More pictures

Top to bottom: 1. Little girls dancing at the World AIDS Day Event
2. The march at the beginning of World AIDS Day
3. Daughters of the motorcycle boys and myself at the Teleton (fundraiser for rehabilitation in Honduras)
4. The beginning of my new garden
5. Working in El Pate, reading nutrition info to campesina women
6. Bananas on MY plant in MY backyard!!!
7. My house!
8. My street
9. Thanksgiving at my Mommas house

World AIDS Day

December 5, 2008...one of the best days in Honduras...maybe in my life.

I had a trip to Tegus scheduled to take care of some medical stuff and to see Joel, which of course I was excited about. I was then informed that the HIV Committee had move the date of the celebration of World AIDS Day to December 5th, which was when I was due to be in Tegus. After some fake internal debate, I of course made the decision to postpone my trip and stay in town to assist with the event.

Something I have realized about this town and maybe this country is that nothing is really planned in advance. One of my goals has been to work the Committee to plan things a little more in advance and that way we won't be running around like crazy people on the day of the event. Well that clearly was not going to happen with this event. Naturally I found myself frustrated in the week leading up to Friday. However in the morning, I woke up and said to myself "You are -not- going to be stressed out today. Everything is going to be fine." And let me tell you...talk about working like a charm!! Despite the fact that it was raining on and off, the computer wouldn't print my questions, we didn't have any transportation and about a million other problems...the event went well. We had about 75 people show up for the march from the park to the event location. We had some words of welcome and some beautiful presentations from various youth groups...some had dances, others had poetry and others had dramas...all with the theme of VIH/AIDS. Then we hosted some games and sold baleadas to the sound of music provided by a local company.

I was walking around taking pictures when I paused to take in the view. The rain had stopped and the sun was peaking out from the clouds. I was surrounded by young people playing educational games, my group of peers from the Committee and the beautiful green lush mountains outside of El Negrito and the thick fog climbing off the top. I found myself with tears in my eyes...knowing that I was exactly where I was supposed to be and doing exactly what I was meant to do. So few do these moments pass in life...I felt overwhelmed with joy and happiness...attempting to soak in the moment and remember how amazing I felt in that moment.

As the afternoon was winding down and we were cleaning up the location, we began discussing having an end of the year holiday dinner the following week. The date is set for Wednesday...supposdly around 17 people will be feasting in my house. I am definitely looking forward to it.

That night I found myself at a fiesta in the Club with my good friend Leandro. A lot of my other friends were there and I got to spend the night dancing which of course was the perfect end to a practically perfect day.

To end this entry...I am actually going to refer to Britney Spears. I was watching her MTV interview (please, no jokes) and she was talking about being in the dance studio and that some people think that when you are going through something difficult that you need to go to therapy and talk through it. But she thinks that sometimes you need to just dance out the emotion and that is what helps you get through it best. That no amount of words or therapy could make one feel as good as dancing.

I never thought I would say this but I agree with Britney...110%

Gobble Gobble!

Well I am officially back from the States. I had a -wonderful- Thanksgiving that went by -way- too fast. I will post pics soon. It feels good to be back here...despite work being sloooooooooow right now. Boo on December!