Thanksgiving Greetings...

The three Americans in our group of volunteers here in Honduras decided we were going to splurge today to properly celebrate the biggest food holiday in the states. Along with the two English folk in our group, we all told our host families we didn't want lunch or dinner at home today (except Ben, who will probably eat four meals and still be hungry). Lunch today at Red Frog bar, or Sapo Rojo if you will, consisted of loaded nachos, BBQ chicken wings Hooters style, and homemade french fries. In honor of the American holiday, the British among us also had 2 beers each... I'm still pretty dehydrated from this morning's futbol match with the kids, so a Fresca sounded better (yes, this is really me!). For dinner we are headed to a local pizza place that will be showing American football on TV. Pizza for dinner was the plan, but Pizza Jim may have some traditional Thanksgiving cuisine to offer. Pumpkin pie would be fabulous. After dinner and football, its back to Red Frog to finally try their "world famous" uterus shots we keep hearing about. I have seen them... apparently it is some kind of moonshine with a splash of milk dropped in that curddles and looks like a floating fetus. What better way to commemorate the first bountiful harvest the Pilgrims and Native Americans worked so hard to reap? Nothing says "thank you" like bar food and a shot of embryo.

On another note, I have not had a good week health wise. Since last weekend I have had a cold that is still with me, but better today. Two days ago I barely had a voice. Yesterday I decided no matter how unrulely the little hellians at school were, I was not going to raise my voice! It helped. My cough has gotten better, but my sinuses are still congested. Separately from the common cold, I also had my first travelers stomach sickness a few days ago. An unpleasant 24 hours. Feeling better, though, and ready for tomorrow's cumpleanos fiesta at school with pinatas, cake, and presents. These people know how to celebrate birthdays.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

A wet, soggy, exciting victory

San Pedro Sula, a city about 3 hours from Copan, was the site of the Honduras vs. Mexico World Cup qualifying soccer match last night. And we got tickets.

After about 30 minutes of significant panic setting in when Kate and I got immediately separated just outside of the shuttle from Ben and Brian (who had our tickets) in a rather dangerous large city as the sun was setting and our phones were not working, we reunited with the guys and headed into the already packed stadium an hour and a half before game time. The rain started shortly thereafter, and lasted much of the game, at times falling quite hard. Think this could possibly dampen the spirits of 38,000 people at a Central American futbol match (let alone such an important match)? Heck no. The noise level was so high throughout the entire game that talking was difficult. Cups of beer flew joyously through the air when Honduras scored the only goal of the game and at the game's end. People were climbing up on posts and hanging off railings. The crowd chanted and sang different things throughtout the game. Oddly, they spoke Spanish, making it difficult for me to understand and join in. There was a lot of "o-ley, o-ley, o-ley" singing. Our section was trying to start the wave before the game started. It was making it farther with each try. Whatever section let it die, the fans in our section would point at them across the stadium furoursly chanting something to let them know to get on the ball.

We were standing at the top of the bottom section closest to the field. Behind the goal in which the only goal of the game was scored, over to the right a bit. A great view, much better than what I was expecting for what we paid. I was standing close to the steps and had a river of discusting water running around my feet. I was happy to have my raincoat (even though it covered the $6 Honduras jersey I had bought) but was soaked to the core besides that. I enjoyed a cup of bad beer for $1.25 and a hotdog covered with unidentifable slimy substances for $1. It was no stadium dog with brown mustard and it was a small cup of bad beer as opposed to a large cup of bad beer, but really, eating and drinking at a professional sporting event for $2.25?

On the shuttle back to Copan the mostly 20-30 year-olds (locals) who had seemingly drank a lot more bad beer than us, liked the windows open and the air-conditioning on as we zipped through the cold night air in our wet clothes. We were surrounded with honking and yelling and people hanging out of vehicles for a while through the city. The open windows made it more convienent for them to toss out their trash from the fast food they picked up after the game.

I see I haven't posted it a while... the kids at San Rafael continue to amaze me, the weather continues to confuse me, and I'm having an overall good time. Saying the kids at school were excited and not able to focus on work after last night's victory would be a huge understatement. That's also putting in nicely, they were really just bad today! We've went from temps in the 60's to 80 with solid sunshine for about 2 weeks, and back to 60's with rain and wind this week. And people at home are giving me a hard time when I complain that this is cold... but when it's 60 and windy outside, it's 60 and windy everywhere, including the school where we work, because everything is open-air. Unless you work in room 120 at Southgate, you get to walk in from the cold and be warm inside for most of the day. Not the case here, as my fingers and toes have been white with cold as I dress in 3 layers for work! Don't get me wrong, the two weeks of 80 and sunshine were wonderful... shorts, tank tops, flip flops and I would still be hot walking around town.

Wow, long post. If you're still reading this, thanks, I guess!

An introcuction to Latin American football

Today was sports day at school, and I am exhausted! Even though the girls at the school couldn't believe I was going to play soccer with the boys instead of jumping rope with them for once, I had a great time. Being a mostly non-soccer playing American female playing with 30+ Honduran boys, a guy from England, and a guy from the states who plays soccer, I don't think I impressed anyone with my skills. I did make a nice save by the goal, and the boys yelled something like "the gringo got it!" They laughed and yelled "mano, mano" when I instinctively put my hand up to block the ball.

I don't know where they possibly get their energy. Not just today, but everyday... the amount of calories they intake doesn't seem like it could be nearly as much as what they burn. Everyday before and after school and during recess the boys are playing hard at football, marbles, or frisbee (recently... this has been fun!). The girs are constantly jumping rope, even up and down hills. We played for over an hour and a half today on a field that is about as big as a regulation field. After about 45 minutes I was desperate for a water break (or a break of any sort!). No one had brought any water. When we got back to the school, I guzzled agua like it was my job, but still none for the kids. They went right on playing in the hot sun (yes it has warmed up a lot here) until we made them come in.

For anyone from Southgate who may be reading this, I sang the Friday song in the back of the pick-up truck on the way to work today:)

Back to Antigua

After getting up at 5:20 to catch a 5:45 shuttle to Antigua, the shuttle guy showed up and informed Kate and I that they overbooked. We could get our money back or leave at 12:00. So I lost a night of sleep and a day in Antigua with Angel and John. On the 12:00 shuttle we figured out with our fellow travelers that they didn't overbook, neither shuttle was full so they combined shuttles. The fellow traveler from England who sat behind me needed us to pull over twice so he could vomit as a result of too many uterus shots at the Red Frog bar the previous night.

After this fabulous day of travel, I had a wonderful weekend with Angel and John in Antigua, Guatemala. We arrived Saturday evening and I'm leaving today (Monday) at 1:00. San Rafeal has today off for Day of the Dead. It was great hanging out with two of my best friends from the states in Guatemala. As they live in DC, I don't see them often, and usually stuff is going on and we don't get to spend a lot of time together when they are home. After our authentic Guatemalan dinner of peperoni pizza and beer last night, we headed towards the park where there was a giant procession of marching bands, men dressed up with banners, lots of incense, and, at the end, a huge lit up float, carried by people, with a life size plastic Jesus in a see-though coffin.

As Ang and John are here volunteering with GVI for two weeks, they headed out for their first day of stove building this morning. Hope your stomach holds out, John!

Still having trouble adding photos, even with the better internet here. Maybe later...