Making it to Costa Rica!!

Did you know that no matter how many miles you are traveling in Central America, if you are doing it on a bus it takes at least 12 hours.  I mean I am not lying to you about this.  Yesterday we left San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua at 8am in a taxi.  We went to Rivas and got dropped off on a corner to catch a bus.  Waited there until 9:15am.  Got on a bus and we were supposed to be on this bus for six hours.  That would put us in Costa Rica's capital by 4 at the latest.  But we are in Central America right! So at about 2:30pm we hear a small BOOM.  Oh yea...you know it, hombre strait up hit the back of the bus!! So we sit there and I am actually just hanging out with a little girl named Kali doing paint on the computer.  She only spoke Spanish so it was quite the experience. You think talking to a toddler in English is a lot to take on! Try it in Spanish.  None the less we don't get to Costa Rica until 5:30pm. We have to get our bags get into a taxi and make it to the Coke bus station by 6pm. We have a two and a half hour bus ride to Manuel Antonio.  We pulled up as a man shakes his head no and says the two words he knows in English Seven Thirty, as we watched the bus pull away.  So we waited, another two hours and got on the bus at 7:33pm.  Onto to Manuel Antonio, aka taking on the Daytona 500 via city bus.  Oh boy-Costa Rica bus drivers are crazy, even when its raining cats and dogs.

So we make it to Quepos and we have to get in a taxi and go 6 KM to get to our Hostel.  What do you know, we are staying at a place called sol y mar.  That would be great if like 18 places didnt have similar names!!!!  So our taxi driver takes us way past it and calls like 18 people and it raining like crazy.  It is 10:30 at night, he tries to drop us off at the wrong place twice.

Finally figure it out, this place has a sign that is pretty much the same as have your address behind the gated community that no one can get into.  BUT!!! We found it! We walked in the poring rain for what seemed like 30 minutes to find a place for dinner! (We hadn't gotten around to that yet.)  We go up to a tapas bar and take off our soaking wet clothes and shoes only for them to tell us as we are sitting down that they are no longer serving food.  We suit back up and head back into the storm! Walking again...find the one dragon shirt club pumping with three people on the dance floor.  We got green crazy lights, fog machine I mean people this place had the works!

So we finally sit down, thank goodness it was a tasty dinner! We enjoyed two beers over the thumping of Lady Gaga and Black eyed peas club re mixes and then head on our way.

Arrive at our hostel Sol Y Mar hostel, praying for nice comfy bed.  We get out of our wet clothes again and crawl in the bed and what do you know...we hear the crinkling of a like wet the bed protector under our sheets! I would believe that my friends is the CHERRY ON TOP!

It was our last day of long travels for the duration of our trip! What a memorable way to end it!!! We are excited to be in Costa Rica.  What we have seen so far is fantastic, today we are off on a animal hunt.  Sloths, Monkeys and iguana!!1

So Hot!

Okay, for some reason I can’t get this out of cap locks so just bare with me.  I am telling you right now LAst night was the hottest night i have ever experienced in my life.  It was at least 85 degrees in our room with bassically no circulation.  We tried everything. cold showers, no covers, open window, fan, but i ended up sleeping with a wet sarong laying on top of me.  People this was my only option! This is madness. 

As our adventure is coming to a close we have been doing a lot of thanking of each other.  (Aaron and I that is.)  It seems like both of us have gained so much from this experience and lately we have just been thankful of one another’s compromise and willingness to fulfill the other wants.  What a beautiful time at the beginning of our marriage to really put ourselves in a situation where depending on one another is our only option.  We just sat last night as we watched the sunset over the Pacific Ocean and thanked one another for this experience.  The more I think about it the more thankful I become.  Aaron took the biggest risk ever and just walked away from stability which is so big for him.  I am traveling through Central America, trusting that he will lead me safely through this time.  Through those two things alone our definition of trust has been redefined.  Our trip is over in a week and we will continue to discover ways this experience has molded and shaped our marriage, our confidence…our lives.  Although we are sad to see this time coming to an end we are so excited about the next challenge of our lives.  For real!!  

Oh man, I get to see my cousin Philip Friday.  It might not seem crazy but this is my cousin that lives in California that we have not seen in what feels like forever.  So the fact that we are 'running into' each other in Central America seems a little crazy.  We are excited to spend the day with him on Friday.  This totally makes me think of how much I have been reminded on this trip of how much I love my people.  I have made it a huge priority to keep in touch with people.  I have actually talked more to people since I have been gone than I talked to when I was home.  I was talking with Aaron about this has been a huge lesson learned.  I got back to thinking about how 'busy' I thought I was.  Like "hold on i am watching this TV show, can I call you later." But lets just get real, what are we really gaining from this TV show vs. a conversation with a friend.  Lesson Learned! 

Not to much on my mind today to blog about, My brain is like mushy scrambled eggs that got burnt last night in my heat stroke. 

Bug in my Suitcase.

Our time in Granada, Nicaragua is coming to an end.  High lights from this trip.  A lot of quality time spent between Aaron and I.  It was a great opportunity to unwind and really enjoy each other’s company and the area surrounding us.  We didn’t do too much during our time here.  A carriage ride through the city.  A quick trip to the lake (bug infestation L) A few great meals dining out, a few gross meals dining in.  Nicaragua=limited grocery supply.  We had a choice between the street market and a tiny ‘super’ market type of market. When we walked by a women sharpening a knife on the sidewalk curb, we decided against eating or consuming street food.  When we later saw a homeless person (obviously in major life challenge mode) with her pants down sitting on the sidewalk curb urinating into the street, we decided no one should EVER eat anything prepared, sold or given to them on the street. Not a high light of our trip to Granada, but surely memorable.  We stopped into a chocolate museum and ran into the most beautiful pool.  The sign read ‘$10 at Spa =Free pool access.  So we were in…Of course Aaron reads the sign and the best bang for your buck is to get a 90 minutes massage.  After all it was only like $30.  We entered the door to the massage room not knowing what we were in for.  I was being massaged by a man who picked up my head as if it were a rough batch of pizza dough, and he took no mercy.  Aaron walked out of his room and said three things, felt good, more painful than good, more awkward than painful.  “I think she ripped out 50% of my leg hair”.  No bueno.   

Proud and ashamed moment: I saw a roach like creature crawling through my suitcase. Said to myself “I’ll just wear what I have on.” Closed it up and walked away.  Adaptation to current life situation.  Bugs are everywhere. 

A quote I came across and wanted to share.

You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.   –Woodrow Wilson

I really appreciated this quote and wanted to share it with you, consider it encouragement to take your gifts and give them to the world! 

AFADD!

So I am sitting in a hotel room in Tegucigalpa.  We have had such a successful day of travel.  I am starting to think it is to good to be true.  We are in a room that has clean sheets, hot showers, AC and TV.  (Cant forget WIFI!!)

None the less, we are beginning the end of our trip in Central America.  Yesterday it really hit me that we were leaving.  We were all sitting in church, (me, Harry, Aaron and 11 young boys) I was sitting down listening to the message about David and Goliath. The pastor asked the congregation to stand and I found myself bound to my seat with Marba sleeping on my lap.  When I looked over my left shoulder I felt Richie's hand come into mine.  I was brought to tears thinking of this chunk of my life that was coming to an end.  I was sitting there consumed with sadness that these children will no longer be in my everyday life and with joy that I am now walking through life with 35 new friends.  Pastor Paul talked about the Giants we live with, the Giants that plague our minds and our hearts.  I couldn't help but think of this Giant risk we took and the immense pay out I got from it.  What a great giant to face.  I cant help but look forward and see the GIANT challenge ahead of walking back into the states with a continual refreshed attitude.  Aaron and I have talked so many nights about this giant and our faith in our strength to conquer another giant along side of one another.

We are off to Nicaragua tomorrow and will be in Granada for a few days and off to San Juan del Sur where I might have the pleasure of running into a cousin of mine. Fancy that!

May 15th, 2011--"AFADD!"  Aaron and I started our first official tradition. "Annual Feed A Dog Day" Our love for animals has been illuminated this trip and we went yesterday to serve the street dogs a bite for supper! We found ourselves in a few awkward situations, with a few scared pups, and A LOT of weird looks but about 15 dogs got fed a good healthy dinner: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!

Next year on May 15th I am sure we will have another successful AFADD!

Tick in my Eyebrow, Good Freakin' Morning!

“O Say can you see, America…the land of the free!”  I woke up today thinking that I would look in the mirror and get the sleepy out of my eyes BUT  found a tick in my eyebrow.  Good Freakin morning! I started getting on that wagon boy! Man, I can’t wait to get back to America…I can’t wait until I don’t have to sweat myself to sleep, where I don’t live with little lizards in my house, where I don’t have to take cold showers, where I don’t have dirty feet all the time. 

But then I remembered my day on Wednesday.  I was sitting on the front of a big speed boat with a hand full of new friends writing in my journal.  I remember writing, “this is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.  BE PRESENT IN THIS MOMENT!” I have used and WILL use that moment as a constant reminder of the importance of being present.  I began to start thinking “o say can you see, Honduras …the land of  WOW DID THAT REALLY JUST HAPPEN!”  A place where chickens are treated more like dogs than dogs are treated like dogs.  Honduras….a place where people drink Fresca in place of every other beverage.  A place where little boys walk around with their heads pointed straight up, hunting for green iguana.  A place where we have met such welcoming friends, where I can make flour tortillas from scratch and feel legit. Where I wake up and see the sun coming up over turquoise blue water.  Where I felt home for a split second when I felt so far from what I know.

The present, this I believe will be one of our biggest challenges when we return home.  I am excited to have such great experiences to hold me accountable.  To know that for three months of my life I lived in what was happening right now, at this very moment.  I have learned that sometimes living in the moment is very difficult.  Yesterday I said goodbye to a group of about 35 street boys from French Harbor.  By far the most challenging group of children I have ever worked with.  This group of boys taught me so much about meeting people where they are.  Showing up and saying, “I want to know you and love you right exactly where you are.” It is difficult for me, I am so conditioned to believe that we must always be pushing a child forward.  Making him think only of what will happen in his future and the morals and knowledge he will take with him there.  These children taught me that they must live in the moment to survive; thinking of the future is a foreign concept. My time with them was spent giving them a small piece of myself.  Giving them a small piece of my time and my love. 

As I said goodbye to them yesterday and they asked “When are you coming back?” we responded honestly with a “maybe never”.  Living in that moment was hard.  Yesterday when I walked them to the end of the gravel road with young boys  Pablo, Steven (Gringo), Harry the small, Alehandro, Willy and Jorvick hanging on my back sides and neck and they hugged me I thought living right here in this moment is hard but its real.  When Pablo looked up at me with the biggest smile and said give me the biggest hug because it will be the last hug I give you for the rest of my life. It was hard living in that moment but it was real and it was good.  I will miss these boys, and I am thankful for all the things they taught me.  The loyalty, the kindness, the way to earn ones respect, the way to meet people where they are, the way to love them when I didn’t understand how.  I am thankful in this moment!  

I am not all that good at Honesty...Just think I should be better!

Honesty…honestly it has been forever since I blogged right! I mean I only like to blog if I have something to say and lately all that has been on my mind is getting home.  Well that is total garbage because I am in Paradise and had a peace about me yesterday that said to me “you’re in paradise…live it up!!” So just that my friends, is what I will do.  For our last week in Roatan, Honduras we will live big and create even more lasting memories than we have already.

Over the last few weeks I have had honesty on my mind.  Last night it all came to a head and Honesty is my number one mystery right now.  Why have we created this harshness, and rigid black and white idea of honesty and telling the truth?  We even fault people for being brutally honest.  We tell the truth everyday and it is no big deal.  Someone asks you what you had for breakfast, you tell them the truth.  Someone asks you what your plans are for the weekend, you tell them the truth.  The second that it becomes personal, or filled with emotion or ‘real’ stuff…honesty becomes insulting. 

Since I have been here in Roatan I have been surrounded by people who willingly receive and give brutal honesty.  Let me tell you, it has been great.  I have had conversations with such depth because my honesty has been welcomed instead of criticized. Please tell me, Why is it that we run from honesty.  In America we find ways to be proactive to plan for the future.  We make to do list so we have everything laid out in front of us that we have to get done.  We have financial planners so we can have the facts about how much money we have and how much money we need.  When it comes to honesty we are anti-proactive.  We would rather suffer through the unreal only to be awakened by our true reality later.

I understand why we do this, to spare the reaction and feelings of those around us and ourselves. We have all been conditioned to believe only what we place importance on.  I had a friend once who was in a bad situation with a guy…He was treating her badly and I knew.  I felt that weight so heavy on my heart so I told her.  I told her and she lost her mind, she was in such turmoil that she couldn’t physically contain herself.  I saw honesty in a raw form that day, where it caused a physical reaction inside of her.  Honesty is painful.  I have seen folks that invest their whole life in serving others by only giving to them.  These people were confronted about their methodology and became defensive. Honesty is offensive.  I know of situations at work when I was doing poorly and no one held me accountable until one day someone did.  I was ashamed, Honesty is shameful.  I know in my relationship when I have kept something in my heart that was meant for my husband to hear, I felt guilty until I was honest.  Honesty is freeing.  I have a friend who is my friend because I am honest with her.  Our relationship is based upon our honesty with one another.  Honesty is real. 

With all the interaction I have had with honesty, I have learned there is so much gray.  Honesty is not black and white.  We must be sensitive to one another, we must have compassion in our delivery, we must seek the real truth, but we must be honest.   We must find appreciation in people’s ability to be honest.  In the world we are living now honesty is something that sits dormant in the back of our minds.  We are always looking for the easy way.  Using text messages vs. a phone call. (I love text messages) Using phone calls instead of a quick visit. Using a quick visit vs. a friendly conversation. Fixing dinner and watching our show (Two birds one stone) instead of sitting down and eating with our family. (I love Glee!!!)  We are all about making things easy.  When do we find ourselves living the hard way? When will we discover real honest relationships?  Honesty is hard, it is not easy.  It puts us all in a funky situation but it is real and it is valuable.  It will be hard to hear it in the moment but it is to be treasured and appreciated in reality.   

Man, that’s intense! I know I am not all that good at honesty…just think I should be better! Lesson Learned!   

Mr. Sticky Fingers- You got me good!

So I haven’t blogged in a while, our trip to Guatemala was quite interesting.  We enjoyed getting to know some great people, learned some valuable travel lessons like…don’t ride on a ‘chicken’ bus, van boat or bicycle.  Nothing good comes from it, ever! Don’t listen to Lonely Planet, they will tell you that it’s alright to ride them. 

Oh yea, I also forgot to mention before that on our trip we got a few items stolen.  My glasses (to see with), my camera charger (really guy), a beach towel, my hairbrush and a dirty wash cloth.  Whoever it was that decided it was a good idea to steal my things is doo doo! Ugh! We are working hard to get my glasses and my camera charger taken care of but it has been quite the marathon.  Mr. Sticky Fingers…If you are out thereàThanks a lot, you sure got me good!

Okay, now that that’s out of the way! Aaron and I have been exposed to a totally new Roatan this week.  On Monday night we went to a Rotary Club ‘social’ at a brand new local sports bar.  This bar/ restaurant is crazy cool.  It is a circular structure with 360 degrees of TV’s on the walls. At this social we were surrounded by the wealthiest people on the island; locals, North Americans, Canadians.  It felt so different from the rest of our experience here thus far.  The next day we went to volunteer with a friend in the information booth at the new cruise ship dock.  Wow people, this is like Myrtle Beach dropped off in Roatan within high gates and separated from the rest of the island by almost a mile long driveway.   We walked through this port and saw more familiar stores in a 50 yard shopping center than we have seen in all the miles on the island.  I have been thinking so much about this week and the different side of the island that we have seen.  We have limited our exposure so much to only one group of people.  

It was so important for us to be a part of that life that we lost the concept that the world is not flat its round.  We are all so interconnected and we all depend so much on each other.  Our interaction may be small, our conversation may be nonexistent, our neighborly love may only be something we say and not something we live but we are still connected.  What one part of the cycle does, directly and indefinitely affects the rest of the moving parts of the cycle.  Okay so herein lies the problemo (you like that Spanish)…No matter what you or I deem is the ‘right’ way to support one another, or the ‘moral’ way to do things it is our reality that everything we do affects someone else.  No matter what lifestyle they walk within.  Instead of focusing on where we fit in the world and what group we belong to, we need to remember we are part of one big whole, a whole that moves and breaths as one community. 

And that’s my good word! We miss you family!! 

Didn't have time to proof read, dont judge!

Nomad: a person who moves continually from place to place; Wanderer.

Oh man people…Lets just be real, I am not a good Nomad.  Although I feel like as the unemployed self proclaimed free spirit I have decided to be for the next little while I feel like nomadic is the best way to explain my current lifestyle.  We have been traveling for the last seven days and I feel like it has been four months.  Although I love the things I have been able to see and experience, I do not like what it takes to get there.  My latest challenge for myself is work on being positive. Not a good time when I am doing something that I don’t thoroughly enjoy, but I am trying.

We went from Antigua to a small town in Guatemala called Chichicastenanga. (SP. Don’t quote me on this.) This is where the big market is.  It only happens on Sunday and Thursday.  There is a huge variety of things at these markets and a huge variety of people.  We walked through crowded isles of this outdoor market surrounded by handmade fabrics, jewelry, fruit, and chicken in all of its parts and honey that is transported in gas cans, and funneled into old used liquor bottle for sale purposes.  We were bombarded with children who are so immersed in their responsibilities that they cannot hear you asking their name.  It was sheer madness.  We stopped for just a moment, walked up the stairs into a café and stood over the crowd and watched as people franticly shopped, sold, bartered and traded! It was like stepping back in time.

We then went to a town on Lake Atitlan—Panajachel.  We stayed in a hotel that was my prayers answered.  It was quiet and clean, which in Central America is like hitting the jackpot in Las Vegas. (There’s that negativity- got to get rid of it!) It was like Myrtle Beach.  One long road filled with street vendors, restaurants and people.  We were in this small town so we could marvel at the lake and its closely surrounded villages.  But guess what! There was a constant layer of smog covering the natural beauty.  We awoke at 4:45am to watch the sun come over the three volcanoes and all we found was a cloud over a lake.  None the less we got our day started early!!! Did I mention we ran into a guy that gave us salsa lessons?  Oh yea, Aaron and I salsa’ed in Guatemala.  Don’t worry, we had to have a few rum and cokes to get Aaron nice and loose but I will expect all of you to ask him to show you his moves!

Back to Antigua we came.  We made it here all in one piece and will spend a good portion of our time here indulging in the Easter holiday weekend.  Here in Central America it is called Semana Santa.  We are in a place that has the largest Semana Santa processions like ever.  We found out today that we can help the locals build the carpets they walk over while processing! How fun is that.  It is from Midnight tonight to 4am.  Oh wait, they tell you to be on the streets to get a decent seat at 5am.  Looks like another long night. 

Oh yea, did I mention that I climbed a volcano this morning! We roasted marshmallows in a steaming crevasse in the earth! WHAT, WHO DOES THAT!

Oh yea, the coolest thing we have experienced so far.  Wait for it………..we met this older couple who totally kicked it with the royal family of Dubai. I mean check me out here people. 

His son was a speed boat racer and the royal family wanted a speed boat racing team so they asked him to move there and build this program/team. So they went…a few months later this man’s son called up his father (George, for stories sake) and said “hey dad. We could use your experience with aerospace design. Would you like to move to Dubai for a while?” The older man (father) said sure thing, what should we do? The son responded “The tickets are at the airport, be there packed and ready by tomorrow at 8am. Your accommodations have been taken care of.”  So this older man and his wife move to Dubai to live with the Royal family and help their son build a speed boat racing team. 

Cool thing number 2: They gave them a beach front place for free and when they decided to stay more permanently they royal family offered them a completely renovated (to their liking) beach front Villa. 

Cool thing number 3: The royal family said go furnish however you please.  When asked the budget, the response was. Just put it on my tab!

Cool thing Number 4: The royal family asked the older man if he liked to go out and play in the desert.  He said yes, so they took him to the Range Rover dealership and bought him a brand new range rover.

Cool thing Number 5: The royal guys man helper came up to the older man one day and said “The royal guy thinks you’re doing a good job George.” He handed him a brown paper bag…WITH A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN IT!

Life lesson for me—This guy has the coolest story ever! Sit down next to someone and get to know them.  I bet they are cool!  

(I am at an internet café and don’t have time to read back through this! If it has errors or isn’t clear, don’t judge!)

The Chicken Bus

What a day we have had.  we are just sitting here in our hotel  in Antigua and   glad to be alive! hahaha. We had the most interesting day of travel. We started in a small tuk tuk which is like a three  wheeled fred flintstone car. We arrived at the Guatemala border in this vehicle. *but we walked across the border. I felt like a fugitive.   We then got onto a chicken bus * a 13 passenger van...we got on the van with 8 other folks and ended up on the van slammed in between  the walls and 47 other people!!!!!!!!! It was maddness.  We then got onto a bus in Guatemala city.  This was like a  1980's greyhound bus.  There was a mysterious sound coming from under our seat. Myaybe like  all the parts were abot to hit the ground.  This bus was better by far but still the wildest ride ever.  Until we got on the next bus that was a crazy painted shool bus. The driver was driving like  a race car driver...in a bus! We arrivd at this bus in a taxi and HA TO GO TO EL BANO. The people running the show said no,  we had to go.  I gave them my look of desperation and they respnded with si,  rapido.   The  driver followed us in the bathroom and yelled vamos vamos vamos, rapido, until we got  on the bus. People, it was crazy.  Its all good though because we made it safely to Antigua.  Antigua is fantastic.  There are cobblestone streets and just such great culture and personality.  The people her have been so helpful and we have really enjoyed our time thus far.                              

  Right when we got here we went straight to get a ticket to chichicastenanga.  This is a big market that is on the way to Lake Atitlan.  We ARE GOING TO SEE LIVE ACTIVE VOLCANOS.  I dont realy understand why one would like to go see a volcano that might explode but Aaron wants to go so we are heading that direction!

I think I failed to mention that we traveled for nine hours today and only went 150 miles. I know, I know...it was awful!! 

Universal Language

As we are planning to do our travels through Guatemala this upcoming week I am stuck in time.  Yesterday I felt a little bit like I was a rap superstar in an “I am lifting up the place I came from… Tu Pac meets Michael Jacksons Heal the world video.”  We met for girl’s night last night and where met by one young lady, Marion.  We have seen a disinterest from our girls because of what should I call it…Girl Drama.  We have been bombarded with comments like… ‘I’m not coming because of her.’ We are also hearing a lot of “She said this to me and I am not going to be friends with her.”  What can I say, girls are all the same all over the world, caddy drama is a universal language! I can guarantee you that if you travel anywhere in the world and jump into a kitchen filled with women you will find “Can you believe that woman.  What in the world was she doing with that boy” and on and on and on.

But anyways, we have had the challenge of trying to show these young girls in three short weeks how to respond to one another’s passive aggressive blows and their fights for our attention.  What can I say; it’s a hard challenge to accept. Yesterday we took a different approach and left the church and walked through the neighborhood of French Harbor.  Our group turned from one within the church walls to five immediately upon our exit into the open air.  We continued our walk and were greeted by a swarm of children being released from school.  All approached us as if we were a giant ball of cotton candy they wanted a piece of.    The children dressed in their school uniforms looking like one large body coming towards us with eyes of curiosity and wonder.  Some knew of us from brothers and sisters or from seeing us throughout the neighborhood, but their interest was amazing.  We passed the community basketball court which is used for almost every sport and were joined by some of the boys from Tuesday and Thursday mentoring. They followed closely with soccer balls and bicycles.  We were a small mob of folks walking the French Harbor loop.  Something these children do every day and so graciously invited us to be a part of. 

As we continued to walk together as one unit just sharing time with one another and walking through their community, their stomping grounds, we found a certain sense of genuineness.  We were in their house, they had the home court advantage and we were just along for the ride.  It was a new experience, a beautiful one that reminded me of the saying “There’s no place like Home!” Hospitality is a universal language; we just have to open our ears and hearts to make sure to be on the receiving end at the right time! Be available to receive the love and hospitality of the community around you, it’s there…we just have to meet it where it is.        

You know you love Titanic!

May 31^st is the day we are returning to the states! Aaron and I decided this week that it is time we come home.  This decision just sort of came naturally and we are excited to be coming home to our friends and family.  We are doing a lot of talking and thinking about the path we will walk when we return to the States and are hoping that our experience here in Roatan will shed new light and new opportunities as we turn to the next chapter in our lives.  

Our last couple of weeks has been so different than our first couple of weeks here on the island.  When we first got here we were so eager to find a project.  We needed something to show our production, something to make us feel better about the fact that we just picked up and changed our lifestyle.  We needed something to show that we moved to an island and tried to impact the community. Unfortunately that is a truth for us.  We were ‘those guys’. Here I am speaking for both of us! Let me rephrase…I was ‘that guy!’  

I always laughed at people who said they were going out to the top of a mountain to ‘find themselves’.  I still find a little humor in the thought of finding oneself. I don’t really understand how that works.  But , what I have seen just in the short time that I have been here is that going somewhere totally different exposes things that would not otherwise be exposed.  Maybe an exposure of a passion, an exposure of untapped personality, an exposure of a deep love, an exposure of perspective. 

When I was back in the states I allowed myself to get into a situation where I focused only on the path right in front of me.  I was aware of where I was.  I was present in the now but my focus was always centered on what was directly in front of me.  Since I have been here in Roatan I am opening my scope to a 360 degree view.  I am trying out some Google earth BIRDS EYE VIEW.  I am still trying to see what is happening right now but I want to see it all around.  I want to be consumed by everything that is happening around me.  Consumed by awareness of worldly things, consumed by my husband and all the great things he has to offer, consumed by my community, consumed by family, consumed with life.  I am hoping that this consumption will reach into my heart and continue to find fire for every moment of every day.  That this consumption will take the focus off me and into what’s happening around me. 

Someone asked me the other day why am I happy and not bored here in Roatan?  What in the world? I didn’t know the answer to that! But I think I do now.  I have accepted that today is Saturday.  A day that might be the best day of my life. I have a few things in the pipeline for plans but ultimately it’s about what the day brings. Instead of being consumed with a schedule I am consumed with the fact that I have 14 hours of day ahead. There is a world of new experiences coming right towards me.  All I have to do is hit my internal ‘Google Earth bird’s eye view button’ and open my eyes to 360 degree view.  As a wise man once said (Leonardo Dicaprio in Titanic J) “Make each day count.”

My Saturday morning toast to you! TO MAKING IT COUNT!   

Island Time

The girls program kicked off last week and we had five girls show up.  Have you ever heard of the phrase “I’m on island time!” This phrase totally and completely is so true! Girls time was supposed to start at 5:30pm and the girls strolled up around 6:15pm.  But hey, better late than never! We just began getting to know the girls and encouraging them to come back tonight.  My next goal is find a way to provide some sort of snack, just got to find some money!

We found out some frustrating news that night that led us to begin meeting at an earlier hour! So basically in Honduras the teachers go on strike quite frequently. So right now…none of the children that we are serving through the program have access to school.  What a frustrating situation right.  As we have continued to seek out information on these strike situations we have found so many disturbing things about the school systems here in Honduras. 

Number one: The teachers strike all the time and have been controlling the education system here for years.  Their pay is not exorbitant but is significantly higher than the average salary on the island.

Number two: The people running the schools put friends on the staff payroll who don’t even work at the school.  They have been getting paid for years by the government and they don’t even go to work.

Number three: the teachers have been setting a rumor that the schools are becoming privatized and the parents must pay for their schooling.  This is has set a grey cloud above these communities because a lot of folks cannot afford a payment for school. 

Number Four: The government is looking to set laws in place that will prevent the teachers from striking, therefore they are continuing to spread false information throughout the communities they are supposed to be serving. 

With knowing all these things, I am motivated to continue to work towards an educational program that can continue to exist on the island. The children are as eager as ever to learn and continuing to push us all to continue to stay invested in the program. 

New topic! 

We met a guy last night who is from Pollytilly Bight on the east end of the island.  He is 19 years old and is working as a caddy at a resort here on the island.  This boy has an intrinsic motivation that cannot be explained.  His parents did not have this motivation, his brothers do not have this motivation but he has this incredible spark within his soul.  It takes him 50 lempira’s to get to work and home each day. ($2.50) Get this, he only gets paid tips.  When I asked him why he continues to work for this resort going days without any sort or compensation, his response was short. “I love Golf.” It then registered in his mind what exactly I was asking.  He began to tell me about an uncle who got him a job at the resort. His uncle was a very skilled chef who included his nephew in a lot of his work.  They worked for individual families coming here on vacation and also worked in resorts.  His uncle passed away last year and this young man told me that regardless of his compensation for his work, it was important for him to respect the path that his uncle laid for him.  His uncle got him the job and he is determined to make a career of it.  He wants to set the framework for his future, for his family.  This young man graduated high school which on the island is about a 6% chance.  His goal and dreams for this island is that one day there will be a university here that can continue to educate folks after they finish high school.  Is that beautiful or what!

Question: Where does intrinsic motivation come from? We see it in all cultures, where does it come from?

I had a great birthday! I turned 24 last week and Aaron and I had a great lazy day.  We went to a resort here on the island with BEDS ON THE BEACH!  It was fantastic! 

To SEE them, to KNOW them and to LOVE them!

So I am all the sudden really excited about life! I have been kind of hyper for the last couple of days and I think it is because I am starting to feel a part of this life I am living! I have kind of felt a little out of my skin. A little bit like I am here by the physical standards but my mind and heart had not gotten off the plane yet! But guess what… They have arrived!

Yesterday was a busy, yet great day! I worked and got an individual plan for each boy in the mentoring program.  We had 18 boys show up at the 3 o’clock session! WOWZERS! This program is becoming more and more capable of great things with each day! It is reaching more boys, the boys who are coming have pride in it and they are inviting friends each time, people this is big stuff! I talked to my mom today who is a 4^th grade teacher, she always inspires me! We are talking about getting some more supplies down here so we can continue to provide effective, useful supplies for the mentoring program.  We have seen such a great response to utilizing the hour that we have with these boys as effectively as possible, that I can’t bear to see that effectiveness dwindle because of a lack of resources.  Not gonna happen! We are going to continue to have faith and seek out ways to get these boys what they need!

I have been so inspired by the boys in this program that this weekend I decided it is time to bring on some girls! I am not able to create an educational program just yet but Kendall and I have invited a young girl named Marba to meet us at the church on Monday and we will be waiting with nail polish to have a genuine girl experienceJ.  We challenged her to bring four friends; the incentive is Bojangles so I feel like she will surely deliver! I have seen great growth in the boys in the few short weeks I have been here and I have heard from Harrison and the other teachers about the beauty and the growth they have seen in each of the boys as they have worked with them over the last six months. What an opportunity we have been blessed with. 

For right now we are working towards getting to know some girls in the community of French Harbor.  In the time I have been here I found that culturally the women tend to stay closer to home.  The boys that come to mentoring are always out running around and making their way around town and the girls just aren’t as visible. My goal is to reach out to them so they trust to come away from their immediate comforts just as I have in my journey to Roatan.  To show them how beautiful the world is, to show them a world that is bigger than the one they know! I am excited to see them, to know them and to love them.  We are going to try to pave the road for an organic growth of a girls program, a program that will hopefully empower them to build healthy, meaningful relationships.   

Big Stuff! I feel energy coming through my finger tips and I can’t wait to continue this work!  

I was contacted by a friend recently after I posted one of my first blogs about the mentoring program.  She reminded me that I asked for suggestions, help and support to better the program.  She suggested that we set up a pay pal account for financial support.  So here goes! Wow, the way things fall into place!

HELLO WALMART

What a beautiful weekend we had! Once again my limits were stretched.  I rose to the challenge and went forward! Jumped off some rocks, went white water rafting and climbed an intense climb to a 60 meter tall waterfall.  That is big stuff for me! Oh and did I mention that I did all of this on a cold and rainy afternoon!

I was listening to someone talk last night about a story in the bible from Matthew.  I was raised Episcopalian and don’t know a whole lot about the bible so when I hear these stories as an adult it is really like hearing them for the first time. They spoke about the story where they feed 5,000 with only a small amount of bread and fish.  The person sharing brought it to life by explaining that even the smallest things we do, if we give them to God they will be glorified and we will get what we need.  That’s good stuff, right? So it was a mission group from CA that was working through this devotion and it really made sense to me from their perspective.   I mean they are coming here for a week and cramming as much work as they can into that one week.  They are trying to impact as many people in that week as possible, but then what…they just leave and go back to their regular lives. 

The last mission group that was here talked a lot about inconsistency (referring to working with children during their time here). There were criticisms about working with children because they felt as though they were becoming a part of the constant inconsistency that these children feel. People from cruise ships get off the boat, get a tour guide to bring them to a children’s home unload five giant boxes of candy and leave two hours later. Mission groups come and go, volunteers come and go.  Inconsistency is a part of their reality, which sucks…but each person that walks through the door of a children’s home is doing a small mission of a larger goal. Each person will leave at least knowing there are beautiful children in a children’s home in Roatan, Honduras.  That’s more then when they walked in. 

I think as Americans we get so caught up in the quantity factor…HELLO WALMART! That we forget about the quality.  If you can manage to wrap your mind around the importance of the small things you have a gift! If you can only manage one small act of kindness, it’s more than no small act of kindness.  If you can only manage giving a little of yourself to someone else, I’m sure that someone else will be thankful.  I promise that these small things are important, they will put a spark in your heart to continue to love and serve others! However that may look for you personally I challenge you to do a little something today and have faith that it will become a big something tomorrow!   

   

My Aaron!

I was thinking to myself this morning about how I have been blog selfish! I have been hogging all the space and airtime for my blog!! If you know me you know how I love my Aaron! 

Over the past three weeks I have watched Aaron grow and learn so much, and it has been an awesome thing to watch.  To see Aaron sit still and just breath in this moment and appreciate it for what it is, to watch his shower addiction slowly fade into the distance, to see him let go of the future for even just a moment to see the present is truly inspiring! I am so excited to see this transformation in his heart.  

Before we left Raleigh...Aaron was so burnt out on work.  He struggled with the direction his life was going, where he found passion, and really questioning what he was doing.  Since we have been in Roatan his eyes and heart are opening slowly to a new understanding of life, comfort and the liberation of serving others.  It is so easy to see service to others by working with children.  It is so obvious to see service by providing food for someone that is hungry.  My Aaron, he doesn't go for the obvious or the easy. (Unlike myself) My Aaron needs a challenge.  We were approached by the pastor in the grocery store and he asked what we did back in the states.  We told him and then he asked what our passions were.  Unfortunately neither of us were to clear on the second question but that is a new can of worms for a new day.  The pastor's eyes got big when he heard of Aaron's finance background.  I was worried at first because I had seen Aaron retract from finance and lose the joy he once knew in it.  We came home that night and I could see that his passion in finance was restored.  

Since college he has known that he loves the concept of finance. It was a challenge and the information is so applicable to everyday life. Over the last while his appreciation for it is dwindled.  There was no heart in what he was doing only head.  When we first arrived he thought of how he could infuse financial knowledge into this community to help the members of the community move forward.  Neither of us were very sure of what that would or could ever look like. The pastor reached out after meeting us once and challenged Aaron to find a way to create a basic financial literacy course for the members of the Church.  He read a Dave Ramsey book and thought it would be a great program to carry out the mission of the church. 

Since Aaron has accepted this challenge I have seen his appreciation for finance restored.  He has found a way to use what he knows in his head and fuse it to what he feels in his heart! What a beautiful thing! Now we just have to figure out how to get people on board, and the materials to keep them there!   

Oh yea! We are going to La Ceiba this weekend to go white water rafting, cliff diving (not me), and waterfall climbing! Fun right? 

 

Giant Tool Box

So I woke up this morning motivated to write! I am excited about so much and hopeful that Aaron and I will be able to continue to work ourselves into these communities and find ways to serve and love more and more people each day. 

Marty and Arty--It has been a beautiful reality of ours over the last two weeks to watch each other’s strengths unfold.  As a married couple we felt so connected in every way and our lives back in Raleigh seemed so perfect.  Now, that we are here in Roatan spending long hours of the day together and working with the same folks and reaching out for the same project we are gaining such a higher level of understanding for one another.  When we were in Raleigh we spent 40 hours a week apart.  In those forty hours we lived two different lives.  We never got to see each other reaching goals and achieving success, struggling and finding solutions.  We didn’t know it but we were missing out on so much.  Having our life’s totally connected has given us the opportunity to glorify one another’s strengths and support one another’s weaknesses. 

We have been going to the Church of God in French Harbor and we were invited to have dinner at the Pastors home with him and his family. We were welcomed into their home so graciously and were able to talk through some ways we can get involved in the church and the needs that exist.  There are some projects that we are excited to get started on this week, taking a look at the strengths and weaknesses of Children’s Church. We are also looking at creating a financial literacy course that will provide individual attention to the families of the church.  (I will let you guys guess who is spearheading which project!)  All the while we are still working together to give the mentoring some TLC.  Sitting around Pastor Paul’s kitchen table we discussed the culture here in Honduras and how there is a lack of ownership and accountability on the large scale.  He was speaking of leaders in the church who have never been given their expectations, who have never been trusted to deliver, who have never been “set up for success”.  He told us of his struggle to empower these folks and give them the tools they need to be confident in their work and find success in that confidence.  A light bulb! This mentoring program is a giant tool box.  We need to give these young boys tools.  They already have the desire to learn and that in itself is a gift from God.  Now we can support them to gain confidence, self-worth, values, forward thinking, faith and a desire to feel success.  What a beautiful opportunity it is to be along for that ride!  

Funny story of the week:

Aaron and I walking up the big hill to the apartments on the back of the property we are living to do some laundry.  Going into the room were the washing machine is, keep in mind the room is partially indoors and partially outdoors.  Of course I am just paying attention to the washing machine and getting my clothes in.  Aaron takes a look around to check things out to make sure nothing crazy is happening in the room.  His eye is caught on a small brown object on the wall…I of course was in la la laundry land when I hear him scream. “OUT OUT, GET OUT !!!!!!!”  Of course I fly into panic mode and scream uncontrollably running with my eyes closed out of the laundry room.  I am interrupted by Aaron saying “it was a bat that flew straight at my head.”  He is interrupted by a slew of laughter coming from the men repairing the roof who have watched the whole thing transpire.  What a great way to start a Tuesday.  

Rockin' Good Job!

Ya’ll.  Let me just tell you.  It is hard to blog! I am trying so hard to keep up with so much! I feel like maintaining communication with all my loved ones has become a part time job.  (a part time job that I love, but still a part time job!)   When talking to Aaron earlier today I said, “you know what I miss most? My cell phone!!” It is so easy to keep up with folks when you can shoot them a text on a break from work, or give them a phone call on your afternoon drive home.

It has been a while since I have blogged.  I am trying to even find a way to fit all of our exciting adventures into one post. 

Let’s begin with Sunday! 20 boys ages 5 to 17, four islanders (me, Aaron, Kendall and Harrison) ;) 12 college students, three cars.  Imagine all of us fitting in three cars, driving a thirty minute drive to the beaches of west bay.  It was quite the adventure.  We went to church on Sunday and upon dismissal from church we were greeted by a group of about 20 boys waiting with their bathing suits on and all ready to go! So we went.  36 people bombarded the beaches of west bay and kept a large group of sun bathing tourist entertained for a good two hours! What a memory that will be, sheer chaos but a great memory. 

Yesterday morning:  Let me just paint this picture, Martha and Aaron on the search for some fresh picked coconuts!

Two Americans + a stick+ a rock+ multiple climbing attempts+ some cheerleading moves + 20 minutes = 0 coconuts.

One islander + a long stick + 30 seconds = Four coconuts.

That’s all I will say about our coconut adventure!

Spent some time in the Roatan public hospital, and boy it was frightening.  We are doing work on the emergency room and have seen the most shocking use (misuse) of medical supplies and the raw reality that the funds and materials are just not something the hospital has access to.  It sucks to see all this but the great thing I have experienced this trip is the mindset of finding solutions.  I am not typically a result or solution oriented person, but I am starting to see the light.  I am gaining the ability to appreciate the present and being a living breathing part of what is happening right now and also recognizing a need and the most efficient way to solve it.  I have seen that feeling sorry and worrying about the folks affected by this lifestyle is a total and complete waste of time.  So I am throwing it out the window, Goodbye sorrow and worry!

Hello happy solutions.

Here’s the deal…Kendall, Aaron and I have had a lot of conversation on the topic of Americans and productivity.  As Americans we feel that our personal value is set by our accomplishments, by what we do.  So if we are not working, or having some deep impact on something we feel worthless.  Is this true? If it is true is it necessarily a bad thing?  After numerous chats I feel like of course there is a lot of gray to explore.  Productivity is a great thing! What I struggle with is, “Why is my idea of productivity shaped by someone else’s opinion.”  This got me thinking about when I was young and my mom would tell me to clean my room. I would stay up there for hours and make a bigger mess than it was when I got there but my drawers would be perfectly folded and color coordinated!  Well at 7 years old I was thinking I did a rockin’ good job! Unfortunately, my mother was less than impressed.  Now fast forward 15 years and I am an adult.  I have been given the tools to decide myself what I value as productivity. I should be able to justify within myself and only myself whether or not I feel productive and the things that make me feel that way.  Why are we so often forced to believe that what we value and what we personally find a victory is somehow less than impressive?  So here in Roatan I am challenging myself to find a new definition of productivity.  What do I do that makes me feel most accomplished without any external pressure?  What really and truly fills my bucket?  

Grape Soda and Doughnuts

My non cautious food consumption has caught up with me.  I have been sick most of the day and hanging out around our new home.  Being home today has forced me to take a long look at what I have done thus far on our adventure.  Since we last spoke I have been introduced to some really neat folks.  Unfortunately, our relationship tends to stop after the introduction.  My Spanish only allows me to convey my name and then I just start to smile a whole lot.  Although the language barrier stands in the way of conversation the folks we met welcomed us into their home with open arms, literally.  We were greeted at the new home build site by a young girl named Susanna who embraced me quickly and smiled up right into my eyes.  We then saw eight puppies playfully dodging our feet.  Another young girl came out of the house to greet us with a baby in her arms.  I expressed interest in her and she smiled and handed me that baby.  I didn’t want to put her down, she was beautiful.  We went into the home to escape the intense heat to find the mother of this family cranking out some doughnuts (which were delicious I might add).  The floors were made of dirt, the walls of scraps found in the streets. The family sat comfortably in the living room as we all shared grape soda and listened to Harrison carry on a conversation with Juliana.  The children were curious and interested to find out who these big, tall, strangers where that entered their home.  We just smiled a lot and they seemed to warm up quickly.   This family sells doughnuts to make money.  The mother (Juliana) makes doughnuts all throughout the day and the young teen daughters go out to sell them.   As I thought to myself later that evening I realized how important hospitality is.  No matter this families circumstance they welcomed us into their home as if we where the president!  Instead of champagne and caviar it was grape soda and doughnuts! (That’s what I’m talking about.)

Exciting news…I think I know part of the reason I am here in Roatan, Honduras!?  Harrison has started a mentoring program on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.  The program serves boys who live in the community of French Harbor. These boys have learned how to survive on their own and are probably the most street savvy boys I know.  The program has so much heart and the potential to put each of these boys in a great situation to continue to grow and educate them.  My experience and friendships in Raleigh with the girls that run Community Hope have inspired me to make this my new project.  I have spoken with the folks in charge and they have invited me to continue to grow and build the program so we can remain in the hearts and minds of these young boys.  What an awesome opportunity, right! Luckily these little dudes are mostly bilingual! Otherwise I would be in trouble! Aaron and I have gone to mentoring both days this week and have been able to begin building relationships with these young guys!  I am so anxious to get some things worked out and some planning in action! Here in lies the problemo! We have few supplies and little to no access to the type of educational resources I know from my education experience.  I am working on being creative and I am very open to any suggestions from the peanut gallery.  We are working with boys who are on a seventh grade level and boys who are cannot read the alphabet, and everything in between.  I need help, I need support and I need creative ideas for utilizing common schoolish supplies and turning them into educational tool masterpieces!

I am finding more comfort each day in Roatan.  I am seeking to find my purpose here and it feels good to be walking in the (well, what feels like) the right direction.  Although with each day my comfort level strengthens my eyes are opened more and more to a world I cannot yet understand.  What I thought was my limit of comfort is so far off.  This trip has already begun making a huge impact on my heart and the life that I thought I knew.

 Oh yea, someone teach me how to speak Spanish via the internet.  Please!      

Gecko's in the Morning!

So, I havent taken a shower since I left the states. FOR REAL!  I never know what time it is and all I can see in front of me is the sun coming through the clouds over the ocean.  I am physically sitting at my little plastic kitchen table looking over the tops of some trees and watching the sun come up over a crystal blue body of water! I mean...who gets that lucky!

Ya know, you watch House Hunters International and see those 40 something couples who have been very successful and are able to buy a vacation home in an island paradise and you think (well we always thought) "Man wouldn’t that be awesome to live there!" Well what do you know we have hit the jackpot.  We are in Roatan, our new island paradise! We are sharing our home with gecko’s who by the way are useful house guest and eat the bugs, which coincidentally  always tend to overstay their welcome! They do make a funny noise that has conveniently been my 6am wake up call for the last two mornings!

I am glad that I waited a little after our day of travel to provide my perspective of things clearly.  Our day of travel was better than others we have had but still hectic.  We approached Orlando and saw that we had to go work with TACA airlines. We needed to correct my name on my ticket to be my maiden name to match my passport. No need to explain why we were a little concerned about this experience knowing that TACA was also known as "Take A Chance Airline." There were definitely some issues that had to be sorted out, some unexpected expenses and a lot of trust and faith but in the end we realized that Take a chance Airline did good by us! Instead of thinking of it as a risk, I can now look at it as an opportunity.  (As most of you know...I am a sucker for musicals) It was almost like they looked at us and all broke out into song with the ever classic Mamma Mia show closer..."Take a chance on me." We took a chance with TACA and they took care of us, they knew we trusted them and they delivered in the end!

Our first day was long, but relaxing.  We got situated in our new apartment, cleaned a little and just spent the day exploring the area right around where we live. AKA the pool and ocean! We had a pretty full day decompressing from the last three weeks of crazy town to get us here. Last night, Aaron and I, Harrison and Kendall sat around and literally waited for water to boil.  For about an hour! We had spaghetti and it was DELICIOUS! We exchanged stories and talked through our day.  I said to Harrison, "We have been stalking your life via internet for so long and now we are here and living it and seeing it!" We finally met his boys, his boys that he has touched so deeply.  The boy's whose trust he earned and hasn’t looked away since. The boys who welcomed us into what they call 'class' took me out back and showed me where to look to see Iguana! We met the boys! Good stuff!

 So, we are walking into the first Wednesday of our lives here in Roatan with a busy schedule ahead! Kendall took the day off of work, and Harrison only works until 12 and so we will begin exploration then. Kendall has been our saving Grace.  She lives right up at the end of the road and takes care of us well! We are headed off to a place called 'Gumba Lumba (or maybe vice versa) Park' today.  She said we would have monkeys all over us.  Harrison asked if we could swim, which is a way more loaded question than its surface inquisition! He follows that question with "Can you swim a half a mile?" and then asks again "Can you swim a quarter of a mile?"  All of these questions leading up to a proposal for today’s activities..."We can swim from Roatan to this other island and it’s only like a quarter of a mile or so." So today's agenda is looking like monkey's and swimming in the open ocean, hopefully without any new wildlife friends!  

First Lesson Learned: A plastic kitchen table, a bed, a few plastic chairs and small countertop cabinet is all the furniture you need to live!