Wow this is crazy...

Wow...nothing like being on the front lines as history is in the making. Honduras is tearing itself apart. The capital city is in flames and the military is cracking down across the country. Someone just asked me this morning if all hell was going to break lose... I said naw...and then all hell broke loose!

Its intense...you walk down the street and from every shop, every store people are huddled around their radios listening to news broadcasts. Its surreal. The military is taking over...no one knows who's in charge. Words fail me, when I try and describe the energy of the situation. There's this collective breath, similar to the moment when the rollercoaster pauses at the top before plunging down. People are nervous and getting more nervous by the moment. Buses, ferries, airports everything is shut down.

More updates as things develop!

Heres an article that explains the situation.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/29/world/americas/29honduras.html?_r=1&hp

Honduras....

So I picked a good time to come here haha. The US Ambassador came a couple days ago and told us not to leave the island so I'm stuck here for a few days. Heres a short article in the NYT to explain whats happening.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/06/28/world/international-us-honduras-president.html?ref=global-home

Summertrip #1

Ok I just bought another memord card port. So here come the pictures. Most of the posts are from my back log of pictures but I thought I would take a time out and let you see what I'm doing now. The pictures of my students down below are from the fieldtrip a few weeks ago. It was a blast. I love my job.
Now as I said, the schools are closed due to the swine flu. I went back to Lake Atitlan for a weekend. And then...crazy enough I ended up going with some friends to Belize. Heres whats happened so far!

I spent the first three days deep, and I mean DEEP in the Belizean Jungle on an organic farm. It was incredible out there. No electricity. Just incredibly large bugs. But I ate Gibnut, that the resident hunter on the farm killed the other day. Their basically giant Guinea Pigs. Man the meat was tasty. There was a huge thunderstorm with lighnting striking all around super close. It was intense!!!!!

Then we got invited by some of Shad and Colleen's old friends to a wedding on the Belizean Cayes (keys). So now I'm staying at a 5 star resort right on the Ocean sipping gourmet cafe with the John Hopkins crowd! ...incredible, amazing, stunning, surreal don't even scratch the surface. I give you leave to be jealous hehe :D

Pictures of the Jungle.


Coleen!

And Shad

Ok thats all for now more later!

Semana Santa (Easter!)

Pictures from the Semana Santa celebrations I saw. This one is in San Marcos at night. Also in San Marcos at night.

Ones in Panahachel...these were amazing!

Again from Panahachel.

San Pedro San Pedro

San Pedro

San Pedro

This ones from San Marcos.

Friends and San Marcos

These are pictures of around the Lake and friends I've met. Better persons I've never seen!

This is Casa del Sol. Its a little cabin outside of San Marcos. Kerry from Ireland and Lere from Espana live here. Thats Kerry and Johanna is in the background.
Rock cliff as I was boating around the lake.

This is near Panahachel. I love the tree. I'd go say hi to it everytime I was in town.

Johanna from Greece on the left. Kerry and Lere on the right.

This is Lucia from Argentina. I like this picture from some reason....

This is Alex...he was big into juggling haha. This is Jessica with the three lovely sisters that ran the Unicornio which is the hostel I stayed at in San Marcos...Gosh these pictures are from April haha I'm so slacking.

This is a view from San Pedro.

And one from San Marcos. I love this picture. Its one of my favorites yet. It really sums up the spirit of San Marcos. I love that town!!!!

This is an Asian resturant in San Marcos. Muy rico!

Sorry this picture are a little out of order but Belizean internet (where I'm blogging from at the moment) is super duper expensive!!!!! This is from Guatemala City just a few weeks ago in June. Victor went to Mexico for a few weeks to finish some paperwork. This is the hostel we stay at in el centro! Love the pingpong!

Gringo skills!
Haha this is a great picture!

School days!

Heres how I spend my days nowadays. With my students! These are pictures of our field trip to the museum. It was super fun!

This is Valerie...she basically a diva haha.

Rolling down the hill...sure was fun but made me realize I'm not 11 anymore haha. Can't keep up with the little firecrackers running around everywhere.

The 5th grade!

But man the scenery was gorgeous!

Belize!!!!

So after planning all week to go to Utila, Honduras. I ended up at the lake for the weekend. Then decided to drop everything and go with some friends with Belize for a weekhahah. Life is random...and amazing. Loving it....looks like we're going camping on some of the Belizean Cayes (keys) . Then next week, its down the coast and take a ship out to Utila to see some good friends. Cheers!

The Case of the Sick Pigs

So due to the now official worldwide pandemic, (first in 41 years!) all of the schools in Guatemala have been canceled for two weeks. So summer vacation has just been extended. I am going to the Lake for a couple days and then I'm headed out to the Bay Islands of Honduras, where I am going to enjoy the sweet easy life on the shores of the Carribean.

But alas this means I won't be coming home for my break :( So I won't get to see my friends before we all scatter to the 4 corners of the earth. So that makes me sad, but I am sure we will all see each other again at some point. Plus anyone is welcome at my house anytime! Or to join me in my future travels, whichev!

Ok, the lunch bell has rung and its time to rejoin the kiddos!

Peace!

Ok sorry for the lack of pictures but at least now I have figured out the problem. The tool that connects my memord cards to the computers has broken. I thought it was a problem with the computers I´ve used but now I´ve pinpointed the problem so as soon as I buy another one I shall post lots of pictures.

So an update. I now have my own house up in the mountains. Its beautiful. I´ve started my own garden and the house itself is huge. I have a nice big kitchen and a terrace that my bedroom opens up onto.

My job is going great. I got to go on a field trip to a museum with my kids on Friday. We had a blast! The kids were super excited and I really got to connect with a lot of them in a relaxed setting. We spent the afternoon rolling down a giant grass hill. It was super fun but made me realize I´m not 12 anymore haha.

So hopefully I will be able to find tickets for my upcoming vacation. I have two weeks from June 26 to July 13 off. So hopefully I can find something for under $500. If so I´m heading in your guys direction. Is there anyone in Laramie that could pick me up from the airport? I would be most appreciative!

Ok thats all for now but hopefully pictures soon!