One week left!-Ruins, Regrets?, Kisses, Fish heads and beautiful children and places:)

Kicking regrets to the curb
I tend to be a person who second guesses herself a lot. Therefore as I wrap up my time in Honduras I have questioned "have I done everything that I should have done and been everything I should have been while I was here?" The answer to this question is no. There have been many times that I have failed as a teacher, youth leader, band leader, family member and friend here in Honduras. And I am tempted to get down on myself for those failures. However, my failures are a result of me being an imperfect human being. When thinking of my failures I have two options: #1-I can dwell on them and mop about wishing I would have done things differently or #2-I can seek to learn from my failures to do better next time. I like option #2 better. So in my last week in Honduras I am seeking to reflect on and learn from my mistakes, rejoice in the victories, and take advantage of every moment that I have left here. Here are some bible verses that encourage me a lot about this topic...

"I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead," Philippians 3:12-13


"You don't kiss when you greet people in the USA? That's Awkward!"--One of my students
Getting Ready for Reverse culture shock--
Here in Honduras, as in many countries in Latin America and Europe it is custom to kiss each other on the cheek when you greet someone. In Honduras males do not kiss each other on the cheek, but females kiss other females, and males and females kiss when they greet also. When I explained to one of my students that people in the USA don't kiss each other on the cheek when they greet she said "That's awkward!" I thought that was halarious because that is exactly what people from the USA (myself included) usually say when they hear for the first time that people kiss when they greet each other in other countries. When I went back to the USA for my graduation there were 2 times when I almost practiced the custom of kissing poeple on the cheek on accident. This happened when I greeted women with a hug when our cheeks were touching anyway. I quickly remembered that I was no longer in Honduras and that kissing someone on the cheek (unless it was my grandma who always kisses me on the cheek when I see her) would be "awkward". As I get ready to go back to the USA in one week there will be some things that I will have to re-adjust to. One will be NOT kissing people on the cheek. I am not sure if I have mentioned this before, but in one of my cultural classes in college we were taught the helpful phrase "it's not right, it's not wrong, it's just different." This has been a good reminder to me when I have faced cultural differences that have frustrated me. Many times differences in culture are just a different way in life. Sometimes they're are cultural practices that are clearly wrong like child sacrifice, but many times the culture differences are "not right, not wrong, but just different". I am very glad that I have gotten to experience a different culture to remind me that the way I grew up doing things is not necessarily "the right way". This experience has been humbling and helped my patience to grow.

Here are some more pictures I thought you might enjoy seeing:)...


This first one is of Eva and I. Eva has been like a mom to me here in Honduras. Her and her family have a snack shop in the school. I visit them several times a week to say hello and buy a snack. In fact there whole family has become like my 2nd Honduran family. Eva is so sweet and always checks up on me to make sure that I am getting enough rest and not working too much. In the background you can see students sitting at picnic tables outside of a different snack shop.

I went to the Mayan Ruins!!! They were very cool! I enjoy history (particularly Latin American history as you might guess). It was awesome BEING in the same place that the Mayans were so long ago! I went there during a trip that I took to visit some friends. My friend Eduin who took me to see the Ruins is below:) My friend Eduin is a missionary in the mountains. I got to visit the place that he works which was an amazing experience! The poverty and need of the people there broke my heart. They didn't have electricity and they had to travel to get safe drinking water. At times the families there only eats tortillas and salt. I got to speak to the youth at the church which was a great experience! We played some games to which they loved. My visit there gave me even a greater desire to help those who are in great need. I wanted to take the beautiful sweet children that I met there home with me to give them a good education, better and more food to eat, activities to be involved in, and a home where there parents do not abuse them and there dad is not a drunk. Sadly, I realized I could not take the children home with me:( My friend Eduin is doing great work in the mountains however which is very encouraging. For example, the dad of one family he is working with used to be a drunk and would abuse his wife and children. The dad became a Christian and no longer drinks nor abuses his children, but instead he treats them with love! The mom in the family had tried to commit suicide 7 times, but she also has become a Christian and no longer wants to end her life. Eduin is working on many projects to help the community grow for example: building a playground for the kids, helping the women learn how to and have materials to bake break and sell it for extra income, putting indoor bathrooms in every house and more gravel on the roads (some are just dirt and are very dangerous when it rains). Go Eduin go! 

 Another picture of the Mayan Ruins!

 The most beautiful restaurant in the world! My friend and I went to what I think is the most beautiful restaurant in the world. This is a picture I took from the restaurant. The building didn't have any walls (which is a lot more common in Honduras because of the tropical climate) so you could watch this view the entire time while you are eating! Breath taking!

 Tilapia anyone? I eat tilapia a lot at applebee's but I have never had it like this before! Fried with the face still there! It was the best tilapia I have ever had! :) That was the dish I had at the beautiful restaurant. In the picture you can also see tajadas (the fried plantains that I mentioned are very common in Honduras in a previous post).

 Honduras-check. Guatemala- check! The Mayan ruins are very close to Guatemala so my friends took me to a boarding town in Guatemala so that I could see a little bit of another country!:) It was a cool trip. Lots of beautiful mountains and two volcanoes! (Don't worry mom--I was in the car and they are not active hehe).

 Normal trip to school:) This is a picture of my brother Eduardo and I. Eduardo drives my brother Georgie and I to school every day and we go in this car. Eduardo teaches at the school also.

My professor is coming to Honduras tomorrow to evaluate me. I am very excited for him to come! I will enjoy introducing him to people and the places that have been very special to me during my time here! I am also very excited because my professor is bringing me some positive affirmation CDs that my doctor donated for me to give to my students! They are filled with positive phrases for people to meditate on. This CD has helped me to gain more confidence, maintain a positive and healthy lifestyle and grow closer to God! I am so excited to give it to the girls!

This week will be full of goodbyes and last words of advice/encouragement/sermons.

That's all for now! I will be flying back to the USA on Friday 24th in the early early morning! My first stop will be in Florida to visit some friends, then to Indiana and then back to good-old Cedar Rapids, Iowa! I will be blogging one more time after I get back to the United States to share an overview of what I have learned from my experience and explain a little bit about what I will be doing next in life:) I hope you have a wonderful day!