~The Final Week~
Saturday was our last time in town which meant we ran around trying to do our favourite things. For lunch we treated ourselves to our favourite beef soup, then we had amazing ice cream at La Gruta (the lookout over La Esperanza) before going to BlueBerry for crepes + smoothies. What a day of food!! We also went thrifting in the morning which yes, meant new purchases for both of us – obviously! It was fun to have our last time together in town, being reflective about the incredible year we’ve had. I’m so lucky to have Giselle as my partner + we’ve had so much fun together these past 11 months.
The most hilarious part was that there was what we assumed was a model having a photo shoot so we went up to the guy taking pictures + asked if he could get one of Giselle + I. Our aim was to have a nice photo in front of La Gruta but we ended up getting one with the model as they thought that’s what we wanted!
We sadly got our last lot of fruit + veggies from the market which meant a goodbye + hug to our favourite guy, who I will miss.
Sunday saw us having a semi-chilled morning with a run for me then lots of washing for travel. After that I was midst videocalling the family when suddenly Cindy appeared in the window and said we were leaving “ahorita”. This is the first time in my year here where Hondurans have been on time for something so we rushed out the door and into the truck. We were treated to a seriously incredible lunch with our family💙 I was told to sit with Mercedes and her family (our immediate neighbours) and Giselle with Angelica (her sister). First came strawberry drinks, then garlic bread, chips, tajadas, and lots of little dips/chismol then a gingnormous platter filled with an anafre + 4 kinds of meat! We all stuffed ourselves silly and still there was enough left over to take home! I really appreciated this final time with both the families and it felt like a fitting way to end our time together, surrounded by lots of Honduran food.
Time with our family💙
They had to get things for the day of the student on Monday which meant we somehow crammed in the back of the truck with 35 watermelons, crates of mangoes, bananas + more. We headed to Meli’s house to see Camilia so I got to hold her again – I feel very proud that the first time I went to see her I spoke some English to her which was the first she’d ever heard😉 all the kids chilled in the living room, watching TV which you could say was good practice for my Spanish, before riding home, this time with Giselle on my lap. Thanks to our incredible family for everything this year: it’s been a pleasure + joy to know you + I can’t wait to return!
Although I am so incredibly sad to be leaving, the end of the school year is always filled with so much joy. Everyone just seems to be in a good mood – which I love!
The whole week I just enjoyed hanging out with my kids as we did chilled/fun activities. Monday was fun because firstly we had avocado, egg, tomato + lettuce sandwiches for breakfast (YUM!) then we took a walk to school in the beautiful sunshine, snapping pictures on Giselle’s camera. Once in class, Mrs Looney gifted me a beautiful clay and pine pot with a really heart touching card that made me feel super appreciated. It’s nice to know that someone notices the work that you do! We even treated ourselves to the 10L taquitos the school sells for a snack, which were delcious! Finally, we got a last class picture together which was lovely + sad simultaneously. I was super happy that I could have such a beautiful treasure of my kids yet so sad the year is coming to an end. Each day we eat lunch with one of our groups + Monday was the turn of the polar bears + koalas. They each got little Jell-O shots (minus the alcohol obviously) + we had these together which was a great laugh. At lunch my girls from nivelación sat with me which was ace as it was some extra time to bond, outside of class. My hair has been crazy all this week, thanks to the rain that comes around lunchtime everyday and drenches us all but it’s okay because my kids find it hilarious!
^yanitza gave me the honour of holding her tiny, purple bear. Thank you, honey!
Tuesday was the wonderful trip to Gracias, which I’ve written about in more detail here: https://helpcharlottehelphonduras.wordpress.com/2018/06/19/were-going-to-thank-you/
After the trip we headed with Cindy to her school (which felt like we were monkeys in a zoo as everyone was staring at our whiteness) to eat super cheap tortillas con quesillo (5L each, would highly reccomend) + hang out. We discovered bags of Mani (peanuts) are only 3L so got these too – you learn something new everyday😉
Wednesday I was busy filming kids for videos to show 2nd Grade on our party on Friday. During nivelación I looked up to realise Carlos had placed some lenca fabric on my head which resulted in some hilarious pictures of us. We also celebrated Kevin + Marin’s birthdays, sitting with Kevin’s group at lunch and eating churros (sadly not the Spanish kind but chips) then cookies and having a cake at the end of the day. I also got completely drenched in the rain + fell over as I slid into our class door (smooooth) but was cheered up by the fact the 6th Grade girls came to find me to chat. I haven’t been needed in their class this week as they are technically not doing language so have missed our little conversations, which always make me laugh. I also bumped into some of the distance family of our family at school (the ones whose birthday party I was invited to with the boys) as it was their daughter in K4’s birthday so was called over, given cake + invited round in the week. After school we went to Esperanza for the last time before travelling to get some things done. Giselle + Abi went off to print photos so I was alone in town for the first time and something that would have scared me to death 6 months ago suddenly seemed like no big deal. I got the the post office + sent my final letters home and got to the orthadontist. I’m super happy that I now feel comfortable enough in my Spanish to do things like this, which may not seem like a big thing, but was to me.
Below, a picture of the pretty ace catracha I made myself for breakfast (toasted tortilla, beans + cheese – mine with added egg!)😋
Something crazy that happened was that during class a spider fell on Mrs Looney + I walked back into the room to be met by screams. Luckily, one child hit it off + Isaac squashed it so thanks to our little heroes the day was saved!
Even saying goodbye to my orthodontist hurt and not just because my braces were tightened. I felt like over the past 7 months we’d formed a good bond and we now always joke together (which means I get to laugh whilst her hands are in my mouth), compared to the beginning where we barley spoke as I wasn’t able to.
Then Giselle + I headed out for our final anafre which was super delicious whilst we booked our flights back up to Coll for DeBriefing. It’s really weird to think in a few months we’ll be back on a little Scottish island with everyone but I’m excited!!
Thursday morning we spent cleaning and sorting the classroom whilst I took kids out for pictures/videos for my special project for 2nd Grade. After recess we were treated (by some missionaries from Jake’s church) to a morning of games that was super fun, involving: balancing the “egg” (ping pong ball) on a spoon; drip, drip, drop; hula hoops + my personal favourite: transferring water from one bucket to another using sponges where I got soaked by my kiddos.
^Marian, new princess of Honduras.
In the afternoon we had our party with nivelacion which was super fun, though sadly we were missing Carlos. We danced, played a game where the kids had to get biscuits from their heads to their mouths + took maaaany pictures. Thank you to those guys one for their beautiful cards + two because they had been an incredible class to have.
Friday was extremely difficult, but a truly wonderful day nonetheless. I got to show 2nd Grade the videos of them which they loved + the one about the whole year we watched at least 4 times. Then we made birthday cards for Mrs Looney as well as spending half an hour doing worship songs, which I’m going to miss so much. After recess we had our party which saw my kids jumping around after the surprise of spicy enchiladas, me madly dishing out ice cream and then me receiving lots of food/sweets. Earlier in the day I had been gifted final cards and some truly beautiful presents. Isis Nicol gave me a Yamaranguila key ring I think her family made as well as 2 Bon o Bon bars (the babe) and Yanitza gave me a lovely little glass filled with Bon o Bons – my kids know me well.
After that was the final nivelacion lesson where I briefly introduced the new words before I was swarmed with pieces of paper with phone numbers on + requests for photos. We all had individual ones then I tried to give a little speech about how much I loved them, how well they were going to do and how I was going to miss them. Suddenly I felt arms around me and my kids were crying into me. I was trying to comfort Denis L but then I heard sobs + they were all off. By the end all of us were sobbing, including Miss Charlotte, who couldn’t actually speak by the time we were attempting to walk back to class. They said some things that broke my heart but I’m so proud of all my little ‘uns + the progress we’ve made this year. Good job guys!
Shoutout to Melvin, who actually does love me, I promise!
On the way back Carlos + Eduardo came to meet us + I went to say goodbye to the old ones which meant a hug for each person in the class – all of which were crying. Carlos gifted us stunning Honduras notebooks + an incredibly personal note. Thank you all so much, you are so special to me (as are all of my kids) + I really will miss you so so so much. I promise I’ll return! When Carlos + I hugged neither of us could properly speak due to tears and I genuinely felt like my heart was breaking a little. I cannot believe I managed to impact those kids lives, nor can I believe how much they impacted my life. As I tried to say a final goodbye to the class I heard Daniel + Martin sobbing so I tried to comfort them but ended up walking out the class sobbing myself. But isn’t it amazing that I had something that was so hard to say goodbye to?
I then had to say goodbye to 2nd which was super difficult, especially as the last thing we did was read out sheets of paper for each kid with messages from all the other students on + I handed out a little gift from me. We gave them each a final hug + then they were off, my babies, going to have an amazing summer before 3rd Grade! There were some more hugs (even from some of 6th Grade who found me) before waving off the buses, which felt very strange. We sorted out the classroom with some help from Katerin (love that girl) before walking home for the last time, feeling very sad for ourselves.
Robbie had surprised us on Thursday night by coming home for the weekend + his family had invited me round for a goodbye before we left. After I’d semi-packed and cried taking my photos and love notes off the wall, I decided to head over for what I hoped would be a short visit. Of course, it wasn’t, + as we were going to leave we were given coffee so ended up staying even longer but it was a really lovely time. I met a cousin who we chatted with lots about the World Cup and how different life in the UK is before we headed home. Walking past Angelica’s, we saw the kids + Giselle outside + we’d been invited in for dinner so we enjoyed beans, cheese + mantequilla. Straight after that we were in Mercedes’ house for almost the exact same meal but with egg + let me tell you I was super full after that. Then we got both families in + gave our presents: a water gun for Yafete, bags/nail polish for the girls, chocolate for Cindy + for the adults coffee + a photo frame each with photos of our time together. It’s safe to say there were a lot of tears – even from the kids!
Our family have been nothing but wonderful to us: always helping, giving food and truly being another family – we are so incredibly blessed. Thank you so so much to them because without them this year would not be the same.
I’m excited to travel though heart broken to leave Yam, but I’m so blessed to have so many incredible things in my life. Thanks to everyone here, thanks to Honduras, thanks to the Fam + my kids + to Yam.
^the message we woke up to on Saturday morning: C + G💙
For the last time, from a little blue house in Yamaranguila,
Charlotte
help charlotte help honduras 