Things I've learned this month

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Well it's official. I have been here over a month. I still can't believe how quickly time is flying by. It surprises me that in a small town with a slow pace, that things can move this quickly. I am already on my fifth week of teaching at the school and I still love it. This has been a month of changes for me in many ways. I don't think I can remember a time when I have grown this much as a person in such a short period of time. I feel that I am already a different person than I was when I arrived here. I have learned not to take things for granted and to truly be happy for what I have back home. My family, friends, endless potential and most importantly sometimes...hot water.

I don't mind a cold shower when it's really hot outside, in fact, in can be nice. The problem is I can count on one hand how many times even slightly warm water has been the case. My shower absolutely terrifies me. I shower first thing after school when it's still pretty warm. There is no way I will ever shower in the morning before school. i would freeze to death! First off, when I got here my shower was broken. It literally came out of the wall and hit me in the head. When my shower was fixed, I had hoped that hot water would come with that. But no. It is still freezing. I get in wet my hair as quickly as possible and then while I put shampoo in, I turn off the water. I maybe last 5 minutes in there, tops. My favourite is when the hot water (luke warm) starts to come through and then just when I realize it and try to stand under it as quickly as possible...the water stops all together and then the lights go out. Showering a real process here for me and is the one thing that has been driving me insane.

Last weekend I got some bad news from home that really upset me. So much so, that I decided against going to the lake with the girls. I just couldn't But they didn't mind and said we could go back another time. They went and had a blast. I on the other hand got quite a bit done. Except Friday night of course. Friday I went out to the bars in town and had quite a few drinks. I definitely had a great time that night. Saturday I didn't do too much at all. Just lounged. But Sunday, now that was the day for me. I managed to buy two much needed sweaters, groceries, do laundry, make papusas, go to a friends house and bought a cell phone...all by myself. I am most excited about the phone. Okay and the papusas...I am not going to lie! They were awesome.

Since I have been here one month now, I feel it's only fitting to say what I have learned since my arrival.

- It's normal to see a man on a donkey with a razor cell phone

- Kids at the school will hug you 50 times a day if they can

- Buy alot of toothbrushes because sometimes you accidentally put them under the tap and rinse them and then you have to throw them away

- Hot water is a blessing and it's one I never seem to have

- Honduran woman do not go to the bar to have a drink. They go to find a husband. (preferrably Gringo)

- The shirts we wear with leggings back home are worn as dresses here

- The mountains look most beautiful on the way home from work

- You can buy a cell phone for less than the cost of two used sweaters

- I love you! Hey Mama! Mamacita! O ya baby! and kissing noises follow you wherever you go here

- Fireworks never seem to stop and never go out of style here

- Having people take your picture on the street, even though they don't know you...is considered okay

- None of the cars here have no seat belts and air bags because they are cars that were in accidents in
the States and then sold here because they're not safe by North American standards

- You can buy land here for 10,000 Lempiras...and most teachers here make that in a month

- Nobody smokes in public, while wlaking down the street. It's a dirty little habit that is contained to your own backyard.

- Buying smokes where they don't know you, may get a few of those "Oh she's a crackhead" looks

-Not all smokers are crack heads here, they are just the only ones that will walk down the street with a smoke (but you can smoke in bars and restaurants...just not down the street)

I have learned a ton of things since being here. I have been getting along really well with my Spanish and things are really falling into place for me. I am so happy to be here and to be living this life. Everyday on my way home from school, when the sun is beating down on me...all I can do is smile because I know that this is exactly where I am supposed to be.

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Comments

[Julie]

Kissie kissie
It is so wonderful to hear that you have come to realize this is you calling!I hope one day I can pay a visit to you! I believe my visit should be with Tina,Yelu and of course your Mom as we would have a riot and hell knows Honduras needs a little bit of the ghetto fabulous ladies!!So are you asking for tooth brushes in your next care package?LOL!!I enjoy your blog very much and look forward to your next entry!

[jayleigh]

Yes Jules. The ghetto fab girls are needed everywhere. I am pretty sure there are already quite a few here. But definitely none like you guys :D

[Clint Holmes]

Vida en Comayagua
Cigarettes and beer are a whole different game down here. For a country that produces the amount of tobacco it does... you think cigarettes would be accepted. I grew up near Canada and, because of the culture here, I have seriously cut back on the beer intake. As for the fireworks... What was up with the 4:00 AM fireworks display, every day, for seven days in December?