No Internet

We traveled to Copan yesterday on the bus.

I don´t have a lot of time since I am paying for every minute I am on the internet, and It´s horrible connection, and I´m not on my laptop.

Today we saw the Myan ruins, they were absolutely stunning. I learned so much about the ancient civilizations...I´ll write more when I can! Tomorrow we go horseback riding or hot springs. Since it is an easy 110 degree weather, I will be horseback riding lol

Friday we travel back to Tegu and to Casa Hogar

Ill be 18!

Thoughts :)

Well the internet wasn't working yesterday. I believe the host family didn't turn it on because it was sunday, where they take "day of rest" very seriously. The only really exciting thing yesterday was church. The service lasted 2 and 1/2 hours long with very poor air conditioning in about 100 degree weather. NOT fun, but it was a pretty interesting service We took a boat out to the local keys -- where I found a starfish :)

Today we just hung out. Nothing exciting. Don't know when I'll have internet next!

Scuba Diving

I went scuba diving today; I just thought I should let everyone know :)

Ashley, Anne, Tim, and I all went through the instruction course and paid ONLY 75$!!!! We went out for 2 half hour dives in various locations. It was absolutely beautiful. The first time I had gone underwater was really difficult. I thought so many times that there was no way I was going to go through with it, and then my mask kept letting the water in!!! It is so salty that it burned my eyes...finally I was smart enough to switch the goggles mask and got going. It was amazing. I saw more life under the light blue water than I could have imagined! I even saw a sea erchant! It was purple and black. :)

Then we went out to dinner at "The Jade Seahorse." It is a restaurant that's walls are filled with random objects of Honduras. Pics are up :) I ordered shrimp and I ate everything on my plate...I LOVE Honduran food. It's a long walk from our home stay until town, but there's one dirt road that leads to the market place with the "restaurants". We get to see all of Utila on the walk to the busy strip. Here "spanglish" is used often, which is basically a mix between spanish and english. I can make out what the locals are saying and they can make out what I am saying. That means I'm not exercising my language enough to prepare for the orphanage.

I have 2 more days here: tomorrow some kids who want to boat to the keys will stay there all day. It is a great chance to snorkel and see more wildlife :)

First week

First week in Honduras has been crazy.

Tuesday -- Flying all day; went through El Salvador and first spanish lesson
Wednesday -- Free day at home stay residences. Apparently there was a "National Food Strike Day" and all government owned buildings/businesses were shut down.
Thursday -- Tour of UNAH (University of Honduras) where 80,000 students attend. No joke. We also toured Tegucigalpa and saw the main Basilica of Honduras.
Friday -- Traveled to La Ceiba. We got to hike in a rainforest and swim in a waterfall/pool.

Meals have been awesome!; but crazy. Plantains, mangos, bananas are very sweet fruits here and are much better than the US. Fish include Tilapia and Barracuda, which is now my favorite fish.

We went shopping today and I got to lead Anne and Katie around as the translator in the shops. I'm thinking about sending a gift home? We'll see about the packaging. Here's a picture of me on the hotel porch where I'll be writing to you and another on the dock by the ocean :)

Flights

IM IN EL SALVADOR!!!

We flew from Buffalo, to Dullas, to El Salvador. I haven't met the other girls that I am staying with yet, but I'll meet them as soon as we arrive at our next and final destination; Tegucigalpa. The Houghton kids are awesome. They are all really sweet and as dumb as I in spanish. :) When we first stepped off the plane into El Salvador, a huge heat wave came over us. It is SO humid and I guess that the temperature is an easy 100 degrees! We were told to drink a TON of water to keep from dehydration.

I had my first conversation, or what one would call a sad attempt, with one of the natives today. I just wanted to buy a pop and the lady who was cashing me out was trying to coax me into buying a meal with it. I kept saying "no, quiero gaseosa," which means "i just want pop." It was fun, but I know will be extremely difficult in the future!

I still can't believe I'm posting this as I am sitting in El Salvador. We're just waiting around for the next flight which is around 4:30; its only 2!!!

hi mom :)

Flying Out

So It's 1:06 am and I can't sleep. There is no way I am going to get some shut eye before I leave the house, which is around 3:30am.

Today was awful!
To make a long story short, I wasn't actually prepared with all the immunizations I needed to be able to go to Honduras. My doctor misunderstood the dates or SOMETHING and wasn't right when she checked my list of shots I needed to get. Luckily, I was able to get the vaccinations on time thanks to the awesome help of my mom -- she begged and pleaded with ECMC for me to get an appointment so that I could go! There was a good amount of time that I didn't think I was going (the day of). What an awful feeling!!!

Anyways, God is good.

I'm just trying to figure out if there is anything else I am forgetting to bring with me. I know I'll forget something, it's just in my nature.

Kerry left for Bolivia today around 12? Hopefully her visa went through alright...

My girl America is just a youth in this world
Her smile is more precious than the sparkle of pearls
And though her age reads she's just a young girl
The age behind her eyes show the pain that she's swirled
Through the hand that's been dealt though it's quiet as kept
The weight that she felt last night when she slept
And as she crept into the dreams of the things of her past
Seems to have grown so fast, way beyond her own class
Though they're right there with her, her brothers and her sisters
A natural born leader even when her peers dis her
My girl, she's at a crossroads, people praying for her
Some are preying on her magazine ads, sex, drama
Smoking marijuana, longer for a father to call her, 'daughter'
She's part of a generation longing for reconciliation
And this future that they're facing and this poison that they're tasting
My girl, I know this love you're chasing

My girl America's crying when she's lying on her bed at night
I can see that she's screaming when she's dreaming for her freedom
My girl America's dying while she's trying just to stop this fight
Don't stop believing, my girl America

Mat Kearney "Girl America"

Celebrating My 18th

So the fam decided to celebrate my 18th birthday before I left...we went to a fun restaurant where they cook in front of you called Shoguns ! It was so much fun...until the end where I had to where the traditional japanese outfit as a birthday prank. :) On mothers day, might I add, so it was packed !

Last Church Service

Tomorrow is my last church service called "fuel" at the hub. I find myself just looking for stupid things to do just to pass the time. Saying goodbye will be hard!
Looks like I'm going to be driving down to Rochester on Monday with Wes to visit Carolyn at Roberts Wesleyan. It'll be the last time I see both of them until (at the earliest) August. I'm excited to see them though!

Can everyone keep an eye out for Rachel!? She is going camping somewhere that I can't pronounce and it sounds like an awesome time, except for the fact that by the end of it she will smell so bad you're gonna want to throw her out :) Love you!
Keep praying for kerry as she leaves for Bolivia on Monday. I'm so excited for her!

Our dreams, and they are made out of real things
Like a, shoebox of photographs
With sepiatone loving
Love is the answer,
At least for most of the questions in my heart
Like why are we here? And where do we go?
And how come it's so hard?
It's not always easy and
Sometimes life can be deceiving
I'll tell you one thing it's always better when we're together

Jack Johnson "Better Together"

Other Donations

I can't wait for the college kids to start coming home. Greg came and left. It was kinda sad, knowing I won't see him most likely for a good 7 months. Jeff, wes, and carolyn come home sometime this weekend. It'll be the last time I see them in a few months as well. I'm starting to realize that I'm really leaving. 4 more days! I'm getting very excited though :) I gave a small donation to both Ariel and EJ wood today. EJ is going back to Zambia, Africa, and Ariel is going to Australia with her dad. If anyone would also like to donate to the cause, just e-mail me and I'll tell you how to get in touch with them.
Today was a very hard day.
I met up with a friend from work and we went out for coffee -- She's in a really rough time and I would like anybody who reads this to take some time in prayer for her. I love her to death and would like to see better things come towards her.
Yesterday I was interviewed.
Paul and TJ taped my testimony which will apparently be shown to the Global Missions Outreach team at my church (who are doing awesome things). It will also be shown during a church service and during the kids service called "Fuel." My next step is to hopefully come back with awesome stories about Honduras and get a team from the church to go over with me. I'm dreaming as big as I can.
Kerry is leaving for Bolivia on Monday. Her website is also posted--please be praying for her as she is in Bolivia! Good luck Kerry, Love you.

Countdown has officially begun.

Leaving

I leave in 5 full days. My mom and I plan wake up around 3am and leave around 3:30 to catch my plane. It's kinda sad, idk the whole being away from my friends and family for 3 months and then I come home and turn around for college. Trying to fix things with relationships or see people before I leave is tough. I dont think I've ever been saying good bye, especially to friends I won't see for more than half a year. I am excited though, everything is packed and ready. I really feel like a new chapter is beginning with my life. Paul taped me today for the Global missions to see my testimony. Apparently the video will be shown during service at church, fuel, and be presented to further persuade kids to go on missions and for the Global missions to send more on trips. It is a huge Honor, and I am greatly humbled to be used for this cause. It really hit me today that I'm doing something people don't normally do. But I've never been more content in my life.

Guess we both know we're in over our heads
We got nowhere to go and no home that's left
The water is rising on a river turning red
It all might be OK or we might be dead
If everything we've got is slipping away
I meant what I said when I said until my dying day
I'm holding on to you, holding on to me
Maybe it's all gone black but you're all I see
You're all I see

Mat Kearney "All I Need."