Ì've Made it!

Hola mi amigos!!!

Well I have made it to my final destination! And I have to say it was pretty easy to get here. Heidi dropped me off on Tuesday I rolled into the airport totally excited and extremely nervous...thinking "wow I am on my own now". I got my ticket at the counter and made my way through security walked up to my gate sat down and all of a sudden a rush of excitement ran through me and I was like " yes I am doing it. I am living my dream" ahhhh! and to be honest it was pretty easy to get to this point!

So when I arrived in Honduras my , Yvonne, from High School who is also down here came and picked me and another volunteer who flew in the same day. It was great to see a familiar face after I passed through customs. I mean I really dont know spanish so to have someone there who could tranlate and exchange money for me was great!

So my very first impressions of the site where I am staying....

It is absolutely beutiful. It is a square buliding with an open /courtyard in the center. There are about 10 rooms on each side and about 30 hammocks that line the garden. I thought to myself how peaceful and relaxing. And then I was shown to my room. Yes i have my own room with a bathroom that connects to the room next door and I share it with a long term volunteer name Megan.

Right now we have 6 long term volunteers but three of them are leaving in the beginning of March and we will be getting some more in early summer. When I arrived there was a mission group from Wisconsin...such great people. An older crowd about 15 of them.

So my first day was great! And i was told the next day would be even better...we were going to see a waterfall and go zip linning. I was thinking to myself...am I on a 6 month vacation right now...wooohooo!!

Well the next morning I woke up for morning prayer after almost freezing to death and being eaten by mosquitos and I got out of bed at 6am and walked over to my sink to see three legs sticking out behind my 5x8 mirror. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. okay so I think there is a spider...oh wait no that is definitley a ginourmous spider!!! It crawled out to say hello (it was about 2 in x2 in). I quickly left there and went to the chapel and afterward told Yvonne...I was like...I am trying not to be a pest but there is a gargantuan spider in my room behind my mirror...any thougts. She said to just squish the mirror. And i thought to my self not a bad idea! So I went back to my room and did just that. With two squishes it was a goner and I was Queen of my domain! That night after returning from the waterfall (which was absolutely breathtakning...will post pics later) I put up my mosquito net and grabbed an extra blanket and slept like a baby!

Those are just a few stories of my first few days but the real thing is that i keep finding myself coming across new chalenges every day and also over coming these obstacles. In few short days I ahve been here I realize the potential of self growth. Everyday there are times that i feel like crying...and sometime I do but then I realize a few hours later or a day or two later that things will be okay and there is a reason I am here. This will certainly be an upill battle for the first few weeks or months but I am ready for it.

I spent some time with the orphans yesterday and today and it is truly amazing to see them. It is not that they dont have anything because they do. They have a roof over their heads, they have food to eat, and they have clothes to wear, and toys to play with...it is just that the roof they have is metal and their walls are cinderblocks, the food they eat everyday consists of rice and beans and chicken, their clothes have all been handed down to them from volunteers that have visited, and their toys are scrap pieces of wood and broken down shelves and watches that dont have wriststraps.

But they are great and they seem happy, but you can see that some have busted up toes that have not been taken care of and teath that are rotted out. But they go on because they do not know any different. I hope that while i am here that i can help in everyway possible to educate them and to help them realize the potential they have and how they can grow up and help other Hondurans.

Lastly I will leave you with this little story...one of the gentlemen from Wisconsin said to me the other day "It is great to find what you are searching for. I looked for a very long time and when i found it (and raised his hand to his chest) it was totally worth searching for.

There are a tone more stories that I do not have time to share but I hope you all are doing well and please send e-mails!!! jmuecke37@hotmail.com and please write letters...i know the next few months are not going to be easy so letters would be great to get...I believe it takes about 2-4 weeks to receive...so keep writing!
Also send pictures...my walls are bare and could use a little face lift!

Apartado 97
Comayagua, Comayagua 12101
Honduras, Central America

Countdown

The countdown is getting close!! My flight leaves tomorrow at 12:41 pm tomorrow and I could not be more excited!  Especially because I just received an e-mail from Yvonne (the woman who heads up the volunteer program of Mission Honduras) and she said she will be picking me up at the airport tomorrow!  phew!  I think I had some hidden anxiety about that so when I received the e-mail I had a huge sign of relief!  

I think I have all of my eggs in a row (??)  I have my shots and 6 months worth of Malaria medication...one more pill to take to save me from Typhoid fever!  Feeling good!  Cancelled my phone service, gave my car to my brother, and got international health insurance!  I am happy that is behind me now and I can't wait to finally get there and be able to answer all the questions people have been asking me.  Where will you live?  Who will you live with?  What kind of work will you be doing down there?  

I am excited to get back into some kind of routine...not sure what that will be but it will be nice to put my clothes away and roll my suitcase under my bed!

Okay off to wash my clothes and start packing!  Wish me luck!

Hasta luego!