Nicaragua

In 7 days I crossed borders to another country, took 3 buses, 2 ferries, numerous taxis, and many car rides, visited 3 different places, and realized I am becoming who I want to be...a world traveler.

So here's a bit of what I did. We started in Managua, the capital city where we stayed with friends of my housemates. What hospitality! They had never met us before and opened up their homes to us for 3 nights! It was incredible. I enjoyed talking and spending time with my host family. My housemate Heather and I had a blast with the two little kids. We also got the chance to attend the Great Commision church there and eat lunch with them, spend Monday morning at their Nutrition Center playing with the little ones, tour a little of the city, and be crazy at the mall when we were finally aloud some freedom.





Tuesday we took off to Granada. Keep in mind I have been to both Managua and Granada before, but Granada is still just as beautiful and love it. It's the most colonial type city still. We stayed in a gorgeous hotel thanks be to God because there was a world poetry festival being held that we had no clue about leaving us walking aroudn the city looking for a place. We were being watched over. We spent our 2 days here swimming, walking through town, carriage ride tour of the town, kayaking, canopy tour, and coffee plantation.









Thursday we journeyed to the island. Isla de Ometepe is trying to become one of the 7 wonders of the world. It's made up of two active volcanoes in the middle of one of the largest fresh water inland lakes in Central America and has fresh water sharks (however, I didn't see any). We stayed at a great little place right on the beach, ventured through the lagoon, toured the island by taxi and stopped to see petroglyphs, monkeys, and swim in the natural spring. We played cards, talked with the locals and other foreigners, and enjoyed ourselves as our trip winded down.




After a 13 hour trip back due to stops in between, I'm back "home". Funny how prideful I've become of Honduras and even Tegucigalpa. Nicaragua, although very close and a great place to visit, I found to be very different. They speak different dialects of Spanish, the cities are different; nonetheless, it was nice to pull into my own town.

I realized how thankful I am that I have these opportunities to travel as I do. Many of my Honduran friends sure don't get this chance. I'm glad I get to know more of the world. I was also pleased to have served as the tour guide/translator for the entire week for my group of four other girls. It was great. I was always the one in charge of the big decisions of figuring out how to get to the next place or communicating our intentions. So there you go Mom, I'm working on my "translating" skills. That's something I don't get to do often.

Happy Valentines Day to you and yours from me and mine

I love my kids and wanted to share a bit of them with you and the great week we had together at school. In ways it was an emotional week with two students in particular. One received an in-school suspension; however, the emotional part was deciding how to handle the fact that I believed and knew that if his parents found out he would receive a severe beating. He was petrified, so we decided against telling them. Hard decision to make. I had another student yesterday who after calling in her parents to talk because she wasn't having them sign her detention notes told me they had had it with her and were done wasting their money. They were going to sign her up for public schoo as classess are now starting. It wasn't just to entirely scare her but they were serious. Dad told her to say good-bye to me as he didn't know if she would see me again. We both were balling. Thanks be to God, she changed their minds and she showed up today. Praise God!!!
Let me share with you their precious smiles. Oh and it was also spirit week this week, so they are dressed up for various themes.


Back in the Day Day


Hat day






The craziness of the Valentine School Festival....I then had to deal with them covered in flour, soaking wet, and sugar buzzed for another hour and a half after. They actually were finally on the drop off of their sugar buzz thankfully.



What great jewlery gifts! I love being a teacher! :)


THe boys and girls...the sea of red and pink!

One of my crazy favorites Allan

My friend Herardo and I

Well, thanks for letting me share. I'll have lots more stories to come and pictures to share in a week after Nicaragua!
Happy Valentine's Day!

Cross off a few things on the I've Never Done Before List

To say the least, I love doing new things, in reason of course. This past week I laughed at that fact that I had so many new experiences that made me think, "Gosh, I haven't done that before." Life here constantly has something new, but I guess it's just because my life is so different than in the United States.

Well, I was sick for the first time in Honduras this past week. Slowed down, but not held down, by the flu (gripe) as the doctor says. Taking some drugs and slowing down today because I haven't yet.


Friday was parent teacher conferences and since I didn't feel the greatest and would have to function in Spanish for four hours, I decided to use a translator for the first time ever. I think I did a good job using him. It was nice however to not have to have him translate back for me what the parents said. I can't imagine what it's like for people who don't speak the language at all! It'd take forever to communicate anything! It was a little ackward for some of the parents too since we've communicated directly many times before. It was alright though.

Friday night was more newness. I went to the fair (AMFAH) here in Teguc. It was nuts, but way better than I anticipated. I felt very safe there and there was a lot to offer with vendors, food, carnival, animal barn, and concert. I rode a ferris wheel that made me want to puke it was so fast and about 15 minutes long! It was funny though because the seats face alternating directions so as we'd go around we'd face some Hondurans above us and we decided to scream at eachother as we'd pass eachother. Maybe it was funnier in the moment.

Also, at the fair I decided to get a tatoo! It's on my ankle. What do you think?

Well, I suppose I'll clarify that it's a henna tatoo and will wear off in a week or so. It only cost a dollar!

Saturday night we had a North American Masquerade. It was so great. The lovely ladies of Casa Calabaza put on quite the fancy fiesta. And thanks to my friend Jen for letting me borrow her dress.





Following the party we went out to celebrate Melissa's birthday. At midnight the DJ played Happy Birthday and delivered her a cake where she blew out her candle and then we put the cake back in the box. Well, an hour later she decided she wanted a better picture with her cake and took it out and reblew out the candle, etc. However, a young gentleman that was part of our party decided to smear icing in her face. This only escalated as he turned around to get the rest of us. I put up a fight and didn't get it quite as bad. After his actions continued and I knew we'd have to stop him, Melissa and I tag teamed against him. I took his arms behind his back while Melissa put the cake in his face! It was a MESS!! We felt bad and figured we were goign to get kicked out so we eventually cleaned ourselves up and left. But it was AMAZING!!! I've never had a food fight before, especially not at a fancy place while dressed up nicely! It was memorable! Pictures to come later. I'll leave you with the birthday girl though.



So, this upcoming week should be great and crazy with it being spirit week, Valentine's day, and the week before vacation!!! Miss Kerekes I believe has checked out already also! So, yes, in a week I will be traveling for about 10 days! I can't wait. I'm not as thrilled unfortunatly because I had intentions of goign to Belize, but as communication sucks in a group of 20 or so and only so many can travel together with ease my group is traveling to Nicaragua. I may get to see my friend Beth though which is exciting!! I'll try to make the best of it, and hopefully Belize can happen over Easter or next year. Guess I really shouldn't complain about the fact that I get to travel around Central America, huh?

Blessings for now.