Shavasana Sunday

Run/Walk with Alison at 7am. Fruit and Vegetable shopping after. Breakfast with roasted cabbage (yes I eat vegetables for breakfast sometimes). Skype with my parents for an hour. Bike ride to the D and D. Hire a tuk tuk to place the Kayak on top of the Tuk Tuk to get it to the canal. Kayak down the canal out into the lake. Marvel at the beauty of the lake on our very sunny day. Mention that it is like we live in Jurassic Park it is so beautiful. Float in the Kayak. Row back up the canal. Hire a tuk tuk again to place the Kayak on top to get us back to the D and D. Eat lunch. Talk with friends. Do yoga outside for an hour with Lotte in the jungle. Enjoy final shavasana with the sound of birds above. Watch Matt Check mate. Ride back home on our bikes.

Sunday Funday at its best. My legs are beat.

****Side note it is exam week at school. We only work until 12. Woohoo! As well we leave Friday for Guatemala. and Saturday is my Birthday!

loving this verse today. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matt 11:29)

Bond. James Bond.

Bus ride from hell in the rain. James Bond. Popcorn. The mall. The girls. Our Saturday in a nutshell.

This morning we woke to the sound of rain that continues even to this moment and we made the decision to grab a bus to San Pedro Sula to see the new James Bond movie. One thing is for sure, no matter where you go to a movie around the world it is always cold in the theatre.  (hello Air Conditioning) Just the girls made the trip and we gladly purchased fountain drinks, i bought popcorn and we agreed it did not feel like we were in Honduras anymore. The movie theatre was Cinemark and was just like the Cinemark theaters in the states. (no sour patch kids though... or hot tamales) After the movie we all parted ways to shop at the mall. I wanted to splurge on something new for my birthday but was unsuccessful. Buying nice clothes seems so foolish when I think about where I spend my time, our washer that doesn't work and the fact that we don't really "go out". So instead I settled for a nail file, face wash, eyeliner and a loofah. (really went crazy let me tell you)

Our weekend began Thursday... After confirming for the umpteenth time that the rain was not going to end, we planned for a memorable evening in our house, we pooled what was remaining of our pay for the month to buy two bottles of wine and candles. The wine selection is scarce in our town so I decided to try a new kind. I should have known when the name of the bottle is "Night Train" that it was going to be rough but when "Night Train" is the only cheap red wine available you drink it. Faye later confirmed it was in fact more like a crappy sherry wine. We drank and listened to cheesy wedding songs. We brainstormed perfect first dance songs for hypothetical husbands we would marry. We ate bowls of stove top popcorn...The four of us girls laughed and sang the best of the best love songs....(this list below is a very very small sample of what was a whole evening of you tubing songs)

The Power of Love, Celine Dion
Lets get it On, Marvin Gaye
At Last Etta James
Have I told you Lately that I love you, Rod Stewart
More than Words, Extreme

Friday evening was spent at the D and D talking, eating, having the best chocolate cake you can get your hands on in this country.... Lotte and Ramone (resident employees at the D and D) gave some recommendations for our next week Visa renew trip in Guatemala. We are getting excited. Friday I woke up in the night to the cool air. We have reached winter in this country and although this would pass as a very mild fall day in Kentucky, our tropical adjusted bodies are cold. As well, Thomas and Philip are away for the weekend so Matt spent his Friday with the girls. (girl number 5)

I will post more about the parade that took place Friday through our town. My kids looked so cute all dressed up! For now here are a few images from around our house recently...

We have eaten all of our oranges that hang low so Thomas was kind enough to climb on top of the water tank and throw some down.

Why not then get on our roof. I asked him to fix the leak while he was at it :)

Who else would think it is a great idea to ride a bike through our house? Matt. I wish I captured when he went through Molly and Alison's room. The door was only slightly opened so he drove straight into the door so it would swing open for him to ride through. 

Happy Rainy Saturday yall..

Home

homesick for home.

for the first time i want to be there. like now. i want my comforts. i want my friends. my closet of my clothes. i want to smell clean. like really clean. not the honduran clean where I have showered yet all my clothes are not quite clean because our washer is broken "clean".I want the... I have showered, put on lotion, and perfume kind of clean. I want to eat food and not worry about getting sick. to sleep in a bed with comfy sheets and blankets. to not have bugs crawling on my floor. for dirt to not be on my feet every hour of every day. to not wake up at 6:30 am to be already sorting out second grade boys before 7;30 am. to not worry about putting on lotion so I do not attract more bugs to bite me.

I emailed my family friend today, that is kind enough to let me keep my car in their winter home while I am in Honduras. I emailed to check in. Not sure what I think this would achieve, given the fact that they are not even in Colorado at this moment or the fact that my car is not something that has feelings and or shows emotion. I suppose I just wanted to make sure it was ok. Is my car still there?

My things. I have not given to much thought about the things I do not have but today I miss things. My favorite pair of boots. My scarves. DVR and Fall TV. Curling my hair. Curling up on a couch. Football. Shoes. Wearing proper makeup. (not like here where I wear bare minimum because lets be honest it is too hot and sweaty and I certainly do not have anyone I am to impress).

Selfish maybe but today I just miss. I am tired of waking up to the rain. For it to rain all day. For it then to be hot and humid. Tired of feeling dirty. Sick of ants crawling up our walls. Tired of having to place toilet paper in a trash bin because the plumbing is bad. For wearing the same yellow polo, that I only have two of, four days a week. Taking a shower in our kitchen (this is where our shower is). Tired of it being a normal occurrence that the electricity and internet would be off.

The irony I am well aware of, is that come next summer, and I leave this place. These are the very things I will miss.

night world from honduras. week from saturday i turn 25. hard to believe.

Rainy Wednesday

My kids. My boys. Let me first talk about a few boys in my class. They push, shove, fight and I feel helpless. I do not know if they are just playing or if they are truly fighting. I yell. I get upset and they look a me with droopy eyes and I feel bad. I am supposed to love well. I supposed to teach them joy and patience. And let me tell you I feel that it is often in short supply.

It has rained for two days straight. I wonder how there is still water to fall. One of those questions I think I will ask when I get to heaven. :)

As well this morning confirmed that when I set the automatic timer on our coffee pot the night before we will not have electricity come morning. Which in turn means no coffee. ( My roommates have now asked me to not do that again). Needless to say we are slow to start this morning. I so need some coffee to pick me up.

Side Note: Matt just took a picture with a student in second grade because he is wearing a Notre Dame hoody. Children here get clothes second hand and from stands around town that sell recycled clothes. Clothes that someone brought down from the US most likely or from groups of people that have traveled. I am not sure the boy could quite understand why Matt was so excited, but he may have just made Matt's morning.

Faye, Matt and I standing outside during recreo.(reces).. Usually this is filled with students, running. The fog in the background is what was the soccer field. (hard to see)

Yesterday may go down as one of the most lazy after school days. I was not feeling well at all, so I laid in bed. With the rain carrying on into the evening, the motivation to do or go anywhere was not there. I got up to have something to eat, made some tea.. Matt came over and we watched teh documentary , Happy. If you have never seen this documentary I highly recommend. The movie is about the study of overall happiness in life. This movie is an attempt to try and conceptualize and measure the happiness of individuals across the world. You can get this on itunes right now....

What makes you Happy? Here below are a few of mine that make my list...

Yoga in my room, and some of the children of the hair dresser next door decided to join in.

Matthew and Photobooth on Bonfire night.

Knowing that this is what I get to see at Christmas. Hard to believe Rudy was so small one year ago.

My best friend since 1st grade. Getting to travel Europe this summer together. Cannot wait till Christmas!

College Friend and old roommate and now she is a Wife. Grateful she takes the time to send long emails to me, catching up, sharing life and that this photo was captured during our famous Mizzou Colorado tailagte.

Denver Snow. Missing it.

Grateful for tradition and the gingerbread tradition will carry on. I cannot wait.

Warmest to you on this Tuesday. Prayers are appreciated for some more patience. Going to be a long day.

Come Monday It Will Be Alright

A few things on this Monday, this post coming at you in bullet points...

Clean Clothes: clean clothes are the best. Here is the view of my clothesline in  my room. Check out my great curtains too..

clean clothes drying!

Friday Night: We had our weekly family dinner but this time it was breakfast style. Matt and Kate served up french toast with homemade chocolate sauce and fried bananas, egg casserole and bacon. We drank mimosas and were full of yummy breakfast goodies. One of our dinners sitting around our big brown table until I can no longer keep my eyes open.

Rainy Monday: it is raining. It is not yet 6:00 am as I write this and the rain on the tin roof makes it impossible to want to get out of bed, let alone go to school. But alas the day awaits me.

Bike adventure: Saturday, After spending our morning writing the exams for our kids with Kate. Matt and I ventured to pick up our new bikes. We bought bikes from a sale that was taking place nearby and one of the teachers dads picked them up for us. We rode the bus to the hotel and were all ready to ride our bikes back on the windy, hilly road around the lake. The gears needed some patience... Matt ramped on a speed bump in a small village only for one of the kids standing nearby shout, “Hola Teacher!” (setting such a good example.) I picked up some speed heading downhill and looked back and Matt was not following. I pulled over to the side and waited. Shortly after I see Matt hobbling along on one pedal. His entire pedal fell off. Our hour bike journey turned into hitching a ride in the back of a pickup. We should have known new bikes in Honduran come with a disclaimer....."this bike may fall apart before you get it home"

Yoga Outside: Saturday afternoon Lotte and I did yoga outside of the D &D on the back patio. I first covered myself in bug spray and was then able to practice but it was one of the best sessions. Laying in final shivasina a bird flew above the trees. It was incredible. (rode my bike to the D and D and for one of a few times I felt like this place was home. Riding with my yoga mat outside my backpack). 

My parents: Skyping with my parents and the dog. They were watching football and for a brief second I thought I was there with them. Looking forward to Christmas and spending nearly a week in Texas with just them before we head to Louisville to see family and friends. 

College Football: Louisville is 9-0 and I sat with Thomas and Matt attempting to live stream the Alabama LSU game. The Internet stops and goes and typically does so at the most important times in the game, for example right as they snap the ball. But beggars cant be choosers in this country.

Sunday coffee reading my book: Sunday while waiting on the bus to go to Taulabe for Catholica Mass. Catholic Mass, I read my new book and drank coffee. (Sad day when they put sugar in it and I did not want any). I met up with Veronika the older English teacher on the bus to go to church. Talaube is about an hour by bus, we had coffee before church, then after church went to Secutapeke for lunch. The lunch was so good, it was a buffet with lots of fresh vegetables and fruit, lasagna  soups, fresh breads. It was so not Honduran. I got home around 4:00 pm yesterday and left at 6:30 am. It was a long day, but nice to head up the mountain to a different town.

Best orange juice, my coffee with sugar (yuck) and the women making baleadas for breakfast.

Below is a short timeline of the next coming weeks.

NOVEMBER

thanksgiving, my birthday, two Guatemala trips on the schedule.

• 11.5. 2012- 11.9. 2012 Review week for our kids, review everything we have learned.
• 11.9. 2012 Anniversary of the school. We have a parade through town at 8:00 am in the morning. Early day for us at school! Woo hoo!
• 11.10.2012- 11.11.2012  Weekend in Pena Blanca, ride my bike, family dinner Friday night and hopefully girls day on Saturday in San Pedro for a massage or nails.
• 11.12.2012- 11.16.2012 Exam week and the week before my birthday. Short days at school only until 12!
• 11.16.2012-11.18.2012  Teacher trip to Rio Dulce. We are heading to Guatemala, to a town translated "Sweet River" for our visa renew trip.
• 11.16.2012 One month countdown until I am home for Christmas!
• 11.17.2012  My birthday! Celebrating my 25th in Guatemala!
• 11.22.2012-11.25.2012  Girls trip to Guatemala City to visit Stephanie! So excited to go to Antigua and explore.
• 11.23. 2012 Thanksgiving. Hopefully get to skype with my family since they will all be together for Thanksgiving. I will be missing them from Guatemala.

DECEMBER

• Only 16 days until I fly home. A little excited if you cannot already tell.
• Only 3 weeks of classes until we are done for break.

• 12.14.2012 Fly to Texas for Christmas
• 12.22.2012 Fly to Louisville with my parents.
• 12. 23.2012 Christmas Eve Eve Gingerbread Day at the Scott's house. (Favorite day all year)
• 12.25. 2012 Christmas Day

Our calender on the window of our house.

The bus on the way home Sunday...

The lake from the bus window...

Tonight we are celebrating Bonfire Night (English holiday). Happy Election eve everyone!

When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Mountain Climber.

When I grow up I want to be a mountain climber.

Atleast this is what I told my kids today. Immediately one of the girls said "Oh me too! Me too!" A few in my class seemed a bit confused, not understanding what "mountain climber" meant. Then one of the students translated into spanish..... All I heard from the translation was "Exploradora".

Its true. Well it sounds cool. To be an explorer.

But in my heart I know that it is more true than ever. To be constantly seeking, striving, pushing myself for more, challenging myself to more. Finding people who will encourage me to be more me. To be fully alive in who I know I am. To be the me that is the best part. That is all I want. Thats all I seek.

Today my kids had to decide, "Who do you want to be when you grow up?"

I have answered this a million times, a million different ways. But like my dad and some of his friends said, "We are still trying to figure out what we want to be when I grow up."

So instead of setting my eyes on one thing, or one title, I am going to run after where my heart beats. Where it is most alive. I will not be ashamed of it, but rather try and live a life passionately pursuing what I love. The me that is the best me is the me that is doing that.

“Whatever happens to you belongs to you. Make it yours. Feed it to yourself even if it feels impossible to swallow. Let it nurture you, because it will.” 
― Cheryl Strayed, Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar

Fall in Honduras. Fall with my Family.

My grandmothers homemade hot fudge. My dads omelets. Vanilla shakes made with Old Fashioned Vanilla ice cream. My moms blueberry muffins, covered with sugar on top. Coffee. Having lunch with my mom which only consists of vegetables, lunch meat, Ritz crackers and cheese. bits of home that i will never forget.

Fall is my very favorite time of year. The leaves are changing, pumpkin is offered in just about anything you could desire. Football on Saturdays. Rachel making chili in a crockpot  watching college game day and then sitting watching football all day. The unexpected snow storms that hit Colorado in the middle of Fall. Flannel. Walking a Wash Park with my Patagonia puffy coat on with the kangaroo pouch. Wearing comfy sweaters and scarves. Going home to Kentucky, to go to my old high school football game. My birthday. Eating so much at thanksgiving you are sick to your stomach. Being with my family. Tailgated before Louisville football games.

Fall is the best but Fall looks so much different in Honduras.

Wake up at 5:30 to a chilly room. Put my flip flops on for school. Drink coffee and have fresh pineapple or an orange from the tree over our porch for breakfast. Teach kids all day and then stop by the fruit and vegetable shop on my way home. Look for good bananas at the fruit stands. Eat Sandia (Watermelon). I come home to a room very hot and humid. I turn my fan on full blast. Immediately change to shorts and a tank top. Soak up some sun on our back porch. Tell myself to lesson plan but somehow find something else much more appealing to do. I eat fresh food for dinner. I sit around at our big wooden table with the girls. Have an unofficial girls night at our house, (basically means none of the boys come around).

I miss fall but am happy it is November in Honduras. I think its going to be good.

Warmest Kristina