Out of the Bag

Dinner from a bag has taken on a new meaning after moving to Honduras.  While there are no fast food chains, much of what I consume is packaged in bags, rather then boxes, cans or jars.  I suppose it saves a lot of space when trash pickup looks like this...

Here's a sampling of what's in my pantry right now....

Refried beans and cooking oil

Mayonaise and Mustard

Other items:  milk, olives...pretty much just about anything!  It can make organizing the fridge a little tricky, not to mention serving.  I've shot milk across the kitchen too many times to count.  But over the years this has become the norm.  The grocery store is no longer overwhelming and I am becoming a real Catracha.

From Operating Room to Classroom

As teachers, we live for Back to School.  One of my favorite pastimes is decorating my classroom.  I remember many summers spent searching the sale ads at Office Depot and Staples for penny deals.  And we would practically camp out the night before Mardel's Sale so we could get all of the good offers.  Those days are gone, but fortunately because of my dear, sweet family and friends, I am still able to turn my sad (what was once an operating room back in the day) concrete classroom into something cheerful and welcoming for my students.   

I am THRILLED to have tables this year.  The desks we've had in the past were too big and not functional for first grade.  Kids toppled over in their desks.  Kids knocked the desks over when they walked by.  Food went flying off the desks as the desks fell over during lunch.  I'm glad my BEGGING finally paid off.

I am even more excited about how the tables turned out.  I love the shape and how I can puzzle them together.  I could even make one giant group!  Also, what you can't see from the pictures is that the surface is dry erase.  We'll literally be able to write on the tables.  How fun!  Who knew that tables could add so much to the class?

Another small thing that will make a huge difference in first grade...a sink!!! 

 

I can't wait for these chairs to be full of squiming 6 year olds and the walls to be plastered with their work.  Stay tuned for pictures of this year.

And many of you have been asking how you can send us things.  Here's the address:

Julie Pace

Minerva School

Bo. Rosario, Edif. Fundena

Gracias, Lempira

Honduras

Yes, I know the address looks funny with no street numbers or zip codes, but things do get here.  If you send something, please just let me know.  Mail does not get delivered directly.  I have to go pick it up from the post office.  Thanks again for all of your support.  

Goodbye, D-dad!

My D-dad went to be with Jesus last night.  He wore many labels.  Dad, stepfather, grandfather and, most recently, became a great grandfather to Dylan Mark.  My Uncle Sheffie put it perfectly when he said, "The passing of a great man tonight. Dick Saxe was 88 years old. A pillar of Midland society, a committed family man, loving husband, a leader at his church, one of the most friendly men you could ever meet, and a strong follower of Christ."  I couldn't have described him any more clearly.  He greeted everyone with a, "Ho, ho, ho!"  He dutifuly served our country in World War II and Korea.  His office was pasted in pictures of his Midland hero, George W. Bush.  He will be greatly missed by those who loved him.  I got one last hug 2 years ago on the day I left for Honduras.  Sure wish I could have one more of those.

I would give anything to be able to hop in the car and be near my family, but unfortunatly this is one of the few downsides to living abroad.  Even by plane, the treck to the airport San Pedro is a 2 day ordeal by bus.  Although I wouldn't trade what I'm doing here in Honduras, times like these sure make it tough to be far away.  Luckily, modern technologies like Skype make the distance feel a little smaller.  We love you D-dad!

First Day Jitters

I didn't sleep at all last night.  Not because of Back to School nerves.  Although I'm excited every year, this is my 6th First Day of teaching and by now I'm an old pro.  No, this year it was the critter jitters that kept me up all night.  It started with a cricket.  He somehow got into the space between the wall and the tin roof.  Which meant that not only was he chirping CONSTANTLY for 3 hours, but that it was magnified and echoing against the metal.  It was seriously impossible to ignore.  I contemplated going to sleep on the living room couch.  But then I remembered we have mice.  After weighing my options, I decided to stick it out in my room away from the rodents.  Finally, the cricket chirping subsided (possibly died?) Just as I shut my eyes I felt something crawling on me.  I screamed and turned on the lights to find a beetle crawling on me.  Can I not catch a break?  It shook me up and I kept imagining everything else that was crawling around.  I did manage to finally get a few hours of sleep.  When I woke up, I discovered that, in fact, there were some other creepy crawly things feasting on me all night.  I am covered in bites and one on my calf is swolen to the size of a tennis ball and hard underneath.  Hopefully nothing a little benedryl can't solve.

Despite my lack of sleep, we had a great first day of classes.  The school looked great with all of the hard work the teachers have been putting in the past week.  We have a wonderful group of creative teachers...

We had a formal Inaguracion de Clases ceremony....

Here are the teachers performing our rendition of "Lean on Me" for the students...

You may remember this post about Gabi, who got baptized on Christmas morning.  Today was her first day of school.  Hortencia, her mother, is one of my co-workers.  She's only 3 and can already count to 11 in English!...

Our enrollment is up at the school this year.  I was looking forward to a smaller class, but it looks like I may have about 26 kiddos so far.  It will be about equal to my class size last year (although this is a MUCH calmer group of students).  I am looking forward to "really" starting classes on Monday. 

¡Qué sorpresa!

Tonight started off like any other night.  I had plans to meet up with a friend for dinner.  We walked into the restraunt, which is owned by one of the families that goes to the school.  When we went to sit down, the mom told us we could sit in one of the side rooms.  I heard some people, so I almost turned around and told her the room was full already.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw some teachers from the school.  Then I realized it was ALL of the teachers from the school.  It took a good bit of time to process.  My first thought was, "Oh.  They all are having dinner and didn't invite us!"  Even when the surprises and thank you's began, I still was confused.  Haha.  I was totally caught off guard.  My sneaky co-workers had organized everthing as a surprise thank you dinner for helping them get settled this summer.  I could not ask for a greater group of people to be working with this year.  They are the most hard-working, creative group of people I have had the privelege of working with.  I can't wait to get started on Thursday.  I know it's going to be a great year!  And look how sweet...they even made me a card!  (Here's what survived the walk home. I promise they can spell!)

La Lluvia

I love rainy season.  I love that every afternoon, like clockwork, it gets scorching hot and the sky opens up and cools everything down.  I love watching the lightening in the evenings.  I love falling asleep to the gentle pitter patter.  I love the fact that I got soaked in a downpour during my afternoon walk today. Playing in the rain is just as much fun when you're 28.  But most of all, I love those special days when the rain lets up and you get a glimpse of one of God's most awesome wonders (in this case x2) ...

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Copan

This summer hasn't been all work.  I took a few days to travel around Honduras with Deborah as we made our way back to San Pedro.  First stop:  Copan Ruinas. 

We boarded the chicken bus and set off.  Along the way we met a German backpacker.  She was headed to Copan, too.  This being my 5th trip to Copan, she tagged along with us.  When we arrived in Copan, the bus driver asked us if we needed help finding our hotel.  The German girl was looking for her hostel, Manzana Verde.  The very helpful bus driver proceded to take the luggage and carry it all the way to the hostel.  The only problem...he grabbed Deborah's suitcase and literally started running with it to the hostel.  I was running behind the driver trying to explain to him that we would be staying in a hotel, not at the hosel with the girl.  For those of you who have been to Copan, you know that there is a nearly vertical hill that you climb into town to get from the bus station.

 It was quite a scene.  Deborah was literally pushing me up this hill with my heavy backpack trying to chase this guy down.  "Señor, señor!"  Wouldn't you know that he brought the luggage ALL THE WAY TO THE HOSTEL!  We finally caught up and I explained to him (all out of breath) that we would be staying in a hotel a few blocks away.  Bless his heart, the driver throws that suitcase back over his shoulder, drops it at the hotel, and says have a nice trip! I couldn't believe he didn't even expect a tip or anything after all of that.  It's nice to see people who are genuinely nice and willing to help out.  Especially in a tourist town where I'm often the target to get ripped off as the "rich" foreigner.  Just another reason I love Honduras.

The next morning we visited the Mayan ruins and then boarded the bus towards San Pedro.  We stayed the night with my sweet friend, Lia, and her family and enjoyed some tasty baleadas (one thing I will miss about Honduras when I leave).  They take a flour tortilla and fill it with beans, egg, avocado, cheese and mantequilla (here it's a cream...not butter).  Sometimes they even put meat.  Que rico!

In the morning we headed to Tela to spend the day at the beach.  It was a perfect day.  It's amazing how being by the water can totally relax you. 

There were all sorts of vendors selling things.  One little girl who was selling coconut bread stopped to take a break in the shade of our hut.  I began talking to her and found out she was in first grade.  She couldn't believe I was a first grade teacher.  I bought some coconut candy she was selling and gave her some cookies and juice that we had brought along.  It's sad how early these kids go to work to help support their families.  She should be out there playing in the sand with the rest of us.  It really makes me thankful for the childhood that I was blessed with.

It was a great little mini vacay.  I am glad I got to relax a little before things got busy.  We started orientation and work days at the school this week.  Being the veteran around here, I've been bouncing around all over the place answering questions, translating documents into English and solving crises, so I haven't quite finished my room.  I will post pics soon once everything is in its place.  I'm excited to find out I'll have a new partner teaching Spanish to my kiddos.  I think we'll really be able to work closely together and I'm excited about finally having a "team." 

I've decided that I'm doing absolutely NOTHING this weekend so that I can get a little break before school starts.  The inauguración de clases is Thursday.  I can't wait to get started with a new group.  It's going to be a great year!

Just Call Me "El Guia"

So I have decided that in my next life I should be a tour guide.  Between Deborah's visit in July and the 13 new teachers arriving, I've gotten to hit up all of the hot spots in Gracias this month.  I might even invest in one of these stylish new vests that all of the taxistas are sporting...

So if you come to visit, here is a list of 10 places you can't miss in Gracias:

1) Aguas Termales/ Hot Springs:

Of course the best time to go is at night when it's cool, so I don't have any good pictures of the actual pools. Here we are enjoying the national beer, Salva Vida, or as Eddy likes to call it "Baywatch Beer"

2)  El Rion:

Just a nice hour walk down the road from my house.  We like to spend afternoons by the river.

3) Celaque National Park:

Take a nice hike in my back yard!  Mt. Celaque is the tallest mountain in Honduras and the home to one of the last cloud forests.

4) Fort San Cristobol:

The best view in town!  Located at the top of the city, it once protected this small town from attack.

5) Cemetery:
Such attention to detail.  The graves look like small homes!

6) Botanical Gardens/ Casa Galliano:
The former home of a local artist turned into a cultural museum.  The backyard is home to the Botanical Gardens.

7) Titanic:
A little drive outside of town, but definitely the best dining choice around.  The food is great and the architecture and ambiance can't be beat!  Take a note from Eddy and order the fish (eyes, head and all!) or try the typical anafre (a bean dip kept warm by a special ceramic pot)

8) Parque Central/ Iglesia:

Newly- renovated, it's a great place to people watch.  Enjoy a cafe con leche from the coffee shop in the center while you overlook the park.

9) Villa de Ada:
Besides the pools, water slide and zip line, you can meet Lola the monkey!

10) Night Life:
You're probably thinking that a small town like Gracias doesn't have much to offer in terms of going out.  We actually have some nice places that have opened up in the past year.  My favorite is the rooftop lounge.  Here are some pictures from the Hawaiian party a few weekends ago.

So...who's ready to come visit???