Where to begin??!

Sorry for the lack of communication recently. The internet here is so slow these days I tend not to bother using it! However I thought I'd give it a try now as I have so much to say. The good news is we are changing servers next week to a faster provider so hopefully things will improve! Now....where to begin...

Ok. On the 10th September we had 'Children's Day' which turned out to be fun. Lots of pinatas and therefore children with sticks, but it was good. Profe Edit came and helped me in the class as I had Grade 1 and so the party was best in Spanish. It was very Honduran, the parents provided the food but we ate in an interesting order - ice-cream and cake, followed by crisps and biscuits, followed by sweets and then finally chicken and rice - which they obviously were too full to eat. It was a good day,although the children were high as kites!

Then on the Friday we had our Independence Day March through town. The other schools mostly had marching bands (Samba style) but we had a float with children dressed as animals on it!!? The theme was environment and health. We weren't so much marching as going for a gentle stroll I think. As we started Profe Edit came and told me not to dance!! The drums and the Smaba rhythm made that slightly difficult for me I have to say. We 'ambled' along the streets and as we got closer to the main stage where the schools stopped to salute to the mayor and dignitaries Mark and I were suddenly stopped by soldiers who tried to push us into the crowd. Some of the parents rushed over to explain to them that we were teachers and were supposed to be the children but they weren't having it and as the soldiers had big guns we had to leave the parade!! We were allowed to catch up with the school a bit later on. It was amusing though as all the others were allowed to march!!
The next day was actually Independence Day itself and the High School was marching so I went down with them which was impressive to watch. Some of the other school bands are amazing to say the least.

I will include more photos shortly!

Pictures of School at last!

Ok, those last pictures turned out quite small! Here are pics of my school, it is basically a square. As you enter the school you have Kinder and Prepa in front of you, my house and Elementary on the left, High school on the Right and in line with entrance you have the offices, the Commidore (hall thing) and a few more High school classes.
Here are the photos. On Monday we have 'Dia del Nino' which is Children's Day and so we have parties. High School are all going out to a poor rural school to take them food and play games with them. My class will just have pinatas and party day, the parents are all bringing food etc. So more photos then. Then on Friday we have Independence Day March through the town. All schools are marching, we have been practising evey day and are fairly rubbish! I am at the back with a group of naughty boys and so it's hilarious - they just can't get it right and salute in the wrong direction!
I am at Sue's today looking after the 3 kids as she and Ken go to the airport to pick up her parents. Hurray - Uncle Ken is coming!!!!

The computer is still messing up here, but the photo with the pink bourgonvillia (excuse spelling!) outside is my house!! The 3rd pic down is the elementary building!

The opening of the Plaza.

Well last Saturday was the grand opening of the Plaza in town. They had the President there and there was a big parade to mark the occasion. I was in my element! There was a group of us in town, and Amanda and Marlon stayed to watch the parade with me; and Noel went back with Aldo to watch a film (he missed out big time!) As we were waiting, I made friends with 2 little village children who were selling corn. They seemed quite attached to us and so we gave them my water etc. I was also very taken with the 3 large ladies sat chatting on the bench opposite me. They were very obliging and posed for a photo for me!!

The army was there, shooting blanks at the crowd as part of the 'show'. I was standing on the back of a bench watching and somehow found myself cheering very loudly, as I was enjoying the parade so much. Therefore unintentionally drawing attention to Amanda and I (as if we didn't stand out enough as the white girls standing on a bench!) Whoops!! I was told quickly to be quiet!!
Here are some photos... Some of the photos are above this blog as they went in the wrong place and refused to move!! There are some of town but it looks strange as the traffic was stopped for the day which is unheard of, it is usually chaotic.

Hurricane Felix???

Well, as I said yesterday, we had the day off school waiting with great anticipation fo Felix. By about 2pm the rain started - but nothing impressive. It was meant to hit us by 2am Wed morning so we went to bed with the windows all closed, torches ready etc. The whole town was on red-alert.

I woke up to...a cloudy sky. Felix was pathetic by the time he reached us. In fact he changed course and totally missed us! Obviously we had another day off school just to make sure! Ironically, yesterday as we waited for the hurricane, Sue got sunburnt doing her gardening Today we have been out killing the leaf-stripper ants in her garden! It is cloudy here due to the Tropical Depression, but it's not even raining! I have to say I was incredibly disappointed, though needless to say relieved that vast numbers of people weren't klled, but still disappointed!! Very bizarre we had today off school! But who am I to complain about that??!!

I've been up at Sue's house all day which has been great to get away from school for a day, I'll stay here tonight and return to school with them in the morning.

So..it appears I was right - it is a safe place to live! Oh one other thing...Esther here (and Richard in Worthing) searched Google for info on Siguatepeque and the red alert ofr Felix and the first website to come up quoted my blog!! SOmeone had found it and used it! Not overly impressed by that bit but it made me look like a hurricane expert, which is very funny. It said "Katharine Marrow, who lives in a safe mountain town in Central Honduras" and then it went on!!!

Fame at last!!

Hurricane Henriette isn't supposed to come near us - I can but hope for more time off school though!!

Felix Update.....

Well, Hurricane Felix seems to have changed his mind about which direction to take and has decided that heading straight through the centre of Honduras is the best route. SO that is what we are waiting for! By tomorrow (Wed)a.m we should be in for some big winds. He has gone back up to a category 5 but should in theory be a Tropical Storm by the time it reaches us!

School has been cancelled today as the heavy rain is expected to start this afternoon and there will probably be no school tomorrow either (hurray!) It's weird though as the sun is shining and it's peaceful, the band are practising near by ready for Independence Day parades. A bit too peaceful in some ways as people are just waiting for devestation. It's an eeary feel in school. The teacher's are here working - needless to say I am not!!

I'm off now to buy a few more candles just in case and some milk! At least our oven is run by a gas canister so we will be able to eat!!

Not much else to say....will let you know what happens! If you watch the news we're not close to the coast which will be hit badly!!

Hurricane Felix

Yes .... there is a hurricane heading to Honduras....and yes...I am in Honduras!! Good news is that it will most likely miss us here. Siguatepeque is right in the centre of Honduras and the safest place to be as it is so central and in the mountains. We are expecting it to be a bit windy(!?) with heavy rains, flooded roads, mudslides etc. But nothing as dramatic as the coast is going to be. We are praying it misses us - but it would be exciting!!!

On Saturday I went into town to the opening of a Plaza. It was very impressive as the President of Honduras was there and there was a carnival/parade. I loved it all. I am trying to resize all of my photos at the moment so that I can get them all on this blog - they are huge as they are! At least I now have photos and so you will be seeing them very soon!!

I'll keep you informed of Hurricane Felix (and Hurricane Henriette who is due north of us eaerly next week!!)