Beginning

Where to start?  So much has gone on in the first days I've been here, so I'll try not to write too much. :)

It is absolutely gorgeous here.  Mountains, ocean, green everywhere, brilliantly-colored flowers, billowy clouds, beautiful sunset - I don't think it gets better.  While Louie was here, he took me up to the water tower near the top of the little mountain that we're on and from the top of the tower the view is incredible.  You can see the islands out in the sea, the beautiful seashore, the mountains that reach right up to the coastline...it's so cool.  The heat is a tad bit of a downer, but it rains every now and then.  Actually it pours, and the rain cools everything off quite nicely, for a little while at least.

I went to the bilingual school in Rio Esteban this morning to get started working there.  I visited on Thursday, just to see the place and get an idea of what I'll be doing, but today I actually started teaching the kids.  The school bus comes by the hospital at 6:15am and goes back around 1:45pm, so I get a ride there and back.  I'm not positive this is what I'll do every time, but today I was teaching 2nd grade along with Rachel Paul, another intern.  Let me tell you, seven-year-olds are awesome.  So much energy, so much creativity, so able and ready to learn (with a little guideance :) ).  One little guy liked to play air guitar, and he told me that he liked the guitar but he thought the flute was weird.  Good to know.

The other thing I'll be doing while I'm here is tutoring.  I've met the three kids I'll be teaching, and they're all great.  They are Eryn (13), Benton (11), and Sammy (I think she's 13, too?).  Definitely looking forward to this, as well. :)

Speaking Spanish is fun, and sometimes difficult.  I'm starting to remember what I've learned in Spanish class, and I'm picking up new phrases, too, which is awesome.  Did you know that,  in Honduras, "en once" (or "in eleven") means "on foot"?  I didn't...apparently it's because two feet look like the number eleven.  Clever.

I'm loving the fresh fruit.  Avocados, which I've always been in love with, grow in a tree in front of where I stay in staff housing.  And there's a mango tree in my backyard, so I grab those every now and then.  I never used to like mangos because, to me, they have this pine cone-like aftertaste, but I think the combination of the attractiveness of getting free fruit and its freshness make them delicious to me.  There are also Honduran apples, but those basically are spongy, lightly-sweetened foam, so I don't go for those.

I can't tell you about my week without mentioning topos.  They're genious, and the best thing ever on a hot day.  They're basically popsicles in little sandwich bags.  They tie off the top of the bag so nothing leaks out, and you bite a little hole in the bottom corner of the topo and suck out the popsicle.  Like freezer pops (the long, skinny kind in a plastic tube), but without the rough edges of the tube.  My favorite kind so far is tamarind.

All-in-all, I'm looking forward to this year.  I would appreciate prayers, though, and I am so thankful for many of you who I know are already praying for me.  I think probably the toughest thing right now will be adjusting to living by myself.  After being in a family of 10, not having to ask someone to stop talking because I'm trying to sleep or to get up early Sunday morning so I can get in the shower before the hot water is gone is weird.  But other than that, just pray that God would give me strength, joy, and willingness to serve him well.

And here's a verse that I recently found about what Christ did for us and what our lives should be like.  I think it's super cool, so I want to share it with you.  "You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.  O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!" ~Psalm 30:11-12