We cannot believe that we are starting to teach on Monday! It seems like such a crazy, how-in-the-world-do-we-do-this type of thing. We have had time allotted in our orientation schedule everyday to work in our classrooms and it seems like my classroom is just getting more and more out-of-control! I finally swept out some of the little creatures that had made a home there during the summer and got the furniture basically where I want it! I am really excited about getting to decorate my room and my teacher's desk! Allan is excited because his teacher's desk is big and that man loves big desks! The first 2 pictures below are of Allan's classroom and the next 2 picures are of my classroom. I will take some pictures of the finished project to share with y'all too! Its going to come together, slowly
but surely!

After orientation today, Allan and I decided we should go on a hike since we are the only teachers that have not done this yet. Below is a video of the view from beautiful Hacienda San Lucas. It was so quaint up there. We were the only 2 around and it was nice to sit and have such amazing scenery. In the picture above you can see Copan Ruinas (where we are living) in the distance.

Allan’s blurb about laundry!

If you know me well at all, you know that I, like King Arthur, King of the Briton, have been given a quest. The only difference is that my sought after grail is more womanly shaped and is made of green-tinted glass. So, one day while buying bread at a convenience store next door to my house, I overheard a local copaneco ask for a Coca-Cola, and the boy behind the counter said "ocho lempiras"!! 8 lempiras=<$0.50!!!!!! I was ecstatic because I now knew what a local paid for a full, GLASS bottle of fresh, crisp Coke. So I decided to make it a routine that after I come back from school, when it's hot outside and I need a break, I would come by this store and purchase a Coke. (the story could end here and I would have been perfectly content- Copan, I love you) But, when I went in the next day for a Coke and was hanging out drinking it (because I had to give the bottle back anyways), I decided to shoot the breeze/practice some Spanish with the owner. Her name is Reina (Queen), and I asked her if she knew where a laundromat was. She paused, looked at me, then asked how much laundry did I have. I told her not much. Silence. She looked at me (I was wondering what she was thinking and was she understanding me?) , and then asked where do I live? Well, I might have been thrown off by this, but the truth is I live literally next door to this store (there's not much hiding that), so I told her, and I mentioned I'm a teacher at Mayatan (celeb status). She then said: "Bring it to me." So I went (with my Coke) and got my clothes and left them with her (as well as my Coke bottle). The next day, I go by, and she comes out the back with my clothes all cleaned, folded, and smelling good! I know they had to be handwashed and that would have taken me over an hour! Guess how much it cost...$1.40!!!! Amazing! She was so excited too, and she said bring more over whenever. You can't even pay for a machine where you wash it yourself for that much in the USA. If you're not amazed by all of these fortunate events, then you haven't hand washed and line-dried all of your clothes using buckets and a pila (big concrete sink with ribbed surfaces to scrub). The moral of this story is that Coke brings good things, and Copan brings cheap Coke. (Did I mention it was a glass bottle? :) I think the similarities between Coke and the Cup of Life are stark. I love this place!

now back to abby....

We decided to go crazy tonight and try to cook some meat for dinner. My co-teacher told me about this great place where she buys frozen meat (instead of the free-standing meat they sell at the market...we're just not so sure about that meat yet!) I found the store she was talking about and I feel like I have discovered the Target of Copan Ruinas! They have almost everything...school supplies, meat, cooking supplues, storage supplies, groceries, shoes, hates, fabric, picture frames, yard furniture, eggs (not in the fridge), paper products, etc. It's great! I bought some "pechugas" (frozen chicken breasts) from tham and we cook them up tonight! Check it out below...and rice is quickly becoming a staple...along with green pepper and onionsin everything!

We think of you y'all often and miss you much!