Thought you'd like to see what my boss Silvia emailed me for Christmas....
Click on this link..(Dad, if you can't click on it then copy and paste it into the address bar at the top of your internet page!)
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1300499942
Wednesday, 12 December 2007
House Christmas
Last night we had our 'First Christmas'. Noel is going home to Canada for Christmas at the weekend and so we decided to have our own House Christmas dinner before he goes. We have a staff one tonight (songs around a fire in the school grounds!). But last night was lovely. We each gave presents, which actually turned out to be ok! We are so lucky that we get on so well and can do things together. I think that is something I will always appreciate throughout the year(and miss next year when they have left!)
Weekend getaway
It's nearly the end of term, we're all exhausted and so decided that we needed to get away for a weekend. The good news is that now I have a car the world is my oyster - so to speak- and so we piled in the car and headed for Tela. It took just under 2.5 hours to get to my newly favourite retreat - the Caribbean Sea! The 4 of us from the house went and it was very good for us to spend time together away from the school. Somehow the 4 of us have never actually been away together. We stayed in a hotel right on the beach. Tela is not the nicest, cleanest beach but it is a beach and it is the Caribbean so who is complaining?! It was just what was needed, relaxing in the sun. We all came away incredibly sunburnt which isn't so great - but the tan to follow was!!
I was amazed at the difference in colour of the Honduran people. The coast is home to the Garifuna people, who are much darker than Hondurans around us. They look far more 'Caribbean'.
The best part is that our hotel on the beach cost us £15 for 2 nights - I love this country sometimes!!!
DIY Entertainment!
Last week we found ourselves putting on a Murder Mystery dinner. It was hilarious! We were invited to it by our friends Peter and Myleen (American) who wanted to get to know us. However, at the last minute they couldn't make it and we found ourselves having it in our house and hosting it for ourselves. There were 8 of us in total and we found it most amusing getting dressed up in fancy dress in our own house just for ourselves! It was a 1895 Victorian setting (carefully selected by me so I didn't have to worry about putting on an accent!). So everyone spent the evening trying to put on a British accent. We all got very into it and had a 3 course dinner to make it even better! Who needs tv?!
Not got great pics, I may try and add some more when I get Dave's!
Not got great pics, I may try and add some more when I get Dave's!
Sunday, 2 December 2007
Pete's Visit
Sorry I haven’t kept this up to date for so long, as usual things have been flying by! Last week Pete came out to visit for the week and it was wonderful! He stayed up with Ken and Sue and so was able to have company whilst I was working in school – he even came and joined in my Grade 1 class and Esther’s Grade 11 class! I think Pete had a great time, I know Dave loved having some company up at the camp.
My plans for showing Pete a Honduran week didn’t really happen, but he did experience a fully North American week instead! During his stay was American Thanksgiving and we were all invited to a huge dinner at the Hagler’s house (one of the American families). It was amazing – I think England should have Thanksgiving too! At least Pete got to meet absolutely everyone I know in one go!
Everyone at Thanksgiving Dinner:
And having my car meant we could go and visit new places too. Amanda and her friend (who was visiting) went off to Copan for the weekend and so Pete, Mark, Noel, Dave, Esther and I used our day off (thanks Americans) to go to the lake. Wow it is so beautiful there. We visited various places around it and were just amazed by what we saw – truly stunning scenery.
We also got to go to the caves on the way to the lake which was good fun.
On the Saturday we stayed in Sigua and went up to the camp and in the evening had a ‘Life of Brian’ evening! Then on Sunday, Pete, the boys and I joined Ken, Sue and the kids on a trip to a National Park, went to a waterfall and climbed a mountain (I’m going off this whole mountain climbing thing being surrounded by such speedy climbers – whatever happened to a Sunday afternoon stroll taking in the scenery?!), however it was just beautiful and I got to take photos of humming birds etc.
I did more that weekend then I have since I’ve been here! Pete can come again! It was lovely having him around – and having some British input again! He even brought some reminders of England for my housemates! I was so pleased everyone got on with him so well, when he left Mark and Dave were missing having him around as well as me!
A big thank you to everyone who sent stuff with Pete – I really appreciated it. Especially the chocolate and the tea bags – and Pete bought me out a teapot and so it is even better!
My plans for showing Pete a Honduran week didn’t really happen, but he did experience a fully North American week instead! During his stay was American Thanksgiving and we were all invited to a huge dinner at the Hagler’s house (one of the American families). It was amazing – I think England should have Thanksgiving too! At least Pete got to meet absolutely everyone I know in one go!
Everyone at Thanksgiving Dinner:
And having my car meant we could go and visit new places too. Amanda and her friend (who was visiting) went off to Copan for the weekend and so Pete, Mark, Noel, Dave, Esther and I used our day off (thanks Americans) to go to the lake. Wow it is so beautiful there. We visited various places around it and were just amazed by what we saw – truly stunning scenery.
We also got to go to the caves on the way to the lake which was good fun.
On the Saturday we stayed in Sigua and went up to the camp and in the evening had a ‘Life of Brian’ evening! Then on Sunday, Pete, the boys and I joined Ken, Sue and the kids on a trip to a National Park, went to a waterfall and climbed a mountain (I’m going off this whole mountain climbing thing being surrounded by such speedy climbers – whatever happened to a Sunday afternoon stroll taking in the scenery?!), however it was just beautiful and I got to take photos of humming birds etc.
I did more that weekend then I have since I’ve been here! Pete can come again! It was lovely having him around – and having some British input again! He even brought some reminders of England for my housemates! I was so pleased everyone got on with him so well, when he left Mark and Dave were missing having him around as well as me!
A big thank you to everyone who sent stuff with Pete – I really appreciated it. Especially the chocolate and the tea bags – and Pete bought me out a teapot and so it is even better!
Freedom and Independence - my new car!
It seems very extravagant telling people on here I have bought a car here so soon – but I now have my freedom and independence....very exciting! Having a car means I can now leave the house after dark and be safe (and not confined to the house!) which makes all the difference as it gets dark at 5.30/6.00! Also I can visit people like Dave and Esther and Ken and Sue without having to rely on them to come and pick me up and take me home again afterwards. I still walk into town etc, but it means we can go grocery shopping in the car and so not have to pay to catch a taxi back every time as we have been doing. The best bit is I can go exploring and see where on earth I’m living! I have no problems catching the bus when we go away etc but trying to get a bus to go to the lake (25 min drive and much, much longer on bus!) is a nightmare – and now I can go! I had great traumas deciding whether to get this or not, but I talked to Esther and told her I was thinking of getting one next year and her opinion was that if I’m getting one next year, why not get it now and get the most out of it! Good point I thought! Also, they spent 10 months looking for a decent used car as they are hard to come by and so I should grab this one quickly whilst I can!
I have always fancied rally driving and now all my dreams have come true – as that is what driving in Honduras is like! There is no such thing as a driving lesson here – you see 15 year olds driving around! Also no driving test to speak of! There is one I will take when I get my residency, but it consists of looking at 2 colours and saying which is green and which is red – you certainly don’t get in a car! When the police pull you over (which they randomly do) I can just show them my UK licence – Esther showed them her Ontario Health Card and they didn’t seem to notice! People drive like maniacs and there are no real rules- it’s great but you do have to be awake!!
So...my car...it’s a Toyota 4runner 4x4. 3L V6. It’s huge compared to my Fiesta!! It’s 17 years old – apparently that’s not too old for here. I have bought it off a parent of one of my Grade 1 boy’s and he is a mechanic and so the car has been well looked after and in good condition. Before I bought it I took it to another mechanic to look at just to make sure it was ok and that I was paying a good price for what it was and he seemed really pleased with it all. I’ve already taken it back to said mechanic to tighten the clutch and change the locks – he put Yale locks in the doors as he insists they are safer. Amused me! So, I can now get around and be independent again – hurray! I’m now just broke!
I have always fancied rally driving and now all my dreams have come true – as that is what driving in Honduras is like! There is no such thing as a driving lesson here – you see 15 year olds driving around! Also no driving test to speak of! There is one I will take when I get my residency, but it consists of looking at 2 colours and saying which is green and which is red – you certainly don’t get in a car! When the police pull you over (which they randomly do) I can just show them my UK licence – Esther showed them her Ontario Health Card and they didn’t seem to notice! People drive like maniacs and there are no real rules- it’s great but you do have to be awake!!
So...my car...it’s a Toyota 4runner 4x4. 3L V6. It’s huge compared to my Fiesta!! It’s 17 years old – apparently that’s not too old for here. I have bought it off a parent of one of my Grade 1 boy’s and he is a mechanic and so the car has been well looked after and in good condition. Before I bought it I took it to another mechanic to look at just to make sure it was ok and that I was paying a good price for what it was and he seemed really pleased with it all. I’ve already taken it back to said mechanic to tighten the clutch and change the locks – he put Yale locks in the doors as he insists they are safer. Amused me! So, I can now get around and be independent again – hurray! I’m now just broke!
Sunday, 11 November 2007
Bonfire Night Party
Things are slowly returning to normal here - well at least for the next 3 days! This last week has been very surreal. Amanda and I stayed at Dave and Esther's house house-sitting for them last week, which I loved. I got to drive into school and town and the feeling of independence was priceless. In fact so much so that I am going to buy a car here! I realised how much I was missing my independence here. Living in the school means we have limited things to do! We walk into town but that's about it without having to catch buses, taxis or relying on others. Anyway, the father of one of my gorgeous Grade 1's is selling his Toyota 4Runner at a reasonable price. It's 17 years old - but apparently that is standard for used cars here! It means we will all e able to get out and do things at last!
Noels friend Kristen has also been here this week from Canada. She was sitting in on classes as she decides which age she wants to teach. She loved my Grade 1's and so used to come into my classroom a fair bit. She was really lovely and we got on very well indeed - someone else to laugh with is always a bonus!
On Friday we had a 'Fireworks Party' to celebrate Bonfire Night. We have had Canadian thanksgiving and American Thanksgiving is coming up and needed to have something British!! It was great, we invited all our friends and went up to the camp for Chinese food, fireworks and a campfire! Obviously I took my Union Jack playing cards with me! It really was an excellent evening, great fun. This isn't really firework time right now and so our choice of fireworks was somewhat limited! The boys enjoyed the challenge of lighting them!
The weather this last week has been awful. Really cold, wet and miserable. We have all been wearing our layers and the kids sit in class wearing coats, hats, gloves etc! It is probably about 15C but the rain means everything is damp all the time and we have no heating so nothing ever dries and the damp concrete buildings are great - not to mention all the mud! Today however has been lovely and hot - not sure how long it will last. At least we had a nice evening for the bonfire!!
On Wednesday, Amanda has her friend coming to stay for 2 weeks and then next Monday Pete comes for a week - I'm looking forward to that!!
Noels friend Kristen has also been here this week from Canada. She was sitting in on classes as she decides which age she wants to teach. She loved my Grade 1's and so used to come into my classroom a fair bit. She was really lovely and we got on very well indeed - someone else to laugh with is always a bonus!
On Friday we had a 'Fireworks Party' to celebrate Bonfire Night. We have had Canadian thanksgiving and American Thanksgiving is coming up and needed to have something British!! It was great, we invited all our friends and went up to the camp for Chinese food, fireworks and a campfire! Obviously I took my Union Jack playing cards with me! It really was an excellent evening, great fun. This isn't really firework time right now and so our choice of fireworks was somewhat limited! The boys enjoyed the challenge of lighting them!
The weather this last week has been awful. Really cold, wet and miserable. We have all been wearing our layers and the kids sit in class wearing coats, hats, gloves etc! It is probably about 15C but the rain means everything is damp all the time and we have no heating so nothing ever dries and the damp concrete buildings are great - not to mention all the mud! Today however has been lovely and hot - not sure how long it will last. At least we had a nice evening for the bonfire!!
On Wednesday, Amanda has her friend coming to stay for 2 weeks and then next Monday Pete comes for a week - I'm looking forward to that!!
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