Merry Christmas (and Happy Hanukkah)!

I hope the holiday season brings peace, love and snow (yes, I really miss it) for all my friends and family. Realizing that I have neglected my blog for the past two months, I will attempt to give an update, along with providing a general idea of what I do daily (at my mom´s request). School just ended for the year on November 30, and classes won´t start up again until February. I have been struggling with the textbook situation, as National Geographic now refuses to sell their textbooks outside of the U.S. After a lot of worrying, last year´s SALTer Kari and my parents came to my rescue, and I will be sending two separate orders to them and having them ship/bring them to Honduras. All is well, and ¨si Dios permite¨, we will have the books by the time school starts up again. That said, the school year ended with sixth grade graduation, a delicious dinner banquet, and fun game of Amigo secreto (Secret Santa).

The sixth grade girls during our day at the park

The family at Carol´s graduation

In my home life, I really feel a lot closer to my host-family. It is a bit frustrating that the 11-year-old does more household responsibility than I do (I am always told there is nothing for me to do), but I am allowed to do my own laundry and wash everyone´s dishes, so it´s getting better. There was a bit of a strain when 4 cousins came to stay with us for a couple of weeks, but things are considerably more tranquilo now. The cooking situation has worked itself out as well, as my host-mom has been home a lot and she cooks all the meals but lets me help her. One of my favorite developments is that I have joined a walking group. I get up every morning at 5:30 and walk 2 vueltas around town and then run home a few kilometers. My host family likes to point out that I am a looking a bit more gorda these days, so I am hoping the exercise will help. Unfortunately, I was sick for almost a month with a nasty sinus infection, so the exercise plan went on pause, but now it is back in full swing. I also think I have finally found a Spanish tutor. I went with a group of visiting gringos from Water Missions out to build a water purification machine just outside of town and met a very friendly 23-year-old guy from Tocoa who was looking to swap English lessons for Spanish lessons. We have only gotten together once, but it was really nice, as I still feel like I have very few Honduran friends outside of my family, and even fewer pure-intentioned male friends.

The cousins, after they corn-rowed my hair

Isieny and my host-dad

I have also been going to La Ceiba a fair amount to visit my host sister and the newest member to the MCC team, Callie. I just love walking along the beach and getting into a bigger city sometimes. Now that school is over for awhile, I have been filling my afternoons with siestas, reading (or watching movies in Spanish), hanging out with Isieny and Carol, and the occasional outing with friends or the internet cafe. On Saturday night, I go to the jovenes (youth group) church service, which, aside from the somewhat annoying cell phone activity from the high-schoolers, I thoroughly enjoy. Sunday is usually filled with church in the morning (9-12) and evening (6-8). I struggle a little more with these services, as it is louder and longer than what I am used to, but I really appreciate the community. In October, we had a sort of relief sale and I worked with the youth to make popsicles and doughnuts that we sold to other church members and in November, I witnessed a truly moving baptism ceremony in the river in the mountains above Tocoa. In December, I went to my first Honduran wedding for my 20-year-old friend, Mario.

Mario´s Wedding Recessional

My latest activity was a team meeting 2 hours southeast of San Pedro Sula in Cerro Azul Meambar National Park. It was a beautiful location and surprisingly cold. We took hikes into the cloud forest and played and sang hymns/Christmas carols (we all brought our musical instruments). It was really rejuvenating and exactly what I needed during this season.

Part of the MCC Honduras team on a hike

The National Park