everything happens for a reason

Months have passed since I've posted another blog entry. I've separated myself from typing my thoughts on a keyboard, but that has allowed my mind to mature and to settle in.

A long while ago I posted a blog entry regarding my hatred for Facebook. I revoke some of my hatred as of recent. Last night amongst friends I was able to reflect on my recent past, with the assistance of Facebook; scanning through my pictures, watching myself grow. In addition to the dose of melatonin I had taken, a dose of reality set in as well. I had a hard time believing I was here. Of all places, Honduras.

Some things didn't work out as planned. Relationships, friendships, and passions all have one thing in common: they come and go. I'm not upset though, as I'm a firm believer in fate. Everything happens for a reason, whether it's good or bad. That's fine though, as the book of life is being constantly written as each second passes. It's a beautiful book.

A few weeks ago I was having a conversation with a new friend about the ups and downs of Honduras. While it's not a paradise, the things I left behind in the United States were worth it. The new friends that I've made during my stay in Honduras triumphs over the trophs of this experience. We share laughs, stories, sorrow, and memories. I've never actually had a true roommate, as my only previous roommate up-and-left overnight and left me with a 2 bedroom apartment to myself, rent included. Now I'm living with five other roommates, and it's been a blast so far. Animosity is nowhere to be seen, and we seem to jive quite well.

About those trophs... I'm not going to lie. Honduras has its problems. The country is filthy, littered with trash everywhere you look. If a local doesn't know, they won't say "I don't know", rather, they'll lie. Living at a higher elevation near the Santa Barbara mountain, our days can change in an instant. At one moment, the weather will be hot and sunny. A few moments later, torrential rain and a chilly breeze. Healthy food is expensive, and can be hard to locate at times.

And the students.

They're a different generation. A different culture. As a grade school student in the United States, I sat in my seat, and outside of the occasional chat with a neighboring friend, would keep my mouth shut. The students here aren't the same. It's David versus Goliath when trying to keep the kids in their seats, let alone quiet. The respect the students have towards teachers is little, if at all. At the end of each day I feel defeated, wondering if I was able to make an impact on any of my students. Appreciation can be found in my 10th grade chemistry class, thankfully.

Last Friday, two of my chemistry students found me sitting next to the large tree in the commons area of the school, and sat next to me. One of them received a new MP3 player over the holidays, and was curious if I could share some of my music with her. I obliged, and transferred an arrangement of songs to it; some rock, some hip-hop, some instrumental, some jazz. While the music was transferring I was able to have a nice conversation about chemistry with them, apologizing how much of the content involves note-taking and studying. Our resources are extremely limited, so I'm not able to motivate them with interesting chemistry experiments. Anyways, I digress. She said there was no need to apologize as she was "learning a lot and is starting to find chemistry very interesting", in her words.

It's been three months, and I wouldn't trade anything in the world for it. Okay, maybe a trip to Norway or something, but the experience has been rewarding. Five more to go. Some would call this the home stretch, but it's a long one. There's still a few things to check off on my list, including more travel around the country (namely La Ceiba, Roatan, Copan, etc). Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula are alright, but they're not more than an average city, sans the crime. I've been finding incredible joy taking time to prepare meals and improve my cooking skill. Even cooking for others is joyful, as you get to see them react to the meal, good or bad.

Anyways, I should write more. Jot down my thoughts and experiences on a keyboard. It's relaxing, and I'm guessing it's also healthy for the mind.

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