I got home at midnight last night. It didn't seem right that just the night before I was in my room in Honduras with the little cockroaches creeping around and hearing the newborn puppies in my backyard. And now I'm in my room in Toronto (I didn't realize how soft my pillow in Canada was until now!) I have all these luxuries I didn't have just a few hours ago: the choice of more than 5 shirts and 2 pairs of pants, my laptop at hand (but oh I'm going to miss going to Manuel's internet cafe!), any food I want and the ability to cook it for myself, access to a car....
But it seems like all too much. I didn't need all of this for the last 3 months. I was almost disgusted when I walked into my room and saw all that stuff. I didn't have time to clean my room before I left for Honduras and books and papers and other junk was all over the place. I struggled to find good books for my kids in Honduras, but here I have so many that I don't know where to put it all.
It feels really weird. I remember how everything goes and works; my cat didn't forget me. It's the strangest feeling that maybe I've been here all along and those 3 months in a totally different country didn't exist.
What happens now??
Friday, August 7, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
goodbye for good
Today has been a crazy mixture of emotions.
It started off really peaceful as Kristen and I watched the sunrise over Tegucigalpa on the top of the mountain behind Bencaleth.
Then I had a nice bonding time with Mila in El Centro.
I had lunch where I learned that police and the National University were going against each other and there were replays of the police knocking over the director of the university.
And then I had a blast talking to a painter and bartering earrings and crackers for a painting I really wanted from him.
Then I said my last goodbyes to Bencaleth. I did not expect to cry as much as I did. But you don't know how hard it was to tuck in my babies and say adios to them for the very last time. I don't know when I will see them again and even if I do will they still be there?
Then I had a blast with my internet cafe manager friend and the local priest. haha they're cool.
And then I thought I lost my USB key for the second time this trip and was out on the street running around with a flashlight at 9pm at night when I should be packing
Ecetera.
And this is the day BEFORE I leave.... What does tomorrow hold for me?
My last words to type on a computer on Latin American soil.
Estaba una experiencia maravillosa. Honduras, te quiero mucho.
It started off really peaceful as Kristen and I watched the sunrise over Tegucigalpa on the top of the mountain behind Bencaleth.
Then I had a nice bonding time with Mila in El Centro.
I had lunch where I learned that police and the National University were going against each other and there were replays of the police knocking over the director of the university.
And then I had a blast talking to a painter and bartering earrings and crackers for a painting I really wanted from him.
Then I said my last goodbyes to Bencaleth. I did not expect to cry as much as I did. But you don't know how hard it was to tuck in my babies and say adios to them for the very last time. I don't know when I will see them again and even if I do will they still be there?
Then I had a blast with my internet cafe manager friend and the local priest. haha they're cool.
And then I thought I lost my USB key for the second time this trip and was out on the street running around with a flashlight at 9pm at night when I should be packing
Ecetera.
And this is the day BEFORE I leave.... What does tomorrow hold for me?
My last words to type on a computer on Latin American soil.
Estaba una experiencia maravillosa. Honduras, te quiero mucho.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
goodbyes
This weekend was the first set of goodbyes. It was adios to my church friends as today was my last Sunday here. I felt so special because they made me a goodbye poster and then mini fiesta at Friday's Bible study, the youth all prayed for me on Saturday's meeting, and then the pastor announced my leaving and told everyone to give me a hug on Sunday's service.
Mis hermanos y hermanas de Iglesia Bautista Central: gracias por ser una familia maravillosa para mi durante los tres meses <3
Friday, July 24, 2009
in these last few days...
It's all coming to an end too fast. I've been trying to do as much as possible in the last while so that's why I haven't been able to really update this blog.
I think this true for any experience you go through, but what you get out of something is usually proportional to what you put into it. I've been trying to talk to as many people as possible and participating in whatever I can.
The past weekend, the youth in my church had an event in Central Park in downtown. There was music and dramatic presentations. It was really awesome actually. It was interesting because this is the same place that people do their manifestations and rallies. haha it was our turn, but without the Mel/Micheletti campaigning. ¡Dios te bendia!
I decided that I wanted to really experience Bencaleth, so I've slept over a couple of nights with the staff. It was really fun actually. It was nice to be able to tuck my kids into bed, and they really love it when I stay over. And then there's the bonding time with the staff afterhours. haha you see a different side of them. Oh, I was able to help to bathe and change and brush the teeth of the kids. Do you know how hard it is to carry a 100-lb wet and wiggling youth from the bathroom to the bedroom?
Perhaps my proof that I have spent a lot of time at Bencaleth is that we now share everything. This weekend, the kids shared their lice with me. haha yes. They call them piojos here :D But the girls here are experts at picking them out and we have really fun chatting times while they pick them out. If you want to know if your friends are real friends, ask them if they would help to de-lice your head. haha
I think this true for any experience you go through, but what you get out of something is usually proportional to what you put into it. I've been trying to talk to as many people as possible and participating in whatever I can.
The past weekend, the youth in my church had an event in Central Park in downtown. There was music and dramatic presentations. It was really awesome actually. It was interesting because this is the same place that people do their manifestations and rallies. haha it was our turn, but without the Mel/Micheletti campaigning. ¡Dios te bendia!
I decided that I wanted to really experience Bencaleth, so I've slept over a couple of nights with the staff. It was really fun actually. It was nice to be able to tuck my kids into bed, and they really love it when I stay over. And then there's the bonding time with the staff afterhours. haha you see a different side of them. Oh, I was able to help to bathe and change and brush the teeth of the kids. Do you know how hard it is to carry a 100-lb wet and wiggling youth from the bathroom to the bedroom?
Perhaps my proof that I have spent a lot of time at Bencaleth is that we now share everything. This weekend, the kids shared their lice with me. haha yes. They call them piojos here :D But the girls here are experts at picking them out and we have really fun chatting times while they pick them out. If you want to know if your friends are real friends, ask them if they would help to de-lice your head. haha
And with my host mom, I try to spend as much time with her as possible. I like how we can have fun just watching TV together. She's one of those people that makes comments about everything that happens on TV. You can imagine the heated conversations we had when the political issues were being shown on the news! A cute random story: I once thought it was funny that there were siamese twin bananas at the supermarket (two bananas in the same peel, if you can imagine that) and so I bought it and took it home. The next day, I came home from work to find a giggling host mom and two sets of plantain siamese twins on the table.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
random thoughts
I can't believe I only have just over 3 weeks left here. I feel like I have to squish as much as possible into these next couple of weeks! I think what I'll miss most are the people here.
Bencaleth: oh the kids, the kids. I love Bencaleth. Everyone has such a unique personality that just really gets to you (in a good way!). Oh one of the residents of Bencaleth passed away this week. He was already in the late stages of cerebral palsy, but you never really think that they would actually pass away. We had the funeral and burial early this week. And it's strange. I've only known him for about two months but his death really affected me. Yeah, these kids have really found a place in my heart...
The staff: We've really gotten so much closer lately. I go over to watch the futbol games and they're really cool to just hang out with.
My friends: I love the people I've met here, especially from church. They really make my stay here amazing. Awww... it's making me kind of sad to think about the stuff I'm going to miss. Let's focus on making the most of these next couple of weeks instead :D hehe starting with now, because I have another birthday party to attend this afternoon!!
By the way, I've been getting really lazy with the updating photos lately. I actually rarely take my camera out when I'm here. I always think, oh that was a perfect photo opportunity and I missed it. But then I realized, why am I so preoccupied with having a cool photo. Is it so I can have that awesome picture and then bring it back and show people how awesome it is here? Yeah, I think that to an extent it's good - I want to show you guys what things have been going on, and I'm sure you're interested too. But I think the problem I have is that I feel like if I don't have a photo as proof of what I did, then it's all gone to waste (like you know how you have to bring a camera to a party or else you'll forget how fun it was). But it's bad because instead of focusing on what I'm doing here, I would just try to make things that would look good to show people. You know?... but maybe I'm just making excuses of why I don't have more to put on my blog :P
Bencaleth: oh the kids, the kids. I love Bencaleth. Everyone has such a unique personality that just really gets to you (in a good way!). Oh one of the residents of Bencaleth passed away this week. He was already in the late stages of cerebral palsy, but you never really think that they would actually pass away. We had the funeral and burial early this week. And it's strange. I've only known him for about two months but his death really affected me. Yeah, these kids have really found a place in my heart...
The staff: We've really gotten so much closer lately. I go over to watch the futbol games and they're really cool to just hang out with.
My friends: I love the people I've met here, especially from church. They really make my stay here amazing. Awww... it's making me kind of sad to think about the stuff I'm going to miss. Let's focus on making the most of these next couple of weeks instead :D hehe starting with now, because I have another birthday party to attend this afternoon!!
By the way, I've been getting really lazy with the updating photos lately. I actually rarely take my camera out when I'm here. I always think, oh that was a perfect photo opportunity and I missed it. But then I realized, why am I so preoccupied with having a cool photo. Is it so I can have that awesome picture and then bring it back and show people how awesome it is here? Yeah, I think that to an extent it's good - I want to show you guys what things have been going on, and I'm sure you're interested too. But I think the problem I have is that I feel like if I don't have a photo as proof of what I did, then it's all gone to waste (like you know how you have to bring a camera to a party or else you'll forget how fun it was). But it's bad because instead of focusing on what I'm doing here, I would just try to make things that would look good to show people. You know?... but maybe I'm just making excuses of why I don't have more to put on my blog :P
Sunday, July 5, 2009
oh canada!
So in honour of Canada this week, I taught the class all about the amazingness of my 'home and native land'. I ended up doing the entire school for the day, which the regular teacher was very grateful for. I prepared all week of how to say things like beaver and tobogganing in Spanish. My point of the lesson was that even though we are from different countries, 'podemos aprender unos de otros, compartir nuestras maneras de vivir, y celebrar los diferencias.' (we can learn from each other, share our ways of life, and celebrate the differences!) haha kind of corny but I think it's important because from a country that always seems to have people come to them to help them (we have an average of one foreign church group come to visit each week), the children should know that their experiences and opinions are important too! :)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
government overthrown
Here is the 'official' update of what's going on given by my volunteer organization. They say it better than I could.
Sunday June 28th, Honduras' national army overthrew President José Manuel Zelaya Rosales and was immediately exiled to Costa Rica; the National Congress officially voted to strip him of his powers and named the president of the National Congress, Roberto Micheletti, as provisional president of Honduras until democratic elections in November 2009 through an act of constitutional substitution. Such act is legally established in Honduras’ Constitution, and was done because the ex-president José Manuel Zelaya Rosales committed a list of 18 faults to the national laws, including the attempt to summon an assembly to rewrite the constitution and overcome the term limits that would have forced him to leave office at the end of this year. The three Powers of Honduras’ Government are currently functioning and are legally constituted. Today (June 29th), a series of demonstrators’ groups protested in some areas nearby the Presidential House at Tegucigalpa, the police and some military troops counterattacked the demonstrations, but the nation remained generally calm. It is only certain groups of demonstrators who are performing these kinds of protests; the rest of the nation (the majority) continues their usual activities. However, we do have a national curfew from 9:00 p.m. till 6:00 a.m.
As for me personally, I have been ok. Where I live, the political situation doesn't really affect me. The greatest extent is hearing the personal opinions and comments by the locals on what they think should happen now. It's a really unique experience to be going through right now.
Sunday June 28th, Honduras' national army overthrew President José Manuel Zelaya Rosales and was immediately exiled to Costa Rica; the National Congress officially voted to strip him of his powers and named the president of the National Congress, Roberto Micheletti, as provisional president of Honduras until democratic elections in November 2009 through an act of constitutional substitution. Such act is legally established in Honduras’ Constitution, and was done because the ex-president José Manuel Zelaya Rosales committed a list of 18 faults to the national laws, including the attempt to summon an assembly to rewrite the constitution and overcome the term limits that would have forced him to leave office at the end of this year. The three Powers of Honduras’ Government are currently functioning and are legally constituted. Today (June 29th), a series of demonstrators’ groups protested in some areas nearby the Presidential House at Tegucigalpa, the police and some military troops counterattacked the demonstrations, but the nation remained generally calm. It is only certain groups of demonstrators who are performing these kinds of protests; the rest of the nation (the majority) continues their usual activities. However, we do have a national curfew from 9:00 p.m. till 6:00 a.m.
As for me personally, I have been ok. Where I live, the political situation doesn't really affect me. The greatest extent is hearing the personal opinions and comments by the locals on what they think should happen now. It's a really unique experience to be going through right now.
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