rio, rio, rio

This past week was by far the most work I’ve ever had to do just for school in my life: grades, final exams, and science fair all in ONE week. So Friday instead of having our usual 1 pm staff meeting, we decided to take a staff trip to the rio. So we all piled into our trusty Viktor bus and headed to the rio.

Sylvia and Arlihnton bought drinks, churros (chips), refried beans, chismol (pico de gallo), tortillas, carne asada, chicken, and chorizo to grill out. It was so rico.

Grilling with Bessy and Karol

We started our afternoon off by swimming. Fanny, Rosa, Flor, Sor Maglys ( our nun), Peggy, Deirdre, Laura and I swam. It was so fun just hanging out and chatting and swimming around. The current was relatively strong so we swam downstream a bit and then against the current to this large branch in the water. We all proceeded to climb it and hang out a bit in the water. Then we all jumped off.

Deirdre, Laura, and I found a spot down river where some boys were cliff jumping so we headed down to try it out. As we approached we received numerous catcalls from a group of men. They kept telling us to come over by them and we weren’t sure if it was because they wanted to lure us closer or if it was legit. It was legit, we had to swim over and around them to catch the current right. As we were swimming they kept asking us if we speak Spanish. Silly me and our Spanglish, I busted out a “No entiendo” when talking to Laura, to which they replied oh yes you understand Spanish. Jaja. But anyways we made it.

Then we had to climb up the clay bank to the top of the “cliff.” At this point 2 men on horseback now coming riding up on top of the cliff. So Honduras. Nowhere to escape. Men on horses watching from behind, men in the rio watching from below. I was a little scared, but it wasn’t that high and they all said it was real deep. So, I took a deep breath, said a little prayer and ran for it. And it was so exhilarating. Of course right after I resurfaced, I was again terrified as a Honduran man flipped off the cliff right next to me. Ha. Ha. So fun.

The cliff

After cliff jumping, we rode the current back down the rio to where everybody else was. We played some volleyball, danced some bachata, had a few drinks, and just chatted it up with our coworkers. Then we ate. SO RICO. Ah nothing like grilled out carne asada and beans and chismol and the list goes on. What a perfect way to relax and wind down after an incredibly difficult week at school. Plus I just love Honduran life and my friends here.

Fantastic Four: First Grade Team

Birthday girls dancing

Honduran lip point