20 things in year 25

Last November I chose 20 things that wanted to complete in my 25th year of life... below is my update on my remaining things..... I have now signed up to run the Rock N Roll Half Marathon in Denver on October 20, 2013. Now I just need to lace up my shoes on this now yoga practicing body, that has not hit the pavement in (cough cough.... months).

Nothing really to update today except that I am  just feeling really grateful today. Even in the midst of so much unknown I am really overwhelmed by the many things that are happening and the so many things I have to look forward too. (Did I mention I land in Denver Colorado next Friday!) Not to mention I got to skype tonight with two of my very favorite people Matt Hohler and Jason Walker, while they are together in Ohio. Day maker right there. Beardy and all I miss them both very much. It was so fun to see two people I love very much together hanging out.....

Happy Monday to you.... Below is the 20 things list update (blue indicates it is complete). Cheers from my yoga shala to yours.....
(PS a post coming your way on strange poses we have been doing)

20 THINGS In year 25 

1. Read One Thousand Gifts. (with my mom, more fun to read when you have someone to share things with).

3. Complete the Whole30 Challenge (Again)

4. Run a half Marathon October 20, 2013. 

5. Surf in Costa Rica (Disclaimer I surfed in Nicaragua). Close :)
6. Make cookies for my neighbors and deliver them. 

7. Visit an Orphanage at least once a month (whether I am in Honduras or anywhere)

December 1, 2012 San Pedro Sula,   December 8, 2012 Pena Blanca,  January 28, 2013 Pena Blanca,   February 10, 2013 Pena Blanca,   March  22, 2013 Pena Blanca,  April 1, 2013 Pena Blanca ,  June 4, 2013 Pena Blanca

8. Go camping. Real camping not car camping. 

9. Make homemade sushi

10. Have a dance party

11. Pray everyday before I go to sleep

12. Go on a weekend trip with my sister away. A city, or even in our hometown. Just she and I

13. Ride my road bike for a 100 mile ride

14. Read four Jane Austen Novels (Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park) (Finished two... half way there)

15. Complete 30 days straight of yoga. Completed in January/February of this year

16. Officially kick my diet coke habit (lasted about 60 days in Honduras, got to let this one go.... I have now not had diet coke in now three weeks, which may seem like a small feat but if you lived with me you would know that this is a big deal.

17.  Learn to make pie crust, and make five homemade pies (Apple, Pumpkin, Coconut Creme, Cherry, Pecan)

18. Drive a convertible (no stipulation on what kind of convertible)

19. Minimize my things, shrink my storage unit in Colorado, get rid of things. This is happening on Saturday June 13, 2013

20. Go Fly Fishing with my Dad.

Perhaps another year........

2. Get scuba certified in Utila (Honduran Bay Islands)(Not so sure this will happen, I decided to not get certified over spring break, but opted to relax and read my book) perhaps in the future.)

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.

Tegucigalpa x2

Long overdue weekend recap.....

Last Friday at school was the Dia De Familia. (family day) It was a hot, long and exhausting program but my kids did so good. :)  In true Honduran time the program was set to start around 1:00 pm, which meant it started quarter till 2:00 pm... and did not finish until 5:30 pm. (could you imagine being a parent and sitting that long???)

 

Leaving the program before it finished we caught the bus around 4:30 pm and were Tegucigalpa bound. (Yes we went again, this time with Philip in tow) We arrived earlier than expected and Fernando picked us up. We quickly transformed from our teal Family Day Tshirts into our "Suit and Tie" attire for Hector's birthday party that we were attending that evening. Fernando had made reservations to stay at the Marriott for the night, so he was gracious enough to let us stay as well. To say the Marriott was nice is an understatement. After hostel hopping/ B&B staying in Central America, it felt so nice to walk on carpet, fall into a big comfy bed, watch TV, have the option for room service, take a hot and cold shower (meaning you can adjust the temperature). We did not want to leave.

Before heading to the party that night, we sat outside on the patio of the Marriott overlooking the city and the twinkling lights of the city. We drank cocktails and ate a yummy appetizer before heading out to the birthday party. We arrived at the party and it was so nice to walk in and see the same faces that we just seen the weekend before. We danced, talked and ate incredible appetizers at the poolside party until after 4 am in the morning. We finally fell asleep just as the sun was coming up at 6 am in the morning. It was a great night. I cant remember the last time I was up that late.

Saturday we made our way to the pool at the hotel around 12:45 pm to have lunch and relax. We laid poolside listening to the best of "Our Dads Music" (Bee gees, Elton John, Bread, Lionel Richie, Earth Wind and Fire, Bob Dylan, Commodores etc.) while soaking up a bit of sun.

That evening we went to the Angry Beaver. A pub owned by a Canadian man, that houses over 100 different kinds of beers from around the world. It is safe to say we were in beer heaven. Between the six of us we must have tried nearly fifteen or so different beers. I think Faye said it best, "I was more enamored by the outside seating area which would not have looked out of place anywhere in Europe. It was filled with an eclectic mix of 20-something Hondurans, mostly speaking English and listening to some really ‘interesting’ music. Needless to say we spent a very long time there." (I had a Anchor Steam: San Francisco  Prestige: Haiti, New Castle: England)

That night we headed to bed early, as we were still really tired from the night before.

Just before catching the bus on Sunday, Fernando took me to the grocery store in Tegucigalpa so I could buy chocolate chips, and a few other things I am unable to get in our town. I walked every aisle just to make sure I was not missing something..... After a four hour bus journey home Sunday, we all slept well that night. Now it is already Wednesday! My goodness time is flying.

Tomorrow evening we are saying goodbye to Thomas. He took a job with the Nashville Teaching Fellows in the States so he will be leaving Honduras two weeks earlier than the rest of us. We are hosting a family dinner potluck. I am going to make Kentucky Beer Cheese.... (Wish me luck). Looks like Friday Kylie and I are going to adventure our way to Ciaos Cochinos (rated one of the places in the world with the clearest water) on the Caribbean coast. (Only a few weeks left, got to squeeze it all in).

Below are some pictures from the weekend. Enjoy!

June 29, 2012 "Chose Adventure"

June 29, 2012, I remember telling my girlfriends at happy hour. In my honor, my best friend ordered a round of tequila for us. Standing at our our spot in the corner of the bar (Someday that spot will be engraved with our names). My best friend Meg stated perfectly.... "Cheers to Kristina for choosing adventure!"

August 23, 2012, I remember sitting with my three bags packed for the next ten months. Sitting in the Denver airport, staring out the window at the snow capped mountains. Smiling. Knowing I really was doing it. Pinching myself a bit to make sure it was real. I really quit my job and am moving to Honduras.

June 9, 2013, in just three weeks time,  I will board a bus to head south to Nicaragua. (then on to Costa Rica). Leaving Honduras. (for now)

In the past ten months I was a second grade teacher, one of the gringo maestros living in Pena Blanca and a roommate to six incredible girls. I jumped from cliffs, rafted down the Rio, sunbathed in Utila and rode the waves in Tela. Kayaked on the Lake, ruin adventured in Copan, did yoga on the beach, at the hacienda, and in the bay islands, shared many a meals with backpackers at the D and D, rode in the back of countless trucks, cooked many family dinners, hiked to waterfalls, spent Thanksgiving in Guatemala and Antigua, celebrated my birthday in Rio Dulce on a pontoon boat, spent many a nights in the dark laughing with my roommates, watched the killing of a mouse, seen too many bats to count, admired the mountains,  loved on orphans, cried tears of frustration, was homesick, and heartbroken grieving the loss of two dear friends. I spent Christmas in the States with my family, vacationed in Mexico in February. Sang countless days of the week, months of the year songs, did hundreds of yoga classes in my rooms and ran miles with Matt around our town. Celebrated birthdays in Tegucigalpa, sat lost in church while they spoke Spanish, hitchhiked, have eaten countless avocados, watermelons, pineapples and Cabbage.

As Meg said it last June, I chose adventure. An adventure is what I was given and yet so much more.

Only three weeks now before this chapter is finished... Have a great Monday. Hope when you get the opportunity you too choose adventure. Cheers

When in Honduras...

Do go to the beach for the weekend..... Just Because.........

After school tomorrow we are beach bound...... I will catch up with all of you after the weekend.

Warmest to you....

***Ps. Happy Draft day everyone.... Broncos

Kayak. Sun. Lake. Monday yall

A small glimpse of our weekend.....its Saturday morning... I woke up and wandered into our kitchen... the dishes were piled high, evidence from a successful family dinner night.... the wine bottle is empty on our table, plastic cups are scattered about. It is 7:30 am in the morning and Alison is skyping with her family in South Africa on her computer.  It is summer in South Africa and Alison is sitting here in Honduras bundled up in her blanket.... doesn't make very much sense. The cold weather continues. A week straight of rain.

Around 8:00 I saw a small glimpse of sunlight and quickly rushed to get a load of washing in. Sun means dry clothes. Last week my clothes hung for nearly 3 days, before they got dry. That's what happens when it rains for a whole week straight. While the washing machine filled with water, I boiled some water for tea and carried out all of our trash bags from our porch. Trash must go out the morning before the trash men arrive, not the night before, otherwise the dogs get in it and it will be scattered about in front our house (yes this has happened before). With my laundry started I climbed back in my bed.

Saturday was a great day. After getting a cup of coffee at the shop in our town with Matt and Kylie, and some grocery shopping, Kylie and I headed to the D and D to do yoga with Lotte. An hour of yoga and the three of us were exhausted. Kylie and I joined six others around the campfire, sharing food, having a glass of wine (Perfect post yoga drink). Of the group around the fire nearly half of the people are traveling for the next year. 

Let me introduce them to you: (forgot names)

• First was the couple from Seattle. On two motorcycles they have been traveling for now 9 months.They left Seattle, covered canada, 32 US states, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and now Honduras.  There final destination is Panama. 
• Second we met an older woman( American), early 60s who is traveling all the way to Argentina. She has 8 articles of clothing in a small backpack. I tried to guess her 8 articles of clothing but was wrong, (3 pairs of pants, one pair of shorts, one t-shirt, one long sleeve, one sweater and a bathing suit). 
• Third there is Paul. (English) Paul we met in Rio Dulce last November. He is finally moving South after settling in Guatemala for a year. He is sending me a few pictures he took of me driving the boat on my birthday. It is really nice to run into people that you have met while traveling. 
• Fourth is an English guy. 42 years old. Avid bird watching enthusiast. Lives on the bay island of Utila. Visited Utila nearly 12 years ago for a few weeks and never left. I told him that come Spring break we are knocking on his door to say hello (Since we are heading to Utila then) but he said we will have to swim to him, he is docking his boat off the island during that week. I told him no problem. We will be there.

We decided to make our way home late afternoon and after a recommendation from the older woman we streamed the movie, The Impossible on my computer. Kylie, Rose, Alison and I climbed in Kylie's bed and watched on my laptop. (we do not have a TV) The Impossible..... brutal to watch. I cried like a baby... incredibly beautiful and heart wrenching. Must watch..... It tells the true story of a Spanish family that survived the 2004 Tsunami that struck Thailand. Dont forget kleenex, but you must watch it. (in the movie the family is very british and blonde not spanish but the true story they are spanish)

Sunday turned up to be my favorite days of the week. Kylie and I took the D and D Kayak out on the lake for the day. With beer and oranges in tow we put the kayak up on top of the tuk tuk and dropped in at the canal. We asked the man to come back in two hours to get us, so we did not have to carry the kayak all the way from the canal. It is awkward shaped and heavy. The lake was beautiful. We finally had a day of sun and we became quite the expert kayakers. This is my third time out on the kayak and it never gets old. A lot of people were out fishing because the weather has finally cooperated. Everyone stops to stare at the two gringo girls on our bright yellow kayak. Comical. 

After getting back to the D and D, a little more sunburnt than when we left. We rejoined our friends around the fire to share stories and then stared down a big iguana in the tree.. Enough of me talking see for yourself....

The kayak on top...

awesome.

Heading out from the canal into the lake.

Below the water... so many fish. Incredible.

More sun than when we started. 

Our friend at the D and D. This picture was taken through the telescope.

The lady from Seattle and I talked about "our stuff"in the States. That we thought we would miss our stuff but we do not. We realize quickly how much extra stuff we have. My hope and prayer is pieces of this life here, the simplicity in it never leaves me. But yet that when I indulge in things, when I spend too much money on a meal or do something others would scoff at I enjoy every moment of everything I do, because life is too short to feel guilty for things...... 

As for my post last November and my 20 things I would like to accomplish in the next year, I am happy to say I am well on my way. Here is the list: and soon I will be able to cross a few off. I also think I will be baking cookies this week to deliver to the neighbors. We are done at noon every day!

 7. Visit an Orphanage at least once a month (whether I am in Honduras or anywhere) Orphanage visit: December 1, 2012 (San Pedro Sula). December 8, 2012 (Pena Blanca), Today January 28, 2012 (Pena Blanca)    
14. Read four Jane Austen Novels (Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park)  I have started reading Pride and Prejudice. (love it, so good)
15. Complete 30 days straight of yoga. I am on day 22! Yikes SO exciting! Has been an incredible challenge but I can already see changes in my practice and I have fully mastered crow. see picture below (not me). I have always been able to get up into this pose but often fall out. Proud to say I am no longer wobbly :)

Heres to you Monday and Kicking this week in the A@%$ because its going to be a good one. I think so at least  Ps Happy Belated Birthday to my mother. Thanks for being who you are and I am proud to say that every day I find myself being more and more like you. 

Happy Monday Yall!