El Ritmo de Cambio: Once Upon a Time in Roatán

by Joanna Dittemore, guest blogger & Adam's mom

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.

It felt a little odd to be cavorting about in a tropical paradise after just learning that all PC-Honduras volunteers were being evacuated in a few weeks due to increased violence and security concerns. It caused me to do some research on the current situation in Honduras (like this article in the Washington Post, and this one pointing the finger at Americans' lust for drugs...but that's another story). It makes me sad for the sweet and kind-hearted Honduran people, who have been so helpful and friendly to Adam, who graciously opened their homes and their lives to him, and who are now losing out on the assistance that people like him were providing. !Ay! Que tristeza.

But, life goes on. And Roatán has a way of making one forget the troubles of the world...

Our family thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed culture and beauty and (for some of us) the warmth of the island. Besides lazing about in the hammocks, we enjoyed the thrill of swimming with the sharks (well, not any we saw or even heard of, but they're out there, people!)...er, little fishies.

And now for the food section...

Highlights of the week included Adam's homemade omelettes, the resort's fresh coconut cream pie, some kind of local alcoholic beverage called "guifiti" that tasted something like turpentine, and the famous Honduran "baleadas" (our family's favorite!).

Our time on Roatán seemed a bit like a fairytale, probably more so for Adam than for the rest of us (he was in awe of all the choices at the grocery store, as well as in awe of the grocery store!). We cherished our time together as a family, playing "Settlers of Catan" and "Con Quien" at night, cooking together, having long conversations, and meeting new people. The British couple who invited Adam to their new home for Christmas Eve - and later in the week invited all of us up for drinks - we later learned are somewhat famous (as in polar exploration and film production). Kinda cool. We spent the week snorkeling, reading, kayaking, and making new friends with the staff and guests of the resort, and we were open to trying new experiences. All in all, we decided it was the best Christmas so far for the Dittemore family.

Now we'll all live happily ever after...but just not in Honduras. (Sorry, Adam...)