the decision

So despite the fact that I already posted a "to answer all the questions" post, which happend to be a quite lengthly post at, I realized that in all that writing/copying/pasting I never answered THE question: Why? Why Honduras? Why are you doing this? How did you make this decision? Because as you probably know if you're reading this blog, unless you're my mom who thinks I'm a decisive person, I don't always make decisions quickly or easily. So how did I decide upon Honduras?

Well, there's a story behind it. Several stories in fact. Stories that I love to share and tell, but more preferably over a cup of tea/coffee or a drink. So in the interest of saving your eyes from another lengthy explanation post, here's the cliff notes version of my decision with an offer to sit down and hear the full-version story, if you're interested :-).

My choice to go to Honduras began in fourth grade when I made a dream box and one of my dreams was to join the Peace Corps. I thought I was fulfilling that dream by going to Boston, but as I began to discern my post-Boston life, I quickly realized that I wasn't done serving and that maybe my time for some international service was now. I thought about staying in Boston, I mean I have amazing friends there, job opportunities, and a city to explore, but something in my heart kept calling me back to that fourth grade dream. And now looking back on Boston and reflecting on my time there, more and more I see those 2 years and what I've learned there as preparations and lessons learned to help me get to Honduras.

I knew I wasn't done serving. Something inside me was calling me to keep volunteering and doing service. I knew I wasn't done living simply. In fact I felt called and ready to challenge myself into a deeper sense of simple living. Hence, the attraction to living in a 3rd world country where I can hopefully live in a closer sense of solidarity to the students I'm serving, focus on life and not on material goods as much, and realize how lucky I've been in life. I also wanted to challenge myself as a leader more. I've grown so much spiritually these past 2 years, that I want to keep growing and deepening my faith through a program with a spirituality component. I want to teach and work at a school where I can use my 2 years at PJP to help other new teachers and help model and learn effective practices, especially in regards to ELLs. I want to speak Spanish. I've missed speaking Spanish so much! I feel like i've worked so hard to develop my language skills, I enjoy using them, and that they have become one of my gifts. So, then I thought, well I should probably be using my gifts. So, hopefully this program will help me learn Spanish better and enable me to use my gift as well.

So why Honduras? Why this program? Well, it's a great opportunity. Live in community, live simply, grow/challenge my spirituality, teach in a bilingual Catholic school, and live in a country where I can speak Spanish. Absolutely. I feel like this is a place where my gifts, talents, and interests will be put to use in an effective and life-changing way. I feel like the kids and community at Santa Clara need me and I them. I want to live out a new culture and explore new places! And if you've ever read the book ˆThree Questionsˆ When is the best time? It's always now. So, while this is definitely a shortened version of my story, after many feelings and prayers, I feel like I'm supposed to challenge myself in Honduras next where I can really focus on being a leader, using my gifts, learning, and growing in new ways.

"Remember that there is only one important time and is Now. The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion. The most important person is always the person with whom you are, who is right before you, for who knows if you will have dealings with any other person in the future. The most important pursuit is making that person, the one standing at you side, happy, for that alone is the pursuit of life."

Leo Tolstoy "Three Questions"