Okay, Obama, you just won the Nobel Peace Prize. Can you please do something about this whole Honduras situation? We’d all like some paz (peace) around here.

The de facto Honduran government announced last night that schools will be getting out on October 31 because of elections. The students here have lost months of school because of this situation and now they’re ending school early. Not only that, they also announced that no student would be held back this year. Every single student will be passed, regardless of what their grades are. This is so sad for the kids here. They will start out next year behind and probably will be left to fend for themselves.

Other than that news, things are going really well here. My new site is beautiful. It’s cold, but beautiful. Don’t laugh at me. It really is pretty chilly here, especially at night. I am sick and I think it’s because of the weather change. Sometimes in the evening, I go into the room where our fogon (wood burning stove where we cook important things like beans and tortillas on) is to sit by the fire and warm up. I wear sweats and warm socks at night. It’s been pretty nice during the day, but it usually rains and gets cold starting about 3 or 4 pm. I have met lots of people in my community and they have been more open and friendly than I was thinking they would be towards this strange gringa. Literally.

Today the US and Honduras are playing soccer. If Honduras looses, they're out. So it kinda sucks to be in the position to not know who to cheer for. I am just hoping for an impate (a tie). The game is at 7 central time if you're interested in watching.

I have joined a women's soccer team here. We have our first game tomorrow. I am really excited about it. All the girls are about my age, maybe a little younger. We have a few good players, but I just hope we don't get killed tomorrow. We'll see. I think that these girls are going to become some of my really good friends.

I am also working with a youth group from the Catholic church here. I have hung out with them twice and they want to learn to play guitar and sing new songs, so I'm of course very excited about that. I'll do whatever they want in terms of music. I do wish I had my guitar here though. Maybe I'll try and find one here. I sat through a service with them as they prayed the rosary. I think that I almost know the whole Lord's Prayer in Spanish now.... the rosary.... well, it's kinda different. I don't know what to think. I guess I will learn and participate to be respectful of their religion here. It will be a learning experience. Religion is a whole different animal here.

Today I went to the vet in the nearest city to ask about finding a puppy for me. He's gonna find one for me in the next month or so. Who knows what kind it will be. It will be an adventure to train a dog in Spanish. I think that it will keep me occupied and keep me from being so bored when school gets out in a few weeks.

I'm a little sick today. I have a cold. Boo.... but I am in the big city right now and I am sitting on a sofa in a real coffee shop. It's nice to feel normal for a few hours and have a cappuccino, a diet coke, and a pack of Skittles for the road. It's funny how you learn to appreciate the little things.