07/06/11
Have you ever made a split-second decision and that decision ended up changing your life (or at least giving you one heck of a story to tell)? Well....I have. No...I'm not talking about moving to Honduras for a year. That definitely was not a split-second decision! However, the decision to accompany two of my coworkers on a trip to San Pedro certainly was and....what an experience that turned out to be!
Last week, Nick needed a ride to the airport because he was going on a mission trip to El Salvador for a few days. Nick is the one teacher that actually has a vehicle so he was driving to the airport and his roommate, Allan, was going with him and bringing the truck back. Unbeknownst to me, Nick had already had some issues that day with the truck and ended up having to purchase a new battery right before we left for the airport. (Yes...that is foreshadowing!) When I heard Allan was going to ride with Nick and then drive back by himself, I offered to go along. The roads here in Honduras are a bit dangerous and I didn't want him to have to drive back alone. I figured, what's a few hours out of my day? It would be an hour and a half to the airport...an hour and a half back home. No big deal, right? Yeah.....right.
The trip started out fine. The guys picked me up and we headed toward the airport. Nick was telling me about the issues he'd had that day with the battery. He told Allan that while in El Salvador, he wouldn't have cell phone reception or much access to the internet so if he had any problems, we could send a message to him via Facebook and he would get back to us when he could. Little did he know that I would be contacting him VERY SOON. We made it to the airport with no problem, dropped Nick off and headed for home...that's when it got interesting.
We were just outside of San Pedro when I noticed that the air conditioning wasn't working, the radio was going in and out and the windows wouldn't roll down. Allan pulled the truck over and...it died. The new battery Nick had just purchased was dead. Unbelievable. After assessing the situation, Allan got out to try and flag down someone to help us. After a couple of minutes, a van full of people (only those familiar with Honduras knows what "a van full of people" really means!) pulled over to try and help us. A couple of guys got out to see what they could do. Unfortunately, they did not have jumper cables. The only thing we had in the truck was a machete. Not terribly useful to jump a dead battery. They left and another van pulled over but they didn't have jumper cables either. We weren't too far from a gas station so Allan decided to head over there to try and find someone to help. This was the only time during our experience that I felt extremely nervous.
Now...I have been left on the side of a highway before. No big deal. However, being left on the side of the highway in Honduras as a "gringa" is a little different. Since our arrival in Honduras, I have been told numerous times about the dangers we may face. The school does not want us walking along the highway between Pena Blanca and school and we are to always go places in pairs. We have been told about the gangs in San Pedro and about how Americans tend to be targeted for robbery because when "they" see Americans, they think money. So, I was pretty sure that being left alone in a dead truck outside of San Pedro probably would be frowned upon by the school. To be honest, I wasn't sure if I should be praying for someone to stop and help or if I should pray to be left alone.
After about a half an hour, Allan finally returned with two wonderful men. They drove over to see what they could do. They didn't have a jumper cable either so they left to go and get one, along with tools (the machete just wasn't going to cut it...no pun intended....). They came back and tried to jump start it but, because their battery was smaller, it wasn't working. They determined it was the alternator that was causing the problem. The left again to go and get a mechanic for us. The mechanic didn't want to come, so they came back and took our battery with them to charge it for a half an hour in a different location. They then returned with a charged battery, replaced it and wanted no money for all their work. As I said, wonderful men! They told us not use any lights as we drove home because it would drain the battery again. So, after two and a half hours, we were back on the road and ready to get home!
Allan and I had driven probably another 40 minutes and then....sunset. Now....there is a little discrepancy between Allan and my account of the next part of our story. We are not quite in agreement about who is actually to blame for what happened next. Perhaps it was my suggestion...but perhaps he needs to learn where all the mechanisms of a vehicle are before operating said vehicle....perhaps we are both a bit to blame. As I have said, the Honduran highway is quite dangerous. It is filled with twists and turns, blind corners and crazy drivers. Maneuvering a vehicle during the day is dangerous enough but imagine doing it at night...without lights. I merely suggested that perhaps the parking lights would not effect the battery terribly...but when Allan couldn't find the parking lights and started switching things on and off, the battery died....again. This time...in the middle of nowhere and in the dark. Um....oops!
At this point, the whole experience became pretty hilarious. I know, I know...you would think we would be a bit panicked but...nope. We were about forty minutes from home so I suggested we call Javier, a friend of ours in Pena Blanca, to see if he could help out. Let me tell you about Javier. Javier and his wife are originally from Puerto Rico but have lived in the United States for a while. They moved to Honduras in December and took in four girls from the foster care system here. They lived up in the mountains for several months and recently moved to Pena Blanca so they could help at the school. They will be teaching at the school next year. Javier helped me for a few weeks teach first grade. He and his wife had just returned from visiting the United States the day before. When we called Javier, he didn't even hesitate. He said he would come and get us. Now, Javier is new to the area so he didn't know the road between Pena Blanca and San Pedro so he stopped to get Shane (another teacher at the school).
So Allan and I sat back and began the wait for Javier and Shane. It was at this point that I decided it was time to tell Allan something extremely important and personal.....I had to go to the bathroom...REALLY BAD. Allan, being a man and all, says..."Just do it the Honduran way." Meaning on the side of the road. Um..no thanks. Now, at the risk of giving you more information than you need....let's just say I have an iron bladder. I'm not one of those people that can't hold it. I have flown to Hawaii, England, France and Honduras and have never used a bathroom on a plane. Yeah...that's right...never. However, after 6 hours (yeah...I had to go before we dropped Nick off at the airport) I actually considered doing it "the Honduran way". The only catch...the grass. Let me just say that after standing in the grass for 15 minutes, my feet are covered with bug bites....and that's normal grass. Where we were parked, the grass was chest high...um....again....no thanks. So I kept sitting there and every few minutes making some comment like..."oh man"...."wow"...."I really need to go"...."sigh"...."mmmmm"....well, you get it. Poor Allan. He just kept telling me to go "the Honduran way".
Finally Javier and Shane showed up. They tried to jump it but the battery was completely dead. They worked on it for quite a while but it was no use. We weren't sure what to do next. We knew that we had to get home but leaving the truck meant that the next day, it probably wouldn't be there. Shane and Allan go to church with a mechanic so they called to see if he knew of someone that could tow the truck back home. He didn't but suggested that Javier could just tow us back. Now...Javier's truck is about half the size of Nick's truck so we weren't sure if that would really work. Also, the only rope we could find was about 4 feet long. We figured at that point, we really didn't have many other options so...we tied the trucks together, put Nick's truck in neutral and...off we went.
Shane sat in the back of Javier's truck with a tiny flashlight keeping an eye on the rope and to guide us. It took a bit of getting used to...making sure we stayed centered with Javier and didn't step on the brake too hard (the couple of times that we did, we could literally see Javier's truck get pulled backward). What a sight we must have been. Shane in the back yelling..."5 miles an hour!"...."10 miles per hour!" ...."Increase to 20 miles per hour!"; Allan with hands at the 10 and 2 position saying, "Twenty miles per hour? That's too fast!"; and me opening the door to get air in our truck and wiping the windshield off with a sweatshirt I found in the back of the truck, complaining the whole time about needing a bathroom.
Things were going pretty good until we got to the police blockade. Yes...I said police blockade. We thought for sure we would have to stop. Javier was so sure, he actually did stop his truck...however, Allan didn't know he did so he was a little slow on the brake and we ended up running right into the back of Javier's truck. The reaction of the police? They just waved us on through. We finally made it to Rio Lindo, which is a town about twenty minutes down the mountain from Pena Blanca. We didn't even try to make it up the mountain. We pulled into a gas station and the men there were kind enough to let us park the truck in a secure area until Shane and Allan's friend could come and look at it the next day. They also let me use the bathroom. What kind, lovely men! We also found out from them why there was a police blockade. Apparently, two thieves had led them on a chase and they had abandoned their vehicle somewhere near where we were broken down. They had fled on foot and were somewhere in the area. Oh, boy! Glad I didn't know that! I wouldn't have remained quite so calm.
Quite a night. We finally got home around 10 p.m. (only 6 hours later than I had planned). The truck has been fixed and is running well. However, when Nick asked today if Allan and I would take him to the airport on Friday, I'm not sure I was able to hide my hesitation. Allan and I have decided to call our adventure that night, "The Honduran Way". Despite what that means to us, I have discovered that it means something else as well. That night we were blessed with kind, generous strangers and wonderful friends that helped get us safely home. After living here for 10 months, I have found that this is the true "Honduran Way."
martes, 7 de junio de 2011
viernes, 13 de mayo de 2011
Just Call Me Martha...
13/05/11
I must apologize for my lack of blog entries the past couple of months. It seems time is flying by! Since my last post, we have made a trip to the Copan ruins, held the dreaded "feria de ciencias" (Science Fair) and had our last round of parent-teacher conferences. We have gained three teachers and lost three teachers, have had to deal with incredible heat and have now moved into the rainy season. Lots going on and yet, I have remained silent. As much as I wanted to post exciting and hilarious entries on the events that have taken place, my heart just hasn't been in it. I would like to share something a bit more personal...something that has been on my mind and in my heart for a while now. Please bear with me....this could be quite a long entry!
I realize, of course, that not everyone reading this blog knows me personally. Even those that know me, may not know this side of me. It is not something I share easily or often. My faith is something that I consider very personal and I find it very difficult explaining to others (even my close family members) about my beliefs. As a camp counselor and director, I have had times when I needed to share my testimony but for the most part, I share my thoughts and beliefs through the devotions or worships I plan...in a very distant manner. There are a few close friends that I have opened up with about my thoughts and feelings and those are the conversations and friends that I cherish. It isn't that I don't enjoy having those conversations with others. In fact, I love having conversations with people about faith and God's greatness and love for us all. No, it isn't because I don't enjoy it, it's because, if I'm going to be completely honest, there are very few people in my life that I trust implicitly to be myself with.
This year has been a quite a journey for me. Besides the obvious challenges of teaching in a new school, in a new country and in a new language, there have been personal challenges as well. I have struggled with relationships (old and new), illness, lonliness and feelings of isolation. I have questioned who I am, who I want to be and who I am becoming. My faith and beliefs have been challenged, questioned, scrutinized and tested. Through it all, God has blessed me with people that have shown me what it truly means to be a faithful servant, to be a reflection of Christ and how to have a relationship with Him. For those of you that have been following my blog since the beginning, you may have noticed several blog posts with scripture references or even the occasional post where I have opened up a bit about my faith. For me, it all begins with sharing. I can no longer be silent about my faith, nor do I want to be.
Several months ago, I came across a scripture that I was quite familiar with but that I never really appreciated. Maybe it was because it hit a little too close to home, maybe because I didn't really "get" what it was saying or maybe I just wasn't at that point in my life where I wanted to hear it. For whatever reason, it was one of those scriptures that I would hear and just sort of forget immediately afterwards. Anyway, while looking up several scriptures for a friend of mine, I came across the scripture of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42). For those of you familiar with Martha and Mary, you can probably guess where this is going. For those of you not as familiar, let me explain...
Jesus comes to Martha's house. Martha is busy with all the work that needs to be done when you have guests staying at your house . During his visit, while Martha is busy playing the hostess, her sister Mary literally sits at the feet of Jesus listening to him teach. Martha is frustrated. She complains to Jesus that she's done all the work while her sister just sits there and does nothing. Jesus tells her that there is only one thing that is important and Mary has chosen to do it.
To put it bluntly.....
I am Martha.
Not to seem egotistically or anything but, I'm a pretty good camp director. I know how to plan activities that are fun. I know how to find great theme songs. I know how to maintain order in a room full of teenagers. I know how to deal with misbehaviors. I know how to improvise when plans are not going well or need to be changed at the last minute. A friend of mine and I joke that I have a file cabinet in my head filled with thousands of files and I can select a file to use at a moment's notice. That's my life...planning, organizing, implementing. The part I have always had the hardest time with is giving things to God. I am a control freak...no doubt about it. I read a book the other day where the character was accused of playing God in her own life. That's me.
For some reason, that relationship thing with Christ...not so easy. Praying about things has always been difficult for me. It's not like I haven't had prayers that have been answered because I have...a lot, actually. It's just one of those things that I have never found to be easy. It's much easier to pray for others than to pray about things I'm struggling with. I'm sure some of you understand what I mean. So for me, I have always understood where Martha is coming from. That would be me in the kitchen preparing the food, making sure everything is in order. It's a lot easier to keep busy than to actually just sit and be in someone's presence....especially in the presence of Christ.
Now, before you start thinking that this whole "faith" thing is something new to me, let me assure you that is not the case. In fact, the whole reason I am here is because I truly believe I have been called to be. For years I ignored this nagging feeling in my mind and in my heart that I was supposed to teach in a Spanish speaking country. Ending up here was not a fluke. After years of putting off this "calling" (a calling so strong that I felt it with every fiber of my being...I kid you not) with excuses...I need a job, I have to pay of this loan, I don't speak Spanish, I don't want to go alone, I love the kids in my youth group too much....I finally could avoid it any longer and made the decision to follow the path I was meant to follow. Once the decision had been made, it was amazing how things just fell into place. Coincidence? I think not.
There is no doubt about it....I am blessed. Not many people have the opportunity, the means, or the support to just pick up and go volunteer in a different country for an entire year. This experience has taught me a lot...about people, about relationships, about myself....and most importantly, about faith. I have had a lot of time this year for prayer, meditation and reflection. I have been surrounded by people of extremely strong faith. I have had numerous conversations with people of different faiths and beliefs about what it means to follow Christ, who He is and what He's all about. I have had the opportunity to attend several different churches and witness people praising God and studying the scriptures. Through this I have come to realize that my entire adult life has been about helping youth find a relationship with Christ...and yet, my own relationship with Christ is still developing. I learn and witness new things every day. I am reminded every day to give Him my burdens and I am trying hard to do so because, let's face it, being Martha is exhausting! I want to be Mary.
I must apologize for my lack of blog entries the past couple of months. It seems time is flying by! Since my last post, we have made a trip to the Copan ruins, held the dreaded "feria de ciencias" (Science Fair) and had our last round of parent-teacher conferences. We have gained three teachers and lost three teachers, have had to deal with incredible heat and have now moved into the rainy season. Lots going on and yet, I have remained silent. As much as I wanted to post exciting and hilarious entries on the events that have taken place, my heart just hasn't been in it. I would like to share something a bit more personal...something that has been on my mind and in my heart for a while now. Please bear with me....this could be quite a long entry!
I realize, of course, that not everyone reading this blog knows me personally. Even those that know me, may not know this side of me. It is not something I share easily or often. My faith is something that I consider very personal and I find it very difficult explaining to others (even my close family members) about my beliefs. As a camp counselor and director, I have had times when I needed to share my testimony but for the most part, I share my thoughts and beliefs through the devotions or worships I plan...in a very distant manner. There are a few close friends that I have opened up with about my thoughts and feelings and those are the conversations and friends that I cherish. It isn't that I don't enjoy having those conversations with others. In fact, I love having conversations with people about faith and God's greatness and love for us all. No, it isn't because I don't enjoy it, it's because, if I'm going to be completely honest, there are very few people in my life that I trust implicitly to be myself with.
This year has been a quite a journey for me. Besides the obvious challenges of teaching in a new school, in a new country and in a new language, there have been personal challenges as well. I have struggled with relationships (old and new), illness, lonliness and feelings of isolation. I have questioned who I am, who I want to be and who I am becoming. My faith and beliefs have been challenged, questioned, scrutinized and tested. Through it all, God has blessed me with people that have shown me what it truly means to be a faithful servant, to be a reflection of Christ and how to have a relationship with Him. For those of you that have been following my blog since the beginning, you may have noticed several blog posts with scripture references or even the occasional post where I have opened up a bit about my faith. For me, it all begins with sharing. I can no longer be silent about my faith, nor do I want to be.
Several months ago, I came across a scripture that I was quite familiar with but that I never really appreciated. Maybe it was because it hit a little too close to home, maybe because I didn't really "get" what it was saying or maybe I just wasn't at that point in my life where I wanted to hear it. For whatever reason, it was one of those scriptures that I would hear and just sort of forget immediately afterwards. Anyway, while looking up several scriptures for a friend of mine, I came across the scripture of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42). For those of you familiar with Martha and Mary, you can probably guess where this is going. For those of you not as familiar, let me explain...
Jesus comes to Martha's house. Martha is busy with all the work that needs to be done when you have guests staying at your house . During his visit, while Martha is busy playing the hostess, her sister Mary literally sits at the feet of Jesus listening to him teach. Martha is frustrated. She complains to Jesus that she's done all the work while her sister just sits there and does nothing. Jesus tells her that there is only one thing that is important and Mary has chosen to do it.
To put it bluntly.....
I am Martha.
Not to seem egotistically or anything but, I'm a pretty good camp director. I know how to plan activities that are fun. I know how to find great theme songs. I know how to maintain order in a room full of teenagers. I know how to deal with misbehaviors. I know how to improvise when plans are not going well or need to be changed at the last minute. A friend of mine and I joke that I have a file cabinet in my head filled with thousands of files and I can select a file to use at a moment's notice. That's my life...planning, organizing, implementing. The part I have always had the hardest time with is giving things to God. I am a control freak...no doubt about it. I read a book the other day where the character was accused of playing God in her own life. That's me.
For some reason, that relationship thing with Christ...not so easy. Praying about things has always been difficult for me. It's not like I haven't had prayers that have been answered because I have...a lot, actually. It's just one of those things that I have never found to be easy. It's much easier to pray for others than to pray about things I'm struggling with. I'm sure some of you understand what I mean. So for me, I have always understood where Martha is coming from. That would be me in the kitchen preparing the food, making sure everything is in order. It's a lot easier to keep busy than to actually just sit and be in someone's presence....especially in the presence of Christ.
Now, before you start thinking that this whole "faith" thing is something new to me, let me assure you that is not the case. In fact, the whole reason I am here is because I truly believe I have been called to be. For years I ignored this nagging feeling in my mind and in my heart that I was supposed to teach in a Spanish speaking country. Ending up here was not a fluke. After years of putting off this "calling" (a calling so strong that I felt it with every fiber of my being...I kid you not) with excuses...I need a job, I have to pay of this loan, I don't speak Spanish, I don't want to go alone, I love the kids in my youth group too much....I finally could avoid it any longer and made the decision to follow the path I was meant to follow. Once the decision had been made, it was amazing how things just fell into place. Coincidence? I think not.
There is no doubt about it....I am blessed. Not many people have the opportunity, the means, or the support to just pick up and go volunteer in a different country for an entire year. This experience has taught me a lot...about people, about relationships, about myself....and most importantly, about faith. I have had a lot of time this year for prayer, meditation and reflection. I have been surrounded by people of extremely strong faith. I have had numerous conversations with people of different faiths and beliefs about what it means to follow Christ, who He is and what He's all about. I have had the opportunity to attend several different churches and witness people praising God and studying the scriptures. Through this I have come to realize that my entire adult life has been about helping youth find a relationship with Christ...and yet, my own relationship with Christ is still developing. I learn and witness new things every day. I am reminded every day to give Him my burdens and I am trying hard to do so because, let's face it, being Martha is exhausting! I want to be Mary.
domingo, 27 de marzo de 2011
"There is nothing lost, but may be found, if sought"
27/03/11
I'm tired.
I'm tired of living out of a suitcase. I am tired of waking up at 3:30 a.m. to the barking dogs. I'm tired of having ants and spiders crawling on me as I sleep. I'm tired of having to wear flip flops in the shower. I'm tired of having to rely on others to get where I need to go. I'm tired of washing all my clothes by hand. I'm tired of being stared at everywhere I go. I'm tired of teaching 46 first graders, no matter how much I love them. I'm tired of the constant coming and going of teachers and roommates. I'm tired of not understanding what people are saying. I'm tired of having to rely on the internet to talk to my friends and family. I'm tired of feeling alone. I AM TIRED.
At this point, I have been living in Honduras for 7 months and 12 days. In some ways it feels like it has been a lifetime. In other ways, just a few moments. While things have settled into a routine and the homesickness has subsided, I still long for "normal." I long for "home". But the truth is, while I desperately want to be "home" where life is "normal," deep down I know that even if I jumped on a plane today, "home" and "normal" would not be there. My home is now a pretty little house in Pena Blanca, Honduras and normal...well, is life ever really normal?
I came across this quote the other day and it didn't just speak to me....it YELLED my name.
“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
I know that I have gained a lot from this experience but for some reason, I have only been able to focus on the last part of this quote. My head is filled with thoughts of those things lost. The friendships that will never been quite the same, the family experiences that I have missed out on (my brother's wedding, my cousin's engagement, my sister-in-law's pregnancy). Those are things I will never get back.
The truth is I long to go back to before. Before I came to Honduras. Before my life was turned upside down and filled with questions that don't seem to have answers. Because as much as I long to go home, I am terrified of what lies ahead of me. I am not the same person that I was in August. I dread the "chats" in the grocery store with people that will want me to sum up my year in the 5 minutes it takes to check out. No amount of explaining, blogging or picture taking will ever tell the entire story. Even those closest to me, that have been in constant contact with me throughout the year will never understand completely. That is a lonely feeling.
I believe with all my heart that I had a purpose for coming here, that I was placed exactly where I was supposed to be placed. It is my hope that in my final 3 months, my eyes will be opened to all that has been gained from this experience. That I will be able to see that, despite those things that have been seemingly "lost" to me, even more has been found.
I'm tired.
I'm tired of living out of a suitcase. I am tired of waking up at 3:30 a.m. to the barking dogs. I'm tired of having ants and spiders crawling on me as I sleep. I'm tired of having to wear flip flops in the shower. I'm tired of having to rely on others to get where I need to go. I'm tired of washing all my clothes by hand. I'm tired of being stared at everywhere I go. I'm tired of teaching 46 first graders, no matter how much I love them. I'm tired of the constant coming and going of teachers and roommates. I'm tired of not understanding what people are saying. I'm tired of having to rely on the internet to talk to my friends and family. I'm tired of feeling alone. I AM TIRED.
At this point, I have been living in Honduras for 7 months and 12 days. In some ways it feels like it has been a lifetime. In other ways, just a few moments. While things have settled into a routine and the homesickness has subsided, I still long for "normal." I long for "home". But the truth is, while I desperately want to be "home" where life is "normal," deep down I know that even if I jumped on a plane today, "home" and "normal" would not be there. My home is now a pretty little house in Pena Blanca, Honduras and normal...well, is life ever really normal?
I came across this quote the other day and it didn't just speak to me....it YELLED my name.
“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
I know that I have gained a lot from this experience but for some reason, I have only been able to focus on the last part of this quote. My head is filled with thoughts of those things lost. The friendships that will never been quite the same, the family experiences that I have missed out on (my brother's wedding, my cousin's engagement, my sister-in-law's pregnancy). Those are things I will never get back.
The truth is I long to go back to before. Before I came to Honduras. Before my life was turned upside down and filled with questions that don't seem to have answers. Because as much as I long to go home, I am terrified of what lies ahead of me. I am not the same person that I was in August. I dread the "chats" in the grocery store with people that will want me to sum up my year in the 5 minutes it takes to check out. No amount of explaining, blogging or picture taking will ever tell the entire story. Even those closest to me, that have been in constant contact with me throughout the year will never understand completely. That is a lonely feeling.
I believe with all my heart that I had a purpose for coming here, that I was placed exactly where I was supposed to be placed. It is my hope that in my final 3 months, my eyes will be opened to all that has been gained from this experience. That I will be able to see that, despite those things that have been seemingly "lost" to me, even more has been found.
domingo, 6 de marzo de 2011
Be Still....
06/03/11
What a weekend! I was blessed with the opportunity to get out of Pena Blanca for a couple of days and do some exploring of new areas of Honduras. On Friday, Nick, Elizabeth (two of the other teachers at the school) and I headed to La Cieba. The plan was to stay at the Jungle River Lodge and the next morning we would get up and do one of the many excursions they offer. Nick and Elizabeth wanted to go rafting. I was not terribly excited about that prospect. I have never had any desire to go white water rafting. I have had several opportunities to go, and have always turned them down. I know...a chance of a lifetime but....no thanks. I saw that they also offered an experience of zip-lining through the forest. Despite my fear of heights, I was pretty excited about doing this.
After checking into the lodge and settling into our rooms, we made our way outside to these massive boulders that sat next to the river. It was a gorgeous night. We sat outside talking and looking at the stars and listening to the rushing water. After several hours, we headed to our rooms for a good night sleep. I went to sleep to the sound of the rushing river outside my room. So peaceful.
The next morning we were up and ready to go early. The staff at the lodge made us a breakfast of pancakes and fruit. We then found out that more people were coming to go rafting. However, no one else wanted to do the zip-line. I was a bit disappointed but decided that I would just stay at the lodge, put on my iPod, and read one of the many books that I have yet to read. After the group took off for rafting, I headed back to my room to get my Nook and iPod, thinking about what book I was going to read and what I should do when a voice inside my head said, "Just be still."
The truth is, I have been craving silence. Since arriving in Honduras six months ago, I have been constantly surrounded by noise. At school, it's constant go, go, go. People talking at me non-stop. Even during my "breaks" I am surrounded by noise. If teachers want to work during their break, we are supposed to go to the cafeteria. My breaks always fall during the breakfast break for the three year olds. Definitely no quiet in the cafeteria! At home, if it's not the barking dogs or the neighbors yelling, it's my computer. Music, movies, I'm constantly plugged in. Even when there is no noise around me, I am not silent. My brain is constantly thinking, worrying, criticizing. Rarely do I allow myself to just "be still."
So...during my two hours in the Honduran jungle, I decided to "be still." I found a boulder that was a bit away from the lodge, and basked in the warm sun and cool breeze. For two solid hours, I sat in silence. The only sounds surrounding me were the beautiful sounds of nature. The river crashing against the rocks, the breeze blowing the leaves of the trees, birds chirping. I do not remember a time I have ever felt so content.
After they arrived back from rafting, we packed up and headed to Tela and to the beach. I cannot stress how much I love the beach. There is something about the sound of the ocean that just makes me feel at peace. Perhaps it is because no matter what is going on in my life, when I see the ocean, walk along the shore with the waves lapping at my feet, I realize how small and insignificant my problems are in the whole scheme of things.
We arrived in Tela, enjoyed a late lunch and then hit the beach. It was fun but after my experience at the river, I was a bit disappointed. I wanted to experience that same calm and contentment. After swimming we headed up to our rooms. Our rooms were gorgeous! Complete with balconies overlooking the ocean. As I stepped out onto the balcony, I realized that the sun was starting to set. I decided to head back down to try and get some pictures. It was then, as I walked along the beach, watching the sky turn brilliant shades of orange and pink and purple, that I felt it....that sense of peace. Lovely. This morning, I woke up early and headed to the beach, walking along the shore, basking in the silence....MY silence.
I know without a doubt that there will be days in the coming months that will be difficult. I know that there will be days when I will be unable to turn off my brain and the noise will be unbearable. I also know that those will be the days that I will need to remember the calm and peace that I experienced this weekend.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 4:6-7
My spirit is at peace.
domingo, 27 de febrero de 2011
A Photo Blog
On Friday we had a "Sportsmanship Day" where all of the students played futbol and volleyball and had a great time. Here are pictures from the day I am also attaching a slide show that feature a few of my students. Enjoy!
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Sunrise to Sunset
27/02/11
Yesterday a few of us made a day trip to Guatemala so that we could get our visas renewed. We went to a market and enjoyed lunch by the Caribbean Sea. Rather than write about it, I thought I would let my pictures speak for themselves. Enjoy!
Yesterday a few of us made a day trip to Guatemala so that we could get our visas renewed. We went to a market and enjoyed lunch by the Caribbean Sea. Rather than write about it, I thought I would let my pictures speak for themselves. Enjoy!
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jueves, 24 de febrero de 2011
Snow Predicted in Honduras!
24/02/11
It is a running joke among the profession that teachers are able to predict the weather according to the behavior of the students. While I have never done an actual study on this, it seems pretty reliable. Some of you might be thinking, "Yeah, right!" However, ask any teacher and they will tell you that on days the students are acting a bit more "rambunctious" than usual, there tends to be a change in the weather immediately following or we discover it is a day of a full moon. Well, after today, I have determined there is a major snow storm heading our way!!! Here's my proof.
Today started as any other day. I woke up (extremely tired, I might add, after several weeks of insomnia) at 5:30, got ready to go and was in the van heading to school at 6:25. Students started arriving at 7:00, like normal. My first inclination that this was going to be a long day was when three of my boys got out of their bus and started chasing each other around, screaming and yelling. Typically, they don't start screaming until about 7:30! Anyway, all of the kids seems especially hyper upon arriving at the school.
I started my phonics lesson in Primero B. I was writing the lesson on the board and when I turned around, six of my students had switched seats. Now, this may seem a bit "normal" for first graders but the students that decided to play this particular prank are six of the best behaved students in my class. They are the ones that hardly even speak, let alone mess around. I got everyone back to their seats and was ready to begin my lesson again when no fewer than four students got up to ask if they could use the bathroom and get drinks. Um...what?!? My rule has been before or after class since day one. I was a bit confused and a little annoyed. It was now 7:50...twenty minutes into phonics class and I hadn't even started yet. I could tell it was going to be a VERY LONG DAY!!!
I will spare you the details of the little annoyances that happened throughout the next couple of hours but let's just say, Primero A had their own issues. On to the big stuff....during science class I had both classes together. We have been learning about the five senses. We had made "binoculars" early in the week and today we were going to take them outside to look at things and complete the page in the science book. I took the group outside after lecturing them about what we were and were not going to do. I gave them their instructions and headed outside with them. Once we hit the opening to outside, about half the class took off at a full sprint and started running around the playground. Definitely NOT my instructions! Once they saw their classmates running, the rest seemed to think, "well...why not?" because they took off as well. So, I had to round them all up (um...heard the phrase, "herding cats"???) and go over the instructions again. Ugh!
After science, Primero B had Biblia class. As I'm in the middle of my math lesson in Primero A, the Bible teacher comes running over. Apparently, two of my students from Primero B got into a fight in the bathroom, resulting in one getting a bloody nose and the other, "disciplina." While I'm in the hallway dealing with this issue, Primero A students have decided to play tag in the classroom. I finally get some control back and I have 15 minutes to teach a 40 minute math lesson.
During lunch and recess, I'm having a discussion with my student in "disciplina" regarding his behavior when a student from Primero A comes running in (followed by about 12 other boys) COVERED IN MUD. I'm not exaggerating. His entire right side, from head to toe, was completely muddy. I went to get the fourth grade teacher, a veteran at the school, to see what on earth I should do. While I was gone the custodian decided to try and clean him up. The fourth grade teacher told her not to and she went to find the Assistant Principal. The custodian got mad and started telling me in Spanish that she wanted to clean him and Mrs. Bueso said, "no." It was at that point, I threw my hands in the air. I literally walked away. I still had Emiliany to deal with. I sent Emiliany into the cafeteria to get lunch and went to find my other student. Guillermo (mud boy) was standing on the school's pila. Our custodian was cleaning his clothes with a hose and a rag. He was quite the entertainment for the entire school.
After lunch, I was pretty much done for and I still had to do a spelling test and an English lesson (on how to write a letter...oh joy!). It must have shown because kids were coming up and offering me cookies and suckers. We made it through spelling and English and I thought I was in the clear until, right before we were leaving, a group of students that were "helping" knocked over my full cup of tea, spilling tea all over my desk and the floor and a student that was picking papers up in the classroom, decided to run back to his seat when he fell and hit his chest hard on the corner of a desk.
What a day it has been! I have spent many years predicting the weather and, as far as I can tell, we are expecting 15-18 inches of snow here in Honduras! Here's hoping for a snow day tomorrow!!!
It is a running joke among the profession that teachers are able to predict the weather according to the behavior of the students. While I have never done an actual study on this, it seems pretty reliable. Some of you might be thinking, "Yeah, right!" However, ask any teacher and they will tell you that on days the students are acting a bit more "rambunctious" than usual, there tends to be a change in the weather immediately following or we discover it is a day of a full moon. Well, after today, I have determined there is a major snow storm heading our way!!! Here's my proof.
Today started as any other day. I woke up (extremely tired, I might add, after several weeks of insomnia) at 5:30, got ready to go and was in the van heading to school at 6:25. Students started arriving at 7:00, like normal. My first inclination that this was going to be a long day was when three of my boys got out of their bus and started chasing each other around, screaming and yelling. Typically, they don't start screaming until about 7:30! Anyway, all of the kids seems especially hyper upon arriving at the school.
I started my phonics lesson in Primero B. I was writing the lesson on the board and when I turned around, six of my students had switched seats. Now, this may seem a bit "normal" for first graders but the students that decided to play this particular prank are six of the best behaved students in my class. They are the ones that hardly even speak, let alone mess around. I got everyone back to their seats and was ready to begin my lesson again when no fewer than four students got up to ask if they could use the bathroom and get drinks. Um...what?!? My rule has been before or after class since day one. I was a bit confused and a little annoyed. It was now 7:50...twenty minutes into phonics class and I hadn't even started yet. I could tell it was going to be a VERY LONG DAY!!!
I will spare you the details of the little annoyances that happened throughout the next couple of hours but let's just say, Primero A had their own issues. On to the big stuff....during science class I had both classes together. We have been learning about the five senses. We had made "binoculars" early in the week and today we were going to take them outside to look at things and complete the page in the science book. I took the group outside after lecturing them about what we were and were not going to do. I gave them their instructions and headed outside with them. Once we hit the opening to outside, about half the class took off at a full sprint and started running around the playground. Definitely NOT my instructions! Once they saw their classmates running, the rest seemed to think, "well...why not?" because they took off as well. So, I had to round them all up (um...heard the phrase, "herding cats"???) and go over the instructions again. Ugh!
After science, Primero B had Biblia class. As I'm in the middle of my math lesson in Primero A, the Bible teacher comes running over. Apparently, two of my students from Primero B got into a fight in the bathroom, resulting in one getting a bloody nose and the other, "disciplina." While I'm in the hallway dealing with this issue, Primero A students have decided to play tag in the classroom. I finally get some control back and I have 15 minutes to teach a 40 minute math lesson.
During lunch and recess, I'm having a discussion with my student in "disciplina" regarding his behavior when a student from Primero A comes running in (followed by about 12 other boys) COVERED IN MUD. I'm not exaggerating. His entire right side, from head to toe, was completely muddy. I went to get the fourth grade teacher, a veteran at the school, to see what on earth I should do. While I was gone the custodian decided to try and clean him up. The fourth grade teacher told her not to and she went to find the Assistant Principal. The custodian got mad and started telling me in Spanish that she wanted to clean him and Mrs. Bueso said, "no." It was at that point, I threw my hands in the air. I literally walked away. I still had Emiliany to deal with. I sent Emiliany into the cafeteria to get lunch and went to find my other student. Guillermo (mud boy) was standing on the school's pila. Our custodian was cleaning his clothes with a hose and a rag. He was quite the entertainment for the entire school.
After lunch, I was pretty much done for and I still had to do a spelling test and an English lesson (on how to write a letter...oh joy!). It must have shown because kids were coming up and offering me cookies and suckers. We made it through spelling and English and I thought I was in the clear until, right before we were leaving, a group of students that were "helping" knocked over my full cup of tea, spilling tea all over my desk and the floor and a student that was picking papers up in the classroom, decided to run back to his seat when he fell and hit his chest hard on the corner of a desk.
What a day it has been! I have spent many years predicting the weather and, as far as I can tell, we are expecting 15-18 inches of snow here in Honduras! Here's hoping for a snow day tomorrow!!!
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