Big Dog on Campus

WOAH! I can't even believe how much has happened since my last post. I can't even believe I have only been in Honduras a week! Explaining everything that happened since my last post would take an unbearably long time, both for you and for me. So instead, I thought I would try and list off the highlights and fill in details where I can. Since I last left you I have...

Been diving everyday. Usually I make two dives, sometimes three a day. Its pretty tough. I just hit my 40th overall dive today, making me eligible to begin my Dive Master course. I won't start until next Monday though as I am doing my rescue course this week.

I have dove to 100 feet (that's pretty deep folks) and to a shipwreck at 95 feet. The wreck was the Haliburton, a cargo ship that sunk off the point right outside the harbor here. It was a pretty cool wreck to go to and is probably my favorite or second favorite dive site here. We got to swim through the bridge which was really cool. There was even a bike chained to it! This place and bikes right?!

Good to know right? Mom and Dad, I'd ask you get my coffin here if I die while diving.

I did a night dive. While not my first night dive (I did two while diving the Channel Islands in August), it was certainly a cool one. It was a part of my Advanced Open Water course so it was a little more structured than my last night dives, but cool nonetheless. I am looking forward to more to come.

I swam with dolphins. Yup, swam with them. After we surfaced from a dive we spotted them a little ways away so we motored over to them and threw on fins and snorkels and slid into the water. It was a moment where I had to get over one of my biggest fears in life: boat propellers. More on that later. After we slid into the water we just had to look down and watch as a pod of about 35 dolphins streaked underneath us, clicking away. The started swimming in the wake produced by the bow of the boat so the captain just motored tight circles around us so we could see them. It was pretty incredible to see these animals up close. It was also excruitiating for me to be able to see the propeller of the boat so clearly as it made circles around us. I am not sure why but propellers are one of my biggest fears and hearing them and seeing them just make my skin crawl. This was quite an experience and has started the process of me getting over that. Started.

I went to a huge party...and survived. Juicy, a Utila resident of a year and a half, is leaving in a few days and so the staff of UDC (Utila Dive Center) decided to throw him a party at the house of two of the instructors, Declan and Sarah. Sunday, after making two morning dives, one of which was to the wreck, we all piled into the UDC boats and took a short jaunt to a part of the island that is only accessible by boat. It is here that Declan and Sarah live and let me tell you, they have it gooooooood. Their house is gorgeous and sits right on the water, not fifty feet from a dive site. You can't have a better view, let me tell you. And their nearest neighbor is several hundred yards away, so you feel all alone. Everyone grabbed a beer and hopped into the 15 by 15 foot pool. Next thing I knew, thirty people were in the pool and the music was bumping. There were probably close to 60 people there and over the next couple of hours we devoured our way through delicious food, nearly $600 (US dollars) of beer, rum, and tequila, and endless dance tunes. I've got to say, for a college student who can count the house parties attended on two hands, I had an absolute blast. Something about the vibe was completely different than most things like that which I have experienced. The point wasn't "let's just get drunk and do dumb things". Instead it was a bunch of people getting together to celebrate the joys of living. It may sound like I am trying to sugar coat it or make it into something its not but I truly think that it was different than any party I have ever seen or experienced before. No doubt, people were drunk. But everyone was also drunk on the simple joys of life; being around fun people and being able to laugh and eat and dance to their hearts content while being exactly who you are and not an ounce different. To the outsider, it certainly would have looked like Cancun during Spring Break '09. In fact, you can likely track down a few confused divers who witnessed it. Midway through the party the Utila Agressor showed up, a Live Aboard dive boat that charters to the wealthier divers that want to dive the area. For some reason the captain chose the dive spot directly in front of the house, and boy did we let them hear it.We watched as divers in full gear stopped at the back of the boat and just stared before jumping into the water. It was pretty hilarious.
I left the party elated and feeling like I was starting to find my place here, a place that might be extremely hard to leave. Everyone welcomed me with open arms and we spent the whole day laughing and having a blast. What better introduction to a dive shop and the people you will be working around? I can't think of one!

 And finally... I rented a place! I was getting sick of the dorm room living in the Mango Inn, even though it was an awfully nice hostel.

Not so bad right? My room was straight ahead!

Despite being really nice, I knew I would have to move out at some point and so, once the four person room filled up to capacity, I decided to make that happen sooner rather than later. Finding a place to live was amazingly easy. I called a guy "Mike" that knew where places were open and he motored me around on his Moped to several different options. My biggest hang up was whether or not to get a kitchen with my room. It amounted to a nearly $200 a month difference in price, so I opted to go without. Eating out is about the same price down here, and I have become friends with a couple of girls that have a kitchen. I earned some goodwill last night by bringing ice cream and wine to dinner, so I think I'll get another invite :-)
In renting my apartment, I managed to un-gringo myself. Mike showed me a place that I walked by each day on my way to the UDC and after seeing the room I was told it was $250 a month. Early in the week I had walked by and noticed a sign that said $200 for a room. Hmmm. After Mike showed me around I told him I would think about it and decided to walk back to the Carribbean Dreams and talk to Rita, the landlady, myself. When I asked her, she said that she generally gives discounts for staying over a month and would give it to me for $200 a month. Score one for the non-gringo!!

The street outside my apartment (room), which is on the left through the two red poles.

Its small but pretty comfy.

Guests will be limited...

I am really happy with my place. It is three minutes from the UDC, a minute from a great bakery, across the street from a small grocery type store, and it has a fan and internet. What more could a guy ask for? Not much, I'll tell you what. It is cozy and gives me a place to relax on my own, sleep, and study when I need to.

The bakery where I get cinnamon rolls! Mmmmmm.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I found out that by doing my DM training with the UDC, I get free diving for life with them. FREE! FOR LIFE!!! That means that no matter when I come back here, I can go out on the boats and dive. I was blown away by that. It literally made me reconsider my future. I might have to extend my stay anyways, but this is making me consider coming back after the holidays. Why the hell not? I can live here and dive for free? Force a man into the tough decisions why don't ya! It also means that I would really suggest that anyone with an urge to dive come join me here on the island, for a week, for two, for a month. And I truly mean that. I've got a queen bed, so there is space for one person. The Mango Inn gives free housing for a set number of days if you do classes with the UDC and you'll get some free dives as well with your classes. And it ain't expensive, to dive here, to live here, even to get here. So for those of you who want to dive, I suggest you send me an email stat and tell me when to expect you. Opportunities like this don't come along just every day! If you are stupid enough to need more enticement...

Did I mention I've seen that every single day since being here? Oh yeah, and Whalesharks and Dolphins. I am going to stop because if you aren't convinced that Utila needs to be on your to do list by now, well I've got nothing.
Anyways, I hope that has more or less caught everyone up! I am starting my rescue class so things are starting to get real. Reading and homework again! Hopefully it won't be as long until my next post but I can't make any promises. I mean, I am living in paradise here!

Sharks aren't necessarily in my paradise but otherwise, sounds about right!

I am off to trivia night at the UDC. Time to test my chops and see if that college degree was worth it or not!

Until next time, much love from the diving, salty, tan, and ultimately, pretty damn happy, gringo!

For the boys...