How many shoes do YOU have?

A few months ago, I was walking home from a local restaurant and pool up behind my house, after a lovely Sunday Funday/Day Off.  There were tons of locals gathered at the small soccer field back behind the property where I live.

I had seen the team once before, a couple of months prior, playing at a different field.  I remember them distinctly, as the team was all girls between the ages of 13-18 I would have to guess, all wearing nothing close to 'soccer attire'.  Most were wearing 'Keds' style shoes, some wore 'Croc' style shoes while others wore just socks and at least one of them wore only her bare feet.  Obviously they weren't wearing jerseys, pennys or shin guards either.

So when the guys around the netted dirt spot recruited me to play, pleading that one team was short a player, I looked down at my feet, which were sporting a cushy new pair of flip flops I'd ordered online and had someone bring to me in their luggage, looked back up at Cesar, the only one of the bunch I knew, and hesitated because I knew I could NOT say no!!!  If these girls can play in socks and bare feet, I'll manage in flip flops and soaking wet pool hair/clothes!

It was a blast, I immediately had a cheering section amongst the rest of the ladies playing the pickup game.  There didn't seem to be a lot of logic or strategy, which brought back memories of my Freshman Year of high school, where our team sucked so bad we took rocked the rep like we owned it.  Party girls with attitudes, smoking before practice, getting rides home from our graduated boyfriends,  and skipping school despite the fact our coach threatened to bench us every week.

The important part, for any of us, high school or Honduran, is that we had fun and it felt good.  The lessons that high school sports and team sports instilled in me is priceless.  It taught me how to work together, how to work hard and how to stick with it and not give up.

I didn't realize that it would affect me many years later, but in such a different way.  Hearing of kids and adults playing on uneven fields in the slums is something most of us only hear about, or see in the movies.  Though when you are faced with the conditions in real life, everything changes.  At that moment, I decided to change too.  I live in a country where many, many people face challenges each and every day that we (First World Citizens) take for granted.  Shoes is certainly one of them!!

I'm asking for help.  Not money.  Simply you taking the time to check your own closet, your kids' closets, your garage or mud room.  Perhaps that 'Goodwill' pile in the corner.  Mention it to a friend, neighbor or family member too.  All you have to do is put them in the mail.  Flat rate shipping can cost as low as $5.  I'll take care of the rest.

So please, take 10 minutes to gather adults and kid's sport shoes (tennis shoes, cleats, etc) and send them my way.  Your goodwill and generosity will surely put a smile on someone's face, and teach a lesson to last a lifetime.

Mail your gently used or new shoes of all sizes, colors and styles to:

SARAH H. DB# 462

1335 NW 98TH COURT UNIT# 9

DORAL, FL 33172 

Monday, Dec 16th, 2013 I received the first donation of shoes from an amazing group in Houston, Texas.  It's so exciting seeing the idea of giving in action!

 

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Black Nativity?

It wasn't until we sat in the front row of the Church of God in Coxen Hole, and I read over the program, did I understand that 'Black Nativity' was not an island self-deprecating illustration, but a performance based on the original Broadway show, in the early 60's.

I grew up in a large church, with thousands of attendees, and each year the church put on a monstrous Christmas program for weeks leading up to the holiday.  It was called 'The Singing Christmas Tree', and it 'twas, a life size singing Christmas tree which towered over 100 feet in the air, with rows and rows... and rows of singers.  I searched for archives, and didn't find much, but here is an image of what we're dealing with.

The production was huge, and amazing.  In addition to the singing, it featured 2 hours of skits, sing-alongs, real live livestock, actors, lights, cameras, angels, live baby Jesus and prayer.  Even as kids, we arrived hours before the performance to meet an appointment in the makeup studio and the costume dept.  What a production!

I have many, many fond memories of this impressive collaboration, and find myself wishing I could watch it now, as I'm not certain the participants ever saw a complete performance.

Anyway, my childhood memories peaked my curiosity of the Black Nativity play here on the island.  Alex kindly obliged, and agreed he too, was looking  forward to see what was in store.

Fabulous Choir

One of the highlights of the show!  Cutest sheep ever!!

!!

Shepards bantering

Entire Cast, sans sheep

The performance was quite enjoyable, and I felt so happy that I was able to appreciate the hard work and dedication the group had put into costumes, lights, singing, practice, practice and more practice!  For a night, it felt like the holiday season.  Even here in sunny, warm Roatan.

Rite of Passage

In Ethiopia, it's cow jumping.
In Nigeria, it's fattening up with rich foods.
In Australia, Aborigones must survive in the wilderness alone.
In West Africa, it's facial tattoos.
In Roatan, it's swimming with a Whale Shark.

They're a rare species in the world, though the warm tropical blue waters of the Bay Islands, Honduras is known for hosting these gentle giants from time to time.  Since I've lived here, I would guess there has been at least 10 Whale Shark sightings, which averages almost 1 per month.

When there is a sighting, the town goes nuts, Facebook blows up and the local boat captain network erupts.  After being here for awhile, I know how to sight a Whale Shark sighting.  Boats headed straight out past the reef, with little hesitation.  If I see a group of boats congregating somewhat close together beyond the reef, that's another sign.

As for sighting the actual shark, the 2 biggest signs are a) A Tuna boil.  If you think about it, it explains itself.  The Tuna are feeding off the smaller fish that the shark is eating or attracting.  The Tuna go bizerk jumping all over the place, causing the sea to appear as though it's boiling.  That in itself is actually pretty cool.  b) Multiple birds circling.  Typically you see one, and then the other.  If there's loads of birds, look for the Tuna boil.  If there's a Tuna boil, look for the birds.  And Mr. Whale Shark is in the middle of this giant food chain having desert.

Our boat's first mate spotted the boil, and it was GAME ON!  Typically, the captain has more experience than the rest of the passengers on the boat, because the boat captains are islanders, and have been boating and sighting long before you or I had ever even heard of Roatan.  The captain is also responsible for the safety of everyone on his boat, so he makes the call if and when passengers may enter the water.

Captain Ray, Bay Islands Adventures, Roatan

We circled a few times, before Captain Ray decided we were close enough to see this fella and we all jumped in with masks and snorkels.  I adjusted my mask and put my face in the water just in time to sight this massive creature swim just feet from my face.  I was so excited I went along with him, right under the boat, and then quickly realized I was NOT scuba diving and that breath of air I was looking for was up top at the surface.  Luckily, he didn't mind we were there, and gave us the opportunity to hop in the water with him 4 or 5 more times.  The 2nd time he swam directly at me; his mouth must have been 6 feet wide!  I opted to move out of his way...  2 additional times, I got to swim along next to him and he slowly wagged his massive tail from side to side and sauntered away.  His tail was almost 7 feet tall at the tip.  WOW!!!

Pics from one of the guests

This particular day, I opted not to bring fins.  I don't use fins when I snorkel mostly because I hate lugging them around.  I'm a very strong swimmer, so it's never been an issue, until this day.  I also had 2 cameras on the boat, neither of which had waterproof housing.  I've come to the realization that there are times when a camera will only distract me from the real genuine experience, and that sometimes it's better to have the experience, not the perfect shot.

This was the 3rd time I've been on a Whale Shark sighting pursuit.  2nd time I've bailed off the boat at the command of the captain.  1st time I've had the opportunity to be with the actual creature, swimming alongside him in his (or her) own natural habitat.  It was a day I'll never forget.  The day I earned my Bay Islands Rite of Passage. And caught lots of Tuna fish too ;)

She's In Tears...

As you know, Sundays are my favorite day on the island.  A day of rest we take for ourselves, to do only what we want.  Spoil ourselves with simple guilty pleasures, like hammock lounging till noon, lazy afternoon dives with friends, mimosas on the beach, special cooking or catching up with friends and family back home.  The energy in the air is epic.  I wish I could capture a picture of it to share, but it's a feeling not a sight.

After a perfect boat trip for lunch in a little fishing village with friends yesterday, a late evening meal full of Thai coconut, lemongrass and spice, topped off by a night of friends, fun, buckets of beer and late night disco lights... I woke up feeling well rested with an incredibly overwhelming feeling of pure happiness and joy spilling out of my heart.  It brought me to tears.

Chit chatting with my parents simultaneously over Facebook, while day dreaming about the fun I'd been having with my guest over the past week, thinking about the beauty of my Scuba diving addiction & all of the people who are addicts with me, feeling the love and warmth from the people I have befriended over the last year who bring me lots of smiles, laughter and comfort, the simplicity of the life here and the beauty that surrounds it and it's people, endless amounts of generosity and goodwill, lush landscapes exploding with vibrant color every day of the year, fun filled adventures... and the list goes on and on.

I may not have much in the way of possessions anymore, but if you asked me to give it all away again, for this feeling of pure & honest happiness, I wouldn't so much as blink an eye...

Bella Gypsy Goodies

Yesterday, my lovely friend and island comrade, Rika, posted a link on my Facebook page to this little gem:
 Women who live on rocks

A third of the way in to the post she had shared, titled 'The 5 Tourists you will meet in the Caribbean', I was hooked and spent the next several hours into the wee hours of (this) morning, filling my mind full of island woman dwelling story goodness. I felt like I was addicted to a 'Sex and the City' marathon, or as of late, that would be 'Orange is the New Black' marathon.

Reading stories of fellow women, living on rocks, offers such a sense of relief, as well as something I can relate to. Consistent power outages, fruitless treks to town, boob sweat, mosquito insanity and resident house guests, most of them not invited, but gladly welcomed lizards and geckos.

And of course, other cool things like memorable scuba diving adventures, and DIY How To's. I have to admit, I was a bit jealous reading about making window shades when she mentioned the part about dropping by Home Depot!

Take a peak for yourself, you'll be glad you did.  And hopefully... you will find me contributing one day as well!



One more little gem I'd like to share with you;
Worldette Playlist.  It's downright fabulous.







They've done a brilliant job putting these together. I just love the variety, culture and mood for each playlist. I'm listening to one now, and have enjoyed having them around to make my kitchen workspace a bit more upbeat now and again.

Now, back to work.

Cheers!

Sunday Funday

It didn't take long to catch on to the fact that Sunday is a day of rest on this island.  Well, of course you are thinking, it's an island!  Of course you're resting!  But in fact, this island bustles with some of the hardest working people I've ever seen.

A typical work week here is 6 days a week, and well over 40 hours.  It doesn't matter who we're talking about; a cook in a restaurant, a bartender, dive instructor, mechanic, bakery, grocery store, hair dresser, repairman, taxi driver, everyone works their asses off.  So when Sunday rolls around, the streets wake up later, and many businesses don't wake up at all.  Granted, this is still a tourist destination, so there's always going to be your bar, mini mart, hotel, dive shop, etc.  Families and friends come from ALL OVER the island to spend time together at the beach, or some relaxing spot where they kick back and enjoy the day they've worked so hard to earn.

I love seeing the kids run together on the beach squealing and laughing, playing crazy games only they understand.  Mothers sitting back in the shade taking it all in, while the men are congregated off it the distance slurping cold Salva Vidas in a can, or up the beach playing a game of soccer.

For awhile, after I moved to Roatan, my work was mostly part time, and very flexible, so I had more than one 'Sunday' if I chose to do so.  It wasn't until recently, when I came back from my visit to the states, that my responsibilities increased, and I've found myself working 6 days a week, just like everyone else.  Sundays are now a cherished day for me as well, and I love every minute of them!

This morning I woke up early and decided to pay my living room hammock a visit.  I love the room in the mornings when the sunlight is peering in through the trees, and the birds are chirping along with the roosters.  This morning even had a sweet floral smell sweeping through the air from time to time.  There are SO many fruits and flowers blooming here, it's not uncommon to smell sweet scents  drifting in the warm air.

Next I headed to the dive shop for a special dive I've been looking forward to.  I even had a dream about it last night!  (I dreamt I forgot my gear, and when the boat arrived at the site, I realized I couldn't go!)  We got to watch this magical swarm of little silver fish, called Silver Sides, dance around in the sunlight.  There were millions of them, darting to and fro by the thousands.  I swam through them over and over, taking pictures and and videos, and swimming straight through them, just to watch them dance from place to place like and orchestra.  The Silver Sides aren't here year round, only for a few weeks of the year, and then they move on, or get eaten, I'm not sure which.

After the dive, my friend Krystal and I decided it was time for a burger and headed down the street to Sundowners Beach Bar's Sunday BBQ.  We sat and chatted with acquaintances and each other, watching the people, kids, scooters and dogs go by.

Next stop, a dip in the Infinity pool.  I met a couple more girlfriends at the resort's pool for a dip and some sun.  We chatted about how our weeks had been, discussed plans for the upcoming days &  months and planned a going away party for one of them. <insert sad face HERE!!>

Afterwards, we headed home on our scooters, cruising along slow enough to take in the beautiful view from the hill tops, warm air blowing in our faces.  At some points on the drive from West Bay to West End, you can see the ocean on both sides of the island.  When the sun starts to head west, it lights up the ocean and makes it looks so smooth and glossy and calm.  The leaves in the trees reflected the golden light and it actually felt like Fall.  Something I've been ready to welcome, with OPEN arms, for the last month.  Rainy Season is nearing, and it can't come soon enough for this Oregonian girl!

Now back in my hammock, right where I started my day, the sun set hours ago and there's lightning lighting up the sky and a little thunder rumbling off in the distance.  Rain isn't far away.