(the pictures are of: the view out of my host family´s house, one of the amazing plants I´ve seen here, me next to a banana tree, Michael (another Salter) in a bird park with parrots, and a view from the living room in my host family´s house).

Hey beloved family and friends!!

How are you? I´ve just finished up two weeks in language school in Copan Ruinas. Copan Ruinas is a small touristy town on the west side of Honduras, only about 6 miles from Guatemala. I had a great time with Rachel and Michael taking classes and seeing the sights.
My host family has been great. I had a mother and father with three younger siblings. The youngest was Antony, who was one and half. He definitely ran the show at his home and was the center of attention all the time. They were a fun family and were always wanting to play cards or talk about their evangelical church services, which I attended twice for 2 and a half hours each. Often, we would eat dinner after church at 9:30 so I´ve been learning a lot about self-control! This family was quite well off and I was able to shower, have a fan, and eat pretty much any type of food. They also loved Coco Crispies and other name brand cereals. My sister goes to a bilingual school of which their school year is also just starting up. My host father was a money changer and my mother ran her own salon. They both seemed to be pretty hipe and into American fashion.
Michael, Rachel and I went to a place called Copan Ruinas, which had the ruines from the ancient Mayan civiliazations. The trees in this area were amazingly lush and huge. The ruins are incredible. We listened to some guides speaking in Spanish and English, but mostly we just walked around the area. There are many ritual grounds and recreational spots. The area is peaceful and filled with sunlight. We´ve been able to hike a lot around the area. The first day we were here we took a hike into the mountains on a pretty well-worn path. It was this way because many indigenous farmers were tending their cows in this area. The grass is so green and all the boys working in this area worked with amazing strength to get their cows and other animals up and down these mountains.
Another place we went to was called Aguas Calientes. This was a natural hot spring. It had a fountain flowing with both the cold and really hot streams of water that mixed to create a very relaxing pool. It was great after a long day of thinking and realizing that I no longer speak either Spanish or English but really my own language! This area was fun to be at but the road to get there was pretty insane. Most of it was washed out and it was quite a bumpy ride, of which I thoroughly enjoyed in the back seat!!! At one point on our way home we had to get out and rearrange some rocks in the middle of the road in order to cross it. The locals were there to help up and it ended up being a fun time. All of the Americans in the bus were singing hymns and even Christmas songs so we created a lot of solidarity out of this moment.
Food here has been good so far. They have such creamy beans that are really tasty. Also, we have a lot of lime spritzed on everything. The fresh juices and fruits are by far my favorite and there have even been some good veggies every once and a while. I miss a lot of veggies from home but I´m learning to adjust. My host family had a water filter and I was pretty spoiled being able to have water whenever I needed. However, they do love their pop, especially fruity flavored pop such as grape, strawberry, and maricuya. The coffee here is amazing and I´m really trying to cut back. I feel myself getting addicted because it all tastes so good!
From my Spanish tutor, I learned a ton about what is it like to be a Copaneca (person from Copan). She had a sincere desire for learning and constantly wanted to speak with me about politics, education, cultural influences from the US, and the Honduran government´s lack of action. It is surprising how much is imported from the US. My host family had so many name brands and similar products as we all would have. They also seem to be very into American culture and read the headlines of what is going on about the elections constantly. Most of the people I have talked to here want Obama for president because of his immigration stance and desires to help the Hondurans break free from the leftist ALBA agreement with Chavez. It has been interesting hearing my Spanish tutor talk about the depressing things that are going on yet still be able to end her conversations with a smile. She seems to respond to things with a hope that does not stake its claim in the Honduran government for action. Also, she seems committed to her faith and is sure that it will aid her and her family through the tough times they will encounter. It is amazing to hear her talk and live with a hope that is not always able to be seen.

Well, more on this all later. I´m getting ready to head to La Campa, where Michael will be for the rest of the year, for a staff meeting with all the Mennonite Central Committee Honduras Team. We´re gonna be there for one week and then I will head to Nueva Esperanza to start working with the youth. I don´t know my mailing address but I hope to know soon because I´d love to receive mail and know what´s going on in all your lives as well! With love!