http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Central America Caribbean , Honduras , Comayagua en-us Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:36:55 UTC Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:36:55 UTC Ever wonder what people are thinking on the other side of the the world Chances are if your reading this you do. Well today is your lucky day because the youth of Honduras has a message to send out to the world. To be more specific my tenth grade English students have a message to send. I am confident you will find their views not to much different from those of North American teens. Ple http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-346383.html I will let these photos speak for themselves http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-344178.html If you ever find yourself wandering the countless intersections laced throughout the streets of Comayagua and you happen to stumble upon a corner pastry shop simply named Coffee and Cakes do yourself a favor and step inside. You will be pleasantly surprised. For just beyond eye shot of the countless cookies cakes tarts parfaits puddings souffles pies and other pastries you will find http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-343821.html This morning on my walk to school I couldn't help but notice that Barak Obama was voted into office last night. This is because it was on the front page of every Honduran newspaper I could find. It was interesting to see all the different headlines. The really funny thing for me at least was to see the news call someone a negro. In Honduras most people refer to African Americans as negro http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-342069.html Meester you vote for Barak Osama or Maaa... uh... Maaa como se dice Ah jes McCain. Was my greeting from a few students today. The election buzz didn't quite catch on as much as I had expected. The US government directly effects Honduras almost monthly. You wouldn't know it if you watched CNN but George Bush meets with Manuel Zelaya quite often.One of my students Ramon did ask me about http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-341708.html When I moved here to Honduras I made the decision to leave most all my warm clothing at home in Buffalo. I visited here last December around Christmas and the weather was very nice. Usually Honduras is warm during the day and cooler at night time. It is a comfortable cool sometimes accompanied by a slow breeze. Comayagua tends to be a hotter city than Paraiso but cooler than Tegus'. Howe http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-341428.html This week we are continuing last weeks exams. We spent the majority of last week on RED ALERT so that meant we only had two days of exams. Monday Tuesday and Friday were spent watching movies and playing video games. The good news is that we all got paid on Wednesday. So I filled my fridge with all sorts of tasty treats. Cranberry juice club soda flour tortillas beans pepper jack cheese http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-339125.html This morning I woke to the sound of helicopters. It was around 830 in the morning I know that because I glanced back at the clock that sits at the head of my bead. The last few nights I have taken to sleeping in reverse to see what effect it will have on my nocturnal libretto. So far the results have been boldly positive. I have also removed all access hair from my scalp to create a better i http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-336281.html Well it is official. For those who have not heard the news Karina and I are getting married. Apologies if I haven't been clear with the details but I've been busy with school lately. We have exams next week so I have been writing tests and reviews in a crazed fury. About a year or so in the past in a land far far away I met Karina. I was a leader in our High school youth group from East A http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-335188.html Don't let the title of this blog confuse you. This is not a review of Cormac McCarthy's latest novel The Road. A post apocalyptic story about a man and his son trying to survive in a harsh lifeless earth. But I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It provided a classic example of the descriptively bleak and realistic style of McCarthy. I couldn't put it down and I ended up finish http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-334809.html SoftHotChewySugar coatedSteamy fresh and hot to the touch.This is what the average student of El Alba has to look forward to after any given school day. As the bell rings the collection of students squeeze themselves through the doors like panicked cows through cold steel gates. Shoulder to shoulder each one pushing and screaming towards the same ultimate goal freedom.However unlike animals h http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-332047.html The past week or so has been so busy with days off that I never had a chance to talk about our Field trip last Friday. We all know that Wednesday was kid's day but I might have neglected to tell you that the celebration cut off was Seventh grade. Needless to say I had many a classroom full of very distracted children.Meester let us play. We have de classes every day. All the other teachers http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-325996.html Honduras beats Jamaica Honduras 2 Jamaica 0Tonight the city was electric after the defeat of Jamaica. The win was a triumph over the long time rivals and will provide a huge step up into the World cup qualifications. Although every game here is treated like the Stanley cup finals THIS game seemed more important than any other. Why that is I just don't know. The Hondurans just love beating http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-322219.html This last weekend Honduras played Canada. I told all my students that Canada would win and they freaked out. Apparently Canada has never beaten Honduras. Last time the score was 4 to 0. This time Honduras beat Canada 2 to 1 so needless to say my Monday was filled with a lot of Meester... Canada Que pasoAll in all it was a good Monday. I enjoy Mondays because my schedule is very easy. http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-321534.html This week I have introduced the double warning policy. When students disrupt class they are given a warning. I write their names on the board and next to the names a write a number. Each student gets two warnings and when they work their number up to three they must leave the classroom. Sometimes the class will cheer for certain students to get a number like its a game. So when Carmen leaves http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-319915.html On this third of September in the year of 2008 I present to you an extensive photo album of our school El Alba. Allow me to provide a brief history...El Alba bilingual school is as you may have guessed a bilingual school started by El Alba bilingual educational services In 1995. We are located in the the central area of Honduras. One hour from the capital and only three hours from most of http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-319479.html The internet as been officially installed in the old el bachelors pad which means I can now post photos and video. So for those curiouse to see how Im living here are some photos and video. Think of this as Lifestyles of The Rich and Famous just without celebrities or lights in the bathroom. Enjoy. http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-317019.html So in the three days of teaching at El Alba I have learned many things. Here is a brief list I have compiled that will hopefully help someone like me in the future.1 Every class is the same due to the fact that they each have a teachers pet at least one class clown one very bitter student who has it out for you no matter how much you help them and at least two very quiet students who sit in http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-316928.html Well we had our first day of schol today. It was interesting to say the least. Where to begin...I had set my alarm for 530 so that I could review a bit before I headed off to school. School starts at 650 and I had first period free. However My phone was set to silent because Sunday night I went up to see the Catholic service in the plaza. I only stayed for about five minutes even in spani http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-316224.html So it turns out the guy who owns the internet cafe is named Tony and he is from New Jersey... Exit 7. He moved here with his internet business and managed to keep the Jersey accent. I hope I can keep my wonderful WNY accent its already impressed the locals here in Central America.Anywho to answer a few questions.1 Brian Zittle Ruca was not left with the parents I took her to Joyful rescu http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-314781.html Its official I have finaly moved into my place in Comayagua. I live next to a guy named Walter he has a big puffy hat. The appartment is pretty nice. Airconditioning in the bedroom a flushing toilet heated shower and some furnature. Ill post some photos later on. I landed in Honduras on Wednesday and Karinas family was at the airport to meet me. San Pedro Sula was really hot and busy. http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-313707.html What a trip. It was truly an amazing time. I went back to visit Walter old students Honduran friends teacher friends and the mountains that I've missed so much. I won't give all the details of what I did but some highlights included Jogging through the streets with Walt Kenny and Bryan followed by watching the guys playing bball in the park Visit to the centre where I used to volunteer http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-295491.html Well yet again it's been months... and the past week has seemed like the majority of all the time I'm asking for a life saver if anyone happens to have one I prefer neon yellow size large functioning straps and buckles please. No really though I need advice. I know i'm not exactly deserving of advice due to my inexplicable invisibility on this poor neglected blog. But knowing that I'm d http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/The-Compound/Gringo-Ghetto-House--2/blog-286009.html HOLABuenas dias hope everyone is doing wellThis week has been fabuloso and filled with bedtime stories que hora esseor lobo what time is it mister wolf gruelling hours perfecting thealphabet frijoles y tortillas mangoes and sleepovers at casa uno.Monday night I went to the cachoros kinderkids room at bedtime and toldthem the story of the beautiful and kind witch of the children. She http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-283056.html buenas tardesthis week has been a continuation of the beautiful life heremonday i started staying after the kinder classes to teach preparatoryclasses to the 56 year olds to get them ready to go into grade one. the teacher just told me to teach whatever i thought was appropriate soweve started practicing letters and numbers.it started off beautifully with all the children reciting their num http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-283053.html BUENAS DIASsorry for the wait on the email...i wrote a mini novel to everyone onfriday but the power cut out just before I pressed sendIt seems crazy that Ive only been here a week and a half so far Everything in la Villa San Antonio runs pretty much as it did 1520 yearsago which makes it easy to slip out of time. This place is so rich indetail and whatevers in front of you demands a ful http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-283051.html Buenas diasWhere to start...I got into the Hogar a couple days ago in a complete daze Its me and 2other volunteers kati and matt and were all pretty much left to makeour own agendas and help out wherever and whenever we want to. the frstweek here they told me to float around and see what i like doing andhopefully ill get a chance to work with the social worker and will startteaching eng http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/blog-283046.html Well it's been months since contact with some of you and believe it or not the months have been flying by. It seems like it was just fall when I was anticipating the arrival of my mom and brothers who were here visiting in November. Or December when I was impatiently counting down the weeks until winter vacation but the months have passed and spring is here and I have lots to tell. The rainy http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/The-Compound/Gringo-Ghetto-House--2/blog-248093.html Well I know its been a while but I have been quite busy between the first week of school and my first trip away from Comayagua. Wow the first week of school was a whirl wind of attempts at organization repeating I asked you to stop talking fifty gazillion times and calling the kids by the wrong name. Unfortunately I have one set of identical twins and three girls that all look very simila http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/The-Compound/Gringo-Ghetto-House--2/blog-196616.html I suppose I didn't realize that in picking up my life and moving to Honduras to teach would be more exhausting than one's typical move. Every night I find myself falling asleep without any shove from a good book or the presence of late night phone calls this has been a sign for me that I'm obviously exerting more energy both mentally and physically then I have in a good while. Constantly attem http://www.travelblog.org//Central-America-Caribbean/Honduras/Comayagua/The-Compound/Gringo-Ghetto-House--2/blog-188817.html