Vacation in Roatan!

This past Monday was Independence Day in Honduras, so we had the day off. The Honduran President also gave us Tuesday and Wednesday off as well, making it a 5 day weekend :) Of course all of the American teachers were ecstatic and planned a 4 day vacation in Roatan (right off the Northern coast of Honduras) in about 40 minutes. We found and AMAZING all inclusive deal on Group On for our stay of 4 days and 3 nights! All of the La Union teachers decided to go as well as about 7 of our American friends teaching in Gracias. This would be the first time we would be hanging out as a whole group since orientation, so we were all excited to see everyone again! We waited in anticipation for the week to end so we could start our journey to Roatan! FINALLY Saturday morning came and we were on our way :) We took buses from La Union to Santa Barbara to San Pedro Sula, to La Ceiba, and finally the ferry to Roatan. Let me tell you something about this ferry...the locals call it the vomit comet. It became very true to its name. That is all I will say about that....


We arrived to our resort, Palmetto Bay Plantation, around 6:30 Saturday evening, had dinner, and enjoyed a late night swim out by the dock. There were about 6 of us staying in one villa...and let me just say it was the nicest house I have ever seen. It was two stories, marble counter tops, very high ceilings, an all-around porch, surround sound speakers and microphone throughout the whole house, and air-conditioning!! (picture below) I do not know how we got this villa for such a cheap price; we definitely lucked out!!

On Sunday we hung out at the resort; laid out at the beach and pool, enjoyed reading for pleasure, and catching up with all the American teachers! In the afternoon we had the opportunity to go snorkeling, which was included in our package. It was incredible!! We went out on a boat and went to two locations: a shipwreck and a drop off. It was only about 4-6ft deep out where we were. We got our gear on (goggles, flippers, and the snorkel) and headed out! We saw so many beautifully colored fish, lots of cool looking coral, and I even saw a stingray! We went to the drop off next....now this was so so so so cool. You swam around in a circle around the drop off which suddenly shot down very steep...and you couldn't see the bottom. The drop off was very very blue and you couldn't see much, which honestly was kind of freaky. On my way back to the boat I saw the BIGGEST sting ray! It was seriously huge....and honestly all I could think about how was the crocodile hunter, Steve Irwin from Animal Planet, died from one...so I glanced at it for a couple of seconds and quickly swam away!

That night the resort staff made us dinner on the beach :) It was so special and sweet of them to do that for us! After an amazing dinner we all hung out and played games. Monday we spent the day relaxing. Seriously all we did was lay on the beach, go on the dock, read a book, and eat. It was awesome and well deserved.

We headed back on Tuesday afternoon, heading to another beach town, Tela, for the night before catching the bus back to La Union early Wednesday morning. Tuesday night and the journey back Wednesday was probably the most interesting 24 hours I've ever experienced. We hung out at the beach at night and had some fun swimming in the warm ocean. We then fit 6 of us in one hotel room...Then we had the journey back to La Union....the 6 of us traveling together missed the bus back to La Union by a couple seconds so we ended up hopping in this one taxi and having the driver chase down the bus...which we caught about 10 minutes later! We were so lucky!

This vacation was much needed and so relaxing! It was a lot of fun to hang out with everyone, catch up with the teachers from Gracias, as well as enjoy some amazing beaches Roatan had to offer :)

 

Our villa in Roatan...about 6 of us stayed here :)

 

 All of the La Union and Gracias teachers!! So thankful we all get along.

 The La Union girls! What a night we spent on Tuesday..... :)

 My friend Mer. We both graduated from Hope and have known 

each other since freshmen year of college! 

 

The view from the start of the dock during Sunday morning's sunrise :)

Living the Simple Life

Life here is simple...and I love every minute of it. Don't get me wrong, I admire elegance and have an appreciation of the finer things in life...but to me, beauty lies in simplicity. I love how the Honduran people are so happy, yet they have so little. Their walls are cement bricks with bed sheets for windows, their houses are the size of my bedroom at home in Philly, they are secluded from the rest of the world, sometimes never getting out of their small town. I come home everyday with red dust from my classroom floor all over my shoes and the bottom of my navy pants, I sweat constantly from the heat in my stuffy classroom and from the 2 mile walk everyday to school and back, my clean socks get dirty from the floors in my house within 10 minutes of wearing them, sometimes the power goes out for hours and we can't shower or cook, sometimes I wish I could go outside my house and not see half my students at the only social place in town, Cafe Zazzo, or go out to eat at a restaurant instead of about 10 commodores that only make Baleadas (white tortilla, mashed re-fried beans, egg, and cheese). Everything is different, yet I don't think I would change one thing about my experience here. Yes, I come home sweaty and with dust all over me, but I am still able to wash my clothes and turn on my fan. Yes, the power can randomly go out for hours at a time but at least I have power, a working shower, stable internet, and an oven to cook in. Yes, I see my students every time I go outside my house and walk down the main street, but it is so refreshing seeing them in a social setting rather than just as my students in my classroom. My life here is so simple, yet it is so great. I am in love with the beauty I am surrounded by everyday. The view from my school is breathtaking and every time I complain about my recess duty spot being in the hot sun on a hill watching kids play soccer, I look at the view and I am in awe.

This is the view of La Union from the top of a hill. My friend and housemate

 took this shot on a hike yesterday after school. So simple, so beautiful.

Pictures!

I finally have some pictures to share with you all-enjoy!

 My friend Alice and I outside the market the first day in La Union!

 Taking a break from lesson planning the first week to eat lunch at a local comedor! 

It was very refreshing to drink a Pepsi after a hot morning!!

 View of one of the streets in Gracias. I love all the bright colors all the houses have here!

 La Union teachers after church!

 Friends at the hotel we stayed at in Gracias during orientation....those blue folders contained 

A LOT of information about the school and the values they held as well as the mission statement!

 Went zip-lining about 40 minutes outside of Gracias..... the highest one in Central America at 4,000ft!!!

This picture is from the first zip line (there were 6 total). This was the most terrifying and biggest 

adrenaline rush of my life...but I would do it again in a heartbeat. 

 This was the fourth zip line....went upside down for a coupe seconds!!!

La Union teachers on the first day of school...how awesome do we look in those uniforms!?

 This is the house I live in! I live with four other American girls...3 of them teachers!

We have all gotten along really well and have a lot of fun after school and on weekends. I am 

really thankful I have friends here to share this experience with!