San Juan del Surf....

Monday around lunch time I checked in to my hostel Pacha Mama, just one block west of the ocean front. Judging by the record book of passports I am the only American staying and have been the only one that has checked in for the past few weeks. I think we can thank the US. Government and narrow minded news coverage for that. The horrid stories and overly advertised warnings about this part of the world has led many to visit other places.

With that being said, I could  not be more happy with my decision to visit San Juan. My expectations were moderate but this place has far exceeded all of my expectations. Perhaps it is the diverse hostel community, the stunning remote beaches, the Pacific sunset, late night live music or my $30.00 two hour surf lesson and all day board rental I am not sure...... or perhaps it is simply that I am yet again reminded how incredibly beautiful the world is and how small my world was before moving here.

I am sitting drinking a coke out of a bottle beach side at the shore of San Juan Del Sur... In an hour I am heading to beach Maderas. It is my last day in San Juan del Sur and I have been meaning to write everything down before I forget... So forgive me if it is a bit choppy/confusing and long :)

Live shot right now....

The below picture is of me on the bus studying up for yoga school. I as well read from my bus mates Lonely planet about places to see in San Juan. I took a few pictures of pages to use as reference. It has become quite handy to have. (My book... A rough guide, is not as helpful).

My breakfast pre bus ride (all of this for four dollars) Mango, Watermelon, Banana, Papaya and toast. Yum. Coffee takes the cake here...

Below Me crammed on a chicken bus (As you can tell by how crowded it was) I hold my backpack despite the efforts of many to assist me in placing it above my head. (No thanks) This has my laptop and valuables so I choose to keep it on my lap. I listen to music but keep my phone in my bag. As you can tell the skyline from Managua to San Juan Del Sur passes along Lago de Nicaragua. The two volcanoes that you see as we drove make up the Island De Omitepete. It is also a popular place to visit. (Wish I had more time). I arrived and checked into my dorm room bed ($8.50 per night, clean sheets each night), sleeping amongst 12 others and to be honest on certain nights I think much more. I am glad in this circumstance that I am a heavy sleeper (I don't hear anything) even if two people are in the bunk just next to me. Or last night during open mic night hosted by our hostel and 60 people are listening to live music, singing and dancing late into the night. 

 I quite enjoy the community of it all. My bunk mate (sleeps on top bunk) is a guy from England, to my right Mike from Australia, and to my Left Kari from Canada. Across the way are two girls from Israel (guitar and music playing). We all share two bathrooms and two showers. Yesterday I had a full five minute conversation with another Aussie guy while we both were in our showers. (funny). It is amazing how normal it seems, brush your teeth, get ready with everyone else. This is as well the best way to meet people (Especially traveling alone). The first night I found myself in a pub crawl ( we visited five bars before I crashed asleep). All with my bunk mates. I knew then that night that my time in San Juan would be great......

Our dorm

Sunset Monday night in San Juan.

Tuesday morning I got my tennis shoes on and decided to climb to Jesus. The second largest statue of him in the world. From the top I could see both the pacific coastline of Costa Rica and the Northern beaches. Pictures speak for themselves....

Returning back from my hike, I had coffee, a muffin and yogurt from a fantastic coffee shop in town with another dorm mate from the Dominican and a girl from Canada. It was then decided I would take surf lessons.... :) and head to Hermosa beach.

Below are pictures..... I just realized it is nearly 11:26 and I need to get changed for the beach. More update on my sweet wave catching, sunset, frog killing and my plan for tomorrow.

The Goodbye

I am sitting outside a hostel in Managua, Nicaragua.... it is a bit humid and sticky due to the rain that poured (evidence on the ground below). I am exhausted.  Contemplating even writing this because I am desperate to crawl into my bed, but the ants that were crawling all over the bed upon my arrival have made it less inviting. So alas here I am... beginning my week journey of traveling and then on to yoga school. A whirlwind to say the very least was the past few days so below is a mini recap..... 

Friday...

Time passed and all of a sudden I was handing out the gifts to my kids. My old books. I wrote messages to each of them in the books and watched as they were reading them. I then passed out class pictures and special photos I had printed for them. And then a wave of emotion started.... I fought back the pool of water building in my eyes as I stared out to my class of second graders who in just a few moments would walk out the door and I would not see them again. 

I gave hugs and kissed them. Clung them tight as tears slowly streamed my face. The last ten months just like that. Done and gone. Some of them saying bye and others looking me straight in the eyes and saying, "I am really going to miss you miss." I was heartbroken (still am). If they only knew that I will be missing them that much more. 

I stood in my vacant classroom as the kids all boarded in their buses. Pulling myself together......I sat down to finalize my kids grades and begin working. 

Just getting started I heard Molly ask that I come out of the room because Tiffany a third grader wanted to say goodbye. I turned the corner and there she stood in tears falling from her eyes..... oh No I thought...... I tried to stay strong tell her that it would be ok and she would be getting a new teacher who would be wonderful and that only led her to bawl harder. (wrong thing to say Krisitna). While consoling Tiffany I saw coming up the walkway from the buses, five of my second graders. All in uncontrollable tears. (somehow they were fine saying goodbye in class but got in the bus and could not stop crying). It was the hard to breathe, wailing, crying from their big brown eyes. They ran up to me and I bent down eye level to embrace them. My tears as well began. 

Hardest thing I have ever had to do. Clinging to my side and weeping, they looked at me like, how could you do this???.......how could you go? Broke my heart. 

Friday evening we spent at the D and D for one last hurrah. I said my goodbyes to dear friends, my family and sat around that D and D fire for one last night. On our way home Faye asked to go for one last beer at the small bar in our town so we did. It was all a bittersweet moments.

Saturday morning I hugged my roommates tightly, trying not to cry as I walked out of our house/apartment above the Chinese restaurant one last time. (ps already miss you guys) I then found myself staring out the window of the bus as the clouds moved across the mountains and just over the lake... Tears streamed my face for the entire ride around the lake....

I was so not prepared to leave and am still not. 

I arrived in Tegucigalpa and spent a great day with Fernando in the city. Treated myself to an incredible facial at the Marriott hotel, ate bar nachos and wings while drinking at Happy Hour with Fernando as he we talked about my time here and the future to come for us both.....

Sunday.....  An incredible cup of coffee and I found myself boarding the bus for Nicaragua. Lucky for me I am Fernando's date to a wedding in Denver August 24 so our goodbye was not so emotional (although he will be missed.)

The bus here was not bad, just long...... at the Nicaraguan border they require a search of bags and so it was a bit annoying to unload them and wait in line to get them checked but was more or less pretty seamless  For lunch I had a sprite and cashews. So needless to say I was very hungry when I arrived here. I did meet a girl from Scotland traveling alone and managed to meet a group that I had met previously last fall at the D and D who work outside of Tegucigalpa on our bus as well. (random). The bus left at 9 am and arrived just after 5:00...... It was a long day.... 

So far my thoughts on Nicaragua.....Volcanos are everywhere across the skyline... a strange beautiful scene.

Pretty sure I just got shocked on my computer cable due to water so I think that must mean it is time to sleep. Tomorrow I am bound for San Juan del Sur... Warmest to you.

Love Kristina

Happy Birthday to My Sister

Cabo San Lucas Family Vacation February 2013

Happy Birthday to you....

Thank you for not only being my sister but being one of my very best friends.... Thank you....

For being someone I can always count on to watch football, basketball, and golf with. (or being the only person that I know that loves them as much as me)

For setting an example of working hard, dreaming big, loving well and selflessness.

For being an incredible woman, sister, friend, and wife.

I love you and miss you a whole lot. Wish I could be there to celebrate with you today.

I am so proud of who you have become and all that you have accomplished.

"I wish you were here, but your not because your'e there. And there doesn't know how lucky it is."

 

 Top Right: Old photo. Bottom Left: South Carolina Family Vacation Summer 2010. Bottom Right: Christmas 2011 in Texas.

Wedding of Vance and Whitney Lambert Chicago August 2010

One of my favorite pictures of all time..... Brittany and Josh Wedding October 2011

Letters to Leave

I am trying to keep my tears under wraps..... tears both of joy and sadness. How overwhelmed with gratitude I am. My chocolate cake is baked for my kids tomorrow and my things are down from my walls, all that is left is to shove my things in my backpack. The emotional roller coaster has begun..... Below are letters in my leaving... enjoy


Dear Saturday,

You seemed so far away... almost as though you would never ever come but alas you are here. I cannot exactly say that I am happy to see you. Don't be upset when I cry... it is merely because you are a day that represents the end of a chapter in my life. Yet you represent so much because you are the beginning of something new. Thank you for arriving.... I only hope I can soak up each second of you...

Love the girl who never ever thought you would come

_________________________________________

Dear Cinder Block/ Hand weights held up bed,

ADIOS.... But no seriously thank you.... Thank you for far surpassed my expectations. You made it! You still have 2 legs of your original 6... and well you managed to stay off the ground suspended by two eight pound hand weights, one large cinder block..... all so I did not have to sleep next to the rata-tones (rats), bugs and other rodents. Thanks for letting me rest my tired teacher head, honduran adventuring body and for providing a place to sleep over the last ten months. I think it is safe to say I may be the only person that gets to sleep on you and for that it makes me kind of happy.

Sincerely,
The body that laid on you over the last 10 months

_________________________________________

Dear Honduras,

You have earned yourself a place atop my list of the most special places in the world. At least in my heart you are. You have the beauty that surpasses some of the most photographed places in the world. You have people that find joy in the very things that matter the very most. You take my breath away with your mountains and the crystal blue coastline of the Caribbean yet bring me to tears over the heartbreak of the reality that comes with poverty and big brown eyes of a child left abandoned. Thank you seems childish to say... because if I was really honest thank you is simply not enough. You gave me ten months that both broke me down, made me laugh and made me smile like nothing in my life has done before. To say I will miss you is an understatement. I am afraid of how I am to live outside of here. Although you have way too many bug creatures and a never ending summer climate you are my normal now........ you made me more into the person I hope to be someday and for that I will be eternally grateful.

Love Me
_____________________________________

Dear Giant Rock in front of the Motorcycle Shop,

WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING SITTING THERE? Ok I know I was being careless and stupid going out late at night in the dark with my roommate in my pajamas to satisfy our craving but come on, you were in the middle of the sidewalk (Ok no sidewalks here) but I was walking, you were in the way and now my toe is busted. Didn't you know that next week I will start 28 days of being barefoot at yoga school and a sexy broken toe nail is not the way to introduce myself to my fellow classmates. Ok .....Your right, it is my fault. I forgive you. Just pray my toe heals. Thanks.

Love the Person who walked straight into you last night

_________________________________________

Dear God ( the greatest story teller ever),

I am in tears writing, because as always you are right. You always and have continued to have the very best plans. Thanks for bringing me here, thanks for breaking my heart so much it hurts to leave. Thanks for never settling to take me on adventures, and to promise that no matter what if I trust in you, you will write the greatest story in my life I could have never ever imagined up myself.

Love doubtful Me

Kylie on Honduras

                                                                     First Name: Kylie

Where you are from: Fayetteville, AR

Grade you taught: Second
Kylie Blog..... HERE

                        

I knew of Kylie before she arrived in January..... she was Matt's best friends girlfriend who lived in Arkansas. Matt predicted that Kylie and I would become good friends...... well.... Matt you were right. With no hesitation Kylie joined our family and fit right into place. (almost as though she had been here the whole time). She co-taught with me, the other second grade class and became my fellow roommate yogi. Kylie, thank you for loving your kids as much as you do, making me laugh, making the brownies,  movie watching and for all the memories.  I am so grateful that you came to Honduras even if it was only since January. As well it was so wonderful to meet your parents and your other half Shep.

Read Kylie's thoughts below on her time in Honduras.....

Looking back the one thing I will never forget about Honduras is, Josafat (pictured below)

The famous Josafat

The thing I will miss the most is, Josafat

What I learned while living here, How to love someone like a son.
My favorite thing I did while living in Honduras was Kayaking with Matt at 4 am in Omoa....
If I could pick one thing that if I had the option to change would have found buffet orchidea (in their new location) earlier :)

Picture taken at the D and D with a  visit from Kylie's parents and Matts parents in April. 

Matt on Honduras

I think Thomas said it best when describing Matt, "He is like a new puppy. So cute and so much fun. So hyper and excited about everything, but then he shi** (pardon my french) on your carpet (or breaks something in Matt's case) and it makes you so angry and frustrated. But then you look at him and you see the cute puppy and your not angry anymore."

Between our countless running dates, P90x sessions, yoga sessions, and adventures...... you could count on Matt for being a constant source of joy and lighting up the room with his personality. He truly became the brother I have never had. Matt, I love you a whole lot and when you move in with me in Colorado you can be rest assured more adventures are to come.... (Of course only after you move to Hawaii, bike across the US, work in the Dirty Dusk, work in Guatemala at the orphanage, be the new trail guide at the D and D, buy your vespa and be a bartender/waiter )****Ok Matt is not really moving to Colorado, just an idea..... (one of his many :)

Read Matts thoughts on Honduras below...... (or about my others roommates reflections Faye and Molly)

Matthew Hohler
From: Celeryville, Ohio (Sandusky, Ohio)
Taught: 7th and 8th grade

The one thing i will never forget about Honduras is the friends who became family. Living basically on top of each other for 9 months made us laugh, hate each other and love each other all within a 5 minute period. I will miss each of you more than anything.

While living in Honduras, I learned what it means to truly give to others. People like Sister. Maria, Allison, the women at the orphanage and many others have dedicated their lives to others. These people have changed my perspective on many things and have helped to make me a better person.

The thing I will miss the most about Honduras will be the ketchup, coffee, the view of the mountains, honey, pollo Rico's, Malcolm, Kylie, Philip, the D&D Brewery, josefat, Allison's girls, nights without electricity or water, Kristina, Allison, Rose, Molly, all my friends i made, faye, the sense of adventure daily, and the simplicity of life here. oh ya and thomas (lol).

If i could of changed one thing about this year, I would move the las vegas pizza shop to Peña Blanca. Everything else was placed in front of us to challenge us and help us grow, but not being able to get a decent pizza whenever I wanted was easily the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life.

No matter what is next for Matt I am certain God has great things in store for him.... I look forward to seeing what they are..... One of his favorite verses: Matthew 6:25-34

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life.

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Lately in the Last Week...

3 days left. Its true only three days left with my kiddos. After they finished their spelling test today, I worked on finishing up their grades while they played Uno, the girls were coloring, and Roberto sat next to me filing away the exams into folders. He was so excited to help and behaves so well when he is given a task (especially one that involves helping me). Today was a sweet day with my kids, one of those days I would gladly repeat.

Here below are a few of the things I have been up to recently:

• Mansfield Park.... If you remember I made a list of 20 things I would complete by my birthday in November. One of them being to finish four Jane Austen books. (Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey.)  I have completed two of the books (Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey) and just started Mansfield Park. However, Monday night I had an impromptu British inspired movie night and watched both Bridget Jones and Mansfield Park. Now to just begin reading (this is my project for the beach in Nicaragua next week).

• Preparing for yoga school. It still has not really sunk in that next Friday I will be in Costa Rica beginning an intensive 28 Vinyasa/ Hot Yoga teacher training. I am so very excited, a bit nervous but mostly really pumped. Here below is an article I thought was funny talking about 10 Things Yogis Wont tell you About Yoga Class. My favorite one, number "7. Sometimes we hate yoga."
• CNN Photographs of Honduras Violence........ Recently my roommate Faye featured this Article from CNN on her blog (click here for Faye's Blog ). Spanish photographer, Javier Arcenillas who has been photographing in Central America for sometime, recently visited Honduras. I will warn you the pictures are quite gruesome, but depict the reality of the violence here.... See the pictures here. (As well I should recommend Faye's blog for other great pictures and moments captured).
• Last Orphanage visit..... Today Kylie and I after school walked to the orphanage for one last time to play with the kids and say goodbye. As you well know, I have fell in love with Arturo last fall. I am still trying to figure out how I can get him to come home with me. (He has two sisters mentioned here). In my list of 20 things to accomplish this year, one of them was to visit an orphanage atleast once a month. Unfortunately I did not make it to an orphanage in May but this visit counts for June. Enjoy some pictures below..... 

• Preparing to travel. Saturday I depart for a seven day trip/ journey to Costa Rica. I will be spending four days in Nicaragua before crossing the border into Costa Rica. To lighten my load (I am carrying one large backpack and a small backpack) I cut out the sections of my travel book that I do not need and only left the three countries I will be traveling through). Travel tip: When Backpacking Europe, Asia or Central America....... anywhere really, travel books can be heavy and if you buy a book that covers a large region of a continent there may be places or countries in my case that you are not visiting in the book...... therefore I recommend cutting them out. For me it is easy to leave the sections that I do not need at the D and D Brewery for other backpackers traveling through Central America. Proof Below:

Panama/El Salvador/ Guatemala/ Belize maybe next time :)

Packing up my room. Yes that dirty yoga mat will go to the trash can, no need to worry. The words will come down, but it will  forever be one of my favorite sayings....

My route :)

• TOMS Repair: Its true my Toms had a very sexy hole through the big toe. I tried to buy new ones in San Pedro Sula but I am afraid all they had were knock offs (or fakes) that seemed that they would fall apart worse than the ones I already owned. So....... today I got out a needle and thread, grabbed my roommates jeans out of the trash can, cut a patch and started my repair. Below is the finished project. OK yes I am aware it is not perfect, they have some character, but in all honesty I love them too much to part (these Toms walked the ground in Italy, Germany, California, Colorado, Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras). I need them to make it until July 12 when I go back to Colorado and I can buy myself some new ones..... (already have my eye on some). 

•  Time with Family: Below is a picture that was taken two Saturdays ago. They were working on a puzzle and worked tirelessly for a few hours. I am so very grateful for each one of them and I think saying goodbye to my kids will be hard but saying goodbye to my family here....even worse. (Be sure to check out the roommate special posts Faye and Molly). The picture next was taken of the sky at school. Yes its real. (No filter either and no editing). An incredible rainbow. The last picture was taken of my lute at the movies in San Pedro Sula (we went for Alison's birthday Wednesday)...... Yep RED WINE! I splurged but seriously wine in the movie theatre???? (Why is this not a staple thing in the States??). I justified it because we don't get to drink out of glasses often (only plastic cups here) so I bought red wine, a diet coke and nerds. (it was every bit of incredible as I had hoped it would be).

Coming up a new roommate Blog post :) Enjoy! Happy Tuesday