I've been working really hard

Yes, I'll admit it now. I've been working very hard. Really sacrificing myself for the good of others while lying on a beach in the beautiful bay islands of Honduras. I think any praise or acknowledgement that has been given to me should be rescinded, because if I was really working I wouldn't have been where I've been the past two weekends. I can't believe it's been that long since I've written. So to begin...

Last Friday three of the volunteers and I decided to go to Tela. Tela is a little coastal city about an hour from Ceiba known for it's beautiful beaches. We left early on Saturday morning to grab the bus over and off we went. The four of us make quite a sight going anywhere. There are two girls from Germany, one from England and then me. Three of us are blond and we are all very tall by Honduran standards. We got there in good time and went to find a hotel. We had booked one a few days before but after talking about it, we decided it was too expensive. Luckily we are all on a pretty tight budget. The taxi recommended a few places and then took us to one. It was nothing fancy but clean enough. Then it was off to the beach. Unfortunately our first day it was cloudy and rainy. We could see the beach stretching in both directions but the drizzle kept us under the palapa of the restaurant. We just talked and laughed and it was good. At one point it was quite funny because there was a group of guys from Mexico a few tables over on vacation as well. They sent over one of the boys who was selling coconut bread to ask us to come over and sit with them. We politely declined and then laughed it away. We went out for awhile in the night to take in the town a bit and then headed back to the hotel to sleep. When we woke in the morning I went over to check my cash stash and discovered an unpleasant surprise. 500 limperas (about $25)  were missing from my wallet. I had left it in the room when I went out the night before and when I said something, Zoe found out she was missing $10. I thought that it was really strange that both of us were only missing some of our money, so I figured it must have been someone from the hotel that took it and was trying to make it so we wouldn't notice it was gone. Then I looked around the room to see how they got in, and one of the windows was completely broken and could easily be slid open without any trouble. Oooh I was mad, but also super happy at the same time that not everything was gone because it could have easily been so much worse. My credit card, camera, etc. When we went to leave, I told the lady at the front that someone took our money and she went right over to the woman who was watching the hotel the night before and asked her about it. The woman was super defensive, and asked why anyone would only take some of the money and it was obvious that it was her. We couldn't do anything more though so we packed up and left. When we looked at the guide book later it said that it was a good hotel for the price but that there were rumors things disappeared from guests rooms. Well, rumors are true. Don't stay at Hotel Bertha.

Sunday morning though was beautiful. The sky was clear, the sun was shining, and Anna, Zoe and I were set to go on a tour of Punta Sal. We took a boat across the bay of Tela to a point about 45 minutes out. The tour led us across a small hiking trail where we saw tarantula's, enormous spiders and monkeys! It was really neat. Then, we got to relax on the beach for the rest of the day, taking in the sand and the sun and the water. We made a few friends from Tegucigalpa. One was 13 and the other was 11 and reminded me so much of my little sister it was slightly eerie. Lunch was a traditional Garrifuna lunch of fried fish and the rest of the day was simply nice. Once we got back to Tela, we picked up Miriam, who had stayed behind, from the beach and caught a bus back to Ceiba.

The week went really well I think. The kinder kids did well and I'm just getting into the swing of teaching. Having a schedule to follow every day makes everything a thousand time easier, because there are only a few hours of space each day that I actually have to fill with a plan. The kids are so cute too. The two little trouble makers, Daniel and Samir, are getting closer to me every day. I want to be mad at them but I can't because they are really the smartest kids in the class. It's a cute kind of trouble making also. Erg. I can really tell a difference in the kids when I bring snack versus when I don't. On Wednesday I had the snack set out and completely forgot to grab it in the morning. So frustrating. Carolina, one of the moms who helps me, said that her little kidnergartener went home and told her that I had forgotten it for the day. When I leave I'm going to have to figure out some way to keep it going, because kids don't learn on empty stomachs. On the friday before our weekend in Tela, we had gym class and took the kids down to the river. It was fun and we ran around, but Glenda found something pretty bad on the back of one of the little girls. Leiry, who is the cutest thing with bobbing curls and always a huge smile on her face, had four darkly imprinted belt buckle marks in her back that were just beginning to bruise. You could see the square in her back with the line for the clip. I have no idea what she did or who did it or why, but there is no reason- ever- to hit a kid like that. I realize that hitting is the way to keep the kids in line for most of the people who live up in the jungle, but there is a fine line and that was leaps past it. Even the other moms said that something had to be done, and Leiry just smiled up at us as we looked over her back. She must be used to pain. The following Tuesday she hit her head hard against the table and then got right back up like it didn't faze her. Two minutes later I look over at her forehead and a lump the like a thimble had emerged from that exact spot. Any other kid would have burst out in tears for ages. Anyways, David and all of the teachers got together to write a note to the parents saying that treatment like that needs to stop, and if they notice anything else further action will be taken. What I don't know, but hopefully it's enough just to let them know that we are keeping track. So besides that, kinder is good. Every day I get pretty tired but it's only half the day. The rest of the day I'll either go to the hogar, or go shopping or once and awhile head to the beach, but I think from now on I'll mostly go to the hogar. I love the kids too much.

And finally there was this weekend, which made the list for one of the best couple days of my life. I spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday with people I love in a surreal, beautiful place, taking in the sun, the beach, the marine life; opening coconuts, eating, playing and laughing. Eight of the Hogar kids, me, Denia, 3 of the volunteers, Cristy, Meily, David, and some relatives and friends- 20 in total- went to Southwest Cay for the weekend. It is a cay off of Utila that David shares with two other families. Basically a private island that we had to ourselves for the weekend. 20 of us on paradise. It isn't big, but it's just big enough that there is plenty to run around on and especially swim. All the time I was in the water. Snorkeling off the reef that runs all the way around the island, watching colorful fish dart in and out of the coral in the crystal blue water, and seeing the sunlight dapple through the waves onto the sandy bottom below. Taking pictures, some good and some bad, underwater and out. Kayaking and taking turns ferrying the kids around on the kayak. Playing on the pier and throwing kids in, and in turn being pushed in by them. Sad to say they won more often than not. Watching as Rosa, Mercedes, and Denia attempted to go on a fishing trip and then came back with nothing. It's a good thing we weren't relying on their trip for a meal. Laying on the beach, falling asleep if I felt like it. Peeling and breaking coconut after coconut. I got so good at it after awhile although my hands are now stained a purple-ish color for whatever reason. It was all so good, so good.  At night we lit an enormous bonfire on one end of the island, and raced hermit crabs to see who's was the fastest. Mine won 3 times in a row hah. We played limbo in the dark, and then all went out to lay on the dock and look at the thousands of stars that glinted so brightly overhead, and feel the wind blow at our faces and our hair. I felt so full of life. It was an adventure to walk out to the bathroom that was only a hole right over the water, especially at night when you hoped you wouldn't step on a hermit crab. But my favorite part of all were the 9 amazing kids that were with with me. Adjusting Santos's snorkel, throwing Angelo in the water, and then being pushed in by Daniel. Being dragged around by Cherlin and told to open coconut after coconut. Laying on the pier with Rosa, Denia, Mercedes and Sara at night and laughing until our stomachs hurt. Doing all the work kayaking as Daniel and Paty put their heads in the water to take a look at the fish. Putting Santos to bed and having him tell me a story about little red riding hood. Taking pictures with Rosa. All of those moments that stay with you. Those are the one's that last the longest.