that time during the military coup

I don't even know where to begin. How do you describe what life is like on a Caribbean island, scuba diving every day, discovering the amazing world of the ocean, during a military coup?

We couldn't be more removed while being this close to what's been going on. It has been a roller coaster ride on a daily basis. At first, we didn't really feel the severity of it. Then they imposed a curfew which stung as almost everyone is used to going out and staying out late and when you suddenly have to be at home by 9pm, it turns things around a bit. But it hasn't been lost on us that our petty inconvenience of having to obey a curfew is nothing compared to what it must be like in the capital, Tegucigalpa. I can't imagine having to negotiate through crowds of thousands, barricades, military patrols, etc. One thing that has been frustrating is the lack of information. The Honduran news on television has been in and out, being cut off at any moment. For example, the day the 'former' president Zelaya tried to fly back to Honduras, there was news coverage and then it just suddenly cut out. Luckily for the island, there is consistent internet access so people have been checking on a daily basis, reading New York Times or CNN online, ironically going to American news sources to find out what's been going on down here.

We really had a few panicked moments when we found out the curfew on Sunday was at 6:30pm. And we heard it was because Nicaraguan troops had mobilized and were at the border. Later we find out that that wasn't quite the case, but it gives you an idea of how jumbled the information has been. Rumors and speculation had taken over everyone's conversation; I heard the borders are closed; well I heard they're only closed to commercial traffic; well I heard the airport is closed; yeah, I heard the ferry isn't even running to the mainland; I'm going to go check the ferry; I'm going to call so and so to find out this and that; are the buses running?; what's happening? And the BEST part about all it is while we frantically change the channels on the TV in our communal kitchen to try to find any, ANY, news station, what do we see? Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson. Yes, he is still dead. No, really, still. Actually, in breaking news, MJ is still dead.

That is not to say that we didn't feel the energy of the world's sadness over his death down here. Right before the military coup action, there was a MJ night at one of the bars, and I swear there hasn't been a better dancing night here. Looking at the ‘headlines' for his funeral, I get goose bumps just thinking about how shocking it must have been, and completely understand why it's all over the news. But at the same time, I'm in Honduras, trying to play it cool, calm, and collected while the threat of invasion has not yet fully subsided. I know about as much about the conflict as anyone reading about it in the newspapers at home, maybe even less. Thank heavens for scuba diving.

I remember being in college wanting to take the scuba certification course they offered at the rec center. I never did, but it has been calling me for a while. I've always been fascinated by the fact that 70% of the earth is ocean, and yet we've only 'discovered' 3% of it. There is a point in the ocean that Mt. Everest would fit in and there would still be over 6,000 feet of water above it.

During one of my dives the other day, we were swimming along this coral wall, swam up over it, and it just drops into a deep blue abyss. Swimming around not being able to see the surface and not being able to see the bottom is an incredible feeling. One of my other favorite dives so far was swimming around a ship wreck 110 feet down, at night. We saw an octopus swimming through part of the ship. I also turned off my flash light in defiance of my absolute terror, let myself surrender to being completely immersed in black 100 feet under water. It quite a different sensation than standing at the top of a mayan pyramid or helping a student type their letter to their mentor, nothing like I would've imagined, but exactly where I need to be.

I set out on my travels with the mission to see the world and volunteer. I still have that goal, but as I realize going on 6 weeks on this island, this experience is as valuable to my identity quest than anything I might have envisioned. Being able to study the physics, physiology, equipment, and theory more in depth doing the divemaster training program is fascinating. I am scuba diving every single day and am about to reach my 60th dive. I've met so many incredible people here. And while my urge to move on is slowly starting to creep up on me, I'm enjoying this 'reality' and the sides of me it has tugged out while it lasts. I get to be on a boat and swimming like a fish through the sea every day. I go to bed on average at 1am (except for the recent curfew days. We all have caught up on some sleep because of it. The curfew was extended to 10 last night and we felt like 8 year olds whose parents are letting them stay up an extra hour to finish the movie.) I haven't been this tan in years.

I also live in a room that has been as hot as 94 degrees with only fans for ventilation. I share a shower and toilets where the drainage system goes through a hole in the floor. Everyone here shares a kitchen with only two burners on the stove working, and, for god only knows what reason, an average of two forks available at any given time. There are hardly any tourists on the island right now, for obvious reasons, so business is down, but the circumstances make those of us who are left the closest of friends, practically family. So give and take.

I must admit, however, that never have I been more homesick on this trip than I was on the 4th of July. Knowing everyone back home is at barbecues, parties in the park and in people's backyards, pool parties, fireworks and ice cream, while looking forward to a 8pm curfew not knowing which way the conflict was going to go was a tad much. Why am I telling you all of this? Because as awesome and incredible as my experiences have been and I wouldn't trade them for anything, they are the ups and downs of traveling. From the petty ache of craving a food back home all the way up to earthquakes and military coups, it's not always paradise. But I do love it.