Places Represented in this blog

Copan & Tela

My traveling experiences

          Since I was a child I always dreamed to travel around the world. One of my greatest desires was to visit Australia because of the kangaroo movie. I can perfectly remember the moments when I told my mom about that desire. I remember myself saying “Mom, someday I will go to Australia and play with the kangaroo. He will be my friend and will jump along him!” As you can see, as I child my I had a well developed imagination.

      
Now that I have grown up, I have come to realize that, for instance, I have to stay " LOCO ". This is to say that, before I start visiting other countries, I should first visit the wonderful places around my country.  There are amazing places that are still unknown by many Hondurans. Hence, I decided to make a difference by visiting the places that belong to my country, my identity.

           
 My adventure began in Copan, such a wonderful place. There I came to learn about the Mayan civilization and my ancestors. I was so surprise about the way Mayan stelaes were designed, they were amazingly perfect. Another aspect I really enjoyed was the zoo, especially when looking at the " GUARAS " Red Macao. Their vivid and bright colors really amazed me. One thing I will never forget is that moment when I was playing with them and suddenly the beak of one them came out of the cage and almost bit my finger. I can still remember my friend’s faces, laughing at me because of the frightened face I made when it happened. 

        
 Days later, I decided to visit Tela. It was my very first time at the beach. I was so amazed of the beauty of the see that I soon as I saw it, I decided to go in. So, immediately I took out my clothes and put on my swim wear. I was really excited, that I did not take into account if I could swim or not; I just threw myself into the water and guess what? I started to drown. Two friends which were with me, started to run and rescued me. Thank God they saw me, and took me out of the water.  Later, they started to give me swimming lessons, and by the end of the weekend I learned how to swim.

            
It is evident that, I had an amazing adventure even if I had struggle to be able to survive.  The Guaras bit me and the sea almost swallowed me. These experiences were just the opening for my following adventures in my wonderful country Honduras. 



By: Raul Nolasco Hernandez

Seattle

My experience Abroad

Traveling to another country is an amazing experience that a lot people would like to have, however, not all the people have this amazing opportunity. Especially when we think about this hard process of living away from our country, because we normally feel scared about new things. I would like to tell my experience in Seattle in four different parts. Starting with my flight from Tegucigalpa to Miami which was both, exciting and tiring, when I took my fly from Tegucigalpa I really felt comfortable but at the same time insecure with myself, because I did not know what things would be like once I get there even if I got a few advices from North American citizens. 

                Firstly, when I arrived at the SEA- TAC (Seattle, Tacoma) airport, I met many people, including students from other NPH homes (It is an organization which helps children who are in social risk) people call it ORPHANAGE, however we are not, we really are a FAMILY. Once I got there I started taking many pictures at the airport, and I start looking at the big buildings as a Central American does. I was so happy but very tired. Before going to the house, I met my host family Judy and Roger Paulsen with whom I learned a lot of English. When I arrived at my house, my host family had already prepared my beautiful room.

Second stage, I found many surprising things in Seattle. The next day my host family showed me how to take the bus to school just like a kid, and it was a hard time because in Seattle the bus system is completely different than in Honduras. It was funny because when I took the first bus I hoped to find things like music, people talking to each other, or the person who takes the money from each passenger. I was surprised by many things because here in Honduras we have a very different bus system. Drivers in Seattle respect the rules of the road, and people here are not considerate to each other.

Third stage, my next week I was very busy learning about the University, and the NPH leadership program. I had fun activities, and worship experiences. I met some ex-volunteers that had already worked here in Honduras many years ago when I was 17 years old.

Fourth stage, I attended my first week of school. When I started classes I was thinking about many things, and I was nervous. I met my English teacher Emily, whom I still remember and my classmates from many countries such as, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Vietnam. It was so funny because when I talked to them, they all the time asked me to teach them the common words in Spanish, for example TE AMO, ERES LINDA, ME LLAMO……, Eres mi amigo, or another words that I cannot mention here, I also learned words in their languages for instance, “Habibi” WHICH MEANS MI AMOR in Spanish, ‘’shukran’’, or ‘’Marhaba’’ Similarly, while I was taking my English classes, I sometimes told them words in Spanish like ‘’No, no es asi ’’ they looked me a little funny because in others words I was the only Spanish speaker in my English class. On the other hand, when they talked to each other in Arabic, Chinese, or Vietnamese, I felt confused and I told them sorry but I don't understand you. Now I realized that this time that I had in Seattle has been helpful, because it helped me to learn a lot of about other cultures that I had never thought before. Also, I enjoyed school there and my studies a lot because mclassmates were very friendly even though they were different than me, even now I remember my friends Tareg, Mohammed, Aziz, Abod, Ibrahim, Eman and, also the Spanish girl Alicia with whom I shared many ideas.

In summary, my experience in Seattle was very tiring, but exciting. I felt like I was well prepared for my studies at Seattle Central College (SCC), and if I had this opportunity, I would like to go again.

By: Nelson Alvarez

El Salvador and Honduras

Motocross Competition

Since I was a child, I have always liked to leave home to get to know other places. My last trip was in El Salvador and this was thanks to a cordial invitation of Motocross that came to our village in Intibucá. We were all excited because it was the first time something like that happened.

Finally I came the day of travel; we were eighteen participants in total we decided to attend the event, traveling 

from Intibucá to El Salvador on our motorcycles. We were going to a place called Ciudad Barrios, it is a small town located two hours after crossing the dividing line between Honduras and El Salvador. Everything was absolutely perfect, the way in which they receiver us, the organization of the people, hospitality and kindness.

After a short rest and a good snack, the time finally came. Our Salvadoran friends guided us to the place of competition which was built by them, that was something impressive because the competition was nationwide with participants from around the country and I did not know if they were better than me. Then, we decided to visit the place because we did not know the field or the route. 

Finally when the competition was coming and I had to enroll as my friends did to participate in the competition. Shortly thereafter, the organizers called us one by one to start, I was very nervous because I had never seen so many competitors together and I was among them. At the end the competition began and after seven long laps and with all my effort could win the second position that was an unforgettable experience in my life, because it was the first time I was among the best out of my country. When we got home no one could believe what I had achieved, the things that happened that day were simply amazing.

Santa Lucia

                                                        

                                                             My Fantastic Experience 

 Traveling is one at the most exciting activity that many people enjoy doing.Unfortunatelly,you cant do that for some reasons such as: time,money. Last september my family and I went to Santa Lucia with my grandpa my special guest.

Santa Lucia is not a dangerous place is an harmony and peaceful place and nowadays is difficult to find a place like this.If you want to travel to Santa Lucia you would go by your own car or you can go by bus,the "Rapidito Bus"is not expensive ,it costs almost one dollar.

If you want to taste a delicious food, you should go to the "Restaurant Millusca" the food is a little expensive but you will not regret.

 Santa Lucia is located a few distance from Tegucigalpa,exactly to 13.5km and to a height of 1,500m on the level of the sea.Population realies on a territorial extention of 63.5km2 one of the more than 8,000 inhabitants and a population density of 126 inhabitants for km2.

Surrounded with pines and founded on the hillsides of the mountains, it possesses paved and narrow streets that wind for the hillsides of the mountains which is steep anough.

 Shaped nowadays by 7 villages: Montañita of the Eden, Big Mountain, The Calm one, Hill Alta Sur, Urban area, Saraband and I Ford. In addition it consists with 37 hamlets distributed in the different villages.

It borders in the northern part, South and East with the Municipality of the Central District and in the western part with the Municipality of Valley of Angels.



 We enjoyed this amagazing place from our country, I really feel very proud of my beautiful conutry because it has many wonderlful places like the last mentioned.

Once we got there we visited some many places such as: El cafe del pueblo ,the greatest lake, The church,The park and the Cavildo. At the park my kids were so excited,and my grandpa was so happy too. You know grandpas are like kids.


For me the best place was The church, for my mother,my daughter and my grandpa was "El cafe del pueblo" and for my kids of course was "The park".

In conclution, I hope someday you can be able to visit Santa Lucia and enjoy it as I did.

Tela

Crazy Summer In Tela

                                                                             


Tela is a beautiful place for spend time with the family in special with my cousins so, we decided to go  there and visit Tornabe an amazing Garifuna Village, with friendly and funny people.

The trip was enjoyable,We slept throughout the journey ha,ha,ha... when we arrived we decided to rent a beautiful cabins. Everything was going well,  suddenly we heard that the boys were going to a party and we asked them if we could go with them and they said no because you walk like turtles, bad luck; but we returned to the room to listen  the crickets sing, that was fun.

The next day we prepared all for go to the beach when we arrived my cousins decided to eat baleadas instead to eat a delicious fish ha,ha,ha they was crazy, we walked for 40 minutes and we couldn't find baleadas so, we ate tacos that was more strange :D and we took a picture. After, my cousins and I were walking along the beach and remembered our stories together like the time I got on the mechanical games and I was screaming like crazy while they laughed, that kind of fun memories lol ...

We had been taken some pictures when suddenly appeared a sexy boy and when I saw him I felt butterflies on my stomach and I decided to talk with him but when I walked to him "SURPRISE" he was with his boyfriend :( and I came back with my cousins and we continued with the pictures ;)

It was an amazing experience in a beautiful place.