They like hot dogs
We like hot dogs
They like crocks
We like crocks
We like volleyball
They like volleyball
They love the beach
We love the beach
They are human
And we are too......
Showing posts with label Roatan Island. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roatan Island. Show all posts
Spirit of Flowers Bay
Oh the Coconuts
Oh this beautiful, beautiful spirit selling coconuts and avocados across from the beach in Flowers Bay. He wore a Yankees cap and a neon green tank top. He didn't wear shoes nor did most people on this side of the island. As far as his inner appearance, his soul shined like the sun and he was so spiritually happy. This kind of happy is the kind of true happiness pastor's preach about, authors write about, Dalai Lama speaks about, and people dream of reaching. He was happy without material goods to make him happy. He reached a positive, enlightened place. Yes, he reached that place living in a poor area without a Range Rover, an Iphone, and a house.
I sat with him on his tool bench as he was showing me his different shapes of avocados. It's a human trying to impress with what they have. It's not much, but it's something for them to share and be proud of, which is important for human sense of responsibility and creation. He went back to get a knife in his shack without a roof or room rather it just had a bunch of tools and machine parts and pieces inside. He began to speak of his younger days where he visited Chicago, New Orleans, Tampa Florida, and Jacksonville. With his great memories of the past, he feels content with his current life and work. "It's not much, but I get by," he says. He doesn't speak with sadness rather he speaks with acceptance, faith, and love in God. These are the people that lift up my spirit.
Of course, I bought some avocados from him and he gave my friends and I all coconuts. It was sad to part ways from him because I always meet these people and want to do more, but I know that God is taking care of him.
Oh this beautiful, beautiful spirit selling coconuts and avocados across from the beach in Flowers Bay. He wore a Yankees cap and a neon green tank top. He didn't wear shoes nor did most people on this side of the island. As far as his inner appearance, his soul shined like the sun and he was so spiritually happy. This kind of happy is the kind of true happiness pastor's preach about, authors write about, Dalai Lama speaks about, and people dream of reaching. He was happy without material goods to make him happy. He reached a positive, enlightened place. Yes, he reached that place living in a poor area without a Range Rover, an Iphone, and a house.
I sat with him on his tool bench as he was showing me his different shapes of avocados. It's a human trying to impress with what they have. It's not much, but it's something for them to share and be proud of, which is important for human sense of responsibility and creation. He went back to get a knife in his shack without a roof or room rather it just had a bunch of tools and machine parts and pieces inside. He began to speak of his younger days where he visited Chicago, New Orleans, Tampa Florida, and Jacksonville. With his great memories of the past, he feels content with his current life and work. "It's not much, but I get by," he says. He doesn't speak with sadness rather he speaks with acceptance, faith, and love in God. These are the people that lift up my spirit.
Of course, I bought some avocados from him and he gave my friends and I all coconuts. It was sad to part ways from him because I always meet these people and want to do more, but I know that God is taking care of him.
Born to Die
One day, the energy was completely different. The table had a dark cloud over it. As she was speaking, I asked Stan what was going on and he said she got some bad news at the doctor. She told me in Spanish that the doctor found something that could be cancerous and she is going to die. Immediately, I felt a wave of sadness and outrage. She was crying intensely and talking about her death. Everyone sat their in disbelief that someone would make a prediction for your death when they did not even run any proper tests. She was speaking very fast so I got about 70 percent of what she was saying. It did not matter because I was able to decipher the most important parts. The scriptures, the way she loved God, the way she loved her husband and children, and how happy she was with her life. She said that she lived a good life and God wants to take her then she will be ready at that time. She cried and I cried reassuring her that God will take care of her and she will be fine. Someone with such life is going to have her own life taken? Is that because these people live their life to the fullest and they have experienced so much that it's their time to go? The ones who do not live or change or explore-they get a longer chance to see what life is really about?
It was so emotional and heartbreaking for her to sit and plan her death at 31 years old all because a doctor's ignorance and/or malpractice. She reminded me of my Mom's friend who was from Spain. She had such energy and zest for life, but she was diagnosed with tongue cancer. She lost her voice and she went through a series of chemo. She had such amazing life, but her life was almost taken.
For my friend, she will get a second opinion and third opinion to make sure this doctor knows what he is seeing. She is loved by her community and is.a ray of sunshine in this world.
God send angels to take care of this wonderful woman, her business, and her family.
Traveling Gypsy
The time at church in West Bay was fantastic. We had a women's lunch that went great. It was nice having that time to openly share and confide in one another. This was a church filled with expats(people from different countries mainly USA), which was nice to share experiences.
As far as the
group, there was a girl teaching English in the Children’s home, a couple women
who retired and are now volunteers, and a woman who opened a dance studio for
kids.
Some shared some pretty personal things leading it to be a space where people were respectful and non-judgmental. When I openly shared with people said such positive things about my connecting God's spirit with my work. God has made me brave and courageous allowing me the opportunity to travel, learn, and grow. It just does not feel like he has given me a calling to a permanent population. He has given me the ability to work with many different populations. The actual direction seems a bit confusing.
While everyone was receptive and supportive, there was one lady who sat and looked at me with such fascination and confusion. She said to me, "Oh so your are a "traveling gypsy?" In these situations, I know how defensive I can be therefore, I learned to just close my mouth and say nothing. For me, I always consider the source. This was a lady who was not well traveled, but she was a prominent lady in the church. Unfortunately, her opinion did matter to me and it did upset me. There was such praise for a girl from Wisconsin who was working an orphanage for five years. She was perceived as a leader and a wonderful person, but I was perceived as a gypsy because I work country to country?
It truly is the lack of permanency, which is a significant problem for others. It expresses instability, inability to commit, poor time management, and lack of achievement. For people who are used to things being programmed, it does not make sense to them. This is understandable, but to call me a gypsy is a whole different insult. When I think of gypsy, I think dishonesty, no loyalty, manipulative, beggars, and those who lie and steal.
Someone who is a child of God, educated, traveled, cultured, intelligent, knowledgeable, lived in wealthy areas of New York and Los Angeles, committed to several projects and changed lives-that's a gypsy?
Clearly, this is me being defensive through my blog rather than in person, but that is such an ignorant thing to say. Priscilla CL Raj is not a gypsy and if that is what people think of me then they should go get themselves educated and travel more to see a real gypsy. The last ones I saw were picking through the garbage in Madrid and living in the park.
Some shared some pretty personal things leading it to be a space where people were respectful and non-judgmental. When I openly shared with people said such positive things about my connecting God's spirit with my work. God has made me brave and courageous allowing me the opportunity to travel, learn, and grow. It just does not feel like he has given me a calling to a permanent population. He has given me the ability to work with many different populations. The actual direction seems a bit confusing.
While everyone was receptive and supportive, there was one lady who sat and looked at me with such fascination and confusion. She said to me, "Oh so your are a "traveling gypsy?" In these situations, I know how defensive I can be therefore, I learned to just close my mouth and say nothing. For me, I always consider the source. This was a lady who was not well traveled, but she was a prominent lady in the church. Unfortunately, her opinion did matter to me and it did upset me. There was such praise for a girl from Wisconsin who was working an orphanage for five years. She was perceived as a leader and a wonderful person, but I was perceived as a gypsy because I work country to country?
It truly is the lack of permanency, which is a significant problem for others. It expresses instability, inability to commit, poor time management, and lack of achievement. For people who are used to things being programmed, it does not make sense to them. This is understandable, but to call me a gypsy is a whole different insult. When I think of gypsy, I think dishonesty, no loyalty, manipulative, beggars, and those who lie and steal.
Someone who is a child of God, educated, traveled, cultured, intelligent, knowledgeable, lived in wealthy areas of New York and Los Angeles, committed to several projects and changed lives-that's a gypsy?
Clearly, this is me being defensive through my blog rather than in person, but that is such an ignorant thing to say. Priscilla CL Raj is not a gypsy and if that is what people think of me then they should go get themselves educated and travel more to see a real gypsy. The last ones I saw were picking through the garbage in Madrid and living in the park.
If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all. -Unknown-
Think before you speak- Unknown-
Snorkeling Sting
After a day of snorkeling, the young German couple came back to our hostel sharing all their underwater finds. It was time for me do some underwater exploring myself. Sunday I had sometime before volleyball started, therefore I decided to jump in the water and get started. The German couples and others said the best place to snorkel is around Cliff side around the rocks. Locals did not fully recommend this place, but there goes Priscilla not listening.
Underwater is truly a whole new world, you find all kinds of fish, stingrays, different colors of coral, and the best find would be the sea turtles. The schools of fish consist of different colors-blue, neon yellow, orange, black and yellow, and even neon pink. The beauty was mesmerizing, so mesmerizing that you might lose track of where you are headed! I was snorkeling in between all the coral. This would lead you to big holes in between, but sometimes it was difficult to get to those holes because the tide was pretty low, which left me swimming on top of the coral. I had forgot my water shoes and didn't want to rent fins so I just went barefoot-something I almost never would do.
Clearly, this was not my best idea with all the sharp coral and the second biggest reef in the world. I ended up flopping on top of the water and trying to make it into the big hole ahead. Suddenly, I felt a big sharp pain in my stomach. "Ouch."
With my OCD, I was in a panic thinking I was stung by a sting ray. One really can't blame them when I am swimming on top of their house with my big body and bare feet. I swam quickly back to shore and had it checked by my friend working on the beach.
"Hey Chicago girl, what's wrong?" Staff
"I think something bit me. What if its poisonous." Pris
He starts laughing, "You left the water around the cliff for that?" Staff
"Well yes."Pris
"That's just from the coral, it will go away in 15 minutes."Staff
"So I left the water for a fake sting."Pris
"That's what it appears to be." Staff
While he told me not to touch it, I was touching it five minutes after wondering if there was a piece of coral stuck inside. Also, I was asking for second and third opinions. My buddy at the hotel, Puma, was concerned and asked if I wanted to send first aid to get antibiotic cream. Love the caring and respect from people-my family abroad. He got me some antibiotic cream and I rubbed it on a couple times. the next day there was no sting and it was completely gone.
Underwater is truly a whole new world, you find all kinds of fish, stingrays, different colors of coral, and the best find would be the sea turtles. The schools of fish consist of different colors-blue, neon yellow, orange, black and yellow, and even neon pink. The beauty was mesmerizing, so mesmerizing that you might lose track of where you are headed! I was snorkeling in between all the coral. This would lead you to big holes in between, but sometimes it was difficult to get to those holes because the tide was pretty low, which left me swimming on top of the coral. I had forgot my water shoes and didn't want to rent fins so I just went barefoot-something I almost never would do.
Clearly, this was not my best idea with all the sharp coral and the second biggest reef in the world. I ended up flopping on top of the water and trying to make it into the big hole ahead. Suddenly, I felt a big sharp pain in my stomach. "Ouch."
With my OCD, I was in a panic thinking I was stung by a sting ray. One really can't blame them when I am swimming on top of their house with my big body and bare feet. I swam quickly back to shore and had it checked by my friend working on the beach.
"Hey Chicago girl, what's wrong?" Staff
"I think something bit me. What if its poisonous." Pris
He starts laughing, "You left the water around the cliff for that?" Staff
"Well yes."Pris
"That's just from the coral, it will go away in 15 minutes."Staff
"So I left the water for a fake sting."Pris
"That's what it appears to be." Staff
While he told me not to touch it, I was touching it five minutes after wondering if there was a piece of coral stuck inside. Also, I was asking for second and third opinions. My buddy at the hotel, Puma, was concerned and asked if I wanted to send first aid to get antibiotic cream. Love the caring and respect from people-my family abroad. He got me some antibiotic cream and I rubbed it on a couple times. the next day there was no sting and it was completely gone.
Moral to Story: Stop being an OCD concerned American and Man Up....well Woman Up!
Something small does not have to be catastrophized into something big.
Tourist Night
Being busy working, my schedule involves eating sleeping, and writing. My social hour usually involves walking down the streets meeting new locals from dusk into the evening and connecting with people God wants me to meet. Staying at Roatan Hostel, which is a pretty small space. It was full of girls who were ready to mingle, dance, meet boys, have fun, act silly, and live life. In the beginning, a few of us did discuss renting a 4X4 and going around the island, but this didn't happen as we couldn't make our schedules work out. When it came to Saturday, it was the last day for many who were continuing their journey. Our hostel owner was so sweet organizing a bus for everyone to go together and she was also coming with and hanging out-this is not common for owners, but she was quite cool-seriously adored her. Everyone was going and everyone was asking if I was coming. I couldn't be the odd woman out, therefore I threw on an outfit, my gold platform shoes, makeup, scrunched up my hair, and that was it. My SF buddy and I were more interested in staying back and playing scrabble, but we decided to not be old, but live young and go out. Even if we just made a small appearance, that would definitely be okay.
Being one of the first ones ready(a rare occurrence), I greeted our driver, Juan Lewis, who came in all dressed up asking 50 questions. He spoke perfect English and as he grew up in the Bronx, New York. It was clear he was very proud of living there and had good knowledge of the cities and states. Now he is back in his hometown where he works as a tourist driver where he is happy with all the money he makes( go figure Roatan).
While I thought it was a girls night, one guy managed to sneak on and boy was he a 20 year old handful.
Unfortunately, the thing with hostels is they are really for young people. I'm not in my young 20s anymore rather I have grown out of that developmental stage- nothing bad about it, but would rather be around older intellectuals than those just experiencing life for the first time.
Anyways, I sat in front with the driver from Bronx New York and we were talking about going to a better place. The hostel owner chose a local place that has local people and local grinding aka dancing. El bosque was definitely on my mind and recommended by Juan Lewis. The plans were not changing. She insisted on her local place and we joked about dropping them off and going to El Bosque. I decided to just go with the flow and have some fun.
So we were driving over to the bar and Juan shouts, "Did you see that?" JL
"See what?"
"I just ran over a big boat."
Apparently I missed running over the gigantic snake. I questioned if he was sure and he responded that he knows his island. Only in Roatan- do you run over a boa and then go on just like nothing happened.
Well,we arrived at the bar and it was empty and uneventful, which triggered my "I told you so attitude." We all sat and we were talking about traveling and taking silly pictures.
Well,we arrived at the bar and it was empty and uneventful, which triggered my "I told you so attitude." We all sat and we were talking about traveling and taking silly pictures.
I would occasionally go up to Juan where we would sit and share all of our favorite things about New York. He talked about his love for Indian girls and I talked about my love for My Moroccan. He told me to hold on to my love while I questioned the unpredictable bit. Juan had some real good life experience and knew much.
Even though, there was a small crowd, there was not a lack of entertainment. The young boy was quite an entertainer like myself and he gave me a break for the night. Between his dancing and his stupid questions and nonexistent logic, he pretty much was like that annoying child you love regardless.
The dancing was seriously, as my friend Mat would say, out of control. The 20 year old was asking me to show him how to dance and I delegated that task to another person. He was the lost puppy dog of the night. When we were all dancing together, he would come over with a different guy and say, "He wants to dance with you Priscilla," and I would run away like a ten year old. It was okay dancing with the girls, but not interested in going near any man. Usually I am embarrassed my stupid tourist dancing, but this time I just let go and let us have fun. Juan was watching and I was smiling and calling him a voyeur.
When the clock struck 12, it was time to go home before I turned into a pumpkin or in Island case-a coconut. One girl was leaving and I caught her while I was standing outside. Being concerned about the price, we cut the guy down from $5 to $2.50 and off we went. Apparently, everyone stayed out until 2 or 3. Unfortunately, I didn't have anymore taste for the local Island flavor. I was more interested in sleep.
Girls Just Want to Have Fun!
Our adorable Hostel Owner
El Bosque
In Spanish, "El Bosque" means the forest. While this location was on the West End Beach with plenty of restaurants and tourists shops-it was not a "forest," but it was similar to a Japanese garden. It reminded me of Asia somewhere in Thailand or Cambodia. There were all kinds of plants, large rocks, mini fountains with fish and turtles. It was multi-leveled with three tiers and the three tiers lead up to the Eiffel tower. Um yes an Eiffel tower. I believe that a nice Buddha would have been just fine, but it was still a lovely, lovely place.
El Bosque is an upscale, tourist friendly café, restaurant, and nightclub. While I was in the buffet asking twenty questions, I became friendly with the manager. It was such a difficult decision between fresh sushi(not very common on the island) and the nice buffet full of variety. He told me to go for the buffet and I took his advice choosing fish, veggies, rice, plantains, and a corn tamale. With all that food, I always wonder what happens to the leftovers. The manager said the leftovers and given to local families-nice. He was cool and invited me to the nightclub later that night, but I was too lame to tell him I would probably be sleeping-little interest in nightclubs.
Also, I ordered a Black coffee with no sugar and side of milk. This was quite the production. Walking over to their counter, I wanted to take a look to make sure they weren't dumping sugar in it. They were breezing through coffee drinks, but when it came to my drink-not a breeze.
Sometimes you just need to accept and let them make it the way they do. This isn't Starbucks where you can make five different changes to your order. This is an island in Honduras where people are working and trying to make a living. One can not always control your food and make changes so move on and let it go. The better focus was how relaxing and peaceful it was sitting up on the second tier listening to the waterfall and smelling fresh trees. There was no one up and there and I was able to write and enjoy my Honduran coffee.
Beach Volley Ball
Everyday when we finished our responsibilities with the kids, it wasn't over because they wanted to play. One of great activities and my favorite was beach volleyball(with the Sand Flies included in the game). They were not as bad in Sandy Bay in comparison to some other beaches.
In volleyball, the kids were pretty good and they had their own ways of playing. Not everyone plays volleyball the American way and that is okay. It is a little frustrating for competitive people like me, but we were just having fun.
Playing with lines in the sand instead of net
Quesadilla Night
Immediately, I ran inside and told my Asian SF buddy, we are making quesadillas. Of course, everyone wanted to copy this idea. It was about to downpour and people were on limited options. Budget friendly tourists do not want to spend $15 on a pizza and prefer $1 cheese and .20 tortillas
With my cheese obsession, I noticed that there was a man selling cheese and tortillas on our street. All this time, I did not hear him when he shouted, "Tortillas, queso- Tortillas queso." He drove around on a motorbike with a cooler on the bike with different kind of cheese and tortillas. Running down the stairs like I was running towards the ice cream, I looked at the cheese and their it was my "Blanco queso" in a soft block. This was so great that I gave him an extra tip and he looked at me suspiciously and gave it back to me.
"Para ti," Pris. "Muchas gracias amiga." Cheese seller
Now, things had changed with the hostel and it was not only girls. We had two students from Costa Rica, a super cool 28 year old traveler from Germany, and a crazy Colombian who was never there. The Costa Rican guys wanted to cook theirs the "Costa Rican" way and I said, "I'm on board with you guys." I decided to just watch and talk with them. They were fresh babies to the world doing their first internship. They made me feel old, but they were super nice.
As gentlemen they made me the first one and it was delicious as I sat devouring my favorite cheese and the hot sauce. It seemed like everyone wanted a quesadilla so the Costa Rican went missing because he didn't want to cook anymore. If you want one cook your own and as for my Asian friend-she missed the boat because she was off flirting with her German(I'm not that mean to my friends, I made her one and also made her a nice salad). It was suppose to be a nice night between us, but boys always get in the way-blah.
Holy Insects
The common stereotype is that girls are afraid of bugs, but this is definitely not true. Amongst the countries, I met boys who did not want to go near the insect and freaked out with it's sight. In Belize, the Colombian boy jumped on the bench just seeing a gecko. Again, in Roatan, there are many insects who are probably friends with the insects in Belize. They bite, they fly, they light up, they swim, and worst of all they eat you.
In Roatan Island (famous island with great beaches), you may want to take a run on the beach like myself. Maybe you want to have picnic. You go on the beach and you are all ready put your beach towel down, relax a bit, read a bit, and watch the waves. You sit down and 30 second later you are being eaten up by "Sand flies." They are different than mosquito's because they do not suck your blood rather they just bit and leave red marks. Some of the girls with white skin were covered in red marks on their backs and arms. It looked horrible and I felt bad for them having to walk around in a bikini.
While these sand flies were difficult to avoid, they were not on all beaches. They were present on my work beach in Sandy Bay, but not in the West Bay where the expensive resorts in hotels were-go figure. Let the locals suffer with them and cater to the tourists.
With my Belize experience, I really could not handle anymore bugs, but apparently I had to deal with more. The mosquitoes gave me a break and I had a coil, incense, mosquito net, and a fan blowing on me every night.
Beside mosquitoes, there were lizards, iguanas, geckos(suppose to be good luck and stay inside your room-yes inside.). You will hear them chirp and it is suppose to help you feel safe. Fortunately, being in two countries with them, I got used to the whole thing.
It would be complete sadness if people just thought the island was full of insects and beaches you could not sit on. There was tremendous beauty amongst fauna, sea mammals, and interesting kinds of birds including wood peckers.
But when it comes down to the insects, be prepared for an insect adventure!
In Roatan Island (famous island with great beaches), you may want to take a run on the beach like myself. Maybe you want to have picnic. You go on the beach and you are all ready put your beach towel down, relax a bit, read a bit, and watch the waves. You sit down and 30 second later you are being eaten up by "Sand flies." They are different than mosquito's because they do not suck your blood rather they just bit and leave red marks. Some of the girls with white skin were covered in red marks on their backs and arms. It looked horrible and I felt bad for them having to walk around in a bikini.
While these sand flies were difficult to avoid, they were not on all beaches. They were present on my work beach in Sandy Bay, but not in the West Bay where the expensive resorts in hotels were-go figure. Let the locals suffer with them and cater to the tourists.
With my Belize experience, I really could not handle anymore bugs, but apparently I had to deal with more. The mosquitoes gave me a break and I had a coil, incense, mosquito net, and a fan blowing on me every night.
Beside mosquitoes, there were lizards, iguanas, geckos(suppose to be good luck and stay inside your room-yes inside.). You will hear them chirp and it is suppose to help you feel safe. Fortunately, being in two countries with them, I got used to the whole thing.
It would be complete sadness if people just thought the island was full of insects and beaches you could not sit on. There was tremendous beauty amongst fauna, sea mammals, and interesting kinds of birds including wood peckers.
But when it comes down to the insects, be prepared for an insect adventure!
Friends Forever
Remember when you were a kid and you used to hold out your pinkie finger and twist it around. This indicated a promise that you were going to be friends forever. There were friendship promise rings, exchanging of bracelets, and the verbal promise that's supposed to last for a lifetime.
While this may seem like something just for kids, adults can play this game too. There are some people you meet where you just immediately connect. You know that your going to be friends forever. You don't need to say it or write it or give a bracelet. The gifts are exchanged for just a verbal vow to keep in touch and remain friends. If it is in your friendship cards, your friendship could last a couple years or a lifetime. They say when you just know, you know. This may apply to love, but it also applies to friendship. Even with distance that connection can be maintained if you put in the effort.
Meeting my wonderful amigo created a friendship that hopefully lasts forever. We have such an appreciation for one another's being.We can both talk to one another knowing that everything his shared in confidentiality. She shares with me her life problems and I give her my best advice. She calls me her therapist and I call her my cupcake. We always give each other big hugs and miss each other when the other is away. She wants to learn from me and I want to encourage her to be happy, to be strong, to choose healthy relationships, and let herself follow her desire to explore.
She has the passion inside of her to explore and see more than just the island. It feels unattainable to her, but we make realistic plans for places for her to travel. She is an amazing cook and shares all her favorite food dishes to cook while my mouth waters. She has a son who is just two years old and a husband who doesn't make her happy.
She does love her job and always says, "If someone gave me a whole bunch of money in a new job-I would never take it. I have the best job in the world." She does have a great job, but she still wants to see what is out there beyond a small, sheltered island where everyone knows everyone and even the best activities lose their shine. It's a hope that she will grow in the most positive direction with great people by her side and a plan to travel outside.
While this may seem like something just for kids, adults can play this game too. There are some people you meet where you just immediately connect. You know that your going to be friends forever. You don't need to say it or write it or give a bracelet. The gifts are exchanged for just a verbal vow to keep in touch and remain friends. If it is in your friendship cards, your friendship could last a couple years or a lifetime. They say when you just know, you know. This may apply to love, but it also applies to friendship. Even with distance that connection can be maintained if you put in the effort.
Meeting my wonderful amigo created a friendship that hopefully lasts forever. We have such an appreciation for one another's being.We can both talk to one another knowing that everything his shared in confidentiality. She shares with me her life problems and I give her my best advice. She calls me her therapist and I call her my cupcake. We always give each other big hugs and miss each other when the other is away. She wants to learn from me and I want to encourage her to be happy, to be strong, to choose healthy relationships, and let herself follow her desire to explore.
She has the passion inside of her to explore and see more than just the island. It feels unattainable to her, but we make realistic plans for places for her to travel. She is an amazing cook and shares all her favorite food dishes to cook while my mouth waters. She has a son who is just two years old and a husband who doesn't make her happy.
She does love her job and always says, "If someone gave me a whole bunch of money in a new job-I would never take it. I have the best job in the world." She does have a great job, but she still wants to see what is out there beyond a small, sheltered island where everyone knows everyone and even the best activities lose their shine. It's a hope that she will grow in the most positive direction with great people by her side and a plan to travel outside.
Pupusas Love at 2nd Sight
Being at the hostel, it was not in a prime location for food. There is the West End with all the bodegas, small restaurants, street food, and tourist restaurants. In our middle area of the island, there was fried chicken and pupusas in a walking distance at night. During the day, you may be able to take a bus to Coxenhole. Buses pretty much stop at 9pm making an average tourist left with cooking, pupusas, or fried chicken.
What is a pupusa?
A pupusa originates from El Salvador(which is located in Central America next to Guatemala). It consists of maiz(corn) and layered with refried beans, cheese, or a chicken or pork. It's a common quick meal when on the go or when wanting to be on a budget. They cost $2.00 to $250 on Roatan Island.
Coming home after 7 or 8, I wanted to eat something, but I didn't want to cook with 10 people trying to cook in a 4x4 kitchen. So the German girl introduced me to this Pupusa place. The first night I brought it back and we were all sitting and eating together. I took a bite of mine and it had that shredded sour tasting cheese(how this cheese normally tastes) and it was not cooked all the way- even better. I was hoping for a white cheese, but Honduras loves this stinky, weird tasting cheese. Anyways, it was so disappointing and of course they could tell I did not like it. I just gave it to the German girl who was pretty much a human garbage disposal and ate anything and weighed 110 pounds-lovely. They could not understand how I would not like something so simple-I don't understand either why I have to be so picky with what I eat, but that's the way I am. Priscilla will not just eat any food to fill her stomach rather she would just eat something simple like a pupusa, but they managed to mess that up too!
For some reason, I felt like going back in there because they were so friendly and sweet, especially the female cook. She had a familiar face of my friend at church. I wanted to give them a second chance and ask why they use this cheese and why it wasn't cooked. After my detailed explanation, she understood what kind of cheese I was talking about and she didn't have it. She offered me a pupusa with refried beans and eggs without cheese. Skeptical, but I accepted the order. It came out hot and steaming and after one bite, they redeemed themselves. I threw some hot sauce on it and then I actually ordered another one. This was the beginning of a good food relationship and throughout my stay, I stayed committed to this one pupusa place on the island.
What is a pupusa?
A pupusa originates from El Salvador(which is located in Central America next to Guatemala). It consists of maiz(corn) and layered with refried beans, cheese, or a chicken or pork. It's a common quick meal when on the go or when wanting to be on a budget. They cost $2.00 to $250 on Roatan Island.
Coming home after 7 or 8, I wanted to eat something, but I didn't want to cook with 10 people trying to cook in a 4x4 kitchen. So the German girl introduced me to this Pupusa place. The first night I brought it back and we were all sitting and eating together. I took a bite of mine and it had that shredded sour tasting cheese(how this cheese normally tastes) and it was not cooked all the way- even better. I was hoping for a white cheese, but Honduras loves this stinky, weird tasting cheese. Anyways, it was so disappointing and of course they could tell I did not like it. I just gave it to the German girl who was pretty much a human garbage disposal and ate anything and weighed 110 pounds-lovely. They could not understand how I would not like something so simple-I don't understand either why I have to be so picky with what I eat, but that's the way I am. Priscilla will not just eat any food to fill her stomach rather she would just eat something simple like a pupusa, but they managed to mess that up too!
For some reason, I felt like going back in there because they were so friendly and sweet, especially the female cook. She had a familiar face of my friend at church. I wanted to give them a second chance and ask why they use this cheese and why it wasn't cooked. After my detailed explanation, she understood what kind of cheese I was talking about and she didn't have it. She offered me a pupusa with refried beans and eggs without cheese. Skeptical, but I accepted the order. It came out hot and steaming and after one bite, they redeemed themselves. I threw some hot sauce on it and then I actually ordered another one. This was the beginning of a good food relationship and throughout my stay, I stayed committed to this one pupusa place on the island.
The Little Boy Who Could
**Parents who pressure their kids to succeed-don't be surprised when you see the opposite outcome.**
His father loved him very much and he only wanted the best for him, but we discussed the psychological impact this has on a child and clarity surfaced for him.
With the little one, he was shy and scared for the first few sessions. Mrs. Teri was always putting in wonderful efforts, but I presented her with another idea. We backed off and did not try to work with him on English. Instead, we focused on the six other kids and lead by example. I told her we were going to make things as fun as possible and with kids speaking and engaging-the little one will come around and want to join. She looked confused and reminded me that he is very shy and does not usually engage with children. She is a very sweet young girl and this was something for her to try in the future if it does succeed.
We started our lesson with everyone raising their hand with such eager. We decided to take that energy outside as other children were in the library. Miss. Teri stayed inside with the little one observing his actions. He got up and moved closer to the door and peaked his head around the side. The next day he sat outside and was silent. The next day one or two words and received huge praise from everyone. This positive praise lead to another great day.
The following day he was engaging in full repetition-great pronunciation surprising for all of us. The next day he was rushing up to the front door with a big smile on his face and went outside being the first one to sit on the bench. This child became a star participant and with teamwork Miss. Teri and all the kids encouraged him to speak English and be happier rather than be in fear.
His father witnessed this happiness and his father also watched his learning and the teaching happening.
Hopefully this was an "Ah ha" moment where his father realized, he needed to stop pushing and encourage his child to learn in a happier, interactive way.
While this sounds like an ideal situation in such a short time, it's again the power of teamwork, the power of spirit/belief in someone, persistence, and lots of experience from the soul:)
Family in Trouble
Another case was presented to me with a troubled family living near the center. There were three boys who attended the library each day. The older one, 17, and he was the caretaker of the family. The middle aged one, 12, was a pretty good student and stayed out of trouble. The youngest one, 11, had been severely suffering from his family life. The father was an alcoholic and the mother was a question mark as the truth about her was not disclosed.
The younger boy was the one that Mrs. Kat wanted me to work with each day. It was clear that he needed some extensive therapy. He had severe ADHD, poor social skills, attachment issues, and difficulty addressing adults properly and making requests. Of course he was a smart boy, but he spent more time goofing off inside and outside of school. He had ran away from home on a few occasions and teachers report says that he is always trouble in class. He is labeled as "the problem child," which leads people to avoid working with him and trying to help him. Instead they just focus on his label. It's a sad, unfortunate reality with many kids.
Working together with him was difficult, but not impossible. He presented a bit shy and closed off, but warmed up to me in short time. He rarely attended the library and did not keep our appointments, but with some motivation he surprised me with his eagerness to learn. He would come with a pencil and a notebook. Everyone was shocked, but not me. I just did my job and believed. He had to request to take breaks and he was given allotted times to stay seated. He did not always follow along, but he had someone who believed. He gave me hugs and asked about how long I would be staying. It was never a surprise rather I was always honest and upfront from the beginning about how long I would stay. He made some progress right in front of my eyes and he was passed down to the staff. I told them to not give up on him and to spend time working with him with a list of therapeutic activities including: anger management, social skills, and listening.
**Nothing is impossible when it comes to people.**
While the middle brother was performing well, the older brother made some changes right in front of my eyes. His attendance decreased, he missed a couple days of school, and he was not showering. There was clear pain sitting in his eyes. Every teacher commented on it and I saw what was happening. While the younger one was the focus, the older one was crying out for help.
After my work, we took walks on the beach and talked about his life problems. He did not want to share the details of what was happening, but I already had an idea from the behavior of the younger one. Together we wrote down and built a support network for him, a journal, ways to stay active, and people he can turn to for help. He reported feeling worried confiding in a staff in fear they may tell his family secret. It's just a matter of time before it comes out.
In the family dynamic, the responsibility is generally assigned to an older child. He becomes the responsible one when his parents are not properly caring for their children. He can follow through on his tasks, but sooner or later the pressure settles in and he begins to break. He can't be the one who watches over Javier and makes sure he completes his homework. He can't be the one who does the dishes everyday. He just wants to be a kid and not have to bear such responsibility at such a young age. He wants a father who cares for him and a mother who does her part.
The younger boy was the one that Mrs. Kat wanted me to work with each day. It was clear that he needed some extensive therapy. He had severe ADHD, poor social skills, attachment issues, and difficulty addressing adults properly and making requests. Of course he was a smart boy, but he spent more time goofing off inside and outside of school. He had ran away from home on a few occasions and teachers report says that he is always trouble in class. He is labeled as "the problem child," which leads people to avoid working with him and trying to help him. Instead they just focus on his label. It's a sad, unfortunate reality with many kids.
Working together with him was difficult, but not impossible. He presented a bit shy and closed off, but warmed up to me in short time. He rarely attended the library and did not keep our appointments, but with some motivation he surprised me with his eagerness to learn. He would come with a pencil and a notebook. Everyone was shocked, but not me. I just did my job and believed. He had to request to take breaks and he was given allotted times to stay seated. He did not always follow along, but he had someone who believed. He gave me hugs and asked about how long I would be staying. It was never a surprise rather I was always honest and upfront from the beginning about how long I would stay. He made some progress right in front of my eyes and he was passed down to the staff. I told them to not give up on him and to spend time working with him with a list of therapeutic activities including: anger management, social skills, and listening.
**Nothing is impossible when it comes to people.**
While the middle brother was performing well, the older brother made some changes right in front of my eyes. His attendance decreased, he missed a couple days of school, and he was not showering. There was clear pain sitting in his eyes. Every teacher commented on it and I saw what was happening. While the younger one was the focus, the older one was crying out for help.
After my work, we took walks on the beach and talked about his life problems. He did not want to share the details of what was happening, but I already had an idea from the behavior of the younger one. Together we wrote down and built a support network for him, a journal, ways to stay active, and people he can turn to for help. He reported feeling worried confiding in a staff in fear they may tell his family secret. It's just a matter of time before it comes out.
In the family dynamic, the responsibility is generally assigned to an older child. He becomes the responsible one when his parents are not properly caring for their children. He can follow through on his tasks, but sooner or later the pressure settles in and he begins to break. He can't be the one who watches over Javier and makes sure he completes his homework. He can't be the one who does the dishes everyday. He just wants to be a kid and not have to bear such responsibility at such a young age. He wants a father who cares for him and a mother who does her part.
May the Lord watch over this family on their darkest days.
May the Lord be with these children at times of need.
May the Lord remind them of their place in the world
May the Lord lift them up in his arms on days of sadness
May the Lord give his spirit for support and love within them
PRIS
Hopeless to Hopeful
At Brain Space, specific and difficult assignments were assigned to me and as always Priscilla was up for the challenge. What is interesting is when someone is described solely by their weakness instead of their strengths. Their identification is just recognized by weakness and they are just described by weakness.
This happened with a young 14 year old named Ainsley. Mrs. Cat informed me that this student was extremely slow with a possible learning disability. She can not recollect anything she learns and she is constantly having trouble with Math.
Of course, I listened and highly considered her opinion and she knew each and every student in that center. Unfortunately, I was guilty of believing her level of learning and intelligence was so low. The thought was in my mind while waiting for her ready to diagnose a learning disability.
She walked in dressed in clean clothes with a tall stature appearing to be a 17 year old not 12. The way she carried herself for 12 was impeccable. She had a beautiful smile and a kind manner with others. I observed her behavior with other children and she was helpful and caring-reading to kids and playing games outside on breaks.
When it came to her work, it was clear that she had difficulty with Math-division, subtraction, and multiplication. When it comes to learning, all you need is drive and a will to learn. She showed up each and every time dedicated to learning and working hard to achieve stickers and verbal praise. She never walked away, complained of being tired, or became upset. She just happily worked and did her math problems while asking questions and being patient. She did not have such difficulty remembering as reported by John and others. And she definitely did not have a learning disability. She's a girl with 7 brothers and sisters and a mother who is never home. She's in a class of 45 and her math teacher happens to be John and she reports being confused by his teaching. This is also common because the locals have a different way of teaching everything. When I told Mrs. Kat of her success she said, "That's because she has you as a tutor."
**It's amazing how people can know you for such a short time and have such positive feedback. You can work your butt off for a year in a company and you can barely get a one page review from them that is solid and highlights your accomplishments with clients-crap.***
Each day sharing my progress with Ainsley verbally and written, she was so happy and her face was glowing. Ainsley needed a mentor and someone consistent. That is what I was and that is what she needed whether short term or long term-I was there and she was there and we connected. She was not a hopeless case rather she was a hopeful one. She was just a girl who needed a chance, who needs a mentor, and who needs someone to believe in her rather than underestimate who she is and how she learns. She is brave, determined, kind, caring, resourceful, and resilient. She is some kind of wonderful and that is how she stands in my memory...
This happened with a young 14 year old named Ainsley. Mrs. Cat informed me that this student was extremely slow with a possible learning disability. She can not recollect anything she learns and she is constantly having trouble with Math.
Of course, I listened and highly considered her opinion and she knew each and every student in that center. Unfortunately, I was guilty of believing her level of learning and intelligence was so low. The thought was in my mind while waiting for her ready to diagnose a learning disability.
She walked in dressed in clean clothes with a tall stature appearing to be a 17 year old not 12. The way she carried herself for 12 was impeccable. She had a beautiful smile and a kind manner with others. I observed her behavior with other children and she was helpful and caring-reading to kids and playing games outside on breaks.
When it came to her work, it was clear that she had difficulty with Math-division, subtraction, and multiplication. When it comes to learning, all you need is drive and a will to learn. She showed up each and every time dedicated to learning and working hard to achieve stickers and verbal praise. She never walked away, complained of being tired, or became upset. She just happily worked and did her math problems while asking questions and being patient. She did not have such difficulty remembering as reported by John and others. And she definitely did not have a learning disability. She's a girl with 7 brothers and sisters and a mother who is never home. She's in a class of 45 and her math teacher happens to be John and she reports being confused by his teaching. This is also common because the locals have a different way of teaching everything. When I told Mrs. Kat of her success she said, "That's because she has you as a tutor."
**It's amazing how people can know you for such a short time and have such positive feedback. You can work your butt off for a year in a company and you can barely get a one page review from them that is solid and highlights your accomplishments with clients-crap.***
Each day sharing my progress with Ainsley verbally and written, she was so happy and her face was glowing. Ainsley needed a mentor and someone consistent. That is what I was and that is what she needed whether short term or long term-I was there and she was there and we connected. She was not a hopeless case rather she was a hopeful one. She was just a girl who needed a chance, who needs a mentor, and who needs someone to believe in her rather than underestimate who she is and how she learns. She is brave, determined, kind, caring, resourceful, and resilient. She is some kind of wonderful and that is how she stands in my memory...
Never, Never underestimate a human potential- PRIS
True Teamwork= Success
When it comes to a successful volunteer experience, it comes down to a few things: the amount of effort you contribute, your sense of reality and making realistic goals, focusing on the clients benefit rather than your own need to help, and working as a team rather than an individual.
There are volunteers that are completely forgettable. One of them being in Brain Space. She came in and out not speaking to any staff and bringing no energy when working with the children. It was so bad that she was finished with her work and people didn't even know whether she was gone or there.
While the desire to "help" is there, an impact is not left on the child or community therefore what is the point? It's not possible for many people to function on my level making a positive connection with all staff from the guy cleaning the garden to the teacher to the teachers at schools to the bus drivers. It's not given to everyone and it's completely understood, but some people need to try harder with people. When you are coming into a community that is not your own- try to work past fear by initiating communication in an informal way. If you make a joke, ask ice breaker questions, and have lunch near them one day. You will find yourself in a much better place than just having this individual experience.
Teamwork can truly make miracles happen. When you look at all the amazing organizations that started as something small and built themselves up to international leaders. It is not because one person is doing everything for the organization. It is true teamwork that is creating success within these places and people are making an effort to work together, listen to one another, give constructive criticism, learn from one another, and build off one anothers knowledge. It's an absolutely amazing thing and when you are analyst who can sit back and watch it. That is even better!
As far as the teamwork between us at Brain Space, it was absolutely beautiful to watch. While Ms. Cat saw my resume and gave me a whole list of things to do, there was one of them that I needed to achieve for the organization. This was Staff Motivation. She said that many of her staff have lost their motivation for work. They are reading the same books, letting kids play games, and losing sight of what is important. This is completely natural for staff to lose their passion when they are doing the same thing each day. This was not sitting and doing accounting each day, but this was working with human lives. There is always some room for improvement and an ability to get motivated when children are involved.
When all else fails, lead by example. When you shine, people will shine with you. They feel good and inspired to do something different. I went in there full power, as they say in India, and I just let all my energy out. There were children who were eager to learn English and I was ready to demonstrate new styles of teaching and making activities fun. Children wanted to play computer games(a targeted problem) and a rewards system was created for games. There needed to be some changes, new ideas, new ways of doing things and at the end-this is what sparks people to change their ways.
In the morning, there was one teacher, Miss. Teri and Mr. John in the afternoon. The other three worked in the office and on the bus mobile. Miss. Teri was a 20 year old local Roatan girl. She was the one who craved something different, demonstrated concern towards children's behavior, made extra efforts with kids, and was a creative thinker. We discussed different ways for them to learn English and we tried out different activities-trial and error.
For those who wanted to learn English, I took them outside for English lessons on the whiteboard. They were so happy learning and all participated She ran English lessons before I got there teaching them new words. We included fun rewards game on the beach for the kids and they loved it. They were constantly giving hugs and smiling with one another. It was like a spirit in the library had been completely revived. I would come Ms. Teri had it in her the whole time, but she was hesitant and just needed a push.
As far as John, he needed a big push as he was solely interested in his Ipad and his own agenda. When it came to tutoring Math, this was not my strength, but I did have some behavioral tricks to motivate kids. When it came to one specific child, it was like the center gave up on her. With a motivational push, John was working with her more consistently. He didn't have to get off his computer, but he did and small change is meaningful. He engaged in some activities we had outside and he engaged more with kids.
And then the book mobile where three people were accustomed to the same schedule everyday with the kids. Sometimes they weren't reading and just handing out books. The book mobile would be a mess and everything was out of order. It was difficult to keep it straight, but as a team we cleaned it up. I would read to eight kids and help others choose book all based off their level. This example lead the bus driver to start reading books to children instead of being on his phone. His face lit up when he did it and the kids were so happy. We would head to schools and I would read to the classes and they were laughing. The team would watch me and my friend said, "You are so good. I could never be like that." And of course I said, "Yes you can." "Let your personality shine and kids will see this and enjoy it."
The worst of all was a 18 year old girl, Brenda,who had no work ethic, but inside she had a heart for kids and she did care. She joined our team of positivity and spent more time working with kids rather than just sitting in the corner of the bus. She was probably the most difficult one to motivate, but when we all acted as a team-she joined us. She organized the books more, she brainstormed with us on what do with certain kids, and she was just more present, which is highly valuable in the workplace.
We created a team, where each person counted and each person contributed someway, somehow, or something. It was a great to see the unity between members and the happiness we shared doing great work. Now of course, a dynamic between the four was already created, but it was a dynamic engaging in less work and more social hour. This teamwork approach that we had was fantastic for a short period of time and it's times when things are going so well-it's just wrong leaving and starting somewhere else.
Although, when you leave a team in good shape, they have a much higher potential for success.
There are volunteers that are completely forgettable. One of them being in Brain Space. She came in and out not speaking to any staff and bringing no energy when working with the children. It was so bad that she was finished with her work and people didn't even know whether she was gone or there.
While the desire to "help" is there, an impact is not left on the child or community therefore what is the point? It's not possible for many people to function on my level making a positive connection with all staff from the guy cleaning the garden to the teacher to the teachers at schools to the bus drivers. It's not given to everyone and it's completely understood, but some people need to try harder with people. When you are coming into a community that is not your own- try to work past fear by initiating communication in an informal way. If you make a joke, ask ice breaker questions, and have lunch near them one day. You will find yourself in a much better place than just having this individual experience.
Teamwork can truly make miracles happen. When you look at all the amazing organizations that started as something small and built themselves up to international leaders. It is not because one person is doing everything for the organization. It is true teamwork that is creating success within these places and people are making an effort to work together, listen to one another, give constructive criticism, learn from one another, and build off one anothers knowledge. It's an absolutely amazing thing and when you are analyst who can sit back and watch it. That is even better!
As far as the teamwork between us at Brain Space, it was absolutely beautiful to watch. While Ms. Cat saw my resume and gave me a whole list of things to do, there was one of them that I needed to achieve for the organization. This was Staff Motivation. She said that many of her staff have lost their motivation for work. They are reading the same books, letting kids play games, and losing sight of what is important. This is completely natural for staff to lose their passion when they are doing the same thing each day. This was not sitting and doing accounting each day, but this was working with human lives. There is always some room for improvement and an ability to get motivated when children are involved.
When all else fails, lead by example. When you shine, people will shine with you. They feel good and inspired to do something different. I went in there full power, as they say in India, and I just let all my energy out. There were children who were eager to learn English and I was ready to demonstrate new styles of teaching and making activities fun. Children wanted to play computer games(a targeted problem) and a rewards system was created for games. There needed to be some changes, new ideas, new ways of doing things and at the end-this is what sparks people to change their ways.
In the morning, there was one teacher, Miss. Teri and Mr. John in the afternoon. The other three worked in the office and on the bus mobile. Miss. Teri was a 20 year old local Roatan girl. She was the one who craved something different, demonstrated concern towards children's behavior, made extra efforts with kids, and was a creative thinker. We discussed different ways for them to learn English and we tried out different activities-trial and error.
For those who wanted to learn English, I took them outside for English lessons on the whiteboard. They were so happy learning and all participated She ran English lessons before I got there teaching them new words. We included fun rewards game on the beach for the kids and they loved it. They were constantly giving hugs and smiling with one another. It was like a spirit in the library had been completely revived. I would come Ms. Teri had it in her the whole time, but she was hesitant and just needed a push.
As far as John, he needed a big push as he was solely interested in his Ipad and his own agenda. When it came to tutoring Math, this was not my strength, but I did have some behavioral tricks to motivate kids. When it came to one specific child, it was like the center gave up on her. With a motivational push, John was working with her more consistently. He didn't have to get off his computer, but he did and small change is meaningful. He engaged in some activities we had outside and he engaged more with kids.
And then the book mobile where three people were accustomed to the same schedule everyday with the kids. Sometimes they weren't reading and just handing out books. The book mobile would be a mess and everything was out of order. It was difficult to keep it straight, but as a team we cleaned it up. I would read to eight kids and help others choose book all based off their level. This example lead the bus driver to start reading books to children instead of being on his phone. His face lit up when he did it and the kids were so happy. We would head to schools and I would read to the classes and they were laughing. The team would watch me and my friend said, "You are so good. I could never be like that." And of course I said, "Yes you can." "Let your personality shine and kids will see this and enjoy it."
The worst of all was a 18 year old girl, Brenda,who had no work ethic, but inside she had a heart for kids and she did care. She joined our team of positivity and spent more time working with kids rather than just sitting in the corner of the bus. She was probably the most difficult one to motivate, but when we all acted as a team-she joined us. She organized the books more, she brainstormed with us on what do with certain kids, and she was just more present, which is highly valuable in the workplace.
We created a team, where each person counted and each person contributed someway, somehow, or something. It was a great to see the unity between members and the happiness we shared doing great work. Now of course, a dynamic between the four was already created, but it was a dynamic engaging in less work and more social hour. This teamwork approach that we had was fantastic for a short period of time and it's times when things are going so well-it's just wrong leaving and starting somewhere else.
Although, when you leave a team in good shape, they have a much higher potential for success.
Believe and you shall Achieve
Leave something permanent behind-something that contributes to their future learning.
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