Inspiration and Perspiration

walt whitman

2010-02-11T09:18:00.000-08:00

i love this quote more each time i read it. enjoy:

"This is what you shall do:
Love the earth and sun and the animals,
despise riches,
give alms to everyone that asks,
stand up for the stupid and crazy,
devote your income and labor to others,
hate tyrants,
argue not concerning God,
have patience and indulgence toward the people,
take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men,
go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families,
read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life,
re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book,
dismiss whatever insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body..."

~walt whitman

Today's Recommendation: Music

2010-01-24T15:32:00.000-08:00

Today I recommend ...

... Pandora set to the Aretha Franklin channel.

I've been listing to it all afternoon.

red and yellow, black and white ...

2010-01-03T16:08:00.000-08:00

Today I rode my bike to Balboa Park to finish off "Made to Stick" and enjoy an unusually warm January afternoon outdoors. Sitting on a bench in front of the coy pond it dawned on me one of the reasons I love America: the diversity of people you see on a day-to-day basis.

In Uganda everyone was African, with the exception of a few missionaries, British businesspeople and foreign journalists. In Honduras everyone was pretty much Latin. People looked different from each other, but not drastically like here.

I wasn't at the Park more than 30 minutes and I saw people from more than a dozen nations. How beautiful. People marvel at the diversity of fish in an aquarium, but people are no less diverse, I think. I love encountering so many different countries and cultures without even having to get into my car.

a day in the field

2009-12-03T09:42:00.000-08:00

Highlights from work yesterday (i spend half the day out of the office):

This advertisement makes me want to throw up.

Was a little surprised to see this. But or a second was also tempted to add one to my window.

In case you can't read it -- "RIPPIE: Rich hippie". ha

what's this about?

2009-12-01T09:09:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to figure out what this blog should be about --now that my adventure in Honduras is over. At times I feel like my life in San Diego is too boring to write about. It's not, but how do I communicate something about my current life in a way that interests and challenges or inspires you?

I'm not sure yet.

Today at work I decided to begin a list of my favorite things. Number one on the list today is Cocorosie. Check out their song "By Your Side". It makes me want to live a life worth writing about.

Congrats to my best friend Meghan on being engaged! I can't wait to be there dressed in whatever color you decide!

Traveling Stories

2009-11-08T14:19:00.001-08:00

Traveling Stories: Fueling children's minds with stories.

"Every man who knows how to read has it in his power to magnify himself, to multiply the ways in which he exists, to make his life full, significant and interesting." ~Aldous Huxley

Huxley is right. Being able to read really does empower us to make our lives more full, significant and interesting. In a recent interview with Parade magazine Oprah shared similar sentiments. She said, "I wasn't a dreamer as much as I was a reader. That allowed me to see ... that there was a world beyond my backyard."

Oprah is right, too. But what about people who can read but have no access to books? This is why I am starting Traveling Stories, a non profit organization dedicated to putting books into the hands of kids who have none.

The idea for Traveling Stories began when I was teaching high school students in Honduras. My students hated reading but had little to no access to books, something I could hardly fathom having grown up in a country with bookstores and libraries in every neighborhood. During my trip home for Christmas I purchased 40 books from used book stores. I took them back to my students in January and made them read for an hour a day. Eventually they fell in love with reading! I saw their behavior and attitude toward learning English improve incredibly! I decided to try and provide that opportunity to more kids. Thus, Traveling Stories.

Currently I'm raising money to pay for the legal fees of becoming an official 501c3 organization. It's going to cost roughly $1,000 ($250 to get incorporated and $750 for the 501c3). Here's what I'm looking for:

200 people willing to give $5 each
50 people willing to give $20 each, or
20 people willing to give $50 each.

This is an exciting time for Traveling Stories! A lot of great things are happening. If you want to learn more leave me a comment! If you want to donate please click on the "DONATE" button at the right of this screen!!

The first books will be donated to an orphanage and preschool in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Thanks for reading!

on the inside

2009-11-04T16:37:00.000-08:00

I was thinking/looking over some of my recent posts and I'm grossed out by how ugly of a person I can be sometimes.
Life can be so beautiful, but why do I make a mess of it sometimes -- and why, when I'm met with ugly situations, do I sometimes choose to make them even uglier?
I think part of our purpose in life is to bring beauty to situations -- to expose it, to create it, to highlight it. We're meant to redeem the ugly things -- as we ourselves are being redeemed.

blue lips and more

2009-10-27T21:15:00.000-07:00

Saw Regina Spektor last night.
She was wonderful.

It' Friday ...

2009-10-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

and so far I'm not in love.

It's only 9:04 but already a few crappy things have happened.

1) got into a big fight in the bathroom with my sister. We both picked on each others' weak point. I made her cry. For some reason I laughed, even though I felt like crying too. She called me crazy.

2) at the coffee shop by work i got my butt half grabbed by a guy we'll call S. He came in for half-hug that turned into a butt graze. gross.

All this before I even stepped into work. What else will happen today!?

Jumper

2009-10-20T09:49:00.001-07:00

Today it took more than an hour to get to work --and it was almost all traffic. (Normally it takes 25 minutes) About 15 minutes into the traffic a sign said "Expect Delays, Accident at 94 and 5 North.

About 35 minutes later I was merging onto the 5 North from the 94, expecting to see a huge accident. There was none. Instead I saw a woman standing on top of a bridge. Is it ironic that I was also listening to Third Eye Blind's "Jumper" about this time? But unlike the song, I was not urging this woman to step back from the ledge.

The bridge ...if you look real close you can see the woman standing on top, to the right of the palm tree.

If I remember correctly I said something a little more like "F@#$, Jump, B#$%^!"

Wow! Mean, right?!!!! I'm not proud of my road rage, but I think most of you would have similar responses.

It turns out that this woman has been threatening to jump since 1:30 this morning! WHAT?! So I wonder, why is she still there!?!? Why are 6-8 lanes of traffic still blocked for her?!?!! Can't they just tranquilize her and pull her off the bridge?

That's all ---just a little drive-to-work story. Hope your morning drive was less hateful. :)

circle of life

2009-10-18T09:32:00.000-07:00

Today I am listening to "Circle of Life" from The Lion King soundtrack on repeat. It's amazing. I'm inspired to live a better life.
Here's the youtube video link. You owe it to yourself to watch it, at least once!

Also, just came across this --Psalm 96:

Sing to God a brand-new song. He's made a world of wonders!
Shout the news of his victory from sea to sea, take the news of his glory to all the lost,
news of his wonders to one and all!
For God is great, and worth a thousand hallelujahs.
His terrible beauty makes the gods look cheap; pagan gods are mere tatters and rags.
... Bring gifts and celebrate, bow before the beauty of God,
then to your knees -Everyone worship!
... Let's hear it from the sky, with earth joining in, a huge round of applause from sea.
Let wilderness turn cartwheels, animals, come dance, put every tree in the forest in the choir --
an extravaganza before God as he comes, as he comes to set everything right on earth,
set everything right, treat everyone fair.

pandas and punctuation books

2009-10-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

If there was any doubt before (come one, there had to be some!), it's all gone now. I am definitely a nerd because today at the library (yes, I go to libraries on Saturday) I checked out a book on punctuation ... and started reading it ... and guess what?! I enjoy it!

Here's the book. We'll see if my punctuation gets any better. :)

Coffee Shop Pervs

2009-10-07T09:34:00.001-07:00

On Monday afternoon I walked into my favorite coffee shop, the one right across the street from work, to order an ice tea.

Mr. Cafe Musician (the one who sits at the counter every day recording music and waiting for his big break) walked up to me, put his arm around my shoulder and said, "You got me sick."

"What?!" I asked.

"You got me sick when we were making out," Mr. Cafe Musician says.

"What the hell are you talking about. We've never made out and we're never going to make out," I saw.

"Well ..." he stammers. "Maybe in my dreams."

Then Mr. Cafe Musician tries to kiss my cheek --

"No way," I say.

Where do they come up with this crap?!!?

i'm back.

2009-10-04T16:50:00.001-07:00

Hi.
It's me again.
It's been about a month and I think I'm ready to return to blogging.

Today's topic: being pursued.

I've been a Christian since I was 8 years old. It happened at the Del Mar Fair in a little Bible story tent (not creepy like it sounds). The decision to put God in charge of my life was simple: It made sense. It still makes sense. However, it's been 15 years and what still is not simple is figuring out how my life should look. Following God is a lot of work and most of the time I feel confused. So, I've decided to ask God something: Please pursue me.

I know the Bible promises that if we pursue God we will find him. But right now I really need God to find me. I want to feel wanted by him.

I'm not sure if this quote is relevant to the topic, but they said it in church today and I really liked it:
"God is present to us in the most destructive aspect of our cultural captivity." ~Robert Mulholland

we're on a break

2009-08-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a break from journalism and re-evaluating what I want to do with my life. In the meantime I'm not reading as many newspapers and I'm not updating this thing.

Enjoy the silence.

Be back sometime in the future -- I think.

yesterday in pictures

2009-08-14T09:31:00.000-07:00

Thursday, August 13, 2009. The day started as usual with getting dressed. By 8:15 a.m. I was signing paper work to donate blood for dengue research. Work began a little later than usual -- about 9:10. In the afternoon that shirtless man sat at the tables in front of my window. After work I met up with a friend for a Hornblower concert cruise with Meiko! It was a solid day.

cops kill crazy man

2009-08-04T11:27:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I was trying to get to Horton Plaza, a mall in downtown. The traffic was insane and cops were everywhere. I found a parking spot and rushed toward the yellow caution tape to find out what had happened.

Apparently the cops had shot and killed a crazy man who had been walking around threateningly with a stolen steak knife.

The fired 3 or 4 shots and the man died on the scene, which just so happened to be one of the most trafficked streets in downtown San Diego.

My question is this: Was it really necessary to shoot (with real bullets) and KILL this crazy man?

Interestingly enough this story did NOT even make it on the front page the SD Union Tribune (the major city newspaper in San Diego). WHY?

What do you think? Would you have shot a crazy homeless man if he had started walking toward you with a steak knife? AND, do you think this story deserved to be on the front page? Click here to see what made the front page instead.

rasta

2009-07-31T17:14:00.000-07:00

I'm off to see the Wailers tonight! Wish Bob was coming too.

7-eleven and other musings

2009-07-26T17:58:00.000-07:00

Have you ever found yourself at the 7-Eleven soda counter trying to decide which straw to use with your 32 oz. big gulp? The green straw is barely tall enough for the cup, but the red one sticks out of the cup a good four to five inches. As you may have guessed I've faced this dilemma several times. Today I chose the red straw and trimmed it down with scissors. Perfecto!

This little story has nothing to do with why I originally wanted to update my blog.

The original reason I wanted to blog today was to say that I'm considering a career change. I'm not sure I want to be a foreign correspondent (or even a journalism, whoa!) anymore. Here's why: Since I've moved back from Honduras I've been reading/watching the news coverage of the removal of President Mel Zelaya and over and OVER again the journalists get it wrong. The same thing happened with the genocide in Rwanda, the violence in Somalia and probably hundreds of other cases.

SO ... as far as I see it I have two choices: 1) abandon my hopes of being a journalist and find a career more suited for my passions, or 2) pursue journalism with a steadfast commitment to investigation and accuracy.

Awww ... life ... what a confusing game.

Jewel

2009-07-20T19:38:00.001-07:00

JULY 20, 2009 -- Last night I saw Jewel at Humphrey's. It was amazing. It reminded me why I, in middle school, listened to the "Pieces of Me" CD until it no longer played without skipping.

The same sentiments that appealed to the 13-14 year-old me appeal to the me today: songs about broken hearts and the power of kindness and love to heal a hurting world.

Yes, Jewel is a hippy who sings melancholy chic hits, but her lyrics resonate with the insecurities within each of us -- insecurities that drive us to buy, bUY, BUY things to impress people and make ourselves seem cool.

If you've never listened to Jewel check out these --they're a few of my favorites!

"Deep Water"

"Uncommon Life"

"Stonger Woman"

"Who Will Save Your Soul"

mediocre

2009-07-17T23:01:00.001-07:00

I finished my first week at The San Diego Reader today. It's nice to have a job and my coworkers are awesome. Surprisingly they've shown a real interest in my life and have asked lots of questions. It's these questions that have made me realize how mediocre I possibly might be.

"Oh so you surf?" said one sales rep after I put a pic of waves in El Sal on my computer.
"Well, not really. I'm learning," I answer.

"You play guitar?"
"I took a class in high school and play for fun, but I'm not really any good."

"You were in Honduras a whole year? You must be fluent at Spanish?"
"Not really."

"You have plans for the weekend?"
"Nothing really. I might hang out with friends from my university and on Sunday I'm going to the Jewel concert with my mom."

"So, did you have a serious boyfriend in college."
"No."

"You must've seen a lot of crazy s@#$ in Honduras -- you know, like gangs and political stuff?"
"Not really. That all happened the day I left."

ANYWAY, these questions have made me want to actually finish something. When people ask I want to be able to say, "Yes I do play the guitar and I'm damn good at it."

entry level

2009-07-08T15:33:00.000-07:00

I'm back in San Diego ... and the search for a job has begun! The more I talk to friends my age the more I think we're experiencing the same emotions: confusion and frustration. We're done with college but we don't yet have the job of our dreams --- and we're not sure what that job actually is anymore.

With that said, I had my second interview at The Reader today -- it's not for an editorial position, but I'm still excited about it. I should know by the end of the week if I got the job!

Tonight a bunch of friends from JBU are coming over for dinner -- it should be a blast! Tomorrow I'm going to Mexico with my dad and Bethany -- I'm pretty excited about that too! Friday I'm getting new registration tags for my car ... and that's the extent of my life plans for now.

Peace.

ousting presidents

2009-07-01T10:05:00.000-07:00

I'm back in the U.S.A. safe and sound, but I can't help but wish I was in Honduras to see first-hand how the situation with President Zelaya will turn out. I've been reading updates in the New York Times, but when I compare them to the information I receive from people in Honduras and my own first-hand experiences I'm deeply frustrated.

The Organization of American States (OAS) called the military overthrow an "old-fashioned coup" and has given Honduras three days to replace their ousted president. The OAS says that if Honduras doesn't let Zelaya back they will be suspended from the group.

Here's the thing that makes me livid. The articles do not accurately portray the situation in Honduras. The Honduran president has been trying to change the constitution so that he can stay in power at least for another term. He was telling people to go to the polls to vote to make these changes. Technically, according to the Honduran constitution, this is an act of treason against the country because it goes against the constitution. However, until the president formally published something telling people do vote to change the constitution it wasn't made official. The night before President Zelaya was removed he published this edict, thus giving the military legal reason to remove him.

It wasn't an illegal coup!

The Honduran military wasn't acting unruly or chaotically --- they were simply defending their country's constitution and democracy! The U.S. and other members of the OAS need to get their facts straight!

To get better information about the situation in Honduras read the comments on the New York Times article today.

mucho tiempo sin update

2009-06-25T09:07:00.000-07:00

Hello!!!

It´s been awhile since I´ve updated ...

I´m in El Salvador!! I just spent an amazing week on the beach with Brittany Hoover, one of my roommates from college. Her flight left this morning and I´m heading back to San Pedro Sula tomorrow to catch my flight home. I´m sad to leave.

The beach was amazing. Brittany and I had a great week. We had an amazing view ... which I´ll post pictures up as soon as I´m home ... and made lots of new friends!

It´s my third time in El Salvador and I continue to fall more and more in love with it!

despedidos

2009-06-14T09:58:00.001-07:00

My time in La Ceiba is almost over. I leave tomorrow to go to San Pedro Sula and from there I'll travel to El Salvador. I'm excited about my next travels and about going home, but I don't want to say goodbye. Here are some photo highlights of my last days in La Ceiba:

dance baby dance

2009-06-08T16:46:00.000-07:00

I'm living in Barrio La Isla now with Micah and Tyler ... and the occasional backpacker who needs a couch to sleep on. My first weekend with roommates in Honduras has been full of lots of things: packing, unpacking, eating, dancing, high school PROM, cleaning, educational movies, parties, rum, dancing, discos, beach volleyball, drinks, dancing, Japanese food, romance novels, fruit, the river ...

Here are some photos that capture the essence of the weekend:

Dancing at prom. The students all looked awesome! Most of the girls had their dresses custom made and the boys all looked nice in suits. Prom here was much different from my prom ... the whole family came to the party! I left around 3 a.m., but even then the dance floor was still pretty full with students and their families.

Cindy and me -- a group of us meet at the beach every Sunday afternoon to play volleyball, hang out, and watch the sun sinking into the Caribbean Sea.

Tyler, me, Matt, Cindy and Hiromi at Ki'Bok Sunday night for a little fiesta. Hiromi made a traditional Japanese dish and afterward we had a photo shoot with random objects.

Only one week left in La Ceiba. Estoy triste. :(

ode to hiromi

2009-06-04T16:32:00.000-07:00

I just got back from having coffee with my good friend Hiromi. It was awesome. We laughed so hard and talked about all sorts of things ... girl things ... in Spanish. :)

It's been a rough week, although I'm not sure exactly why. I haven't been feeling myself. A lot of stuff is stressing me out. It was really nice to take a break from everything and giggle with a good girl friend.

Hiromi is a volunteer here through the Japanese government -- kind of like the Peace Corps. She's one of the sweetest, most joyful people I've ever met! I hope we're friends forever! :)

goodbyes

2009-06-02T17:26:00.000-07:00

Saying goodbye to a place is difficult. Unfortunately I've planned it so that I have to say goodbye several different times. The first time will be Thursday when I move out of my apartment and into Tyler's apartment with both Tyler and Micah.

One of my neighbors, an older widow who only moved in about 2 months ago, found out today that I would be leaving soon. I offered her my coffee maker, which soon turned into her walking through my apartment and asking for more things. It was a little weird, but normal for this culture. A few minutes later I heard her knocking at my door -- she had a dust pan in hand, a temporary gift to help me with my cleaning! About 5 minutes after that she was at my door again but this time with a bowl of homemade noodle and potato soup.

When I returned her dishes she told me that that I could live with her, "juntas," after Thursday if I wanted. :) I politely declined but am still blown away. I wouldn't say that my 10 months here have given me the impression that Hondurans are super hospitable and open, but maybe they are?

I honestly don't know my neighbor well. I can't even remember her name, but it's nice to feel this little sense of community. It's nice to feel like my neighbors might actually miss me a little. It's nice to be noticed. It's nice to not have to make dinner.

I love the new Wendy's menu!

2009-05-30T10:29:00.000-07:00

Exchange rate: USD to Honduras Lempira: $1 to 18.9 lempiras.

earthquake -- 7.1

2009-05-28T20:50:00.001-07:00

This morning at about 2:20 a.m. an earthquake hit La Ceiba --- rumor has it that this was the first earthquake in La Ceiba history. It was a 7.1 on the richter scale. My second floor apartment was swaying back and forth and I kept hearing the sounds of glass breaking in my neighbors' apartments. It was bigger than any earthquake I've felt in California.

Fortunately the epicenter was in the ocean, so very little damage was done. Part of a bridge collapsed, but I don't think there were any fatalities. There may have been one death in the whole country as a result of the quake, but I'm not sure about that (my translation skills while watching local news still aren't super reliable).

School got cancelled today though. I think most people were awake all night so schools were cancelled nationally. Crazy! Imagine if that's what people did in California!

my students' magazine

2009-05-27T15:58:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the pages of the magazine that I made with my tenth grade students. It includes their original poems, essays, reviews and creative stories as well as some of their favorite quotes!

"it's a bittersweet symphony ... "

2009-05-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

It's almost time for me to leave Honduras. June 4th I'll be moving out of my apartment and into my friend Tyler's apartment, along with Micah. By June 16 I'll be on my way to El Salvador where I'll meet up with Brittany Hoover for about 10 days of adventure and beach fun!

It sounds cliche, but my time here really has gone by quickly. I'm excited to be going home, but sad to be leaving. The past few weeks here have been great. Micah and I have more friends now! When we have parties it's not just the two of us! haha There's constantly stuff going on, and yet never before in my life have I had so much free time. I think I will miss a lot about Honduras.

This past weekend was the Carnival ... La Ceiba's claim to fame. It was a ton of fun! Thursday, Friday and Saturday night the streets were full of thousands of people. The streets were lined with colorful tables full of crap that, for some reason, everyone felt compelled to buy. Entertainment consisted of everything from punta peformed by the great Aurelio Martinez (La Ceiba local) and Honduras' pride Guillermo Anderson to a rock duet by two women wearing silver bodysuits. It was awesome ... I'll try to find time tomorrow to tell more stories about it!

t-shirts

2009-05-20T14:36:00.000-07:00

JBU in La Ceiba
I just got back from a run down to the beach. On my way back I saw a middle-aged man wearing a blue JBU Volleyball shirt. Weird.

Heart of Clouds
Outside the sky is a mess of blue-gray clouds. It's been raining off and on the past few days-- a nice break from the heat we've been having. From my balcony you can see the mountains. They're gorgeous right now. It almost looks as though the mountain has a cloud heart that is seeping out through every valley and crevice. The clouds are menacing and angry looking, but also so wispy and mystical. It's hard to decide how to feel about them. (see photo)

Random Stuff
Current Favorite Chill Song: "Radio Ballet" by Eluvium
Current Favorite Power Song: "Shine On" by R.I.O.
Current Afternoon Snack: Dr. Pepper and Snyder's Honey Mustard & Onion Pretzel Pieces
Current Annoyance: bug bites
Current Apartment Status: dirty & with a busted light bulb in my kitchen
Last Lost Thing That I've Found: a jar of peanuts that had rolled under my bed; lost Sunday, found today.
Last 3 Calls Received: Matt, Hiromi, Hiromi
Time I Woke Up Today: 7:30 a.m.

for david

2009-05-19T10:15:00.000-07:00

David is a seventh grade student at my school. His older brother was killed Saturday night. They found his body, but not his head. He was 17.

If you're a person of faith (or even if you're not) please say a prayer for David and his family.

"There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root."
~Henry David Thoreau

winding down

2009-05-17T18:26:00.000-07:00

One month. That's the amount of time I have left in Honduras. Thursday was the last day of school, tomorrow I'm going on a field trip with the seniors and then it's final exam week!

It's been a tough year, but I'll be sad to leave Central America. As I am turning the last pages of this chapter of my life story I've started to search pretty hard for the content of my next chapter. The fact that I'm not 23 seems to put more pressure on actually finding a career. But the truth is I'm more confused about what I should do with my life now than ever.

Here are some people and stories that have been inspiring my career musings:

Aung San Suu Kyi : Burma's pro-democracy leader who was recently moved from house arrest to prison when a confusing American man swam across a lake/river to visit her. She is a Nobel Peace Prize winner and has been called the modern day Ghandi. She has been on house arrest for 13 years.

Shannon Galpin: A single-mom who started a non-profit organization in 2007 to bring education to women and children in Afghanistan. She says that she works so that no one has to feel powerless.

"Slumdog Millionair": Tonight Dateline had a special about Rubina Ali and Azhar Ismail, two child stars from the film "Slumdog Millionaire" who are actually from the slums of Mumbai.The Dateline special took a look at where those kids are now ... months after the film won Best Film of the Year at the Oscars. It turns out their both back in the slums. It makes me want to visit India.

To close, I want to share a quote that I wrote in my journal months ago. It's not specifically related to anything else in this post, but I feel like it's still relevant.

"As the glow of a coal depends upon its remaining in teh fire, so the vitality, the psychic security, the very humanity of man depends on his integration into a family." -- John V. Taylor

mother's day

2009-05-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

i painted my guitar!

2009-05-06T14:11:00.000-07:00

May 6, 2009:

I've always wanted to paint a guitar but never had to guts to ... I was always afraid I'd ruin it with my mediocre art skills. But on Monday I decided that it was time to do it. "I'm Not There" was playing on TV, and something about Bob Dylan's story and music made me get up, walk to the mall and buy some paint. Here's what I've got so far! The gray shapes are supposed to be a lion! (lion drawing tutorial).

In other news, I was eating lunch at Quiznos and watching my favorite soccer team (Arsenal) get beat by Manchester United when I realized that Cristiano Ronaldo is as immature and childish as my male students. All I've ever heard about Ronaldo is what an awesome player he is and how hot he is (the latter comment coming mostly from my female students). I want to know how such a talented, well-known athlete gets away with acting like a cocky 13-year-old?

LASTLY, no one says it better than Bob: "Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights... Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight." The school is trying to screw Micah and I over again ... details aren't important but you should know that there will be a battle tomorrow and I'm prepared to fight. Some people say they don't believe in fighting. I think those people are either cowardly or apathetic. I don't support violence, but I am all for fighting because there are things definitely worth fighting for.

--paz y amor--

this week-in-a-half in pictures:

2009-05-03T11:39:00.000-07:00

APRIL 24: FUN DAY! Class was canceled and the entire school (from pre-k to my seniors) came to school to play games and eat lunch. My students called it "boring day" ... but that was to be expected. Micah and I shared a bunch of great ideas in the planning meeting, but none were used ... but that too was to be expected.

APRIL 28: I got my hair cut and highlighted. It doesn't look exactly like this, but it's close. :)

APRIL 29: I discovered that Mega (my supermarket) is carrying Dr. Pepper again!

APRIL 29-30: The administration tells all the students to wear masks at school to protect against the swine flu, which at this point has killed about 153 people in Mexico and one in the U.S.

APRIL 30: The Last day of class for seniors! After classes, 11B invited all the teachers to have lunch with them at Pizza Hut. It was really fun to hang out with them outside of class!

MAY 1: All of Honduras took the day off to celebrate Labor Day so Micah, Tyler (a Canadian friend who works for an NGO) and I went to Utila! I snorkeled, again. It was amazing, again. It's crazy to think that there's an entire world going on under water ... a world I know so little about.

MAY 3: I bought a kite! It cost 40.14 lempiras ... or about $2. As soon as it cools down a little, I'm going to put on my boots (to protect against bugs) and go out to the field in front of my apartment and fly it! It'll probably reinforce my neighbors' beliefs that I'm a little crazy.

venting

2009-04-29T18:25:00.000-07:00

I love Central America and even teaching isn't so bad (sometimes), but I absolutely hate the administration at my school.

Today they took a days pay from my paycheck because I missed one day of work to renew my immigration status. They conveniently forget the fact that when they hired me they promised to handle ALL immigration issues. (A promise they have failed to keep twice).

Later today ... five minutes before my class was going to start ... the principal told me that another teacher needed my class so that the students could practice for graduation. I said that that didn't work for me because the students needed to finish their speaking exams with me.

"I don't care," he said.

"So, essentially you're saying my class doesn't matter?" I asked, after several minutes of polite, yet heated discussion in front of my 10a class.

"Yes."

DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (no quotes on this one... I kept this thought inside my head)

If my class doesn't matter then WHY did the entire administration call me into the office last month to yell at me for missing a few days of work? Why did they tell me that I don't care about my job and that I am a bad teacher and that I don't work hard enough???? THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENS IN MY CLASS or the awesome types of projects that we do. How in the world do they have the audacity to, after giving me that lecture, take my class without any prior notice????

They're fools. I could handle another year of the students and Honduras --- but you couldn't pay me enough to deal with them a day past my last day.

It hurts so good

2009-04-28T18:02:00.000-07:00

My Gym

Sometimes I work out. These are my weights!

"100 things to do before i die"

2009-04-22T21:08:00.000-07:00

I had one of my 10th grade classes make a list of 100 things they want to do before they die. I read them all during a very boring and inefficient teachers meeting today after school. This is my favorite list:

Go to the states
Leave the states
Leave or finish school
Finish college
Sleep for 23 straight hours
Play basketball
Get an expensive pen
Go to the border of Mexico and U.S.A.
Burn a building
Burn a school
Burn B.B.S. School
Complete the 3 above at the same time
Laugh at the wall
Sleep in a bed
Go to New Orleans again
Leave New Orleans
Go to Las Vegas
Win money in Las Vegas
Laugh at La Ceiba when I'm in Las Vegas
Not have kids
Play on a basketball team
Kill an angry fan
Kill someone in a basketball court
Kill someone with a basketball
Drink water
Drink coke
Drink sprite
Drink 7-Up
Throw up a 7-Up
High-5 a retard
Poo in the chimney of someone
Get a crappy car
Burn a crappy car
Get a nicer car
Burn a crappy car that was burned
Burn a nice car
Pee in the snow and say it's a lemon snow cone
Do the previous thing again
Drink coke again
Go to my house
Hate and be hated
Never dance
Never adopt someone
Laugh at people on TV
Be an "extra" on a stupid movie
Get married
Stare at someone until he hits me
Crash a friends car
Buy books
Read book titles
Read first sentences of a lot of books
Burn a lot of books
Play baseball with books as bases
Never drink alcohol
Never smoke
Never get a tattoo
Sleep in books
Burn previous books used as beds
Go to the door of a library
Don't go into a library
Go to Washington D.C.
Leave Washington D.C.
Go to Miami again
Leave Miami
Eat ice cream
Be 66 years old
Be 67 years old
Be 68 years old
Be 69 years old
Be 80 years old
Learn to count well from 66 to 80
Sell a house
Sell a crappy burnt car
Sell a burnt car
Pee in snow to play sudoku
Play poker in Las Vegas El Rio Casino
Play in a casino in Las Vegas
Not get shot while playing poker in Las Vegas
Not get shot at all
Be 81 years old
Build a dog house
Destroy a dog's house
Buy a dog's house
Burn a dog's house
Buy a hampster
Find out if hampster can resist 5 minutes under water
Bury a drowned hampster
Hear music
Write a crappy song
Buy a crappy car again
Get "Pimp My Ride" to fix my car
Rip in half a $20 bill
Burn a $5 bill
Buy shoes
Cut the blood circulation in my foot
Build a poker table
Play poker vs. a pro of poker stars
Play poker vs. a prof of some team from Jamaica
Climb a block
Win a WSOP poker bracelet

thoughts about the end

2009-04-21T13:27:00.000-07:00

I've come to simple, yet profound (for me) realizations this week:

I hate my job, but I really like Central America.

I can't wait for the school year to finish, but I'm sad and somewhat apprehensive about returning to the States.

I'm more confused than ever about what I want to do with my life.

too many buses

2009-04-15T14:14:00.000-07:00

Semana Santa 2009: 11 days, four countries, 15+ buses, 2 boats, almost-deportation

I had a week off of school for Semana Santa and took a surf trip to Playa Sunzal in El Salvador. However, due to some problems with immigration my trip's itenerary faced some changes -- $100 fine, two more countries, and a bunch of bitchy immigration workers. Here's an overview of the highlights:

1. San Salvador --I got into San Salvador Saturday night and went to a Palm Sunday mass in the city's main cathedral.

Outside the cathedral many people sold palm bouquets to be purchased for $1.

Hundreds of people waited outside the Cathedral for a procession of church leaders and church members to arrive.

The church leaders led the procession.

Inside the church. The man carrying a cup was begging for change throughout the service. Some people gave him money, others told him to beg outside.

2. Playa Sunzal -- After church I traveled to the beach by bus (it took an hour and just $0.60). El Salvador has some of the best surf spots in the world! I took a few lessons, but mostly just relaxed in the sand!

Here's one surf spot -- normally the waves were a lot bigger.

Me and my 'maestro del surfear', Pedro. He told me I needed "mas fuerte" for paddling. :) All the surfers here have nicknames -- Pedro's was arobo (or something like that). They named me Perla.

Every afternoon a soccer game would start up on the beach.

One day I went to the fish market in La Libertad. I saw tons of cool fish, but this was the coolest!

Stephan, Micah and Pierre -- my dear companions all week!

3. Immigration Crap
Crossing into Honduras from El Salvador, immigration notified me that I had overstayed my welcome in the region. Apparently my 90 days had expired two days earlier and I would have to pay $114 and go to Belize within five days or face deportation. Sooooo ... I paid $100, took a bus to San Pedro Sula, a boat to Belize (spent one night in Punta Gorda, Belize), took a boat to Guatemala (there were no boats back to Honduras until Friday), and then took a bus from Guatemala to La Ceiba. I only missed one day of school and I'm LEGAL AGAIN!

Me on the boat to Belize. I'm tired. At this point I've been on buses for two days straight with little sleep. But I'm excited for the adventure.

We got our passport stamps for Belize on the boat. It was a holiday so no one was wearing their uniform.

Punta Gorda, Belize.

Spring Break -- El Sal.

2009-04-02T15:59:00.000-07:00

My Spring Break officially starts in less than 12 hours.

YAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

I'm going to El Salvador.

Be back next week! :)

Jungle River Lodge

2009-03-29T19:15:00.000-07:00

The weather is getting hotter here and vacation time is coming. The whole mood of La Ceiba is changing. People are more relaxed and there's a lot more going on. To escape the heat this weekend, Micah and I walked/hitch-hiked to the Jungle River Lodge along the the Rio Congreal to read, swim and jump off rocks. The owner offered me a job bartending on Friday nights, so the weekends I'm in Ceiba I think I'll be working up there. I wont get paid, but I'll get to sleep and eat there for free.

It's Friday afternoon, school has just let out and I'm on my way to the Lodge.

The Rio Congreal.

The Jungle River Lodge at night. The bar to the right is where I'll be helping out on Friday nights.

Thiefs can't make me sad

2009-03-26T15:26:00.000-07:00

Someone stole my CD player from school. It was on my shelf in the teachers' room yesterday afternoon and this morning it was gone. I don't care a ton about the CD player itself, but it sucks because now I wont be able to play inspiring music for my students during reading time or T.I. and 'Lil Wayne when they're working.

However, this afternoon was awesome. Micah and I have started offering English tutoring to 9th, 10th and 11th graders on Thursdays for an hour after school. Today was the first one and although only four students showed up it was a great success.

We wanted to provide a place where students could get English help on a one-on-one basis. Today we spent the whole hour just talking. At the end one student said, "I can't believe I've been talking in English for a whole hour." She also asked us why we only offered tutoring once a week. :)

Yay!

Teaching is so much more fun when students actually want to learn! Maybe I do like teaching, a little.

"rise up this morning/smile with the risin' sun/three little birds pitch by my doorstep ..."

2009-03-25T15:44:00.000-07:00

I am loving Honduras today.

I did fun activities in all my classes today, I dropped off my laundry this afternoon and now I'm eating a bowl of mango salsa with chips and listening to a Bob Marley/Ben Harper mix -- nothing exactly earth-shattering.

But I also have a lot to look forward to. This Saturday is the opening night of a posh new club/lounge in La Ceiba. There's only one way to get in: personal invitation. And I might just have one. Then, in about two weeks I'll be getting on a bus to go to El Salvador to surf and celebrate Holy Week. I'm so lucky to be living so close to so many different countries.

Here are some recent photos:

A crazy-weird bug I saw outside my door a few days ago. There are all kinds of weird, beautiful bugs hanging out around my apartment building.

While I waited for the ferry to go to Utila I took some pictures around the boat dock. The captain of this boat said I could hitch a ride to the islands for a little as 200 lempiras. I promise that if I do this I wont go alone. :)

In Utila I visited the Jade Seahorse, a bar-restaurant-place-to-stay. It was breathtaking. Imagine the Swiss Family Robinson tree house being built by Antoni Gaudi and you'll begin to get the picture. The Jade Seahorse was recently voted the number 4 bar in the world by Lonely Planet. This is a picture of owner and creator, Neal, in his workshop. He was memorable and sarcastic.

The Jade Seahorse: This picture doesn't begin to do this place justice but I had to put something up to give you at least a little idea of how awesome it is.

While walking around in Utila I found this tattoo artist, Mandy. He operates out of a shop that also sells wooden doors. He does tattoos for as little as 800 lempiras, but don't worry mom and dad, I didn't get one.

Utila

2009-03-20T17:36:00.000-07:00

Today I snorkeled in the reefs surrounded the island Utila. I drifted past exotic corals and came nose-to-nose with brightly colored fish. The sun was shining, the water was brilliantly blue and tropical music filled the air.

As I mentioned in my last post, a dear friend from college (jonathan) surprised us by showing up in La Ceiba this week. Jonathan, Jonathan's friend Adam, Micah and myself went to Utila to have a good time. The boys are diving ... I'm just snorkeling 'cause I didn't have enough time to get diver certified or enough money to do a discovery dive.

Honduras has three major Islands: Utila, Roatan and Guanaja. It's amazing how different each one is. Utila is all about diving and parties. It's less developed, more back-backer friendly and cheaper. But it's not as beautiful as Roatan.

Anyway, got to go. Stomach is growling ... the air is filling with smells of delicious dinners. I'm back to Ceiba tomorrow.

march: season of socializing

2009-03-18T11:54:00.000-07:00

It's only the 18th day of March and already I've seen three friends from JBU this month.

First, Meghan Kunes came.
Then Abby Cook came ... and is still here.
And yesterday, Jonathan Hagen showed up in front of my apartment unannounced.

Surprises are great. Great friends are even better. I'm lucky to have good friends, and even luckier to have friends who will visit me. I doubt I'd be half as adventurous as I am without supportive friends and family. It's a lot easier being far away when you know that your relationships will remain strong.

roatan on $50

2009-03-13T15:11:00.000-07:00

ROATAN WITH MEGHAN
Here are pics from my trip to Roatan with Meghan! We tried to do the whole trip on $50 ... and if you don't count the cost of the ferry to the Island we came quite close.

Roatan is one of three Honduran Islands. It takes just about an hour and a half by boat to get there, but there's also an airport. Although part of Honduras, most people (at least in touristy areas and in taxis) speak English.

Above, I'm standing at the beach just yards from our hostel in West End.

From top to bottom: 1. Hitchhiking. 2. The Booze Cruise didn't fit into our schedule, but we figured that was a good thing since unlimited alcohol and a swaying boat all night didn't sound like a good combo. 3. Reading magazines in the shade. 4. Sunset. 5. A few new friends watching the sun set.

cursing

2009-03-12T17:19:00.000-07:00

What does it mean when you curse after every slightest vexation?

*slightest vexations: A simple prick while cutting mangoes, accidentally closing a web page too early, a stranger who doesn't smile back, etc.

third quarter finals

2009-03-11T17:30:00.000-07:00

"Too often we give our students answers to remember rather than problems to solve." ~Roger Lewin

Third quarter finals start next week. We're doing reviews this week. Today I gave a review to my sociology class and told them that I wouldn't be collecting it. I told them that completely the review would help them win a review game tomorrow and pass the exam but that I wouldn't be watching over their shoulder to make sure they did it. What happened? About 6 students worked on the review and the rest wasted another 45 minutes of their life.

Lazy.

They said, "Miss, you have to remember what it's like to be in our shoes." I stopped. Thought about that for awhile and realized that I was never like them. I was never that lazy in class. I always cared about my grades and about learning. I was never disrespectful to my teachers.

Good news: After finals I just have one week of school before Spring Break! For Spring Break I'm taking a surf trip to El Salvador!

computer trouble- pictures coming

2009-03-07T12:31:00.000-08:00

Meghan left yesterday. It was wonderful seeing her and experiencing aspects of my life in Honduras with a close girl friend made me more homesick for the U.S.

Unfortunately my computer is giving me some trouble (i'm trying to do virus scans and update my antivirus stuff) but I promise to upload pictures soon!

In other news I got in HUGE trouble at work for missing days when Meghan was here. They made me have a meeting with all the bosses (four in total). However, by the end of the meeting they were all laughing and saying how they wished they could take my class! It was the first time I've ever had a positive, edifying conversation with them.

They've asked me to turn in a summary on Monday of all the activities and lessons I've taught so far as well as the ones I hope to get to before the year is over. It's crazy to think that I only have 40 or so more days left of actual school here.

i hate banks

2009-02-23T13:56:00.001-08:00

Life is a war and each day is filled with many battles.

There are too many opponents: students, parents, bosses, banks, rules, traffic, taxi drivers, line-cutters ...

I guess it's important to remember that although we're fighting THEY aren't the enemy and winning isn't always what it appears to be.

But I want to win my fight against the bank and get back the money that was stolen from me. It's on Banco Atlantida ... you thought you could deny me with so little effort. Think again. I'm not quitting until you make a deposit!

la playa

2009-02-22T16:40:00.000-08:00

Today I spent a wonderful afternoon at the beach with friends!

Yes, I have friends! :)

We went to a beach just outside of Sambo Creek where all the gringos have their big, beachfront homes. Several people raced their ATVs on the beach and a few played with jet skis

It was all so wonderful. Rosie, Rosie's friend, Hiromi, Alandino, Micah and I played in the waves and took lots of photos. Afterward we swam in una piscina. Then I laid in a hammock and relaxed until I was dry.

Dinner was a delicious seafood soup. Afterward we all crammed into Rosie's friend's (I can't remember his name) truck and drove back to La Ceiba ... just about a 12 minute drive.

I need to go to the beach more often!

educators

2009-02-18T15:46:00.000-08:00

"Education is a companion which no misfortune can depress, no crime can destroy, no enemy can alienate,no despotism can enslave. At home, a friend, abroad, an introduction, in solitude a solace and in society an ornament."
~Joseph Addison, English essayist and poet

Lately I've been thinking a lot about education and the role I should play in my students' lives as their teacher.

Although my life has been relatively short, I've been had many titles: daughter, sister, friend, tour guide, reporter, editor, contributor, intern ... etc., but so far 'teacher in Honduras' has afforded the most challenges. One unexpected factor that surely contributes to the difficulty of my current adventure is the fact that many of my students come from broken families.

Every one of my "problem" students lives separate from their birth father. In a recent assignment about their childhood at least a third (about 30) of my students wrote that the one thing they regretted about their childhood was the fact that their parents split up. Here's what one male student wrote:

"My infancy was a little sad. My parents split up when I was four and because of that my life changed drastically ... It has been hard for me and for my mom. For my mom because she has to fill that space, the space that not even a step-father can fill."

Behavior isn't the only challenge with my students from split parents. A lot of them also have enormous amounts of anger and resentment toward their fathers.

Divorce isn't new to me, but for the first time I see exactly how detrimental divorce is on kids. I don't believe that every divorce is going to irrevocably screw up the kids involved, but it definitely has an effect. And this is where the world's education problems start.

It is my young, inexperienced opinion that the world expects too much from teachers. Teachers today are expected to teach not only their subjects but also discipline, respect and manners. These last lessons aren't supposed to be learned at school. They're supposed to be taught by parents! Teachers are meant to reinforce what is being taught at home.

More than anything I think the world needs more people who are dedicated to being good parents. Teachers play an important, necessary role in society, but they will only be able to accomplish a fraction of their potential in the classroom if parents don't do their job at home.

inspiration

2009-02-15T16:39:00.000-08:00

Inspiration: n. an inspiring or animating action or influence.

12 things that inspire me:
1. Big waves
2. Coldplay performances
3. Pictures of faces
4. People whose lives confuse society (i.e. homeless, circus performers, motocross racers, etc)
5. Drinking coffee on a stormy day at the beach
6. Dancing for joy
7. Documentaries about Africa
8. Soundtracks
9. Song lyrics
10. Sunsets
11. Church services at Journey
12. People who are passionate

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

Got money and you know it, take it out your pocket and throw it ...

2009-02-10T08:53:00.000-08:00

OK, so I'm not 'Lil Wayne and I definitely don't have loads of money to wave this a way and that a way ... but I did pay rent in cash this week and goodness I look rich!

i found jesus in guatemala

2009-02-08T17:44:00.000-08:00

See, I told you I found Jesus.

I went to Guatemala. I'm not supposed to be home yet, but I got sick and then got my credit card stolen, so now I'm back in La Ceiba recuperating.

With all that said, Guatemala is fantastic. The amount of art and culture in Antigua is amazing. Not only were there boutiques and classy cafes on every corner, but bands were performing live music every night. Wednesday night Micah and I stumbled upon a place called La Sala and heard great latin jazz. The next night was Cuban Salsa night.

However, Guatemala has much more than arts and culture. About an hour and a half away from Antigua is Volcan Pacaya ... one of several active volcanoes that people can climb. After being dormant for about a century, Pacaya erupted in 1965 and has been erupting continuously since.

Some photos from my trip:

February 3.

2009-02-03T13:42:00.000-08:00

I hung out with my new friend last night. Her name is Hiromi. She speaks Japanese and Spanish, and a little bit of English.

Sometimes it's weird because neither of us can communicate with each other in our native language. But we manage ... she has an awesome mini-computer thing that lets us look up words in any language ... this helps a lot. She teaches people in a textile factory. Talking to her about this job has given me a lot more insight into maquilas (sometimes known as sweatshops).

There are several maquilas here in La Ceiba. Honestly I don't know much about them, but today in my Sociology class I learned a little more when my students debated whether sweatshops were good or bad for workers. I was really proud of their work and interested in hearing their perspective. It would be awesome to take my classes on a field trip to a local sweatshop, but getting permission and money to do that is probably impossible.

In conclusion, we have a week off of school. Micah and I are going to Guatemala!! YAY!!!!
We're going to climb an active volcano near Antigua, then we're going to split up ... he's probably going to Copan and I'm going surfing along the South-west Coast. I can't wait. Guatemala is supposed to be AMAZING!!

students have problems too (& a few more circus pics)

2009-01-30T17:38:00.000-08:00

Today was report card day.

Here in Honduras we handle grades differently. We cancel classes and invite (require) parents to come to school to pick up their child's grades.

I was fortunate to have only one parent mad at me. She wanted to know how I could say that her son was helpful in my class and then only give him a "GOOD" for conduct. Apparently to these parents "GOOD" doesn't really mean good. After she interrogated me the homeroom teacher lectured me and told to give out more "VERY GOODs" and "EXCELLENTs" next quarter.

Most of the parents were really nice though and I learned a lot about my students. Sometimes with all the challenges I'm dealing with I forget that my students are going through crap too. For instance, two of my students just found out that their dad, who's currently working in the U.S., is divorcing their mom and already engaged to another woman.

So many of my students have one or both parents in the States. One of my best students told me that he would trade everything to be with his mom. Another one of my students told me that women are really important to him and he wants to treat them really well, to be different from his dad.

I wish I could just be my students' friend. Being their teacher is too much responsibility. I'm better at just being a friend or mentor.

Anyway, after a morning with parents I went for a run and then delivered newspapers with my circus article to my friends at the circus. They loved it! I'm becoming a well known face aroudn the circus. Here are some photos that I took before leaving:

Brave or stupid? My circus friend grabs the tail of a tiger.

questions without answers

2009-01-27T13:36:00.000-08:00

Today I was eating lunch and the randomness of me being in Honduras dawned on me like never before.

I mean, I have wondered why I'm here, but today was different. Today I didn't have an answer. At least not right away.

One question led to many more...

1. Why do I live where I can't speak the language? I don't even have a great desire to learn
Spanish.
2. Why am I in Latin America? My real love is Africa.
3. Why do I spend so many hours and so much energy at a job where it honestly doesn't matter?
4. Why did I voluntarily sign up to work with high school students?
5. Why did I commit to working at the most disorganized, dysfunctional and greedy school I've ever seen?
6. Why am I teaching? I have no training for this!

... You get the idea.

Interestingly, as the day progressed, the weirdest memories popped into my head, answering that initial question that started this whole nightmare of thought.

I haven't figured out what is going to get me out of bed tomorrow, but each day is new. I'll worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes. Hard times are unavoidable, no matter our location. The important thing in those times is choosing to remember better times. We cannot forget.

Djoniba Dance and Drum Centre

2009-01-26T09:28:00.000-08:00

If you've got an extra $2 laying around consider using it to save a dance & drum studio from closing.

The Djoniba Dance and Drum Centre (DDDC) is looking for 50,000 people to donate $2 each to save their studio.

The DDDC is a non-profit that opened in New York City in 1992. It lost it's building facility at the end of 2008 due to financial problems associated with the national economic crisis. According to their website:

"Djoniba Dance & Drum KIDS is dedicated to crossing cultural, economic and racial boundaries by providing children with safe, fun classes in dance, drum and martial arts. Since its founding, more than 600 children have received full or partial scholarships to take part in the program. The Centre is committed to inspiring young people and helping them gain discipline, confidence and unity through the power of the arts."

To learn more about the Centre or to donate click HERE! It takes less than five minutes!

circus

2009-01-25T18:28:00.000-08:00

The Circo de Renato has been in town for about a week now. I've been twice. I've even written an article about it and researched the treatment of animals in circuses. There's something about the circus that is so fascinating.

I can't get my head around the lifestyle: moving from city to city with a caravan of performers and exotic animals; performing twice a day every day for 12 months!

Many of the performers told me they were born in the circus. It's all they know. It's their family.

I learned that the Circo de Renato has a certified teacher travel with them so that the circus' kids will have an education.

The ringleader, Renato (pictured below backstage), took over this particular circus in 1975. His two young boys have a trampoline act and his beautiful wife is one of the opening acts.

Some call Renato the Best Clown in the World. He is amazing. He designed the show and plays a part in the most dangerous, exciting acts. He is a trapeze artist, animal trainer, comic, musician and brave enough to drive one of three motorcycles in the great, metal Cage of Death.

He said he was sad to see fewer animals in circuses today. He said this makes the circus a less magical experience.

Performing animals is a sensitive subject. Google it and you undoubtedly get page after page of PETA-like websites calling for the end of all animal use in circuses. I disagree.

Too often I think people jump to conclusions such as "whips is evil," "the tricks animals do are painful or unnatural" or "circus animals are unhealthy." These simply aren't fair observations for EVERY circus. To read more on this from an expert click HERE.

In conclusion, I love the circus. And in Latin America it provides a place for people who are interested in more than just soccer to explore and express their interests. It exposes people to exotic animals, a variety of music and alternatives to playing soccer and clubbing.

beauracracies

2009-01-21T13:00:00.000-08:00

Got the sh#$ kicked out of me today at work. And not by my students, as you might suppose. Instead the deadly blows came from my short, quintessential-teacher-looking, Mormon boss.

It all happened around 8:45 a.m. I had managed to get my 10 B class quiet and reading. The lights were dim and sigu ros was lulling them into an unusual state of calm. Then, SWOOSH! My boss barges in the door. First it's to complain about mistakes with my grades. Then she notices that one of the students is wearing the wrong socks (we have uniforms). She proceeds to yell (in Spanish) and shake her head disapprovingly at both of us. Then she has the brilliant idea of inspecting EVERYONE in my class. She drags four boys and me outside the classroom and again yells and nods disapprovingly. All the while I'm trying to accomplish my first silent reading hour. It was going well before she came.

Why did she disrupt my class and completely disregard any thought for MY classroom rules? Why did she decide, AT THAT MOMENT, to deal with a very important issue like uniform when I myself was finally having a good class?

When I have the answers to those questions (and hundreds others like it) hell might as well have frozen over.

i want to join the circus

2009-01-20T15:24:00.000-08:00

Had an eventful weekend. Here are some highlights from Saturday night:

1. The night started with the Renato Circus. It was amazing. I asked the manager afterward if there was any room in the circus for me. He just laughed. So instead I'm thinking about writing a book entitled, "Behind the Makeup: Circus Stories". Would you buy it?

2. Next was a painting exhibition at Ki'Bok, my favorite cafe in La Ceiba (the only cool one). My new friend Sonia, a Brazillian painter, was featuring her work. It was a delightful occasion.

3. Last I went to a festival in Corozal. Essentially the festival is just a reason for people to dance and drink all weekend long. Here you see older women singing and dancing punta, the traditional dance of Garifuna communities. The ladies were really sweet and tried to teach me.

living alone = creative exploration?

2009-01-15T12:19:00.000-08:00

Living in my own apartment in a foreign country is fun at times and lonely at others. This year I'm trying to be more productive in my times of boredom (i.e. I'm trying to watch less TV). To show you how this new year's resolution is going here's a pic of a poster I created a few days ago from an old calendar. I love it!

sometimes it's cool being a teacher...

2009-01-14T10:19:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share this essay with you. It was written by one of my 11th graders. It's so sweet and I promise I didn't pay her to write it!

In case you can't read the picture, here's what is says:

"I think Ms. Moberly has done an excellent job with us in English. No English teacher has ever been as enthusiastic to give a class like her. She stimulates our learning by playing and having fun. At first, most of us didn't like to write, and had a horrible way of writing and expressing in paper. Now, personally, writing is one of the easiest things for me. One of my favorite subjects has always been English, and now more. The way she has opened us to learn to talk and write in English will always be there to help us in the future. Writing essays is not always boring. It all depends on the theme. She always gives us a fun topic, or sometimes lets us choose. Some still don't like to write. Personally I always over-write the amount of words she assigns. She has inspired me to write. It makens that when I grab a pen and paper I feel free and let all my ideas flow through. I never thought I would write abotu Shakespeare or one of his novels. In fact, I was never interested. She has shown us that English is not boring. Instead, it can be mroe fun than what you may expect. I hoipe future generations get to meet her if she still teaches in teh future. I hope she keeps making a difference in others' lives as she has made in me."

Monday.

2009-01-12T10:02:00.001-08:00

Hi!!! Here's what I look like today and an hour-by-hour look at what I've done so far. Enjoy!

Today:

8 a.m. Wake up. Turn on T.I.'s new cd. Get ready for the day.

9 a.m. Go to school. Try to print copies of my final exams only to find that the copier is not working. Typical.

9:30 a.m. Go to the mall with Micah to make copies. Decide to only copy what I will need for tomorrow because I don't want to pay for all those copies!

10 a.m. Get coffee at Espresso Americano with Micah in the mall. See our friend Eric. Have a business meeting about starting a publishing company in La Ceiba.

11 a.m. Leave the mall. Brainstorm about other business ideas. Try not to itch all of the bug bites on my feet. Be embarrassed by how gross they look.

11:30 Enroll in Spanish School! Yay! I get a special deal since the school is owned by the parents of one of my students. My one-on-one class starts tomorrow from 4 to 6 p.m.

Now (noon): Go home. Blog about my day. Talk to my landlord about finally paying my rent for last month. Tell him about my leaking sink. He promises to work on it. Make a Kanye/T.I. playlist. Think about how I should spend the rest of my day.

I'm BACK!

2009-01-10T14:58:00.000-08:00

After about 18 hours in transit and various flights, buses and taxis I arrived back at my Honduran apartment last night.

I've never returned to a foreign destination after a few weeks of absence. It's definitely a weird experience, but good at the same time. I almost feel like I'm seeing Honduras with new eyes. The initial fear and nervousness I felt when I first moved here last August is gone. I know what I'm getting myself into now. I'm not exactly looking forward to school, but I'm excited about what the next six months will bring.

So far my time back has been rather uneventful. I've spent all day unpacking and grocery shopping, stopping now and then to play with my landlord's son and his friend Willy. I gave them each a fun dip candy and now we're best friends. It helps too that I have a guitar! Enjoy the photos:

My landlord's son ... I can't remember his name.

Willy

Rockstars

review of '08, goals for '09

2009-01-01T13:14:00.000-08:00

Many people breathed sighs of relief when the clock struck midnight signifying the end of 2008 ... for many they were just happy to have made it to the new year. For me 2008 was mostly great. Here's a review:

1. My college newspaper won first place for general excellence beating out every other college newspaper in Arkansas.
2. Our newspaper also placed 5th in the nation at a conference in San Francisco.
4. I chaperoned a newspaper staff trip to San Fransisco. It was AMAZING!
4. I graduated!
5. I made new friends and had an awesome summer job working at a hotel in San Diego.
6. I moved to Honduras, became a teacher, got my own apartment for the first time and sort of started speaking Spanish.
7. I had my first international article published.

On a sadder note, my Grandma Vicky died last summer.

My goals for 2009:
1. To not get so mad at my students. They say, "Miss, you don't look as pretty when you're mad."
2. To write an in-depth piece about gold mining in Honduras (and get it published!)
3. After my contract is up in Honduras I want to support myself working as a journalist full-time.

san diego for the holidays

2008-12-23T13:02:00.001-08:00

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

2008-12-15T19:01:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-13T19:44:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-11T20:25:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-12-06T17:12:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-02T17:11:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-26T14:41:00.001-08:00

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

2008-11-23T08:43:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-20T15:48:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-16T18:16:00.001-08:00

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

sigh.

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

2008-11-12T15:31:00.000-08:00

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)

2008-11-09T14:18:00.001-08:00

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....

2008-11-07T21:36:00.000-08:00

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

Obama and Honduras

2008-11-05T13:42:00.000-08:00

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

2008-10-30T06:43:00.000-07:00

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"

2008-10-27T10:34:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-10-26T06:52:00.000-07:00

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.

2008-10-19T15:23:00.000-07:00

“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!!!

2008-10-15T20:36:00.000-07:00

legalize drugs?

2008-10-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-10-14T17:59:00.000-07:00

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

teaching

2008-10-13T16:34:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-05T17:39:00.001-07:00

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

2008-10-01T16:48:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-26T15:57:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-15T12:08:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-10T15:44:00.000-07:00

"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!!!!

2008-09-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

I got my address!!!!!!

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