Pico Bonito National Park

After the UN celebration on Thursday, we had Friday off so Sara and I decided to take advantage of the 3 day weekend and go to La Ceiba, a town also on the northern coast, about 2 hours away. In La Ceiba, they have a huge National Park called Pico Bonito. The plan was to stay at Jungle River Lodge, a place right along the Cangrejal River that runs through the National Park, and do some hiking and swimming. The lodge was amazing! It's built right into the jungle, and has an open air dining area, bar, and swimming pool in front of the lodge that is placed within rock formations all overlooking the amazing view of the river. The lodge even had a dog, cat and 2 Macaws, which is the official Honduran bird. Here is a picture of me trying to smile next to one of the Macaws after it tried to nip at one of my fingers!

While looking at the different activities the lodge offered, Sara and I quickly looked past the whitewater rafting and canopy tours without a second thought. I had never really seen myself doing either of these things, nor had I thought I really wanted to(maybe my fear of heights and huge lack or upper body strength had something to do with it too..). So the plan was to hike, relax, swim in the river and not much else. That was until we got to the lodge, then our plans quickly changed.

After talking to the people that worked there, the tour guides, and other guests at the lodge who had already done the canopy and rafting tours, it didn't take long for us to be convinced that we had to try the two things we never saw ourselves doing! We arrived at the lodge late Thursday night, and by Friday morning we had made plans to go whitewater rafting. Can you believe it?! Never in a million years could I see myself doing this! It was so much fun!

The constant adrenaline rush, cold water flying everywhere, and not knowing what was ahead of us was incredible! We had 2 guides with us which helped to calm my nerves, and Darwin, the main guide, was extremely helpful, and did a good job training and preparing us before actually rafting through the river. We did a few drills and jumped in the river to practice how to float with the current and grab the "life rope" in case we fell out of the raft. We rafted Class I-Class IV rapids, and opted to hike around the Class V rapid because it was our first time and we didn't want to take the chance of flipping over.
On Saturday we made plans to do the canopy(zipline) tour. While getting all the gear strapped in and secured on my body and after hiking up to the first platform I quickly began to question whether or not I could do this as my legs and arms began to get a little wobbly. I had to literally repeat to myself over and over again in my head, that I HAD to to do this, and I would never forgive myself if I backed out. So, before I knew it I was flying through the first practice zipline, and was already looking over the second zipline which hung very high up across the river. Before I could have time to hesitate I said I was ready and Darwin, our guide, let go! The next 5 ziplines were less scary because although they were also high up, it was harder to see all the way down because of all the surrounding trees and plants. Click on the link to see a short video of me going across the 3rd zipline in the jungle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkSGjZyyvGY

When we reached the 8th and final zipline which goes back across the river, I was told that we were going to go across "Superman style." This means that you lay your body completely stretched out, head forward, over the river. The cable is attached by your back, and a guide is connected behind you, between your legs the entire time, so they can control the breaks, this lets you basically glide across the river completely hands free and feet free! As soon as Darwin explained all of this I thought I heard him wrong, .."cable attached to my back?!....stretch your hands and legs out and enjoy the ride?!" How could I enjoy the ride? I was really freaking out! But sure enough, before I knew it, he was attaching the cable to my back, and I was dangling over trees high up in the middle of the jungle, trying my best not to throw up as I looked out and saw the 660 ft drop to the river that I was supposed to "fly" across.... Superman Style no less!! During the first part of the zipline, I was told to cover and protect my face with both hands because of all the branches and leaves we were going to pass through, a thought which I didn't know if I liked or didn't like. Then when I felt a tap in my leg, I was supposed to uncover and open my eyes and stretch my arms and legs out and "enjoy the ride" as Darwin kept saying. And to my extreme surprise.....that's exactly what I did! It was AMAZING!!!!:) And I did it!! Unfortunately I don't have a picture or video of that part, but I definitely plan on returning and doing it again! You can click on the link below to see a short video I took of Sara doing the last zipline over the river. Except, instead of doing the "Superman" she decided to go across the river on her own: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiGgoqxNZvA

After the canopy and rafting tours, we decided to do something a little less "heartpounding." we ventured up the street from the lodge and stopped by the Pico Bonito visitors center, where we bought some souveniers and walked across the new bridge that goes across the Cangrejal River. Walking across this hanging bridge was actually a little more scary for me than doing the canopy tour! Then we walked further up the dirt road to a nearby small village called El Naranjo (you can see a little bit of the village in the picture with Sara on the left) I saw papayas growing on a tree (picture on the right). I know that doesn't sound very exciting, but I had never seen it before! A boy in the village looked at me like I was crazy when I asked him what fruit it was, and thought I was even more crazy when I took a picture of it! Haha:) Then we walked more into the village looking for a sovounier store we saw being advertised on a sign on the main road. We wandered around to find that this "store" which sold "souveniers and artifacts" was actually a house, without any sort of sign, and a lady with a plastic bag containing no more than 10 items, like random wood carvings and a few pieces of jewelry.
We were planning to head back to Tela Saturday night to save some money, but after we missed the last bus headed for home, the owner of the lodge was nice enough to let us stay an extra night completely free of charge! It was actually his fault that we missed the bus because he was supposed to give us a ride back into town, but as typical Honduran culture goes, there's never any need to rush anywhere, nor be on time! But he more than made up for it by covering an extra night, and giving us free food and drinks! The picture of the MONSTER truck on the left was our ride back into La Ceiba. It was the most massive thing I've ever seen on wheels before! While riding inside, I couldn't even see out the windows, it felt like we were all being transported to a maximum security Honduran prison! After that interesting ride to La Ceiba, it took about 2 more hours of being crammed in a typical Honduran bus (old American school bus) that somehow fits 3 adults to a seat (with my luck I was sitting next to an elderly, nice, but VERY smelly lady), all while people are wedged into the aisles and practically hanging out the windows, we were back in Tela.....home sweet home!

United Nations Day in Tela

First off, I'm so sorry I haven't updated the blog in a while...I've been kinda busy, so now I have a lot of catching up to do. I'm going to do things a little bit out of order. Abbie and Lindsey (my 2 roommates and friends from San Diego) came to visit for a week on Oct. 13. but I'll write about that later because I'm still waiting on some pictures...*hint*hint Abbie and Linds!:) So for now I'll write about 2 other big things that have happened.

On Thursday Oct.25 our school celebrated United Nations Day by having a parade and a huge celebration at the school with performances and food. Each classroom was assigned a different country to represent, and all the kids were supposed to wear typical clothing from their country. Sara's class had the US and my class had the Philippines. As you can imagine from previous blogs, that meant very little teaching last week, and a lot of planning for this event.

We spent all week, making banners to hold and represent our country for the parade and practicing our song/dances to perform.
Sara's class sang "This Land is Your Land," and I taught my kids (or rather, TRIED to) the "Tinikling Dance." These other pictures show performances for Japan and Cuba (yes that boy is dressed up as Che!).

Halfway through the week I just about gave up on teaching them the dance! For one, it was more difficult than I thought to get bamboo donated, so a lot of the practicing was done using 2 broom handles (which were way too short), not to mention teaching 2nd graders a dance they've never seen performed, much less even heard of, and the fact that I've never danced it myself, nor ever tried to teach it before!! I was trying to teach the kids one small group at a time, all while trying to keep the other 20 or so kids occupied and under control, and quiet enough so we could hear the music and beats of the song coming from my little laptop with no speakers! As you can imagine it was pretty crazy and stressful in the classroom. Somehow miraculously on Wednesday, a parent came in and gave me 2 bamboo sticks (I almost cried and hugged him I was sooo thankful), and somehow my kids finally did it! I had to REALLY simplify the steps, and change my plans on trying to get all 24 kids to have some part in the dance, but the important thing is that they did learn, they had fun, and everyone enjoyed it! The electricity in the neighborhood went out right when the performances were starting, so many classes didn't get to perform because by the time they got a generator (about 2 hours later), many of the students and families had already left. Some of my students who were supposed to be a part of our dance did leave, which explains why I'm on the floor holding the bamboo, and why only one couple was able to dance. You can click on this link to see a short video of my kids' performance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2SakVoVuq0

Sorry no fun pictures, just a lot of babble!:)

So they said October and November would be the rainy season, and they've been right so far! There's definitely a good and bad part to this. The good being, it cools down a lot more, still humid, but at least the sun isn't beaming down on me and making things even hotter. The bad part being, there isn't much to do that doesn't involve getting soaked while riding my bike. Sara decided to go back home for a week, so I've been venturing out into Tela on my own (or trying to as much as the weather permits!) Although of course I miss having Sara around, being on my own for a little while has proven to be a good thng. It's given me some quiet time alone, to walk around the town and take in the atmosphere in a different way, and really think back on the things that brought me to Honduras, and why I'm here. It overall has made me more thankful for being able to do something like this, and given me a little more perspective on the whole experience. Most of all, it's made me feel a little more independent, being on my own in a foreign country, even if it is just for a week! And as an extra bonus, it's forced me to practice my Spanish more, without Sara being there to translate. My two roommates that I lived with in San Diego, Abbie and Lindsey, are coming to visit this Saturday, and after a lot of thinking I've decided to take them to "Lago de Yojoa", the lake where Sara and I just went. I figured I had such a great time there, I didn't want them to miss out! I'll be sure to post some pictures of their visit here soon.

Update with work and the school
Sara and I were very excited to finally be able to use all the books that we were able to ship here! So far, the school's in the process of raising money to help build bookshelves for the library. Sara and I have been been using the books every day with our students, and we've both seen progress in our classes. It's really great to finally be able to teach using books that are more at their level, and a lot more interesting to them than the textbooks they're so used to looking at every day. It's nice to be able to do read aloud with the kids, I can tell that they never really get read to, their undivided attention and excitement when I read to them as a group on the floor shows it! We've been focusing a lot on comprehension and trying to work with our lower readers by allowing them time to read books that fit their needs a lot better!

As for an update on my students. I finally feel like I'm really getting to know my kids and the more time I spend with them the more I realize how their English is improving slowly but surely, and most importantly their confidence in speaking English has improved! They are a very sweet class! However, on the not so ideal side, starting last week I had two students truly put my patience and teaching to the test! One boy, Alexis, has been fine every day before, some behavior problems, but nothing too big. Then starting on Monday last week, every single morning he spent about an HOUR crying when his parents dropped him off at school. And not just crying, but yelling, screaming, and running out of the room every chance he got to chase after his parents, a few times even chasing after their car. It even got to the point where he would be basically wrestling with me, another teacher, or the principal to try to run away. Yesterday he even bit me, that's right, BIT ME!! when I put my hands on his shoulders to try to calm him down! Let me remind you that I have 23 other kids just sitting there watching, all the while, taking time out of class and teaching for an hour! After the first few days of this, after feeling like I was doing everything I could to calm him down, nothing worked! Every morning since then, the principal or another adult has to try to talk to him and calm him down outside my classroom (which doesn't usually work, and he ends up putting on a show for all the kids, running around the campus crying), and then after about two periods pass, he's brought back, but not without having random moments of sobbing and whining throughout the day. Next, I have a little girl, Elsa. She came about 2/3 weeks after school started, then disappeared for about 4 weeks. Every time I asked the office what happened with her, or if she was coming back, they had no answer. Again, on Monday of last week, she showed up out of the blue, and what do you know......she started crying as soon as the bell rang! And of course normal crying wouldn't do, she was also sobbing, screaming, and crying to the point where the other kids were putting there hands over their ears and teachers from upstairs could hear her! And this also continued for our entire first period (same time as Alexis' outbreak) until the principal came in and took her to the office. This happens EVERY morning, the two of them crying uncontrollably. Elsa ends up leaving early to go home, or just spends the entire day sobbing in the office. I tried to send her work to do, but the principal simply just looked at me and said she won't stop crying! Where do I do from here?! I tried to ask if I could talk to her mom, but they said she's been out of town. I tried my best to calm her down too, it would work for about ten minutes, just enough time for me to start a lesson, and then she would start again, sobbing even louder, and screaming for her mom. What makes things worse it that she speaks and understands very little English, and she's missed so much school, that I really don't know what is going to happen and how I'll ever be able to catch her up! Even when I was teaching in a kindergarten class last September (the beginning of the year) I NEVER had any kids that cried so much! Needless to say, I've had an ongoing throbbing headache since last week!

All of next week the students have to take exams. It seems like they give exams pretty much like we have finals in college in the US! And let me remind you, we're teaching 2nd and 3rd grade! Every day next week, the kids are only at school from 12-3 and the entire time they are taking exams on the different subjects, about an hour each subject. Pretty bizarre to think that they expect these poor kids to sit there for an hour and take exam after exam, but I guess they're used to it! Makes me really wonder how they'll do. I'll keep you updated on that!

On October 25 the school is celebrating United Nations Day. Each class is assigned a different country to present. The kids are supposed to dress up in common clothes or costumes, make and sell food (to raise money to build bookshelves in each classroom), perform a dance or some sort of presentation, and march in yet another parade with that country's flag and banners. Sara's class had America, and mine was assigned the Philippines. I'm really excited to see how this turns out!