“30 Days in Honduras”

Written By Samantha Lefebvre

My name is Samantha Lefebvre and I had the opportunity this past Jan. & Feb. to spend a month in La Ceiba, Honduras through All Access Volunteers. When I was asked to write something for the newsletter I thought “how on earth am I going to put everything I want to say in just a few paragraphs!” Luckily, I kept a daily journal while I was away and thought I would share pieces of it with you – so here it goes……..

Day 1 - Thank goodness! Finally reached my destination! My home-stay is amazing, such a beautiful house with such nice people. I am staying with a family, just a mother and daughter that live in the house. The daughter speaks fluent English, so that will certainly be very helpful. This was not the smoothest trip I have ever had! Attempted to sleep in the NJ airport on a giant heater, didn’t really go according to plan. Flights were all fine but my arrival into San Pedro Sula was a little stressful. Trying to figure out the currency and buying my bus ticket all while carrying my huge backpack, a little sack and my 80 pound suite-case filled with donations! The bus ride to La Ceiba was long, bumpy, nerve racking and toilet-less! (I later found out there was a toilet on the bus I just couldn’t see it!) I am now sitting outside on the rooftop patio, the sun is shining and the heat and humidity are over the top…but coming from Northern Ontario, you know I am not complaining!

Day 2 – Wow, so what did you do today? Did you ride in the back of a pick-up truck, through the Pico Bonito mountain’s, along the Cangregal River, in the jungle, on your way to a secluded school? Cause that’s what I did! Went to the orphanage to meet some of the kids, loaded 10 kids in the front and 10 in the back of the truck and away we went through the bumpy back roads of La Ceiba. Everyone in the back standing and holding on to whatever they could find. After arriving we cleaned up the school a little, organized the books and supplies and met some of the mother’s and their kids. I cannot believe how many kids come to the school and how far they walk to get here (2-3 hours for some). It’s also astonishing to see so many kids without any proper footwear, especially considering the conditions they walk in.

Day 3 & 4 – Raining; there is flooding all over the place. I was at the orphanage for the whole day today. Helping them make homemade costumes for their up-coming party. So amazing, they made angel wings today out of clothes hangers, tissue paper, string and glue (in Canada we would have taken a trip to Wal-Mart to purchase already made wings). I also bought some shoes today to bring back to the school. We took the orphanage kids aside and taught them some English words while the “Tias” (Aunts) made lunch. There is lice going around the orphanage right now, ask me if I care, not really, after hearing about what some of these kids have been through and seeing the scars they have to prove it, getting lice seems so very minuscule to me. Amazing how close you can get to them in such short time. All they want is a little “TLC” and they will suck it right out of you….I have lots to give, so it’s a win-win situation!

Day 5 – The sun is shining! Had the chance to take the kids for a walk today, felt nice to get them out of the orphanage. A church group came to visit and brought shoe boxes for each of them filled with donations from all over the place. Was really cool to experience, almost like Christmas for them! I have a new friend, call him “Left-Over”! He is a dog that sits in front of this one building that I walk by on the way to the orphanage. When I have left-over’s from either dinner or breakfast I save them and bring them to him on the way to the orphanage. Being a dog lover and having one of my own, it is so sad to see all the stray dogs in La Ceiba, even worse when you see how they are often treated. I brought in some supplies and toiletries to the orphanage today….wish I could bring more but it’s a lot to carry!

Day 6, 7 & 8 – In Utila for the weekend, it’s so beautiful on this Island. I swear Bob Marley must have lived here at one time! Beaches are breathtaking, little shops everywhere, and the weather is awesome. Bumped into so many Canadians that are here for their scuba certificate. Got to watch the sunrise over the ocean while on the ferry ride back to the mainland. Overall, one of the coolest places I have ever been to!

Day 9 – First day of the school year today. It didn’t start off that well as I missed the bus up to the school. Finally got there and started teaching in the kindergarten class. It’s very frustrating not knowing their language. I don’t speak a work of Spanish and find it hard to understand what the kids are saying, but I am making the best of it. Went down to help the mom’s make lunch today. Every day they make rice, beans and tortilla bread for the kids, for most of them it’s the only meal they will get all day. I noticed that a lot of the kids get really tired after they eat, sad because it’s probably an over-load on their little bodies. Also can’t help but notice things like rotting teeth, un-healthy finger nails, scars and bruises all over. Kids should not have to deal with things like this.

Day 10 & 11 – I am starting to hand out vitamins everyday at lunch until I leave, I figure they could really use them. The Director showed up with a bunch of supplies, I helped carry some items up and down the 115 stairs at the school, what a job that was! For anyone that has ever been there, you know how bad those stairs can be! On the walk home at the end of the day I tried my first “Baleada”, what a treat that was, so tasty! Who would have ever thought that I would be eating street food in Honduras! I must say that if I hear one more man/ boy hiss at me I may actually lose my mind! Went to a futball (soccer) game the other night, it was so much fun and so cool to experience something that is such a big part of their culture! They really get into it here; kind of like hockey for us Canadians!

Day 12 & 13 – Decided to take an over-night trip with the Director and some of the kids. We managed to pile 22 people in a 15 passenger van! One of the kids threw up on me on the drive there! We are in Trujillo at a beautiful resort. The beach is so pretty and there is a swimming pool with slides for the kids. You should see their faces while they are playing, it is priceless. If I could keep only 1 memory from this entire trip, I think I would want a snapshot of that.  Some of the older girls showed me how to do a sea salt scrub on my skin down at the beach, and we played with some of the Frisbees I brought. Went out for a buffet dinner, was quite sad to see some of the kids eating chicken bones, saving their banana peels for a next day snack and also breaking a cookie into 4 pieces to save some pieces for later on. It breaks my heart to know they feel that they have to salvage their meals like that. One of the other volunteers did yoga with all of us out on the beach while the sun was coming up at 7am, what a soul gripping experience that was!

Day 14 - I was supposed to go snorkeling today at Cayos Cochinos with all of the other volunteers but it’s storming outside so the trip was cancelled. Instead we walked around the downtown markets and bought a few souvenirs. Saddens me to see how dirty this city is. They have some of the most beautiful scenery but just don’t seem to care for it.

Day 15 – A bunch of us did a hiking tour up to the waterfalls. We pass these enormous falls every morning on the way to the school. It was really neat to actually hike to the top. Took 3 hours total and it was so fun! We had to cross a river that a lot of the kids cross everyday on their way to and from school. They do this all while holding their books on their heads. It was hard and I can only imagine how hard it is for them. Our guide showed us all the edible plants along the way and we even ate baby termites (which taste like carrots I must add!). Half way, we had a chance to stop and jump into a set of falls, it was cold and refreshing!

Day 16, 17, 18 & 19 – Helping out at the school all week. I have some friends from Canada that are here now volunteering for the last 2 weeks, really neat to see them all here. Brought another pair of shoes for someone today, I just can’t stand to see the blisters and sores anymore. We split up and teach 45 min of English at the end of each day…if only they could teach me more Spanish! Kind of interesting to have chickens and a couple stray dogs sitting in your class while you are teaching! We had a few days of rain this week which sucks because some of the kids cannot walk the slippery trail to school when it is raining so they end up missing a few days. Makes me wonder what they are eating for lunch on those days. A few of the volunteers and I spent a night up at a lodge up in the jungle. We sat out on the rocks, swam in the river, jumped some of the cliffs and danced in the rain! La vida es bella!

Day 20, 21 & 22 – Spent the weekend on Roatan Island, such an amazing place, but very expensive in comparison to other places I have been. Got a tour guide for the day and went to the local museum, aquarium, butterfly farm, visited with Chepe’s the crazy monkey who tried to look under my dress and take a friend’s hair elastic out! We spent our last day snorkeling at West Bay Beach, incredible!

Day 23 – Brought more donations to the school today, baby clothes, toothbrushes, hair clips, diapers and shampoo. The mothers are so happy and thankful when you give them the items. I am beginning to realize that my time here is almost done and I am not so sure that I am ready to leave yet. I feel that I have bonded with so many of the kids and almost feel guilty knowing that I am going back home to my life, with running water, all the food I want and need, a good education, health care and a clean and safe environment. I really do feel for these kids and their families….such poverty everywhere.

Day 24, 25 & 26 – The last few days have been so busy, trying to get so many things in before I leave! A couple of us went rafting in the rain and also zip-lining over the jungle, it was so cool! I honestly feel that it is so hard to leave now that I am just starting to get to know all the kids and their personalities. They had a big celebration at the school on our last day. The teachers brought in cake and all the mothers cooked an amazing meal for us, I feel so honored and so special. I was handed a couple of thank you letters from some of the kids, probably some of my best gifts since I have been here. We all cried a lot on our last day, it is super emotional and you just don’t want to leave them behind, you almost wish you could take them all with you. I’ve bonded with some of the kids and just can’t imagine not seeing them on a daily basis, it will be strange.

Day 27, 28 & 29 – In Copan Ruins for the last leg of my trip. Staying at this really cool hostel called La Manzana Verde. Copan is a neat little place, has a country feel but with European cobble stone streets. I visited the Maya Ruins which literally took my breath away. Ate roasted corn from the street vendors and had a plate of the best pasta ever.

Day 30 – I am on my way back to Canada and can’t shake this feeling of emptiness. I miss all those little smiling faces and all the hugs and kisses I was getting from them. They are so full of love and are some of the happiest people I have ever met in my life. Makes me wonder how I could ever really have a “bad day” now, it just seems like every day is a good day for them. They are happy to go to school, happy to eat only 1 meal of beans and rice, happy to play and don’t seem that bothered by the fact that they have to wear the same clothes all week, all while living under the conditions that they do. I should really re-evaluate what a “bad day” is for me.

Life after Honduras – Upon my return to Canada I felt empty and missed the kids tremendously. I felt a sense of guilt at times when I was eating a big meal, shopping for new clothes, having a nice hot shower or throwing away left-over food. I began to wonder what I could do now that I was back. My number one thing is to continue to preach about what I experienced, the poverty, the lack of education, the way women are treated and the need for health care. I had the opportunity to speak in a university social studies class about my trip, (another AAV volunteer was also there). We wanted to bring awareness to others and also educate people on what they could do to help, either by donating money to non-profit organizations or going on an AAV volunteer trip of their own.

I went there with the soul intention of giving all that I have inside to those kids, my love, my manners and my education and wanting nothing in return. I never imagined that they would teach me more than I taught them and that it would change me in the way that it did. I am a softer, more patient and understanding person now. I don’t judge, I NEVER waste food and I will never take anything for granted ever again.

Thanks again to Dan and everyone at AAV, you are doing an amazing thing! And you are totally working at being the change that we all want to see in the world!