Beginnings

I am going to try and cram a lot into this blog without making it too long :)

I arrived safely in Tegucigalpa yesterday (it feels like I have been here a week) and have been kept busy ever since.  All my flights went well and all my luggage got here safely...well, almost.  I was planning on checking a third bag and had even called the airline to make sure this was allowed but was told at the Indianapolis airport that this was not possible because of a baggage embargo.  When I was told this news, I immediately heard God ask me, "Do you really trust me?  I want you to leave the bag with all your teaching clothes behind."  Reluctantly, I left my third bag behind with my parents trusting that somehow, God was going to take care of this.  More on how this turns out later.....

In Atlanta, I was able to meet up with the other 5th grade teacher here and some other staff members which was fantastic.  Up until this point, I had been stressing out over the luggage and they really helped me overcome this anxiety.  Just through the conversations about what life is like here at Pinares, I felt the stress melt away and for the first time, I became truly excited about this adventure.  After landing in Tegucigalpa (which is quite an experience because the airplane curves into the landing and it has a short runway...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_z5HtME9n8) I found the group we were supposed to meet up with and we were on our way.  We stopped at a mall for lunch and I played it safe by ordering a salad from Wendy's.  We then made it to the school which is on top of a mountain.  It is so beautiful here...I am so excited to live here for the next year.

The new teachers have been kept busy with different information sessions about cleaning our produce, cultural differences, logistics, and meetings with our principals.  My housemate and I have been working on our apartment every chance we have gotten.  We still have a lot to do, but for the time being, our stuff is unpacked and our bedrooms put together.  I didn't take any before pictures, but I do have after.  I plan on doing a lot more decorating as we get to the different stores.  I was going to upload pictures, but the internet is fast enough at the moment.

I knew this school had an excellent reputation when I came down here, but I never realized how fantastic of a community there is here.  The staff will literally bend over backwards to help each other out.  This brings me back to my luggage.  Through communication with several different individuals, I found somebody who lives in Indiana and is willing to bring down the extra suitcase for me.  Getting to this point was not easy, but because of the people here, it was possible.  Whether is was somebody literally handing me their phone and telling me to keep it until I had things figured out, to people in the states who were call other teachers trying to find somebody who could help.  I know I have found an incredible place here.

Blessings:
11. The community.
12.  My parents.  They took my extra luggage and are handling everything.
13. My housemate.  We get along really well and I think we will have a good year together.
14. My apartment.  While it may not be the most glamorous, it is a roof over my head and safe place to stay.
15. My classroom.  I haven't had a lot of time to look at it yet, but it has a lot more than I anticipated.

Prayer Requests
11. Health.  I REALLY don't want to get sick during these first couple weeks.  I have enough to take in and I don't want to do that while sick.
12. Adjusting.  There is a lot to learn about living in a new country and I don't want to forget anything.
13.  Travel Safety.  The remainder of the teachers will be arriving soon and I pray they don't have any issues.