Thursday, May 28, 2009
Earthquake
I guess I can chalk up today as a new life experience. At around 2:30 this morning we had a pretty sizable earthquake here in Honduras. It pretty much shook me out of bed and lasted what felt like a long time but was in reality probably only 15 or 20 seconds. Me and my neighbor went out in town a bit to make sure everything was ok but there was very minimal damage here. It was a crazy experience. Thank the Lord it was not worse then it was and was out in the ocean because it could have really been much worse. All that happened was it knocked out our electricity for a bit and shut down a cell phone tower. We still have no water but that wasnt due to the earthquake. Thank you for your prayers. It has been a scary but exciting day thus far.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Variety
May 24, 2009
It is officially about one month till I head back home and the school year is over. It is really hard to believe. I feel like walking into class without ever teaching and being scared stiff was just a week or so ago but I guess it has really been almost a year ago. I have so much to thank God for including for the first time in my life confidence in another language. I am by no means even close to fluent but I am conversationally understandable and that makes me feel really good. I have been given new friends and a place that I have really fallen in love with. Things could have gone so much different.
I bought a copy of the new movie by Jim Carry called something like Yes Man. In Spanish it is called Si Senor. Now I am not going to lie I am not a huge fan of Jim Carry and I am not even going to say this movie was fantastic. However, the point of the movie was saying that sometimes in life we look for reasons to say no to things and maybe instead of saying no all the time we should look for reasons to say Yes. Now, it is by no means a real deep plot but I think it did kind of have a point. In my own life I see many places where I really just look for a reason to say no to something when maybe in all reality it would be good for me. There are specifics but they are worth a whole blog entry by themselves. I see it as well in other people especially when I talk about working in another country. Most people just search for a reason to tell me no. Now I realize working in another country is not for everyone but in most peoples minds they don’t just give the idea a chance.
One other thing I meant to blog on.... About 2 weeks ago I was able to take my kids on an expedition to a cave near La Union. It was the sweetest field trip ever. We did everything from being explorers in caves, finding bats, pushing kids up cliffs, hiking and much more. It was a field trip that was by no means safe but at the same time extremely fun and the kids loved it. It was one of those days that made me say thank you for a great job and a bunch of wonderful kids. Also I just got back from hanging out with Joe, Leah and Erica in Copan Ruins for the weekend. I love having good friends who are willing to come out and see me. They are wonderful people and I really have a ton to be thankful for.
It is officially about one month till I head back home and the school year is over. It is really hard to believe. I feel like walking into class without ever teaching and being scared stiff was just a week or so ago but I guess it has really been almost a year ago. I have so much to thank God for including for the first time in my life confidence in another language. I am by no means even close to fluent but I am conversationally understandable and that makes me feel really good. I have been given new friends and a place that I have really fallen in love with. Things could have gone so much different.
I bought a copy of the new movie by Jim Carry called something like Yes Man. In Spanish it is called Si Senor. Now I am not going to lie I am not a huge fan of Jim Carry and I am not even going to say this movie was fantastic. However, the point of the movie was saying that sometimes in life we look for reasons to say no to things and maybe instead of saying no all the time we should look for reasons to say Yes. Now, it is by no means a real deep plot but I think it did kind of have a point. In my own life I see many places where I really just look for a reason to say no to something when maybe in all reality it would be good for me. There are specifics but they are worth a whole blog entry by themselves. I see it as well in other people especially when I talk about working in another country. Most people just search for a reason to tell me no. Now I realize working in another country is not for everyone but in most peoples minds they don’t just give the idea a chance.
One other thing I meant to blog on.... About 2 weeks ago I was able to take my kids on an expedition to a cave near La Union. It was the sweetest field trip ever. We did everything from being explorers in caves, finding bats, pushing kids up cliffs, hiking and much more. It was a field trip that was by no means safe but at the same time extremely fun and the kids loved it. It was one of those days that made me say thank you for a great job and a bunch of wonderful kids. Also I just got back from hanging out with Joe, Leah and Erica in Copan Ruins for the weekend. I love having good friends who are willing to come out and see me. They are wonderful people and I really have a ton to be thankful for.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Ups and Downs
May 18, 2009
Today has been one of those days of ups and downs... In an earlier post I talked about how getting a Visa to the United States is quite difficult even if you just wanted to visit. Well today proved it to me when I received word that Ana the person that was going to live at my house over the summer was denied her Visa. In reality it makes my life easier for the summer but I would have much rather had the chance to show her around my country and given her the opportunity to have new experiences like seeing a lake. I also kind of feel like I was the one encouraging her so when she comes back disappointed it is in some ways my fault. However, on a brighter note my friends from college arrived safely to La Union last week and they have been helping in the school as well as with volleyball practice after school. It has been really great having them around. I also received this beautiful note of encouragement from an old friend today which made me feel like what I am doing in this place is something that makes a real difference. So it has just been one of those roller coaster days. One request I have it to keep me in your prayers because for the next school year I have some decisions to make about what school I want to be at and what I will be doing. I am thankful for options because so many people I know are stuck with their job however, options mean decisions and decisions can be difficult at times. God Bless
Today has been one of those days of ups and downs... In an earlier post I talked about how getting a Visa to the United States is quite difficult even if you just wanted to visit. Well today proved it to me when I received word that Ana the person that was going to live at my house over the summer was denied her Visa. In reality it makes my life easier for the summer but I would have much rather had the chance to show her around my country and given her the opportunity to have new experiences like seeing a lake. I also kind of feel like I was the one encouraging her so when she comes back disappointed it is in some ways my fault. However, on a brighter note my friends from college arrived safely to La Union last week and they have been helping in the school as well as with volleyball practice after school. It has been really great having them around. I also received this beautiful note of encouragement from an old friend today which made me feel like what I am doing in this place is something that makes a real difference. So it has just been one of those roller coaster days. One request I have it to keep me in your prayers because for the next school year I have some decisions to make about what school I want to be at and what I will be doing. I am thankful for options because so many people I know are stuck with their job however, options mean decisions and decisions can be difficult at times. God Bless
Monday, May 11, 2009
Mothers Day
Well mothers day is always a hectic time around this school. We had mothers day preperations which included getting projects ready to take home and skits to perform for the mothers. However, everything went very well and I really have no complaints about how anything went. Currently there is a group that just arrived from the states who will be looking into micro credit in our area. They are from the University of Michigan and are a bunch of pretty nice people. It is pretty weird to have a bunch of white people around. Once the rest of the group comes I will also be in charge of running a safety orientation for their stay here in La Union. Really there isn't much to say it is a pretty safe place. Other then that I officially come home on June 26 for a period of almost a month and a half so that is quite exciting. That means I will be able to do some camping and even go to a family reunion. Something that I haven't gone to in about forever. Field trip to the cave of Quiscamote this Friday and by that time my friends from the states should be here as well. It should be a fun week once everything gets going. Ill try to write a better post next time! God Bless
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
A leaky roof....
May 5, 2009
All my life I have had every advantage. When I turned 16 I had my own car and have gone to private schools my whole life. Here in Honduras I am often reminded of just the power me being able to say I am an American has. My passport is pretty much a ticket to anywhere I want to go in the world. I am currently in the process of trying to help my friend Ana visit the United States this summer with me. The goal is to allow her to practice her English and be a better teacher when she gets back and of course just to enjoy visiting and seeing the sights of the United States. However, there is one extremely large obstacle in the way of her doing that and that is getting a visa to visit. Now the process of getting a visa is quite a long process. It starts with getting a passport first. After that you have to go to the bank and buy a card so you can have a preliminary phone interview and set up a time to have your in face interview. Just the in face interview by itself costs over 100 dollars U.S. Now this interview by no means you will be getting a visa. I heard that as low as one out of ten people who apply are actually issued visas. It is a disheartening figure but it is the price of keeping our country safe from people living there illegally. I am not saying we should have totally open boarders but I am a proponent of making it easier for people to visit. When you actually meet these people and meet the people who try to do things the legal way and get refused you feel sorry for them. Like in all things in the world the bad things people do often overshadow the good people in the world and what they are trying to do. I don’t really know if this makes sense but right now I am kind of frustrated with it all and she hasn’t even gone to the interview yet.
On a lighter note my kids are working on their mothers day projects right now the problem is they sneak them home and have their moms help them on them. Now to me it would make sense to not have your mom help on her own present. It kinda ruins the present ya know? Oh well whatever. Tomorrow I have devotions for the whole school and I am of course nervous. I am just ready for this week to be done there is just so much to do and so little time.
Since writing this post a leak has developed in my room…. There is a torrential downpour happening outside and my roof is no longer stopping it…. Not much I can do right now besides ask God for the rain to stop and put a towel and bucket on the ground….
All my life I have had every advantage. When I turned 16 I had my own car and have gone to private schools my whole life. Here in Honduras I am often reminded of just the power me being able to say I am an American has. My passport is pretty much a ticket to anywhere I want to go in the world. I am currently in the process of trying to help my friend Ana visit the United States this summer with me. The goal is to allow her to practice her English and be a better teacher when she gets back and of course just to enjoy visiting and seeing the sights of the United States. However, there is one extremely large obstacle in the way of her doing that and that is getting a visa to visit. Now the process of getting a visa is quite a long process. It starts with getting a passport first. After that you have to go to the bank and buy a card so you can have a preliminary phone interview and set up a time to have your in face interview. Just the in face interview by itself costs over 100 dollars U.S. Now this interview by no means you will be getting a visa. I heard that as low as one out of ten people who apply are actually issued visas. It is a disheartening figure but it is the price of keeping our country safe from people living there illegally. I am not saying we should have totally open boarders but I am a proponent of making it easier for people to visit. When you actually meet these people and meet the people who try to do things the legal way and get refused you feel sorry for them. Like in all things in the world the bad things people do often overshadow the good people in the world and what they are trying to do. I don’t really know if this makes sense but right now I am kind of frustrated with it all and she hasn’t even gone to the interview yet.
On a lighter note my kids are working on their mothers day projects right now the problem is they sneak them home and have their moms help them on them. Now to me it would make sense to not have your mom help on her own present. It kinda ruins the present ya know? Oh well whatever. Tomorrow I have devotions for the whole school and I am of course nervous. I am just ready for this week to be done there is just so much to do and so little time.
Since writing this post a leak has developed in my room…. There is a torrential downpour happening outside and my roof is no longer stopping it…. Not much I can do right now besides ask God for the rain to stop and put a towel and bucket on the ground….
Monday, May 4, 2009
Hospitality
May 3, 2009
Today I just brought home my first major purchase here in Honduras. It is a fan. Now I know some of you are thinking that doesn’t sound very exciting. But those of you who really know me know that my whole life I have had a fan and that is how I fall asleep even when it is snowing outside. So this is a pretty big event in my life. I am currently sitting under my comforter with my fan blowing on me and enjoying every minute.
I have a student in my class his name is Leandro. He has quite a difficult time with spelling and reading due to what is most likely Dyslexia. However, he is the sweetest kid you will ever meet. Today during church I took a quick break intending to return to church when Leandro’s Dad called out to me telling me Leandro had a question for me. When I went inside I began to find out that he didn’t really have a question for me and he really just wanted his son to practice his English with me and show me hospitality. We just talked and they brought me coffee and bread. It was a nice half hour and they told me that I could come back whenever I wanted. Hospitality here in Honduras in most cases is incredible and they just like showing their appreciation for your work and being willing to live there. These are the small events that balance out the times of boredom and show me the good side of people.
One last note. This weekend I had a pot roast in a crock pot along with potatoes and carrots. It was terrific and really reminded me of the Midwest. We even had some nice wine to go with it. The city of Gracias is going to be fun next year. I think it will maybe even feel a little like college with lots of friends around. I am quite excited.
Today I just brought home my first major purchase here in Honduras. It is a fan. Now I know some of you are thinking that doesn’t sound very exciting. But those of you who really know me know that my whole life I have had a fan and that is how I fall asleep even when it is snowing outside. So this is a pretty big event in my life. I am currently sitting under my comforter with my fan blowing on me and enjoying every minute.
I have a student in my class his name is Leandro. He has quite a difficult time with spelling and reading due to what is most likely Dyslexia. However, he is the sweetest kid you will ever meet. Today during church I took a quick break intending to return to church when Leandro’s Dad called out to me telling me Leandro had a question for me. When I went inside I began to find out that he didn’t really have a question for me and he really just wanted his son to practice his English with me and show me hospitality. We just talked and they brought me coffee and bread. It was a nice half hour and they told me that I could come back whenever I wanted. Hospitality here in Honduras in most cases is incredible and they just like showing their appreciation for your work and being willing to live there. These are the small events that balance out the times of boredom and show me the good side of people.
One last note. This weekend I had a pot roast in a crock pot along with potatoes and carrots. It was terrific and really reminded me of the Midwest. We even had some nice wine to go with it. The city of Gracias is going to be fun next year. I think it will maybe even feel a little like college with lots of friends around. I am quite excited.
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