Women Who Live On Rocks

I think I've mentioned this already, but it certainly deserves more attention; Women Who Live On Rocks is the greatest discovery I have made living on this island!  It's a collaborative blog full of comical, and very real, bits from lots of lovely ladies, all of which are Ex-pats whom live on a rock.

For me, it's a fantastic way to identify with other women who face the same interesting nuances, challenges and curiosities that I do, living in a world of bazaar and interesting oddities we call 'island life'.  And frankly, it's downright hilarious.

I've been given the opportunity to participate, and am so happy to call myself a part of the Women Who Live on Rocks contributors.

SO... without further ado, I give to you...

Enjoy!

I wonder what it would be like...

To have never owned a pair of soccer cleats.

When I was little, I played soccer at Sumpter, the school near our house.  Even at such a young age, I remember loving the cool, foggy Fall mornings when the sun hadn't burned through the clouds and the fresh cut grass was still covered in dew from the early morning mist.  The color of my uniform was much more important to me than winning the game, and it's quite possible the orange slices and Capri-suns afterwards were what enticed me to play on.

In middle school, where there wasn't a league for girls our age, we pushed to organize one.  We were terrible.  It's quite possible we never won a single game.  But every weekend our parents woke up at 7am to gear us up and get us out there for another' shot' at a goal scoring victory...  We even played on an indoor team in the off season.  Up until I moved, I was still playing indoor, I love it.

Along came High School, where the game changed my life forever.  It all began with tryouts, often referred to as 'Daily Doubles'.  The older girls that had played the year before paid no mind to us little ones, and were intimidating as well, whether they meant to be or not, who knows.  (I'm guessing they were, based on what I know now about teenage girls)  We ran laps, we ran lines, we ran the bleachers, we ran sideways, forwards, backwards and into each other.  And after that... we ran some more.  I'd never been so sore in my life.  Grass burns, wet soccer balls in the face, sore feet, ankle bruises and weak burning legs; we trudged on.

Every day, for 2 weeks, we worked our asses off at daily doubles, a 2 hour session in the morning and a 2 hour session in the afternoon sun.  Each day, another girl or two would disappear from the afternoon session or never return the following morning.  I wanted to quit; we ALL wanted to quit.  We never talked about quitting.  No one likes to TALK about quitting, they just think it to themselves quietly.  Myself and my 2 amigas had grown up together and spent the prior 3 years competitivley swimming together, and we were in it together.  Although we had spent the last 4 years of our lives bonding and bickering, we each knew the others would disapprove if we gave up.  None of us wanted to disappoint each other, so we stuck it out.


Traveling with the High School team was a lot of fun.  We got to dress up for away games and in our uniforms for home games.  We even wore our cool royal blue soccer socks, except during class they were 'slouched' just so, and accompanied by indoor soccer shoes instead of cleats.  We were SO cool...  We never really were that good after all those years.  We didn't hold any titles or records in the district.  None of us went on to play pro or even sorta pro.

The lack of ability wasn't what changed my life forever.  It was the lessons I learned when those cleats were on my feet.  I learned about determination, as I sprinted after distance running forwards to defend my team's goal; dedication to stick with it, even when I felt I couldn't take another step, sportsmanship when the ref made an unfair call and there was nothing any of us could do about it and teamwork, learning to communicate with each other to meld into a team working together on and off the field.  I saw girls quit, give up, cuss at opposing teams, elbow and trip each other.  I remember the first time I got an <excruciating> cramp in my calf, that I somehow managed to play on, for fear of letting down my team mates before the half.  I remember falling asleep doing homework after a long day at school & 2 hour practice.  I'd wake up extra early to finish before class, since keeping our grades up was required in order to play.  I remember running so hard that my face felt like it was detached from the rest of my body.  And for all of these things, I am forever grateful to have learned to persevere.  Before high school, I never knew I had it in me.  By Junior year, I had learned just how capable I really was, and still am.

I'm so lucky I had the opportunity to own a pair of soccer cleats.

If I haven't told you yet; I'm conducting a shoe drive inspired by a group of local girls here on the island, who I've watched play in socks or barefeet.  I want them to have the same experience I had growing up, probably one that 85% of children and teenagers in the US get to have.  These girls have probably been through more in their 20 years than I have in my 32.  But the one thing I want for them is to own a pair of soccer shoes.

If you, or anyone you know, have  gently used or new soccer cleats or tennis shoes (mens, womens or children) PLEASE send them my way!  Above is an image of the 79 pair that have been delivered to the island thus far!!!!  Keep em coming guys, there's never too much of a good deed.

Shipping address: 9650 Crestwater circle,  Magnolia, TX 77354

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

Let's just get the hard part out of the way now.  I'm homesick.

There, I said it.  For some reason it's a tough thing for some to admit, myself included.  It is to be expected, that when one moves thousand of miles away from home AND away from the form of civilization they are raised in and accustomed to, they might at some point find themselves missing the loved ones and little things about 'home'.  I sort of thought it was a sign of weakness, but now that I am walking thru it day by day, I realize it's actually quite the opposite.  I thought long and hard before writing this blog post.  Negative posts aren't my forte, so I'm not going to go there.  We'll just take  a peak at what's going on down in Sarah's world...


I could write about all of the ups, downs, ins & outs of it all, but at the end of the day, I've come to remind myself that I'm not the only person in the world that has ever felt this way, and it certainly is not going to kill me.

Some things I've learned that are testing me as of late:

Facebook sucks.  It's great for a lot of things, don't get me wrong.  I've actually managed to make a decent wage over the last year and a half thanks to Facebook.  But the constant reminders of friends and family, loads-of-first-world-conveniences and fun things to do can be tough at times. 

On the flip side, it is ten times harder to keep in touch with friends.  No one warned me about how forgotten you can feel after awhile.  Yeah there's Skype and phoning the states won't break the bank, but I've found I'm constantly chasing people's schedules trying to poke my head into any little ten minute window they can spare, so we can chat, and pretend that weeks or sometimes months haven't just gone by while we try to pick up where we left off.  Life is busy, I get that.  It just sucks, plain and simple.

Is it bad if I say I wish I were part of the Target Breach?  Cuz that would mean I had shopped at Target recently.  Oh the things that I would buy!

Turns out, Limes really do work for everything from cooking & removing stains to ridding off hiccups.  Get used to them, because Lemons rarely make their way to this little rock.
And... if it doesn't work the first time, add Rum.  It's the Cure-All.

Sunshine, roosters, a howling dog and parrots wake me up every morning.  Guess it beats horns & sirens!



Just last week, the water taxi I boarded to get home took on a significant amount of water, and began to sink, while I held my purse above my head and looked around as people watched with little concern.  One man even tried to take pictures!!!  The boat captain and I bailed water out of the boat with 1/2 bleach bottle 'scoops' to stay afloat.  Just before we reached the dock in my town, it down poured.  (I'm still not sure they've dried on the line yet either!)



Last time I was in the states, I brought back some instant Pumpkin Spice Chai mix, for the cool wintery days when the storms blow in.  Couldn't wait to curl up with a blanket and a book!
It's frickin disgusting.  I'll stick to coffee, thanks.



When I hear Sugarland (on my ipod) I'm instantly taken back to speeding down the road in my red Solara, windows down & Honky Tonk cranked.  If I had my car down here, WATCH OUT Roatan!  Stare at me all you want, I LOVE this ditty.  (In fact, should I die, please invite Jennifer.)

I miss the city.  Random people, music, art, food, bridge walks, Forest Park hikes, random coffee shops, snow shoeing, road tripping, microbrews, movie theaters and soccer games.  Sometimes all in one weekend!


Barefoot wine is now considered 'ok'.  And it's $10 a bottle.  I would kill for some Charles Shaw.  Yup.  Believe your eyes.

Before going to the bank, I contemplate 99 other ways to store my money to avoid the never ending cranium ache that is 'banking' on Roatan.  Many things have crossed my mind...

I listen to my favorite Radio Station back home everyday, as if I were there.  KINK 101.9. 
Sometimes I have to turn it off because I can't take it, hearing about the upcoming concerts and festivals.  I even found myself listening to the rush hour traffic report the other day, because it was familiar, and felt like home.  Yikes!

I work alot.  But when I need to take my break, I take in a view like this...

or this...

No matter where you are in the world, you'll miss what you HAD and take for granted what you HAVE.  Just never lose sight of who you ARE, and you'll be just FINE.

Holi-Daze, Island Style

Ever spend 2 hours writing a blog post, and lose ALL of the content minutes before going live?
Well trust me, IT'S DISCOURAGING!!!!!

So, in an effort to maintain the island lifestyle of calm, cool & collected,
I give you island holidays... in pictures.

Giving back to our community

Annual Food & Toy Drive

Santa Visits Roatan every year!

Christmas morning breakfast with great friends

Jate and Megan visiting for Christmas!

Island Nativity

 

Skyping with my wonderful parents!

Oceanfront Christmas Dinner

Games

Christmas Pinata?  Why not!

Our own special Christmas Ship

New Years with the Beau

Welcome 2014!

They just keep coming!

This morning I received an email from the shipping service in Florida. There are now 30 lbs of shoe donations waiting to be shipped!!! Can you believe it?? THIRTY POUNDS OF SHOES!

I'm looking forward to the shipment to arrive (they hold them until there is at least 20 lbs, to consolidate on cost) just after the new year. I'm excited for what is in store for our athletes of Roatan, both young and old.

Thanks for everyone who has contributed, shared the message and taken the time to give back to the community I call home. In a way, I feel a benefit as well, strengthening the distance between us, and giving me a sense of connection with all of you, even though we're thousands of miles apart.


 Keep it up, ever shoe counts!

Shipping address:
SARAH HENKE DB# 462
1335 NW 98TH COURT UNIT# 9
DORAL, FL 33172

Expats Blog Shout Out!

2 of my favorite fellow Roatanian blogrrrls are fiercely competing for our 'home' country of Roatan, in the Expatsblog.com Awards 2013 .

Ironically, they're the only 2 entered to represent THE WHOLE COUNTRY!

Check out their entries; 

The Top 7 Excuses for Getting Sucked into 'The Vortex' aka: Roatan

Top 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Expat in Honduras

Top 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Expat in Honduras - See more at: http://www.expatsblog.com/contests/775/top-10-things-i-wish-i-knew-before-becoming-an-expat-in-honduras#sthash.D0vDoAE9.dpuf

I wasn't on my game, this year. But look forward to participating next year! Cheers!

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!