I AM ALIVE!

Where is Kristi? Is she alive? What has she been up to? She left Michigan and fell off the face of the earth.

Well to inform the masses, I am alive. :) I left Michigan almost a month ago and I can NOT believe the whirl wind I’ve been living in. Let’s give you the 'condensed' version.

-Trip down went wrong in so many ways. Was told at two different connections that my flight did not exist, one of those connections being from the other flight not existing, which then ended me up in Miami for the night. Then I unfortunately somehow lost my camera there after playing tourist. 

-So having arrived two days later than I was asked to arrive, I began working the second I got picked up from the airport. I don’t know what time I did finally go to my new house that night anyway. Now what do I mean by working? Let me explain. This year I not only continue to teach as a 4th grade teacher, I am also a North American Community Coordinator. This position is a volunteer position that is designed to be a partnership or three person effort (as it was last year) to better serve the many North Americans that come down and facilitate their housing arrangements, social events, trips, orientation to the country and culture, and assist them through the year in those things. This summer, things got more interesting though, I found out that the man I would be helping who was paid for this position was moving back to the states. I knew the school would not hire anyone for this, therefore, knowing that all of his, mine, and teaching responsibilities would all fall and me, and they have. I’ve been in charge of 18 new North American teachers, 35 North American teachers total (the biggest group we have ever had), a total of 11 houses with three of them having been new to us and needing to have been fully furnished, etc. So upon my responsibilities previously listed, I’ve then taken upon pages of housing fix-its to communicate and check-up on, insurance, residency, banking, and every random question under the sun you can imagine, like “Kristi, how do I open this milk box?” With pleasure and now exhaustion I’ve been doing this. It’s been great and I’ve loved it. Some of the guys tease me and call me their ‘mom’, but they get the glare from that one since I’m only like a year older. 

-I’ve also started a new teaching year. It’s going pretty well so far. I’m cracking the wip hard core. I think a lot of us returners have less patience/know what we are doing/ aren’t going to put up with it. I love more than anything seeing my former students in the hallway as I still get attacked by them all daily. I love this because my new kids haven’t quite seen the really nice/lovable Miss Kerekes yet. As one of my professors always said “Don’t smile until Christmas.” I do love them dearly already, but of course I’ve got a few that demand more attention than the others and they are just reaaaaaallly slow moving at following directions.

-Also importantly I had my friend Rachel Goorhouse here with my for the first two weeks of arrival. She was such a great help in getting my classroom set-up, etc. It was unfortunate timing that we couldn’t do more, but it really was fun having her see my world here. It still hasn’t hit me that she was here. I knew it wouldn’t. I guess she is just a normal in my life and Honduras has become a normal. Those two combining wasn’t that weird somehow. It was great. 
Thanks to her and her camera, here is a glimpse of that time at AquaSplash and the crew that befriended us there, my classroom, my housing complex called the Green HOuse and I have my own apartment which you can see me in the doorway if you look. All the rest of it are also female teachers. We also got to go to dance class and dressed as twins. We also got to meet up a couple of times with our great friend Ezequiel and his wife whom we met 3 years ago when we studied here in Teguc.











-Tired from just reading this yet? I know I am. There’s an up side. As of this week, the school is willing to try to let my friend and co-worker Bobby Majano join me as Community Coordinator and that means he takes on all the responsibilities of Jake again. I think the new teachers are still too trained to come to me about anything and everything and that’ll take some time of undoing/may never happen. I’m thrilled and it’s such an answer to prayer to have him come along side me. I truly am whipped from basically doing 3 jobs for a month now and countless days of working 12 hours+ and sleeping 5 hours. No more.  (at least, let’s hope not)

-On another note, some people have been wondering about the political situation. For those of you uninformed, very, very short version. Ex-president Mel Zelaya was ousted from his presidency by a (to be debated) military cou at the end of June, was removed from the country, and has not been allowed back in since. I did lots of reading the news during the summer and asked friends how it was and was honestly a little nervous to find out how it’d be. It’s different. There is spray-painted graffiti everywhere. Fast-food restaurants have been targeted, as being supporters of the new temp-president). So the restaurant windows are now barred or boarded and a few have been burned down. What has it been like for me? I think I’ve had 5 encounters. The first one was the most heart racing. I was picking up the first group from the airport and as we were driving there, two military trucks full of soldiers and a water spray truck. I instantly said, “OH NO!” There was a march heading towards the airport, which has been a target, but it was peaceful and we, thank the Lord, got them all out in time and the masses were cleared when we came back for the second group. I’ve run into the car marches in the evenings too. One night I was in a taxi alone and we were really comfortable and talkative and next thing we now from the on ramp pulls right in front of us hundreds of motorcycles and cars waving red flags in support of the old president honking, etc. I started to sink into my seat and asked the driver as we had stopped, what was going to happen explaining the fact that obviously I am a foreigner and others feel differently now. He said, “Nada, es tranquilo”. (Nothing. It’s just a calm march.) And it was. Funny enough. The taxi driver is not making any money by sitting there waiting for them to pass by and follow slowly behind them, so he joined jokingly honking his horn. In regards to all of this, I’m more out of the know than I was when I was at home, but the United States is giving this whole situation a lot more attention again. Their idea is to bring President Mel Zelaya back in as president too and have him finish his term as the new elections are this Novemeber and a new president will be instated in January. The USA has cut visas to members of the current president’s party, has cut all non-humanitarian aid, and is putting more pressure on Honduras now. I hope things remain to stay calm.

-So amidst all that, what do I do in my free time? Free time does not exist. I’ve just had to made it. I’ve been going to my church group and church, dance classes, bible studies, and trying to hang out with friends.The picture included is from a murder mystery night birthday party for Lauren. I really am enjoying myself, the new teachers that I’m with, but I’m tired. So please pray for my load to be lightened. However, I will admit. It’s all been God. There is no way I am doing this on my own strength, and I have been so hungry for his presence and strength that that has been refreshing.

-Another side note, my grandfather passed away over 2 months ago now. I tried to be “present” in the situation and mourning while I was home, but I’m not sure I was, or I just don’t really know what that mourning process looks like for a loved one having never done it before. Let’s just say I’m still mourning. While my friend Rachel was here she was showing our friend her wedding pictures while at the food court in the mall. Her grandfather passed away a month before mine did but was able to be in her wedding as she was married a year ago. I sat there fighting tears that I was so surprised by. Fighting tears of sorrow and realization of that he won’t be there for mine. My last father figure won’t be there for my wedding some day. My dear friend Ben here also just lost his grandpa and as the funeral is a week and half after his passing, Ben is having to grieve without his family’s presence before he can head home. Pray for him too. But I think that too stirs up my grieving.
-Looking forward to a brief Sunday trip to the Christ statue and the following weekend taking the group to the north coast to either La Ceiba or Roatan, one of the Bay Islands. (I've been to both before and am hoping to return to Roatan for Independce Day weekend break.) Then that following weekend is the staff return which was so much fun last year!

-I miss you all dearly. I hope you are well. Please forgive my work-aholic tendencies and for not having called/written lately.

Love to you all,
Kristi