Charissa's Capers

Also, in 19 days I will be 21. Boo ya, boo ya, boooo yaaaaa! 

At the moment, more than anything, I would love to be home celebrating today with Mom and Dad. But sadly, for the second year in a row, I’m away from home.  At least this year I get to see her in a week instead of two months.  Anyway, one week, four exams, a paper, and one presentation from now I will be home.  Can’t wait. 

P.S. - Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! I love you thiiiiiisssssssss much. (lots)

Today was one of those days that I just felt the need to be distant from people. You know those days?  

I think I’m at the point where homework is taking over my thought process before relationships.  Not good.  Refocusing. 

Also, to those who have sent me letters/emails within the last few weeks: I love you all and I promise I’m not ignoring you.  You’re on my mind and in my prayers.  And I will email you back asap.  Promise. :)  

chelsieautumn:

I’m going to change the world. You might think this kind of thinking is naive, foolish or maybe even presumptuous. But honestly, how can we not think this way? 

Saturday meant it was time to go back home.  We had another nice breakfast on the patio, finished packing, and drove to the airport.  Of course, as we waited in line to check in, Sarah was wonderful and got us one last Espresso Americano to go.  Ah, goodness.  I savored every last sip.  I miss that stuff already.

            Said goodbye to Sarah and boarded the plane with no problems.  A few hours to Miami and then a 3 hour layover.  Which by the time we got to our terminal was about 2 hours.  Dinner and then I diligently trekked the entire airport to find a Starbucks.  Totally worth it and it was hilarious to see Dad’s reaction when I came back with two Starbucks cups in hand. 

            Now, if everything had been on time, I would’ve gotten back just in time to board.  However, there was an hour delay, because they were fixing a first-class seat.  Yep, definitely had to practice Christ’s love there…considering I wanted to freak out over how ridiculous the delay was.  Of all the things…anyway.

            So, nothing else to note. Got back and were met by Tom and Court at O’Hare, who took us home…ah, they’re so great. J

            And that’s how a week in Honduras went!

A day of travelling.  Before we headed out, we stopped at our favorite restaurant (where the perfect cheeseburger was).  Also, about that place, they had the best coffee we’ve ever tasted.  Dad was amazed and bought two bags.  Yes, if you ever find yourself in Copan, go to the little American looking restaurant across the street from Hotel Patti.  You won’t be disappointed.

            Travelling 7 hours back: I can’t think of any really great stories.  Other than there was good conversation, good music, and I finished a really good book.  I mean, sounds like a stellar 7 hours to me!

            That night we got back and were going to go to a dinner at one of Sarah’s previous student’s house.  It was scheduled for 6:00.  We got a hold of them at 6:30.  They finally picked us up around 7:15.  And we ate around 8:30.  100% Honduran (or Central America) time.  Definitely learned patience again. haha

            It was a struggle for us (more the others than me, because I could plead ignorance), because the parents only spoke Spanish and the mom spoke really, really fast.  It was hard to catch what she was saying (apparently).  But it was kind of entertaining for me, because I just made a game of it…get as many words as you can. haha Easily pleased and proud of it.  But yeah, they were really nice people and it was great to get to be in a Honduran’s home.

            Rest of the night: Home, pack, sleep.

Mayan Ruins.  Heck yes, we saw ruins.  It was awesome.

            We hired a tour guide who ended up being full of knowledge and very eager to impart it ALL on us.  Every detail.  Pretty sure Sarah saw three tour groups come in after us and leave before us.  It was definitely nice to have someone who knew lots.  But we got pretty tired of it after the 10^th detailed explanation of the symbols engraved in the next statue.  After two hours, he finished though.  And he really was super nice and fun.  Mixed emotions. haha

            After he left, we got to wander the ruins by ourselves taking pictures and investigating.  It was definitely something tourists did in the mornings, b/c by mid-afternoon we were about ready to go and absolutely no one was left in the park.  Just us Lucas’. haha

            Once we were done at the ruins, it was pretty late in the afternoon and we were getting pretty hungry.  So we ate at this little Honduran/American (they not only had menus, but the menus had English translation…heck yes!) where I had, no joke, THE best cheeseburger I’ve ever eaten.  For real.  I haven’t had a hamburger since then (even though that’s pretty normal), knowing that no cheeseburger will ever compare to that one.  Kind of disappointing, but at least I got to experience it. :p

            Thinking we would beat the black out that night, Sarah and I left early to get our showers in…JUST as the lights went out.  Thankfully this time the sun hadn’t set yet, so we got to wander the town a bit and see the center.  By the time we were done, the lights came back on and we got ready for bed right away.  Except for Dad, who was tearing Sarah’s computer apart to fix it.  Yep, the lights went out just as he got all the parts OUT and had the tiny pieces all over my bed.  So, that was an experience for him…putting a computer back together by flashlight. haha

            Sarah was helping Dad, and Mom and I were sprawled out on the other side of the room enduring the heat and being bored.  In an effort to conquer boredom, we began playing 20 questions…soon Dad and Sarah joined in yelling their questions to us from the other side.  Hilarious, good family time. 

            And that’s how we spent the rest of our night. :)

Since the previous day was so exhausting, we slept in for a little bit the next day.  However, we were up and at it pretty quick, because we were heading for Copan next.  Google maps said 5 hours, but true to Honduran landscape it took us more like 7.  Again, so worth it. 

            We got there in time for dinner and it was dark already.  So we went into a restaurant to get some food (Side note: Everything in Hondruas is so open.  Like literally the walls aren’t there….it’s open and full of fresh air.  Even Sarah’s school was like that: All the hallways and lockers were in the open air.  I love it…if we had a tropical climate, I would suggest it for the US :P) After we ordered and had settled in the lights went completely out.  Black out.  Apparently this was no big deal, b/c a few minutes later, an employee came out with battery-operated lights to hang up.  I guess it happens all the time there. So we ate our dinner together in a definitely different setting.  Okay, and then comes the crazy part of the story: Toward the end of dinner, Dad turns to Mom and asks: “Is there something on my back?” Heck YES, there was!  A freaking giant locust crawling its way up Dad’s back! Oh my gosh, I totally flipped out.  So gross.  Either Sarah or Mom got the courage to flick it off and no joke, that bad boy THUDDED when it hit the ground.  It was a monster.  Sadly, I didn’t represent Americans very well as I jumped into my seat pulling my legs up and shouted “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Can we please leave?!” haha Pretty embarrassing as the Honduran family beside us just laughed.  Funny now. 100% horrifying then.  Note to self/all others: Locusts are big.  It’s no wonder John the Baptist never starved.  He feasted on those things.

            Rest of our evening: Reading by candlelight on the hotel balcony.  True Lucas style.

The day I’ve been wanting to experience for quite a few years now – visiting Dad’s village.  We met up with Lydia at 8 and made the “two” hour drive in about 4 hours.  The last hour and a half being on painfully bumpy and dusty road.  But we did arrive and were greeted by very excited families and a delicious tipico meal.  The day consisted of a whirlwind of meeting people, seeing where Dad had lived, seeing the clinic Mom worked at, walking through the village.  Considering Sarah and I speak no Spanish (well, Sarah says she doesn’t but I think she sounds pretty impressive), we became the camera people of the day, capturing peoples’ surprised faces and excited hugs.  It. Was. Awesome.  We were completely drained by the end, but it was definitely worth every second.  I’m SO happy and excited that I got to see all of that.

Sarah’s classroom! 

            So, they start at 7:00.  In the morning.  Gosh, basically child abuse, I say.  haha We had to leave the house by 6:40 and as a college student, may I just say: “I protest.”

            Anyway, it was completely worth it of course.  They were SOOOOO cute and so excited to see us.  Definitely made me feel loved. haha Sadly, it was a half day, so we didn’t get even half the time I would have loved to have.  Favorite part was that during individual reading time, we got to read with them.  As soon as Sarah said it they freaked out haha We totally got swarmed, so it definitely became group reading instead of individual.  So great.  Gosh, just thinking about it makes me want to go back.  But yep, it was so cool and great to see Sarah interacting with them and to see how she manages her class.  Not something I could imagine before, but it seemed so normal and natural when I saw her in action.  Definitely proud to call her my sister. :)

            Sarah had a ton of work to do after school, so once we got some lunch she took us back home to chill while she went in to work.  Basically, for me, that meant a two and a half hour nap.  Yeeeeeeeees.  Perfect as always. :p

            Jullienne’s parents came in that afternoon, so that evening we went to a restauraunt together with a few of the other girls.  Turned out to be a pretty stressful evening though between traffic, forgetting that it was Father’s day in Honduras, and a loud/crowded restaurant.  Oh well, can’t win them all.  It was a wonderful day despite it!

We went to Sarah’s church (surprise? haha) and got to meet some more of her friends.  After the service, they had a carry-in for the teachers, so while we waited for it to get together we headed to a little park two minutes away to chat and enjoy the extremely hot sun.  Low and behold, we met a family from the Goshen area! Haha Mom played the Mennonite game and discovered they were friends of one of the kids Grandpa and Grandma fostered.  And also, that Great-Grandma had crocheted the girl’s (who the parents were visiting that week – she taught at another school in Teguc) baby dresses.  Small world – from Goshen to Tegucigalpa J

            Over lunch we got to know Jen V and Jess a bit better and hear there concerns/excitement for the schools there.  As a whole people gave out prayer requests and we had a short time to pray with our tables.  Good stuff.  Always good when we join together like that in prayer.  Always.

            After church we went to the mall (the place of entertainment for the well-to-do of Teguc…some of them have literally never been to Centro for fear of gangs.  Amazes me really…they’ve grown up in this city and have NEVER ventured out of FEAR of their own city) to get frozen yogurt from another one of Sarah’s favorite places.  Good stuff for sure.

            And then good ol’ Sunday afternoon chillin.  Starting with a nap.  Aw, there’s nothing better! Also, cooking dinner with Sarah and her housemates.  Hilarious and awesome.  Totally reminded me of good times with my 88 Pinnocks ladies :)

            Oh and that evening we went to a Honduran circus.  No big. ;)

             Exhausted – what I felt like through the entire trip (altitude/college life perhaps?) – we had a lie in the following morning.  But of course not too late (in my opinion).  Woke up and had a beautiful breakfast on the balcony/patio with Sarah.  And then got ready for a trip to Valle de Angelas.

            Valle was amazing – a quaint little village about a half hour from Sarah’s place that sells the best souvenirs and craft items in Honduras.  So we spent the morning and afternoon there, stopping at every single store that sold jewelry (totally a steal there) and other items for gifts/ourselves.  Also: I got to experience my first Espresso Americano, the coffee place Sarah has raved about for the past two years.  Oh my gosh, I now understand!  They have these cold drinks called granitas – heaven in my mouth.  Awesome sauce.  So, yes I was very pleased with Valle.

            After Valle we were going to go to the circus, but decided it was too much for the day…so for dinner we headed to Sarah’s favorite restaurant – a little, hole-in-the-wall (or to be literal: in the garage) place down the street.  Delicious, typico (typical) Honduran food. Yum.

         Then, relaxing with a movie at home to complete the day.  Love it.