Student Profile: Ben

Name: Ben
Grade: 5
Age: 10
Birthday: May 8
Soccer position: Defense
Favorite Music: Reggae
Favorite Movie: Cowboys & Aliens
Favorite Food: Spaghetti
Favorite Soccer Team: Liverpool
Favorite Player: Luis Suarez
Favorite Subject: Science
Wants to be: a pilot or a soccer player
Other info: His hair doesn't normally look like that but he wishes it did. He is learning to play the guitar. He has lots of energy, loves to laugh, and likes to sleep in.

Lemuel

Lemuel is Peter's 5 year old cousin. He has tons of energy and lately we have been playing with each other more and more because his school is done until February. He also helps me work on my Spanish and I quiz him on English words - we did colors this morning. He has a fantastic laugh and always seems to be smiling. Yesterday he came over and watched a movie in my apartment and fell asleep sitting up so I had to carry him back to Peter's house and put him in his bed. This is a picture of us this morning after he jumped on my back as I was getting ready for school. And yes that is a headband I'm wearing because my hair is getting a little long.

"The most interesting information comes from children, for they tell all they know and then stop." - Mark Twain

Giving Thanks

A week ago marked the three-month mark of my stay in Ahuas. It being Thanksgiving today, I felt that it would be a perfect time to mention those who have made my time here so great.

- Gerard and Norvelle: They hired me, feed me, and have made me feel welcome in a new place. They are also two amazing doctors who have helped countless of people at the clinic.
- Jarle, Yngvild and Camilla: Jarle is a great pilot and flies around Honduras on a daily basis. Yngvild is the main chef of the household and makes fantastic lunches and dinners. Camilla always keeps a smile on my face with her energy and joy.
- Peter, Tobi, and Ben: These three have worked so hard and have made my job much easier. They do their homework, study, and ask great questions. Class is a blast with them because they are always cracking jokes and having fun while they learn.
- Scott, Elga, and Nathan: Scott has walked with me down to Ribra many times and we have worked together making cement blocks. He also invites me over for a weekly game night and hosts a weekly movie night at his house. He and Elga, his wife, are two of the teachers at the Pre-K, Kindergarten and First grade school. They are excellent teachers and great parents to Nathan, who is a very funny almost-two year-old.
- Friends and Family back home: Everyone back home has been so supportive of my experience here in Ahuas. If it weren't for them, I don't think I would be here right now.

God Bless and Happy Thanksgiving!

"Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse." - Henry van Dyke

Sorry 4 The Wait

It's been awhile since my last entry but I promise it's not (completely) because of laziness. Our internet connection comes from someone in La Ceiba, who gets it from someone in Wisconsin. We pay La Ceiba, he pays Wisconsin. However, last week our internet shut off because the person in La Ceiba stopped paying the bill and the folks in Wisconsin consequently shut off the internet. Makes teaching a little difficult when you use an online curriculum. Luckily we have a backup of sorts, an internet connection that runs through the phone tower. But because of the daily usage, it tends to work only during the early early morning. But everything is back up and running.

As for new things that happened during that communications blackout, there are a couple. Two weeks ago a bunch of us went to Ribra again and this time Jarle came. When we were just about done with swimming, Jarle told us that he brought his pistol with. He let each of us shoot three rounds at a plastic bottle up against a sand pit. Another first for me.

The second update is that I am now the "coach" of Team Clinica, Peter's soccer team. I say "coach" because it's not like I'm running practices and drills or anything. These boys just want to play. All I do is tell them what position they're playing and make substitutions. But it's fun because I'm getting to know more of the kids and they're forcing me to use my Spanish. So far we are 2-0 in this new league. Wish us luck!

"Winning isn't everything, but the will to win is." - Vince Lombardi

Roomies!

This week I have some company up above the operating room. Four doctors from the States - Bud and Tina from Arizona, Julie from Idaho, and Bob from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota - have come to volunteer for a week. All them are very nice people and I’ve really enjoyed talking with them, even Bob, who is an avid Packers fan. It’s great to see successful professionals donate their time and efforts to give to those in need. All to often you see people move up in the world and forget what and who is behind them. If there are any doctors or nurses who are looking for an adventure and want to really challenge themselves, the clinic is always looking for volunteers. If you or anyone you know might be interested, send me an email at kbejarin@gmail.com and I can give you Dr. Rudy’s contact information.

“My idea of good company is the company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company.” - Jane Austen

Los Bandidos: Part II

There I was, lying on this beautiful beach, listening to the waves and seagulls, and soaking up the sun while sipping an ice cold Pina Colada served in a coconut, when all of a sudden -

BEEPBEEPBEEP! BEEPBEEPBEEP! BEEPBEEPBEEP!

"mfngmfnhello?

"Hey Kristian. It's Scott. Someone is trying to steal boards again. Grab Jarle and come down here."

"mgnfmgmmmkay."

So, at 11:30pm while still half asleep, I stumbled around my room grabbing whatever shirt, shorts, and shoes was closest to me (I went sans socks because I figured, in my half-sleepwalking state, it would have taken ten minutes to put them on). I woke up Jarle at his house and hopped on one of his bikes (an adult bike this time) and we headed down to the base. Luckily this time the moon was out so it was bright enough to see a ways ahead. Unfortunately, we missed the thieves again but we've started to brainstorm some other ways to find out who keeps trying to take the boards. I have a good feeling about next time, whenever that may be.

"The number one rule of thieves is that nothing is too small to steal." - Jimmy Breslin

Shoveling Ahuas Style

One of the first things I listed on the Pro-Ahuas chart when making my decision was that I wouldn’t have to go through a Minnesota winter of shoveling snow. Unfortunately, here in Ahuas, I have had to shovel endless piles of another four-letter word that starts with S but is brown:

Sand

The main ingredient, or solvent (Peter just finished a science unit on chemistry so I had to throw out some of the vocab), in the cement mix is sand - about eighty large shovel-fuls of sand per bag of cement. The sand is found in marshy areas that are about a half-mile from the base and has to be dug out from under a layer of dirt. Then, we have to load it onto a trailer, bring it back to the base, and unload it. Pretty tiring stuff.

And with sand, if you get thirsty you can’t eat a mouthful of it; you can’t make sweet forts out of the piles; it’s not as fun throwing it at unsuspecting friends; and I’ve never heard of someone successfully creating a “sandman”.

I never thought I’d say it, but I miss shoveling snow.

Mom & Steve - No, you cannot save that statement and bank it for a later date.

“Even castles made of sand, fall into the sea, eventually.” - Jimi Hendrix