Wait, are those your real teeth?

Well, I´m back on the air... for now. After having lost the internet twice in two weeks earlier last month, we have managed to pull together some funds basically from under the couch cushions to get internet here again.

So, to catch you up, September is Civic Month here because Honduran Independence Day is on the 15th. But they basically celebrated all month with folk dances, songs, and flag ceremonies. On actual Independence Day, I went to visit one of the interna's families. They were super generous and we even went to a parade in their town of La Entrada (to Copan). For the four days I spent with her family, we made bread, watched Mexico's version of Dancing with the Stars, hung out on the back porch in hammocks and chewed on sugar cane. It was a really great vacation. And I learned a lot while I was there, like:

-I can take a shower with cold water and buckets and I barely even noticed that it was strange
-Most adults in Honduras have fake teeth, mostly due to cavities from chewing on sugar canes (hence the title of the blog)
-It's not that weird to have satellite tv but only own two appliances (a refrigerator and a sewing machine), no hot water, and no car
-Cooking over a wood stove and baking in a stone oven is not as hard as it seems, nor as precise (thank God)
-Getting around by small buses and mototaxis is stressful in the beginning, but after the initial shock, it's very fun
-The national mammal of Honduras is the white-tailed deer, although I have yet to see one here

As for the school, not much as changed here as far as things I've been doing. I've been mostly hanging around in Santa Rosa, brushing up on my baking skills and teaching. There is a new volunteer here from Kansas, who is living with a different order of sisters in an orphanage. She just got here and she'll be here all year, so I finally have another American friend here to hang out with on my days off! Yay for new friends!

Also, expect more pictures and touristy entries ahead as I get my very first visitors from home - Mer and Jacque - who will be arriving on Saturday for a week! Yay for old friends too!

Here I am with a few of the oldest internas on a Sunday afternoon. They think my shoes are really funny for some reason.


Here I am with two of the younger internas.

Here's the lovely truck I drive around all the time, getting a bath from a few of the girls and Sor Eduviges.

Here I am with Zenaida, one of the girls who works here, in the courtyard outside the bakery.

Sor Odi and me

This is from the flag ceremony in Santa Rosa, where all the schools got together. These elementary school kids are dancing the Tuza.

The girls from María Auxiliadora had the flag.

Another group danced to El Sueñito.

Here are more of our girls who sang a rendition of Ode to Joy.

Here I am playing with the girl who works at the front door's baby sister. She's already four months old and her parents still haven't given her a name!

Her I am with Teresa, the Austrian volunteer who was here for a week.

This is the graduating class from the high school in La Entrada, marching (in high heels!) in the Independence Day parade.

This baby at the parade randomly picked up the Gatorade bottle from the street and started sucking on it.

The most exciting part for everyone was the arrival of the marching band!

Girls in traditional costumes also made an appearance.

As well as more dancers.

Here's the girl's family cat, Pepe, hanging on for dear life to the bottom of my hammock. He normally doesn't look this fierce...

That's all for now, and I'll write again soon!