Guatemalan Adventures

I'm getting on a plane to come home today :)...whoo hoo!

With that said I don't have time to write numerous blogs about my Guatemalan adventures. I could easily write five or six blogs about my trip but I know I won't write blogs once I get home, so you're going to get the overview version with a few of my favorite pictures...

***I spent over an hour typing out a blog with my day to day activities and then something happened with blogger and I lost it all. I don't have the time to re-type so you'll just have to look at the pictures...

To see all of my Guatemalan pictures click on the "My Pictures" tab on the blog page or visit this link:

https://picasaweb.google.com/bridgetkng2/Guatemala

“But it is a cold, lifeless business when you go to the shops to buy something, which does not represent your life and talent, but a goldsmith’s” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Hardest Goodbye...

Was by far saying goodbye to the kids at the orphanage!

Carrie and I went Sunday morning before we left for our trip to Guatemala. Jose Alberto and Maxi were in particularly great moods that day and it made me really happy to see them so happy.

I love this picture of the two of them...

Maria and Carrie

 After we played with all of them for a little bit I explained that it would be our last day at the orphanage. Jillybean did not like that and she started yelling "No" and shaking her little finger at me. At one point she was at the top of some stairs as Carrie and I were heading to other room to say goodbye to the other kids. She yelled "Miss King....nooooooo!" and then she flew down the stairs, ran to me, and wrapped her arms around me as hard as she could. I lost it and couldn't stop the tears from coming.

Jillybean and Me 

I said goodbye to Maxi and then looked for Alberto. I found him on the side of the house playing with some of the other boys and when I explained that I wouldn't be back again he acted like he didn't care, but when I turned around to walk away he ran to give me a hug. I told him how much I loved him, that I would miss him, and that I would definitely be back next year to visit him. I plan on writing him some letters from the States so he has a little bit of consistency in his life and knows how much I care.

As I walked away form saying goodbye to him, Julissa came up and tapped me. She motioned for me to lean down so I could hear her, and when I did she said "I love you!". She said it in English and so sincerely that it almost broke my heart.

Last but not least for goodbye's was Maria Jose. I love that little girl more than anything and when I scooped her up to hug her goodbye I never wanted to let her go. As I was telling her how much I would miss her she said "hold on" and ran back into the orphanage. She came back less than a minute later with a note in her hand that said "To the cutest teacher at Santa Clara, Miss King...I love you with all of my heart!" I can barely type that out now without crying!

The beautiful Maria Jose and Me

Carrie and I were both hysterical at that point and knew we needed to get out of there. We walked out as all of the kids followed behind us waving and saying goodbye. Then I cried the whole walk back home. It was so hard to walk away from all of them like that. I truly wish I could adopt every single one of them!

I hope and pray that each one of them is happy, healthy, and they always know they are loved!

“Tears are words the heart can’t express”

Final Volunteer Goodbye

I frequently ate grilled cheese sandwiches and drank a cold glass of coke while I was living with Kandice. She always made fun of me, so I took a picture of me and her with my last grilled cheese and coke before we left...

We had gone out for one last night of dancing the weekend before we went to the puente, but the teachers talked us into going out one more time before we all left...

We had a great time...

and for some reason loved showing our hands in a lot of the pictures. I think this was some sort of inside joke, but I can't remember now what it was about...

Jonesy got really into the Latin dance scene while visiting Honduras. When he told me he wanted to learn the bachata I knew just the woman for the job -- Karol...

She loves dancing more than anyone I've ever met!

It was definitely a fun time had by all...

The next day I met Yohely, Wendy, and her son Alejandro at El Rancho for lunch...

What a cute little guy :)

We all ending up wearing purple shirts...completely unplanned. It was hysterical!

Yohely handed me a gift before I left and guess what it was? A purple shirt, haha!

After lunch I went back home to change for the final volunteer dinner. But before Kandice, Carrie, and I could go to dinner we had to complete some last minute paperwork at Flavia's house.

Kandice, Me, Flavia, and Carrie

We had dinner at the same place we celebrated Maki's birthday back in December. We all had so much fun that night we wanted to do something similar for our final dinner. The foundation served us a traditional Honduran stew for our last meal together. After we ate, different members of the foundation gave each of us a speech and handed us a nice plaque with our name engraved on it. I'm sure you already guessed that I sobbed through the whole thing. I was actually already crying when I arrived to the dinner and more tears came as the night went on. 

After all of the speeches it was time to dance, dance, dance... 

This is Dan holding Andrew's shirt as he hopped around like a mad man.

Oscar and Me

 Jeff wanted to take happy/angry pictures.

First I was angry and he was happy...

Anger does not look good on me

then I was happy and he was angry...

Much better

Man house + Lacey ++ Bridget picture...

The OAF Team...

The lighting wasn't great so sorry for the poor quality on this one

Here are a few short videos of the hilarious Andrew busting some moves...

My life is forever changed by the people I volunteered with this year! I love every single one of them and I'm so grateful to have made such wonderful new friends. I wouldn't trade this past year for anything in the world!

“Enjoy every day, be yourself, pray, keep laughing and no matter how things turn out – you are always loved!” – My Beautiful Mom :)