Packing and Leaving for Huatulco

7JUN

so this week we were very sad as we had to leave Casamar.

so on monday and tuesday we had a regular days with packing and shopping during free time. we were all trying desperately to get these tank tops that are sold in the Zicatela strip, and so there were a few fast shopping trips for gifts and also fake ray bans 8).

then we had a last day in Puerto on Wednesday morning where we had free time all morning and then we worked all afternoon putting all our food together and organizing all the dishes and packing our massive suitcases. wednesday night we all tried to go to bed early and gear up for the 2 hour bus ride to huatulco the next morning.

Thursday morning we got to the bus station by 8:30 or so and we took a bus ride for a couple hours.

When we arrived at Huatulco we were all very tired and such but we had to get a ride somehow to the hotel. Marc had arrived earlier with the van and we were all really cranky at him because he just stayed at the hotel with the 8 kids he had and the rest of us were stuck at the bus station wondering where he was. but after Mr.Smith took a taxi there, he sent Marc over to us and we loaded the van 3 or 4 times over in order to get everyone to the hotel.

We checked in and then had a few hours of free time to nap and recuperate. then we took the bus and a couple of taxis to a restaraunt with an amazing barbeque. we had salads and soup first and then they brought out these huge platters of mexican bbq. there was quail, beef, pork, sausage, and then this special kind of sausage that is only made in Hautulco or that area or something. anyways we all ate way too much and had a lot of fun. Mr. Smith also showed off a bit of his lariat skills and roped a couple of chairs and Nathan Schmid.

the hotel was nice, and we were all very happy to still be able to stay together vs homestays where we are all kind of separated. Then the next morning we all walked down the street to the port where there were three boats waiting to take us on an all day scuba trip. unfortunately it was very stormy and the wind was pretty strong. we traveled for two hours before stopping at a little beach where we snorkeled. it was a lot of fun and everyone really enjoyed it. Then we went to a second beach with a restaurant where we had a nice meal and then more snorkeling right after. Karly also found a very cute kitten that she fed and became quite attached to.

after that, it began to rain and storm really heavily so we headed back to the hotel. It was pouring rain like it does in mexico so we all jumped into the pool again. but this time at the hotel. 

we had a lot of fun and then napped until dinner. we walked past the port where we took the boats that morning to a little restaurant. Mr.Smith ordered three kinds of meals and we were all supposed to share it, but the kids didn’t really understand so the people who were sitting a little seperately outside didn’t get any of the beef or chicken, we got fish. 

marc ate like 3 servings because people didn’t really like it.

then we headed back to the hotel for class by Marc. It was good and it really focused on how to re-enter kelowna and just normal life after having learned all these cool skills and experiencing these amazing things.

Saturday morning we packed up and headed to the bus station again. this time for a 9 hour bus ride. We slept and snacked and watched movies and hung out. it was pretty fun. WE got stopped at this one military place where they made us get out and they searched all of our bags. it was kind of scary as they all had machine guns in their hands and like just the military presence was a little high.

we stopped for lunch at a very nice restaraunt but then some of the kids almost got left behind cause the bus driver just pulled away without giving us any warning. Mr.Smith almost got left behind, but we held the bus up and got them on board. Several other kids were in the van with marc and they had a great time stopping and goofing off because the bus is a lot slower than the van.

After arriving in Oaxaca we were matched up with our home stays at the church. everyone was a little nervous because some of the families spoke English and some none at all. But everyone is doing fine, and we have great adventures after every school day with them.
They’ve taken us to movies, shopping, dinner and out just to experience normal Mexican life. A few of us have gotten sick, but it hasn’t been bad, and the cold virus has settled down now.

i will update again soon. sorry its taken so long 

Mikala