spanish fast food to American fast food. It is a lot more food, and a lot more taste.
The long ride to my new home in San Juan Pedro was probably about three hours, although I can't be certain because I was asleep every now and again. However, they were kind enough to wake me up to feed me all sorts of special treats.
We stopped and got fresh coconut juice, (suddenly made me realize why exactly I had come to live in this new, hot, place.)
Then we pulled off on the side of the road and bought some lichas. I think this is one fo my favorite things about Honduras... people just sell things like frit in bags on the side of the street and you just pull over and they bring it to your window. Its practically I drive-thru, only your guranteed to get your order right.)
Lichas are the most amazing fruit I have ever tasted and I am already contemplating just what I am going to do about getting them in the States. I figure by the end of 5months that I'll have a sure-fire foolproof plan. Lichas look like they would hurt you, but they'rein fact quite squishy. You crack open the shell with your mouth and waiting inside is the most delicious thing in all of the fruit family. It inds of like a chewy grape with a seed inside. I'm not sure anyone can ever properly describe just how delicious these things are, you just have to try them for yourself.
We also stopped along the way to get peritas, which are shaped like pairs, but taste like flower petals. No me gusta. We also got chocobananas. Chocolate covered bananas... I was absolutely delighted Sweet tooth fix, satisfied.
Moving Day
So my mom did an extraordianrily wonderful thing the last couple months while I was away at college, which was buying a house.
As fun and exciting as this is, it brings with it the prospect of moving. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who actually thoroughly enjoys moving, but as someone who has done it 6 times within the past three years, I've gotten to see the silver lining of moving-- you get to get rid of stuff.
We all have a ton of stuff that's clogging up the backs of closets, taking over drawers and collecting dust on our entertainment centers, and when we move, we finally have a legitimate reason to get rid of it.
So, Sunday morning after church, my lovely friends, who had nothing better to do, offered to help me move all the large things we had yet to move, like the flat screen tv, the refrigerator, large furniture and pieces, and anything else we could fit in the back of the truck. I have to stop for a moment and say that I do in fact have the greatest adn most wonderful friends on the face of the planet, because they logged in countless hours of moving and saved my mom and me a TON on handyman repairs. Such as... Drew fixed our dryer, drove around town to three different stores looking for the part we needed to replace one our breakers (and replaced it, shocking himself in the process) while Mike fixed out water, hooked up the icemaker, and fixed the washing machine. All in all, they saved us at least 500 dollars worth of work. It helps to have an electrician and a plumber for best friends.
The greatest part of this though, was that I didn't really have to ask. When my plans for the afternoon were moving, it quickly became everyone's plans. I can remember moving countless times in tennessee and always being afraid to ask for help and ending up just moving it all by myself. But here... I have 4 of the best friends in the world (along with their respective entourages) to count on.
So moving day was an all day event, ending with pizza ordered in, season-finale watching of LOST on new, leather auto-reclining couches, and merengue dancing.
And to think.... I am willfully choosing to leave all of this for Honduras.
(Post- Script) The night fully ended with Ricky being trapped in a closet convinced it was the bathroom.
As fun and exciting as this is, it brings with it the prospect of moving. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who actually thoroughly enjoys moving, but as someone who has done it 6 times within the past three years, I've gotten to see the silver lining of moving-- you get to get rid of stuff.
We all have a ton of stuff that's clogging up the backs of closets, taking over drawers and collecting dust on our entertainment centers, and when we move, we finally have a legitimate reason to get rid of it.
So, Sunday morning after church, my lovely friends, who had nothing better to do, offered to help me move all the large things we had yet to move, like the flat screen tv, the refrigerator, large furniture and pieces, and anything else we could fit in the back of the truck. I have to stop for a moment and say that I do in fact have the greatest adn most wonderful friends on the face of the planet, because they logged in countless hours of moving and saved my mom and me a TON on handyman repairs. Such as... Drew fixed our dryer, drove around town to three different stores looking for the part we needed to replace one our breakers (and replaced it, shocking himself in the process) while Mike fixed out water, hooked up the icemaker, and fixed the washing machine. All in all, they saved us at least 500 dollars worth of work. It helps to have an electrician and a plumber for best friends.
The greatest part of this though, was that I didn't really have to ask. When my plans for the afternoon were moving, it quickly became everyone's plans. I can remember moving countless times in tennessee and always being afraid to ask for help and ending up just moving it all by myself. But here... I have 4 of the best friends in the world (along with their respective entourages) to count on.
So moving day was an all day event, ending with pizza ordered in, season-finale watching of LOST on new, leather auto-reclining couches, and merengue dancing.
And to think.... I am willfully choosing to leave all of this for Honduras.
(Post- Script) The night fully ended with Ricky being trapped in a closet convinced it was the bathroom.
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