First weekend in Gracias and Villa Verde

Saturday August 22
It was the first weekend in Gracias on our own, so we decided to try the walk down to town from our house (at the entrance to Mt. Celaque). We left at 11am (hindsight says not to do that again…way to hot, we all got burnt)and it took us an hour and a half to walk down to town. We were so hot, dusty, and sweaty that we went to Guancascos right away to cool off and use the internet. I got my wireless on my comp working which was a crazy process. I am not technologically saavy all the time, but I compared my wireless settings with other people´s, read Windows help about wireless settings, and eventually figured it out! I was so proud of myself! After Guancascos, lunch and internet, we then went out into town to get some things for the house like food and basic necessities (silverware, cooking ware, TP, etc) We met up with Mrs. Villela and Dennis (both admins from Tegucigalpa because they were in town to drop off one of the British girls who was going to be a teacher assistant. They helped us out a ton getting things for us and showing us where things were: supermarkets, the market with fresh fruit and veggies and other stuff. THey also had a vehicle which was a tremendous help to us for getting around town. It was a stressful first Saturday in town though. They brought us to see the nicer hot springs (riding in the back of the truck of course so we could fit everyone) and then brought us back up the mountain to our house. I am again humbled by what great servants to us they are and I´m so thankful.

Sunday August 23
We ¨slept in¨ today which is like 7-8am (we usually get up at like 5:30-6 for school) and we went to devotionals at the school at 2 pm, which since we had been up so early felt like it was time for dinner when we had church. The devotional was at the school and our principal, Mr. Lara gave it. I understood a good amount of it because he spoke all in Spanish, which is good because I need some sort of spiritual food down here besides my own. My first experience doing laundry by hand today, too...that´s right, no washer or dryer, kids. We do our laundry on this thing called a pila, which is like a washboard with soap and bleach by hand and then wring out our clothes and hang them to dry. We didn´t have enough hangers so we borrowed some from the neighbors; then we didn´t have a drying line so that took another half hour to put up drying lines to hang up our clothes on...a process let me tell you what. But I had all the time in the world with no internet, TV, and sketchy cell phone service. After our laundry escapade, we met more of our neighbors: the family who owns the comedor (like a little restaurant) and their kids. They are so great and hospitalbe and the kids are ADORABLE! I think a lot of the people living by us are all related too which is funny, but makes sense, too. So the gringa teachers and the Laurelais´ (a Philipino family who teaches at Vida Abundante) are the only non relatives who live in this little neighborhood. It´s great and it´s really starting to feel like home. Afterwards we chilled around the house and got ready for the first day of school tomorrow!