Anthems of Noll

It's official. I've entered into the "culture shock" phase of my experience here in La Ceiba. I'm able to recognize this change because I am aware of the 4 different stages of one's experience abroad in a culture  with which they are unfamiliar, including: - the "honeymoon" stage: where everything is new, exciting and overall great - the "culture shock" stage: where everything isn't as great as it first seemed, you start to notice little (or big) things that are not "normal" in your own culture, or that you're not used to having to deal with back home - the "negotiation" stage: where you start to accept the differences in your new culture and try to embrace them as contributing to your unique experience, while starting to create a new niche for yourself - the "mastery" stage: where you've finally gotten into your "groove," you feel like you know your new home quite well and are confid...

My first week  at CREDIA, el Centro Regional de Documentación e Interpretación Ambiental, has been a very full one. So far, I've helped my boss JD with the revision of a chapter in the informe, or report, that will be sent to the EU to prove that their funds have, in fact, been used to develop beneficial environmental projects. The office space that I share with my coworkers is gorgeous, surrounded by a lush garden with avocado, mango and mangosteen trees, along with many other tropical plants. We've already taken advantage of the papaya tree in our garden to make smoothies and juices. I love having such easy access to fresh fruit and knowing exactly where they came from. It reminds me of FBC's community shared agriculture (CSA) garden, where we could gather all the ingredients we needed for the meal we were about to prepare. It's too bad they don't have any kale here, as I was starting get used to the idea of having the leafy super-vegetabl...

October is one of my favourite months of the year. I love the cool air, the changing red, yellow, orange and green colours of the leaves and the pixelated blend they create in the distant landscape. This year was special. Once again, I got to celebrate my dad and sister's birthdays at the same time. While last year we were in France having rabbit, foie gras, cheese and wine, this year's sushi and pizza in Montreal was just as memorable, if not more, because this time we were at "home," not on the go in a far away country. Apple-picking and baby goat-catching are also fond memories. I loved wearing my fall jacket, newly-crochet'd hat and llama wool gloves, especially because I knew that I could trade them off for T-shirts, a fedora and sandals within the next 48 hours. Now that I am in my new bungalow home in La Ceiba, I am wishing I could go back to a place where I didn't have to sit half-naked in my room with no fan while peeling my limbs from my bedsheet...