A couple of weeks ago, Elisa and I went to check out the caves of Taulabe and had a nice time! We were scheming on the way back from our personal trip of ways to take our classes to the caves and to also plan the trip together. Well, after quite a bit of planning, we all made it back in one piece from the caves today! I was glad we both got to draw on our outdoor education experiences and incorporate some of the activities we had done at our outdoor schools into our program for the kids. We even baked them all cookies!!! A triple recipe = 6 stick of butter = really good sugar cookies :P
Anyway, I'm kind of "cross-posting" again on this block since I wrote about what I am grateful for on the trip through the "Gratitude Challenge" that I'm doing for the first part of Lent. Enjoy!
"Write about something you feel grateful for in your life today."
Well, I dunno about life in general, but I can definitely talk about today! We went to the Taulabe caves today with 5th and 11th grade, and I was grateful to know that the students can have this kind of experience with their friends and with their school. I'm not sure if any of them is nearly as excited about geology as I am, but I think it's important for people to come in contact with nature and I'm glad we did it.
I'm also grateful for the way my students took care of each other today--the 11th graders helping th 5th graders and even helping each other out when the cave darkness gets scary. Seeing Juan Carlos give Graciela a hug when she needed it was cool. Seeing Graciela be "mom" to the 5th graders was cool. Seeing the 5th graders be the first to step up and thank us for organizing the field trip was also pretty inspiring. I'm grateful that somebody's grateful for me/my efforts!
I also was grateful for a moment alone in the dark cave when I was picking up the little candles we had left and making sure everything was cleaned up. The group was far ahead of me and I walked back alone in the dark (or relatively so since I had a flashlight). After a day of lots of people, it was a beautiful thing to have a moment alone in the cave... it's a powerful place and it's nice to experience that without distractions sometimes.
So thanks to all the people and places that made today special!!
Dear Outdoor Chica,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post about a hidden gem in Honduras. I have been living here for 7 months with my husband and 2 kids and we are jonesing for great outdoor places to explore. Honduras is great, but its not big on "tourism" for outdoor activities. Aside from the obvious tourist destinations, it's hard to find cool places to go to. I'll check back in with you from time to time for inspiration.
Thanks, Jennie
Hi Jennie! There are lots of cool opportunities around Lago de Yojoa, but you're right, there aren't the same types of hiking trails like in other places. Most people tell you that the mountains are "dangerous." As far as the caves go, I think for an extra 150-200 lempiras, you can explore the wilder areas of the cave and get all muddy. I also had a great time birdwatching on the lake, based out of a D&D brewery and the nearby national park, Los Naranjos. One of my first posts on the Pulhapanzak waterfall was another great day trip and we got a guide to take us underneath, plus there is a great canopy tour. I also recommend lots of activities around Copan, just stop in any hostel and ask for the more adventurous stuff!! So, I guess i depends on where you live, but there are lots of outdoor activities if you know where to look. Good luck, and keep in touch!!! --Diana
ReplyDelete