Everything is going rather well. I am finding that the management part of my job is a lot more demanding and takes up a lot more of my time that the development aspect of my job. I work non stop most days and have only had one day off since I arrived on the 4th of July. I like what I am doing, but there are certainly moments when I just can´t answer another question. Sometimes I don´t feel like being helpful....like this morning when someone tried to pay for their room while I was obviously brushing my teeth. I mean really, give me a break!

I had a really wonderful day last Thursday. I spent the morning working up at the Lodge. Darwin has come back from Costa Rica along with another JRL guide, Angel and Maya, Angel´s girlfriend. Maya is from Denmark and has been in Honduras for 4 years. She is quite nice and has been very helpful in aquainting me with the ins and outs of working up at the Lodge. Of course it is wonderful to see Darwin again and Angel is full of energy and is a constant entertainer. So my morning and into the afternoon was spent with the three of them, making sure everything at the Lodge was running smoothly. Darwin and I sat for a long time at the bar making jokes and running our mouths which is really good spanish practice. I sort of think that I like Darwin best because I understand his Spanish better than anyone else. I actually know what he is saying 99% of the time!

Soon it was three o´clock and time for me to move up to El Naranjo for my first English class at the escuela in the village. I got a ride up there with my new friend, whose name escapes me now, in his fancy new car. When we pulled up to the school and I got out, the classroom erupted in cheers. I felt like I was a movie star walking down the red carpet. I was a little embarassed by the whole thing, but once the cheers died down, la maestra Ms. Rita introduced me and handed me a piece of chalk, I felt a strange sence of familiarity and calm washed over me. It felt so natural to be in front of a group of kids again. Uhoh.

At the school in El Naranjo there are three teachers, one classroom and 130 students. There are two shifts in the day so in theory there are only 65 kids at school at a time. However children often don´t come to school or come and go at their leisure. I had in front of me last Thursday about 35 kids. They ranged from 7 years old to 14 years old. And Ms. Rita of course, who is eager to learn a little English herself. I am looking forward to these classes because it feels nice to be incorperating myself into the community, it does feel good to be working with kids again, and the walk back to the lodge in the late afternoon after the class is over is so, so beautiful.

Once back at the Lodge I regretfully got into the convoy with Salerno and made my way back to La Ceiba. While I am glad that I don´t live at the Lodge, it sure would be nice to be able to stay up there when the mood strikes. I think I have another day off here soon and I am sure I´ll stay up there then.

Now I am going to take advantage of the fact we are fully booked and all the reservations are here already to go to bed early tonight. Any questions or phone calls will have to wait for the morning. And hopefully tomorrow I can brush my teeth in peace.

xoxoxox