Las aventuras de Honduras: "Carly, there is a special bird in our house..."

Vacation Activities Program is off to a great start!! Here is one of the VAP groups in the PEP classroom doing a dance name game!

We try to have story time everyday for the kids because being read to is not generally a big part of their childhood.

The church group playing "Me gusta..."--I taught the volunteers this icebreaker during training and it was a hit with the kids during the first week of VAP.

Story time at the church!

The kids have been doing a lot of journaling--a great way to help them express some individual creativity and critical thinking. The small ones draw and the older kids write.

Robar el tocino on the field by the church.

The younger kids at PEP painting Honduran flags.

Create a Body -- younger group at PEP

Create a Body -- older group at PEP

A name quilt at PEP--they are crafty!

The flags are almost dry!!

Playing Soccer Circle on the field in the center of town. The objective is to keep the ball from going through your legs while trying to hit it in between other people's legs. You lose an arm if you fall over or after it goes through your legs once. When you have lost both arms, you are out and the circle gets smaller. These kids love to do anything that involves a soccer ball :)

People to people!!

¡La gente a la gente!

The older kids at PEP painted flags to represent a country that they created. Their journal topic at the end of the day was to write about their country: describing the people, the geography, the food, the politics, etc. It was really beautiful to hear some of their ideas--these kids are smart.

Excited for our first Friday activity! We bring all the groups together on Friday morning for a special activity and the volunteers walk the children from the various locations.

Jim getting the kids pumped up to start! The first Friday consisted of several large group games such as tag.

In VAP, we use circle formations with the kids--both in the classrooms and for various activities. In school, the kids are used to sitting in rows. We try to start each class with an opening question for all of the kids to answer while in a circle and we end each class with a closing circle and question.

For our Friday activities, circles mainly help to keep the kids organized so that we can explain instructions and break them into groups!

Part of a very large circle of kids and volunteers!

We played a game where one volunteer would yell for all of the kids to come into the middle if ______ (example if they were wearing a red shirt). Those kids would come to the middle, take 10 seconds to decide on a dance move, and do the move so that all of the circle could repeat them. Then, they would run to a new spot in the circle.

Somehow I don't think it was the kids' idea to pound on their chests like gorillas...

Sharks and Minnows--these sharks look pretty hungry!

A couple of weeks ago, I heard my roommate, Fabienne, saying "Carly, there is a special bird in our house..." I was in my room and thought that she was referring to herself because she had called my name a few times. When I came into the hall, I was surprised to see a small owl (she didn't know the name in English). It flew around our house for a bit and let us take some pictures before we got it out through our balcony doors.

This is another picture of the owl on one of our kitchen shelves. Earlier that week, we found a scorpion in the church where we hold VAP. It was hanging from one of the lights (I'm not sure if there is even electricity in the building), but it was already dead. I had heard of people finding scorpions, but I hope that is the only one I see up close!

The Kinder VAP groups did a cool activity where they gathered leaves and flowers to trace and paste onto their drawings.

More art :)

¡Buen trabajo!

They also made masks that day!

And of course, there is always time to play on the jungle jim outside of the Kinder.

I took this after asking him where his teeth were because he was smiling without them :D

Playing a game called 1 to 100 where you take turns rolling the dice and if it lands on a six, you take the pencil to start writing the numbers 1-100. When the next person rolls a six, you have to give up the pencil. The first person who writes 1-100 wins.

Thanksgiving in Honduras! Last year, I was on a mission trip in Mexico with my Aunt Katie through Back2Back Ministries. This year, we celebrated by having a pot luck at one of our friend's houses.

Earlier in the day, I got to skype with most of my family as they celebrated at our house. I miss them so much and am thankful to have the ability to talk to them through skype.

Sarah and I made green bean casserole!

I definitely missed my Grandma Dues' Homemade Noodles!! Luckily, she told me that she will make them when I come home <3

Anna made a carrot cake from scratch (except the icing). ¡Delicioso!

Fabienne made a meat dish :)

Chris made a chicken :)

Jennifer made some macaroni and cheese--one of my favorites!!

Adam made mashed potatoes--and he almost ate them all in one bite!

Check out that spread! Not bad for Honduras...

Kerryn made stuffing :)

Emma and Ivana made a pasta salad with chicken :)

And also a dessert with pineapple!

Lipika and Chris made brownies (whenever we have a potluck, we have to have brownies and ice cream for dessert).

Jim made a special gravy recipe :)

Family photo of the Beach House :):)

Before...

After! Clean plate club = no longer able to squeeze into my belt

The guys were growing out their facial hair for No-Shave November.

The whole crew after dinner and dessert :)

My wonderful parents sent me a care package and Sarah's parents were so sweet to bring it with them when they came to visit for Thanksgiving! I have much appreciated the warmer clothes (as it has been rainy and freezing on and off) and they even included a Christmas gift that I have to wait to open!

Our second Friday activity was Beach Day and we had a great turnout!

Water Balloon Toss (which became a water balloon fight!)

:):)

Limbo!

He's practically a professional...

Man down!

Getting the kids ready to split into smaller groups so that they could rotate around to different stations.

This picture explains itself :)

Building sandcastles!

a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e.

Swimming with the kids! We were sure to put our ex-lifeguards and swimmers with this group. In Honduras, it is weird to see people in swimsuits because everybody generally swims in their clothes!