GUATEMALA

Last week, it was time to bid El Porvenir farewell. Finally, it was time for me to put away my frumpy khaki volunteering shorts and pick up a camera. I headed to Guatemala, the neighboring country known for it's vibrant culture and coffee! It felt good to end my journey by starting off on a new one as a tourist/backpacker. I met up with friends in Guatemala City, then stayed in Antigua and Lake Atitlan. I was prepared to hit it up solo, but to my delight the boyfriend managed to join me for a few days! Here are some highlights of my trip:

 The cuisine was fantastic and always made fresh, where ever we went and whatever we ordered! There was no shortage of highly recommended restaurants and cafes, we never left disappointed! (above: We discovered Rincon Tipico-$5 a plate-hole in the wall!)

 We hiked an active volcano, Pacaya. Tours leave in the morning and in the afternoon, we went in the morning at 6am! 2 hours away by shuttle, $10 included everything but the marshmellows.

 It was like walking on the moon! Great views, but didn't get close enough to the top to see lava. 

The shopping! GAH! So many quality handicrafts were being sold at every corner. Bracelets, hammocks, bags, ughhhh I had to control myself from buying things I wouldn't normally use or wear once I settle back into the city...

 The buildings in Antigua. It was easy to spend entire days just walking around the city to marvel at their gloriousness. Guides hang out at Central Park to offer walking tours, but I preferred to stumble around getting lost. 

 Lake Atitlan is the deepest lake in Central America, surrounded by volcanoes it's also one of the most beautiful lakes as well! 3.5-4 hours by shuttle (easily booked at any travel agency-I recommend Atitrans for professionalism and honest prices) it's best to spend a night. Warning-it's not a smooth journey! 

 Villages are scattered around the take, clustered around docks. We stayed in San Pedro, and spent a day in Panachel before heading back. It costs about $3 to get from dock to dock. 

 Making chocolate at the Choco Museum. 2 hour classes, great history lesson w/ Pablo, 3 hot chocolates, take home chocolate you make (70% available!) $24 so worth it! 

There's so much more to do in Antigua-taking Spanish classes being one of the most popular options for people with more time! I loved my time here, and in the future I plan to return to a Spanish-speaking country solely for the purpose to learn the language properly. Until then, hasta luego! 

Why I'm Thankful

It's turkey day again! This will be my fourth Thanksgiving overseas, celebrating with the family and friends I've met along the journey. This year, dinner will be with our team of volunteers who come from all over the world-so I was doing some explaining last night on what Thanksgiving is for those who didn't grow up with it...and what happened after the First Thanksgiving. There's a story with some dark history! It's best just to focus on the meaning behind the holiday-a time to give thanks for what we have-and to eat ourselves into a food coma.

My life is full to the brim with blessings. Here are are some things I am especially thankful to the Lord for this year: 

1. My health. I can't really say I risk my life doing dangerous things on a daily basis, but I have done a lot of sports and travel without any injuries. Especially living in Central America, I'm so grateful for not contracting Dengue or yellow fever, for how many insects feast on me daily. I'm thankful for a strong, healthy body because it's the only one I'll have for the rest of my life! 

2. My friends. They light up my world, and remind me who I am when I'm lost. I thank God for bringing all sorts of amazing characters into my life, and I'm thankful for the internet for keeping us connected despite the constant changing distances between us.

3. My passports and citizenships. Many people don't realize how hard it is to travel for people living in countries with complicated visa applications/procedures. In Honduras (and many, many other countries), it is extremely difficult to even visit the United States because the government needs to make sure they will eventually return, and not become illegal residents. Only a tiny percentage of the population can pass the background check in order to apply for a visa. Think about how easy it is for us (US citizens). We just buy a plane ticket online, show up at the airport, and take off. I'm pretty positive I can go anywhere in the world-because for countries where US citizens aren't allowed, BOOM I've got my HK passport ready baby! With the traveling I've done and still want to do, it's something I've grown to really appreciate.

4. My family. Sure, they're not really around, but they're the ones who raised me to be independent enough to figure things out on my own and I am thankful for that. They are the ones that encourage me into going anywhere and doing anything, really-well maybe not encourage, but they've never held me back. They know what I'm made of, cause they're made of it too. The strong-willed Wongs. 

5. My man. My favorite person in the world, and the one I want to share everything with. Words can't explain how thankful I am to have him in my life. To be loved is nothing, to love someone is something, but to be loved by the one you love is everything. <3 

Week Eleven in Honduras

Working as a volunteer with the Honduras Child Alliance in El Porvenir has been a roller coaster, physically, mentally and emotionally. To be fair, this experience was almost exactly what I had expected, and looked forward to! Check out out what I wrote on June 16th:

"I'm going to volunteer teach beautiful little children, and play at the beaches after school, and sleep in a bunk bed with a fan and eat lots of fruit, learn Spanish, and fall in love with a new place. I am going to backpack around Central America and build bathrooms on weekends, and I will be happy. I've always wanted to do this, ever since university days it has been a dream of mine."

The only things different was that there were no bathrooms being built, and I can't say I've exactly

fallen in love with the place. Love is a very strong word-maybe 'adapted to my best of ability' would be more suitable. But I did it, I came with an open mind and offered all I had and worked hard to make my stay worthwhile. But was it worthwhile? Can volunteering anywhere for a few months be worthwhile?

To be honest, I am leaving soon with a note of disappointment. The reason why I had chosen to help power an organization dedicated to empowering others in extreme poverty was because it was my passion. I thought that's what I wanted to dedicate the rest of my life to, so I graduated with a degree in Public Health, worked at the Red Cross, and moved overseas for international experience. I had hoped to one day work for the WHO, Unicef, etc. do crazy stuff, like educating children at refuge camps, write articles to promote awareness of needed aid, you know. Now that I've gotten first-hand experience I'm thinking...maybe it's not what I want to pursue after all. It's been a slow, crushing realization. WHY do I feel this way? Many factors go into it, but the bottom line is that this work may not be for me-and that's okay. I'll reflect and revisit this. Perhaps I just need a break from this sector-I am definitely looking forward to moving back to state side. I've tentatively begun my job search knowing I have much to offer, my challenge is where to start looking. Oh, the adventures that await.

On the bright side, I've learned more than I expected to about how a non-profit runs. I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of what it takes to change a community for the better. I've met incredibly inspirational people who have worked alongside us. I've lived together with some strong characters from all over the world and managed. I've witnessed how the cycle of poverty works, and I've loved the children who hope to break out of it. I've learned to be grateful for the simple things, like hot showers, mosquito nets, and clean air. I'm excited to be reunited with the one I love and to see where life will take us next.

Week Ten in Honduras

Yesterday was my last day at kindergarten class. It wasn't too hard to say goodbye since I'll still be in town and I can drop by whenever. But still. If I could have done anything differently, I would have taken Spanish classes for a year beforehand so I could have taught them things that really matter. For instance; how to share, take turns, how to respect themselves and each other. Also WHY it's important to brush their teeth. I still can't tell if they're telling me they'll miss me, or if they want toilet paper for the restroom. I wish I could have understood them when they tried to share their feelings and opinions-I just wish I could have gotten to know them on a deeper level! I'll always remember their precious faces and big eyes! We drew self-portraits for a memory book and then had a dance party! Oh my, some of these kids have moves. You can tell which ones have TV in their homes for sure!

My time had to end at Kinder because this week we started our Vacation Activities Program. Lots of kids from our normal English classes showed up, plus lots of new faces. Most of the games, crafts and activities we do are in Spanish since it's not an English-focused camp. My Spanish is getting put to the test-I had to read "If You Give a Mouse A Cookie" in Spanish..it's going to be quite an interesting few weeks. On Friday we all went down to the beach and made a Slip N Slide-it was fun despite having to use baby oil and shampoo instead of dishwashing soap!

The firemen took their exams this week for the lessons we've been doing. They did an excellent job-an average of A-! They were so excited we took pictures afterwards and had a little fiesta! I really admire all that they do for their community. On Monday they were carving wooden airplanes for the children in the community. On Tuesday they were supervising the repainting of the local high school to cover up graffiti. On Wednesday and Thursday they were constructing new desks for schools in need (100 new desks) !!

I also take back what I said about loving the rainy season here. Because with the rain, came the mosquitos, and now I'm counting the days til I can escape. Isn't that awful? All these kids running up to hug us every day, the devoted bomberos, chill roommates-and I'm itching to leave. But seriously, I'm literally ITCHING TO DEATH. My body is covered in welts and splotches like you wouldn't believe-the insects love me more than any of the other volunteers. Sigh. Being Asian has become exotic again.

Week Nine in Honduras

The rainy season has begun, and I love it. To my surprise and delight, the rain doesn't bring in humidity-it just cools the temperature down and spoils us with comfortable breezes. I'm sitting next to the balcony screen door now so I can type with ocean waves as my background noise, oh yeah and the bachata music bumpin' from the pulperia next door.

More new volunteers arrived this week and last week, diversifying our ever-changing little familia. The director of HCA came this Monday, and all our classes ended as we trained and prepared for the vacation program (VAP) all week. It's like throwing on a summer camp-we're the counselors and together, after the kids are released for their winter break, we play. This week was registration so we made posters and set up tables at each of our locations. My team set out candy and stickers to lure children into signing up. It's a free program, and although we're not focused on teaching English during VAP, kids come to learn songs, do crafts, play games, and receive love and mentorship from people who care. Our group is the Wolves, we're gonna have a howling chant and face our faces every morning. Having been practically raised in summer camps, being in girl scouts and counseling for outdoor school camps, I can't wait to have fun with these kids!!

The bomberos (firefighters) class continues on. I love those guys, even though we almost never start class on time. They'll be taking their first exam next week-they looked so scared when I announced it!

This morning I went to help out at a local soup kitchen-I had no idea it would exist here. Rosa, the kindergarten teacher, runs it and invited us to come. I didn't know if I should bring a camera or not, so I didn't. It's at this building made of tin shedding and wooden planks, with a dirt floor and almost no furniture except for steel folding chairs and a few tables. Turns out it's used as a church! Only little children were there to be served food-some of the kids attend the kindergarten we volunteer at and others I've never met before. The ones I knew ran up to hug me, big smiles n all. Children are always just so happy to have people to play with and tasty food-just like me!

I've impressed myself with how quickly I adjusted back to the flow of life here after taking a short break, worlds away. It's entered a nervous excitement in me for the future, which is only a month away now. One more month, no more biking around flooded dirt roads, no more baleadas, no more espanol. One more month, and I'll be with the boyfriend, finding my place in the job market, starting life from scratch again in a new big city. I need to find a church there, wherever it'll be. "Worry fades away when we know for sure our future is secure in God's hands."

 At our little friend's 4th grade graduation at her bilingual school

Making signs for VAP registration! 

UTILA-Honduras

A few months ago, or what feels like galaxies ago in February, my boyfriend and I were laid out on colorful flat bohemian cushions on the sand, enjoying an evening of fruity booze buckets and watching fire dancers mesmerise the crowd with their fiery chains cutting through the calm beachside darkness. This was Ko Tao, Thailand-one of the best places in the world to scuba dive. 

Last weekend, I found myself on Utila- the other best place in the world to scuba dive. It's also the cheapest-for $250 you can get your Open Water, or so I hear. This island attracted the same crowd as Ko Tao-20-something backpackers from all over the world, laid back and party-loving. When we got off the ferry it was hard to believe we were only 45 mins away from mainland Honduras-it was a different world. Like Roatan, everyone spoke English and USD was accepted everywhere. Unlike Roatan, all the bars were packed, every night, and it was hard to resist the inviting crowds of new friends (made quickly)-to go to the next bar, join the rest at the other joint, meet the next day to dive, join their sailboat, drink rum, drink more rum, and enjoy the freedom of youth and adventure. I was told by a bartender the Three Golden Lies of Utila on my first night: 

1. I love you.

2. I'm not drinking tonight. 

3. I'm leaving tomorrow. 

So now you know, and if you're ever in Honduras-you have to check this place out cause there's nowhere in the place like this place. (Besides maybe Ko Tao, lots of people we met here have also been there!) 

 Not a lot of beaches, a whole lot of docks! 

 You get the idea. 

Salud! 

Week Seven in Honduras

I have reached the half-way mark of my time in Honduras. I feel strange typing this from San Francisco, on an unexpected trip back to highways, coffee shops, beanies, and autumn weather. I love it but I'm culture-shocked...there is too much talking, too many signs, too many choices of beer. Okay, maybe the beer choices aren't too bad. Suddenly I hear everyone's conversations and I can read every menu, I'm excited to have chai lattes but I feel so shy ordering, using ENGLISH...has it really been over three years? It's like a double-whammy culture shock: how many people go from speaking Chinese and living in Taiwan, straight to speaking Spanish and living in Honduras?

The culture shock just goes to show how El Porvenir has grown on me. I wake up when the sun rises, and I like feeling like I haven't wasted a minute of sunlight. I always have either pineapples or bananas with granola or oatmeal for breakfast, and hardly think about coffee. I think about lesson plans for the day, and if I need to bring money for the student's milk or need to make photocopies of worksheets. I allow myself to wear the same pair of shorts for up to a week, just cause no one cares and neither do I anymore. Locals shout "BUENAS!" as I ride by to work and I nod back every morning. I play with the kinder kids-we have all gotten quite familiar with each other now and I calm daily wars over who gets the pencils with the most eraser bits, etc. I also have to palliate uproars over turns on the playground swings. I drink liters upon liters of water every day!

In the afternoons our bomberos (firefighters) class is going on full swing. I have to admit, at first I was a bit intimidated by the task of standing in front of a group of community heroes with the intent of teaching them conversational English and grammar. But it turns out that these guys are the most easy-going, diligent and sometimes even bashful handful of men in the town. It's my favorite class to teach, by far. This week we went through present continuous verbs: I AM eatING, you ARE sleepING, and so on. Everything I teach them, I learn it in Spanish from them also. It's efficient and beautiful.

I get home each day just as the sun is setting. Unless we have plans to watch a futbol game at the local patio bar, most of the volunteers and I spend our evenings cooking and uncoiling into our own quarters.   On Tuesday I learned how to make tortillas-it's a lot of patting and slapping dough. I take about three showers a day-to wash off the dirt, bug repellent, mud and sweat. Oh, the one thing I hate above all else in Honduras-the insectos. My legs are eaten up and my back is covered in dark blemishes, it's not sexy. This past week I was kept up a few nights, itching in my sleep...even within the drapes of my mosquito net! Even so, if bug bites are my biggest compliant I feel like I'm doing pretty well. There is a purity about El Porvenir, where no one has any money so no one judges and everyone just enjoys what they can out of every day. Last week I really wanted a pineapple. On Tuesday I got one, and I was happy for the rest of the week.

When I get back, I'll be taking it easy on the weekends. There is only one more place in Honduras I want to check out that I haven't yet-the Copas Ruinas. Until then, Rosa-the local kinder teacher, has invited the volunteers and I to help out at a soup kitchen every Saturday. It's a wonderful excuse to stay in town and maybe even check out different churches on Sunday! I've been to one service so far...it was quite an experience that I won't be returning to anytime soon.

Sigh. The days are long, but the weeks are fast.