Change of plans!

In my last post, I was preparing to leave Honduras to spend some time in Florida with the Mike Kehr family. I was set to leave on Monday, the 30th. Yesterday, I cancelled my ticket out of Honduras.

As I was wrapped up my two terrific weeks of substitute-teaching the 9th graders, IST received an email saying that the 9th grade English teacher (the incomparable Mrs. Katie Smith) could not return for the second half of the year. IST offered me the position and - Look out, now! - I'm in charge of educating 73 fourteen-year-olds at International School Tegucigalpa!

Phew. 

Honestly, as I prepared to leave this past month, I did so half-heartedly. My reasons for leaving consisted of a lack of permanent work and purpose here. However, I definitely wasn't ready to part with all of my friends (much less the cuisine!). 

During my subbing stint, I thoroughly enjoyed teaching the 9th graders. I kept thinking how sad it was that I wouldn't be reading the rest of Romeo and Juliet with the students. All the good parts are ahead of us: the wedding, the fight, the domestic dispute, the poison, the dagger . . .  My mom even suggested I ask the school if they had a random position open. So, when a something did open up unexpectedly, it didn't take me long to decide that this would be a wonderful adventure and a great way to stay near my new friends.

There are some other reasons to stay in Honduras, too: 

Exhibit A: Jacko

This is Jacko, Jean and Jairo's dog. I cannot tell you how amazing it is to be able to actually pet a dog without giving into germaphobism. There are a ton of stray dogs in Honduras, none of them pet-able. In fact, my roommate Julienne explained that she pets dogs with her foot . . . with the shoe on. Even when people keep dogs as pets, the dogs are mostly kept outside where they get dirty and (potentially) flea-filled. It's not a cruel thing, it's just not popular to keep dogs, especially big dogs like Jacko, as in-house pets. That's a very "first world" thing, if I may say that.

Could you leave this face?

 

Exibit B: Jean and Jairo allow me to do laundry at their house. Clothes dried on a line feel better, I think. 

Exibit C: Pupusas!!! I bought this glorious plate of food at school. Pupusas are originally from El Salvador. They are cheese-filled tortillas served with chismol (like a chunkier homemade salsa) and onions as toppings.

 Exhibit D: The sun. Michiganders, you know what I'm talking about. I arrived in October and October never ended. Glory! Snow who? These were taken at Jean and Jairo's house.

(Disclaimer: I have been warned about hot season. In fact, the school alters the class schedule in April so that the students leave school around 1:30p. Apparently, the heat is so intense no one can concentrate come two o'clock).

Exibit E: The little adventures . . . like breaking into my own house and pushing Julienne through the bars on the window (Elena and Sarah pictured). 

Blurry, but Sarah is trying to get the screen out with a spoon. It only builds character, folks. (On a side note, we have two outside doors to our house, one by the street and one inside the garage. This window is not directly connected to the street. We are safe!).

Exhibit F: A note one of my students gave me . . . 

 

 . . . on the back of a handcrafted, recreated Pokemon artifact.

Exibit G: Angry birds. Yes, I was allowed into the Parrot Cage. Good thing they were already eating. Those apple pieces could have been my phalanges.

One of them refused to be photographed. . . 

If you can't trust a toucan, toucan you trust? (sorry).

I realized later that this is the only picture I took of IST's resident toucan where a small pile of his poop wasn't outright visible. As it is, I would concentrate on looking at his blue foot or the ginormous beak. Sadly, there were two toucans at IST before Christmas break, but the other one died of depression. I guess wild animals don't like cages. Huh. 

Today, I'm going to the mall to buy new professional clothes. The only formal pants I brought have a nice, inappropriate hole in the mid-thigh region. Tonight? Watching the guys play soccer with Jean and Molly. 

Hope everyone has a jolly-great weekend!

Desayuno tipico, arte brillante

I enjoyed my food today. These sorts of days prove common here in Honduras. Not sure if you've noticed, but Hondurans eat well, choosing small, hardy portions over large servings of unsatisfying "schtuff."  The typical Honduran breakfast is especially appetizing.

And Lo! What's this I spy?

The comida tipica (typical food) stand at IST now offers a "Mini desayuno" (mini breakfast) plate for only 30 lempiras (roughly $1.50). Included?

- 3 tortillas de harina (flour tortillas)
- carne (meat - sausage? - on the top left of the plate)
- huevos (eggs)
- frijoles (beans)
- mantequilla (the white sauce in the middle - sort of like a sweeter sour cream. Oh yeah).
- quesillo semi-seco (the white block of cheese on the top right of the plate - delish).
- platanos fritos (fried plantains - my favorite!)

Did I take pictures while eating alone in my classroom? Sure did. Did I get a close up? Scroll down, sir.

You know it. 

Alas, my Honduran breakfasts are numbered. I shall depart this beautiful land on the 30th of this month. Yes, that's less than two weeks from now. From San Pedro Sula, I will fly to Tampa, Fl. THere, I will meet up with my brother, sister-in-law, and my nephew and niece. Currently, the Mike Kehr family is traveling around the Sunshine State in a fancy travel trailer, selling glass mosaic art. Also, Mike and Tracy sometimes set up a booth at which art show attendees can make their own stepping stones.

This is my brother Mike (photo courtesy of Tracy Kehr). Not sure what prize he won, but he deserves it!

Tracy, my sister in law, is on the left. I love the piece with all the squares on the top right (ditto).



I'm going to be traveling with them, sleeping in parking lots, state parks and beaches alike. Hopefully, I will learn the art show ropes and help make some money to support their hippy lifestyle. 

After Florida, I will make my return to Grand Rapids, possibly moving to Chicago in the near future. I did apply for a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. Hopefully I will hear about whether or not I passed the first round of eliminations soon.

Feliz Navidad, Prospero Año, y Felicidad.

It's been a while, huh? I hope everybody had a delightful holiday season. I heard Michigan/Indiana spent the entire two-week period completely bereft of snow. How does that happen, folks?

Here in Tegus, things were pretty chill. Paula and I stayed in town and spent two relaxing weeks with Michelle as she took a break from her graduate studies at Virginia Tech to fly to Honduras. Paula and Michelle have been friends since childhood in Allendale. Michelle and I lived in on Deloney Street in downtown Grand Rapids last year. Over vacation, we spent both Christmas and New Year's Eve in Valle de Angeles, visiting Manu and Paula's friends and family.

Honduran Nochebuena ("good night" or Christmas Eve) traditions dictate that one travels from house to house all night, being fed along the way at each stop. Many tamales (veggies and meat stuffed inside a soft corn-based shell) and torrejas (a type of soggy french toast drenched in cinnamon syrup) were consumed by us gringas.  New Years Eve boasts much the same, but with the added effect of cuetes (firecrackers) and the act of burning the "viejo."  Each barrio in Valle burns their own version of the el viejo (old man), a homemade scarecrow-like figure filled with cuetes. The burning of the viejo represents the passing away of the old year and a hope for the year to come.

Please enjoy the following pictures:

A candid shot of a horse and his dog caught in their extra-species relationship.

Sweet stray dog.

























Big ole lemon.


 Apparently, we weren't allowed in. Psh!

We climbed up this water tower.

Rumor is, the pipes from this supply of water run all the way to Tegus.

Paula climbing like a pro. 

Michelle (near the ground) showed that ladder who's boss. When it came time for me to climb down, I got scared, lost myself and teared up a bit. People laughed and took pictures, but at least I have the memories.

The water in the stream appeared orange. Unfortunately, my dreams of suddenly finding myself in an ultra-sleek SciFi novel were not realized.

Once again, we saw the mysterious Quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala. At one point, there were two in the trees in front of Ana's house at once! This time, I took a better picture (for the previous image, see Chatos, Tucanes, y Guayabas). 

The poinsettias in Ana's garden.

More flowers. 

Stopped by to say "hi" to Gab.














Our hike ended in a waterfall.

 Gorgeous stairs.


























Another water reservoir. In the summer, the people of Valle block the openings in the dam (not seen, but to the right of the picture) and swim in this pool.

After Michelle left last Thursday (sad!), Paula headed back to Valle and I spent three blissful days at Jean and Jairo's house (which feels a lot like home). Jean and Jairo form quite the dynamic married duo; they both work at IST, they enjoy The Office, they allow me to love their labradoodle, Jacko (pic soon!), and they don't mind me hanging around their house for days on end. Plus, Jairo and Jean take me with them to visit Jairo's family where we enjoy incredible Honduran food (Surprise! the existence of another Honduran supermom!) and American movies dubbed in Spanish on TV.

What great friends I've made in Honduras!

Coming soon:
- An update with the Big Birds.
- My thoughts on teaching Romeo and Juliet in Honduras.
- The announcement of my grand return to my homeland.

Oh, and I took a little video of the waterfall. It's not all that exciting, but I thought the water fall was beautiful. Plus, it wasn't like in the States where one pays to walk on a paved sidewalk to the falls. In Valle, the waterfall felt like mine: no interference, no cement, no railings.