algunas photos más...

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a few more pics...since i've got a bit of time to kill this afternoon. 😊

Actually it's been a lovely week! I had been really concerned about finding something to do during my last couple weeks in Copán. I was thinking working in a school, the colegio...SOMETHING. It's that I didn't want to waste this time. But finally, with the help of a friend, I was able to stop, take a breath and just say, "OK, I don't want to be stressed. I want to enjoy this time, and the relationships I've made."

It's been so nice to rest a bit, meet a friend in Santa Rita for lunch, visit with another friend over a hot chocolate, have a friend help me improve some Spanish details, start studying German (!), watch a movie with my host family, read with the daughter of some friends, practice a bit of English with Daniel, rediscover a great place for baleadas, have an impromtu 3 hour conversation with random people, take a friend out for pizza, catch up on emails and blog posts...

I was also able to do a teacher training "seminar" at my host family's church on Wednesday. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time, and we finally just said, "Ok, she's going...gotta do it now." It was raining pretty hard that night, but 4 people came and we had a super good time. I've been teaching kids Bible clubs for more than 10 years (oh my goodness...I was 15 ten years ago????? that's just weird), and even in the States I've helped in teacher training. But God STRETCHED me when He had me teach the kids here in Spanish...and now I've held several training sessions for adults that work with the kids in their church. WOW. And to think when I was 10 years old I didn't even want to leave home and was nervious to talk to relatives (yet alone strangers). God does amazing things. Wow. Incredible.

OK...so I could have just turned this all into a regular post. But I'll get some more photos on here.

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Photos

in Casa Villamil
Ever, a server in the café-restaurant Casa Villamil (one of my "haunts"), always puts a bit of flair with his postres. Since last September I'll occacionally stap a picture of a piece of chocolate cake, or pie de queso. He joked that he knew Angel was my sister because the very first time we were in Villamil she took a picture of the food!

The Twins...almost
As I introduced Angel to everyone in Copán they always said, "Oh! You look so much a like!!" We easily could have convinced them we're twins. It's a good thing we're not...we would probably get into so much trouble now. :)

another Ever creation
Lately chocolate caliete has become my bebida of choice (before i'd always get a smoothie....i began telling them "Make me whatever smoothie you want, and I'll see if I can guess which one it is." I got pretty good at it). With the rainy season it's gotten a bit chillier...so I think I've drank more mochas and hot chocolate in the past 10 days than the rest of my time here!

former 5th grade student and I
I was eating baleadas at a little eatery down below the main town and a soon to be 6th grade student at the bilingual school stopped in for a 2 litter of coke. I hadn't seen him in weeks, so it was great to catch up for a minute. A super-special kid!! I'll miss his witty sense of humer!

Angel's cows
...she missed her cows so much. As we traveled she'd see a herd on the hill and try snapping photos. We took a walk in lower Copán and felt at home with the pastured cows and the fresh cow fragrance. I like walking down that lower dirt street.

another vista
el Rio de Copán

Nolvia and I
Stopped by a former student's house to drop off a special gift. I had printed a picture of each of my students with their "special visitor" from a mission team that came down in February. I also wrote each student a little note and gave them something special from our year together. Nolvia is a "writer" (she can fill up a page quicker than anyone!)...and I'm so impressed with her progress from last year (she was also my student in 2nd grade). I encouraged her to keep writing...she's got a talent for it! It'll be great to see her when I come back someday to visit.

The Chefs!
My brothers and sister making PUDDING!!! ...it's our favorite postre...ok, so it's also the only dessert we eat...unless it's birthday cake! They've become proessionals. :)

NERDS!!!
Angel and I...on a candy crave...bought several of our favorites one night. Sour straws, airheads...and of course Nerds. Unfortunately the nerds left much to be desired (that's what happens with candy sits in a store for years...). So Angel graciously shared them with my host family. The kids LOVED them. Especialy Guidman who ended up practically ripping open the box to eat them all. We gave him some on a plate. He spilled them on his chair and floor. We all helped pick them up and eat them.

water wars..
Angel and I were SOOOO nice and helped David by washing the dishes, so he could watch the movie we put on for them "Emperor's New Groove" (but the movie was only in English with English subtitles...OK, they had the movie in FRENCH, but not Spanish. That just doesn't make sense to me...not even Spanish subtitles.) So he ended up hanging out with us. Just as we finish, Angel and he begin joking with the water. It ends with Angel, Daniel and I soaked, and David skipped away happily without a drop. Go figure.

Comments

[Ben]

Honduran culture
Hola April. By how you describe all activities you take part in I'd say it is really amazing the amount of Honduran culture you have assimilated. I should probably say Central American culture since for what I understand all these countries are pretty similar, Well you tell us. It would be cool though if you learn how to cook some of those dishes you describe in your blog. Have you tried to make a Flan yet? I find those extremely delicious. Please take care and write more. It is always fun to read your blog. Adios.

[Rilla]

Haven't ever tried to make flan...although I love it. Villamil has two great ones I love: coffee and coconut. Delicious. I've made a few things here...baladeas especially. That'll become a new staple for me. :) There are a lot of commonalities between the central american countries I've been in. One definitely knows he's in CA. But each one is also unique. It feels different when I cross the border to Guatemala or El Salvador. The people are different...and a bit of the culture too...and they may use different words for things. Like the variation between the east and west coast, or the south, or the midwest in the states. I really have loved getting to experience so much here and being a part of so many different things. Even though Copán is a huge tourist town, and lots of expats live here, I really treasure the Honduran friends that I have and the relationships I've made. That is the best thing I've gained from my time here!