If you want to see my photo tour of England click on this link (more to follow)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=139683&l=24764&id=876635272
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=139618&l=10b28&id=876635272
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=139603&l=1a13f&id=876635272
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
Long and waffly!
It is hard to believe that it is only just over a week ago that I was sat on this ferry...and yet here I am again. This time no jet lag – just tired! It is a gloriously blue sky outside and the sea is calm and sparkly as I cross back over in the car ferry to the IOW.
I have done so much and seen so many people in this past week. It has been really lovely to catch up with friends again. It has made me realise how much I have missed them – particularly Lynsey (and Lucy!) I have literally spent all day every day meeting up with people again – everyone carefully timetabled in so I don’t miss anyone! I’m sorry if I have missed you – it’s all a bit crazy and I left all my phone number sin Honduras! I was very glad that I got to go into Chesswood (the school I taught in) again to see the kids and say goodbye to those going up to High School now. I have only been gone a year, in some ways it feels like I have been gone forever and in other ways feels like I never left – strange combination.
I have mastered driving again – only to be confused once I get back to Hondy! I am still confused as to which side of the car to get into, but that is nothing new as I have been like that all year anyway!
So what have I done?
I’ve been into school; met friends; been to Ikea; Denis’ leaving party; Victoria’s baby shower; Elaine put on a BBQ for all my friends from church (was wonderful Elaine thank you so much!) had chips on the beach; cream teas; paddled in the sea; saw the annual firework display on the end of the pier; spoken to everyone at church with a presentation about my life in Honduras...and even went to see Bucks Fizz at a free concert on the beach. They were wonderfully awful and the groups on stage before them were like bad Karaoke acts! I have never seen so many pikey people in one place as I did in the crowd that night – weirdo’s the lot of them!! I have driven round the country and seen Caroline and the kids and Peter. It’s a shame I didn’t get to spend more time with them, but I’m here for a short time and everyone is very busy.
I was very excited to learn that Alastair is going to Grantham to train for the British Water Polo Team and maybe be in the 2012 Olympics! I looked after him and his twin sister Fiona since they were little and even taught him in Year 5. He is one of the loveliest teenage boys I know and he will go a long way – good luck Ali! (Fiona is lovely too!)
Has been crazy busy, but great.
Here are some observations I have made:
· Nobody here beeps their horn whilst driving – all very polite! In Honduras if you don’t move within a second when the lights change the whole road is beeping you – yet here everyone just waits, getting silently cross!
· Knife Culture is the new phenomenon – sounds like Honduras in some places! London sounds horrendous. Apparently during the fireworks 3 people were stabbed – but clearly not where I was standing!
· Petrol is far too expensive
· England is very, very green (as in fields etc) I don’t think I have ever really appreciated it before but it is lovely. Even flying in over London you see all the parks etc. When I flew over New York it was just buildings for as far as the eye could see. Horrible.
· I love Worthing beach. I may live near the Caribbean Sea but Worthing beach will always be my favourite!
· I also love Ryde beach!
· I didn’t realise how much I miss hot sausage rolls fresh from the bakery- Forfars bakery in fact.
· It is not until you see your friends again that you realise how much you have missed them! It has been so lovely getting to know little Lucy and Henry – and seeing Lynsey again!
· I really do love St George’s church – the nutty bunch of people there!!!
· TV is quite rubbish!
Profound heh??!! There are probably more that will come to me!
I am now going to spend a few days with Dad on the island and then it’s back to Worthing at the weekend for the dentist and Henry’s baptism.
Then a week today I fly back to Honduras, which I am looking forward to, although it will be sad to say goodbye. With my track record I have every confidence I will end up in tears at the airport!!! Pathetic!
( Took a while to get this on the internet sorry!)
I have done so much and seen so many people in this past week. It has been really lovely to catch up with friends again. It has made me realise how much I have missed them – particularly Lynsey (and Lucy!) I have literally spent all day every day meeting up with people again – everyone carefully timetabled in so I don’t miss anyone! I’m sorry if I have missed you – it’s all a bit crazy and I left all my phone number sin Honduras! I was very glad that I got to go into Chesswood (the school I taught in) again to see the kids and say goodbye to those going up to High School now. I have only been gone a year, in some ways it feels like I have been gone forever and in other ways feels like I never left – strange combination.
I have mastered driving again – only to be confused once I get back to Hondy! I am still confused as to which side of the car to get into, but that is nothing new as I have been like that all year anyway!
So what have I done?
I’ve been into school; met friends; been to Ikea; Denis’ leaving party; Victoria’s baby shower; Elaine put on a BBQ for all my friends from church (was wonderful Elaine thank you so much!) had chips on the beach; cream teas; paddled in the sea; saw the annual firework display on the end of the pier; spoken to everyone at church with a presentation about my life in Honduras...and even went to see Bucks Fizz at a free concert on the beach. They were wonderfully awful and the groups on stage before them were like bad Karaoke acts! I have never seen so many pikey people in one place as I did in the crowd that night – weirdo’s the lot of them!! I have driven round the country and seen Caroline and the kids and Peter. It’s a shame I didn’t get to spend more time with them, but I’m here for a short time and everyone is very busy.
I was very excited to learn that Alastair is going to Grantham to train for the British Water Polo Team and maybe be in the 2012 Olympics! I looked after him and his twin sister Fiona since they were little and even taught him in Year 5. He is one of the loveliest teenage boys I know and he will go a long way – good luck Ali! (Fiona is lovely too!)
Has been crazy busy, but great.
Here are some observations I have made:
· Nobody here beeps their horn whilst driving – all very polite! In Honduras if you don’t move within a second when the lights change the whole road is beeping you – yet here everyone just waits, getting silently cross!
· Knife Culture is the new phenomenon – sounds like Honduras in some places! London sounds horrendous. Apparently during the fireworks 3 people were stabbed – but clearly not where I was standing!
· Petrol is far too expensive
· England is very, very green (as in fields etc) I don’t think I have ever really appreciated it before but it is lovely. Even flying in over London you see all the parks etc. When I flew over New York it was just buildings for as far as the eye could see. Horrible.
· I love Worthing beach. I may live near the Caribbean Sea but Worthing beach will always be my favourite!
· I also love Ryde beach!
· I didn’t realise how much I miss hot sausage rolls fresh from the bakery- Forfars bakery in fact.
· It is not until you see your friends again that you realise how much you have missed them! It has been so lovely getting to know little Lucy and Henry – and seeing Lynsey again!
· I really do love St George’s church – the nutty bunch of people there!!!
· TV is quite rubbish!
Profound heh??!! There are probably more that will come to me!
I am now going to spend a few days with Dad on the island and then it’s back to Worthing at the weekend for the dentist and Henry’s baptism.
Then a week today I fly back to Honduras, which I am looking forward to, although it will be sad to say goodbye. With my track record I have every confidence I will end up in tears at the airport!!! Pathetic!
( Took a while to get this on the internet sorry!)
Friday, 18 July 2008
Driving chaos
Considering I have driven in Enland for 12 years and Honduras only for 1, I am unsure as to how I am this confused!? In Honduras they drive on the opposite side of the car and the road to here. Driving today was perhaps the scariest experience ever! Maybe driving with jetlag isn't the wisest of choices....but heh!
So, for whatever the reason, I was thoroughly confused driving today! Driving on the motorway was fine - all going in the same direction - and was nice to be in a fast car actually going at about 130(ish) km.p.h again. But...driving through the streets of Worthing really confused me. I just had no idea which side to drive on - especially when I got to a junction! At one point, I sat athe St Georges Rd/Church Walk crossroads and for some reason had brain freeze and could just not work out which side of the road I needed to be on. After sitting there a while with no cars going by, I pulled over to the side of the road in a parking place and waited for a car to pass for me to follow. HOW SAD IS THAT???
I'm getting used to it though!
So, for whatever the reason, I was thoroughly confused driving today! Driving on the motorway was fine - all going in the same direction - and was nice to be in a fast car actually going at about 130(ish) km.p.h again. But...driving through the streets of Worthing really confused me. I just had no idea which side to drive on - especially when I got to a junction! At one point, I sat athe St Georges Rd/Church Walk crossroads and for some reason had brain freeze and could just not work out which side of the road I needed to be on. After sitting there a while with no cars going by, I pulled over to the side of the road in a parking place and waited for a car to pass for me to follow. HOW SAD IS THAT???
I'm getting used to it though!
Planes, Wheelchairs, Cars and Hovercrafts
I am back in England and as I sit and write this I am sat on the Isle of Wight car ferry – which means I have 40 mins to write this (will put it onto internet tonight at Beth’s house!)
A view of the I.O.W. from the ferry.
I have lots to write so will start from the beginning. On Monday I left Honduras – after a morning of cleaning the house for Kike, who will be staying there whilst I am away. AND paying a deposit on a new house I have rented for when I get back!!! Hurray I found one – was traumatic deciding if it was the right one, but I think it is!
Jen Hess gave me, Dave and Esther a lift to San Pedro and as we all had night flights we spent the afternoon relaxing in her house. Now at the airport I had my boot on – which proved to be a huge blessing! I was at the airport feeling exhausted after a busy day, dehydrated from lack of water, with a head ache and my foot was hurting. As I stood in the queue I suddenly thought I was going to pass out so sat down quickly....now I must have gone v pale because the man behind me said that I should have a wheelchair and with my boot I should not be queuing up. He rushed to the front desk on my behalf, but there was no one around who could push a chair. He came back saying they were going to sort something. 5 mins later he rushed up again saying they had forgotten me. At this point I was so tired I burst into tears. Now I am yet to work out why I cry in airports, I guess it must be the stress of not actually knowing where I am going or if I have to collect my luggage etc. Who knows?! Anyway, Esther came over and I was taken to the front of the queue. They said there were no upgrades but they would give me a seat with leg room. I wandered off to my gate - for some unknown reason still crying – it was very amusing as I just couldn’t stop!!! Poor old Esther having to stand with me looking like a lemon!! (Me not Esther!)
Anyway, on TACA there was 1 person in business class and so I asked if I could move up there for more leg room. They said no and so as I was feeling stubborn I put both my feet into the isle to stretch them out! Whereupon the air hostess rushed up to me and said I must move to business class at once as I couldn’t block the isle!! Who was I to argue eh?!
At JFK airport in New York I was met by a wheelchair and wheeled through the airport. I highly recommend it – you don’t queue for anything, they wheel you straight through customs and to the front of any queue there may be – everyone is super nice to you. It was such a sight. Anyway, I collected my bag and the porter said he couldn’t take me any further as he was only to work in the TACA terminal. Well...I was not about to be left stranded in the middle of the night, with a boot on my foot and a big suitcase. So eventually the manager gave him permission to take me to the BA terminal – on the air train...like I’d ever have found that on my own!?! He took me straight to the BA desk – where I changed to a BA wheelchair....so funny!!! I got taken straight through check in, through customs, security etc and taken to the gate – not one queue I tell you!!! At the gate I had a 3 hour boring wait ahead of me. The shops weren’t open and I didn’t have any dollars anyway as someone stole them from the house the week before leaving!
After a night at John’s house – where I was frozen and had to have a blanket on my bed - I made my way to the IOW and caught a hovercraft over here to the Isle of Wight to see Dad.
This is the hovercraft (for those that have never seen one!)
Yesterday was my birthday, I slept for a lot of it, then went to a Roman Villa for lunch. How educated of me to go look at historical ruins and archaeology on my birthday??!!!
So much for the English summer – it’s FREEZING. Where is the sun? I am sooo cold here! My biggest problem right now is working out which side of the road to drive on. Now considering I have only driven a year in Honduras – on the other side of the road and the car – I didn’t think it would be this difficult to get back to driving here. But it is!! I am just sooo confused! Roundabouts throw me completely. I just hope I get dad’s car back safely!! I can’t promise! I am still really jet lagged and can’t wait to get back to a normal sleep pattern. Another observation...washing powder here really smells..my clothes stink, frsh thuogh I guess!!
My ferry is now not moving anywhere, but has stopped in the middle, whilst we wait for a war ship - HMS something or other - to pass. An impressive ship.
Am off to Worthing now to meet friends. The ferry is coming into the harbour so have to go....
A view of the I.O.W. from the ferry.I have lots to write so will start from the beginning. On Monday I left Honduras – after a morning of cleaning the house for Kike, who will be staying there whilst I am away. AND paying a deposit on a new house I have rented for when I get back!!! Hurray I found one – was traumatic deciding if it was the right one, but I think it is!
Jen Hess gave me, Dave and Esther a lift to San Pedro and as we all had night flights we spent the afternoon relaxing in her house. Now at the airport I had my boot on – which proved to be a huge blessing! I was at the airport feeling exhausted after a busy day, dehydrated from lack of water, with a head ache and my foot was hurting. As I stood in the queue I suddenly thought I was going to pass out so sat down quickly....now I must have gone v pale because the man behind me said that I should have a wheelchair and with my boot I should not be queuing up. He rushed to the front desk on my behalf, but there was no one around who could push a chair. He came back saying they were going to sort something. 5 mins later he rushed up again saying they had forgotten me. At this point I was so tired I burst into tears. Now I am yet to work out why I cry in airports, I guess it must be the stress of not actually knowing where I am going or if I have to collect my luggage etc. Who knows?! Anyway, Esther came over and I was taken to the front of the queue. They said there were no upgrades but they would give me a seat with leg room. I wandered off to my gate - for some unknown reason still crying – it was very amusing as I just couldn’t stop!!! Poor old Esther having to stand with me looking like a lemon!! (Me not Esther!)
Anyway, on TACA there was 1 person in business class and so I asked if I could move up there for more leg room. They said no and so as I was feeling stubborn I put both my feet into the isle to stretch them out! Whereupon the air hostess rushed up to me and said I must move to business class at once as I couldn’t block the isle!! Who was I to argue eh?!
At JFK airport in New York I was met by a wheelchair and wheeled through the airport. I highly recommend it – you don’t queue for anything, they wheel you straight through customs and to the front of any queue there may be – everyone is super nice to you. It was such a sight. Anyway, I collected my bag and the porter said he couldn’t take me any further as he was only to work in the TACA terminal. Well...I was not about to be left stranded in the middle of the night, with a boot on my foot and a big suitcase. So eventually the manager gave him permission to take me to the BA terminal – on the air train...like I’d ever have found that on my own!?! He took me straight to the BA desk – where I changed to a BA wheelchair....so funny!!! I got taken straight through check in, through customs, security etc and taken to the gate – not one queue I tell you!!! At the gate I had a 3 hour boring wait ahead of me. The shops weren’t open and I didn’t have any dollars anyway as someone stole them from the house the week before leaving!
Another lady turned up in a wheel chair along with her husband. Turns out she was from Guatemala and so I had a long chat with her – in Spanish. She was just so lovely. We were taken onto the plane first, which was a pretty empty flight. I was sat in a seat with loads of leg room, but the air hostess insisted I move behind and have a row to myself so I could lift the arm rests up and lie down and sleep for the journey. I agreed happily! The man who’s seat I was in turned up and the hostess - or is it flight attendant now? – managed to convince him that my old seat was much nicer and how lucky he was to have been moved!
After a long boring flight, that I slept most of the way through, I got off the plane – to my awaiting wheelchair!! A young Muslim girl was pushing me and my Spanish speaking friend was in her chair and off we went. I was the only one in our little party who could speak Spanish and at the Customs desk I was delegated to be the translator!!!! Sooooooooooo funny. Me?? Translator?! Anyway, surprisingly enough I managed it and we all got through.
After a long boring flight, that I slept most of the way through, I got off the plane – to my awaiting wheelchair!! A young Muslim girl was pushing me and my Spanish speaking friend was in her chair and off we went. I was the only one in our little party who could speak Spanish and at the Customs desk I was delegated to be the translator!!!! Sooooooooooo funny. Me?? Translator?! Anyway, surprisingly enough I managed it and we all got through.
John met me at the airport and didn’t recognise me. He wasn’t standing at the barrier itself and so couldn’t see me in my chair – could just here me shouting and see a Muslim girl waving at him!! I got wheeled straight to the car!! I have wheelchairs booked for my flight home too – my boot is too big to carry so have to wear it!! Shame!
After a night at John’s house – where I was frozen and had to have a blanket on my bed - I made my way to the IOW and caught a hovercraft over here to the Isle of Wight to see Dad.
This is the hovercraft (for those that have never seen one!)Yesterday was my birthday, I slept for a lot of it, then went to a Roman Villa for lunch. How educated of me to go look at historical ruins and archaeology on my birthday??!!!
So much for the English summer – it’s FREEZING. Where is the sun? I am sooo cold here! My biggest problem right now is working out which side of the road to drive on. Now considering I have only driven a year in Honduras – on the other side of the road and the car – I didn’t think it would be this difficult to get back to driving here. But it is!! I am just sooo confused! Roundabouts throw me completely. I just hope I get dad’s car back safely!! I can’t promise! I am still really jet lagged and can’t wait to get back to a normal sleep pattern. Another observation...washing powder here really smells..my clothes stink, frsh thuogh I guess!!
My ferry is now not moving anywhere, but has stopped in the middle, whilst we wait for a war ship - HMS something or other - to pass. An impressive ship.
Am off to Worthing now to meet friends. The ferry is coming into the harbour so have to go....
Sunday, 13 July 2008
A summer summary
After the initial trauma of life here at camp I am LOVING the holidays! I am just having such an amazing time. So much has happened here over the last few weeks that it is hard to write it all down and so I am going to summarise it as best I can.
Random picture of an amazing caterpillar!
- I've been meeting new people, making new friends, getting to know people better and spending more time with my friends. (The best part of my holiday)
- I've been practising my Spanish daily.
Relaxing with a movie
- I went with the team to a local children's home where my friend Melodie works and where some of the kids in my class come from. The team played games, craft activities, sang etc. Was great!
- Patricia and her brother (wearing the necklace she made!)
- This past 2 weeks there has been a bilingual camp on and so I have been eating my meals up there and joining in a bit - getting to know some of the Honduran leaders better has been another highlight of my holiday.
- I had severe food poisoning - never felt so ill. But am fully better now.
- Went to the Caribbean Sea last weekend to recover from said food poisoning with the team from Wisconsin, who were at the camp.
- I found a house to rent today to live in when I get back. It's very exciting, a newly built house - just need furniture now...
- I've now sold the puppies apart from the 2 I am keeping and the 1 Sue is keeping.
- Enoc and Jorge put up a bigger fence to give the puppies a bigger pen to play in whilst I'm away and Kike is looking after them.
The whole camp 
The leaders
Small puppy pen....
New puppy pen!
Working hard!- Realised just how lovely my friends are when Jorge and Enoc gave me a surprise birthday cake on Saturday night as I won't be here for my birthday! In fact, it was lovely.. a fantastic praise and worship service at church to celebrate the church's anniversary (I LOVED that service because the worship group were amazing - well done guys - and we sang nearly all my favourite English songs in Spanish!). Anyway, after church we went shopping and came back here cos the boys were going to cook dinner!! Amazing! Before we started cooking they pulled out a birthday cake for me and started singing...I'm surprised I managed not to cry!! As it turns out, we ate eventually at 10pm and it was surprisingly good!!
- We think we got burgled several times as money and ipods have mysteriously gone missing. Who knows?
Puppies exploring
And so it continues, but I shall bore you no further with it!
I fly back to the UK tomorrow, arriving Tuesday night for 3 weeks. So far my plans aren't solid, but here is a rough guide...
I arrive Tuesday night (15th)- John (my brother) will meet me at the airport
Wednesday 16th - go to IOW
Thursday 17th - my birthday!
Friday 18th - go to Worthing for Denis' farewell party, followed by meeting Marina for dinner!
Sat 19th - Haslemere reunion
Sun 20th - St G's
Mon - Wed/Thurs - in Worthing
Wed/Thurs - visit Pete - possibly going on to Caroline? John at some point too.
Weekend back in Worthing, then Monday back to IOW?
OK so thats as far as I have got!! I will pretty much be in Worthing for the weekends at any rate.
I fly back to Honduras on Monday 4th Aug - arriving Tues 5th
Random picture of an amazing caterpillar!
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
Houses and Hospitals
I remember writing that things would turn normal when Dave and Esther moved in - yeah right! Never a dull moment round here at the moment - what a change!
The dogs still haven't returned, the general concensus around here is that they have been taken - they are nice looking dogs. I feel bad about it, but know there is nothing I can do/could have done.
From the end of August I will no longer be house sitting for the O'Connors next door - I've done my house sitting time and it really isn't practical as it is out of town etc etc. Which means I need to find somewhere to live. The school house will have the new teachers in it, and as much as I loved and appreciated that house I am looking forward to not living on the job and actually settling down here. So....a house. I am looking to rent in town and surprisingly there is an estate agent lady who deals with house rentals. Now I can't afford any of the houses she has, but am loving going round and looking at them anyway and seeing different styles and ways of living. It's great. All the small talk you make when looking round a house is hilarious when it's in Spanish! So please pray that I find a house soon, there are one or two other possiblities - a friend of a friend type thing. After I find a house, then I need to find furniture....!
This week I have been speaking more Spanish than I have all year - it's great. Having spoken to the whole neighbourhood looking for the dogs and then the 'house lady' and generally everyone I see up here in order to survive! Not to mention my visit to the hospital last night....
The most surreal experience so far happened last night....Let's start at the very beginning.....
I got back from looking at houses with Esther yesterday just as an enormous thunderstorm broke. We got into the house to discover the windows all leak. Now, Sue had mentioned that one of them has a severe leak when the rain comes in a certain direction....she was right. There was water everywhere - but mainly over her leather sofa! So, we cleared up our flood.. and then the power went out. It was getting dark and so I went around and found as many candles as I could and all was good. Dave and Esther went off to dinner with friends up at the camp and I was about to settle in for the evening. Then I heard next doors dogs barking like mad and so went out to check all was ok and there was an ambulance with it's red lights flashing parked behind my car. It was still torrential rain and I went out to check all was ok. To cut a vvv long story a bit shorter, it turns out that there had been a car crash and a huge truck had smashed into a car containing a Honduran family. This family was travelling from Tegus to San Pedro, but crashed near here and one of them knew Debbie next door through her church. A red cross ambulance just happened to be passing when the accident happened and so picked up the family - and bought them to Debbie's house. Amazing huh? The father - uninjured - stayed with the car to deal with the police and the mother bought her 3 small children here. We unloaded them from the back of the ambulance and carried them into Debbie's house. At this point D and E had to go back up to the camp and so Debbie and I took the family to the hospital. The 2 older children ( 10 and 7) were in severe shock/concussion and the 10 yr old girl was in a bad way with her face all swollen and bruised and other aches and pains. Debbie stayed with the mother and the boys and I stayed with Sarah the young girl. She was just so sweet. As I sat with her on my lap in the car I discovered she spoke English and so in order to prevent her from sleeping -because of her concussion - we sang all the way to the hospital - poor girl! In the hospital she looked so frail and scared lying in the bed. But she was super brave. So I was there, in charge of sorting her out with the dr's and nurses. They were asking me her names, address etc - I had no clue in the slightest!! Was hilarious. I took her into the x-ray and helped out the nurses pushing beds etc - I may as well make myself useful! Then Debbie had to go and tell the family that her own daughter was with for the evening what had happened - thus leaving me in charge of it all. So I was going between the mother and the kids making sure everyone was ok. It turned out that Arnold the 7 yr old boy just had bruises and Sarah had a fractured wrist and her swollen face wasn't broken. My Spanish vocabulary is definitely improving!! The police came in to talk to the mother (I was grateful Debbie was back) and then the father arrived with his friend who was also in the car and their belongings from the car. This meant the kids now had shoes (they weren't wearing them whilst travelling) and young Christopher had his sit-on car thing. So my next job was just playing with the boys and keeping them entertained (no English there!).
Just as I was hoping we could all leave another 7 men turned up. They were pastors from the family's church in San Pedro and had heard what had happened so drove the 2 hours up here to help. A lovely idea - but yet more people driving at night on dangerous roads in the torrential rain. They then all needed to be filled in etc. Really lovely guys though.
Eventually at 11pm we ALL headed back to Debbies house. They were all going to stay there the night. We borrowed mattresses from camp and I helped Debbie get everything they needed.
Finally after 6 hours I got home. That family were simply so lucky to be alive, let alone escape with such minor injuries. Spending so long in a hosipital looking after a family I dont know wasn't quite what I had planned for my evening. But things are never normal here!!
The dogs still haven't returned, the general concensus around here is that they have been taken - they are nice looking dogs. I feel bad about it, but know there is nothing I can do/could have done.
From the end of August I will no longer be house sitting for the O'Connors next door - I've done my house sitting time and it really isn't practical as it is out of town etc etc. Which means I need to find somewhere to live. The school house will have the new teachers in it, and as much as I loved and appreciated that house I am looking forward to not living on the job and actually settling down here. So....a house. I am looking to rent in town and surprisingly there is an estate agent lady who deals with house rentals. Now I can't afford any of the houses she has, but am loving going round and looking at them anyway and seeing different styles and ways of living. It's great. All the small talk you make when looking round a house is hilarious when it's in Spanish! So please pray that I find a house soon, there are one or two other possiblities - a friend of a friend type thing. After I find a house, then I need to find furniture....!
This week I have been speaking more Spanish than I have all year - it's great. Having spoken to the whole neighbourhood looking for the dogs and then the 'house lady' and generally everyone I see up here in order to survive! Not to mention my visit to the hospital last night....
The most surreal experience so far happened last night....Let's start at the very beginning.....
I got back from looking at houses with Esther yesterday just as an enormous thunderstorm broke. We got into the house to discover the windows all leak. Now, Sue had mentioned that one of them has a severe leak when the rain comes in a certain direction....she was right. There was water everywhere - but mainly over her leather sofa! So, we cleared up our flood.. and then the power went out. It was getting dark and so I went around and found as many candles as I could and all was good. Dave and Esther went off to dinner with friends up at the camp and I was about to settle in for the evening. Then I heard next doors dogs barking like mad and so went out to check all was ok and there was an ambulance with it's red lights flashing parked behind my car. It was still torrential rain and I went out to check all was ok. To cut a vvv long story a bit shorter, it turns out that there had been a car crash and a huge truck had smashed into a car containing a Honduran family. This family was travelling from Tegus to San Pedro, but crashed near here and one of them knew Debbie next door through her church. A red cross ambulance just happened to be passing when the accident happened and so picked up the family - and bought them to Debbie's house. Amazing huh? The father - uninjured - stayed with the car to deal with the police and the mother bought her 3 small children here. We unloaded them from the back of the ambulance and carried them into Debbie's house. At this point D and E had to go back up to the camp and so Debbie and I took the family to the hospital. The 2 older children ( 10 and 7) were in severe shock/concussion and the 10 yr old girl was in a bad way with her face all swollen and bruised and other aches and pains. Debbie stayed with the mother and the boys and I stayed with Sarah the young girl. She was just so sweet. As I sat with her on my lap in the car I discovered she spoke English and so in order to prevent her from sleeping -because of her concussion - we sang all the way to the hospital - poor girl! In the hospital she looked so frail and scared lying in the bed. But she was super brave. So I was there, in charge of sorting her out with the dr's and nurses. They were asking me her names, address etc - I had no clue in the slightest!! Was hilarious. I took her into the x-ray and helped out the nurses pushing beds etc - I may as well make myself useful! Then Debbie had to go and tell the family that her own daughter was with for the evening what had happened - thus leaving me in charge of it all. So I was going between the mother and the kids making sure everyone was ok. It turned out that Arnold the 7 yr old boy just had bruises and Sarah had a fractured wrist and her swollen face wasn't broken. My Spanish vocabulary is definitely improving!! The police came in to talk to the mother (I was grateful Debbie was back) and then the father arrived with his friend who was also in the car and their belongings from the car. This meant the kids now had shoes (they weren't wearing them whilst travelling) and young Christopher had his sit-on car thing. So my next job was just playing with the boys and keeping them entertained (no English there!).
Just as I was hoping we could all leave another 7 men turned up. They were pastors from the family's church in San Pedro and had heard what had happened so drove the 2 hours up here to help. A lovely idea - but yet more people driving at night on dangerous roads in the torrential rain. They then all needed to be filled in etc. Really lovely guys though.
Eventually at 11pm we ALL headed back to Debbies house. They were all going to stay there the night. We borrowed mattresses from camp and I helped Debbie get everything they needed.
Finally after 6 hours I got home. That family were simply so lucky to be alive, let alone escape with such minor injuries. Spending so long in a hosipital looking after a family I dont know wasn't quite what I had planned for my evening. But things are never normal here!!
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