The Truth About Honduras

If you a do a google search of Honduras. (Don't worry if you googled because you are not sure where it is on the map) You will probably find the following words come to the top of your findings: coup in 2009, murder, drug cartels, poverty, earthquake and hurricanes. You will probably discover the US Governments strong advisement that Americans should be careful when traveling here or that they should otherwise go someplace else on your travels. 

What google search does not tell nor do the latest news report share is the real story.

It does not tell of the people, the landscape that remains mostly untouched, the hillsides that hover near the tips of the clouds, the birds that sing songs that are beautiful remedies for a country that is rich in soil, lined with coffee fields, faces of sweet children, long eyelashes that surround brown eyes showing wonder and grace, crystal blue oceans that adorn two coasts, providing some of the best snorkeling in the world and some of the most beautiful villages hidden amongst trees and hills.

So before you sit down with your cup of coffee and your Ipad news feed to read that this is statistically one of the most dangerous countries in the world......don't think you are now the expert. That you get to be the one to judge what this place or isn't simply because you have spent twenty minutes reading the pages of CNN or ABC World news while tossing your finger across your E Reader.

You don’t get to be the judge. 

It is much more than the papers will ever write, more than statistics will show, more than words will ever do justice. It is a place that was hand crafted by the same God that created the snow capped Rocky Mountains, the depths of the South Pacific, the jungles of the Amazon, the tundra of the North, the majestic Alps, the rolling hills of the English countryside and the vast Sahara. The same hand made those and this place.

It is a country rich in so many more things than the supposedly "Richest Country in the World" ever thought of being rich in. Rich in things that matter. 

So while you are comfortable, surrounded by all your stuff, don't judge these people, place them in a category, reduce them to a number, nor make statements about what they are or what it is like. 

This place has become my home, one of the most beautiful countries I have ever seen. And now that I am soon to say goodbye to it, I am realizing I too misjudged this place. 

Thanks Honduras for putting me in my place.

Love Me

****Sorry if it is a bit harsh... I was just as guilty

24 hours in Tegucigalpa

One thing I wish would do itself....... grading kids papers.  But I must say listening to James Taylor while doing it... eases the pain a bit..

I am a bit late on the recap from the weekend. Perhaps it is because it was so great that I am afraid words will not do it justice or I am simply coming to realize that this chapter in Honduras is coming to a close more quickly then I realize. Suddenly I feel a bit rushed and busy, so the blog was not a priority..... But alas here it is...

Last Friday our weekend started with the last rotation of family dinner. Matt and Thomas cooked an incredible meal with roasted chicken served over pasta with cheese. Emyle the preschool director came for dinner as well with her son. We decided to speak only Spanish for the night. So funny. Matt, stole the show reminding Emyle "Te Quiero Mucho" (I love you very much) and randomly speaking about the few things he knows in Spanish. It was a good dinner full of lots of good food and laughs. (Note: Family dinner started last fall, by random draw, two people were paired to serve a full meal for everyone. We did four rounds, dinner was each Friday. Only remains one final dinner potluck)

All of the girls were in bed around 8:30 pm (yes that is correct). Kylie, Faye and I had an early departure for Tegucigalpa in the morning. Below is a bulleted list of what I liked and the things I did not (mostly good)..... Such a fun weekend to say the very least

• I like leaving for the bus early in the morning so my roommates and I can admire the girl making baleadas. Like a champ. Honduran women are experts at pounding out some tortillas.
• I like having a local show me the city they grew up in. Fernando was an incredible host. (thank you again)
• I like the view as a passenger of a car, not on a bus or in a taxi. 
• I like hillside cities. Cities that are so perfectly placed on hillsides offering stunning views. The lights lit up the city at night like tiny stars.
• I like fancy hotels. Like this one. We stayed here. Having a cosy room, with views that overlooked the city and an amazing swimming pool. I like that. So wonderful.

• I like hotel piano players. Made us girls feel like we were on proper holiday.... Drinking out of real wine glasses and having gin and tonic on Saturday evening.
• I like cramps.... (picture below) Cramps is the name of a drink made famous by a bar in Tegucigalpa that takes an old mayonnaise jar, pours in gin, night train (form of sherry type wine), and sugar. They put on the lid, shake it up and pour it in your glass and you drink it. Strong? Yes Good? Surprisingly

• I like liquor stores that carry more things than just beer and cheap rum. Like a proper wine cellar. We got lost in the shelves and racks of wine Saturday evening. 

• I like Via De Los Angeles..... It was a beautiful cobble stoned village outside of the city with lots of small souvenir shops, incredible pupusas (El Salvadoran originated food, click here for more information) and a landscape that appears so much like Colorado ( i may or may not have said this a few times)

• I like the joke that the statue of Jesus that overlooks Tegucigalpa is compared to the statue of Jesus in Rio, Brazil. Jesus hands pointed out, "Wow thank you, look at this beautiful city of Rio. Jesus hands pointed down in Tegucigalpa, Thank you for this place, what is this city?" Just so you know, I loved Tegucigalpa and don't think its even close to the reputation it has developed. (picture below Tegus and then Rio, perhaps the landscape is a bit different)

• I like showing up to someones house and immediately feeling like you are at home. On Saturday evening we attended a birthday party with all of the people we had met in Utila during Semana Santa. We indulged in wine (beer or anything you desired), talked, danced and spent our evening at a beautiful house outside of the city. It felt like we have been friends with all of them for years. It may very well be one of my most favorite nights I have had in Honduras....

Our entire group...

• I like Sunday brunch at the hotel. Yum

• I like big swimming pools and laying in the sun, counting down till the last possible second that we could stay and not miss the bus....

• I like having a roommate that used to be a bartender and goes to the bar, helps the pool bar lady whip up some Bloody Marys with the few things she had there. Yum again. (picture below of us with our Bloody Marys)

• I like that we can go back on Friday.... even getting in a bit late. It is Hectors Birthday.... Better to arrive late then never.

What did I not like you may ask.......

• I didn't like having to leave on Sunday. We debated. Kylie insisted we stay. Faye said she had too much to teach her kids. We thought maybe we could pretend we were sick. I wanted to stay. We all did. But we had to come back.
• I dont like seeing a woman completely naked walking across the road. Yes this happened. One of the most bizarre, strangest things I have probably ever seen. Breaks my heart.
• I didn't like the fact that my rainbow sandals broke (my favorites, just got them at christmas)
• I dont like that it is over but I am so glad we get to go back on Friday.

Well suppose I should grade my kids papers..... Sweet Baby James please make it a bit easier to do. 

Thanks again to all of you for reading. This teacher is worn out and ready for a new day to start.

Warmest to you
Kristina

Intuitive Eating, learning to love yourself right where you are

During the month of April I took part in a 21 day Intuitive Eating Challenge

Intuitive Eating, learning to love yourself right where you are. Eating what feels good, what sounds good. Silencing the voices of society. Silencing the magazines that scream this food will fight your belly fat. This food will pack on pounds. Rather eating what you are hungry for, what you want, and stopping when your full. No longer feeling guilty, no longer holding yourself back from enjoying something but rather indulging in the goodness that is food and no longer being chained by its entangling effects.

I was both excited and anxious for this journey. Most of all I was excited to rediscover my relationship with food that was not bound to pre conceived notions about what a specific food may or may not give me. Admitting my own broken relationship with food was hard. But it was time to do something about it. I was constantly thinking about what I can and cannot have...."Have I eaten enough vegetables? Have I had too many carbohydrates? Oops cant have that piece of cake it is had too many calories."

I was ready to be free. To gain freedom from the lies that tell me who I should and should not be, but rather be totally and completely in love with my own skin.

 So now that it is complete and I have spent some time learning more about myself I am ready to share.

How did it work you may ask? Each was given a charge or a task about how to pursue intuitive eating.  The challenge sent each day was a new message to my email that I was to try and accomplish that day. In addition to the emails I was invited to share my thoughts and reflections on a facebook page that was shared by all the challengers in the group. (ended up being one of my favorite parts).

Messages like "eat what you want today, whatever you desire, what are you craving and eat that". Challenges like, "Enjoy the setting, create a space that makes eating more of an experience. Perhaps light a candle, read a book and eat a meal". Other things like, "Stop eating when you are full today, are you just eating because it is in front of you or are you really hungry." Another day that read, " What if you told yourself you are allowed to eat whatever you want when you want, perhaps those foods will loose their value." Each day was different and offered a new challenge. 

I found myself eating things I would normally not allow myself too. As well not eating nearly as much as I did before. I found myself eating when I was hungry and not just because it was a certain time of day, nor was I stressing about when I would get to eat next.  I found new joy in meals.

This challenge asks that we start listening to our bodies more, less of what culture has created and what does your body truly desire. Believing in the truth that your body, if you are listening to it, tells you what makes it feel strong and good, as well what foods leave you feeling fatigued or sick.

I wrote my reflections for the Studio Eats webpage, simply to offer my thanksgiving for the challenge, for Jamie and for the women that I journeyed alongside. You may visit the page here and see my reflection. I wrote my reply below:

"Where do I even begin to talk about the Intuitive Eating challenge? Simply with words that sayThank You. Thank you for reminding me that at the end of the day, I am a beautiful person and should love myself exactly where I am at. I have always known this truth but yet was unable to accept it. Currently living in Honduras, I'm humbly reminded each day of how uniquely special and incredible our bodies are and that we should treat them as such.

The most noticeable difference I have experienced since the challenge is how I order food. Just last evening as I ordered a chicken burrito at a restaurant. While ordering a friend said out loud to the table "Gosh don't you just love the new Kristina? Remember how lame she used to be?". This comment brought a smile to my face. I am no longer made fun of for eating "rabbit food" or simply not attending a dinner because of the food on the menu. It feels good to see people notice how much more relaxed I am about meals and the food that's being served.

What I did not anticipate to gain from the challenge is the mental and emotional cleanse. 

I am no longer on an emotional roller coaster of what to eat and what not to eat. I am simply living life. Living life with joy and incorporating that same joy into the way I approach food. Food is something to be excited about, to be passionate about and not something that meant to be controlled.

As part of the challenge, you are invited to a community of women that are sharing the same pain and struggles with you. It is as though you are welcomed to a dinner party with your close friends to drink wine, cry tears, laugh and share stories about how much of a blessing it is that we are alive. A true celebration that we get to do this thing called life. That we have bodies that are capable of bearing so much and that we should love them. We only get one body so why would we not? 

So thank you Jamie. Thank you for offering up your wisdom, being real and listening. I would recommend this challenge a million times over to everyone I know."

If you have any more questions about the challenge or doing the challenge yourself  I am more than honored to answer. I know that I am not the only one that has developed an unhealthy relationship with food and I would highly recommend the challenge to anyone.

Click here for access to the Studio Eats Page, The Intuitive Eating Challenge Page.

You may ask if am I cured now? Nope of course not, it is a journey, that I will be on for a very long time. Did I loose weight? Nope I did not, but the best part of all the emotional and mental cleanse I gained.

So there you have it. Please don't hesitate to email me to ask questions: kmschermer@gmail.com

Lots of Love on this Monday. As well a full Tegucigalpa Girls weekend recap soon.....

My Mom

 Today I sat and listened to my kids telling me about their moms, telling me that the best thing that their mom cooks is chocolate. That their moms like to sleep and get on facebook to relax.

That their moms are 23 (which I am certain they are not).

They could hardly contain their excitement to tell me the things that make their mom special.

With a big smile, amidst laughter I listened.

 I hope their moms know how special their children are, how smart they are and how grateful I am that I get to be their teacher. I hope they know that when their child gets upset or hurt in class, the only person they cry for, is mom. What a special thing... to be loved and desired so deeply by a child.

As they spoke,  I thought to myself what it must be like to be a mom. To know someone is here because you carried them. For nine months they were growing inside of you. And now the child is eight years old growing, learning, talking, running and playing...... 

This then only leads me think to my own mom.

For those of you that know my mom, you know that when she is spoken of, the conversation often begins with a similar phrase: "I love your mom", "Your mom is so sweet", "Awww Glo".

Every time.

I am never surprised. I am never surprised that the same words spoken of my mom, are spoken every time someone mentions her name. 

She is indeed every bit of the words people speak of.

She is what every child would hope to have in a mom. 

Supportive. Patient. Loving. Honest. Gentle. Kind. Funny. 

She taught me to love people well. Taught me that when in doubt send a card. 

Always. 

Show up when someone needs. Bring food, give everything you can for someone else.

If there is any ounce of goodness in me, you can be rest assured it can be contributed to my mom. 

I always know that when I hurt, she is only hurting that much worse.

 If you meet her you are instant friends, she wants to know you. 

She asks questions because she desires to know the response. 

She is intentional.

She loves well and I am grateful I am her daughter.

Happy Mothers Day Mom. 

I miss you a whole bunch

Love you a whole lot more

Thanks for being who you are, for being the greatest example for me.

Love Me

(Wish I could be there... See you in August)

Things I Am Loving Lately

In the midst of a rough week I managed to collect a few moments and things that make all the bad disappear for a while... (for example drinking rum in the dark when the power goes out, long skype dates with friends, spotting the mouse in the house, and yoga with the boys). I must admit this week had redeemed itself a bit. (aside from a minor meltdown with one of my kids today). Below are some things that I am loving recently......... (photo credits indicated)

1. Photo Credit Joda Haskins, lives in Seward Alaska. He posted this photo and I was instantly in love... those mountains... my goodness, perhaps I understand why my Dad loved Alaska so much. Unbelievable. 

2. Knowing soon I will be drinking again out of my mason jar glasses. That makes me happy. Here is a picture of one of my new favorite things to make for breakfast.... Peanut Butter, Almond Milk, and Banana. AMAZZINGNESS.

3. This image and this quote..... sent to me this morning in my email from the Flourish Blog . I highly recommend signing up to get this sent to your email. Almost every day a small reflection, verse or thoughts are written. From other women to other women. Wonderful thing. 

Some of the words written today struck a cord with me today..

Proverbs 16:9 that says, "We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps". It's impossible to know what tomorrow may bring, or even today! The circumstances may not be clear or easy to understand, but when it is all finished you will discover it was never random.

4. Old pictures .... but more importantly two things in storage that I cannot wait to have back.... my Cowboy hat and my most favorite jacket (almost ten years old).... my mountain hardware fleece. 

5. Sweet moments with my kids. Like this one. They looked over and smiled. Giggling about something that at this time is irrelevant... couldn't get over their big smiles and those sweet faces. These moments make those times when they dont listen or they dont want to do anything you ask, seem much better.

6. Trip Planning... Finally now that I decided where I will be going, this is a picture of where I will be spending three of my days.. San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua.  Just before making way to Costa Rica. I am enjoying filling in the gaps.

Happy Trash Day (just for you meg day) Tomorrow is Friday. 

Lots of love from Kristina

Anyone have any Ruby Red Slippers for Sale?

Today is one of those days that I wish I had magic slippers like Dorothy. (may need a few pairs for my roommates and I ) Would give just about anything to tap my shoes and be out of here. So close to being finished yet not close enough to be nostalgic about it....

My voice is nearly gone from screaming at my kids, it was so bad I have a headache.... today was not their best day, nor has it been mine.

Seems as though my former reality is coming back and coming back full force... Official moving back into my old house in Denver, Flight booked for End of August Labor Day weekend to Louisville, Vail weekend with friends in August, Talks of Running the Rock N Roll Mini Marathon in October ...... so many things to anticipate and so so so so so many unknowns...

For now going to turn the page on this day and hope tomorrow is much better......

Letters to Things May

Handwritten letters and cards will always and continue to be one of my very favorite things.....
Happy Monday to you.... My letters for today.

Dear diet Orange crush,

You are awesome. You make this Monday morning a tiny bit more tolerable. Its true you are my new diet coke.

Love this tired teacher

___________________________________

Dear ever growing Travel Bucket List,

My wandering heart, is so excited to see all the places that you have included. Not to mention those places I have yet to even know they exist. Goodness I have only scratched the surface on Europe and have not even yet started on Asia (starts to overwhelm) so many places. For now I will focus on where I am at the current moment Central America, but you sure do make me excited.

Love this traveling soul

___________________________________________

Dear future job,

Whatever you are, wherever you are...... I am going to go ahead and advance give my gratitude. I already know that you are going to be good. I know that you will be a good fit, one just perfect for me. Now if you could do me a favor and not make me wait too long before you reveal yourself.... or if you want to give me hints as to where I should find you that is helpful too. A few clues is all I need.
Perhaps if you wish not to reveal yourself to me, you could let one of my friends know that you have been looking for me and my friends will be sure to relay the message.

Love your future employee :) (currently jobless me)

___________________________________________

Dear Black Hunter Boots,

Your in storage, and I have not seen you, in now one years time. I cannot wait for a good rain in Colorado when I can wear you again. You are timeless even Princess Di thought so too. Don't worry if everyone stares at you because I may wear you nearly ever day, my feet are happy with you!

Love your biggest fan... Me

___________________________________________

Dear Labor Day Weekend,

You will be spent in Lou. With my whole family in my parents new house. Rudy too. Never been so excited to be back in Kentuck. First home football game for Louisville. Its official flight booked. 

See you end of August, Love this Kentucky girl




___________________________________________

Dear Rachel and Erin,

Goodness thanks so much for the skype session last night. I forgot how much joy your bring me. Thanks for filling me in on the ever growing list of soon to be parents, grateful that the both of you did not surprise me and show up on that list :) I like knowing that its not that strange to have gone to CCU and not be a parents expecting my second child right now (despite the overwhelming population that tells us otherwise). Thanks for making me even more homesick for Denver, talking to you both was a small foreshadow to countless memories we will be making upon my return. As well your offer to help me move, get my car, may seem like small gestures but knowing you are willing to assist has lifted a tremendous burden. Last but not least... the mini marathon. lets do it. and that girls trip to a fun new city we have never seen? lets do that to.

See you in July
Love your old roommate soon to be roommate again EZ

___________________________________________

See previous Letter posts here:

Letters December 

Letters January

Letters March

Letters April