Volunteering at an orphanage in Santa Barbara, Honduras :)

Island of Utila: 8 nights (4 nights too many), 1 certification to Scuba Diving, 1 night dive, countless mosquitos and sandflies attack, too many sleepless nights... Some would be thrilled to be on the island for the week of the island's "Carnaval", but I really couldn't soak up the atmosphere and simply couldn't sleep until the music stopped as we were located literally next door to the biggest bar/disco in town! And, my room had no windows aside from a curtain! At least I had a fan to keep the mosquitos at bay (got cold in the process, but I rather that than be eaten alive by them!)

I had chosen "Paradise Divers" as they were the cheapest on the island and the instructors and the dive masters seem very laid back and there was the fisherman who arrived with a Marlin, about 300 lbs... The Marlin was bigger than him!! One-line fisherman that took 4 hours to fight the fish and won... solo! In the end, the place was way too relaxed, and they were indeed cutting corners (never even received a scuba log book), and quite disorganized, really hectic, and the owners were extremely friendly but messy, dirty and just plain ... i dunno Islandy?? (actually they would make a great Simpsons like parody). One thing I've learned, if you don't ask, you won't get anything!! hehe what an experience it was with them.

Not to say that the whole experience was a disaster though! :p

Highlights:

• Fresh Tuna fish everyday as the fisherman stops by our deck first before selling his fishes to the restaurants! You would not believe, a pound of freshly fished Tuna for 40 Lempiras, equivalent of about 2$US... even though the kitchen was a loyal disaster, I cooked. I even ate it twice raw, everyone thought I was nuts, but then they all started doing the same... I've started a trend! :)




• The world from below is a wonderful experience!! Being able to swim in a living aquarium is mind boggling. Looking up, watching the sun rays coming down while seeing the schools of fishes in their natural habitat, has an almost voyeur aspect to their life, but yet enchanting. I can stay down there for hours, if they'd let me!!


• I saw a few Sting Rays, a beautiful Eagle Ray, a Sea Turtle, a Porcupine Fish (like blowfish), Spotted Drum, upside-down gellyfish, Spanish Lobster, lots of Parrot Fish, Tunas, Sea Spider, etc.


• Got to practice a lot of languages as the diving school was definitely a melting pot of travelers from all over :) Once again, I bonded easily with 2 Québecois, and the Germans and Austrians! The Austrians live in Vienna but didn't have the Viennese accent I was looking forward to hear :(

Everything was pretty pricey on the island, so I ended up eating a lot of "Baleadas" (typical Hondurenean street food, consist of a flour tortilla filled with beans, a dash of cheese and some marinated onions), more beans, eggs, cheese and fried patties filled with minced beef or chicken. One of the local gifted me a big local avocado called "Pera de mantequilla" (Butter pear). One of my dinner consisted of corn chips with guacamole! Not as tasty as Hass avocados (from Mexico) as it is more watery.

Once certified, I couldn't wait to leave the Island, as it gave me that same sense of restlessness. I would recommend the island if one wants to party and scuba dive. If you're not under the water, there isn't much to do. And too hot to read, so I just became a big veggie!!

Utila - San Pedro Sula (of passing) - Peña Blanca/Lago Yojoa.

Decided to visit Lago Yojoa, a natural lake surrounded by mountains. Peña Blanca is a tiny little town where the city center consists of 2 streets ... !! Where I get curious stares a lot and got a bit too much attention from the owner of the hotel I decided to stay as well. IAfter checking in, the owner chatted up with me and found out I was single and not married. He took my hand in his and started caressing it... asked me why I don't put nail polish, asked me what perfume I wear... I tried to take my hand away, but he didn't let me go. Until at one point I asked him "can I go now?", and he seemed to have woken up from a stupor and let my hand go. A lone man in a small town... Since I was the only person staying there, it was even creepier as he always came out to greet me as I came back to the hotel... and was even waiting for me outside my door in the morning. I was so creeped out that I did not dare take a shower (since it was outside), and didn't leave my room after dark! It will be the last time I will tell a man that I don't have a boyfriend!! Maybe I should say I am married. Hopefully that'll keep them off my back.

I went to visit an "impressive waterfall" (as per footprint, my guidebook), which is 42m waterfall. Took the local bus to get there, where the driver forgot to tell me to get off, so I had to walk back and met 4 high school kids with whom I did my first hitchhike on the back of a pick up truck. I enjoyed the chat as they walked me to the waterfall.

The waterfall itself is... a waterfall. It is pretty but aside from that, there isn't much to do other than swim in the lake. After swimming in the salt water of the Caribbeans, I forgot that the water from the lake is close to icy cold !! But refreshing :) There I met a lovely employee of the store as I sat down to chat with her, waiting for the torrential rain to pass. I learnt that the locals used to drink the water from the tap and get stomachache until a group of volunteers came from the US and donated water purification systems for them. Now they can purchase a tub of 20L water for 5 Lempiras (roughly $0.25US) from the church (as the pastor operates it now) and the money goes to maintenance of the system.

Once the rain stopped, I met this lovely Honduran family (Hernan, Patricia and their two children) that now live in the States. I asked for a ride and got on with them. On the way, they told me that they are on vacations for 2 weeks, 1 week to enjoy and 1 week is dedicated to help build a wallas well as a playground for an orphanage in Santa Barbara. Coincidently, I had plans to go to Santa Barbara as well on the same day and asked if I could help. A few phone calls later, I have a place to stay and a reason to live!

It has been just about a week now that I've been living in the orphanage. Needless to say that, the minute I arrived, I knew I wanted to stay. I felt right at home. The caretaker was a lovely lady called Mirna, who has 8 children herself but is helping out at the orphanage. And the children are just lovely! Some of the children only come to eat for breakfast and lunch. They are all excited to see a new face, and within seconds, I was hugged a gazillion of times and torn between children who want to share my affection. It is hard not to break down, as I was quite overwhelemd from the amount of love there was. The kids range from 2-15 yrs old and all they wanted was to be hugged, loved and fed. Quite a drastic lifestyle change from the island life, but I love it. I feel fulfilled, I have a purpose, I have a reason to be.

So far, I've learnt how to cook for 40 children (or rather watched and helped!), helped the group of 24 Americans to lay my first brick, learnt how to make a cement mix by using only shovels, painted, treated wood with anti-termite coating, played origamy with the kids, washed lots of dishes, taught some Spanish and English, etc. I barely have an hour for myself!! I had been given a choice to live apart, but I decided to stay with the kids and the caretaker. This way, I can really soak up the experience!

Every event has a value and is important for the following. Regardless of the creepy man, I was still glad that I made that trip because it brought me to where I am now, in Santa Barbara, volunteeriung at an orgaphanage. I have yet to decide how long I will stay here, but in the meantime, I am happy. I will take it one week at a time.