tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45027883237196892482024-03-13T01:45:01.810-07:00Life in LaLa's LandLife in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-51104818418417871322008-09-24T08:26:00.000-07:002008-09-24T08:31:32.648-07:00My PersonalityMy personality calls for an end to this blog. Whenever I mess something up I normally feel a need to cut all ties and begin again or forget about it completely...however, in this case I'll just try to do better. Look for a post soon...if anyone is actually still reading this.Life in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-7211968939755203002008-03-30T17:01:00.000-07:002008-11-13T00:40:32.203-08:00Bagope Retreat 2008<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_ArYBZHBEI/AAAAAAAAAGk/76fvU5sO48k/s1600-h/retreat+001.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183690862794048578" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_ArYBZHBEI/AAAAAAAAAGk/76fvU5sO48k/s320/retreat+001.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_ArYhZHBFI/AAAAAAAAAGs/U-qsjKrjsvc/s1600-h/retreat+003.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183690871383983186" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_ArYhZHBFI/AAAAAAAAAGs/U-qsjKrjsvc/s320/retreat+003.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The girls piled in the bed are some of my 10th graders. I was their cabin leader for the student retreat weekend. We had a great time. The girl in the pink fuzz hat is Grace. She is a senior and her mom teaches English. Grace likes to pretend that she's from da 'hood.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_ArYxZHBGI/AAAAAAAAAG0/C1q9j773Tnc/s1600-h/retreat+005.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183690875678950498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_ArYxZHBGI/AAAAAAAAAG0/C1q9j773Tnc/s320/retreat+005.JPG" border="0" /></a> It was hat theme evening.<br />The black and white picture is all of the senior guys on the retreat doing karaoke. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_ArZRZHBHI/AAAAAAAAAG8/52Hm0x_E5_M/s1600-h/retreat+006.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183690884268885106" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_ArZRZHBHI/AAAAAAAAAG8/52Hm0x_E5_M/s320/retreat+006.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />These two beautiful chicas are two of my 10th grade cabin girls. They were trying to dress for the sock-hop theme but none of them apparently understood what a sock-hop is so it was difficult to help them even come close. We had fun trying. :)<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_ArZhZHBII/AAAAAAAAAHE/piknI7V1R_M/s1600-h/retreat+007.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183690888563852418" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_ArZhZHBII/AAAAAAAAAHE/piknI7V1R_M/s320/retreat+007.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Life in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-72675638132869310202008-03-30T16:39:00.000-07:002008-11-13T00:40:33.146-08:00Teacher's Retreat<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_AmXBZHBAI/AAAAAAAAAGE/mWzxxhpLopo/s1600-h/host+fam,+teachers+retreat,+family+fun+day+015.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183685348056040450" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_AmXBZHBAI/AAAAAAAAAGE/mWzxxhpLopo/s320/host+fam,+teachers+retreat,+family+fun+day+015.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_AmXhZHBBI/AAAAAAAAAGM/2np-Fop4_XA/s1600-h/host+fam,+teachers+retreat,+family+fun+day+016.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183685356645975058" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_AmXhZHBBI/AAAAAAAAAGM/2np-Fop4_XA/s320/host+fam,+teachers+retreat,+family+fun+day+016.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_AmYBZHBCI/AAAAAAAAAGU/5Fnbz_TwuOw/s1600-h/host+fam,+teachers+retreat,+family+fun+day+017.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183685365235909666" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_AmYBZHBCI/AAAAAAAAAGU/5Fnbz_TwuOw/s320/host+fam,+teachers+retreat,+family+fun+day+017.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_AmYRZHBDI/AAAAAAAAAGc/0KfhI8tXfHI/s1600-h/host+fam,+teachers+retreat,+family+fun+day+018.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183685369530876978" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_AmYRZHBDI/AAAAAAAAAGc/0KfhI8tXfHI/s320/host+fam,+teachers+retreat,+family+fun+day+018.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The retreat center about 2 hours outside the city where we spent the day. The day was beautiful and so was the pool but like 60 people got sick the next day from the food. That wasn't so cool. Check out the view from the pool fence. It looks over Coffee Factory Valley. Mmm...smells like Folgers. :)</div>Life in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-42195072003445359422008-03-30T16:21:00.000-07:002008-11-13T00:40:33.798-08:00<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_Ai1RZHA8I/AAAAAAAAAFk/mHSvTgpN2-0/s1600-h/host+fam,+teachers+retreat,+family+fun+day+005.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183681469700572098" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_Ai1RZHA8I/AAAAAAAAAFk/mHSvTgpN2-0/s320/host+fam,+teachers+retreat,+family+fun+day+005.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_Ai1xZHA9I/AAAAAAAAAFs/0nJnQKdUI6k/s1600-h/host+fam,+teachers+retreat,+family+fun+day+007.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183681478290506706" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_Ai1xZHA9I/AAAAAAAAAFs/0nJnQKdUI6k/s320/host+fam,+teachers+retreat,+family+fun+day+007.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This is David and his cousin, little Andrea, who turned 1 in November. Isn't she precious?! Then there's Samuel with his evil grin. Terrible two's...though not for long. He turns 3 in a few weeks. David loves to take his own picture with my camera. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_Ai1xZHA-I/AAAAAAAAAF0/4mrMkZdlplg/s1600-h/host+fam,+teachers+retreat,+family+fun+day+010.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183681478290506722" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_Ai1xZHA-I/AAAAAAAAAF0/4mrMkZdlplg/s320/host+fam,+teachers+retreat,+family+fun+day+010.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_Ai2hZHA_I/AAAAAAAAAF8/PiKMkn5ykoI/s1600-h/host+fam,+teachers+retreat,+family+fun+day+011.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183681491175408626" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R_Ai2hZHA_I/AAAAAAAAAF8/PiKMkn5ykoI/s320/host+fam,+teachers+retreat,+family+fun+day+011.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Life in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-61798952697702824192008-02-07T18:35:00.000-08:002008-11-13T00:40:34.114-08:00Dinners at My Apartment<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R6vCH9LK8RI/AAAAAAAAAFU/HfowKeHwsRQ/s1600-h/Home+for+the+Holidays+and+Other+Fun+Times+085.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164434839646695698" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R6vCH9LK8RI/AAAAAAAAAFU/HfowKeHwsRQ/s320/Home+for+the+Holidays+and+Other+Fun+Times+085.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R6vCItLK8SI/AAAAAAAAAFc/CDMybkxzNHk/s1600-h/Home+for+the+Holidays+and+Other+Fun+Times+087.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164434852531597602" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R6vCItLK8SI/AAAAAAAAAFc/CDMybkxzNHk/s320/Home+for+the+Holidays+and+Other+Fun+Times+087.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>So, a few weeks ago I began having groups of up to five of my 10th grade students over to my apartment on Thursday evenings for a homecooked meal. The first week I made roast beef, upon request of the guys. It didn't turn out very well but we still had fun. Only two of the four ended up being able to come but that made it easier to get to know each other. I meant to be the one asking about them but somehow the table got turned on me...actually that has happened both times. And both times after dinner some of the students washed my dishes! Last week for the girls I made my new favorite meal of chicken seasoned with chipotle, salt and pepper and then covered in an avocado, lime and onion sauce. Yum yum. The girls were impressed. One of them asked me for the recipe and I had to confess it was Martha Stewart's. We had corn and baked french fries with it and then had chocolate cake with homemade peanut butter frosting and vanilla ice cream (they brought the ice cream). I didn't take a picture the first week but I took a few last week. That's Maria with Sara slung over her shoulders. She's a bit of a tom-boy. In the group photo that's Luisa behind me, then Daniela, Sara, Maria and Elisa (or Carol) in the front. Some of my brightest students. Can't wait for the next group though I get nervous everytime. Gotta head down the street to go watch Lost now. Can't miss it! Tomorrow we don't have school. It's a retreat for the teachers to a nearby retreat center. I'd rather just have a day off to do whatever but it could be fun. Hopefully this weekend I'll spend with my host family. Another update soon. Hope you're checking this regularly because I'm posting like you all asked! :)</div>Life in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-5391052017404494282008-02-01T19:49:00.001-08:002008-11-13T00:40:34.538-08:00Saturday AM on the Market Bus<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R6u94NLK8PI/AAAAAAAAAFE/GZ1iRWS8cqw/s1600-h/Home+for+the+Holidays+and+Other+Fun+Times+079.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164430171017244914" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R6u94NLK8PI/AAAAAAAAAFE/GZ1iRWS8cqw/s320/Home+for+the+Holidays+and+Other+Fun+Times+079.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R6u95NLK8QI/AAAAAAAAAFM/lYu2nIab8JU/s1600-h/Home+for+the+Holidays+and+Other+Fun+Times+081.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164430188197114114" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R6u95NLK8QI/AAAAAAAAAFM/lYu2nIab8JU/s320/Home+for+the+Holidays+and+Other+Fun+Times+081.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The graffiti is all I can see out my bus window while I wait for everyone else to finish their open-air market shopping. We go to the market next to the national stadium every other Saturday. The bus leaves our apartments at 6:30. First we stop at "On the Run" it's a gas station/convenience store (and yes, as you can see for yourself, the name is in English) to get money and coffee. Check out the price of gas, the exchange rate is about 19 Lempira to $1, which makes it almost $4/gallon (That's normal here). Some people get breakfast at the gas station but I prefer to wait for a market breakfast of a baleada. A baleada is a flour tortilla with crema (similar to sour cream), red refried beans, scrambled eggs, and a little sausage folded inside. Health food, I know! :) I only get it once in a while. Besides, it balances out all the healthy fruit and vegetables I buy at the market. :) You can buy a whole fresh pineapple for less than a dollar, a pound of bananas for 3 lempiras (about 15 cents), 50 cents for about 8-10 lovely plum tomatoes, lettuce for 25 cents, etc. Gotta love it. Last week when I took this video I ran out of bills small enough to use at the market so I had to be done early. I was pretty bummed. After everyone gets back to the bus, we head down the road a bit to La Colonia to get our groceries. I wish I had pictures of the before and after transformation of that store. A few weeks after we started going there they began working on it. (It was interesting to compare construction practices here to the U.S. Safety, what's that?) Anyway, a few months later on one of our regular trips to the store we thought we were in the wrong place. There had been a sudden and very complete transformation. It became La Colonia Mega. I'll have to take a picture and show you. It's a common occurence around here lately...everything is becoming "Super" or "Mega." After we get our groceries our last stop every week is a bakery called Pan y Mas (Bread and More). Last week I ran down the street to a pharmacy to do some translating for one of the other teachers. I was happy for the chance be helpful and to use my Spanish. Some teachers claim me as their assistant shopper for the day, especially at the market where the vendors are often harder to understand. This week we're heading to Price Smart (like BJ's more or less) and Multiplaza Mall right across the street. I'll have to take some pictures so you can see what it's like.</div>Life in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-15370362418960532532008-01-20T17:00:00.000-08:002008-11-13T00:40:35.200-08:00My Students<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PxHzCY0OI/AAAAAAAAAEc/4wyUsVj3qg0/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+049.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157731114530951394" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PxHzCY0OI/AAAAAAAAAEc/4wyUsVj3qg0/s320/assortment+11-13-07+049.JPG" border="0" /></a> These are some of my lovely 10th grade students. The girl with the glasses is Sara Sanchez. She's in love with Tom Welling who plays Clark Kent on Smallville. She's a nut. The other girl is Marcela. I haven't met a quieter student in the whole school. The other pictures are my students at the end of class one day. We had a little extra time at the end of class so they were playing Texas Hold'em. Makes me smile just to look at their pictures. I love them all very much. Really that goes for all the 10th, 11th, and 12th graders. Some are extra special to me but I love every single one of them. Hopefully soon I'll post some pictures of some of the extra special juniors and seniors.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PxITCY0PI/AAAAAAAAAEk/MiFpJNCPz3o/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+050.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157731123120886002" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PxITCY0PI/AAAAAAAAAEk/MiFpJNCPz3o/s320/assortment+11-13-07+050.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PxIjCY0QI/AAAAAAAAAEs/uwpcIL6b2Es/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+051.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157731127415853314" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PxIjCY0QI/AAAAAAAAAEs/uwpcIL6b2Es/s320/assortment+11-13-07+051.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PxJDCY0RI/AAAAAAAAAE0/Rpf_5Y-1kKM/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+052.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157731136005787922" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PxJDCY0RI/AAAAAAAAAE0/Rpf_5Y-1kKM/s320/assortment+11-13-07+052.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PxJjCY0SI/AAAAAAAAAE8/e_98fgUJv4M/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+053.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157731144595722530" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PxJjCY0SI/AAAAAAAAAE8/e_98fgUJv4M/s320/assortment+11-13-07+053.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Life in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-26423771897560926572008-01-20T16:36:00.000-08:002008-11-13T00:40:35.854-08:0080's Birthday Party<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PtcDCY0KI/AAAAAAAAAD8/1DeboEGuIV8/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+024.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157727064376791202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PtcDCY0KI/AAAAAAAAAD8/1DeboEGuIV8/s320/assortment+11-13-07+024.JPG" border="0" /></a> These are pictures from Tiffany's (in the amazing pink dress) birthday party. If you can't tell it had an 80's theme. Of course we weren't dancing...no way...we'd never do that. You see that guy standing in the open door...that's my boss, Mr. Priest, the principal of the high school. I wouldn't dare dance in front of him. ;)<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PtcjCY0LI/AAAAAAAAAEE/BAAf4rCJnVA/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+029.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157727072966725810" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PtcjCY0LI/AAAAAAAAAEE/BAAf4rCJnVA/s320/assortment+11-13-07+029.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PtczCY0MI/AAAAAAAAAEM/qAPst9YFoxI/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+033.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157727077261693122" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PtczCY0MI/AAAAAAAAAEM/qAPst9YFoxI/s320/assortment+11-13-07+033.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PtezCY0NI/AAAAAAAAAEU/E6_FKdULdCA/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+034.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157727111621431506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PtezCY0NI/AAAAAAAAAEU/E6_FKdULdCA/s320/assortment+11-13-07+034.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Life in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-43615656635591958892008-01-20T16:08:00.000-08:002008-11-13T00:40:36.621-08:00Views of My City, Tegucigalpa<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PlxDCY0FI/AAAAAAAAADU/o69aKcvYnVA/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+012.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157718629061021778" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PlxDCY0FI/AAAAAAAAADU/o69aKcvYnVA/s320/assortment+11-13-07+012.JPG" border="0" /></a> These are views from one of the hills in the city. I went on a walk/hike around the city with my friends Rachel, Sarah and Sarah's Honduran boyfriend, Axle. And yes, Axle is his real name. You can see the stadium in one of the photos. I thought this might give you all a better idea what the city looks like.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PlxTCY0GI/AAAAAAAAADc/sx6GidbDwwU/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+013.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157718633355989090" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PlxTCY0GI/AAAAAAAAADc/sx6GidbDwwU/s320/assortment+11-13-07+013.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PlxjCY0HI/AAAAAAAAADk/KGxe0dUMweE/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+014.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157718637650956402" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PlxjCY0HI/AAAAAAAAADk/KGxe0dUMweE/s320/assortment+11-13-07+014.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PlyTCY0II/AAAAAAAAADs/bdDtKXYBYMo/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+015.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157718650535858306" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PlyTCY0II/AAAAAAAAADs/bdDtKXYBYMo/s320/assortment+11-13-07+015.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PlyjCY0JI/AAAAAAAAAD0/-yGZpiefWiU/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+016.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157718654830825618" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PlyjCY0JI/AAAAAAAAAD0/-yGZpiefWiU/s320/assortment+11-13-07+016.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Life in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-29238855253174978562008-01-20T15:44:00.000-08:002008-11-13T00:40:36.921-08:00Okay, Okay...I'm posting...Leave me alone! ;)<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PhBTCY0EI/AAAAAAAAADM/5hjA0QWPXSA/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+011.JPG"></a><br /><div>This is from a trip we (about 6 of us teachers) took to a park (called El Picacho) just a little ways down the mountain from us.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5Pd-TCY0CI/AAAAAAAAAC8/QfJ2kPKSfpE/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+008.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157710060601266210" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5Pd-TCY0CI/AAAAAAAAAC8/QfJ2kPKSfpE/s320/assortment+11-13-07+008.JPG" border="0" /></a> That's where the Jesus statue is that you've probably seen in some of my other pictures. You can see him in the distance through the tree branches. It was a beautiful day until just after we arrived and then the regular afternoon storm struck. It was a doozy. The guy you see in the picture is the guard/guide who took us all around the park (he didn't forget to show us the souvenir shop where I bought two pairs of earrings :) )...even stayed with us during our escapes from the rain. And then he didn't even expect a tip! I was impressed. He was probably bored and found 6 gringas entertaining. :)<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PeATCY0DI/AAAAAAAAADE/X__5uzUGuGY/s1600-h/assortment+11-13-07+009.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157710094961004594" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/R5PeATCY0DI/AAAAAAAAADE/X__5uzUGuGY/s320/assortment+11-13-07+009.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div></div>Life in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-47537925966621773422007-09-30T09:01:00.000-07:002008-11-13T00:40:37.407-08:00La CumbreThis is from a trip a bunch of us teachers made to a fancy German restaurant just down the mountain from us, called La Cumbre. From where we were sitting there was a great view of the entire city. We just ordered cheesecakes and creme brulee (we're dessert kinda girls) but I hope to get to go back...for more dessert...and maybe even dinner next time. :)<br /> In the first picture you see my friends (starting on the left), Sarah, Erin, Elizabeth and Hayley. In the second picture, Carrie, my roommate Leslie, and then Andrea.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/Rv_KdKfxhsI/AAAAAAAAACc/EP7Ziz3cXVs/s1600-h/9-23-07+Honduras+003.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116030304098813634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/Rv_KdKfxhsI/AAAAAAAAACc/EP7Ziz3cXVs/s320/9-23-07+Honduras+003.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/Rv_KdqfxhtI/AAAAAAAAACk/zfbsuqnGEZA/s1600-h/9-23-07+Honduras+004.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116030312688748242" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/Rv_KdqfxhtI/AAAAAAAAACk/zfbsuqnGEZA/s320/9-23-07+Honduras+004.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/Rv_KeafxhuI/AAAAAAAAACs/Ljat6oIhtzU/s1600-h/9-23-07+Honduras+005.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116030325573650146" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/Rv_KeafxhuI/AAAAAAAAACs/Ljat6oIhtzU/s320/9-23-07+Honduras+005.JPG" border="0" /></a> The goofy girl in purple is my other roommate, Day and next to her Tiffany. Tiffany is the girl's spiritual life coordinator in the high school so we get to work together a good bit. I like her a lot. In the last picture you can see I was getting in trouble for taking their pictures...all camera shy. That's Susan on the left, Amanda (she's the elementary principal's daughter and a teacher at a different school) and then last but not least is Janice. All these great girls, except for Tiffany and I, work in the elementary school.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/Rv_KfKfxhvI/AAAAAAAAAC0/mq2jlXaefc8/s1600-h/9-23-07+Honduras+006.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116030338458552050" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/Rv_KfKfxhvI/AAAAAAAAAC0/mq2jlXaefc8/s320/9-23-07+Honduras+006.JPG" border="0" /></a>Life in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-59777808178596074032007-08-29T19:24:00.000-07:002008-11-13T00:40:37.692-08:00Host Family Visit<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYrnncMqKI/AAAAAAAAACE/nvodD9cnAO8/s1600-h/new+home+%26+stuff+006.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104315187273181346" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYrnncMqKI/AAAAAAAAACE/nvodD9cnAO8/s320/new+home+%26+stuff+006.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYroHcMqLI/AAAAAAAAACM/cHCBICG3d5Y/s1600-h/new+home+%26+stuff+007.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104315195863115954" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYroHcMqLI/AAAAAAAAACM/cHCBICG3d5Y/s320/new+home+%26+stuff+007.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYroncMqMI/AAAAAAAAACU/X380aQ2Lj9c/s1600-h/new+home+%26+stuff+008.JPG"></a>My host dad with my oldest sister, Dinora's first baby, Andrea. So precious.<br /><div></div>Life in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-40727717082853075062007-08-29T19:12:00.000-07:002008-11-13T00:40:38.049-08:00Open Air Market<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYox3cMqII/AAAAAAAAAB0/9zgO0kxDYbo/s1600-h/new+home+%26+stuff+003.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104312064831957122" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYox3cMqII/AAAAAAAAAB0/9zgO0kxDYbo/s320/new+home+%26+stuff+003.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYoyXcMqJI/AAAAAAAAAB8/J2bFfVuYiEc/s1600-h/new+home+%26+stuff+004.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104312073421891730" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYoyXcMqJI/AAAAAAAAAB8/J2bFfVuYiEc/s320/new+home+%26+stuff+004.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Open air market where we go every other Saturday. We get to bargain! I try to listen to what the Hondurans ahead of us accept as an acceptable price. Often the vendors take one look at us and triple their prices. You can see potatoes and to the far left is yuca. I'm not a big yuca fan. I've been told it doesn't have much flavor on its own. It's often used in soups in big chunks and soaks up the other flavors.</div>Life in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-88312244478529926472007-08-29T18:45:00.000-07:002008-11-13T00:40:38.609-08:00El Apartamento (The Apartment)<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYl9XcMqHI/AAAAAAAAABs/72BZNOQd8V4/s1600-h/new+home+%26+stuff+061.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104308963865569394" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYl9XcMqHI/AAAAAAAAABs/72BZNOQd8V4/s320/new+home+%26+stuff+061.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The after picture. Don't you love the stripes?! We painted the cupboards too.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYi73cMqFI/AAAAAAAAABc/pmjz9VsLCQ4/s1600-h/Random+Home+%26+Pinares+Beginning+042.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104305639560882258" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYi73cMqFI/AAAAAAAAABc/pmjz9VsLCQ4/s320/Random+Home+%26+Pinares+Beginning+042.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This is our dining room/library.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYi8XcMqGI/AAAAAAAAABk/RPyAdUYWzjI/s1600-h/Random+Home+%26+Pinares+Beginning+043.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104305648150816866" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYi8XcMqGI/AAAAAAAAABk/RPyAdUYWzjI/s320/Random+Home+%26+Pinares+Beginning+043.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>The other half of our kitchen and you can see the corner of our living room. Our front door is between the living room and dining room. We live in an upstairs apartment with a front and back balcony.</div>Life in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-78811023029134288942007-08-29T18:26:00.001-07:002008-11-13T00:40:39.077-08:00Pictures!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYfEncMqAI/AAAAAAAAAA0/dR7gUDjx3wQ/s1600-h/Random+Home+%26+Pinares+Beginning+036.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104301391838226434" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYfEncMqAI/AAAAAAAAAA0/dR7gUDjx3wQ/s320/Random+Home+%26+Pinares+Beginning+036.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />These are some of my new friends. That's Mike on the stool. He and his wife (who is sitting behind him) live downstairs. That's my roommate, Leslie on the far side of the room and my other roommate is Day (that's her in the blue shirt). Miriam is in the gray. Fabulous people to know, all of them.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYfFHcMqBI/AAAAAAAAAA8/kvVxDv0Qgmg/s1600-h/Random+Home+%26+Pinares+Beginning+037.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104301400428161042" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYfFHcMqBI/AAAAAAAAAA8/kvVxDv0Qgmg/s320/Random+Home+%26+Pinares+Beginning+037.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This is my room. It looks a little different now but basically that's it.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYfF3cMqDI/AAAAAAAAABM/AcLt9OijTEI/s1600-h/Random+Home+%26+Pinares+Beginning+040.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104301413313062962" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9MALNaDlgQ0/RtYfF3cMqDI/AAAAAAAAABM/AcLt9OijTEI/s320/Random+Home+%26+Pinares+Beginning+040.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is the sink part of my bathroom. I didn't take a picture of the other part...use your imaginations. ;)Life in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-65637484339423282102007-08-25T11:56:00.000-07:002007-08-25T12:43:59.854-07:00Settling InHey all, I never thought it would take this long before I posted an update! Things are going pretty well here. I've got two great roommates and many other new fabulous fellow teacher friends and students. Classes began officially on Thursday the 16th. Last week was a week of retreats and spiritual emphasis. I went with the 9th and 10th graders on Wednesday to their retreat and then volunteered to go again on Thursday with the 11th and 12th graders. It was a great time for us to get to know each other and for them to subject their teachers to some good ol' fashioned torture. I was able to visit with my host family for a weekend about two weeks ago. I thought I would get down last weekend again but found I had too much to do here with making my first week's lesson plans. So, I thought I'd go again this weekend. Well, Friday at the end of the day a memo was handed out saying we would not be having class on Monday because of a potential strike by taxi and bus drivers, public school teachers and doctors. It's actually supposed to begin sometime Sunday evening which is when I would normally be coming back. So, I may head down for a church tomorrow but it will depend on what it looks like closer to time. From what I've gathered it is, as usual, over the price of gas being so high but still not being able to raise their taxi or bus fares. I also heard that the president, Mel Zelaya has made an alliance with the Peruvian government which many are not thrilled about. Apparently there are a lot of reasons people are upset with the government but the taxi/bus issue is what most people are talking about. It's a bit of a touchy subject at Pinares because many of our students' parents are in the government. Besides that, a lady I will be working closely with, her name is Bibi, is the cousin of the current president. It's probably a good thing I don't know enough about what's going on to stand on one side or the other. We're pretty secluded up here on the mountain above the city. We do not have a tv in our apartment so the only way I would hear news, unless I checked the Internet, is by word of mouth. So, if something important is going on in the news at home, please let me know! <br /> Things are going ok with my jobs. Currently I'm having a hard time teaching the history of psychology to my students...they're bored and so am I. I keep telling them we've gotta plow through that to get to the good stuff. Hopefully, they'll find psychology as interesting as I do once we get into it. A huge blessing and big surprise has been that while I feel a little twinge of nerves when I get up in the morning and another little twinge at the beginning of class I do not feel scared of being in front of them and teaching. I thought for sure that my voice would be shaking everyday and I'd be just one big wreck but that isn't the case...thanks be to God...and to your prayers, I'm sure. The guidance counselor position is a different thing entirely. I don't feel like I have much of a clue what all I'm going to be expected to do, when or how. Hopefully I will be meeting with last year's counselor soon so she can go over things with me. I feel pretty useless and helpless at the moment. While a few students have come to talk with me about their plans/thoughts for college no one has yet taken advantage of me as a counselor. Hopefully that may begin to change now that many of them got to know me through the retreats. I can't really blame them for choosing to talk to the spiritual life counselors or other teachers they already know over me, almost a perfect stranger. Still, it's a bit difficult. I'd ask that you pray that I would have patience and would simply rejoice in the fact that they've got some many great options of people to talk their problems over with. Not to mention, just being glad if they're talking to someone! Ok, that's enough of a written update for now. I'm going to post some pictures yet so you can see where and with whom I'm living and working. Take care y'all. Miss and love you lots.Life in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4502788323719689248.post-48823244218971368782007-07-07T10:40:00.000-07:002007-07-07T10:49:08.702-07:00A New Blog!I started this blog because you all seemed to appreciate the last one I did so much and because I want to do my best to let you know what is going on with me. I'm not sure at this point how often or to what degree I'm going to be able to update but check in on me. :) Preparations are coming along slowly. Please keep me in your prayers as I gather myself and all my things together. Thanks! Love, LauraLife in LaLa's Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10300520790524191344noreply@blogger.com7