san diego for the holidays

There's no place like home for the holidays. Thanks to a generous family friend I get to spend Christmas and New Years in San Diego.

My two days in San Diego have been awesome. Not only have I gotten to spend lots of time with my family, but I've also gotten to drive, take long, HOT showers, peruse books in a bookstore, speak in English ... all the things that I don't do in Honduras.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to be home for the holidays, especially since it may be one of the last times that I do stay for this long. However I can't help but think of my classes and the stories I want to pursue. I'm going to love being home, but I'm also looking forward to going back to my other home: La Ceiba.

Three Cups of Tea

I just finished the book "Three Cups of Tea" but Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. It is amazing. I recommend that everyone read it.

"Three Cups of Tea" tells the story of one man who is making a significant difference in the world through education in Afghanistan and Pakistan. One of the several things that I really like about this story is how hard Mortenson works to keep his word to the people he meets in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Many people have dreams of making the world a better place but don't actually want to make the sacrifices necessary to do so. Mortenson, time and time again, makes those sacrifices and it is truly making a difference.

Pakistan and Afghanistan aren't exactly America's favorite places. This book is a necessary read for all Americans, especially ones of faith. Mortenson emphasizes that rather than bomb these nations in the name of national security, America must try another way.

He says, "I've learned that terror doesn't happen because some group of people somewhere like Pakistan or Afghanistan simply decide to hate us. It happens because children aren't being offered a bright enough future that they have a reason to choose life over death."

The schools that Mortenson builds provide secular, non-extremist education to both boys and girls. The alternative to Mortenson's schools in many of these villages is either no school or a madrassas, which is an extremist, Islamic school.

This Christmas, if you know someone who loves to read, I highly recommend purchasing "Three Cups of Tea" as a gift. Proceeds from books purchased at www.threecupsoftea.com go toward a girls' education scholarship fund in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

I'm not sure if the war in the middle east is close or far from most Americans' minds. It was a hot topic during presidential debates, but I sense that it doesn't affect us on a day-to-day basis. This book reminds us that even today, the war is impacting many lives in an often devastating way. Regardless of your views on America's involvement in the Middle East, this book will enlarge your perspective and make your opinion better informed.

"In times of war, you often hear leaders --Christian, Jewish, Muslim-- saying, 'God is on our side.' But that isn't true. In war, God is on the side of the refugees, widows and orphans." (Three Cups of Tea, pg. 239)



"

perks to living in a developing country

So, I realized that many of my blog posts are about negative experiences or observations here in Honduras. However, that simply doesn't sum up my whole experience. Yes, teaching is really hard, stressful and unrewarding, but I do have fun here and I do get to pamper myself for much less than it would cost in the States. For instance, last Saturday I got a one-hour, full body massage by the beach for less than $10 and today I got a great pedicure for the same price. Going to the movies costs about $3 and I can get a frozen coffee drink with caramel for about $1.50. Yay!

winding down

I just finished watching Anderson Cooper's "Planet in Peril: Battle Lines." As expected it was inspiring. One again my desire to do journalism here in Honduras is renewed.

I'm doing research for a potentially big story right now, but I wont be able to pursue it fully until next year. I've decided that I need to rework my approach to doing journalism here. I need to focus on getting sources, meeting with locals, and talking to government and organization leaders instead of jumping straight into story ideas. I can't come up with stories all on my own. That's not the point of journalism. I need to reflect the concerns and opinions of the people here, not my own. My lack of Spanish is especially frustrating as I try to do this, but I'm slowly improving. I'll enroll in language school when I return from home in January.

Speaking of coming back to Honduras, I'm waiting for the school to reimburse me for my flight. If they don't pay by Thursday (my last day at school before going home), then I wont be returning to teach in January. (I'll still come back to Honduras, but not to teach.) But I doubt that they wont pay me. I hope they pay me. I'm already looking forward (at least a little) to coming back in 2009.

There's no class tomorrow because it's been raining all day. Businesses are shut down now because the government issued a red alert. For me this isn't very serious because my apartment is away from the river. However, these rains mean certain death and destruction for many more rural parts of La Ceiba. It's hard to be blissfully excited about no school when that is also part of this equation.

Culture in the mall!

I was at the mall this afternoon for an interview when I encountered one of the first cultural experiences that I've had here in La Ceiba. My interview took place at the coffee shop downstairs and I could hear drums from just a few feet away. As it turns out, Digicel (a new cellular company in Honduras) was having a promotion and had paid a group from Sambo Creek to perform Punta for a few hours in the Mall.

Enjoy this video of a non-typical Saturday afternoon in La Ceiba's mall:

Thanksgiving in Copan: old rocks, new friends, and entertaining fire

Me, in front of Mayan ruins wearing a necklace made by my friend Carolina (see last picture).

This face was carved around 700 AD (i think...although it was so hot and my tour guide was talking so much it's hard to remember exactly).
Beautiful Mayan ruins. They used to play an athletic game here... the captain of the losing team was sacrificed to the gods.
An old, old rock-face in front of the home of the old Mayan kings.

Three boys hanging out in a side street close to my hostel, Iguana Azul.

This woman is sorting beans, but you got to love the cow foot in the background.

A market on the weekend in Copan. I bought a bag of strawberries and oranges.

One of my new friends from Nicaragua performing in El Parque Central of Copan accompanied by the drumming of my new friends from Guatemala.

My friend Carolina and her family. They travel from city to city making and selling jewelry. Every day I was in Copan I'd stop by and visit Carolina for an hour or so; she helped me with my Spanish, I helped her with her English.

hammocks

This afternoon has been utterly blissful.

The sun is out, the air is cool, and my hammock is so comfortable. Plus, I'm taking the next two days off work to visit the Copan Ruins.

fear

I'm currently reading Yann Martel's book Life of Pi. There's a few lines I'd like to share with you from Chapter 56:

"I must say a word about fear. It is life's only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life."

I love those lines. Especially here in Honduras, where fear is a part of every-day life. I don't talk on my cellphone when I'm outside for fear of being robbed. I don't take many pictures for fear of being robbed. Two weeks ago I was woken up at 3 am by the sound of four gun shots, and last Sunday a woman at work found her dad murdered.

Fear is crippling. I see it in my own life, and I've seen it especially in the lives of the Hondurans I've met. But as I've made it farther along in Life of Pi and as I've thought more about fear I've realized something important: I'm not doing anything about it.

I've been in Honduras three months and all I've done is bitch and moan about how dangerous it is here. I've adapted: I don't go out much, I don't take pictures, I don't talk to strangers. No wonder I'm having a hard time here! I don't do anything positive. I'm not involved anywhere. I see a broken system, but I'm not making any effort to fix it.

So what's the next step? I need to find a place to volunteer. Here are some of my options:

1. Left Eye (former member of TLC, now deceased) has a children's shelter about 20 minutes from La Ceiba that I might check out. They help orphans and former street kids.

2. Rumor has it that there's a women's rehabilitation center downtown. It helps former prostitutes and sex workers get their life back together.

3. There is a school and orphanage in the Jungle (about 20 min. away) that asks for child sponsorship donations online. Maybe they are in need of time donations too.

Finding a place to volunteer is surprisingly difficult here. And I imagine that actually following through and volunteering is even more challenging, especially considering that I still speak crappy Spanish. But this post is to let you know what I'm thinking and to help keep myself accountable so I wont let fear rob me of great experiences the rest of my time here. Also, if anyone has any suggestions about places or ways to get involved in La Ceiba, PLEASE let me know!!!!!

a week in pictures

Flooding

It's rainy season, so the soccer field at school is almost always flooded. It was raining so much Sunday night that school was canceled on Monday. Every morning my alarm goes off and I immidiately turn on the TV, hoping school has been canceled again. It hasn't, but this picture was taken this morning and there's still so much water.




The apartment horse
It was raining lightly when I got back from school today.This horse was trying to stay drive on the front porch ofmy apartment complex. Five minutes later my landlord chased him away.







Flags + Sociology = Fun?
Here in Honduras I teach English and Sociology. My Sociology book is horribly BORING so I've been creating projects for my students. Right now we're learning about culture. Each student is responsible for representing a different country. Each week I assign a new topic (ex: food, family structure, etc.) and the students take turns presenting that info about their country. The flags represent some of the countries my 10B class is studying.


Tools for school
Yep, that's a machete and it's sitting on my desk on top of a bunch of Christmas decorations. I'd be lying if I said it didn't creep me out.















Football is LIFE
Honduras beat Mexico last night, 1-0. Thank God. Seriously. If we didn't win we'd be out for the rest of the season and I'm not sure what Hondurans would live for if there weren't any more games! This is a photo of one of the caravans that took place after the game. When Honduras wins everyone goes CRAZY: cars honk, people shoot guns, and everyone drinks lots of beer. It's literally a riot! It lasts at least until midnight. And although it was a school night, some of my students celebrated until the bell rang this morning at 7.

hell

Another f-ing day of teaching begins in less than 12 hours.

sigh.

shower patterns in honduras: a story that wont change your life

This is my shower. It misses me. Lately it hasn't been getting much use.

The problem is my shower only supplies cold water. In August, when it felt like my skin was going to melt off my body, I thought this wouldn't be a substantial problem. But now it is rainy season. What an appropriate name. The sun is often hidden, hurricane-like rains threaten and flood the city, and it gets surprisingly cold. But Hondurans have no sympathy when I tell them that I can't shower when it's cold. Thankfully the sun has been out the past few days. Thus, showers have been more frequent.

Expected Value (making friends is hard)

Making friends is difficult after college. It's especially difficult when you live in a foreign country and speak the local language like an early-elementary child. Last night Micah and I hung out with a new friend. Afterward I was exhausted. I blame my exhaustion on the following observations about our night: Our new friend expected us to pay for everything, he didn't speak any English, and lastly, he dominated the evening's activities dictating an early departure just when the real fun was starting.

This experience led to a cost-benefit analysis of hanging out with new friends. Micah created this "Expected Value" equation:



The options are simple: hang out with new friend or don't hang out. There is an automatic -20 points for not hanging out. However, if hanging out with the new friend sucks you get a -50 points. But, if hanging out results in a great time you get 100 points. After some quick math we determined that although the potential for having a crappy time is relatively high, it is still better to take the risk and hang out with new friends.

I'll let you know if any of my new friends turn out to be long-lasting. :)

Finally....

...the sun comes out after weeks of heavy rain.
(The La Ceiba Pier, Nov. 6)

Obama and Honduras

The front page of the Honduran daily today.

I think it'd be hard to find people who disagree with me when I say Obama's victory speech in Chicago last night was phenomenal:

"...Tonight we proved once more that that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope."

Inspiring.

I may live in another country, but I've been following this election more closely than any other election. Although I'm disappointed by the petty, back-biting behavior of both candidates during the final months of the campaign I'm excited with the results. And so are my students. Today we celebrated "Obama Day."

A few days ago I asked one of my 10th grade classes who they wanted to win the presidency: Obama or McCain.

"Who's McCain?" one student asked.

I was shocked by this response. Both candidates receive about the same amount of media coverage here, so why is Obama so much more popular? Very few students could give me reasons for why they like Obama, and even fewer could give me reasons for why they don't like McCain. But one thing is clear: No one likes Bush. My students wrote journal entries a few weeks ago about their opinion of the U.S. Most of them said they liked the U.S. for its shopping and entertainment, but many of them were also frustrated with the current U.S. government. For many of my students Obama is appealing simply because he is different. Although an Obama supporter myself, I'm discouraged by how blindly many of my students have given their support without more thought and research.

My two-plus months in Honduras have made me more proud than ever to be an American. The U.S. obviously isn't perfect, and we've made mistakes that I'm ashamed of, mistakes that often get rubbed in my face living here. However, Obama is right, last night we proved that our strength is our ideals of democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

Very few other countries can honestly say "Yes We Can" and actually mean it. Yay for being an American and yay for four years of Obama!

Day: 70

Things are looking up here in La Ceiba since I started feeling better. It's been raining non-stop for as long as I can remember (which means about 1 week). Whenever it rains really hard the government issues a "no-school" day. This is great news for everyone who gets to stay home, but we (teachers at Brassavola Bilingual School) have to leave the comforts of our homes and brave torrents of rain and gusty winds in order to be what our bosses deem "productive."

Today I was at school by 6:55 a.m. There were no students so I decided to leave before anyone noticed me. I made it 2/3 of the way home when I was spotted my Senora Castro, my small, quintessential teacher boss. She honked, stopped her car and discussed with me, in Spanish, (while I was still in the rain) why I needed to go back to school. She threatened that the "Treasury" might come to the school and see that I wasn't there and take away my pay. (psh. Yeah right.)

So I had to go back to school. But I made another escape attempt and this one was more successful!

The rains here are beautiful. While having a break from school is a relief, there are many serious problems caused by the rain. Already at least 33 people have died and thousands are homeless. Hard rains aren't new to Honduras. I guess I'm wondering if this many people die every year? How is it that a country in such a rainy climate is so poorly set up to withstand such weather?

"IT"

It took two months for IT to hit me. IT being the cost of an adventure... and not the monetary cost, but rather the cost of experiences and familiarity. Nothing brings these costs to mind like photo albums on facebook.

What I miss the most right this minute:
My mom
Friends
Fall -- cold weather, sweaters, pumpkins, scarves, leaves changing colors, hot coffee on a cold day
Wal Mart/Target
My car
Coffee shops with comfy couches and mood music

DENGUE: Why, why, why?

So, for the past six days I've pretty much been confined to my apartment, popping benedryls every 8 hours and drinking lots of water and V8Fusion. I think I have dengue fever, also known as breakbone fever.

Here's the crappy little creature who gave it to me:

Listen to these symptoms of dengue:

Dengue fever usually starts suddenly with a high fever, rash, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and muscle and joint pain. The severity of the joint pain has given dengue the name "breakbone fever." Nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite are common. A rash usually appears 3 to 4 days after the start of the fever. The illness can last up to 10 days, but complete recovery can take as long as a month. Older children and adults are usually sicker than young children.

I've never felt this sick before in my life. And apparently there's no medicine for it... I'm just supposed to "let it run its course." If the illness can only last up to 10 days then I should be over it by Thursday. Perfect timing for finals. I HATE BEING SICK.

i heart journalism.

“I knew I didn't want to be a doctor or a lawyer or go into business. I wanted to be a writer and bring down the bastions of power that caused common people so much suffering. That's what I thought in 11th grade. I guess I never grew up. I still feel that way." ~Robert Friedman, investigative journalist

For the first time in my life I really feel like I have the opportunity to pursue stories that I'm passionate about. I have the power, skills and resources to cover stories that matter; stories that can make a difference in the lives of people who have no voice of their own. Because of this I am content being in Honduras; possibly even more content here and now than I've ever been before.

"There are lots of stories, so resist covering them all. Find one or two and go deep and write well."

debate NIGHT!!!

legalize drugs?

This morning began more leisurely than usual. Classes were canceled due to heavy rains last night. After a quick, pointless trip to the school I returned to my apartment where I enjoyed several cups of Honduran coffee and a fresh baked pastry.

By about the second cup of coffee I had finished checking e-mail, facebook, yahoo, and myspace and had moved on to the news.

"Honduran president calls for legalizing drug use" was the headline that caught my eye.

"Honduran President Manuel Zelaya says drug consumption should be legalized to stop violence related to trafficking," writes the Associated Press. "Zelaya says that 'instead of pursuing drug traffickers, societies should invest resources in educating drug addicts and curbing their demand.' He proposes establishing mechanisms for legalizing drug use." (full article)

"What the hell?"

This is the only response I can come up with even after reading the article several times. Can someone please tell me how LEGALIZING DRUGS will stop violence?? It doesn't make sense. However, what does make sense is why Mel Zelaya would want drugs to be legal: everyone says he is funded by drug lords.

How is Honduras ever going to prosper with such crappy leadership? It makes me mad to think how much this leader is willing to risk for his own selfish ambition. Does he care at all for his country?

Aggnes Repplier, the American essayist, couldn't be more accurate when she wrote, "Democracy forever teases us with the contrast between its ideals and its realities, between its heroic possibilities and its sorry achievements."

But I'm tired of it. I'm tired of seeing how one person's selfishness can ruin an entire country. It's not just Zelaya and Honduras, it's Ugand's Museveni, Zimbabwe's Mugabe, Mexico's Calderon ... etc.

Will bad governance never end?

Thomas Jefferson said, "The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government."

Sounds simple, so why do so many leaders have difficulty putting this into practice?

Franklin D. Roosevelt suggests this: "The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the government."

I don't pretend to have the answers to the world's age-old problem of bad governance, but the last part of Roosevelt's statement further convinces me of the value of education and good journalism. Hondurans may not have any control over the government now, but with education and journalists holding powers accountable that can change.

The day we stop believing things can change is the day we surrender hope.

published!

My first international article is online! :) Click HERE to read it!

teaching

My weekly class schedule

I think I have 34 hours of class in a week. That's more than any other teacher at the school. Tuesdays and Fridays are the absolute worst. I have only one free hour each of those days. Notice also that we only have 20 minutes for lunch! Some of my sociology students are working on surveys right now to see if the school's population is generally dissatisfied with such a short lunch. We're hoping to use their findings to convince the directors to make lunch longer!!! Keep your fingers crossed, the directors have a reputation for not listening to anyone.

Tomorrow we start our units on poetry and Shakespeare!

p.s. i just smashed a bug and now it's carcass is staining my wall. yuck.

un día en las carreras

Motocross: La Ceiba
October 4-5, 2008

LA CEIBA--HONDURAS: It was a two-day event that brought the whole family together. Local heroes, some of Honduras' most daring athletes, challenged the laws of nature with skill and flair. Racers lined up with clean uniforms and bikes, anxious to see how they would handle the muddy track. By the end of the first lap goggles were abandoned and riders were barely distinguishable.
Despite mud and flooding, riders took turns tight, jumps long and speeds high. Mothers held their breaths, watching as sons, husbands, nephews and brothers risk their lives for the thrill that is motocross.

A rider soars through the finish line with just a few more laps to go. In Honduras a rider may be the best in the country and not win anything more than bragging rights and his bike. Unlike the states, athletes here actually compete for the fun of it. They want to win, of course, but they're driven by the competition, not money.

In the U.S. a spectator would never be able to watch a Motocross event from so close. Yay for Honduras! I may not be able to go outside my apartment past dark, but I can stand 10 feet from huge pieces of machinery sailing through the sky. By the end of the day my legs, arms, neck and clothes were covered in mud kicked up by the bikes. It was so bad on Saturday that a racer, Angelo (who ended up winning first place in the pro division), offered me his washcloth to clean up a little.

One of my students, Juan, competed and won first place. He's the best in his category for all of Honduras and pretty much the bomb!

meet my neighbors

I love my neighbors.

Whether they are teaching me Spanish, selling me jewelry, carrying my groceries or inviting me over to play chess they each help to make the Suites del Toronjal (my apartment complex) feel more like home.

Grandma and Rafael

From outside my door, this is a view of two of my Nicaraguan neighbors. Grandma sits in this rocking chair every day and lives with her daughter. Her daughter is my primary Spanish teacher and jewelry provider. I've already bought two necklaces from her and she's promised to give me a free one if I can get my students to buy from her. To the right of Grandma is Rafael, her grandson. Rafael lives a few apartments down with his parents and younger brother, Mario. Mario likes music and stepping on my feet. Sometimes he feels brave enough to come inside my apartment, but usually only when I have skittles.

Rafa-a-sketch

Rafael is seven. He is supposed to be learning English, but he doesn't like doing his homework. I help him practice English; he helps me practice Spanish. Sometimes we use this etch-a-sketch. He makes really funny faces when I mess up. Sometimes it makes me feel stupid, but overall he's a good teacher.

I also live next to a college student from Roatan, a painter from Texas, and a local doctor. I'll try to get photos of them, but they're less excited about being photographed for a blog than Rafael and Grandma (who, in all honesty, didn't even know she was being photographed).

That's all for now. Just two more days of school this week then a three day weekend! The weekend should be pretty full: I've got a masquerade Saturday night and I'm watching some friends compete in a motocross event Saturday and Sunday.

paz y amor. :)

culture shock

Hello. It's me again.

First, I just learned that in order to receive mail at my address (the one I posted a few weeks ago) I have to buy a PO box. They're too expensive so I'm not going to. If you want to send me anything send it to the school where I work. Unfortunately I don't know that address now, but I'll post it next week!.

Right now I'm sitting in Pizza Hut taking advantage of their free internet. The rain is pouring down outside but Maroon Five is keeping the mood light inside.

People who study things like culture shock say that it hits people hardest their third week in a new culture. For me it hit a week later.

I've been in Honduras an entire month now and this past week has been the worst. Nothing horrible happened; just a series of small things that when added together couldn't be ignored:

First, my kids misbehaved all week. They were not only loud, but also rude and outright disrespectful.

Second, the continuous disfunctionality of the school itself was overwhelming. It's near impossible to print anything for class, people are constantly interrupting my class, and the schedule is always changing, but no one ever tells me until the day of, if at all.

Thirdly, a lady cut me in line at Wendy's and didn't show any remorse.

Fourth, the caseta (equivalent to a crappy cafeteria) at school ran out of lunch this week and had absolutely nothing for me to eat except stale Doritos. Plus, the ladies who run the caseta are super grouchy.

Fifth, I still can't speak Spanish and everyone seems to expect me to know it by now. Give me some grace!

Sixth, none of my best friends are here.


As you can see, everything is fine here. There aren't any major problems, just a series of small ones that I can't seem to get over.

But according to the people who study things like culture shock these feelings will fade within a few weeks and leave me feeling even more attached and in love with my new culture.

We'll see.

In other news, I bought internet today. It should be hooked up by Monday or Tuesday, so hopefully my next post will be made from the comforts of my own apartment.

Three days in paradise: Roatan Island

The helmet is a bit goofy, but I still think I look pretty bad-ass riding this scooter through the bustling cities and undeveloped wilderness of Roatan Island.

Micah, my traveling partner, and I were excited to have a few days off of work. We took the 9 am ferry and arrived on the Islands approximately 1.5 hours later. Before long we had rented a scooter and were off exploring the lesser known, and more famous, parts of Roatan.


Driving the scooter was exhilarating, and it completely scared the crap out of me. Every turn I was afraid I was going to wipe out and send Micah and I off a cliff. Luckily we didn't have any accidents. We even got this little scooter up to speeds of about 84 klm.

Of all our adventures, my favorite stop was Punta Gorda, the first Garifuna (or Black Caribs) settlement in Central America. The Garifunas were marooned in Roatan by the British in 1796 and first settled in Punta Gorda. We saw no other tourists in Punta Gorda, but the locals were very kind. I met this little girl at a small grocery store in Punta Gorda. I asked her, in Spanish, where she usually ate lunch. Micah and were looking for somewhere to eat and figured this girl would know as well as anyone else where to get good, cheap food. She replied, "Al Mall, en La Ceiba." Maybe this was only funny to us, but La Ceiba is at least a few hours away and would necessitate the use of a boat or plane. Not exactly our idea of a quick, cheap lunch.

After Punta Gorda we headed toward Oakridge, a picturesque community on the Southern end of the Island. What drew us to Oakridge the most was the fact that it was originally settled by pirates. A local man flagged us as we were driving and convinced us to take a brief boat tour of the town. With the ease that comes from navigating a boat for 18 years, our guide took us past houses on stilts and through tunnels of trees. Above is a picture of our guide and his boat. Oadridge was one of the hardest hit areas during Hurricane Mitch. This is a close up of our guide. He sat on a throne with a Bob Marley cushion in the back of the boat.

Quite a contrast from Oakride, Parrot Tree Plantation was a beautiful stop, but not one of much consequence. It was simply a very luxurious development. This is one house that was recently built. The view was amazing.

Our explorations also brought us to new friends. In West Bay we met Artley, a boat taxi driver and native islander. Later that night we met up with Artley, his girfriend (a californian woman), and his friend. They showed us the coolest nightlife spots in the West End. He promised us a complimentary boat road the next time we come to Roatan.
Throughout all our exploring we found time to swim. Minutes after Micah got out of the water a local fisherman informed us that he had seen a Hammerhead shark at this very spot earlier that afternoon. He also showed us a photo, on his cellphone, of the GIANT marlin he caught four days earlier.

As many already know, Roatan is famous for its amazing dives. Shipwecks, like the one pictured, are just one example of the types of adventures one could have under the water. Unfortunately we didn't have time to get dive certified this trip (it takes four days), but after talking to several divers we are definitely going to return and takes some dives of our own.

The beaches of Roatan were not disappointing in the least. The sand was truly bright white, and the water truly clear blue. Three days in Roatan were like three days in paradise, only with more mosquitoes. I definitely recommend everyone visit Roatan.

dia de indepencia

15 de Septiembre -- Honduras´Indepenence Day

This morning crowds lined the streets in anticipation, braving the oppressive sunshine to see, and definitely to hear, each of La Ceiba´s schools march. As a teacher I myself marched with the students. We arrived at the meeting place half-past 6 this morning and didn´t begin marching until about 8.

I wish I could say the onlookers cheered as we passed by, or at least that my students´faces were glowing with joy, but in all honesty I felt like one of the only excited people at the parade.

"Happy Independence Day," I said to Andres, one of my 10th graders.
"No one´s independent," he replied cynically.

And that was it. No excitement. No joy. No celebration. Just marching. And sweating. And throwing empty water bags and water bottles on the ground.

The march ended at Vida Stadium, the home of La Ceiba´s soccer team. The bleachers were aout a third full when we entered the stadium for our victory lap. No one cheered. No one seemed to give a crap.

Wish I had pictures to share with you. Overall, Independence Day Honduras style was lacking in enthusiasm and therefore, as a foreigner, hard to take pleasure in.

Next: three days off. I was going to go to Copan to see the ruins, but now I´m hopping on a ferry to go to Roatan Island.

the children

"Dia de los ninos," that's what Honduras is celebrating today. "It's children's day Ms. Moberly," my students told me. "Let's celebrate by not doing anything."
"It's true that you all act like children," I told them and proceeded to give them more class work.

It's hard to believe I'm almost done with my third week teaching. This week has been especially frustrating. Monday is Independence Day. Honduras celebrates by having all their students march through the streets for about 4 hours. Consequentially, my students have been practicing marching all week. This has disrupted every single one of my classes. Next week we have a few days off and then my classes are really going to start, at least that's the plan.

Despite all the interruptions I am loving my classes. The picture above is of one of my 10th grade classes. They usually greet me every day with, "We love you Miss," or "You look so pretty today, Miss." Who wouldn't enjoy that?! Of course they also know how to drive me crazy.

Tonight I'm going to an event hosted by my seniors. Honduras is playing Jamaica tonight and the students have put together a party to raise money for their senior prom. It costs 20 lemiras (about $1) to enter.

On a different note, my apartment is starting to feel more like home. I went today to try and get the internet set up but as with everything else in Honduras, there is no simple task. Every company has different stipulations, which are hard to understand especially considering the language barrier.

My spanish is getting a little better, but I'm still planning on getting a tutor. Then I'll be able to understand what my students are saying behind my back.

That's all for now, but next week I'm going to see the Copan Ruins! Details and photos to come soon!

MAIL!!!!

I got my address!!!!!!

Emily Moberly
Col. El Toronjal No.2, Suites del Toronjal No. 1, Apto. 15
La Ceiba, Atlantida, Honduras

a week in review

A woman I met at the bus stop. She gave me a piece of chocolate and her grandaughter's name was Kenya. Somehow we managed to have a conversation despite the fact that my Spanish is horrible and her English wasn't any better.

My kitchen! I moved into my apartment yesterday. It's a little ghetto, but I like it. I have a stove, a refrigerator, a bed, a couch, a A.C., a bathroom, and even a TV with cable! Now all I need is the internet. I also have a small balcony with a beautiful view of Pico Bonita (a picture of which will soon find it's place on this blog).

La Ceiba: a taxi driver takes a break Saturday afternoon along La Ceiba's shoreline

the last day of my first week of classes

It´s Friday. I´ve been in Honduras for exactly one week now.

I´m still staying in the Hotel. I still don´t speak or understand Spanish well. I´m still afraid to go out at night. But now I have about 80 high school friends, I know where the Mall is, I´ve swam in the Carribbean Sea, and I´ve hiked through overgrown jungles to the base of a beautiful waterfall.

Classes

I am the English teacher for the high school´s juniors and seniors. Basically I´m the one who is responsible for making sure these kids improve their spoken, written and comprehended English. Scary. I´m also teaching Sociology to Juniors.

The school is so disorganized compared to high schools in America. I didn´t even know what I was teaching until the first day of classes. The kids don´t change classrooms, the teachers do. So far the kids really like me. Probably because I´m young, white and don´t give them very much homework. They are really sweet and helpful. All week they´ve been brining me information about apartments for rent in the area, and the last two days I was offered a ride home by students. Maybe it´s inappropriate to have the kids helps me and give me rides home but it sure beats trying to figure out this new city all on my own.

The hardest part about classes is actually preparing for them. All I have are a few textbooks. The second hardest thing is keeping the kids from talking the whole class. They do not listen very well, but as of now they say they can´t imagine me becoming mean. We´ll see if they feel they same way at the end of the year.

The leadership of the school can be frustrating. Today I got in trouble for letting my students walk around and draw on the white board during their reading hour. I told my boss that I was never told to prepare anything for those reading hours. He doesn´t like it when people disagree with him so he didn´t take it very well and told me not to let it happen again. The kids felt sorry for me and promised to behave better.

This is already too long, but I am liking it here. Although teaching is difficult it will probably be one of the best experiences of my time in Honduras. The kids are great and I´m excited to get to know them better and see them grow as learners.

Until next time,

emily

first days in la ceiba

I made it to Honduras. It´s been wonderful so far. I arrived Friday night ...after several hours on a train, several more hours on a bus, and just a few minutes in a car I was sitting on one of the two queen beds in my hotel room at Hotel La Aurora, a very classy hotel located just off the highway when you enter La Ceiba.

Today was my second full day in Honduras. I am here with Micah, a friend from John Brown University. Both of us are to be ¨maestros¨at Brassavolo Bilingual School. Today Micah and decided to hike to some beautiful waterfalls. The travel book said a bus would come by around 9am, but by the time it did actually come it was closer to 11am. The bus off roaded up a dirt road. We got off at the Banana Republic Lodge, a great place for backpackers. There we jumped off rocks. Micah of course jumped backwards, upside down, etc. I myself was too scared to jump anyway but the regular way. At the lodge we also had a wonderful lunch of chicken and vegetables but it cost more than we expected ... about 3,300 limperas or about $16. Mind you, my math and grammar aren´t great now cause i´m using a spanish keyboard and i´m in a hurry.

After lunch we hiked up through lusious jungle to a beautiful, tall waterfall. We were guided by Victor who didn´t speak any English. I am muy cansada from the hike, but it was definitely worth it. Along the path we made some friends, Nicholas, Fanny and Sarah. They ended up letting us ride in the back of their pickup back to our hotel. This saved us at least $10 which was good since we had only about $5 on us.

Anyway, that´s all for now. Tomorrow is the first day of classe, which is scary for me becasue I have no idea what to expect. I don´t even know the times of my classes. I hope my students are good and that we´re able to learn a lot but also have a lot of fun.

adios amigos. hasta luego.

moving to honduras

For months I've been searching for a job in another country. First it was the au pair job in Germany and then France, then it was the journalism internship in Costa Rica, and finally, I began looking for teaching jobs in Honduras. Thanks to help from several people I will be leaving for La Ceiba, Honduras in less than three weeks!

Brassavola bilingual school has offered me a job teaching freshman and sophomore English, sophomore social studies, junior U.S. History and junior Philosophy. I wouldn't necessarily say I'm qualified to teach most of those subjects but they say that since I have a bachelor's degree I'm what they want! I can't wait.

From what I've heard, and read online, La Ceiba is the third largest city in Honduras and has an eclectic mix of Latin, African-Antillian and Caribbean cultures. It's located right on the Caribbean Sea!

For the next year this blog will serve as a journal recording and preserving the best and worst of my times in Central America.

'I'm not there,' not all there

Last night I watched the film "I'm Not There" where six people play different aspects of Bob Dylan.
I am a fan of Bob Dylan. I know many of his songs, and still much of the movie made little sense to me.
Regardless, it was entertaining.
Cate Blanchett was AMAZING. And seeing Heath Ledger was uncanny.
I recommend the film, but only to people who either 1) love Bob Dylan's music, or 2) love indie, artsy films.

Hawaii ... and colonization?

HAWAII

OK, so it's been awhile since I last posted. I'm already a bad blogger. Meanwhile I've had several ideas for posts, but thought it best to begin with where I am now: Maui, Hawaii.

This is the view I wake up to every morning ... actually, it's more like the view that wakes me up every morning. I share the pull-out bed in the living room with my little sister; we're both awake by 6:30 a.m. either because of the bright Hawaii sunshine, loud Hawaiin waves, or my morning-people family. Gotta love family.

Yesterday we had stopped at a local surf spot and on the back of one car was this sticker: "Welcome to Hawaii, now go home!"

This seems to be a pretty common sentiment among Hawaiians. And I'm starting to think it's for good reason.

Being in Hawaii has made be think a lot about colonization. I haven't done any research and I don't know the history, but this is what I've gathered from observation and conversation: The Polynesians found and settled the Hawaiian Islands and then the Americans took over and overthrough all the Hawaiian kings.

I'm ashamed.

Call me naive, but I thought the only countries who did that crap were countries like the U.K.

Why do we take stuff that doesn't belong to us?

I guess this isn't just a problem between roommates sharing a refrigerator ... countries do it to each other too. I guess sometimes there are lots of benefits, but there's always a cost.