"Tu bandera, Tu bandera, es un lampo de cielo..."

Yes its true, I officially know more words of the Honduras National Anthem than my own. Am I ashamed? Well yes maybe a little. Will I get over it? Yes.

Here are this weeks pictures:

The Baptism...


The beach on the side of a mountain...

Honduras now in the World Cup...

This last week has focused alot around football, which isn't really a big thing for me but even I was getting excited the other day when Honduras played USA. And even though they lost it was an exciting match. I went with some friends to watch it in TGI Fridays (oh yes!) and the atmosphere was awesome, the cheers that went up when they scored thier first goal before the States, brillliant. But what I've noticed is that the fans are 'good losers' in the way that when they lost they didnt go out looking for fights and there is absolute silence when the other team scores unlike in England! Then on Wednesday they played against El Salvador and won and they have officially qualified for the World Cup. This means ALOT to them here and they were all out in the streets singing and shouting and going crazy with fireworks and everything. And if you want further proof of how much it meant to them, later that night the President Mitcheletti announced a public holiday the following day as a celebration. That is just unheard of for us right? So some people didnt go to work the next day and some did and there was general confusion. I still went to the school as it was one of my last few days there :-(

Last Sunday I went with Carlota and Andres on a little trip with their church to this place about and hour and a half outside of Tegus to see a baptism. Now if you are going to get baptised this was absolutely the place you would want to do it. It was an artificially made beach......on the side of a mountain! I bet you thought it wasn't possible hey? Well towards the south of Honduras it is HOT and pretty much hot all year round, so even at relatively high altitude...HOT. (See above photos) It was beautiful and I was so glad I went even if it was very religiousy AND the fact that they sang on the coach all the way there and back!

So I still have one last day at the school and thats on Monday to say goodbye. It's going to be emotional so im not looking forward to it. The last few days there have been really fun. Yesterday I bought a cake for 50 people - it was huge - to take into the school as a goodbye present. Carlota, Chi, Andres and Mario came with me too so they got to see the school and the kids got to know my Honduran family. I really wanted to do more for them but in the end due to money and time constraints that just wasn't possible. I think they were very happy with the cake though.

Other news is that I got my hair cut, bit shorter than I would have liked but it has a few weeks to grow again before I'm back in the UK. I have had a bad cold but still went to work like the trooper that I am but then managed to infect a few of the kids...ooops! haha. I saw a freaking HUGE grasshopper, like almost jurassic period size and was gutted I didn't have my camera. That also reminds me that I have grown to like spiders, well one in particular that lives on my ceiling and catches all the mosquitoes! Brilliant! Much more effective than any repellent spray! So he has earned the right to live. ;-)

Soooo, next week will be an interesting one. On Tuesday I am going to a beach on the south coast on a field trip with the blind centre in Santa Lucia, so it means I have to sleep in the centre Monday night as we are leaving super early. And on wednesday I am starting a new project. It's called PREPACE and its a kind of school for disabled kids and adults to learn all sorts of practical skills. Apparently they do baking, recycling cards, making pinatas, playing musical instruments and probably alot more that I have forgotten. So it sounds quite fun and i'm looking forward to it even if it will only be for a few weeks.

Forward planning and Hondurans? forget it!!!

(Lourdes and I dancing at the school's anniversary party last Sunday)

So things are going well here, its what 4 weeks in? There are no curfews anymore and things seem calmer from the political point of view which is awesome. I'm getting back into a routine and yer im happy. I do realise now more than ever that I really dont have much time left to fit everything in I want to do and to organise my travelling. I'm finding however that making plans is almost impossible because the Hondurans are really laid back and dont commit to forward planning. I am trying my best though.

Jade and I have decided to do a four day trip to Costa Rica in November, hardly know anything about the country and what there is to do but still am really really looking forward to it!

My good friend Oscar will be moving to El Salvador next monday which is a bit sad. Of course it does give me a good excuse to include El Salvador on the list of places to travel! Currently trying to plan this.....ummm we'll see...

Today I found out that the Honduran Government is closing the public schools early this year, so that means our school is closing....THIS MONTH!! Umm what? How much school have these kids missed already this year? It's really not on, these are poor kids and the sad fact is that they will probably continue to be poor because the public education is shocking (and the rich kids that are sent to bilingual schools will continue to be rich). And even if the teachers aren't on strike or the lessons havn't been cancelled from the political crisis, then the parents haven't brought the kids to school probably because they didnt expect classes to be on! Anyway I'm still not sure if its certain but it is a bit upsetting for me too because i'l miss the kids. I'm not worried that I wont have anything to do though because I already have contacts with other projects to go to for a few weeks.

Despite having a fairly relaxing weekend I am soooo freaking tired, so im sorry this isn't a long blog. Hopefully I will make up for it next time.

Two new firsts experienced this week:

* Riding on the back of a motorbike - amazing.

* AND.... changing a nappy - not so amazing.