Yesterday morning at approximately 10:45, 62 cockroaches met their death. Most were poisoned with the spray Raid while others were crushed by a dustpan. The turmoil lasted about ten minutes as large and small attempted to scurry to safety but to no avail. The oppressors were too powerful and quick and left none alive. The carcasses were quickly gathered together and unceremoniously dumped into the front yard.
We took on the task to clean out our bottom cupboards in our kitchen, because it gets musty down there since our sink has a leak. We also wanted to take inventory of our tupperware and kill the cockroaches we knew lived down there. As Bethani and I were washing the tupperware, I commented that we should look in the cupboard directly under the sink, because I had the suspicion that the cockroaches were hiding someplace else (we had only killed five from the other cupboards). We had never really opened that cupboard before, because it's so nasty from the leaky sink. As Bethani opened the doors, her eyes grew wide as she began to count, "Three, five, seven..!". We had found a cockroach den. To make an already long story shorter, I graciously stood back and let the other three have their fun killing and crushing cockroaches (I'm not really the destructive type unless I have to be. Creepy crawly things aren't really my forte either). Yes, I'm a slightly ashamed I did not help in the heat of the battle, but the kitchen was crowded as it was.
That hadn't been the first time that morning I had faced something creepy either. At 5:00 A.M. I thought I felt something crawling on my back towards my neck. I half sat up to see something run down my back and off the end of my bed. If it was a gecko, it was the largest gecko I've seen since I've been here!
Those have been my adventures to report for the weekend.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
School Makeover
Another week of school has come and gone. This week had a slightly different twist, because the school was evaluated by some people from the Adventist Conference. The evaluation was mostly yesterday, but they stopped in today as well. The school was in a flurry of activity, trying to prepare for the evaluation, which we (the missionaries) found hilarious. The library was moved to a separate room upstairs, exit signs were painted, the gates were painted, the classrooms were stifled with newly made posters, etc. It was almost like the school got a 24-hour makeover!
The funniest moment of the day was when one of my first graders got her head stuck in the door. First, let me explain that the doors have bars on the top half of them, so it's an open window. I don't know what she was looking at, but she couldn't move when I told her to sit down. I couldn't laugh at the time, because she was crying. I mean, I would be traumatized as well if I couldn't move my head! An office worker and a couple teachers were nearby, so they helped her "unstick" herself.
This weekend will be relaxing, because we don't have school on Monday. Tomorrow we will experience our first potluck at church. I hope they have some vegetarian options, because I have quickly discovered that they are few and far between in this country. Happy Friday!
The funniest moment of the day was when one of my first graders got her head stuck in the door. First, let me explain that the doors have bars on the top half of them, so it's an open window. I don't know what she was looking at, but she couldn't move when I told her to sit down. I couldn't laugh at the time, because she was crying. I mean, I would be traumatized as well if I couldn't move my head! An office worker and a couple teachers were nearby, so they helped her "unstick" herself.
This weekend will be relaxing, because we don't have school on Monday. Tomorrow we will experience our first potluck at church. I hope they have some vegetarian options, because I have quickly discovered that they are few and far between in this country. Happy Friday!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Lake Yojoa
Last Friday we didn´t have school, so Thursday afternoon seven of us hopped on a bus headed for the lake! After making two more bus connections and walking down a dark dirt road, we arrived at our destination with the help of a couple locals (since it was dark and we couldn´t see the signs). We stayed at the D and D Brewery, which is run by an American who has been living down here in Honduras for the past 8 or 10 years. When he heard that we were Adventists, he laughed that we would pick his brewery to stay at.
It is a nice place with good food! There are two covered dining areas with lights strung around the beams, a pool, and cute little cabins nestled in the ¨garden¨of jungle plants (I don´t know what else to call it). Once again, it was nice to get out of the city. Friday we spent the entire day hanging out at the cabin, because it rained on and off. We met an interesting fellow at breakfast who gives bird tours. He´s from England and just recently moved down to Honduras, where he believes he will settle. He certainly looks the ¨bird watching type¨ to settle down in the marsh of Honduras with crazy long white hair, a bushy beard to match, and enormous binoculars draped around his small neck. His stories were interesting, though, because he´s been quite the traveler! We also met three other groups of Americans who came in Friday. One was a group of students taking Spanish classes, another was a backpacking couple, and the last was a group of teachers like us. It was kind of refreshing being surrounded by so many Americans living in Honduras!
Saturday the other girls went to row around the lake while I sat for another relaxing day at the cabin. Something I had eaten the night before hadn´t quite agreed with me, so I spared my queasy stomach from a day of sunburning and rigorous rowing (the girls all came back fried!). We left Saturday afternoon and arrived back in Comayagua around 5:30.
That concludes my adventures from this weekend. We plan to have more in the future!
It is a nice place with good food! There are two covered dining areas with lights strung around the beams, a pool, and cute little cabins nestled in the ¨garden¨of jungle plants (I don´t know what else to call it). Once again, it was nice to get out of the city. Friday we spent the entire day hanging out at the cabin, because it rained on and off. We met an interesting fellow at breakfast who gives bird tours. He´s from England and just recently moved down to Honduras, where he believes he will settle. He certainly looks the ¨bird watching type¨ to settle down in the marsh of Honduras with crazy long white hair, a bushy beard to match, and enormous binoculars draped around his small neck. His stories were interesting, though, because he´s been quite the traveler! We also met three other groups of Americans who came in Friday. One was a group of students taking Spanish classes, another was a backpacking couple, and the last was a group of teachers like us. It was kind of refreshing being surrounded by so many Americans living in Honduras!
Saturday the other girls went to row around the lake while I sat for another relaxing day at the cabin. Something I had eaten the night before hadn´t quite agreed with me, so I spared my queasy stomach from a day of sunburning and rigorous rowing (the girls all came back fried!). We left Saturday afternoon and arrived back in Comayagua around 5:30.
That concludes my adventures from this weekend. We plan to have more in the future!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Friday at 12:30 we held our first session of parent/teacher conferences. We have them the last Friday of every month. Not really knowing what to expect, I was panicking slightly beforehand, because I didn't have any grades ready yet (embarrassingly enough, I'm still organizing myself). All I had known was how parent/teacher conferences were for me when I was growing up in school: sign up for a 15 min. slot, come with the parent to the classroom, sit down with the teacher, and talk about academics. I don't know if Friday was how all conferences will go, but it wasn't what I was expecting at all. The parents all showed up at around 12:40 and sat in a classroom while the homeroom teacher addressed general issues such as putting names on homework, etc. Then the parents lined up to talk with the homeroom teacher one-on-one. I didn't have a translator, so only a few of the parents who know English or had older children to translate approached me. A lot of them were more supportive than I was expecting, which was another pleasant surprise!
If anything else, Friday showed me how much work I have to do in organizing myself and in getting grades ready. Hopefully I will be better prepared next month or the parents may not be as supportive and understanding! Until then, it's time to get back to work!
If anything else, Friday showed me how much work I have to do in organizing myself and in getting grades ready. Hopefully I will be better prepared next month or the parents may not be as supportive and understanding! Until then, it's time to get back to work!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
I Like Bananas......?
Here are some random observations:
- All car alarms sound the same
- Bananas and grapefruit are really cheap, so we consume them daily
- Roosters crow at all hours of the day (contrary to my belief that they only crowed a few times in the morning)
- Frogs here are huge (one hopped into the house last night) and sound like video game sound effects
- Sidewalks are narrow, uneven, and sometimes non-existent. Most people walk on the streets anyway
- Pedestrians do not have the right of way, so you have to walk defensively
- Most intersections don´t have traffic lights, and no one pays attention to the ones that do
- Days start early. A lot of people are up and walking around as early as 6:30 A.M.
- Plumbing isn´t the best. Flushing toilet paper is not allowed in a lot of bathrooms (including the ones at home)
That´s all I can think of for now. These are just examples of small observations and changes I´ve seen here.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
A Dream Come True
Friday after school eight of us (seven missionaries and one local acting as our male representative) left behind the city and school papers in search of beauty and clean air. An hour and a half after boarding a bus, we found ourselves at our destination, a National Park.
The park was everything we could have dreamed it being! The only housing they had available was a cabin to accommodate a group of 20, but it was well worth it for only $7. Because there were so many beds, we all claimed top bunks! The room was clean with beds complete with sheets and pillows, three sinks, flushing toilets, and showers with good water pressure and warm water! I didn't take into account the air being cooler at a higher elevation (silly me), so I didn't bring a sweater and actually experienced the feeling of being cold! We arrived when it was dark, so we couldn't see around us, but it was enough to know that we were surrounded by trees, green vegetation, and clean air!
Sabbath morning we ate breakfast in their cute little dining hall, which had a view overlooking the lake and mountains. We were told to be there at 7:00, but the food wasn't actually ready until 7:40 (we should have known). It was a "typical breakfast,"so I was told, which I found to be scrumptious: beans, scrambled eggs, plantains, tortillas, and cheese. I was just thankful it was vegetarian, since I don't think many vegetarians exist out here.
We spent the rest of the morning hiking around to three different waterfalls and up a mountain to a cloud forest with our guide, a short man of pure muscle. I'm fairly certain our guide could have run up and down those mountains all day without stopping! I also had the feeling he was laughing at us the whole time, because we were so excited about everything and couldn't hike very long or fast without needing a break or two. The waterfalls were amazing! The whole hike took around 5 hours mainly because we swam each opportunity we got at the waterfalls! Since it felt like 100% humidity, the water felt so good and clean!
The whole hike I felt like I was walking in a dream. The closest thing I had ever experienced to jungle had been an exhibit at the Omaha Zoo, so it felt unreal to walk around in one all day! Unfortunately, the only wild life I saw were a few birds, butterflies, and a lizard. Our guide tried to point out some sort of wild chicken, but I was in the back. We pulled back into Comayagua that same day on the bus before dark around 4:00.
The bus system itself was an adventure. I had never even been on a bus in the States! The bus we took from Comayagua was fairly nice and resembled a Greyhound. The bus we took back, however, was completely different. It looked like a beat up school bus with two different types of seats inside and a duct-taped windshield. I also found that once a bus stops at a station, you're supposed to move quickly to get on. I was just standing up when I heard Sasha ask, "Whose bag was that?". I looked up to see a short man taking off towards the bus with my backpack slung across his shoulder. I quickly ran to retrieve it, even though I'm sure he meant no harm by it. He just wanted me to hurry.
Overall, it was a good break from the city that we all needed. We're looking forward to our next opportunity to do it again!
The park was everything we could have dreamed it being! The only housing they had available was a cabin to accommodate a group of 20, but it was well worth it for only $7. Because there were so many beds, we all claimed top bunks! The room was clean with beds complete with sheets and pillows, three sinks, flushing toilets, and showers with good water pressure and warm water! I didn't take into account the air being cooler at a higher elevation (silly me), so I didn't bring a sweater and actually experienced the feeling of being cold! We arrived when it was dark, so we couldn't see around us, but it was enough to know that we were surrounded by trees, green vegetation, and clean air!
Sabbath morning we ate breakfast in their cute little dining hall, which had a view overlooking the lake and mountains. We were told to be there at 7:00, but the food wasn't actually ready until 7:40 (we should have known). It was a "typical breakfast,"so I was told, which I found to be scrumptious: beans, scrambled eggs, plantains, tortillas, and cheese. I was just thankful it was vegetarian, since I don't think many vegetarians exist out here.
We spent the rest of the morning hiking around to three different waterfalls and up a mountain to a cloud forest with our guide, a short man of pure muscle. I'm fairly certain our guide could have run up and down those mountains all day without stopping! I also had the feeling he was laughing at us the whole time, because we were so excited about everything and couldn't hike very long or fast without needing a break or two. The waterfalls were amazing! The whole hike took around 5 hours mainly because we swam each opportunity we got at the waterfalls! Since it felt like 100% humidity, the water felt so good and clean!
The whole hike I felt like I was walking in a dream. The closest thing I had ever experienced to jungle had been an exhibit at the Omaha Zoo, so it felt unreal to walk around in one all day! Unfortunately, the only wild life I saw were a few birds, butterflies, and a lizard. Our guide tried to point out some sort of wild chicken, but I was in the back. We pulled back into Comayagua that same day on the bus before dark around 4:00.
The bus system itself was an adventure. I had never even been on a bus in the States! The bus we took from Comayagua was fairly nice and resembled a Greyhound. The bus we took back, however, was completely different. It looked like a beat up school bus with two different types of seats inside and a duct-taped windshield. I also found that once a bus stops at a station, you're supposed to move quickly to get on. I was just standing up when I heard Sasha ask, "Whose bag was that?". I looked up to see a short man taking off towards the bus with my backpack slung across his shoulder. I quickly ran to retrieve it, even though I'm sure he meant no harm by it. He just wanted me to hurry.
Overall, it was a good break from the city that we all needed. We're looking forward to our next opportunity to do it again!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Happy Independence Day!
This morning teachers and students gathered at the school at 6:00 (we arrived a little late, because we knew 6:00 was a time just to make sure everyone was ready to leave at 6:30) for the big Independence Day parade. We may have started marching at 7:30, but we ended at 10:40. I was thankful we were fourth in line, because the sun was brutal today! I got my first sunburn since I've been here, so we all (all the missionaries at least) have red v's on our chests from our polo shirts. The parade was fun, though! Each school had a band and cheerleaders, so it was fun to see all the colorful costumes! Some of them were pretty crazy! One school had three guys on stilts. Our students were all so cute (I'm not sure some of them would appreciate that if they heard me say that)! The students in the band were wearing blue and white soldier-type uniforms with tall hats and long blue capes. Our little cheerleaders were dressed in white and pink tu-tus. We (the teachers) marched in the back, which was fine by me, because we weren't directly behind the drums. While the parade was fun, I was so drained by the end!
Later today a soccer tournament was held at the school, so Kayla (my fellow house-mate) and I went to watch. I couldn't believe people would want to play soccer in the hot sun after marching in a parade all day, but then again, soccer is a big deal. I still can't get over how good everyone is at soccer here, especially the guys. When the guys play, they can be so brutal! I'm mesmerized by how quickly they can maneuver the ball with their feet!
That was my exciting day! I hear thunder, so I had better end this while I still have power!
Later today a soccer tournament was held at the school, so Kayla (my fellow house-mate) and I went to watch. I couldn't believe people would want to play soccer in the hot sun after marching in a parade all day, but then again, soccer is a big deal. I still can't get over how good everyone is at soccer here, especially the guys. When the guys play, they can be so brutal! I'm mesmerized by how quickly they can maneuver the ball with their feet!
That was my exciting day! I hear thunder, so I had better end this while I still have power!
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