Utila...island life..is THE life...

We arrived in Roatan at about 10 am and found Vern...a guy who catamaran's people from Roatan island to Utila island. We were on board shortly before 1 and on our way shortly there after. Having woken up at 445 am, i fell asleep on the front of the boat in the sun! Woke up... went to the benches in the back and fell asleep again. Bliss! When I woke up people were hanging out and then out of nowhere a pod of dolphins swarmed us! 4 or 5 of them gave us quite the show! It was breath taking.

After that we just hung out, sun bathes. Makenzie said I looked like a troll so she took a picture for your viewing pleasure...haha

We made it to Utila around 530 and had a wonderful dinner. We were in bed by about 9, exhausted from our day on the water. (tough life, i know!).

The next day we met up with the girls from San Pedro... Makenzie's friend Julie is working there with my friend Annika...they brough a 3rd girl Meghan and then Trishna, a friend from Ottawa is living on Utila for the time being. So together we were 8 girls ready to have a good time!

Friday we hung out on this dock, chatted with divers from around the world, listen to music and jumped off the side whenever the heat was too much to take! When the sun started to set we had ourselves a photoshoot..I think this is one of my favs from the whole weekend. left to right: Trishna, Annika, Me, Jessica)

It was GREAT to see Annika again. WE went to Davern together for years and then were at Queen's together last year! Small world, ey? Best part of the island...clothes are totally optional. Walking around in bathing suits...GOLDEN!

The following day Ashley, Jessica and I went scuba diving. They had this thing called discovery dive! It was awesome. We saw lots of little fishies! It was like being in Finding Nemo. I might as well have hunted down Dorry and made a day of it. But it was great! a real experience! I totally get how people become obsessed with it! It's super cool!

One night we went to this place called the Jade Seahorse...it is basically a tree house for adults. It was amazing! The whole thing has random twists and turns and sculptures. The walls are made with glass bottles and glass stones sticking out. very cool. THis is me in my make believe bird cage! haha

The Inter crew who went. Me, my roommate Ashley, jessica (grade 4) and Mak.

American Thanksigiving is AWESOME! The 4 day weekend thing is genious!

One week left at school..well 4 days now and then off to Panama and then HOME! I am really looking forward to being home, seeing some snow, driving a car, not being out the door at 645 every day... wonderful!

Can't wait to see everyone!!!

oxoxox

crazy hair day, family day and Thanksgiving dinner!

The school is having a gift drive for an orphanage just outside of the city. To encourage the kids to bring gift we have theme days on friday and it costs you a gift to participate...I just did the dress down part until Laura handed me the most beautiful blonde wig...what is a girl to do, other than put it on and rock it? I got some pretty interesting looks from parents walking around the school and from all of the people there setting up for the following day's Family Day extravaganza! My kids liked it... the staff kept singing Tina Turner songs when I walked by... what a day!

Saturday was the family day! Here are a couple of my girls...looking thrilled to be standing in the sun when the rides are calling their names! THis was before the talented show, which they ROCKED! Grade 2 sang a song called: Education Rocks... it was pretty intense! The rest of the day was spent eating, walking around and mingling. Im pretty sure I hit up every one of my student's families for some face time... I watched Emma (second from the right) dominate on the mechanical bull! (oh are you surprised there was a mechanical bull? Don't be...it's just the beginning!

Sunday was our Thanksgiving extravaganza. For those who are confused, we decided to have a Thanksgiving meal in between the American and Canadian holiday! So I planned a dinner for 30...no big deal. I cooked my very first turkey..at an altitude with no meet thermometer and killed no one! SUCCESS! We put 4 tables together and brought the chairs in from a bunch of the apartments and had a sit down dinner. We went plastic for utensils and plates because noone has more than 4. Even with that, the clean up was ridiculous!

Every one brought food, which was nice so most people's favourites from home were included! Tortiere was obviously not represented... I tackle one meat dish at a time...and turkey was pretty satisfying! I had a mini left over tupperware for lunch today..yum yum yum!
Here I am posing with my turkey. Katie was directing me...leg up, smile, hand on the bird and the oven etc. A real Martha Stewart add! My apron was a BIG success (thanks Emmanuel). It kept me clean and way fashionable!

On that note, I am off. Grey's Anatomy is about to start...

bye for now oxox

High heel nation...

So I haven't written in a while but I thought I would share some of my observations about this beautiful country I now call home.
The weeks have been blending together with busy weekends followed by busy weeks.
Last weekend I got my hair done...its short! SHOCKER! I know! But I am giving it a try. The response has been mixed...my kids said: Miss...You look funny today! (That kid may be repeating grade 2...who knows haha). The staff thinks it looks good, mom and dad seem to like it...well the shadowy view of it they get on Skype and me...well I am getting used to it. It is easy to take car of...and super easy at the gym...so those are 2 good features!

Ok, now for the lessons I have learnt here...
1) High heels are ALWAYS appropriate...whether it is to pick your kid up from school, watch a soccer game, go out dancing or go grocery shopping...you should do it in heels…and anything under 3 inches is considered and insult... my birks get odd looks..but hey, I am already a giant here and comfy comfy comfy!

2) Sweat pants are a BIG no no... Frowned upon actually. I just get away with wearing Lulu’s when I go to the mall... I get looks...but maybe they are looking at the birks...hmm. If I was true Chapin (what Guatemalans call themselves) I should be in tight jeans, a clubbing top and high heels that would make me fall over...

3) Being quiet is unheard of. My students do not understand the concept of quiet. Why I would want them to stop talking is beyond them...listening? what? why? They are entitled to speak...aren’t they? Speaking of entitlement...

4) Go BIG or go home... Tomorrow is family day at the school. Sounds lovely enough...well you should see the things coming through the school's gates!!! Go-karts, inflatable bouncy things, a raffle...with the biggest prize (one of twenty) being a trip for 4 to Miami with accommodation for a week...no big deal...right? What ever happened to movie tickets? But I shouldn't complain because I plan on winning!!!
I have just returned from recess duty and got a look at the field for tomorrow. You try keeping 400 kids off of the GIANT inflatable tent that is going up right now. And convince 8 year olds that playing soccer under what will be food tents is a bad idea! Thank goodness for my trusty whistle!

5) Kids make life great! From the little boy who thinks I can't see him if he hides behind a pole and who hides behind me when I go to get them from recess...to the kid who randomly exclaimed on his way out yesterday: Miss...You’re the best teacher ever! You make us learn so much stuff!!...kids make me smile at least once a day...they also make me want to pull my hair out...but hey...whatcha going to do?

6) Guatemalan weather is psycho! It can be freezing cold in the morning (I wear pants, scarf and trench coat to school and rarely take it off before lunch time) and then sweltering in the afternoon...I am too warm in my blouse. Layering is key!
Today it is very nice and sunny actually...so that is nice!

I think that is it for now...I must get some copies sent to the copy center before my kids return from Spanish and maybe mark some tests.

Hope everyone is doing well!!
Camille ox

back again to where it all began...

Well it has been a couple f weekends since I have been on here.

The weekend after my post we returned to the lake. We went to a few other towns along the way and a bunch of markets! It was really neat. The water was really high and one of the towns had a water park...and when i say water park i really just mean a park that was flooded. But the kids were playing in the water, it was pretty cool to see!

This past weekend was a holiday weekend in Central America. I went to El Salvador to visit Esther and her family! It was a wonderful weekend! I arrived on Friday night... about an hour late. We had trouble at the border. Well I didn't but others did. Though while we were stranded there I realized that the bus had wireless so I chatted with Alicia Cuzner for a bit...from the bus! woo hoo!

Esther was waiting for me when I got there and we headed home. Fernando had fallen asleep before I arrived but Esthercita was awaiting my arrival. We had a quick snack and then went to bed...exhausted!

The next day we went to the beach for the morning. We tried to go to this new tourism centre, but you couldn't actually swim at it. So instead we went to the restaurant place I went to the past 2 times I have been in El Salvador...tried and true and lovely!

We played in the water and had some food then drove back to the city.

We rested for an hour or so...I fell asleep... and then Estercita wanted to see a movie, so we went to see Nanny MacPhee returns...in Spanish and I understood it all and got most of the jokes!

The plan was to go for pupusas after that. What are pupusas you ask..only my favourite Central American food-- they are like tortillas but are stuffed with things like cheese and beans! Yum yum yum! BUt the neighbourhood church- near Esthers house, was having their monthly mexican food night, so Esthercita, who looks forward to this night all month, wanted to go. It was delicious! Carlos, Cita and I went...Fernando fell asleep on the bus on the way home from the movie so Esther took him home.

On Sunday we went to church...it was great to go back to IBE... Miguel was at his preaching best and made sure to embarrass me by making me stand up..luckily not speak.

The service was about the Bible..and I lost some parts but mostly got it.

I think one of the reasons I love going to church..apart from the obvious God related part is the familiarity of it... knowing what is coming...knowing what to do...even if you don't know the language. And to return to a church where people's faces are familiar! How lovely...how blessed! All of the love in one room! Feels like home!

From there we went to lunch and then wondered around the mall for a little bit. Cita likes to go listen to music at the music store. haha. she's only 7!

We didn't do much in the late afternoon and around 7 went for pupusas! Oh they are so yummy! there is no way to explain! Fernando ate his so fast he was sick to his stomach..but recovered and kept eating..yes..that good! He is so precious! We had lots of laughs...maybe some of them were him laughing at the fact that I couldn't understand what he was saying of that I repeated the same things a lot...because they are the words I know! haha. BUt it was really good and I got to speak lots of spanish with the kids!!!..who speak no english. But when I got up on Monday they did both say' good morning!...or something to that affect:)

Monday I went to work with Esther and went to morning devotional at the church. there was a special service at the remembrance wall for Lolly's company..pro-busquera which tries to find children who were disappeared during the war and reconnect them with their parents. On the 1st it was their 16th anniversary! (Lolly's son is doing much better, for those who know her).

The service was beautiful and Miguel once again preached his heart out. It was very moving and a lot of older women, holding the pictures of the kids they lost some 20 years ago, were there...it was very sad. But Miguel filled them with hope and love... my favourite quote of the event was: you can cut down all of the flowers but spring will always come again. And...ok, I lied, there are two, another one was: those who die for life, can not be proclaimed deceased! Or something translated to that...that is my translation.

From there I went back to the church and lay down on a pew... the heat..oh the heat... I was passed out!!!

From there I went to lunch with Esther and then to the bus and home!

It was a wonderful weekend! I was spent,though, and it was hard to get up for school today!

BUt actually I had a great day with my kids today and we did lots. We really have a routine and are getting along very well. My behaviour kids are still an issue but we are working on it.

This week is report cards- they go out tomorrow and I have parent teacher meetings all week, before and after school. So think of me and send me calming thoughts!

I will add pictures once I load them all later!

oxox