So much to say...so little time..

OK so I am going to try and update you all with the ever increasing amount of things that happen here.
I have no idea what is going on with these photos - they wont let me put them where I want them and so you will have to guess which one is which as you read!! Sorry about that!
Straight after the Independence Day March we went off to Utila for the weekend - an idyllic Caribbean Island! The 'we' being Dave and Esther (Canadian couple who are my age and just lovely), Noel, Amanda and myself. Mark (who also lives with Amanda, Noe and me) decided to go to El Salvador with Deb and some other Americans from around town who went surfing and volcano climbing!
Anyway, we drove down to La Ceiba and then after staying there the night we caught the early ferry to Utila. It is simply gorgeous there. The others did lots of Snorkeling over the coral and I did lots of relaxing reading my book on the beach. Needless to say we all came back very brown and relaxed. I have also turned remarkably blonde in all this sun! Helped along by the fact we all decided to put the 'lemon juice in the hair' theory to the test! Yep - it works, my hair is a totally different colour to when I left! Nothing like making yourself stand out even more from the Hondurans!!! It was just what we needed to get away from the first few crazy weeks and the stress of the marching practises!!


Sue's parents are here (good old Uncle Ken and Jill) and so last weekend (not yesterday) we went to Copan for the weekend as a big family. It was wonderful, I finally got to go around the Parrot Park!! It was good to go back and not have the stress of the language school!

Last week was fairly eventful in it's way. Noel ended up in hospital for 2 nights! He had been bitten by some random insects on his calf which had made both of his feet swell up to enormous size! I have never seen feet so big - and it was both of them! Very amusing! Anyway, we decided it was best he went to have them checked and as it was football night I went with him and the others went to play football! Unfortunately none of the doctors or nurses spoke English and so it took a while with my Spanish! We got there ( with the help of a phone call to Josh - Sue's son!) who translated the doctor for us!! His feet are fine now after being on a drip and large amounts of Steroids! Apparently his reactions to bites are worse due to his asthma. None of the rest of us have asthma so hopefully it wont happen to us! Whilst he was away we got to know Mark better as he spent more time in our house for company. All good fun.

This last Friday provided us with yet more parades! I love it. This time it was Defiles de Antorches. A torchlight parade to celebrate the end of Independence Month! It was raining which was a real shame but it continued anyway. It went past the end of our road we we all piled out in our raincoats and watched the schools with the marching bands playing and dancing along. With the candles and torches it was spectacular, the echoing of the drums between the buildings was 'awesome' as my Canadians would say!

Saturday was yet more bands. I've been in my element! It was the Battle of the Bands competition in the local stadium. The bands had their best uniforms on and was just spectacular. The dancing and playing etc is indescribable - but I have hundreds of photos to prove it! Dave wanted to play with my camera and so he wandered off with it - and I have all the pics!! It was a very hot day sat facing the sun and so needless to say my face is still red and waiting to go a nice darker shade of brown! There are some good things about living here!! SO it has just been lots of fun!

One thing not so good is that one of our friends - an American guy named John- has got Dengue. IT is a bit like Malaria, caught from Mosquito bites, but has worse effects and pain. He is also in the hospital now but should be home soon as there is no cure, you just have to wait it out. He is there as his white blood cell count is too low?! We are all praying he Will be well again soon - and that we don't get it too. They think he got it in El Salvador as it is a big problem there. It is not so big here yet and I hope it stays that way!

Uncle Ken and Jill leave on Wednesday it has been good having them around. We have Wednesday off for 'Soldiers Day'. You have to laugh!!!!! Next week we have Friday off for something else but after that there are no more holidays!! Sadly!

My class are slowly understanding me a bit. A long and painful process but they are very cute. I've roped Mark into coming and making Sock Puppets with them this week - I am always looking for help! I teach 35 hours a week and the others only about 20 or so and so I maximise on this where I can.

We had our 2nd Spanish lesson today, it was great fun. I understood it all which was good!

Now, post isn't making it through to me. I'm not sure why as parcels dad sent 2 months ago are still not here. I live in hope mind you. We are desperate for DVD's here. It is our only form of relaxation in the house when it rains and we have watched all of my ones. IF anyone can send any out I'd be v grateful. Beth do you still have my Bridget Jones 1??!!! Chick flicks and girlie films are v welcomed, as are comedies...in fact anything. I've even resorted to watching a James Bond film, mind you we only have one of those! So please anyone..send DVD's!!! and Cadburys!

I don't know how long it takes to get things to Canada (I think 2-3 weeks normal airmail) but Amanda is going home for a wedding on 23rd October and can bring things back for me. IF things are posted in the next few days I guess they would get there for her to bring to me here - may be quicker?! If you address it to her then her parents wont get confused. I'm not sure of her real surname as it is Dutch but I call Amanda Van Hoffle Hoffle!
SO....

Amanda Van Hoffle Hoffle
90 Centre Street East
Richmond Hill, Ontario
L4C 1A4
CANADA

I would love to hear from people, but I also have not given up hope on the things that have already been sent. I look forward to a nice surprise one day!!

Sorry I have not given much detail but so much has happened it is hard to write about it all in one go!!

Please keep in touch. It's hard for me to always reply straight away but I love hearing from you all.