Todo Macizo

More time keeps passing between each entry. I guess I've just gotten into the swing of things, and life here is starting to feel normal, as if there is nothing strange or exciting to report on. This of course, isn't true; although I've gotten into a routine and every day may not seem like anything exciting is happening, each day I'm here is a blessing and I'm trying really hard to make use of that. It's hard because time is going by so quickly. I can't believe it's already the end of April. I literally feel like I blinked and the month of April passed. Up until very recently I have been, for the most part, looking forward to going home. Not to say that I haven't been enjoying my time here, but I've just been marking days off on my calender and thinking about how great it will feel to be home. But now, kind of suddenly, it's sinking in that I am going home very soon, and that I know I'm going to be very sad when I do. I love the people of Honduras, and I will truely miss the laid-back, happy, and caring nature of the people and lifestyle here. There were three reasons that called me to Honduras: the first being the desire to help these beautiful people that I have met and loved before, to somehow contribute to the great work that is being done here. the second reason is wanting to gain experience related to my major, my career, experience that I know will help me gain perspective in my studies. The third reason, is my desire for cultural immersion; to experience in actuality what it is like to live in a country very different from my own. All of these reasons I can say without hesitation I am fulfilling. But at different points so far I have felt one reason pulling stronger than the others. The first thing that was very clear to me, was the incredible experience I am gaining working with students, especially those with special needs. I know I will go home and be capable of doing and understanding things I never would have before. Then, as I got to know the kids better, the pull of my desire to help was at a high point. I got so involved in the students and the countless things I wanted to be able to do to help. Right now, I'm feeling the immersion starting to kick in. This week in particular I have felt really connected to some of the teachers at Nazareth; like they are really friends of mine, more than just people I like and respect. (Not to mention that as of recently tengo un amigo casi un novio que me gusta mucho y con quien paso bastante tiempo...)
Anyways, to sum up, everything is going really great right now. My experiences are turning out to be everything I hoped they would be. The countdown is on for returning to the States, when a strange mixture of happiness and sadness and all sorts of other feelings will take over.

Mis Vacaciones Divertidas

I got back from my adventure vacation almost 2 weeks ago, and immediately jumped right back to work. It was almost like I could have used a vacation from my vacation before starting back up again. It was really something...definitely not like any other vacation experience I've had. Here's the week in a nutshell: Jess and waited at the bus station in Juticalpa for a bus to Tegucigalpa for about an hour early Saturday morning. The ride to Tegus is about 3 1/2 hours. Then almost immediately we went to the bus station in Tegus and waited about 1 1/2 for a bus to San Pedro Sula. That ride took almost 5 hours total. The "budget" hotel we had booked we stayed in for about 15 minutes total. After determining that the ac we payed for in the room was blowing warm air, and that there were GINORMOUS cockroach antennae sticking out from the sink, wiggling around, we decided we couldn't stay there. So we moved up to a "midrange" hotel that was like a whole nother world. The next morning we went to the airport to pick up Jess's friend Lauren. Then we immediately went to the bus station to find a bus to Tela. We probably waited about 3 hours in line to actually get on the bus, in scorching heat, but once we did the ride was only about 1 1/2. In Tela we went on a fantastic tour that took us by boat to Punta Sal, a gorgeous beach where no one lives except a family in a hut that cooks for the tourists. There we took a mini hike and saw some howler monkeys and huge spiders and really neat flowers and trees. We did a little snorkeling, ate an entire fish (eye and all) and got majorly sunburned (but later tanned!) laying out on the beach. Later on that day we got on another bus - which we waited for on the side of the road at gas station - that took us to La Ceiba, the third largest city in Honduras, and the place to be during vacations. We enjoyed the night there, with places and events to choose from to occupy ourselves. The next day we took a scenic cab ride up the mountain and into Parque Pico Bonito. We stayed at an incredibly designed jungle lodge with a pool and hammocks and an outdoor shower made of stone and really fun hiking trails. Our second day there we went white water rafting, where our tour guide made fun of us for being so terrible (all in good fun). By the end of the river though we were pros, falling out of the raft at a much lower frequency. The next day we went all the way back to San Pedro Sula where we mostly chilled out for the next day and a half. The country sort of shuts down on Good Friday so we had to make sure we were back in San Pedro so Lauren could catch her flight home Saturday morning. Carlos and Colleen had met up with us in San Pedro and Carlos drove us to Puerto Cortes where we had a very different beach experience. Herds and herds of people everywhere, and hardly any actual beach area, mostly just a dock and water. We didn't stay very long before deciding to head over to Lago Yojoa where we had a cabin reserved for two nights. It was a very chill, peaceful place with lots of volunteers and back-packers. It was in the town the lake was in, Pina Blanca, that we had some adventures. Our second day there we set out in foot to do a little exploring, and to try to find somewhere to get a good view of the lake. We ended up taking a jalon (which essentially is hitch-hiking - you wave someone to pull over and hop in the back of their truck if they're going in the direction you want to go - but it's very common and safe here) into town, then a 13-year-old hoped out of van without a door which apparently was some type of bus service because he ushered us and other people in for 6 lmps each (about $0.33) and took us to the lake. The next day was even funnier transportation. We had to stand around on the road and guess which school bus to get on to take us to a town to wait for another school bus to take us to Tegus. These school buses are called "chicken buses" because quite literally you can take your chickens, or whatever else you have with you on them. We were on this bus, packed with people standing in the aisles the whole time, for about 2 1/2 hours I'd say. Colleen and I witnessed a little girl in the seat across from us puke in a bag and then just hold on to it till we got off. Quite the experience. Anyways it was a fabulous trip. And certainly cheap enough. Definitely not something I'm going to forget any time soon.