Amy vs Wild: Hace Un Mes

It has been exactly one month since I arrived in Honduras. It's time for a status check:

2 arms, 2 legs, no extra appendages

Bug bites disappearing... slowly...

Spanish at 60%

Having fun? Yes!

Cockroaches killed = 7

Tan is present, but could be better.

Pet Geikos = 3

New hobbies: hiking, yoga, swimming, photography

No stomach issues (thank god!)

I had just the weekend I'd hoped for. I hiked both Saturday and Sunday starting at sunrise and got a killer tan, but not the BTE aka Best Tan Ever. No pics of me standing on top of a mountain (yet!) but they will come one of these days (once I learn my best angles):

The mountain air is fresh and revitalizing. I was sure that it had to be beneficial to my health, so I did some online research at about a Google search an hour. (Read: slow like a dial-up connection). I discovered, in sum, that interaction with nature reduces depression, promotes healing, sparks creativity, and even increases life expectancy--upping survival odds by about 15% over 5 years. Now who wants to visit me? Amy 1, Honduras 1.

It was a great Monday with the exception of my second class. I got so frustrated with them! I had to remind myself that they are kids and there is a communication barrier - a lot going against us. Two students showed up, one who had not come to class in 3 months and was so far behind, and the other who was having a bad day and refused to participate. I breathed and pushed forward. On a brighter note, the other classes had a great time today playing Twister using their new vocabulary (right, left, hand, foot, and colors). They made me play and I lost to a 60lb 12 year old named Danny... totally on purpose... Amy 1, Honduras 1, Danny 1.

I ran up the mountain (without stopping! +1 Amy) in partial sun and strolled back to Las Mangas in a beautiful, sunny rain, enjoying my environment and pausing to take these photos: