Honduras Mission Trip 2004

Andrew Blasetti	Senior Civil Engineer	We just pulled off the world's greatest prank - we got 30 kids hopped up on smores at 9pm and sent them off to bed. Diabolical! Of course we know better than to go to bed on stomach full of candy, so we hit the stash of pringles. Today we went to a farm/school/meat factory/gauntlet. That place was wild. Tonight will be a night of rest after a day without labor. Hopefully, this will give us all enough energy to last the week. I'll keep you posted.
Carolyn Conlee	Senior Civil Engineer	Today we squeezed about 15 people on the back of a pick-up truck, road through dirt roads that were REALLY REALLY bumpy. My butt is really feeling it tonight! We visited a high school typical in Honduras. Besides what I've seen during the car rides, it really felt like my first experience in really getting a sense of this country and their mentality. Another day and another once in a lifetime experience.
Liza Dhamer	Senior Civil Engineer	ahhh-the pick-up truck ride to La Flecha...Sandy, Otto, Josh, Michelle and Christ - you guys can all agree, with Ubil behind the wheel it is not the smoothest ride! Nevertheless, today was a rather relaxed day... we went to an agricultural school that was definitely like a petting zoo. This afternoon we went to the girls orphanage, once again, a wonderful experience. I remembered some of the girls as did they remember me... it was so nice to see them and play games. We spent ALOT of time there seeming as though Ubil and the ME's didn't come back to get us until 2.5 hours after the scheduled time(i guess that goes with, we're on Honduras time!). Tonight we did S'mores Mrs. E! It was great... see the pics for those gooey faces. Thank you everyone for all of your messages... it is so wonderful to have such supportive people like yourselves! Love You (mom, sorry you're home alone!! no worries.. we know Bobby always likes to talk...so he'll keep you company!)
Sarah Banas	Senior Mechanical Engineer	Today, John and I got to go with Ubil to visit a dairy farm to get some ideas for future ME projects. The ride there was seriously the most surreal experience that I've ever had. I was riding in the back of a pick-up truck on the bumpiest of dirt roads surrounded by sugar cane fields. The greenest mountains I've ever seen were only a mile or so away. The roads there made Maybee (and Amigos) look like the suburbs! It was totally like being in a dream. You know how I always have songs in my head? Well, I couldn't help but think "It's the closest to heaven that I've ever been, and I don't want to go home right now." Thanks for the messages - I love you very much.
John Boring	Senior Mechanical Engineer	Wow what a way to write you all a message, getting a massage while typing. This is a great night. It was a long day too. Spent many hours with different animals, But we were not on a farm. We got to see an agricultural school and a junior high technical school. Then we stopped by the girls orphanage in town. I only spent about 15 minutes there because Ubil took me and Sarah to a dairy farm out past the sticks. We crossed a wooden suspension bridge, through the cane fields and past the cane factory. It was right along the mountains and absolutely beautiful. The dairy farm (but we weren't on a farm) would be similar to Merry Meade. Got some good ideas for next year and what Ubil wants to do for Amigos. Oh and can't forget about making Smores with the boys, i got to play with some fire again. Woohooo. It's been amazing, hopefully I can get to bed at a decent time tonight. Last night The Lucky 5 was up late but it was hilarious. Ok lot's of digging to do tomorrow. Hope you're all doing well. Love you.
Jeffrey Cook	Junior Civil Engineer	It's about 1:00 (Tuesday night/Wednesday mourning technically) am when I am writing this. I just checked all the messages that were sent. There were quite a few. Mom, Sandy, Missy, Deep, Pat.... Thanks for taking the time to check out the website and monitor or progress. We went to the girls orphanage today. We also got the chance to travel around to the local schools. It was a very different experience. Each day my Spanish is getting better (I am actually starting to think in Spanish.). The bonds between us and the boys are getting even stronger. With each day that goes by, I am realizing even more how difficult it is going to be to leave here. All the luxuries and material items that are at home, can't even compare to the relationships that are being formed here. Much love, Jeff.
Elizabeth Kenyon	Junior Civil Engineer	Great to hear from you all!!! This morning we went to see an agricultural school to see the set up and buildings to get ideas for the school house here at Amigos. The school we went to was for older kids and had a lot of fields where the students learned to plant and cultivate the land. The land was probably as big as the campus of Villanova and it completely amazed me to see the hard work done like hand cutting all the grass with machetes! Later on we went to a girls orphanage which was a totally different experience then the boys we are at now. One girl that I became attached to was named Andy and as I was leaving she asked "when are you coming back?" All I could do was give her a big hug and it broke my heart to say goodbye. After dinner we made smores with the boys and that was a huge hit. Love you guys and can't wait to tell you my stories. Happy Half Birthday Margaret!
Dennis Stefanski	Junior Civil Engineer	Hey, everyone. Yo, its nice to know I actually have a family (haha). Sucks to hear about everyone at 115 and how you guys are sick. I hope that passes before I get home and that you all are better. Mike, don't worry, I'm not pissin' in any puddles. Anyhow, today probably was the most painful day I guess emotionally. We visited the girls orphanage in town, and seriously I was in tears when we left. It was so sad to see these girls because even though they are still fun of energy, the girls do not have the hope the boys have. Leaving there seriously was horrible, and one girl asked when the next time I was going to see them. Other then that, people need to get on this thang so I'm peacin out. Mike thanks for the note, Mom Dad tell Nan I hope shes better, and Liz miss you and I'm having fun. Out like a fat kid in dodge ball.
James Sutton	Junior Civil Engineer	Hey, everyone. Today we went to see a couple of the local schools to get ideas for the school and for other future projects. After that we went to visit the girl's orphanage. After dinner we made s'mores with boys. They loved them. We're working on moving all the dirt again tomorrow so I'm gonna get to bed now...check the pictures...bye for now
James Troise	Junior Civil Engineer	Hi everyone. Today was a wild day. Dehydration kept me home today but I didn't mind too much. I slept a little and did some needed house work. I've been keeping on the fluids all day and hopefully will be up to par by tomorrow. Don't worry about me Mom and Dad I am feeling ok and only getting better. Love you both. PS thanks for the message Morgan, that makes three messages for me so far!
Robert Guinivan	Sophomore Civil Engineer	Another long, hot and hard day, but in another way than yesterday. We spent the first half of the day walking around a technical school, which was sort of a petting zoo as Gross said. In the afternoon we went to the girls orphanage in La Fecha. Within ten minutes, I got my Honduran Girlfriend....her name is Keice Leen Escobar...she gave me a picture of myself....if only I could bring her home with me...by the way, she is eleven. Ubil, Meliss, and the ME's forgot about us and left us at the girls orphanage for 2 extra hours...me and my girlfriend didn't mind. Not too much else, the kids are all really great, I'm dead tired, but excited to dig another couple tons of dirt out of a hillside tomorrow....love and miss you all...
David Dinehart	Faculty Advisor	We had a great day touring a couple of schools for ideas for the future complex. Shell, glad all is well. Got to see my girlfriend today. She loved the pictures and I got to introduce her to you in the kids. I was so excited to see her, and even more excited to see it was mutual. After I gave her the photos, she gave me a gift ... a little stuffed bear that said "I love you". I was very moved. Tell Matt and Abby that I miss them, and that I will work on the wormhouse tomorrow and that I'm counting those freckles when I get home. Love you. James DeSorbo, I hope the weather is not too bad in Syracuse. Glad to hear you're following along, say hi to Mom, Dad and Grace. I saw a couple of nice (a little old) John Deere's today. Tomorrow (actually today, it's 12:35 AM) will be a day filled with hard labor. Be thankful the photos don't include the smell.
Shawn Gross	Faculty Advisor	No sign from Lance Corporal Otis Spunkmeyer yet, but I'm sure he'll make an appearance soon. Josh & Michelle...we are staying in the chapel! I'll try to get you a photo of it on tomorrow's website if I can remember. Quite a long day - but you'll see no progress on the digging. Instead we went to a Honduran agricultural school (aka petting zoo) in the morning. Let me emphasize for the record - WE WERE NOT ON A FARM. Then we went to the girls' orphanage in the afternoon for a little dancing and a few quirky games. Ubil and the ME's went off and had fun doing something (I think visited another petting zoo) and were 2 1/2 hours late picking us up from the girls' orphanage. Time for some rest because it's back to the digging tomorrow! By the way, we're building a stone retaining wall in case I didn't tell you. Sweetie, sorry to hear you are still not feeling well. Great timing, huh? I go off to a foreign land as soon as you get sick! Hope you get better soon...Love, Shawn (Chon)