Bienvenidos de Honduras

Phew! Okay, so I´m here safe and sound, but the actual travel portion was a complete fiasco. When I got to SeaTac, it took half an hour to check in because the computers were down. We couldn´t fly into Tegucigalpa because there had been a plane crash there a few weeks ago. So it was San Pedro Sula for us. When we arrived, the power was out! Imagine trying to find black suitcases in the dark. Instead of a bus coming for us, the orphange sent a van and a truck. The luggage went into the truck, and 17 of us in the van...for a six hour trip!! When we got to El Rancho, the truck got a flat tire! Good thing it didn´t happen on the freeway. Anyway, we essentially went straight to bed!

Yesterday, we took a tour of the ranch which is sprawling at 2,000 acres. I know some of you predicted that I would fall in love in Honduras. Well, it´s happened. Her name is Genesis, and she is four years old. ;) I also had a good time in the grandparents´ home, Casa Eva. I have found that the older people and the very young are most patient with my Spanish. Donna´s niece and I had dinner in the boys´ home, and I think I found the child I want to sponsor. His name is Axel, and he is so sweet and very good at explaining when I don´t understand. He´s just precious! We all crashed pretty early. I lucked out by rooming with Laura who works for Friends of the Orphans. We´re realizing how compatible we are as roommates, which is great. We also got the only room with consistently warm water for the shower!

Today, we started chores. I helped some of the other Americans on the trip to paint the walls of an excersize room for the older girls. It looked like a whole lot of Pepto Bismol by the time we were done. In the next few days, I get to work on the farm and in the kitchen. I´m not going to start working in the classroom until the rest of the group leaves on July 2nd. So, that´s about all I know so far. The food is doable...lots of rice and chicken (the ranch is quite self-sustaining). I miss you all and send lots of love!