Life Before Honduras

If you're reading this blog, you probably already know a little bit about me... so I'll get right to the good stuff :):)

On Valentine's Day, I will be heading to a city called Tela, located on the Northern Caribbean coast of Honduras.  I will be in Tela for 4 months volunteering with children through an organization named HondurasChildren.  The Honduras version of an orphanage is called a children’s home, but the kids are not up for adoption.  Instead, they are stuck in the children’s homes until they age out.  These kids often have fewer opportunities and rely on caregivers and volunteers to fulfill their basic needs.  Along with 3-4 other volunteers, I will be working in an SOS children's home planning activities for the kids while they are not it school, helping them with homework, and mentoring them.  To find out more about the incredible efforts of this organization, check out the website: www.honduraschildren.org.

Two of my roommates moved into our house in Tela about a week and a half ago and I can't wait to meet them.  I am beyond excited about the upcoming trip while also slightly overwhelmed with my seemingly growing "to do" list of important tasks that need to be completed before I leave.  Plane ticket: check, Typhoid shot: check, Anti-Malaria prescription: check, Packing: started at least--and the list goes on.

In order to go on this amazing adventure, I have had to make some changes to life as I knew it.  Two of the most difficult transitions have been moving out of Oxford and leaving my job with children services.  Yes, I'm the cool kid who stayed in a college town post-graduation.  Even though most of my friends had already left Oxford after graduating, it was still hard to move away from the place I called home for more than 5 years.

I'm learning more and more that I hate goodbyes and moving on from my job at children services was no exception.  Between a year of interning and nearly two years of working for children services, being in various units under a few different supervisors, and working out of both of the main offices, I had the chance to form some wonderful relationships with my coworkers.  I value my time there because of those relationships in addition to the experience and knowledge I gained.  I was truly sad to leave and hope to be able to keep in touch with many of my coworkers.  (Karla here is your shout out!)

Before leaving for Honduras, I planned a road trip to see my two nephews, sister, and brother-in-law who live in Michigan.  Somehow, it is already my last night here and they are all in bed.  It has been an awesome visit and it was the best way to spend my last week in the states, but I can't believe that I will have to say another goodbye in the morning.  My journey to Central America is starting to become a reality...

So I hope you like the blog--I'm not sure how often I will be able to update it, but I will try to keep you posted on my adventures and I will be sure to add plenty of pictures!

I've wanted to volunteer in a Spanish-speaking country for several years and I feel so lucky to finally have the opportunity to do so.  After one of my last court hearings for work, I was talking with the magistrate about my trip.  Along with wishing me luck, he said, "What are you, 40?  Is this a bucket list or something?"  Well I'm not 40, but this is on my bucket list... so why wait?