The Flight and The First Day.

Hola! I made it safely to Honduras. It is beautifully amazing. The plane ride was interesting. Ms. Nina dropped me off at the terminal. A guy took my bag and went to weigh them. One of my bags weighed 53.0 which the airport would charge me an extra $50, but I got to rearrange everything so that it didn’t go over the weight limit. It was nice. Then I took my bags and got my boarding pass. I got dropped off at the correct terminal so I didn’t have to go very far to find my gate, which was very nice. I waited around the gate them around 9:15 I boarded the plane. I was in seat 16E, which is a middle seat. I sat between two guys at first, one ended up moving, but they were not little guys! The one on my left was a heavy set big guy that didn’t speak English, and he snores pretty loud. The one on my right I believe was going to Honduras to do missions work, I didn’t talk to him really, but he read the newspaper. He was the one that got the window seat. But the pilot said if we saw an open seat that we could move so the guy on my right moved and I got the window seat! It was what I was hoping for and it was awkward sitting between two big men. I got to look out the window for takeoff, which wasn’t bad. It was amazing! The clouds are awesome when you’re up there! It was great! I loved it! Now the landing was a different story. I didn’t not like it much, when the pilot announced we were descending, my ears were hurting horribly. It hurt for over 30 min. and the pain was not very fun. But we landed and I got off the plane and went into the line to get my visa and go through costumes. It took a while for me to get my bags but I found them and I was able to go find Rhonda. My one of my bags did get searched but there was no problem with it. The most frustrating thing about the airport in Honduras was that NO ONE but the tourists spoke English. So the airport people would try to talk to me but I wouldn’t know what they were saying. It was frustrating for me. Anyways. I meet up with Rhonda right outside the airport, and she had Michelle and Christian with her, they are Jorge’s Children. We found Rhonda’s vehicle and Christian drove us to a pizza place, where we ate good but interesting pizza, nothing like something in the United States. We laughed a lot, even though I didn’t understand them much. It was fun. I felt comfortable and that’s not usually something I feel right off with new people.
The site in Honduras is nothing like I’ve ever seen. Some places aren’t exactly beautiful but it’s astonishing. It’s like mountains, or hill, and there are houses and stores kind of built into them. I’ll have to take some pictures and show you. There are a lot of hills. The driving is crazy, if a motorcycle can fit somewhere it will go there. It’s crazy. People pass other people all the time. We saw a bus that had to be lifted up because a car drove underneath it. The cars do not stop for people at all, even in a store parking lot. It’s the person’s job to watch out where they go or they will get ran over, I’m not kidding. It’s crazy. There was so much to take in while I was in the city. My brain was just on absorbed mood, because it would not think for anything. (: It was fascinating. The sight, the people, all of it was amazing. It’s hard to explain everything, but it was defiantly something everyone should experience. I could go on about this but I’m ready to move on to the children.
The children are great! I love them so much already. We arrived at the Hogar (house) and the children meet me when I got out of the car, with lots of hugs. Hola Nicole. Hola Nicole. We had groceries in the vehicle so some of the little boys helped unload everything and they grabbed my bags and brought them into the house. I walked around with Rhonda and the kids and immediately I was holding a little girl, Michelle, who I believe is four. I said Hola to everyone and then I got to sit down and talk with Jorge about some things. After that me, Rhonda, and Michelle, Jorge’s daughter, went to go prepare dinner. We had fun together. When dinner was ready Jorge, his wife and Christian came over and we ate and talked for while. It was really nice. Around 8:00 Rhonda, Michelle and I went to go check on the children who were watching TV. We ended up taking the little ones to bed. By the time we got them in bed everyone else was headed to bed also. They got to bed around 9. We got them ready for bed, or supervised them. (Or rather I watched while Michelle and Rhonda did the work, I’m still observing things) We said goodnight. When we were just about to leave we heard Buenos Noche Nicole! It was awesome. My heart melted. I said good night to them in Spanish or rather I tried. And one time I said it but I stumbled over the words, and the kids I was telling goodnight to, smiled at me and said goodnight in English! Lol I laughed. After that me, Michelle and Rhonda went back to Rhonda’s house and had tea and watch “He’s just not that into you” with Spanish subtitles. We went to bed late, and then I woke up at 8:00 got dressed then went to see the children at breakfast. I was greeted nicely, and then we took the younger girls to the showers, and got them dressed ready for today. Right now its lunch time, the children are eating right now. We have a group coming out later today to do some activity with the kids. But as of right now it’s pretty laid back.
I’m learning the schedule right now, and trying to get a grip on the Spanish. It’s so frustrating not being able to understand them. I had one girl talking to me and I couldn’t understand her so she repeated what it was to Rhonda and Rhonda said she wanted me to sing to her in English, because they love it. So with Rhonda’s help, we sang Jesus loves me in English. I’m still learning names, I know the younger girls names more than anyone else, and that’s because they want to be held a lot. The boy’s names I don’t know as much, I know a few of the older girl’s names, but I’ve been here a day so I’m still learning. Everything has a Spanish accent to it, so what the names are in English are pronounced differently in Spanish. She I feel a little dumb trying to speak with a Spanish accent. It just seems weird. I’m not used to it. I am catching on to something. Some conversations I can follow others one it’s a little bit challenging.
School is starting this week, so I’ll be waking up at 5:30 to get the children up and ready for school. They have morning devotion before breakfast, they will then go to breakfast and then off to school which is right here anyways, so they don’t go anywhere. They will have a hour recess break which I’ll be outside watching them play on the playground and then they’ll go back to school until 12 which is lunch time. They have homework, chores, another devotion time, break time, and I believe something else. I’m not sure Rhonda gave me a run down on things at breakfast. I’ll get the schedule written down soon, then I’ll know for sure. I’m not too sure of what I’ll be doing. I’m along for the ride. I’ll do whatever they tell me to. The first week or so is a little test run. I’m just seeing how things run and trying to adjust and get used to everything. It’s fun. I do not want to be away from Rhonda much right now because I’m not entirely sure of what to do and I need a translator. I’m praying I catch on quickly. I need to brush up on my colors in Spanish because I’ll be helping some of the children with their homework which is learning colors. I just have to get used to actually using my Spanish. It’s going to get better the more I’m here. I know it will. That about sums everything up, I know that there is probably so much more I can say but I really want to go be with the kids. Plus I already wrote two pages. (To be continued)






(Continued)
I’m back. I have just about finished my first full day. The kids right now have their free time which will last until bed time. We just finished dinner and then I helped clean up the kitchen. It was great. A group came to do a program with the children. They arrived and unloaded the van then we went into the school building and they had a program thing. I don’t really know because I couldn’t understand what they were saying, but it was great watching the kids. I had at least one on my lap the whole time. After the program we went outside and played a game. We got in a circle and Heidi, one of the girls from the group gave us a word which was either rooster or chicken but in Spanish. I was a rooster, we then had to get in the line with the other “roosters” or “Chicken” and squat down and touch the person in front of us. (The instructions were in Spanish so the whole time I was looking at Rhonda because she had to translate for me. It was funny) We then had to walk while squatting down and go to the finish line. The roosters won, but not really with my help. I took that time to pick up one of the smaller girls. Rhonda was laughing at me. We then played another game, but I didn’t have my translator because she was taking a child to the bathroom. The instructions were of course in Spanish so I tried my best to follow what Heidi was saying but I couldn’t really understand her. But I caught on, she called at a number and everyone ran to each other and got in a group of that number. It’s a game I’ve played before. It was funny. I was standing there with one of the little one (Jazmine) not really playing but Heidi called out the number 9 and we had a bunch of people come running towards us to get in a group. Let’s say they nearly knocked us over and I was laughing my head off. It was great! We then went back into the school building to eat cake for the second time that day, and enjoy a glass of chocolate milk. I didn’t eat or drink at that time. I had to go spray on the bug spray because of the mosquitoes and bugs. Then it was dinner time. And soon it will be bedtime and I’ll go help tuck them in. Tomorrow is church! I can’t wait. It’s going to be a great experience. I’m so looking forward to it. I’m going to go now, we’re about to eat dinner ourselves and I’m tired. It’s been a fun full first day! Love you all. Thank you for your prayers and support. I look forward to tell you more in the next few months. I wish you could meet the children, they’re truly amazing, and they will steal your heart as soon as you see them. I just want to be able to give them all the love that I can. It’s great! This experience is going to change my life and the way I look at things from now on. Until next time.