Volunteering Ocotepeque, Honduras
October-December, 2011
After 3 months spent in Costa Rica, it was time to begin our new adventure teaching English in Honduras! We were a little nervous but excited about what awaited us in a new country and a new experience. With our backpacks full and very heavy and a two day bus ticket in hand, we left ready to embrace our next experience no matter what lay ahead! On the day we arrived in the small town of Ocotepeque, we were greeted with a very warm welcome from the volunteers already there. It was so nice to be greeted in such a friendly way. We knew instantly that our time here would be a wonderful experience and we were excited to get started!
Transit from Costa Rica to Honduras
On Our Way
Amazingly, we have since downsized to 33 litre backpacks from these 70 litre monstrosities we started out with. The bigger the bag, the more you bring. The smaller the bag, the easier the trek! Big lesson learned.
Two Days by Bus - The New Adventure Begins
From Costa Rica we bought our TICA Bus tickets which is a fairly upscale bus line with air conditioning and bathrooms. We had a two day journey ahead of us that took us straight through to our first overnight stop in the huge city of Managua, Nicaragua. The next morning, we continued onward to the border of Honduras and the mega city of San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Upon arriving in San Pedro Sula, our B&B had a driver pick us up at the bus station and took us for a bite to eat. The restaurant was very welcoming and our waitress was a really nice girl who knew a little English. We hit it off with her, and as a gift to welcome us, she gave us this hand painted plate! How wonderful!
10 Year Wedding Anniversary!
A memorable place to celebrate our milestone wedding anniversary. We went to a nice restaurant and enjoyed a few pina coladas, each other's loving company, and some good food.
Teaching English in Ocotepeque, Honduras
The Town of Ocotepeque
We really like this area of Honduras and especially the town of Ocotepeque. We think this was a great first experience for us being in a town that is relatively quiet, safe and friendly. The climate is also a bonus with nice sunny days and cooler evenings. Though we were here during the "rainy season" we didn't experience a lot of rain. The town has all the basic things you need plus a few good restaurants and a good outdoor market.
Our Accommodations - Family Home
The volunteer accommodations are simple but comfortable and our room and all meals are included in our efforts of volunteering which is extremely generous and we've been very grateful for all we've been given. We have purified drinking water available to us but must still be careful of using the local water as its extremely contaminated. A few drops of water on lettuce or a newly washed plate, caused both of us to get sick with a bacterial infection temporarily.
Our Host Family in Ocotepeque
Being here, is like being a part of the family and has become a little home for us. Our time has also been shared with two volunteers (Amanda and Siobhan - both in the picture). They have been so helpful with information about the school, the kids and explaining the daily routines of life here.
My Little Red House Bilingual School
The school was originally started about 12 years ago in the backyard of the family's home with only a few students. Over the years it has grown and developed and today, has its own location with approximately 60 students from kindergarten to grade 8. The family has given their time, resources and efforts to make this dream a reality in their community. English is not taught in the public school system and its not common for communities to have private bilingual schools. Therefore, its a huge privilege that the town of Ocotepeque has such a school for its children. The town of Ocotepeque has been a great place to volunteer. It's a safe town with very friendly people and is set among the mountains of the region making it a beautiful location (and relatively temperate). Our days teaching have been a mix of challenges, fun and craziness! Our days have been intense and sometimes draining. Other days have been fun and rewarding. In the end, the opportunity to be here has been without a doubt a wonderful experience. We've learned so much......Oh the memories!
Photo's of our Classes
We've added captions under each photo which explains more about it
Photo's of the School
Goodbye to Amanda
Pizza, cake and a night at the family's country home
Goodbye to Siobhan
Hotdogs and ice cream!
Our Goodbye
The day arrived to say goodbye to the family we had grown so close with during our time in Ocotepeque. As best we could, we wrote a goodbye note in Spanish that we read to the family and gave them a small gift of appreciation. There were tears from all, making it difficult to say goodbye.
Carol's son and daughter gave us a beautiful goodbye picture to remember them