Carribean Dreams? More like Carribean Nightmare!

Our apartment building is called "Caribbean Dreams." We have 2 apartments in a complex that was built this past April. However, they are falling apart right and left! Pipes are leaking, toilets don't flush, the circuit breakers are always popping, and the water tank is always running out. Last night the water ran out while I was washing my hair. I had to go next door to the Mills house to rinse off. Since the showers run on electricity, Andi and I have been shocked when we turn the shower off. The shower also has a tendency to smoke and spontaneously spit out water even when it is off.

There is not much else to report this week. Diving has been a blast! I finally mastered the skill of removing and replacing my mask under water without inhaling the ocean! The reefs are beautiful and we've seen so many interesting aquatic creatures. Tuesday all nine of us (4 Webers plus 5 Mills) are going scuba diving together for the first time. We are renting an under water camera and will post the pics here in the future.

Adios for now,
Lori


DIVE PHOTOS NOW POSTED BELOW!!!!!!!


Dive Parrots!


Putting our gear together.


With Tatiana (our wonderful dive instructor
and Parrots owner) who sadly couldn't go with us
this time since she blew her eardrum on a dive
a few days earlier.


Heading out to sea.


Getting ready to descend! The Caribbean
waters are SO clear.


Buddy Team #1 - Lori and Andi.


Buddy Team #2 - Bonnie and Leah


Buddy Team #3 - Kathryn and Amanda


Buddy Team #4 - Mrs. Mills and Stephanie.


Trumpet Fish.


Coral and Danielle (our divemaster).


Divers everywhere!


Surface interval break.


Andi's 12th birthday.


Goofing off between dives.


Our best attempt at an underwater pyramid.


The birthday card Tatiana made for
Andi from the staff at Parrots.


Lori - Floating like Buda.


Leah is extra confident under the
water. No need for the mask or
regulator.


Kathryn, floating upside down.

Weber Sisters (minus one) - Kathryn, Lori,
Leah.


Mills Sisters - Andi, Amanda, Bonnie,
Stephanie.


Unloading the boat.

This week in Utila- by Kathryn

I am continually intrigued by the Utilan culture. Things are so different from the US. For example, last night, they had a parade through the streets, complete with a marching band. These parades have been happening at random times. The first week we got here there was one at 5am. I think it is in preparation for their independence day which is September 15.
I am occasionally annoyed by some of the things people do here, though. A few people in particular. Our neighbors find it convenient to blare their music at all hours of the night. They have it so loud that what we hear sounds like a normal volume. I can only imagine how loud it is for them. It wouldn't even be quite so bad if I didn't have to get up early for a morning dive. And since there is no one to complain to about the noise, I began praying for the next best thing. A power outage. I never thought I would ever pray for a power outage in my entire life. I love electricity and I miss having it to power AC. But that is beside the point. we did get a power outage last night. Lori and I were so happy we went to go to bed. But as soon as we laid down, the power was back on and so was their music, louder than ever.
Diving was as amazing as I thought it would be, or would have been if I hadn't been sick. Breathing under water is awesome. The regulator sounds like Darth Vader. The fish swim all around you. You are in another world. Our second dive site yesterday was called the Moonhole. We got to do all sorts of flips and tricks. We even did some matrix moves. The Mills will be going with us on one of our fun dives where we will take pictures. Sadly though, the rest of our dives have been postponed since Tatiana, our wonderful dive instructor, blew out her eardrum on one of her dives. She has to go to La Ceiba for surgery. Pray that the surgery will go well and her ear will get better.
I got to play the piano at VBS this week. Even though there is a language barrier, music is universally understood. Even at church, where I don't understand much, I understand music. A lot of songs are the same as in the States.
Well my time is up. I hope everything is going well in the States and that nobody is getting hit to badly by all the hurricanes.
Until Next time, Hasta la vista baby.

Here are some pics:


"Leah wants to eat grapes with Kathryn."


Leah jumping off the dock at
Parrots Dive Center.


After swimming.


Crabs are to Utila as Fire-ants are to Texas!


Nightime walk to the beach.

UPDATE! Independence Day (September 15th) photos now posted :)


Trying to stay cool watching the parade.


Kids walking in the Independence Day Parade.


This little girl loved Mrs. Mills' hat.


Amanda labeled the parts of the body on Leah
in Spanish. She proudly wore them on her body
all day.


Climbing up the Utila water tower.


View from the top of the water tower.


Watching fireworks.


Resting in the "bunk hammocks" after a long
day.

Another Week's Gone By!

We've had another packed week! Spanish is going well . Kathryn and I hope to understand enough to navigate our way through Spain in November. We've been attending a Spanish speaking church with the Mills. This week we've been assisting the Mills with a Children's Evangelism Fellowship Bible school. It's interesting to see the laid back culture in comparison to the States. The church has a volunteer who picks up 30 kids per load (2-14 years old) in the back of a pickup truck. We've had an average of 60 kids each night. The final program tonight will include songs by the kids, a potluck dinner, and a viewing of the Jesus Film.

We finally started our dives yesterday! Leah is now a certified Jr. open water diver. Kathryn and I have 2 more dives to be PADI certified. Our dive master, Tatiana, has been wonderful - she is very energetic, patient, and encouraging. She even has me thinking about the advanced certification course- a major accomplishment considering I was hesitant to dive in the first place. The underwater view is amazing! We saw a shipwreck, lots of fish, coral, a Great Baracuda (AHHH!), and dolphins when we surfaced from the dive.

More updates as things happen. We are hearing the wireless will be back up on the 15th. Yay!
-Lori and girls

Bible School Pictures:

Listening to Amanda tell a story.


Volunteering to say the memory verse.


Hanging out after VBS.


Loading the kids into the car.


Truck load of kids leaving.

Hey everyone. Its been a while since I've posted so I thought I would give a quick update. Utila is amazing, though very different from the way we live in the US. I am learning tons of Spanish, helping at VBS , and keeping busy with many other things. Tomorrow is our first SCUBA dive!!! I can't wait. We will be posting more as well as uploading pictures if they ever fix the wireless internet. But for now I have to pay for it by the half hour which is almost up. So next time I will post more details about the happenings of Utila. Also we will be making a music video about life in Utila, so stay tuned.
Until next time.
Kathryn

Our First Week In a Nustshell

Internet is still hit or miss. We've been assured that they are working on the problem. Monday we started Spanish school. Mom and I are together and Kate and Leah have a different teacher. We've learned a lot already and our brains are on overload! We woke up at 5:30am monday morning with the school band marching down the street along with all the roosters crowing.

Wednesday we started scuba with our instructor, Tatiana. We love her! She is going slow since we are busy with Spanish. Our first confined water dive (at a beach) will be at the end of next week! I took mom's stitches out on Thursday so a week to heal with steri-strips and she should be ready for the water! (For those who didn't know, mom had a 2 inch incision to remove skin cancer.)

Instead of Spanish class on Wednesday, our instructors took us to the Cuevas (the caves). After a 2 mile walk to the other side of the island we crawled on our hand and knees for 10 minutes. Finally we came to an open area the size of a living-room. Then we could stand! We cooled off in a tiny fresh water pool in the cave. In order to see we carried candles and flashlights. We tried to avoid touching the giant spiders while dodging the flying bats! (If you watch Lost - the spiders looked like the one that paralyzed Niki and Pablo!) Afterward, we heard there are snakes in the cave as well...thankfully they did not make an appearance!

Thursday we experienced our first Utila blackout. No fans, no water, and no lights! Electricity is very expensive here so we don't use A/C. We use one light in the house, otherwise flashlights or lanterns. Fans are a necessity as it is in the 90s and very humid (105 heat index). Bodies and clothes are constantly drenched from sweat, sunscreen, and bug spray. Water must be filtered - we have socks over the spigots to remind us not to use them.

Well, our internet time is up. Other than extreme heat and bugs we are having a great time learning a new language, culture, scuba diving, and visiting with the Mills. Pictures to come ASAP!
Until next time,
Lori and gang


Vamos a la cuevas!


The caves are not toilets.


Heading into the caves into the opening
directly behind the ladder.


Andi leading the way!


Crab walking into the caves.


Exploring the caves.


How many can fit in a tiny fresh water pool?


We survived the caves!



This parrot speaks English and Spanish.


Chillin' in hammocks while the others snorkle
at sandstone.


Taking mom's stitches out.


Hanging out at parrots dock after scuba class.

Still Doing Great!

Will update more later...internet has been down due to storms. Once the wireless is back up we will post more pictures and blog some more.
Hasta Luego!
The Weber Family

First pics on the island:


Snorkeling!


Making tortillas.


Trying to stay cool with a frozen tin box.


Hanging out after school.


Sunset from the bridge.