A surprise stay in Guatemala City!

As promised, I will write in more detail about a few things that happened on the trip to Roatan Honduras...

The trip began with a half day of school on Friday and we headed to Guatemala City. Our plane was leaving at 8am the next morning so we needed to get there the day before so we could make it to the island with plenty of time to lay around on the beach before we began Scuba classes on Monday. We arrived at the airport and checked in with TACA. The first three of us (Michael, Carrie and I) all were given seats but Randi was told that she needed to check at the gate for her seat. When we got there, we were told that the plane was over sold and if she would take a later flight, she would get compensation. They realized that we were traveling in a group and said that a friend could stay back with her. The flight that she was on had only one connection and me being the rational person I am, I figured this would be better for me considering my severe motion sickness. So, Randi and I sent the other two on their way and waited for our compensation…which happened to be two free breakfasts…we weren’t too happy with this but we took it anyway.

When it was time for us to head back down to the gate, we packed up our stuff and went that way. After sitting there for about 15 minutes a man comes and informs us that our flight is canceled. At this point, we try to get a hold of the other two because we were suppose to be on the same flight into Roatan and with this information, we know that we weren’t going to make it. The thing that through us off was that we couldn’t call from our cell phones to their cell phones. So, we started calling family in the States to have them try to call Michael and Carrie to let them know that we wouldn’t be there when they got there. They led us out of the terminal, out through security, outside, and into the parking garage. At this point, I was seriously questioning if I was going to see anyone I loved again. I mean, why are they taking us out of the airport? I found out quickly that was the only way up to the first floor. They led us back into the airport and to the TACA desk. At this point, we stood in line for 2-3 hours. When we first got there, the agents at the desk didn’t even know that the flight had been canceled. I figured it would be in our best interest if we took matters into our own hands and be proactive with the situation. I started walking around to the other counters to see if another airline could help us. Randi stayed in line and waited for other instructions. When it was finally our turn to talk to the lady at the counter, they told us that they would get us on a flight that day to Roatan. We stood at the counter for 2 hours talking to the lady. When we finally realized that we weren’t going to make it that day, we tried to let our other friends know but we had no luck. TACA ended up giving us $250 travel vouchers, three meals each, and a very nice hotel room.

Needless to say, it was quite a trip there. We showed up Sunday morning with boarding passes already in hand. We were a little nervous that the whole thing would happen again but we made it to Roatan and had a nice Sunday (except for the fact that it took my Dad 1 ½ hours to get through passport control and considering they came in 2 hours after us and we stayed and waited for them…)

We finally made it to our rooms and it didn’t take us long to change into our bathing suits and hit the beach just in time for a beautiful sunset!

It was a wonderful trip even though it started a little rough. I was happy to get a travel voucher. But with this whole ordeal, I learned first hand why they call TACA, Take A Chance Airlines!

On deck…I want to hold your hand…underwater!

Until then!

liz

Playlist:
Humble Me by Norah Jones
Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
On the Radio by Regina Spektor
Touch and Go by The Cars
Songs About Texas by Fallon Franklin and Blake Powers
Song of the South by Alabama
Outta Here by Kenny Chesney
King of Glory by Third Day

Decisions, Decisions

Front (L to R); Adriana, Ashley, Pily, Andrea
Middle Row:Julian, Marcela, Katia.
Back Row: Esteban, Alejandro, Danka, Me!

Decisions: A simple choice between two options. As I sit and watch my class play, I notice that with every action they take, they are making decisions. So, why is it so hard to make a decision? A four year old makes plenty of them everyday, so why can’t a 25 year old make a decision with the same sort of confidence that a pre-k kid does? I have come to the conclusion that too much pressure is put on people to make the ‘right’ decision. I think it is more about making a decision about your attitude and going confidently in that direction. Decisions can make a difference in your experiences but I don’t think that if you are pursuing God’s will (Love God, love others) for your life, that the course of your life will be drastically different depending on what you choose.

So with that, I’m sitting at a cross roads. Do I stay here or go travel. I thought my mind was made up, but after a few conversations (ones that didn’t know they were influencing me) I question what I should do. And if I take my own advice, it doesn’t really matter…

Okay, enough about that…I will let you all know what I decide by next week! Stay tuned!

Now on to Semana Santa (spring break!):

My father and step-mom joined me and my friends on the Caribbean Island of Roatan Honduras. We spent the week on the beach. It was wonderful getting to see them and spend time with them. While I was in my scuba class, they explored the island, taking pictures the whole time (I hope to get some of their pictures soon and when I do, I will try to post some of them!) After the week was finished, we headed back to Xela. After a very long trip back, we were able to spend a few days here. They got to meet my class and see that where I live is secure (every parents dream!) They headed home yesterday and according to an email I received this morning, they made it back to the good ‘ol US of A! I’m sure they are exhausted but hopefully it was worth it for them!

That is a very brief overview of the week and a half that they spent here. I will be writing about a few humours situations that happened over the week in more detail later when I have a little more time…a few things to be looking forward to…
1. A surprise stay in Guatemala City
2. I want to hold your hand…underwater
3. The long journey home…

Until next time!

Liz

Playlist:
I Think We’re Alone Now by Tiffany (courtesy of Shenold)
Camp Song by the original people who sang it!
Grease Lightning by The Original Cast
Highways and Broken Hearts by Eli Young Band
Low by Flo Rida
The Light of A Burning Bridge by George Strait
Did I Shave My Legs For This? By Deana Carter

The chapters that follow...

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page."
St. Augustine

This quote has been haunting me as of late as I have been trying to make a decision about next year. Yes, I am traveling but according to this, I have just turned the page and I’m looking at the second chapter. So, what does the rest of the book hold for me?

As I write this, I find myself at a place that I have become very comfortable. I am sitting in the window seat of the ‘little room’ coffee shop. Yes, this coffee shop is very different than most in the states. First of all, everyone smokes. This took some getting used to since I recently moved from Austin, Texas (a clean air city) and wasn’t used to all of the smoke. As I look out the window, four gringos are sitting just on the other side, enjoying their mojitos and a delicious looking brownie.

I came here this evening to try to find some sort of clarity for next year. I have been trying to convince myself that staying here another year is the right thing to do. And I know that if I did make that decision that I would also make a decision to be happy here. But I can’t help but ask myself, What else is out there? What would I miss that I haven’t yet experienced? I have recently got in touch with an old high school friend that has done more traveling than most people could do in two lifetimes. After exchanging a few messages with him, I realize that there is a lot more out there. I know that my experience here next year would be totally different but what about my original desire to see the world? What about my plan from 4 months ago before receiving the call about Guatemala and the same plan from the previous year before I tore my ACL? Has my timing just been off? Is now the time to take the plunge one more time? I would love to believe that once I travel to a few places that I will get this itch out of my system but I know that the more places I go, the more places I will want to go. So, when is enough, enough? How do you know when you should ‘settle’ in the states? Or do I have to ‘settle’ in the states? And what does it actually mean to ‘settle down’? These are the questions that are running through my mind.

I was cruising the internet this evening and randomly searched for volunteer opportunities in Africa. There are quite a few possibilities out there and I haven’t even scratched the surface. Please pray for me and clarity in this decision. I appreciate all of you more than you know!

Liz

Playlist:
Let It Be by The Beatles
Song of the South by Alabama
Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett
Think It Over One Time by Robert Earl Keen
Little Moments Like That by Brad Paisley
Oklahoma! By Original Film Cast

Oh, The Place I could go!

The internet is down for the second morning in a row, thus, the second day in a row for a posting! I figured I would hash out my options for next year with all of you!

Option A:
Stay in Guatemala. Teach fifth grade. Maybe live by myself so I can have an extra room for visitors (that means that you, yes you, have to come visit me and stay in my extra room). Continue the adventure and see all the places that I won’t get to see this year (ie, Tikal, Antigua, ect.). Play basketball for the Xela women’s team. Eat fresh veggies. Be daring. Be alive. Be happy.

Option B:
Move to DC. Get a sweet job with a non-profit or on the Hill. Live with my sister and Charlie (at the beginning). Explore DC. Learn lots about the US and the history of the US. Ride my bikes. Eat food from the states that I miss (ie. Mexican food, Sonic, Bueno, Thai food). Meet lots of young people from around the country all in one place! Be daring. Be alive. Be happy.

Option C:
Explore the world. Be a nomad. Sleep where my head finds a place. Visit Europe and Asia. Climb mountains. Ride on trains. Meet other travelers. Spend part of my savings. Eat strange and wild food. Be daring. Be alive. Be happy.


I’m sure there are other options out there and I would love to hear any suggestions that you may have! And I also know it’s a little strange to say that I miss American food and then I went and listed a bunch of international food…we just have a really good selection in the states!

Okay, hopefully the internet will come on soon so I can actually post this!

I miss you guys. I miss home. I miss Oklahoma and I even miss texas (a little). But with that, know that I am happy here and I am slowly making it more home like! Come visit me if you get an itch to travel!

Blessings,

Liz

Playlist:
The Quick Escape by So Long Goodbyes
Just a Dream by Carrie Underwood
Morning Yearning by Ben Harper
Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus) by Chris Rice
We Love You Jesus by Shane and Shane

chicken bus adventures

At a Super Chivos futbol game with some of the girls I work with.

I read something the other day that said your work expands to the amount of time that you have. If you have a week to do a project, it will take you a week to do it. If you have half a day to do the same project, you will get it done in half a day.

With this being said, I believe that the longer you anticipate something, the excitement grows with each passing day. We have Semana Santa (Holy week that serves as spring break) in a week and a half. I feel like I have been waking up each morning counting the days until I get 9 days of rest and relaxation with my dad, step mom, and some wonderful friends. I am absolutely ready to hit the beach and explore the underwater world while receiving my certification in scuba diving. We are going to Roaton Honduras for the week of March 15-22. I am very excited about this time!

Since I last wrote, we had our staff retreat. We went to this place called Irtra. It is paid for by the Guatemalans with some of their tax money. It was beautiful! It is a complex that includes a water park, a theme park and one of the nicest resorts I have ever been to! The resort consisted of four different hotels with three pools, a workout complex, golfito (miniture golf), boliche, (bowling), tennis courts and many restaurants! There were peacocks, parrots, and wonderful landscaping.

The next weekend I was all by myself all weekend because the rest of my friends were in Antigua at a missions conference. I wasn’t able to go because I got here in January and the hotel was already full. I spend the weekend exploring and expanding my knowledge for this area. On Friday, I went to one of my kids birthday parties. Let me tell you this, the Guatemalan culture knows how to throw a party! There were horses, a huge piñata, a trampoline, and a moon bounce. The girl who was turning five, had a three tier ‘my little pony’ cake. It was quite a production! On Saturday, I got up and decided I was in need of an adventure. I looked in my guidebook and found a little town that sounded interesting: Momostenago. The town is known for the wool products that it makes. I was aware that the market days were Sunday and Wednesday but I figured I would still be able to get some cool stuff. I headed to the terminal (which I had never been to) packed on a micro bus. I will explain more about a micro in a later post…they are pretty entertaining! They let me off at a market that is known for pickpockets so I took my backpack and made it a front pack. As I was wondering through the market, I realized that I had no idea where the buses were. After cruising around for 15 minutes, I decided that I would just go home and call it a short lived adventure. I was heading out and passed a few buses and the drivers said, “Donde?” I replied and they pointed me in the right direction. When I arrived in the real terminal that was full of brightly colored chicken buses, I found someone who took me to the Momos bus. I boarded the bus and was off! When the attendant came by to collect our fairs, he asked me where I was going and I told him. He informed me that the bus I was on wasn’t going to Momos, it was going somewhere else! He told me I could go to San Franciso Los Altos and wait for another bus there. I agreed but was a little nervous about switching buses. They let me off in SF and I stood on the side of the road for 20 minutes waiting for the next bus to come by. Finally, a bus came that was going to Momos and I boarded with enthusiasm! Once I arrived, I walked around and figured out that there wasn’t much for me to see there ☹. I consulted my guide book and it said that I should walk to the edge of town and see ‘Los Riscos’ so I went. They were pumice formations that were caused by erosion. They were kind of cool but not cool enough for a 2 ½ hour bus ride! I walked back to town and caught the next bus out of town. I made sure it was a direct bus to Xela. I had to wait 30 minutes for it to leave and a group of 4 teenage boys came and sat next to me and tried to talk to me. They got a kick out of my lack of Spanish! Needless to say, it was an eventful day but I was very happy to get back to Xela!

Sunday, I got up and went to the Artesian Fair that is in town once a month. I got the most beautiful quilt that is made out of the dresses that the indigenous women wear.

Other than that, things are going well. We finish up our quarter next week. It amazes me that I have been teaching for ten weeks! I can hardly believe that my time here is half way over. The decision of whether or not to return in hanging in the air and I will decide by the end of March! I will keep all of you informed!

Hope you all are doing well!

Liz

Playlist:
Not Counting You by Garth Brooks
Milk and Cereal by ___________
That’s Just the Way it is by ___________
No Woman No Cry by Bob Marley
Fat Bottom Girl by Kevin Fowler
La Musica en mi by High School Musical (Spanish version)
Crashing Down by Matt Kearney
Be Near by Shane and Shane
Wrong Side of Town by Pat Green
Love Will Tear us Apart by Joy Division
I’m Slowly Turning into You by The White Stripes
Sleeping to Dream by Jason Mraz
Lifellight by Kelsey Weston
Austin by Blake Shelton
Red High Heels by Kelli Pickler
Enchantment by Corinne Baily Rae
Fireworks by the Neighborhood