Travel Tales #19 – Wild Weekend

~La Unión~

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As the only other project we’ve visited was Sigua, it was high time we got back on the road to see what other volunteers are up to. This saw us running to get on the San Juan bus after school to make a mega cute journey through the Honduran mountains with ace views whilst our kiddos watched Peter Rabbit with no sound – good ol’ Honduran vibes. Once in San Juan it wasn’t long before a bus bound for Santa Rosa came along where Giselle + I took advantage of the limited numbers to have complete freedom on the back row.

This stopped at a little junction where I asked the pulpería for some tissue for my nose as both Giselle + I are dealing with some sickness. As I write these we’re currently on the bus to Esperanza, burning up with heat.

We also got to use their funky toilet which had blankets for walls + an amazing smell – a pleasant surprise. I spent the next section of the journey with my entire head out of the window taking in the incredible views of the sun over the mountains. Possibly one of my favourite rides ever! However, the best was yet to come as once we were in Lepaera we soon found the mysterious red truck we were searching for and decided to get some ice cream to enjoy in the back. As the setting sun burnt brightly in the distance we attempted to eat our ice creams which went wonderfully as we cruised through the town but as soon as we hit the dirt road we were in trouble. Chocolate + spoldges of ice cream were flying all over us and completely covered my trousers as our fake magnums quite literally fell apart in our arms. It was totally worth it though! Once we’d cleaned up the mess we sat back, played some travel tunes + admired the view. Dilcia was an extremely sweet Honduran woman who also climbed in the back with us + probably love how much we jammed out to “Best Day of My Life”, haha.

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It was dark by the time we reached La U but I was seriously struck but just how built up of a place it was! Long, wide streets with some shops, cafes and even a large square. Finding the girls house was easy one as we had Micanna and two because we recognised it from photos + a happy Megan opened the door to us. We’d actually forgotten to tell them we were coming until we messaged them saying we were bringing a surprise (which was mangos but let’s face it seeing our faces at the door is the best surprise). Sarah was with her so we got Ben as well (one of the guys in the adjoining house) + all went out for delicious yet cheap Baleadas + tajadas which were super yummy and spent some time catching up.

Once it reached 9:30 we decided that was well past our bedtime (wild nights in La U) so headed back to the house where we chatted more before heading in. I was in Meggie the veggie’s bed with Giselle + we got to spread the love as we were both pretty sick with colds.

On Saturday morning I was up at my usual time of 5:30 so spent some me time journaling in the kitchen before Giselle joined me. Once the girls had awoken we all took bucket showers as there was no water. This is something we don’t have to do in Yam + to be fair it was only my 2nd time bucket showering although I don’t really recommend it as a relaxing way to wash yourself. After a slow morning we ate fruit salad (shoutout to Megan for that) then headed down the road + up the hill to the school.

The La U Vida school is completely different to ours, being more of a large block building + feeling very official. It does have an ace outside space for the kids (+ boasts its own mountain) with incredible views so I will give it that. We climbed to the viewpoint where we sat for ages just taking it in + chatting then went around the hill. The weirdest thing was the skeleton we stumbled across (a scientific one) that marks the spot where an actual skeleton was uncovered.

By this point our stomachs were crying out for food so we headed over to a rather posh shack for some nachos. They ended up being some of the best nachos I’ve ever consumed! Tortilla chips, frijoles, cheese, chicken, salad stuff + cucumber in a sauce. I know it sounds weird but until you go to La U you can’t judge! The only problem was the portions were freakin’ huge so we were struggling to cope by the end. I got rather obsessed with the Honduran music videos that were playing which were like mini soap operas in themselves with an unattractive guy running through different locations with a woman. Fascinating. The truth was I just couldn’t really remove myself from my seat due to the fact I was stuffed with nachos.

We headed back to the blue house to relax + chatted for ages before going to buy some choccys (what else?). Once our stomachs had recovered we took topigios (more food, yay) to the tower which doubles as the viewpoint for La U that was stunning if a little hot, being situated in the full blaze of the afternoon heat. On the way back down we headed to Cafe Zazzo with Ben + met up with more Americans, including ones visiting from Gracias. Shoutout to La U for the ace ice-cream as I had vanilla Oreo and Cafe chocolate Oreo – yum! We chatted about differences between uni in the States + the UK then headed to go see Aviva which is a mega cute place with little quotes up + fairy lights.

We were planning on playing Codenames with the Americanos so walked back up towards the girls house. As there was a “concert” (a CD being played overly loud) in the park we sat for some time with one of the Honduran members of staff enjoying the wonderful atmosphere this created. However, when there was a shoutout to “the visitors of La Union” we thought it was time to leave so ended up not being able to hear each other in the house due to the wonderful music outside. As we were still super sick we tapped out of games night, instead making ourselves minestrone soup then catching an early night. Ooh; we know how to live.

We were up super early on Sunday to be able to make the 7:00am bus back to Gracias – but not before enjoying one of Megan’s amazing egg sandwiches. La U actually looks super lovely when it’s bathed with the light of the early morning + we enjoyed the fact none of the cat callers were up that early as we stood outside. Once the bus came + we’d bid our goodbyes we proceeded to spend the next 3 hours chatting as we bumped through the hills. We spoke about returning to the UK, about our Honduran adventure and everything in between. Super blessed to have a partner like Giselle.

In Gracias we treated ourselves to a really yummy Sunday breakfast which has to be the best way to end the week. Afterwards we were on the hunt for something to soothe our throats + settled on mango. The only problem was we needed it to be cut to consume it on the bus so Giselle picked up the handy mini machete lying in the truck + hacked away whilst I kept an eye out for the bus. Once we were finished + walking down the street it flew round the corner so we ran to clamber on + of course we were standing. What made the journey even more entertaining, beside our oversized bags for the messy mango, was that we spent the whole time playing guess the song, much to the amusement of the Hondurans.

All in day, I had an amazing (if not very foodie) weekend in La U + I’m so glad we got to finally see our sistering project! Big thanks to the girls for having us + being so wonderful!

That’s all from a little blue house in Yamaranguila,

Charlie x

2nd Grade Superheroes

~International Day of Creativity + Innovation~

Each Project volunteer has to pick an International Day to celebrate as part of our One Awards (the qualification we get from this year). I didn’t think about this for a long time because I was so caught up in living my year I forgot there was an official side to it as well. Opps! Originally, my plans were to celebrate the Day of Happiness but I realised my kids are just about as happy as could be + when I saw International Day of Creativity + Innovation (which I’d never heard of before) I decided I’d step off the beaten track + celebrate this instead.

For me, this day is super important for teaching people that yes, there are problems in the world but hey, gusss what, we can all help. There’s a really nice quote that sums it up that goes something like this:

I may not be able to do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good I can do.

That was my rough inspiration for the day. I didn’t know what the problems here were for my kids so I wanted to put the power in their hands. What was important to them? How could they help change this?

First I stood up and we had a chat about what the words creativity and innovation mean – in a mixture of Spanish and English. To be fair, these concepts are pretty big for my little 2nd Graders. We did a sheet to get them thinking about the problems here and how we can help with them.

I got some mega cute responses from “there are people who don’t have Peace” to “some people don’t have water” to “we are cutting the trees” + yes the English level of my kiddos impresses me as well. The solutions were “give people water”, “tell people to stop cutting trees”, etc which really made my heart happy☺️

Then I asked them if any of them thought they were superheroes. After some jokes of yes, we chatted about what problem was most important to us + how we can help. As an example, I’d turned myself into Super C – pictured below:

Each of them picked a problem and did the sheet filling out what this problem was and how they could help with it. Although it felt a little advanced for 2nd Grade + perhaps I didn’t have quite enough time to do the task justice the most important aspect for me was showing my kids that they can help with issues. Also, some of the results were mega cute!!

We then took an adorable video where I asked the kids if they were superheroes to be met with the very loud response of “yes we are!” So at least 2nd Grade got some empowerment out of the session:

What I take from this day is that it doesn’t matter if it’s as big a problem as global warming or saving the environment or as small a problem as you have a friend who is sad, just know that you too can help. You can be a superhero. If we all try our best to make little changes these will soon amount to big changes for everyone!

That’s all from a little blue house in Yamaranguila,

Charlotte

PS. It was also World Earth Day this weekend so let’s all love the earth a little more, hug the trees, turn off the lights/water, use less plastic + appreciate this planet. It’s the only one we’ve got!

Cocina Conmigo #2 – Banana Pancakes

1. You absolutely have to play Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson as you make these. It’s mandatory.

Okay, now we can begin! So I use to make these in the UK but in Honduras they are totally my obsession, I eat them all the time. They’re super easy, super healthy + super delicious. As I want you to enjoy these too, here’s how you do it:

Firstly grab some bananas. Normally I use 2 + it works a lot better if they are a little ripe – extra sweetness😋 using a fork/more fancy utensils should you wish proceed to mash these on a plate until it reaches this consistency:

At this stage, and it’s totally optional, I sprinkle some cinnamon in. I’m sure other spices would also be nice but we don’t live that kind of extravagant lifestyle so cinnamon suits me perfectly! Just be careful with how much you add, otherwise it’s too intense.

You can also crack + best in an egg if you need that push of protein but they work perfectly sin egg as well so again, your choice! So much personal freedom in this recipe – yay!

Once the mixture has been mixed together now is the time to oat it up! You don’t want the consistency to be like a fluid, but equally don’t have it like a rock either – I’m sure you’ll judge it right. I always like a little more rather than a little less oats but really it’s up to you!

Then, depending on the quality of your pan, either add some oil (or don’t) + allow this to warm up. Once it’s ready, you can start getting those pancakes in! Grab some mixture using your fork (or hey, I gusss a hand works too) + plop it in the pan then use the fork to pay it down + make it into whatever shape your feeling, though I’m a circle kinda girl myself.

They don’t take very long to cook on high temperature (1-2 minutes) + then you can flip them on a plate. Once again, I’m trusting you to decide what to do next. They can be enjoyed in this state, or you can add whatever toppings your heart desires! I usually like:

⁃ fruit (papaya + melon work well)

⁃ Maple syrup

⁃ A sprinkling of cinnamon

¡Buen provecho!

Charlie x

Travel Tales #18 – Downtown Teguc

That’s right, we were back in the capital once again. It seems we can’t get enough of the big city! In reality it’s because our friends are there and we like visiting them, especially since our time here is limited.

I got changed in the last hour and went back into 2nd Grade to grab a whiteboard for Nivelacion math (the latest change for me at school). All I was wearing was jeans + a blue flowy top but this apparently demanded a reaction of “wow Miss Charlotte you’re beautiful” as well as lots of shouting, hugs + questions of where I was going. They were a little confused to find out I was off to teach some math so I explained the trip then, once I’d eventually peeled them off me, the same thing happened in Nicelacion! Just reminds me of how cute these kids are though, and how much I love them!

At the end of the day there was a mad rush to make it to the toilet and then to get water before hoppin on one of the Esperanza buses. We got on + when it had turned out of school and was on the road Giselle asked me if I had the food. I lifted up my black plastic bag, returning “oh course I have my food!” But I saw her look at me and question “no, have you got the food? The food for the boys?” + upon hearing this I realised I did not have the food, that was currently chilling in the fridge. Opps. I ran off the bus and back down the road into school (supposedly to some cheers on the bus), grabbed the food + thankfully our wonderful driver had reversed down the road. Every time we visit the boys Mercedes gives us a big bag of tortillas for them as these are really bad in Teguc so it was these I was lugging along in my hand.

We were then back on the road but then a bus in front of us had broken down! We stopped at the side a while, all of us getting nervous as the last Teguc bus left at 4. Eventually we managed to get all of the other kiddos on + I spent most of the time trying to ensure Marian (one of my adorable kids) didn’t slip off my lap as we were sharing a seat with 3 others. I wasn’t too stressed until it was 3:45 + we were only just in town. Knowing the terminal is on the otherside we got off the bus + hopped into a taxi. We must have been with the slowest, most cautious taxi driver in the whole of Honduras. It was now I was stressing, hoping we’d get there in time, even though I’d clearly said “rápido” to him! Thankfully we did + got told the bus wasn’t going until 4:15 (of course) which actually ended up being 4:35 (of course)! We managed to use a bathroom then settled in for the long journey ahead which I mainly spent reading.

Once in Teguc the boys had arranged our taxi so the guy in the blue top I was expecting was peering into the bus as we pulled into the terminal. He gave a wave + we left Mickenna next to a security guard then got in. It felt super weird to be 2 gringas alone at night in the big city but soon we were in their barrio + they were there to welcome us in. That night we just enjoyed being in each other’s company: enjoying Robbie’s tortillas con quesillo, buying cookies + playing dares which saw us doing things such as wearing our pants backwards (in Giselle’s case) or pretending to be a dog (in Daniel’s case). We also attempted the game where you have to hold water in your mouth + not laugh + lets just say this resulted with an extremely wet floor – not to mention our clothes! After some quick karaoke we went to bed around 1.

Saturday was started with some American style pancakes (we can’t seem to escape these gringa steroytypes😉) before heading into Downtown Teguc. This is the centre of town which, I can’t lie, sort of felt unsafe as soon as we stepped out the taxi. I didn’t get any snaps of the start of the day because I was too worried to have my phone out for even a second.

As we walked to the plaza we treated ourselves to McDonald’s ice creams (yum) then found Jorge (another friend) in the square. He took us on a really interesting tour of the area which saw us eating ice cream in a church that reminded me of Russia, watching a wedding in another church and going to Honduran Theatre! Just before this we were walking through the street when a woman called the police over + said someone had been cut in the face, so we made a very prompt exit to another park before the theatre. This was cool because there weren’t any shows so we were allowed to go wherever we wanted – including behind the stage! After this we went into the free museum that was super beautiful. This, along with the pedestrianised road it was on decorated with lamp shades, threw off serious London vibes. Although, not so much if you looked at the people selling random things on the sides of the road along with the crazy amount of chicken shops + Honduran men giving you dirty stares constantly. I really enjoyed the museum as the only exhibition we went to was about kids with autism + I found it really interesting to read all of their little bios. Of course, being gringas, a photographer for the museum asked to take our picture so we happily agreed.

After this we hit up Rosy’s where I got some sports shorts – mainly because they cost £1 out here + england is over priced! Then it was to Little Ceasers to share pizza for lunch. Whilst here we had a cute view over the square until we were informed the woman outside were all prostitutes which sparked many interesting conversations. Amazingly enough, this is actually legal here!

After that it was on the hunt for an Internet cafe as I was appearing live in country at Project’s 50th Anniversary fundraising ceildh which was actually a lot of fun! It was stressful trying to find a cafe but Jorge once again saved the day + took me to his friends printing shop who gave me WiFi. Shoutout to Giselle who did a grand job☺️

We had plans to see what we call “Big Jesus” but is actually called … so set off walking but got sidetracked by an incredible park we stumbled across. Since we’d already been walking quite a while up steep, narrow streets we decided to stay here – especially because it had an ace view of the city! Maaany pictures were taken as well as just leaning against the railings + chatting about life. I’m definitely going to seriously miss the amazing friends we’ve made out here. Los amo a todos💙

We walked back down into town + were on the hunt for a cafe as Daniel + I were pinning for granitas. Along the way we found a souviner shop that claimed to speak English (they didn’t) where Giselle + I picked up cheap postcards. After going into some seriously expensive cafes we found a little bakery. Here Daniel, Giselle + I each had these chicken …. wow. They tasted EXACTLY like a chicken sandwich from Boots – I felt like I was back in the uk!! At least I know where to go if I ever get a craving for british food!

We walked back to the main plaza where a rock band were doing their thing on a stage but since it was getting late the boys suggested we go home. This involved walking through some very unsafe feeling streets but once we were back it was time to buy ice cream –

woo! Then dinner was Daniel’s amazing pasta (watch out bud; may marry you for your food) followed by something I’ve been wanting to try for ages so suggested to Robbie: warm choccys + ice cream. Ooof. It was seriously good. I put the cookies in the microwave then put a vanilla + dulce de leche ice cream on top + these were enjoyed whilst watching a video of men being waxed (thanks Giselle). It was time for a relatively early night after this although Teguc is so hot it’s seriously hard to sleep at times!

On the Sunday it was time for a chilled, lazy morning listening to music, making pancakes + drinking our fave OJ. Then the 3 of us headed to the mall where I took out my last lot of money before our big travel + we bought a pizza for the bus journey. We bid our farewells to Robbie then got a final taxi to the bus terminal where we accidentally got on the La Esperanza, not Santa Rosa busy but hey, at least we were heading home!

We came back to a welcomed breeze on the bus (which developed into a cold front so now I’m freezing) and managed to change effortlessly to a smaller bus heading to Yam Yam. Giselle made chicken noodle soup + we prepared ourselves for another week in action!

That sums up that trip to Teguc, from a little blue house in Yamaranguila,

Charlotte x

Food, Fiestas + Football

~8 Months~

Hi there!

So, my 7th month blog was written from a balcony in Sigua. I’m currently writing from a little coffee shop in La Esperanza + it looks like it’s going to rain again. It seems we’re heading back into rainy season, though we are expecting it to properly start in May. Although sometimes the dreary weather may try and get us down there’s always little positives in everyday (besides my kids) + one day it was freshly made encandelas from the school cafeteria – yum!

On the topic of food one of our American friends Mickenna was gifted some creme eggs which she kindly shared with us. As you don’t get chocolate eggs out here it was such a cute little taste of home! Thanks girl💙

Whilst on the topic of food I think it’s important + rather hilarious to note that one day a mini ice cream truck turned up at school! Now don’t get too excited, it was basically a truck with a mini freezer on wheelers propped up in the back. However, it came during the last two periods so I enjoyed a 5L cone whilst teaching which made the kids so jealous when they’d finished their work I let them run out + get their own ice cream. Ah, Honduras, you never cease to surprise me!

I also received a beautiful present that week. The kids in nivelacion were practicing letter writing so could write to any which person they chose + who did one girl chose? Little old Miss Charlotte! I found it so sweet that I decided to write her a reply that night + hand delivered it in class the next day – with a hug of course.

The next exciting thing that happened was it was Angelica’s (our neighbour/part of the family) birthday so after one Monday lesson we got to share the celebrations. This saw us munching some completely different but tasty Honduran food that basically consisted of: yuca (sort of like potato?…), churros (crisps), meat + cabbage. Which tasted loads better than it sounds I assure you!

This feels like a very foodie blog but I’m afraid I’m gonna have to continue the trend + mention something I was gifted in class from a very sweet girl. As well as the usual love notes (of which my pile is so big I’m not sure how I’ll transport them home) one day Isabella gave me a guayavba! Yum! I wasn’t like your typical teacher with an apple in the office but instead a different green delight!

This blog wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t mention the fact that Shawna has been feeding us loads of lat. + can I just say that the food has been incredible! It’s such a blessing to have such amazing friends who always look out for us☺️

I was really sad when the BBC app popped up with the notification that Stephen Hawking has died. Amazingly, my main memory of him was when he turned up at my brother’s prom in Cambridge.

Then this popped up on my Pinterest the next day so I thought I would share it with you all:

The Thursday before we headed travelling we popped into town with Robbie to sort out some bits for him then headed to a surprise birthday party for one of the teachers. It was a really fun little gathering with lots of food at Jimmy’s which is owned by one of the kids in 6th family including cake, Doritos, chicken wings, chips and more. Thanks to all the Americans for a fun night!

Then, on the last day of school before Semana Santa we had our Summer Party. This saw all the kiddos coming in rocking shorts, sweet summer dresses + their amazing headbands I’d made with them in class the day before. For the purposes of the party I was obviously transformed into “Miss Charlotte the Panda” for the day which they loved – especially my little girls in Nivelación! In 2nd Grade we had an ice-cream sundae party which went really well but there was SO much ice cream!! Lots of kiddies came up to me after recess complaining about stomach aches + all I could do was pat them on the back. I totally sympathised with them at that point after having about 4 plates myself. There was a bouncy castle which was especially funny with 6th Grade + lots of cute pictures were taken throughout the day. The competition of the day was about crazy hats so during the last period we all headed outside to judge this + María José of 2nd Grade came 2nd!! Wooo!! All of the hats were amazing though + I’m not even sure how they were able to judge it.

Since you’ve heard lots about the disaster that was trying to make it to Salvador I’ll skip talking about that week in this blog. What I will say is that it was really nice o have a break from work but as always I did miss my kiddos + our daily laughs. As we now only have around 2 months left with the kids I’m treasuring every moment with them!

We didn’t really celebrate Easter except we saw 2 mini parades in Gracias – one on palm Friday with lots of palms being carried + this one on Easter Sunday:

Besides this I opened + demolished my pack of mini eggs from Christmas – shoutout to Giselle’s mumma because they were delicious!

After Semana Santa we had to get back into the swing of school. The best thing about the first week back was we treated ourselves to a tin of coconut for 20L (reaaaally pushing the boat) + Giselle made an incredible coconut, veggie curry😍

However the most fun thing was on Friday we got to play teachers vs students football as practice for SAG. Student Annual Gathering is basically like a mini olympics held in Teguc for the week that some of our kids get to go to. As our neighbour/friend Juan is going I’m pretty excited for him! The actual game was a success for the girls as they beat us 1-0 however the boys got whooped by the teachers 4-0. I played the first half where I started off midfield + sort of made my way to the front. Although football is definitely not my sport I actually really enjoyed it – especially since I could hear nicelacion + 2nd Grade cheering my name! I have so much love for those kiddos💙💙

I swapped out so Giselle could play which meant I could try and cool down as I was a sweaty mess. It also allowed me to hang with my kiddos (mainly Emily who wouldn’t go without me) + then Carlos + Eduardo from nivelación came to chat. We spoke a mixture of Spanish + English though to be honest they are picking up English so quick I barely had to translate much. It was so nice to spend time with students outside of the classroom in a more chilled environment + chat about random things like football, Semana Santa + my life in England. Emily was super cute + asked me “what is he?” To which I replied “that’s Carlos” + when he tried to talk to her she hid behind me + popped her little head out from the side of my leg.

On Saturday Giselle + I headed to Marcala (the best region of coffee in the country) which you can read about here: https://helpcharlottehelphonduras.wordpress.com/2018/04/12/travel-tales-17-made-it-to-marcala/

It was our first adventure just the two of us + we had such a blast! I’m gonna miss our travelling tales so much.

When we got back to town we grabbed some veggies then headed to the birthday of our very good friend Abi, who was turning 21! Feliz cumpleaños, chica💙

On the way we were walking up a road + who was wandering towards us but Megan + her parents?! They were in town as a stop off point before travelling on to Amapala and we got to stand + chat to them for a while before going to the party. After all the food of Marcala we decided to take it light + shared a delicious steak sandwich which Corie surprised us by paying for! I’m still continually amazed by the kindness of all our friends out here, without whom this adventure wouldn’t be nearly as fun.

Speaking of kindness, this Thursday I had to sadly take a day off school due to be being ill (would it be an anniversary without sickness?). However, it was just a little bump in the road + I’m back to feeling much better now! Whilst I was at home, I popped out to grab my towel (a hot shower always helps me feel better) + Marta rushed out asking what was wrong. I explained I felt weird so couldn’t go into school + she immediately fetched me some freshly made chicken soup. I’m really not sure how I’ll live without the people here!

All in all it’s been an incredible month + I just hope the next 4 go extremely slow because this life is truly what sets my heart on fire.

My final piece of good news is that I have finished War + Peace! 8 months later + the deed is done! Although it was filled with lots of complex historical analysis I enjoyed it nonetheless (though I’m glad it’s finished now, haha)!

Sending positive vibes from a little house in Teguc (on a weekend trip to see our buddies),

Charlotte x

Travel Tales #17 – Made it to Marcala

• Marcala, Honduras
• Hours travelled: 40 minutes
• Distance travelled: 41.4km
• Transport: bus
• Rating: 6.5

Marcala is supposedly the best place in Honduras for coffee. Since it’s super close to us + we don’t have a lot of time left to travel, we decided to head there this past weekend. This is amazingly the first travel we’ve done just the two of us where we haven’t met up with anyone else + I loved it!

Firstly I’ll just mention Marcala is a very typical little Honduran village, not the prettiest but not the ugliest. There’s not a ton to do there although if you like coffee, I’m sure you’ll be a fan.

We stepped off the bus and found ourselves in a dusty road with nothing around, except an impressively nice inside bus terminal. After asking some people we were told that one road headed down to the main town + not wanting to pay for a mototaxi we headed off on foot. This ended up being a blessing (or curse, depending on how you view it) as we stumbled across a thrift store. Would it be an anniversary if we didn’t go thrifting? So, we headed in + to my surprise I found a dress I liked! This never happens + since it was £2 I decided it was well worth it. Once we’d grabbed our stuff we asked directions for the item we actually came to buy: coffee.

This resulted in us walking along the road, unsure of whether it was the right direction. As we weren’t in the centre of town there wasn’t a lot about except food places we simply hoped it was the right way! We passed an adorable coffee shop where I had the opportunity to try my first coffee paleta – would definitely reccomend if you like iced coffee. I used to hate coffee and before Honduras really didn’t drink it that much but out here it’s become one of my guilty pleasures! I love love love to have the occasional granitos de cafe when we go to a coffee shop.

After wandering on we eventually found the place we were looking for + spend a really long time picking coffee. Coffee the neighbours, for family + friends at home – there was a lot to buy. We could barely fit it in our arms!

They had a really cute play area outside so we ended up chilling on a sort of swing together whilst we recovered from the humidity of Marcala.

Next to us was a huge warehouse so Giselle asked what was going on + if we could see. Cue an impromptu coffee tour! This really bought back memories for me of my old job in the Sidewalk Co. where I occsssionally roasted + grinded coffee. The difference was the scale: here the roaster was HUGE and throwing off so much heat + noise. Even the grinding and packaging were done on much larger machines.

After we bid our farewells we headed off with only one thing in mind: gringas. This was one of the only Honduran foods we hadn’t tried yet + since everyone here thinks we’re gringas, we decided it was something we absolutely had to do. Instead of gringas we stumbled across Aroma Cafe, a coffee shop that had been highly reccomend to us. After promising to return we left + I spotted a comedor across the road. When we asked what they had she ran through a list and the last item… gringas! We ordered two and settled down to enjoy these when we were asked if we wanted to try … which we of course did! It ended up being a big plate of fried tortillas with chicken, cheese + chismol! Yum! Gringas are basically fried baleada tortillas with quesillo and chicken stuffed inside + are super rica – but of course they are, gringas are rica 😉

Then we chilled in Aroma Cafe for aaages, making use of the good WiFi whilst I enjoyed an iced coffee + Giselle a strawberry drink – well, when in Marcala… we enjoyed yummy oat biscuits for only 3L as well as amazing music + seriously good vibes. Would highly reccomend that café if you happen to be in the area!

We walked back to the bus station as we had a party to get to but as usual we were talking too much so missed the turning. Thus, we went on a wild goose chase relying on terrible directions from Hondurans. At one point we chased after a Esperanza bus for ages, only for it to stop and say it wasn’t going then! Eventually we found the busstop and settled down to wait in the setting Honduran sun. As if had so much coffee I was hyped although Giselle was feeling the lack of energy from the day so I shared even more old music with her + chatted non-stop – sorry buddy!

A quick bus back ended our time in Marcala. Though it’s definitely not my favourite place there’s one thing Marcala really does offer: coffee!

From a little blue house in Yamaranguila,

Charlotte

Questions from Home

Normally I write about whatever pops into my head however a while ago I reached out to my loved ones at home + asked what they wanted to know about. What about my life here surprised them/what did they want to know about? Here are the responses I received…

How have you survived without one of my roasts?

Thanks for the question, Dad👍 I’m just joking, it’s actually an understandable thing to ask. Obviously your roasts are amazing (+ much missed) but in general I would say although we really missed food at first however now I’m so use to the food out here I’m more worried about missing Honduran food in August + onwards. Only when we begin eating American food (the extremely rare pizza or burger) do I start thinking about food from home. Mainly I miss baked beans, a cheese toasty (ooof), dark chocolate + access to fish. However now I find Honduran food almost as comforting as the treats from England so it’s all good!

You love Honduras so much, how will you cope with such a difference as University?

I already know I’m going to really struggle with uni because I’m so accustomed to life here. This in the beginning was partly because it was something so different although it had it’s annoyances. However, now I’m use to it I’m actually dreading going back to constant power + water, TV, good WiFi and British attitudes. Who’d have thought, hey?

What’s your most played song of the year?

Despacito – ¡por supuesto!

Although more recently Échame La Culpa as well

What will you miss the most?

The people, the food, the views, my kiddos, Giselle… the whole experience, the different way of life – just the whole year.

How have you coped not watching Strictly/I’m A Celebrity?

Surprisingly easily. Although I’ve watched movies this year I’ve been on a permanent TV ban which has been going amazingly – I don’t even miss it. What I do miss is that TV use to be part of my family time when we’d get together to watch certain programmes so there’s a slight sadness in it. I suppose I’m excluding Extr@ (a YouTube series to learn Spanish I watch with one of the boys) because it’s too hilarious not to. I’m actually spending way more time reading which is a blessing – though sometimes it doesn’t feel that way with War + Peace.

Do you think you’ll ever want to live there?

Yes. That’s my simple answer. I don’t know the logistics and I’m not even sure if it’s possible but I’d absolutely love to live here one day (but not forever) so maybe after uni?… we’ll see what the future holds because it’s relatively dangerous to be a lawyer out here so I may have to change profession first!

Best thrift shop find?

Buena pregunata.. I wanna say my dungarees because they were so ridciously cheap but also my new yoga pants that are the comfiest thing I’ve ever worn in my entire life.

What was the biggest adjustment in the beginning?

A serious struggle the 1st month was adjusting to teaching. To get use to being around kids, being comfortable in my job, etc – all of that was difficult but so worth it! It’s the hardest + most worth-while learning curve I’ve ever had to deal with. It was a crazy journey from getting fustrated and having no patience to becoming overly attached to my kiddos but I did it👊

What are your staple reciepes from the year?

I really wanna say banana pancakes because I can’t even count how many of them we’ve eaten over the past 12 months. However, if I was being serious I’d have to say we make a mean chicken noodle soup, veggie curry + I do a lot of rice dishes. I’m just proud of the fact we haven’t been living off tomato pasta – go us!

Where, if anywhere, would you like to visit next and why?

That’s a really tough question.. + I suppose it depends on the purpose of the trip! For just travel, I’d love to do New Zealand and Canada. However, for volunteering I’d love to do Asia and then I really want to see Eastern Europe too at some point. I think if you sent me pretty much anywhere I’d be happy – especially if it was Honduras again 😉

What experience would you re-live?

Either zooming over the zip-line or jumping off that watefall on my birthday. Both rocked!

How has it helped you to find your inner self?

I feel like I had a pretty good idea of who I was before I left but what this year has allowed me to do is have a fresh start with none of my old ties. Being surrounded by new people I was free to become more me without a fear of judgement. I’m also happier than I’ve ever been so if that’s my inner self I love it!

What do they forget to tell you about Gap Years?

How attached you get to your new county + how hard it is to leave.

Do you feel like a different person from when you left?

It’s weird because on a day to day basis I don’t notice myself changing but when I look back everything is different. I went from sitting behind a desk to feeling comfortable standing and teaching. I went from feeling uncomfortable around children to adoring my kiddos. I went from always caring what people thought to learning to do whatever makes me happy. To sum it up I’m not sure the girl who gets on that plane will be the same as the one who left. How can I be when I’ve seen so many new things + met so many new people + had such a different way of living?

What are your plans for the next 3 months?

Soak up every moment of school I can before we head off on our travels! Also, eat loads of Honduran food. It’s necessary.

Well, I hope this gave some sort of insight into my year! Any more questions you may have, feel free to send to me + I may end up writing another one of these…

All the best from a little blue house in Yamaranguila,

Charlotte

Cocina conmigo #1 -Special Veggie Burritos

Firstly, seeing as these are veggie burritos, it can be assumed you’re gonna need to prepare your veggies. I chop up a mixture of courgette, broccoli, carrots, peppers/whatever’s in the fridge.

Once this task is done I place these in a big pot of boiling water (heads up, starting boiling before you start chopping) + add in my rice (the quantity depends on how many people/meals it’s for) as well as some red lentils. I also add into the water a stock cube plus consomé de pollo (effectively stock powder) as well as some curry powder, paprika, onion + garlic then let it cook – this process takes roughly 20 minutes.

Whilst that’s bubbling away cut up some more onion + garlic (these 2 are best friends) + throw them in a pan. Once they are almost cooked add some curry powder so they sort of dry-fry + try not to salivate at the amazing smells that are produced…

Once the rice pot has finished its cooking you have my permission to move the onion/garlic mixture over + stir this in well. Whilst this has a final 5-10 minutes bubbling to ensure all your flavours are a’cooking cut up some lettuce + tomato. The tomato goes fresh, as it is, into the pot + the lettuce lines your bowl/plate (/saucepan occasionally for me).

I’ve only ever used these in a burrito once but if that’s what your feeling then your gonna need a flour tortilla – the same used for baleadas. If I was in the uk I’d use a whole meal wrap but out here I just use the tortilla wraps we make (go us!) which are literally flour, water + some baking soda.

Then – voila! You may serve a helping of whatever size you wish of your special burrito rice into whatever you wish: be it tortilla, bowl or saucepan.

Happy cooking + buen provecho!

From a little blue house in Yamaranguila,

Charlotte

A Series Of Unfortunate Events

We were surprised this Semana Santa to not find ourselves in El Salvador as planned but instead travelling around Honduras. For me though, we still had an incredible week + I really don’t think I’d have changed it.

After the disaster that was attempting to cross the Salvador border we eventually made it to Gracias, where I last left off.

Here’s a little Travel Tales about our time there:

Travel Tales #13 – Grateful for Gracias

• Gracias, Honduras

• Hours travelled: 11 hrs (with a detour to Salvador)

• Distance travelled: 70.4k

• Transport: buses

• Rating: 7

On Sunday morning I awoke in our little room in Gracias at 5:30 so transformed my Salvador experience into a blog post. Once we were eventually all up we headed back to the square + ended up looking at souvenirs – there were some absolutely beautiful bookmarks that we decided to invest in. Then we headed on to the market to see if we could get to La Campa for the zip line but first bought some fruit like bananas + apples. Thanks to my braces I needed to cut the apple so once I borrowed a knife I converted my child friendly bite sized into a plastic bag which made things so much easier for me.

Unfortunately we missed the bus due to it being too full + leaving 30 minutes early (the bad luck continued) so we headed back to the hotel to plan out the rest of the week. It can be kinda hard to travel plan as everyone has a different opinion so you spend a lot of time trying to reach compromises but eventually it was sorted + everyone was happy. By this time it was past lunch so we headed back to the square for delicious pupusas I’d really been craving. After a coconut paleta we headed up the the fort which doubles as the amazing viewpoint over Gracias.

On the way we passed through another sweet little square where we sat chatting, sweltering in the heat of the day.

^pupusas then dying in the heat

As always, the viewpoint didn’t disappoint. It was stunning! As you can imagine, LOTS of pictures were taken before we wandered around the mini art gallery. Trying to guess the meanings behind the paintings is always hilarious especially because most of the time we had absolutely no idea. At one point we were approached by a group of girls who we thought wanted a picture but this turned into a video interview which was interesting although we mainly let Giselle do the talking.

Once back down in the town we stocked up on bags of water then then chilled in the hotel until it was an acceptable time to head for dinner where I enjoyed a pupusa + baleada – yuuuum! We needed a relatively early night because we were up early the next day for travelling. Whilst on the phone outside our room I heard a voice call “Charlotte?” + who was there but Lopez, one of our Honduran teachers. It certainly is a small Honduras. We chatted briefly before I got Giselle out to say hi then we settled down for our final night in Gracias.

After that came La Ceiba, which I did an actual Travel Tales about here: https://helpcharlottehelphonduras.wordpress.com/2018/04/01/travel-tales-14-baleadas-on-the-beach/

Once safely back in Yam we proceeded to have an ace 2 days with our family. We spent 10 hours on buses to arrive in Esperanza just after 4 where we took the girls to one of our current favourite comedors – tajadas con carne for us, tortillas con quesillo for Meggie the Veggie.

Robbie + Denia (some of the kids) were also in town so we met up with them then all piled on the bus to go home. The family were so kind to us over those 2 days + it really made me think about how much I’m going to miss them! On Wednesday night I hung out with them outside + was treated to fish, tamilitos and lots of chats/laughs. The boys were back from uni so we had a long catchup as we’d hadn’t seen each other in a while which somehow turned into me performing the British national anthem for them (well… the few lines I know) + them showing me some Honduran music.

The next day I was up early (as always) but after everyone else had a lie in I headed on a run (too many choccys have been consumed this week). First things first though I had to get the ridiculously tight plaits out of the side of my head which was an experience in itself! Not to mention the fact I was left with a crazy mess on one side of my head… As I was leaving we were invited to breakfast so I let the girls enjoy this + I ate mine on my return. As their ornia broke they now have a temporary one outside which means we have a really nice outside space with lots of chairs where we can all sit + chat – which is exactly what we proceeded to do. I enjoyed a delicious plate of food: beans, egg, plantain, tortillas, mantequilla + cheese – yum! We obviously had to show Megan + Rachel the new best paletas in town which were delicious + I found a beautiful flower in the park I hadn’t admired yet.

After that we all showered + dressed up for our really yummy lunch of fish soup that was served for us outside on a little table. It was oddly one of the most civilised meals we’ve ever eaten in Yam + was super yummy😋

Daniel suggested walking to a waterfall so us, him, Robbie + Denia set off. Hondurans are always a little off with their timings/distances as it ended up taking longer than expected but this didn’t matter as we were with good company. Plus, as soon as we got there + saw the view it was totally worth it! Here we stayed for who knows how long having a huuuuge photoshoot: some people individually, then group shots, partner pics, volunteer pics, etc. The boys were freaking out a little about safety whilst I was running around like a crazy mountain goat but, as always, this came to bite me on the butt as during a photo I slipped + half my body fell into the deep pool. It was so deep that even though my entire leg was submerged I still couldn’t reach the bottom. Still, it made us laugh! After sooo many pictures we eventually decided we could leave + tried to reach the actual waterfall but were told there was no water in it currently… so is it still a waterfall? We decided it wasn’t worth paying for so headed back with some of us stopping for paletas on the way.

Once back we all decided to chill as we also have a really cool outside space with basketball so can always pick up a ball + play this. We also started planning our 6 week travel (woo!) because so far we haven’t been the most organised with travel. Once again, we were invited out to dinner with the neighbours which was another typical plate of delicious food. After some basketball we were called back to the table to try something very peculiar..

You are handed 2 cups: one contains a mixture of honey + plantain that’s been slowly cooked down; the other contains a sort of plain, very thick rice milk drink. You are instructed first to take a sip of the sweet cup, then to take a sip of the plain cup then enjoy the combination of flavours that ensues in your mouth. I think it’s safe to say we’re not quite catracha enough for this yet! The sweet drink was even too sweet for Giselle (a sure sign) + the other drink wasn’t really to be consumed alone. We gave it our best efforts, said thanks + I’m glad we had the experience. We were all shattered so after a relatively early night headed in to bed, especially as we had big plans for Friday…

We were up at 8:45, madly getting ready – having egg sandwiches + putting on appropriate clothes as we were going on a big hike with the family. Of course, Honduran time kicked in + although we were meant to leave at 9 we obviously didn’t end up leaving until 10. A big group of us (us volunteers, Robbie, Cindy, Bani + their older sister Louisa plus 3 of her friends) headed off, up the mountain to get to El Pelón (the telephone wires). Although in parts it was a little intense it was so worth it! We had a snack break for papaya then at the top all shared watermelon, churros (crisps) + us girls had our oat bars. One part that reaaaally reminded me of home was that there were black berries at the top so we all went picking! Although they were incredibly sour it was pretty cool to be picking blackberries atop the highest peak in the area.

Travel Tales #17 – Back in Gracias

• Gracias, Honduras

• Hours travelled: only 1 1/2 this time

• Distance travelled: 70.4k

• Transport: one bus

• Rating: 9

This time we were on the road to Gracias with the aim of doing La Campa. After grabbing some bananas + having a picnic with these + bananas Giselle grabbed in the market on the bus we set off. After a quick ride of 45 minutes we made it to the beautiful town of La Campa which is a little mountainous town with serious Spanish vibes. There were palm tree + flower lined streets with a huge white chuch that stood out against the backdrop of the valley.

We had to wait at the foot of the zip line for the team to come in but after not too long we made it up to the top where we were offered a pretty ace (if not scary) view of the valley. Somehow we were soon all being strapped up in the appropriate gear then Megan took the plunge first + we saw her disappear, flying over the valley. I was last to go + equipped with my GoPro felt pretty comfortable as I was put on the wire + found myself suspended in the air. I lay myself back, took a deep breath + was pushed off the edge. I cannot described what then ensued, so let me show you:

Zooming over that valley was an incredible feeling. A river winded it’s way through the vast landscape of trees beneath me + I could make out the mountains in the background as I made my way towards the steep, 3km high cliff fast approaching me.

There were 5 more lines to enjoy before we ended in the town of La Campa. I made friends with David + William (2 of the team) because they asked where I was from + we got chatting. Shoutout to William for mananhing to pronounce his name in literally the most English way possible! Also shoutout to the man who had to come out + save me as I managed to get slightly stuck on the line – of course! Doing El Canopy was seriously one of my favourite things out here + for barely £15 I’d highly reccomend to anyone near the area.

Afterwards we were all shattered + starving leading to me almost falling asleep in the little bus back which started off being private then proceeded to get really ridiculously full. After a stop at the hotel to change into shorts + get water it was pupusa time + they were well deserved. We even had 3 this time to get our energy back up before I grabbed a coconut paleta. We walked around the town + found a good place for dinner/breakfast before overheating so chilling in the hotel whilst I went through GoPro footage. We got ourselves ready for dinner + headed out to a restaurant literally next to the 1st place we stayed in Honduras, all those 8 months ago. I treated myself to nachos which were delicious!

Then (after me running back to the hotel for my wallet, opps) we found a mototaxi with the very sweet Melvin inside who took us to the hot springs. As we were halfway there he turned to us + said “hey, there’s a disco tonight” which resulted in us freaking out. A disco? Unfortunately; it ended up being exactly what we imagined: hundreds of creepy Honduran men making nasty comments at us (eg. Marry me, hello beautiful, etc) whilst couples filled the warm waters with their dirty activities. It was pretty gross so ended up in us leaving + feeling pretty disheartened at the 50L we wasted.

After some video calls home + an early night we awoke on Sunday + made use of the ace internet before heading out for breakfast. I had an incredible desayuno Graciano for only 40L which was so so worth it before a final walk around the square. Here we amazingly bumped into 2 other volunteers (Kirsten + Kat) who had a chat which ended up depressing us because it made us realise how little time we have left. Day to day as we’re just living, we feel like this is normal – it’s just our life. However, when you meet other volunteers (who we were expecting to see at the airport) you realise hey, this isn’t permanent + hey, soon the crazy adventure will end. We stayed in the park feeling very sad for ourselves before having to a a goodbye to Megan + Rachel + sending them away on the La Union bus. For once, the travel back was more complicated for us. We were taken to the ticket office for the Carolina bus to Teguc + told they were all full (it was Semana Santa afterall) so waited around an hour for one to pass. It was pretty full + meant we stood for the entire trip but we managed to get safely back to La Esperanza + do our veggie shopping for the week. There were no buses to Yam for some reason but very luckily (we had to have some luck at some point) a couple of Americans were passing + picked us up. Seeing their smiling faces as they helped us with our bags really cheered up my day – thanks girls!!

Soon we were safely back in Yam Yam + my day was seriously brightened by a late birthday gift of an absolutely beautiful Lenca top! Then we got cooking, cleaning + sorting for the week before an early night as we had to get back into the swing of school.

Thank you to everyone for an amazing week, I know it was nothing like we expected but I had an incredible time! I treasure my memories of hanging out with the family, of El Canopy, watching Honduran sunsets + eating mango. Love to all💙 let’s just hope our big set of travelling goes more to plan!

^looking ace with the valley we zoomed over

From a little blue house in Yamaranguila,

Charlotte

Travel Tales #14 – Baleadas on the Beach

• La Ceiba, Honduras

• Hours travelled: 10 hours

• Distance travelled: 380.2km

• Transport: buses

• Rating: 7

The travel to La Ceiba ended up being a complete headache which, to be fair, is probably due to the fact it’s Semana Santa. We woke at 3:45 + woke up the man in our hotel to click open the door (a feat we could have easily managed alone). Then we had to walk through the deserted streets of Gracias in the dark, trying to navigate ourselves to the bus terminal. Of course, at 4:30am this was shut but the San Pedro bus was sitting at the side of the road. We took a while to decide whether to go for it because we thought we were being ripped off (turns out it’s just super expensive from Gracias) but soon we were on. It really only started to get packed at later stops + I was extremely thankful for Giselle’s blanket as it was flipping freezing!

We read (War + Peace has been my constant companion this week as I’ve moved up another 20%), chatted + admired the beautiful Honduran scenery as it whizzed past. At long last we reached San Pedro around 9 in the morning only to be told the bus heading to La Ceiba was full + the next would be at 2 in the afternoon. Just our luck! The alternative given to us was to sit in the aisle of the bus so after Giselle + I had the honours of using the bus station toilet (truly, a royal treat) we all piled on with our backpacks + were told to use these as seats. This worked for maybe the 1st hour where I very almost fell asleep on the floor but then we were told we were taking up too much room (?). We weren’t even the ones who suggested bringing on our backpacks! We managed to squeeze these into the overhead compartments but this meant we now had to stand which was pretty uncomfortable, especially if trying to read.

Around 11 we finally made a pit stop which meant we could buy some overpriced Ranchitas (at this point all we’d had was water). As we squished back onto the stuffy bus Rachel suggested sitting right at the back, sort of on the section covering the engine where her backpack had been put. It wasn’t really a seat, but I figured it would do. I may not always have the ideas, but I always end up doing the weird stuff first somehow. As there was already a Honduran man there this led to my arse getting in his face as I squeezed into the tiny space, followed by Giselle. She managed to be in there with me for a good while before having to get out so it left just me + the man. I actually probably ended up being the most comfy of the 4 as once the space was freed up I was able to spread a little. So there I sat, reading Russian history at the back of the bus on the road to La Ceiba. Once the Honduran had gone + the others had seats I even lied down + think I fell asleep for the 1st time on a Honduran bus! Result! I awoke from my peaceful slumber at the rear end of a bumpy Honduran bus, half covered in someone’s plate of unfinished yuca – niceee… This wasn’t the worst thing as the bus that was meant to take 3hours ended up taking 5 – of course!

Apart from one point where we thought we’d broken down thanks to the driver holding components of the bus in his hands it was relatively smooth. The only new thing was we were stopped by the police where all the men were taken off to be patted down whilst woman + bags stayed on board. This is just normal here + we weren’t even given a second glance, thanks to obviously being gringas. We arrived exhausted, hungry + ready to find the hotel (sound familiar?) so after almost getting ripped off found a nicer taxi driver + headed to town. The bonus of the trip was how nice the hotel was + how cheap so thanks Hotel Iberia! Once our backpacks were down + swimming costumes/shorts on we headed to the beach which had serious spanish vibes. There was even a pier which reminded me of the UK, except this one has weird Honduran treats on it.

It was a weird start to the trip when a guy speaking English approached us + said he grew up in Florida but had been kicked out, etc. I won’t repeat his life story nor the questionable advice he gave about La Ceiba but will say at the end he randomly asked for 20L for a top for a job which we politely declined to do then headed on. Baleadas on the beach were enjoyed as well as mango with the setting sun.

Well, we weren’t in Salvador but at least we were together + still enjoying Honduras. We popped into a Rosy’s store where Giselle + I found super cute sport shorts so now we can semi-match on our travels – whoop! Plus, there was a Pizza Hut in town which saw Giselle, Megan + I treating ourselves to a little taste of more American food as well as the holy purple choccys – yum!! I now hold some hilarious memories of watching Narnia in Spanish as well which is obviously a bonus.

The next morning after a super healthy breakfast of cold pizza we headed out into the town where we went to a licuado shop Ellie had suggested to me. Thanks buddy because this was amazing! I decided to go for something completely different + have papaya, carrot + freshly squeezed orange juice which was incredible + a seriously funky shade of orange. After aimlessly wandering around town trying to find some sort of park which ended up being impossible to find we turned back to the beach.

Although it was way too rocky + wavey to swim we lay on the side + enjoyed some Honduran sun. Once I was too hot I headed to the shade where Megan was + we all ended up being very civilised + reading on a little table. A woman came up to us asking for a mini interview so Giselle took one for the team + was filmed whilst Megan + I subtlety moved away to my towel as I was trying to ran away the terrible difference between my white feet + my brown legs. Not too much longer later a two guys came over + one filmed the other interviewing Giselle then somehow I was roped in as well (didn’t move quick enough this time) so somewhere is a video of me shouting “Come visit La Ceiba!” + speaking terrible Spanish should you wish to see me make a fool of myself.

After a pit stop at the hotel to freshen up it was back out for even more baleadas, this time by the roadside. We had a chat + decided there just wasn’t enough to do in La Ceiba to stay until Saturday which meant we’d have to travel back to Yam today (Wednesday). Our original plan was to get the bus back on Thursday which honestly would have been better but, surprise surprise, buses weren’t running on Thursday either so the options were to be in La Ceiba until Saturday + then have a really hectic, crowded travelling day or leave on Wednesday. The majority voted Wednesday for ease so once that was decided we went to Los Maestros. This effectively was a sea walk filled with food stalls, trampolines + various stages for performances later in the night.

Giselle + I got some coconut bread that basically tasted like ginger bread then slightly more drastically decided to get a side of our hair braided. I guess if you can’t look bad on your gap year then when can you look bad? Although we did manage to start a trend as for the rest of the night we just saw other girls (+ even guys) having it done as well! I couldn’t have a better friend to do random stuff like this with, shoutout to you Giselle💙

As we were walking a man on the radio pulled us over + we have a slightly cringey live interview. I’d love to say my practice in England made me a pro at this but sadly the reality is I was struggling to understand all his spanish + we finished by rather embarrassingly shouting “me encanta Honduras!”. At least we gave a little shoutout to the school + La Ceiba.

Once that was done + we’d walked up the whole strip Megan lay her towel on the beach + we all snuggled up to watch a truly stunning sunset. Sure, we weren’t where we wanted to be + okay, maybe La Ceiba isn’t the nicest place but hey, I know there’s no where else I’d rather be then watching a Honduran sunset with these chicas.

After another healthy dinner of fries + “chorizo” we jammed to some of the music. My personal favourite was some crazy Honduran with incredible moves that dedicated a little song in English to us. This saw Giselle + I possibly embarrassing the other two with our, quite frankly, wonderful dancing. There was also a really good woman doing religious songs, some of which we knew! Of course we ended the night with some mango before catching a taxi back to the main part of town.

As it was our last night we headed off in search of ice cream but after being disappointed by the lack of this headed to the licuado shop where the 3 of us shared a banana + Oreo smoothie to end the night on a high. We grabbed some snacks for the trip today + headed to bed relatively early.

Thanks to some parties I woke up at 3, 4 + 5 so took a shower + we headed out to the busstop around 6:15. At last luck turned in our favor as the bus was leaving at 6:40 so we made it with perfect timing, even though the taxi guy tried to rip us off. We were having none of it + headed to the bus where (even better) we have seats! I’m really feeling the luxury life, especially as I know I have a banana in my bag with my name on it😋

Although this week has been nothing like what we thought + we’ll end up back in Yam for a bit I’ve honestly still had a hoot. Travel isn’t always easy or ideal but maybe we’ve had all our bad luck now + the 6 weeks will be a breeze? I guess we can only hope…

From a bus somewhere on the road to San Pedro, a Happy Semana Santa to all!

Charlotte