http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/honduras_spanish en digitalstudio@calvin.edu 2007-12-14T19:45:00-05:00 http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/honduras_spanish/home_again/ After our trip to Nicaragua we had a weekend to spend with our families. Some people also visited Nueva Suyapa or Valle de Angeles as we knew it was our last chance to do so. Monday night we had our goodbye party with the professors- the students gave a gift to every professor and we all had a goodtime laughing and hanging out together. Then Tuesday night we had our final party with the families. We had had a few practice before then and ended up pulling of a prettty good perfomance. We played gringo loco- were we asked what students did what stupid things- and threw in a few skits as well as a of couple dances- “We’re all in this together” from High School Musical was a big hit! Wednesday morning our families saw us off at the airport and after tearful goodbyes, we were on our way home. We didn’t have any major problems in the airports and arrived home in Grand Rapids at 11:40 p.m.  to a huge crowd of our friends and families! Thanks to everyone for a wonderful semester! What a fun time we’ve had learning and traveling together! Calvin Student in Honduras 2007-12-14T19:45:00-05:00 http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/honduras_spanish/nicaragua/ The last few weeks have been a mix of emotions. Although we’ve been busy, we’ve had time to note our feelings of excitement to go back home but also surprise and sadness to know our time here is almost over. After our relaxing vacation in Roatan (most of us hung out at the beaches when it wasn’t raining and just enjoyed time together without schoolwork, some of us spent time with family) we had a busy last two weeks of classes. Lots of presentations, exams, and papers! But we fit a Thanksgiving dinner in there- we went to a really nice restaurant and actually had turkey and pumpkin pie. Then we had a weekend of exams; most of us only had two. And then Monday morning we left at 6:00 for our trip to Nicaragua. We were in the bus until about 1:00- we even ate lunch on the bus. In the afternoon we went and saw the ruins of old León and in the evening we had supper at our hotel. Tuesday we had breakfast at the hotel and then left with our guide, Gorge, to tour León. The highlight of the tour was a beautiful church. Calvin Student in Honduras 2007-12-08T22:40:00-05:00 http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/honduras_spanish/10_31_07_update/ Classes, usual schedule, then a weekend trip for our development class. We first visited an organization called Pancam and learned a little general information about how they are working to develop Honduras and then, throughout Friday and Saturday, we visited several different households and small businesses or organizations that they helped start . We saw how creativity can be used to do development work: this organization helped people by loaning them money to buy pigs, helping them get a fish farm started, supporting a women’s group for women who have been abused, brought medicine to rural communities and helped teach people how to administer it, and are currently starting a butterfly farm to attract tourists and help the economy of another rural community. Besides these interesting interviews and visits, we had a good time being all together as a group, hiking our around the conference center where we stayed Friday night (beautiful waterfalls and viewing points and many people enjoyed just hiking the trails as they went for night hikes), eating cookies, and talking with Jo Ann. We got back Saturday night and therefore had a little time to scramble up all our assignments and make more preparations for vacation. After a short week of classes, we are all getting ready for our first day of vacation tomorrow. All of us are going to Roatan at some point, with the exception of Professor Miller, but some are meeting up with their families first or spending a few days in the Ceiba. All of us are ready for a time to relax and enjoy the beauty of Honduras! Calvin Student in Honduras 2007-11-01T08:28:00-05:00 http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/honduras_spanish/10_21_07_update/ After our exciting time in Guatemala, this week seemed pretty ordinary. Classes, essays, and the rest of our usual routines. Some of us having been enjoying aerobic dance classes and others are working at clinics and doing other things with in the community such as Bible studies. Many people have had health problems (see prayer request) and there is some “how am I suppose to find time to do all of this homework” stress but other than that I think we are all feeling pretty comfortable here (we are beginning to think how weird it will be to go back to the states). This weekend many stayed home but 7 of us went to Lago Yajoa. Others had taken this same trip in the first few weeks, so many of us have experienced the cute hotel there, the blueberry pancakes, beautiful scenery, and row boats but what makes this a unforgettable weekend trip is the waterfall. It would be worth the trip to simply see this roughly 4-story building high waterfall but we didn’t just see it- we experienced it. After finding a guide, we climbed/ swam underneath the waterfall. Although we were constantly being sprayed with water and sometimes found it difficult to breath because there was so much water rushing down on us, it was amazing to see the waterfall up close as well as the caves and smaller waterfalls behind the big waterfall. What adventures we are having here! Calvin Student in Honduras 2007-10-22T02:43:00-05:00 http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/honduras_spanish/10_17_07_update/ Wow, so much has happened since I last wrote! A quick week of classes- lots of exams and then we left at around 5:20 Friday morning, Oct. 5, for our weeklong trip/vacation to Guatemala. Although we spend many hours in the bus, thankfully we had a good driver and quite a bit of luxury (we were able to watch some movies, and it was so nice to not have to use the crowed, hot, stop and go public transportation). Our first stop was the Chiquita farm where we saw bananas coming in from the fields, washed, and boxed. (banannas being washed before packed into boxes) Next we had lunch and piled back in the bus for the trip to Copan. Once we got there we did a little shopping and ate dinner. (Ben and Aaron sharing a licuado) The next morning after another meal out to eat, (we ate really good during this trip) we made our way across the border and arrived in Chichicastenango around 5. Again we shopped and ate diner. –This sounds kind of boring so far but really we were having a good time getting to know each other, eating a really nice restaurants every meal, and walking around the cities each night.  Sunday the real cultural experience began as we went to church in Chichicastenango, a city with a large Mayan influence. The clothing in Guatemala was much more traditional and many of the people look much more native than the people in Honduras (shorter and darker skinned). Even if we hadn’t arrived late, we stood out, but in some respects this Catholic church was a place that we fit right in; when we read the Apostle’s Creed together I was clearly reminded of the fact that churches around the world together make up the body of Christ. After this beautiful picture of the Church, we felt the emotions of the “already but not yet” theology as we then saw first hand syncretism in the church. We went to Pascual Abaj (a Mayan ceremonial cite on the top of a small mountain) and learned about the Mayan religion and how many people in Chichicastenango practice both Catholicism and Mayan rituals. We then had some free time for shopping- the whole town was basically one big market- and lunch. That afternoon, after a short bus ride, we arrived in Panajachel. Again we shopped and had dinner (this time on our own). Many of us had a good time dinning in small groups and there were many fun restaurants. The next morning took a boat over to Manuel where we watched how material is made Calvin Student in Honduras 2007-10-18T05:14:00-05:00 http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/honduras_spanish/10_1_07_update/ Although we have many exams this coming week we got to relax a little bit as we traveled to Nueva Suyapa, a poorer area near Tegus where Kurt and Jo Ann live, and stayed with families there. We where overwhelmed with the generosity of our host families and although we were not in the same comfort as our houses in Tegus (no showers, outhouses) we enjoyed good food and conversation. Saturday morning most of us hiked up a mountain and enjoyed a beautiful view as well as a soccer game at the top. In the evening we participated in a “talents for Jesus” program; a few of us performed a sacred dance and all of us sang a song accompanied by Aaron on the guitar. We stayed the night again Saturday and left after breakfast Sunday morning. Kelly, Emily N, Joanna, and Kristi dancing at the CRC in Nueva Suyapa Calvin Student in Honduras 2007-10-01T21:15:00-05:00 http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/honduras_spanish/prayer_request/ 10/23/07 Prayer Request for our Group: -Although Shelly had to miss on trip to Guatemala because whe was in the hospital with Denge, she is doing fine now. Praise God that she has such a good attitude and that she is feeling well! -Denise missed all of last week and will miss all of this weeks classes as she has a skin infection. She also spent time in the hospital as she had to have surgery to remove the infection but is back at home now. She is still taking a lot of antibiotics that are affecting her stomach but is feeling much better. Praise God for her strength and optimism: the surgery was terribly painful and all of this is pretty awful but she still just keep saying how thankful she is that it is nothing worst. -Kelly’s mom started Chemo- so prayers for her health- but also it is hard for Kelly to be away when she knows that her mom has been in the hospital, so prayers for Kelly as well. -Jessie’s sister in law and new baby are doing well! Please pray for the mother and baby as well as for Jessie to be content here when she knows she is missing excitement at home. - Melissa’s “mom” here in Honduras fell a few weeks ago; pray for a rapid recovery. - JoAnna’s Honduran family is having lots of health problems: her “grandmother” fell and is on bed rest for a long period of time, her brother is having a hard time breathing and the doctors appointments and medicine are expensive, and her “mom” is sick -Carissa’s dad is having trouble with his knees, also prayes for the rest of Carissa’s family to have safety in traveling as the come to visit this week - Julie VS’s Honduran “brother” might have juvenile arthritis Also there are always some general pray request for the group: -Health:  many of us have experienced a day or two of stomach trouble and some colds and flus are being passed around - That we would be a blessing to our families -That we would continue to build a community amongst ourselves and with other students at the University (we now have Honduran conversation partners that we will meet with each week) -That God would continue to teach us more about him, his world, our role in it: especially with respect to what we are learning in our development class - Safety in our plannning and traveling during our upcoming vacation: many of us our going to Roatan -Safety for our families and friends as the travel to Honduras to visit us -Homework, too much to do, papers,and exam stress: that we would get our work done and do it well Calvin Student in Honduras 2007-09-15T23:18:00-05:00 http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/honduras_spanish/week_3/ Our first week of actual classes was marked with a busy an overwhelming first day but very relaxing weekend. Many of us have very long days Monday and Wednesday (we don’t finish until 4:30 and some of us start at 8:00) and I think that many of us were overwhelmed especially the first day. Although we are getting to be very comfortable with hearing Spanish all the time, there is quite a difference between just a casual conversation or class with professors whose first language was English, and learning history and reading literature with many native speakers as professors. However, every day of class was a little easier and though we are swamped with homework, we are learning a lot. Also we made up for busy Monday and Wednesday’s with very relaxing, long weekends. Almost all of us traveled to vacation spots in Honduras and did little but relax, eat good food, and build relationships. Some went to the Island La Tigra and hung out at the beach, took small boats around the Island or hiked. Another group went to the largest lake in Honduras. It is fun to see the beauty of Honduras and spend time outside of the classroom with each other. Another exciting development of the week was that we now officially have a “Barnabas” leader for a group. Denise Britton, who had a tough decision deciding between doing Barnabas and coming to Honduras was nominated to be a spiritual leader for our group. We have organized a sort of chapel during our 9:30-10:00 break Monday’s and Wednesdays and Denise has been organizing people to give testimonies or devotionals as well as putting together some Spanish songs to sing and a pray list that she sends out to the group every week. I will also be posting our prayer request under the “Prayer Request” heading.  We have already accomplished our goal of encouraging one another to grow in our faith and it will be exciting to see what all God does with this little chapel time. Some of us relaxing at La Tigra. A beautiful sunrise! Calvin Student in Honduras 2007-09-12T21:03:00-05:00 http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/honduras_spanish/week_2/ This week wasn’t quite as exciting as last but we still learned a lot and had a lot of fun. We had class everyday- grammar, an introduction to poverty, and interviews with student and professors of the university. On Wednesday we had a field trip to the National Congress building. It was interesting that we didn’t have to go through any security to get in and wonderful Honduran hospitality was showed to us even in the Congress building; we were brought drinks and sat in the chairs of the representatives. Friday we finished our summer course with an exam. Besides class, we spent time planning trips during the week; many of us have just about every weekend for the rest of the semester booked with either a class trip or a small group excursion. At the National Congress Building. The whole group with one of the representatives who talked to us. Calvin Student in Honduras 2007-09-03T20:26:00-05:00 http://www.calvin.edu/weblogs/honduras_spanish/a_wonderful_first_week/ What a wonderful week we just had in Honduras! Everyday was interesting and fun; we are learning a lot and feeling more at home even in the crowded buses and noisy streets (with wolf whistles, horns that sound like wolf whistles, and lots of kissing sounds)! Our schedule has some variety as we alternate between the culture and language parts of our summer course every day. Monday professor Kurt Ver Beek taught some of the history of Honduras. Tuesday we learned about the “vos” pronoun that Hondurans use in place of “tu” and also enjoyed talking to other university students as we asked them which of three or four terms was most commonly used in Honduras. Wednesday we visited Nueva Suyapa – the poorest section of Tegus. We learned some recent history from Professor Jo Ann Van Engen (married to Kurt Ver Beek), talked with Carlos – a Honduran gentleman who is fervently working to bring more justice to Honduras- about the Genesis organization that has allowed many children to receive and excellent education, and also met with some women who were able to start small business while participating in community, through another program that Carlos helps run. Thursday we heard from three moms who had all hosted more than 8 Calvin students through the years; they gave us good advice and talked about some of their experiences. Friday we visited an organic farm and although it took a long, bumpy ride to get there (besides an hour long wait in the bus before leaving the university) we had a great time seeing the broccoli, green onion, and carrot fields. Early Saturday morning we left for La Tigra – a national park that is not far from Tegus. We had a long hike to our hotel (we’ve had quite a few steep climbs that last few days but this was not only steep but long!) but enjoyed beautifully scenery as we climbed. We had lunch at the hotel and some time to rest or explore the area and then went on a guided hike to a large waterfall in the afternoon.  After supper we had a time of sharing; we actually were allowed to speak in English as each person gave a 15 minute (more or less) history of their life.  At night, we enjoyed Honduras style s’mores- snickers for chocolate, regular crackers instead of graham, and some strawberry flavored marshmallows as well as regular.  In the morning we had some more sharing time after breakfast and then went on a short walk to the house of a women who sells homemade jelly. After lunch we walked back down the mountain and then took the bus to Valle de Angeles- a touristy town on our way back with lots of souvenirs for us to buy. We arrived back to Tegus around 5:00 perhaps a little tired but with a much stronger community than before our retreat. Students dancing for us in Nueva Suyapa Waiting for the bus to come. At the farm- we all got brocolli to take home with us Julie H. We have been getting our exercise! At the waterfall in La Tigra A cool tree we saw while hiking. A nice view during our hike. Calvin Student in Honduras 2007-08-27T18:34:01-05:00