Roatan Vortex© – It Pulls You in and You Never Want to Leave

When I lived on Roatan, I would take a stroll on the beach every morning, walking along the water’s edge, feeling the warm sand squish between my toes, the salty Caribbean Sea lapping at my ankles while… I swatted away the sand fleas! Yes, paradise has its downsides too.

The other thing I would do while on these morning jaunts was rescue starfish. I don’t know the technicalities of why it happens, but I would encounter a few (or more) starfish washed up on the beach. I’d pick them up, marvel at their unique beauty, wade out to slightly deeper water (not too deep mind you, my fear of water kicks in once the water line gets above my waist) and return the starfish to their home; surely saving them from being eaten by a passing bird or drying out in the intense heat emitting from the sun.

Was I making a difference? With each starfish I returned to the sea, my mind would wander to the parable about this very endeavour. Could I rescue them all? Heck no! But I’m sure it made a difference to the ones I did; and knowing I’m not the only one with this mindset, so many starfish are being saved. I tried this once with Portuguese-man-of-war. That wasn’t quite as successful, actually, getting stung on my arms and legs was the deciding factor in only attempting that once. Sorry Portuguese-man-of-war you are on your own!

On Roatan there are many children who need assistance in all aspects of their lives. Can I make a difference for them all? Heck no! I toured one of the local schools with the idea to help one child by sponsoring her tuition, uniform, school supplies, and transportation to and from school. As it turned out she wasn’t able to attend classes at Luisa Trundle School, Coxen Hole. But while I was being shown around, an idea that I would have never thought of prior to the tour came to mind.

A very high percentage of the kids don’t have breakfast before they arrive for classes; the resources are limited in their homes, to the point that if they do have breakfast it may be their ONLY meal of the day. Could I ensure the children who attend Luisa Trundle School start their lessons with a healthy meal in their tummies—an essential tool for learning?

YES!!! The Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program launched July 9th 2011 (in Honduras, the school term is February – November) with the assistance of Val -Familias Saludables and the school administration and staff. At first the children were hesitant to take what was offered—they had never encountered breakfast waiting for them when they arrived at school before. Oh but they got the hang of it pretty quick!

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Musings from a Breakfast Program

Mathew (age six): “Mom hurry up and get me dressed, I have to go to the Breakfast Program!”

Mathew’s mom: “And school!”

Mathew: “Oh yeah, that too.”

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I had the opportunity to share the ongoing success of the Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program when I attended the Conference on Honduras where I gave a presentation: What did you have for breakfast today? I also posted another story when I visited Roatan the end of February: Two Weeks on Roatan. And as a direct result of that visit I shot and edited (please turn up the volume on your computer… my editing skills are limited) a video showing the children having breakfast!

CastleMuse is proud to sponsor the Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program and while the website is still under construction a banner is displayed linking back to this story.

Thing is though, just as my ability to rescue a significant number of starfish on my own is not possible, neither can I alone ensure the longevity of the breakfast program. I am proud to have got the ball rolling and, to-date, I have been the sole financial contributor. And while I bask in the joy it brings me to see the positive impact it is having on the development of these children—it is time for me to share that sensation—so if you’d like to wade into the Caribbean Sea with me (figuratively not literally) and get involved, here are some examples of how much of a difference your support can make.

• A donation of $10 will cover the cost of 15 dozen eggs (I know! Val’s real good at getting deals.)

• $25 will buy eight large boxes of Raisin Bran; 120 servings of cereal—enough for all the kids for one day (currently 117 children in the program.)

• For $50 a one week supply for all the children (560 servings) of fresh, local fruit (bananas, oranges, watermelon, mangoes) can be purchased.

• $100 could ensure that for two weeks all the kids will have a serving of fresh milk.

If you are able to contribute monthly:
• $10 a month equals TWO kids having a complete breakfast every school day of the month.

• $20 a month will feed FOUR kids each and every week for the month

• $30 a month can ensure SIX children each month are starting their day right!

The Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program is now affiliated with the The Dawn Land Foundation a not-for-profit org registered with the Canadian Government. Please remember even $5 can make a huge difference… REALLY!!!
If donations exceed covering the cost of the Breakfast Program, a mid-morning snack will be introduced and we can be ready for next year as well. Together we can make a difference!

Donate HERE: The Dawn Land Foundation Be sure to specify that your donation is for the Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program. Tax receipts will be issued upon request.

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Musings from a Breakfast Program

One of our grade six students, one of those bright boys always in trouble, has become the programs best friend. He is there every morning early to put out the table or help pour milk; he eats his whole day’s calories at breakfast. He has gone from being quite aggressive to hugging me (Val) and telling me he loves me. Hmm, I guess it’s true—the way to a boy’s heart is through his stomach.

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Spread the word… please!

The more people who hear about the Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program the better. Please share far and wide!

Okay, so I had said my previous story here at RoatanVortex.com was going to be my last posting, but what can I say… a wave of homesickness washed over me the other day.

It had nothing to do with the fact that the temperature read as a negative number or hearing the sound of tires spinning, outside my home, on the snow, compressed to a layer of hard packed ice on the roadways.

It had nothing to do with getting ready to go out for a while and having to pull on a bulky jacket, scarf, gloves, a toque to swaddle my head, or sitting on the bottom step in the front hall tugging boots over thick socks entombing my protesting toes.

It had nothing to do with moving the portable humidifier from room to room trying to maintain at least a hint of moisture in the air, or the stockpile of lotions and creams stacked on the bathroom counter that I need to slather on dry and chapped skin—in spite of the claims made by the manufactures that if I use their product my skin will never go flaky.

And it had nothing to do with noticing the weak sunlight emitting from the hazy orange ball suspended in the frosty afternoon sky and wondering—what’s that? Or realizing that I am gazing longingly at the potted herb plants on the kitchen counter not because I’m trying to decide what will go best in an omelette but solely because they’re green and alive and… plants.

I was homesick for my Island family and friends!

Since moving back to my hometown in Canada, I’m learning to cope with the conditions that I have no control over; weather, sleeping vegetation and minimal sunlight. And I’m appreciating advantages I haven’t experienced for a few years. I haven’t had to wipe mould off of anything, there is nary a hint of rust on the fridge needing to be hidden with a fresh coat of primer and none of the door knobs have fallen off because the lockset has crumbled away. There is no need to check under my pillow for scorpions, flick gecko poop off the freshly made bed or swat at the sand-flies nibbling on my ankles.

I’ve had the greatest pleasure of my son and grandkids stopping by and together we watch ‘Planet of the Apes’ on Netflix, getting together with my mom to work side by side on the book we are co-authoring, and spending an afternoon with my daughter when she drives down from Hanover and we go for lunch and shopping at the most exclusive boutique—Value Village! And most evening after a delicious home cooked meal, courtesy of my Steven, we snuggle on the sofa (yup, a real one) to watch a few episodes of our favourite HBO series, ‘Mad Men’.

Regardless of all that, I settled into my feeling homesick and longing for Roatan, wrapping it around me like a much needed fleece blanket to ward off the cold, at the same time the Roatan Vortex began pulling at me; warming me from the very core of my being. Now before you get any ideas, no, I’m not moving back to Roatan, but rather, re-embracing what I thought I had to give up. When I made the decision to move back to Canada there were many reasons (and there still are) but I thought I had to completely say goodbye to the Roatan Vortex; it had consumed an extraneous amount of my time when I lived on the Island and became a chore, a job, a, I thought I had to turn it into a business thing.

But, the thing is–the Roatan Vortex was never intended or destined to be any of those things—the Roatan Vortex is a state of mind!

A bunch of years ago I coined a phrase, “the Roatan Vortex—it pulls you in and you’ll never want to leave!” and I’ve come to realize that I don’t have to physically be on the Island to feel and share the positive effects—to stay connected with my Roatan family and friends. Although I won’t be posting stories nearly as often as I used to I still will be occasionally stopping by to say hi and satisfy my craving to blog. Time permitting I will also be re-launching the Roatan Vortex Book with a new look but exactly same content as I originally wrote it, plus additional bonus features! The RV Book will be available at my new website CastleMuse as a FREE downloadable ebook format and the book (paperback) edition will be available on-line to purchase at cost plus (of course) shipping. I also will bring books to the Island and donate them as prizes for various fundraisers—Clinica Esperanza Sundae by the Sea, Familias Saludables Sundays at Bananarama and others.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
If you’re in no hurry and can wait for my re-release of the Roatan Vortex Book… please do. I’ll announce it here at Roatan Vortex.com You may find (what appears to be) the book in its original state available for sale on the Island and floating around cyber-space. Thing is, even though it’s all my content and my name is on it—it’s not the real deal!

Now I’m not asking you to take sides or anything, heck, I’ve got a couple of ‘knock-off’ outfits in my closet, have watched a few illegally copied DVD’s and the sunglasses I bought on the beach may have the ‘Gucci’ logo embossed on the rim… but they sure aren’t ‘Gucci’.

On page 265 of the Tiny Buddha, Simple Wisdom for Life’s Hard Questions—by Lori Deschene, she asked: “What can we control in life?”

My answer: “The absolute only thing we can control in life is how we respond to everything we have no control of.”—@roatanvortex

I’ve got a lot of great things going on in my life that require my full attention right now, and other than the couple of weeks I’m going to spend (with Steven) enjoying the glorious warmth and sunshine on Roatan this month, I plan on taking full advantage of the cold dreary weather to keep me focused on writing content and recording audio books for my new website CastleMuse; that’s where I’m building the foundation for my ‘castle in the air’ while maintaining a Roatan Vortex state of mind.

Where I live, on Roatan, when I open the door to the bedroom there is an ancient termite trail etched into the floor–it’s only a couple of months old, but will be there for evermore. Perhaps scrubbing with a wire brush and a harsh chemical concoction will remove traces of it, but for me, in my minds-eye I will always see it–and that makes me happy–there was a time that I had no idea what a termite trail was, or how it may look.

More than seven years ago I heard the word Roatan, I had no idea what that was, but I was intrigued–why? I don’t know–I just was. Thanks to modern technology, I was able to Google it, which was a challenge in itself since I had no idea how to spell it. When sites started popping up describing an Island, off the coast of Honduras, nestled in the Caribbean Sea–I had found Roatan.

At that time I had a home (in suburbia Ontario, Canada), a loving husband, adult children making their own way, three amazing grandsons, a rewarding career, a two car garage, and a house full of–stuff–what more could I want.

Fast forward a year or so, family and friends had gotten very tired of hearing me talk of this Island I claimed I would be going to live on. My husband gently reminded me, while using a tone suitable for telling a two year old, no matter how hard you wish it–you will never be able to fly. He had no idea why, and tried to keep me grounded, but, he accepted what it meant to me–and encouraged my dream becoming a reality.

A year after that, I lost my beloved husband, his final words to me, “I’ll find a way to get you there.” For the next year I gave no conscious thought to Roatan, or anything for that matter. And then I came back to life and realized Roatan was patiently waiting for me. I quit my job, sold my house and all that stuff, said goodbye to my family and friends, boarded a plane and moved to Roatan.

My first encounter: stepping down a set of stairs that doubled as the door of a prop plane, to be greeted by a wall of humidity beyond anything I had ever experienced before, exiting through the only gate, to an area teeming with taxi drivers vying for my attention, followed by a drive through lush jungle, crowding the only paved road, to a village called West End. Along the way I saw: chickens scratching along the side, stray dogs, entire families on scooters, children walking along the edge of the road (no adults watching over them), land-crabs challenging each and every vehicle, and a man riding a bicycle balancing a propane tank on the handlebars.

My accommodations, at the time, I described as quaint, and now describe as typical. Honduran pine from ceiling to floor, a fan spinning in each room, no glass windows–just screens with wooden slats (that only a few of them will close), tropical print sarongs used as table cloths and wall decorations, a kitchen full of rusty utensils, a can opener that didn’t work, and ants. The bedding smelled musty, air-conditioning cost extra, and the TV worked–but everything was dubbed in Spanish.

I really had no idea why… but I had found… home!

That was almost five years ago. I settled in the community of Sandy Bay, and learned how to battle bats, got used to making the mad dash in the middle of the night to close the wooden slats as a “Nor-Easter” roared in, did the heebee-jeebee dance when a tarantula landed on my head, and marvelled every moment at the hoards of hummingbirds and butterflies greeting me when I sat on the porch.

I eventually found a place to buy coat hangers, and came to know the best place to buy pillows and Nutella was at the hardware store. I sat on a curb (of sorts) handing out melting chocolates to local children while my neighbour and I waited for the guy to take our flat tire, by taxi, to be fixed after we had finished grocery shopping and found the vehicle un-derivable.

Ants, of all sizes and varieties, iguanas, monkey lalas, gecko’s chirping and pooping in my home became my norm, as did mosquitoes, sand fleas, and ticks. I never did get used to and will always check under my pillow when I go to bed–for scorpions!

Power goes out: fill buckets from the soon to be empty pipes, forget about checking Facebook, and go read a book by candlelight.

The ATM’s are empty or broken–no shopping today.

The road is under repair, or there is a marching band blocking the only route–oh well, go hang out on the dock until it passes.

The president has been removed (in his pj’s) all Hondurans cheer, knowing that he was going to set democracy back. Watch in disbelieve as the rest of the world condemns the rightful and just actions of the Honduran Government–Learned that the world media agencies settle for nothing less than sensationalism to broadcast–making it up or abandon the story when there aren’t enough people suffering and dying to boost their ratings.

Felt the full force of a major earthquake (7.3) jarring all inhabitants of Roatan awake in the middle of the night. I watched in horrific fascination as an easel back mirror walked across my loft bedroom, while my few wine glasses smash to the floor in the kitchen below, and I couldn’t walk a straight line to escape my cabana that I was sure would collapse around me.

Spent the day shopping with friends, stepping in deep puddles, finding fresh strawberries at one of the grocery stores–bonus! Only to later wonder if I hadn’t picked through the basket of strawberries perhaps we wouldn’t have been the victims of a head on crash that should have killed us all. Time to put the medical care of Roatan through the paces; broken bones, concussions, black eyes (that would do any boxer proud) torn ligaments, whiplash, and a host of other injuries, all treated with compassion, dedication, and a strong medical knowledge–even when there was no running water in the Emergency Dept. and you had to bring your own sheets to the hospital.

Buy oranges from a street vendor, the ugliest looking fruit I’ve ever seen, cut into one and try a taste… as the perfect orange flavour bursts in my mouth, I now know what an orange should taste like, it may not be pretty, but it is real. Mangoes, bananas, sweet peppers, and carrots, from the fruit and veggie truck, rice & beans with most meals, seafood, fish, chicken, Honduran beef and pork, and coconut milk.

I had no idea that I would learn how to slow down, and enjoy each moment for what it was exactly at that moment. Standing in line for hours to complete the simplest of tasks… oh well… bring a book to read while waiting, or better yet chat with friends also waiting their turn. Have a plan to get things done in the afternoon but abandon that when the call goes out to meet friends at the beach instead.

I had no idea how many lifelong friends I would make on Roatan; we became family. Together we celebrated special occasions and the simple art of getting together–just because. Speed dial on every cell-phone guaranteed no matter what’s needed the entire community would answer the call.

I got involved with various projects and programs: Public Hospital Benefit Concert, Miss Peggy’s, Familia Saludabas, The Roatan Daycare, The French Harbour Public Library, and most recently The Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program; and learned what really matters in life–I had no idea, but quickly discovered they gave me far more than I could ever give them.

On Roatan time stands still, while things change so fast. Five years ago the Roatan Vortex© pulled me in, I had no idea what laid ahead for me, and I thank the Universe every day for the gifts bestowed on me. I discovered a passion for writing, and sharing on Roatan Radio. And the time has come for me to take those passions to a whole new level, I’ve known that for some time now, but have been afraid to move forward and act on it. Then I went to Spain… and while there I found true love. I suspected I would, but resisted, after all to be with my love means I will have to leave Roatan, I will have to return to Canada and a way of life that is now foreign to me… How could I leave Roatan? How could I consider moving backwards instead of forging forward?

Sitting on the balcony of my hotel room in Malaga Spain, unsure what to do, a book that I had been meaning to read for some time fell out of my suitcase when I reached in for a sweater to ward off the cooling evening. I started to read “The Alchemist” the tale of a young man who embarks on a journey, in a quest to fulfill his destiny. He travels far from home, a specific location etched in his mind where his treasure will be found. Along the route he gathers experiences, makes lifelong friends, assists those he can, and learns from those who know more than he. Only to discover–being willing to take the journey–was the treasure!

I’m not going backwards returning to Ontario. I take great pride in the journey I took to Roatan; all that I’ve learned, all the strength in myself that I could have only found here, the lifelong friends I have made, and knowing that if I choose to come here again I will be welcomed with open arms.

The time has come for me to wind down Roatan Vortex©. Just like so many things that came my way as a direct result of moving to Roatan, I have loved sharing the Roatan I have come to know and love with everyone. But I have put off concentrating on writing memoirs and novels in order to keep up with Roatan Vortex©. The good news though is that I will be starting a new website devoted to my first completed novel, Family by Choice© and others that I am working on.

And while the focus won’t be exclusively Roatan, there will be a broader overview of life in general, I think you will enjoy what I’ll be offering, links to The Roatan Vortex© Breakfast Program, and the Roatan Daycare will be carried over to the new site too. I’m not completely leaving Roatan Radio either, we are in progress of setting up for DJ Genevieve to narrate audio books, which will be aired on Roatan Radio in instalments and posted on my new website. Name & layout of the new website, dates & times for the new radio show, and assorted other details are yet to be worked out. I will update you as I have the info.

The day I arrived on Roatan almost five years ago I knew no one, DJ Genevieve and Roatan Vortex© were unimaginable dreams. Now, they are a part of my reality, known by many, more than three hundred thousand people have visited the Roatan Vortex© website, and read my stories about life on Roatan at Honduras Weekly, Trip Atlas, The Latin America Travel Blogger E-Book, Hecktic Travels, Tiny Buddha, and others. Even Fodor is including a couple of roatanvortex© quotes in their 2011 Honduras & Bay Islands Gold Guide!

Thursday, December 1, is my going away party, The Roatan Vortex Reversal Party, at Infinity Bay Resort, hosted by Roatan Radio, all are welcome, even Vladislav is stopping by to see me off.

 

 Vladislav: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I’m happy, I’m at peace, and feel confident and strong about my decisions. Will there be hurdles, of course! Will I be freezing cold and my feet hurt squishing them in shoes & boots… oh yeah! Will I miss Roatan and everything it has meant to me–with all my heart–but I also know, I’ll be bringing the most important aspects of Roatan with me to Canada.

Listen in here to the final Roatan Vortex Hour Show broadcast live November 12, 2011 on 101.1 FM Roatan Radio.

This story can also be read at Honduras Weekly; retitled, I found Roatan

What did you have for breakfast today? That’s what I asked fellow Conference on Honduras attendees when I gave a presentation of the recently launched: Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program. The Conference was the 12th annual, held in Copan Ruinas, mainland Honduras. More than two hundred people attended the three day event, representing various organizations, or like myself, as an individual with an interest in participating in offering assistance to help the people of Honduras, help themselves.

I went on to ask, “Perhaps you had a croissant and glass of orange juice, a bowl of cereal, maybe you prefer something hardier to start your day, and go with the classic bacon and eggs.”

I then asked everyone, “How do you feel if you skip breakfast? You know those mornings when you’re running late, overslept the alarm, or looked in the fridge, the cupboard, glanced at the empty fruit basket on the counter… and realize you should have picked up a few groceries on your way home from work the day before…

So you head out, ignoring the grumbling in your stomach… you’ve got a lot on your agenda for the day… but somehow it just isn’t clicking… tasks that usually are second nature to you are daunting. Digesting what your Boss is saying isn’t happening… because your stomach is sending messages to your brain–give me some food to digest first, then you can listen to what your Boss is saying!”

We are all adults, have resources available to us, so we can choose to have breakfast (and be effectively productive) or we can choose to skip breakfast (and be less productive.)

But, what about children? Especially the children whose families don’t have the resources or funds to ensure their children have breakfast, before sending them off to school. Unfortunately, on Roatan there are a high percentage of children that is a daily reality!

Efforts are in place to ensure these children are benefiting from an education, but if they’re hungry how well are they able to digest what the teacher is instructing them on?

Numerous studies have shown that, “Missing breakfast and experiencing hunger impair children’s ability to learn.”
• Children who skip breakfast are less able to distinguish among similar images, show increased errors, and have slower memory recall.
• Children experiencing hunger have lower math scores.
• Behavioural, emotional and academic problems are more prevalent among children with hunger.

On the flip side: “Eating breakfast at school helps children perform better.”
• Children who eat breakfast at school–make fewer mistakes and work faster in math and number checking tests.
• Children perform better on tests of vocabulary and matching figures, after eating breakfast.
• Consuming breakfast improves children’s performance on demanding mental tasks and how they react to frustration.

The Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program, Roatan
I stopped by the Luisa Trundle School in Coxen Hole one day (a few months back) so that Val of Familias Saludables could give me the tour. I was very impressed with what I saw; well designed classrooms, a large courtyard, a play-ground with jungle gym equipment, and a sports-field–that the grass is now growing on thanks to the arrival of rainy season. I also noticed (what I would call in Canada) a Tuck shop, (known as a Comedor or perhaps Cantina here.) A few children were gathering around, purchasing snacks: junk food and soda pop.

I asked Val if nutritious foods were offered too, she let me know that the service was separate from the school, and although she had requested they did, the owners were supplying what the children were willing to pay for. She went on to say that it didn’t matter much since the majority of children attending the school couldn’t afford to purchase anything! And while some of the kids brought food with them to school, or ate breakfast before they came; quite a few of them had little, or NOTHING to eat most days.

You know how unexpected information stays with you–it swirls around in your head, day and night–until you act on it. All I could see in my mind’s eye was these amazing kids–wanting to learn–but some of them were coming to school–hungry! The scene had been set for them to have a future through an education–but hunger was denying them full benefit…

So I called Val, and asked if we could start a breakfast program at the school?

She immediately set to work; assessing costs, logistics, and ramifications–we had to revise the menu a few times; to stay within budget, and because it was (rightly) suggested that jumping right in to a full-fledge breakfast program could be overwhelming and confusing to the children and their parents.

How it works: Within a couple of weeks we were ready to go!

When the children arrive at school (between 6:30 and 7 AM) they are greeted (just inside the entrance to the courtyard) by grade 7 students manning the table; pouring glasses of milk, slicing the fruit of the day, spreading peanut-butter on toast or setting out healthy cookies or perhaps hardboiled eggs.

At first the children hesitated to take anything; fearing they would get in trouble when the time came to pay and they had no money. It took a fair bit of convincing that they didn’t have to pay–ever! The children are amazingly well disciplined in line–no pushing or shoving–some of them still are hesitant to take anything and have to be encouraged. The children who used to arrive just on time (or late) for class–are now coming in earlier too ensure they don’t miss out on breakfast.

There has been no need to control amounts–it seems to balance out that kids who are fed at home; either don’t take anything or take a small portion–while, kids who don’t get fed at home come back several times–it has also been noticed that occasionally a child will take something extra and hide it away for their lunch. That is totally okay and discreetly accepted.

To prepare for my presentation at the Conference on Honduras, I did some research to confirm the validity of operating a School Breakfast Program… Kind of like closing the barn door after the horse ran away. I was able to find many studies confirming that eating a nutritious breakfast improves the ability to learn.

I’m pleased to say, I did also find that many programs exist around the world–including developed countries. Unfortunately, I also found that although it is a known fact that children learn better with a full tummy–taking the initiative to set up programs is somewhat ignored, because the thinking is that it will be too costly to provide, and too difficult to organize and manage.

I’m proud to let you know they are wrong!

A need was realized and acted upon. Now, it helps tremendously to work with like minded people such as Val, and the staff, students and parents at Luisa Trundle School. Perhaps if a “proper study” had been done before launching the Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program, it wouldn’t have happened. I will admit as the sole sponsor, my only concern with proceeding was, “what if the funds run out before other contributors come on board?” I didn’t want to offer something that I would then have to renege on.

Fortunately, I ignored that little voice of doubt.

When potential food and milk suppliers were approached, their response couldn’t have been more positive: discounts on already well priced produce, half price milk, and dozens of eggs for less than a dollar a dozen–to name just a few. Keeping the menu flexible helps a lot as well, when ripe fruit and other foodstuffs such as day-old bread are donated. We all know that the best French-toast is made with stale bread.

And now you can participate too!

The funding and supplies are in place to complete this school year’s Breakfast Program; school ends mid-November in Honduras. The next school year starts in February, 2012. And while I will do everything possible to ensure the Breakfast program is ready to go the first day of class, your assistance could make the difference of it continuing.

Under the umbrella of the Dawn Land Foundation, tax deductable cash donations to the Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program can be made by clicking here. Just specify in an email to info(@)thedawnlandfoundation.com the intended use of the funds: The Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program.

While the Dawn Land Foundation has been in existence since 1990 and offers support to other worthy efforts, the Roatan Vortex Program is currently in process of being added to the website so will not appear yet as a separate tab–coming soon! That said, I personally guarantee that 100% of all monies received by Dawn land Foundation (on behalf of the Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program) will be transferred to Roatan for the purchasing of breakfast foods for the children that attend the Luisa Trundle School, Coxen Hole.

Absolutely none of the donations will be used for salaries, administrative purposes, or anything other than feeding the children Breakfast!

A wish list of food stuffs for visitors to bring with them when they come to Roatan for holiday will also be posted and updated regularly. Contact me here to arrange for pick up or where to drop off what you’re donating when you arrive on Roatan.

Number one on the list right now is Kraft peanut butter (very expensive to purchase on Roatan, and the kids love it best) and how easy would it be to bring a jar; in your checked luggage of course, or it will be confiscated at the airport–like my toothpaste is every time I travel!

Other items on the wish list include:

Ingredients suitable for making healthy cookies
• rolled oats
• wheat germ
• unbleached flours
• dried fruit (raisins, dates, apricots etc.)
• nuts, seeds, grains
- Granola bars (healthy & tasty ones please)
- Prepared cereals (healthy & tasty ones please)

Non-food stuffs we’re looking for:
- A juicer, to make real orange juice–not that sugary stuff pretending to be juice
- Reusable plastic cups and bowls
- Tea towels
- Mini snack-baggies
- Healthy, fun breakfast food recipes

The Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program, at the Luisa Trundle School, is the first one of its kind on Roatan–who knows–perhaps we can start a new trend!

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Val joined me on the Roatan Vortex Hour on 101.1 FM Roatan Radio.com to share her perspective of what is going on with the Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program on a daily bases, Saturday Oct 22, listen here to what she had to say.

 

 The Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I’m frequently asked for suggestions when visiting Roatan: accommodations, dining, attractions and entertainment. I even get asked about diving and snorkelling, which I’m not too helpful with, since I don’t do either. But, I have many friends on Roatan who do, and will gladly direct visitors to the people who I think can help them the most.

More often than not, I’m also asked—how can we help?

There are many opportunities to participate in helping the people of Roatan—help themselves. It can come in the form of: donating much needed supplies, volunteering your time while you are here, and/or, sharing your expertise: medical, technical, creative—whatever!

Living on Roatan, I’ve had the good fortune to get involved with various initiatives and see firsthand the positive impact they are having:

Roatan Daycare Center
Mission of the Daycare Center.
“Our purpose is to help children of working families learn and thrive, mentally, physically and emotionally.
Our program combines bilingual early education and nurturing childcare, with play, social skills, and a dedication to community. We provide a healthy environment within a safe and comfortable facility. This gives parents the ability to work with peace of mind, knowing their children are receiving the best of care. These parents work full time, as most live near or at the poverty level.”

Familias Saludables
“Familias Saludables is a non-profit, non-denominational organization devoted to fighting the AIDS epidemic on Roatan and the Bay Islands. Our major focus is on reducing the incidence of mother-to-child transmission of the virus both at birth and via breast milk. We run testing clinics for pregnant women, assign trained home visitors for mothers living with HIV/AIDS, provide education to the public, provide palliative training services and, when available, we provide infant formula, medications, and a host of supplies to support families struggling to cope with this disease. All of our services are free of charge and our staff consists solely of volunteers, both local and international.”

Clinica Esperanza
“From the apartment beneath her home – to donated space in the Son Rise Calvary Church in Sandy Bay – Peggy Stranges has given her life to building Clínica Esperanza, otherwise known as “Hospital Ms. Peggy.” Together, with Honduran physician Raymond Cherington, M.D. and Arizona-based physician Patrick Connell, M.D., and through the generous support from Roatán’s community leaders, Ms. Peggy has realized her dream of building a first class freestanding hospital.”

Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program
This one’s brand new, and I am thrilled to share with you! In conjunction with Familias Saludables (couldn’t do it without Val) and Louisa Trundle School—Roatan Vortex has launched a breakfast program for all the students at the school. When they arrive each morning, the first thing they are greeted by is a table (manned by the grade 7 students) where they are offered: a glass of milk, fresh fruit (of the day), and depending on the day: a healthy cookie, or toast with peanut butter, or perhaps a hardboiled egg.

I have so much more I want to too share with you about the program—it warrants a story all its own, and information on how you can participate. That will be coming soon; in the meantime here is a couple of: “Musings from a Breakfast Program.”

Positive reports from parents, teachers, and students. A hug this morning from a little girl who ate three eggs, but I know she doesn’t get food at home. She hugged me, and said, “breakfast was Delicioso!”

Today one of the grade six students had a seizure, and I took her to the hospital (don’t worry she turned out to be okay, she has epilepsy and missed her medication.) At the hospital, the nurse and the doctor asked her three times if she’d eaten breakfast. She kept saying yes, and I then asked why they were asking. They told me that almost every day they get some kid form school that faints from hunger. I was so proud to say our School had a breakfast program.

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There are many other on-going programs on Roatan and the mainland that are worth checking out, but finding them can be a daunting task—that’s where Project Honduras can help you out.

“projecthonduras.com is an alternative concept for development of Honduras based on using information and communications technology (ICT) to identify, mobilize and coordinate all the available human capital in Honduras and around the world. By “human capital”, we mean resources such as time, energy, expertise, experience, talent, and contacts… things that really only gain value when people become personally engaged.”

In addition to on-line support, and information; there is the annual Conference on Honduras:

“For the past eight years, Copán Ruinas has served as the site of an annual pilgrimage by people from all walks of life, various faiths, and different countries. The purpose of the pilgrimage has been to come together as a community to find ways to become more enlightened and learn how to work as One. The ultimate aim has been to better support the poor and underprivileged within Honduran society by empowering them through education, healthcare, and a variety of community building projects. And to do so in a positive spirit of compassion, harmony, and joy.”

Read the full story at Honduras Weekly – Pilgrimage to Copan.

I look forward to attending this year (October 6-8) where I will get the opportunity to meet people I greatly respect, to hear about their programs, and present the Roatan Vortex Breakfast program. I also will be reporting details back to 101.1 FM Roatan Radio;—Bringing Roatan to the World and the World to Roatan.

Perhaps you’re think you can’t offer enough to make a difference? Check out this story about Bennett; a five year old boy, who lives in Canada. He asked his friends coming to his birthday party to not bring presents for him, but for the children at the Roatan Daycare Center.

And remember… “If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito.” – Anita Reddick

 

 Thanks for Asking: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Sunday, August 21, Clinica Esperanza held the 5th annual “Sundae by the Sea” fundraiser.

“Clinica Esperanza’s mission has been the same since Miss Peggy started treating patients from her kitchen table in Sandy Bay 11 years ago: to offer the highest quality health care to everyone on the island, with no patient refused for lack of funds.”

For the large crowd in attendance, the afternoon included performances by Steel Pan Alley, and Bobby Rieman; a delicious island BBQ catered by Island Saloon; all served up under the palapa, next to the Caribbean Sea at Gumbalimba Park.

Tables lined the one side offering an opportunity to participate in a silent auction, a large selection of items; dinners, canopy tours, handmade jewellery, books, services, and more; generously donated by local businesses. A live auction had guests bidding on luxury week long stays at resorts, catered dinners, artwork, even a boat and motor were up for grabs.

Roatan Radio’s Captain Morgan in the Morning was on-sight sending live feeds to the 101.1 FM station in West End, ensuring that even those who couldn’t attend, no matter where in the world they were, could participate in the live auction, as DJ Calico Jack relayed the phone bids, and was the first to share the exciting news…

Just a month ago, Miss Peggy had to make an extremely difficult decision, and announced that Clinica Esperanza was closing immediately due to a year long delay attempting to secure the necessary licensing for the maternity & paediatrics expansion. It was suggested that the fifth annual Sundae by the Sea should be cancelled—no clinic—no need for a fundraising event—right? Wrong!

When word of the much needed and respected clinic closing reached the community (locally and internationally) efforts were launched to ensure Miss Peggy and her dedicated team could carry on. And it was with great pleasure at this year’s Sundae by the Sea; we witnessed Miss Peggy being presented with the licence!

This story can also be read at Honduras Weekly, retitled Miss Peggy gets her license

Started out harmless enough, strolling along a path, heading to the beach, minding my own business, when one of those pesky barbed end daggers, launched itself between my flip-flop and the tender underside of my foot.

Yes, I cursed! Pulled it out, and carried on, muttering under my breath as the assaulted area stung. Later that evening, I suspected the tip of the thorn was still imbedded; contorting my leg (in what I’m sure was an advanced yoga position—I don’t do yoga) I examined the bottom of my foot. Yup, there was something in there; I poked, and prodded in an attempt to remove it. When my hip protested the pretzel formation I had forced it to endure, in my infinite wisdom, I decided to leave it be—the remnant of thorn would work itself to the surface, and that would be that.

Well, that didn’t happen. With every step I took, the offending debris was pushed further in—not out. And once again, in my infinite wisdom, I chose to ignore it. Fast forward a couple of months (okay so I was in complete denial) I hobbled along, complaining to all that would listen, that there was a thorn in my foot and it hurt! More than once, it was suggested that I should go to Miss Peggy’s (Clinica Esperanza) and have that taken care of. I knew that, but had every excuse for why I didn’t have time; I am on such a tight schedule on Roatan, don’t you know. Finally—common sense kicked in and I went to the clinic.

Located at the top of a hill, in Sandy Bay, what once was Miss Peggy’s home (she ran the clinic out of her kitchen) has expanded to a full fledge, not-for-profit, medical facility; Miss Peggy and her team of dedicated staff and volunteers tend to the medical needs of all on Roatan.

Being the chicken that I am, when I approached the entrance, I was grateful for the welcoming and calming atmosphere. Children played on the jungle gym, their parents nearby, others sat on the wide front porch, fanning themselves. Inside, more clients sat in the neatly arranged waiting area, the air-conditioning negating the need to fan. Most were quick with a sincere smile and greeting, as was the receptionist, who took my information.

When it was my turn, I was led to a consultation room, where one of the volunteers checked my vital signs, noted them on a chart, and assessed what I would require; consulting with Dr Raymond, it was decided that more than a pair of tweezers were needed; he would personally tend to my treatment. I won’t go into the gory details, let’s just say… the thorn remnants are gone, as is the infection, that I had given free rein by letting it fester for so long… the necessary excavation was then closed with five stitches!

Once again relying on my infinite wisdom, I devised a secret plan that as soon as Dr Raymond was finished, and before the freezing wore off, I would go grocery shopping, and take care of a few errands. Fortunately, (although I didn’t think so at the time) Dr Raymond is a mind reader. He handed me a blanket and a pillow, turned off the light, and as he exited the room said, “Have a good nap, see you in a couple hours.”

“But, but, but, I’ve got things to do before the freezing wears off!” I protested.

“I know—that’s why you’re staying right here.” He smiled and closed the door.

I’m regularly asked how I could risk giving up “First World” healthcare when I moved to Roatan—thing is—the best care I’ve ever gotten is on the Island of Roatan. A dedicated team of trained professionals take care of my medical need with compassion and a true commitment for the well being of ALL the people of Roatan—even those like me, whose infinite wisdom is solely lacking.

Please visit the Clinica Esperanza website for more information on what they offer, and details of the upcoming 5th annual “Sundae by the Sea” at Gumbalimba Park; all proceeds directly benefit the ongoing efforts to provide quality healthcare to all on Roatan.

This story can also be read at Honduras Weekly; retitled, Miss Peggy’s First World Clinic in Honduras.

I’ve been pretty busy the past while, and most has been very enjoyable, mind you… being busy isn’t a way of life I’m accustom to anymore since making the move to Roatan.

Speaking of moving, recently I’ve done just that. I’m still on Roatan (of course I am) but I’ve changed things up quite a bit—hey a change is good. Mona’s okay with the new digs, settled in fairly quickly, Baby on the other hand is not so sure, he’s trying to decide if he should risk using up one of his nine lives to go exploring.

One of the best things about living on Roatan is meeting new friends, and sharing all Roatan has to offer with them.

We went on a day trip to the east end of the Island, celebrated a marriage vow renewal, let the guys cook dinner, and got donations (from ECR4Kids, distributed by the Roatan Daycare) delivered to the Luisa Trundle School.

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Speaking of the Luisa Trundle School, I’m ecstatic to announce that the Roatan Vortex Breakfast Program was launched this week!

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Celebrating Canada Day, and the wild and wonderful antics of another Sand Road Hockey Tournament added to the fun! Video of Hockey Tourney coming soon.

Once again a great time had by all, with proceeds going to Sol Foundation.

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Somehow I managed to push the right buttons to record my most recent Roatan Vortex Hour on 101.1 FM Roatan Radio.com

 

 Story Time: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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And the ultimate spectacular keeping me busy was when my son Jeff, daughter-in-law Jumana, and amazing, super-duper grandsons – Zain, Aaqil, and Kaisan came for a visit!!!

Yah, there has been a lot going on and each warrants a full story here on Roatan Vortex, and time permitting I’ll get them posted. In the meantime you can check out pictures on Roatan Vortex on Facebook.

Take your time… I’m going to go on a little vacation of my own now, I’m off to Canada for a few weeks to visit with family and friends, catch a movie or two with my mom, hang out with my sister, and relax… I admit, I’m a little tired, but I’ll be baaack!

So I moved to a tropical island and a hockey game broke out! As the temperature hovered close to 90 F with nary a cloud in the sky and the humidity around one hundred percent, the spectators filed in, some had paid extra for box seats, and/or to watch on the big screens at the bar… not! The team members donned their uniforms and took to the… sand!

The ice… I mean, sand had been diligently prepared by dedicated volunteers for the first annual hockey tournament on Roatan; boards in place, the surface raked and watered down to cut the dust, state of the art goals (nets) assembled, and one red traffic cone at each end of the rink to discourage vehicles, pedestrians, and scooters from coming through, which helped somewhat, but there were game interruptions when somebody would yell… CAR!

The penalty box (also known as the public washroom) was only called into use once during the entire tournament; I don’t think there was anybody who wanted to be a referee. Of the six teams that played, one team consisted of female hockey players (the Lil Puckers), and although they didn’t win the cup, they sure gave the guys a run for their money, and had the best, original uniforms too.

Speaking of cups… one incident did indicate that the guy’s uniforms (or lack thereof) should have included some form of protection, other than that though, pleasantly surprised there were no serious injuries to players or spectators. The slap shot from John C that bounced off my head while I was taking pictures doesn’t count since I was stupid enough to get to close for the perfect shot… literally. And the players, well, they were looking a little scraped up, noticed a few duct tape bandages by the end of the day, and the majority of them were moving a little slower as the tourney wound down.

All the great action of sand road hockey aside, the highlight of the day’s events was when the Zamboni (Sandboni) took to the ice, I mean, sand… you know what I mean.

But just like the players taking a dip in the Caribbean Sea between games, there wasn’t much typical about Hockey on Roatan, other than it brought together good friends, to have great fun… and that’s definitely typical of Roatan!

Congratulations to the winning team: The Cocolobo’s

Lots of pictures of all the action can be seen here: Sand (Road) Hockey Tourney
Proceeds from the Tournament went to SOL Foundation—Developing Nations, one child at a time.

Special thanks to Bonnie and Ron, Lisa and Stu, sponsors: Cocolobo, Sundowner’s, and 101.1 FM Roatan Radio.com. Hockey sticks and replacement blades donated by: Toni, John, and Mary Mollica, Donna and Ed Cotnam; which were shipped to Roatan courtesy of Sunwing Charters, and thanks to Larry Avery (please confirm I got your name right) for donating road hockey ball for the tourney, poster design courtesy of PhunkiMonkey Designs.

The next Sand (Road) Hockey Tournament will be July 1st, Canada day, in front of Sundowner’s, West End, Roatan… you’re not going to want to miss it!

More teams, sponsors, equipment (specifically more hockey sticks and Gatorade drink mix powder) and prize donations, and spectators welcome!!!

No wait… that already exists. Good thing I created the Roatan Vortex Forum instead.

Now, so far I am the only member (compared to the Wrestling Forum which has over 170,000 members and close to 5 million posts) but hey, you’ve got to start somewhere.

There are forums out there that include discussions about Roatan, so why the Roatan Vortex Forum?

Some are geared toward vacationing on Roatan, or at least sub-categories are: Trip Advisor. Others focus on the life of an Expat Abroad: Expat Forum, again, you have to search for a sub-category specific to Roatan (good luck finding Roatan.) And then there are those that are for a community of people who share a common interest: Diving forums.

The time has come to pull them together in one really simple, easy to use, minimal rules (don’t even like the word), location.

Visitors, Newbies (recently moved to Roatan), Expats: Roatan SME’s (Subject Matter Experts) unite! Let’s talk about Roatan!!!

Who Can Post?
Everyone! Just remember to keep it about Roatan—except for the “Just Because” category. You will have to register to contribute; if you’d rather not add your two cents worth, you are still welcome as a Guest and can peruse the forum all you want.

This is where I’m supposed to give you the rules of posting, but, you’ll know if what you posted wasn’t acceptable (rude, crude, nasty, or possible infringement of copy-right material etc.) because as the Moderator, I’ll delete it.

Questions? Don’t be shy, ask away!
So it’s happening… the Roatan Vortex is pulling you here! You are very excited, but wait… Where should you stay? What about the snorkelling and diving? Will you see Seahorses? Dining options? Transportation? What cruise port will you arrive at (there’s more than one?) And the ever popular: are there bugs, is it safe, and will it rain when I’m there? Go ahead ask all you want! The more specific and the less likely a crystal ball is needed to answer, the more responses you will get.

Write a review! We want to hear all about it… really!
You visited Roatan, and had a blast! Be sure to share with everyone; what you saw, where you stayed, and how much fun you had!!! If something wasn’t to your satisfaction we want to know about that too.

Roatan SME’s and Newbies, you know best!
Living on Roatan? Want to share a great place to dine, a business that we should know about? Tell us all about it. Feel free to share your Roatan businesses and links here too.

Please note: Specific details or names of individuals involved; surrounding dissatisfaction are best shared via direct email contact, rather than on this forum (sorry, another rule.)

Coming soon: There will be a handy dandy form for sharing your Roatan experience; in the meantime just tell us all about it right here!

Roatan – Home Sweet Home
So you want to move to Roatan, great idea! I’m sure you have questions: What are the educational options for my kids? Can I buy lactose free milk? Can I bring my pets? What about volunteering? The sample questions I have included are pretty vague… remember, the more specific, the more answers you’ll get.
And if you’ve made the move to Roatan, you can answer some of them. You’ve already started sharing on “The Insider’s Guide for Moving to Roatan” which if any of your suggestions are used in the soon to be released book: your reward is my undying gratitude… only!

Just Because!
Do you ever wonder why? I have questions about those truly important things in life; what’s in marshmallows that make them taste like—well—marshmallows? Are hermit crabs born with a starter shell? Why are there speed bumps on bumpy roads? And why the heck can’t I snap my fingers?

Sometimes I just want to know; what was your favourite toy when you were a kid? What makes you smile? The name of a book that you think I might enjoy?

This is the place to ask and answer those important questions. You can even talk about wrestling here… if you really want to!