Meet me in St Louie

A lot has changed since I last put something on here (which was about 6 months ago now...oops) so I figure it's time to at least write a brief update. My time in Alaska was wonderful, in fact, it was the best summer in Skagway so far. Why? Well, the weather was a lot better! But I also had friendships grow deeper with those I knew from years prior, and I got to meet some pretty amazing new friends as well. My tour-guiding came to a halt when I took a job as a brakeman (if you don't know what this is, just think of a conductor--it's relatively the same) and I enjoy that position much more. I'm pretty sure I'll be heading up north in the summer for at least the next couple years.

Now I'm living in St Louis, not quite the beauty of Alaska, but a good city none the less. I am enjoying living close to by brother again (which hasn't happened in over a decade!) and playing around with my nephew whenever I get the chance. My classes start in January full time at Covenant Seminary and I'm only getting more excited as time proceeds. For now, I'm enjoying the break, filling my time with writing music and studying Greek.

I could write a book just on God's faithfulness to me over the past 6 months, and another book on all the things He's taught my heart along the way--but this is a brief update and I'll keep it that way for now.

Alaska Bound

In a few days I pack my bags and head north for another season in Alaska working aboard the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway. The past couple months at home have been beneficial and productive which is all I can ask. I've spent some time recording music and working on a hymn project of old hymns I've rewritten. (If you want a taste of that rough project, check out www.myspace.com/paulranheim). Anyways, the reason why I write is to say if you are coming to Alaska (perhaps on a cruise), be sure to swing by the little town of Skagway and say hello.

That's all for now from my neck of the woods. Cheers!

The Nephew

Some of you have been asking to see more pictures of my little nephew. My brother does a good job of posting pics every few weeks on his site. Check it out.

http://southernnorwegian.spaces.live.com/

The Newest Ranheim

Well, it's sad news to anyone who knew her. She was a good friend, very faithful and dependable, through rain or sunshine, she persevered. Perhaps you remember her. Maybe you came with us and enjoyed the countless hours of driving across the country, or listening to tunes on the way up to the slopes, or just enjoying the stillness of a conversation in the driveway. Well my friends, those days are over. She was old, but she didn't die from old age. She was just a little fragile. It all came to pass while we were in rush hour traffic about a week ago when we ended up in the midst of an accident. We were only traveling about 5mph so I didn't get hurt at all, but she took a hard hit. It was merely a flesh wound, but at her age it proved to be serious. When word finally came back about her condition, they only said: "There's nothing we can do. She's just too old." My heart sank. What will I do? I loved her... maybe. I can't go anywhere without her.

It's true. She has passed on to another place. That's right my friend, my subaru has died. And although we know she can never truly be replaced, well, she's already been replaced. I know, it looks bad; she dies and almost instantly she's replaced by a younger, prettier, more attractive blond. It's not that way, but it is.... Anyways. Let me introduce to you the newest member of my family:

Thoughts on Money from Piper

The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work. II Cor 9:6-7

In God's mathematics the best way to increase a sum is to subtract from it.

Verse 6: "He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully."

Most people operate on exactly the opposite principle to this one, namely, We will have more if we give less. But the Bible says, You will have more if you give more. This doesn't sound like good mathematics. Ten minus one is nine. And ten minus zero is ten. So if you want to have ten instead of nine, you subtract zero from the checkbook on the first day of the week. Right?

Wrong! The problem with that math is that it leaves God out. That's what I am trying to change this morning--to put God and his promises back into your finances. God says: if you subtract more seed from your bag you have more than if you subtract less seed from your bag. That's God's promise to you. Put him to the test. If you ask, How can this be?, we will see more as we move on.

This not some prosperity gospel--it is not a business principle to cash in on God's amazing interest rate. But it is an opportunity for joy in delighting in what God loves, since He loves cheerful givers.

God loves for you to be happy in your giving.

Verse 7: "Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

This is an utterly wonderful truth about God. You may feel it if you imagine what the universe would be like if God were not like this. What if God were like a father who was basically irritated by happy children? What if on Christmas morning a little child has wrapped up some clay hands in a praying position that he made in pottery class at school with a poem to his mother that says,

I made these hands the size of mine,
And make a promise too.
Would you please take them as a sign
That I will pray for you.

And what if he is so excited about giving this gift to his mother that he can hardly sit still and says, "Open this one next, mommy, open this one!"--and the father snaps at him, "Just shut up and be still. She'll get to it!" Or worse, what if his joylessness was so great that he said, "What are you so excited about! They're just some crummy praying hands"

If God were like that the universe would collapse into a black hole of nothingness for me. So you can see why I love verse 7. God loves a cheerful giver. God loves when his children are happy in their giving. God joins every childlike saint on the edge of his throne to see and savor the joy of every gift given and every gift received. God cannot be irritated by excessive joy in giving because there is no such thing. The heavens are the limit, and he is pushing us in this text to as much joy as we can possibly experience.

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How strangely irrational this seems in light of our current cultural values which attempts to find happiness and purpose in possessions and self-gratification. But that we might find happiness and purpose when giving away our hard-earned money is unheard of. Yet God loves people who realize their treasures are in Heaven and are eager to be generous. And I think this is why we are sometimes given more than just enough. We are given enough to live, and an abundance to give.

God's power and grace combine to give cheerful givers enough for themselves and abundance for others.

Verse 8 (literal translation): "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that by having all sufficiency always in every way, you might abound for every good work."

The point is that God gives us more than we need, and the reason he does that is not so we can store up the excess, but so that we can provide for good works--the poor, missionaries, ministries. The verse can be summed up: God gives enough for us, abundance for others.

Or to link it up with verse 7: the reason God gives you more than you need is not so that you can reduce your joy by keeping it, but increase your joy by giving it. Remember, in God's wonderful way of calculating, if ten minus one is more than ten minus zero, then 15 minus 6 is lots more than 15 minus zero.

Verse 8 makes crystal clear what the meaning of wealth is. Wealth is the God-sent possibility of multiplying the joy of providing for every good work."

"When we gunna wake from our naivety,
To find that there's more than a world full of me.
When we gunna snap from this funk that we're in,
To find that there's freedom only when we give."
~PJR

Excerpts By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.

In God We Trust

I recently heard a rumor going around stating that the government was about to release a one dollar coin without the phrase "In God We Trust." It was just a scam, but it made me think.

At first, I was a bit surprised and appalled by this. Who would have the gall to break this historic American tradition? It is such a good reminder that we are not to put our trust in money, but in God. And when our view becomes so fixated on wealth, prosperity, and retirement, there is the phrase etched into the very thing we covet, hoard, and are greedy for, saying, “NO, it’s in GOD we trust. Do not put your trust in money since it is temporal. But God is eternal!”

Then I thought further about it. Do we actually trust in God? Does our government put it’s trust in God, or does it trust in money, politics, technology, power, and military? As much as I desire to, I cannot honestly say that our country trusts in God. Do we trust in His faithfulness? His providence? His salvation? His sovereignty? I know many people who trust God, but our country as a whole has turned its back from Him. We trust in money and insurance instead of God's providence and faithfulness. We trust in knowledge and education instead of God's wisdom and Word. We trust in self-esteem and image instead of God's patient, forgiving, and unending love for us. We trust in science and empiricism instead of God's Word and guidance. We trust in government and military instead of God's almighty power and sovereignty. We trust our selves instead of God.

Perhaps it is best we remove the common slogan since it is simply a bold-faced lie. And perhaps someday we can reinstate it on our money, someday when we mean it, someday when it tells the truth.

“Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track.
Don't assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own”
~Proverbs 3:5-7 (The Message)

A brief update

This last weekend I took a trip to Spokane to visit some friends and professors—it was such a blessed time. I miss being involved in a Christian community and it was good to touch base with some long time friends. Tomorrow I’m heading down to San Diego with my friend Nathan to celebrate his birthday and to enjoy the sun. It couldn’t come at a better time as the forecast in Seattle shows only rain.

When I get back from California I’ll fly to St Louis for some scholarship interviews and to spend a week with my brother and his family there. This summer I will return to Alaska to work aboard the White Pass train, so if you take an Alaska cruise be sure to swing by and say hello.

Slavery?!

There is a new movie about to be released documenting the life of William Wilberforce who spent the majority of his life fighting in English Parliament to end the British slave trade. While laying on his death bed after nearly 50 years of fighting for the abolition of slavery, his parliamentary bill was passed ending the slave trade and freeing all slaves in the British Empire. He died three days later.

He is one of my heroes.

America soon followed in abolishing slavery. However, it cost us the lives of 600,000 men--the bloodiest war we have ever fought. It's no doubt that the cost of freedom is great.

And that is how slavery ended. All people are created equal and because of it, no one will every taste slavery again.... If only that were the case.

I doubt it is a surprise to you that slavery still exists. You have probably heard about sex slaves and child slaves among the many. But I was shocked to hear there are about 27 million slaves right now. That is disturbing and disgusting.

It is time for action. May we follow William Wilberforce's example of commitment to justice for all, so that by God's grace we may forgo another war.

Amazing grace how sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found
was blind but now I see.

911

So I called 911 today (don't worry, no emergency or anything) and I got a recording saying that all phone operators were currently busy, please hold. What?! Since when do you get put on hold when calling 911??? I mean, don't we have that number just in case you need to talk to some NOW! I guess everyone is using those automated machines these days, trying to cut costs and cut personnel. Next time I call 911 I'll probably get a list of options: "press 1 if your house is on fire, press 2 if there's a burglar in your house, press 3 if your are having a heart attack, press 4 if you just had a heart attack, press 5 if you are dead from a heart attack....if you would like to talk with a customer service representative, please stay on the line. You are very important to us. The estimated wait is: 71 minutes. If this is truly an emergency, please hang up and dial 911."

Pics of my nephew

Today I Became an Uncle!

That's pretty much it! At 6:41pm I was standing in the delivering room awaiting my little nephew to breathe his first breath outside of the womb. The doctor delivered the sweet child and turned it toward my brother: "what do we got John?" "Looks like a boy!" "What's his name?" John turned to Elizabeth with a questioning look and responding through tears of joy she excitedly said: Jacob Paul Ranheim!

At 7lbs 13oz, I can honestly tell you that he's the cutest baby ever (no, I'm not biased......).

Footage from my Belize trip!

Hey, check this out. One of the guys on the catamaran to Belize put together this short video and did a great job of capturing it in a nutshell. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouU0i8Kz4XM

From Belize to St Louis

Vacations. Adventures. Things we look forward to. Whatever it may be, it is so tempting to idealize them. Like a sailboat trips through the Caribbean to the Belize coral reef. Sounds idyllic. The night before the bus ride to the coast I got sick—bad. Twice I buckled to the sidewalk in pain. Nathan had just arrived and was wondering what in the world happened to me—“what’s in the water down here?” he must have thought as I was on the verge of passing out.

We reached the coast to reunite with some friends and embark on our perfect journey to paradise. But why was it raining? That wasn’t part of the plan. It’ll let up in a hour or so. An hour or so later—it’ll let up by tonight. That night—no worries, it’ll fine by tomorrow. Tomorrow—certainly it’ll clear up soon. Soon—nope!

We hunkered down in belly of the ship playing Texas Hold ‘em as the captain and crew braved the bad weather and pounding rain. It wasn’t the most perfect situation, but it actually worked out well as I got to know the other passengers quite quickly: a fun couple from England, two in peace corps, one dude from DC, two affectionate girls from Sweden, my two Oregonian friends, a Kentucky, and Nathan. We sailed across the lake to a river winding its way through the jungle with steep, densely vegetated walls rising out of the water on either side.

The rain lasted two days before it cleared up. We were anchored right on top of the Belize coral reef, less than 100 meters from the continental shelf which is a wall dropping strait off 2200+ meters. I snorkeled and scuba dived in the clear Caribbean water. And for the first time, skinny me could actually float! We fished off the side of the boat and all our food was caught the day of---usually the hour of; now that’s fresh seafood!

A highlight: I saw my first live shark, actually two of them, and my response was much different than I anticipated. Sharks are large animals with big teeth. These sharks were about 2 meters long. So what was my reflex when I looked off the edge of the boat to see those vicious animals? The same thing anyone would do: I quickly grabbed my snorkel, fins, and underwater camera and jumped in after them!! True story.

Upon my return, we stayed in a small hostel cloistered in the jungle growth. In fact, it was only accessible by small boat. As we motored down the lake heading directly toward the shore, I turned to Nate asking where he thought we were going. Shortly later, we saw a small river inlet heading into the jungle. We squeezed the boat up the river, sleeking through the jungle past a turtle and up to the hostel. Needless to say, it pretty much rocked.

After dropping Nate off at the airport, I headed north with five friends to the relaxing paradise of Semuc Champe. It was a full day of travel ending with about an hour along a bumpy dirt road to this secluded hideaway. We enjoyed our first day tubing down another jungle river hoping that weird animals weren’t lurking beneath the surface.

Then came one of the most adventurous days of my life. It’s hard to describe. Perhaps you should just go. We took a bus from our hostel, El Ritiro, (which by the way has great vegetarian food) to the caves of Semuc. Here we slipped into swimsuits, strapped on our sandals, grabbed a candle, and hiked up to the caves. It is here where a small river weaves its way under the mountains. So we lit our candles, climbed into the water, and swam upriver through the caves. I can’t tell you how amazing it looked to see twenty or so people swimming through underwater canyons seeing only a trail of small flickering flames silently echo off the steep walls rising to nowhere. It was surreal. We swam and waded, climbed ladders and slid through waterfalls.

A personal highlight was about half way into the caves when I was the sole person holding a lit candle since everyone else had extinguished theirs in one way or another. We came to a waterfall where we needed to pass through it and around the back side to get across the river. I handed the candle to a buddy and yelled to him over the loud rush of the water “don’t let it go out!” When I reached the other side, I signaled for him to throw it to me, convinced that it would never make it alive. The candle soared in slow motion precariously through the fall’s mist as the flame shrank down to hug the wick. I reached my wet hand out, snatched the candle, and quickly cradled it under my body absolutely stupefied that it was actually still lit. The group gave a quick and (admittedly) well-deserved round of applause and then continued.

When we finished, I couldn’t believe what I had just done. I mean, I never even dreamed of doing something like this. I didn’t even know it existed. We proceeded to a rope swing that launched us into the water and then stepped it up to jump from a bridge (which I willfully observed).

We continued to the beautiful pools of Semuc Champe. These blue-green pools sat in a pristine jungle valley surrounded by no one and nothing. That was the beauty of it. Sure there were a couple tourists, but not many. No big luxury tour busses packed to the max with retirees taking pictures of everything and paying way too much money for everything else.

The main part of the river forcefully plummets into an underground cavern for about a quarter mile or so before plunging back on the surface. It is truly an awesome sight to see the river’s power as it surges into an abyss of blackness. People had fallen in, but no one ever survived. On top of that cavern rests the calm pools of Semuc Champe filled by some streams that meander down the steep valley walls. Each pool gently cascades into the next, silently resting to invite passersby, like myself, to take a relaxing swim. So I did. In fact, I took the most relaxing and enjoyable swim of my life. I felt like a little kid again when we had to leave. “I don’t want to…. You can’t make me…. Just one more dive mom…..no, one more….”

The minibus was waiting to take us home and it was nice to sit shotgun for the rare legroom offered in Guatemala. “This day was unforgettable” I though to myself. We soon rounded a corner to find a huge truck struggling to make it up the steep hill directly in front of us. Upon further investigation, Guatemala decided to do some repaving that afternoon on that hill. So, everyone had to drive on the dirt—no, the muddy shoulder. So the big rig was stuck, even with about twenty small Guatemalans trying to push it. We tried to get our minibus up the steep, but got stuck as well. After a half hour of watching, laughing, and pushing, we started our walk. They said it was somewhere between 5-10 miles back to town, but they are chronic under-estimators. The first half was all up hill, the second all downhill. After about an hour and a half of walking on a dirt road at night through the jungle, we finished the up hill and started making our decent to our hostel. Of course, it was then when our minibus caught up to us to bring us back home. I was grateful, but wished I could have ridden the bus uphill, and walked the downhill!

After four flight changes, I made back home safely but my bags didn’t. I enjoyed my short stay in Seattle with my folks. Thankfully I made it back to Seattle to go to my dear friend Heidi’s beautiful wedding. It was a blessing to see her again. Now I am in St Louis where I spent Christmas and where I will be until Tim’s wedding. I’m looking forward to the birth of my nephiece (it’ll be a surprise). This next month holds many decisions, particularly as to if I’ll be going to seminary and back to Alaska. Thanks for reading.

A Christmas note

"One reason that faith is the way God saves us is that faith gives glory to God. That is, faith calls attention to and magnifies the glory of God. Faith puts us in the position of weak and dependent and puts God in the position of strong and independent and merciful. I'm the needy one, He's the rich one. I'm the foolish one, He's the wise one. I'm the hungry one, He's got the bread. I'm the thirsty one, He's got the water. Faith is empty. And He is full--that's why He did it this way! It's the best news in all the world that we only need to be empty to be saved. You just have to admit it and marvel---just fall down. Can anyone fall down? Who cannot fall down? Who cannot be weak? Who cannot be empty?It is not hard to be saved. Unless, you want to be God: Full, strong, self-sufficient. Oh, the way of salvation through faith by grace is so beautiful if you are willing to let God be God." ~John Piper

How simply marvelous is this news. And this is what I celebrate, not family, friends, or food; not kindness, goodness, or even love. But that I only know these things because of His grace, and how much greater do I know them when I am empty and when this world fails to captivate my heart and yearnings. Oh that we might be delivered from the deep craving of materialism that has sadly become so inherent with Christmas, distracting our hearts and robbing our faith from its fullness in Christ. Have a merry Christmas because Christ so loves and fills the empty.

Off to Belize

I'm sitting in a small cafe on the east coast of Guatemala, relaxing with some friends and preparing to hop onto a big catamaran sailboat to cruise out to the Belize coral reef for the next week. This is my present for finishing school strong and I think it's a great idea. Hopefully, it will be a time of relaxation as I read a book or two, enjoy the company of friends, and snorkel and scuba dive with sharks. And to those who Nathan Mesaros, he says hi from Belize as well!

One of my favorite days

Today I thought I'd be in Guatemala City. It's funny how plans so change down here. Instead, I ended up in a very small village in the hills replacing a roof on someone's house. It feels good to be dirty again and to have spent energy and sweat to help others.

The family we helped live in a very small house (if you can call it that). They have 10 children. We gave them a roof for free. They offered to make us dinner, but we knew that'd break the bank for them. We declined. They did buy me a fine bottle of water to say thank you. It was some of the finest water I've ever had.

I wasn't sure what I'd do for lunch. My construction partner looked at me. "My wife made us some sandwiches." And for anyone who knows me, there's really one thing that I don't eat because of allergies. "Do you like cheese?" he said with a smile. That was it. "I love it!" I gratefully smiled back. "Good, cause that's what we got."

Tomorrow, I'm returning to hopefully finish reconstructing the sides of this house. It's kinda fun. These aren't super professional homes. This one was built out of corn stalks! It brings me back to my childhood since it's more like building a fort or tree house. Yet, these are people's homes for life.

Today I walked through a community of very poor people. Homes built from mud or corn stalks. Average family size of somewhere around 8 kids. Only one or two beds for all of them. Kids flying plastic bags tied to a string. Such poverty and such sadness. And yet somehow, they held such joy. They live on the edge of coffee plantations where parents pick coffee beans for next to nothing. Those beans are the very same beans that we buy for exorbitant amounts of money from Starbucks. I love these people. They are beautiful. I will be back tomorrow and hopefully more. It is so rewarding to spend my time and money helping these lovely sons and daughters of God.

Please pray

So tomorrow I will be heading into the slums of Guatemala to help the poorest of the poor. Pray for opportunities to share the love of Jesus with these people. Pray that I may have a willing and humble heart, eager and bold to serve. There are many gangs making it a very dangerous place, yet the missionaries I will be with have been welcomed in these communities. Nevertheless, pray for safety. And above all, pray that He will be made big, I made little.

For His Glory Alone!

Last week of school

School is coming to an end and this time I don't have a final exam (yay!). In many ways Antigua has grown on me as I have learned the ins and outs of the town and am familiar with many of the locals. Yet I am excited to leave and move on to other things. Although I have learned a great deal of Spanish while here, I haven't learned as much as I hoped to due to the enormous amount of tourists who make their way through this quaint town. Already I am contemplating returning, but probably not to Antigua....

This next week (Monday -Wednesday) I will most likely be working in the slums of Guatemala City. Please pray for me. I will be in two of the most dangerous parts of the City, but these are the people who need help and who need to receive the love of Jesus. I will be going with two missionaries who have been working there for a few years and have seen great fruit come from it. This is bound to be a paradigm shifting experience as I am exposed to yet another culture that exists in poverty.

After that I will make a dramatic change by heading to Belize for a week on a boat for snorkeling, relaxing, scuba diving, fishing, etc. out on the barrier reef. My good friend Nathan Mesaros is going to stop by Guatemala for the week which is bound to be a ton of fun. This has served like a motivational trip as I have studied.

After that I'll head to a place called Semuc Champe for a couple days before I fly home to Seattle for Christmas.

Thanksgiving and another Volcano

Thanksgiving just isn't the same in Guatemala. First off, they don't celebrate it. Second, it's not really with my family. And third, for the first time in my life I spent Thanksgiving in school! Lame.

No, in all actuality I had a decent Thanksgiving dinner with about 100 other Americans. It was a fine replacement, but it's nothing like mom's Thanksgiving cookin'. I caught a couple of the football games which was nice, but it lacked the male bonding coming through the annual soccer and basketball games. To make up for it, I climbed a volcano.


Standing about 12,500 ft in the background of Antigua, it is quite spectacular and had been calling my name to come climb it ever since I laid eyes on it. So I did.

Our guide picked us up at 6 in the morning to make our way to the trail head. He was short, but he was fast. Really fast. He grew up at the base of the mountain and he had climbed it at least a thousand times! The hike was hard especially when the elevation started to take our oxygen away, and our guides fast pace made it even harder. I was a bit surprised to find out that he's been up all night bar tending, yet he had more energy than all of us. That is, until his hangover kicked in. Somewhere in the elevation he started puking. Lame! So we left him and continued up ourselves. From the summit I looked around to the surrounding volcanos. And then, boom. Picaye blew! What sight. It didn't completely erupt but a burp was enough. I laid down in the sun looking at Volcan de Fuego. This thing is like Old Faithful. It blows about every half hour. And just after it let out a little puff, I faded into a wonderful nap.

It was fun to conquer the mountain, but I'll be sore for a few days I'm sure.

Utila: A place I hope to return

Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras. Let's just say that if one of my friends didn't have a flight to Jamaica, I'd still be scuba diving in Utila!


The 15 hour bus ride from Antigua to the coast was a bit long, especially the first half as we had 12 people sardined in a minivan. I bet I'd still remember my sore back as well as my frustration after missing our connecting bus if it wasn't for that connecting bus being so amazing. As I sat down in my large reclining chair, sedated by the air conditioning, the steward came by with some snacks and drinks just before the movie started---now that's the kind of bus I can handle!

When we arrived in La Ceiba the Wendy's was a very welcome sight. Now I don't really care for fast food, but we only brought bread (ie. banana bread, zucchini bread, bagels, whole wheat bread...) and after a day of pure bread, a Wendy's hamburger was heavenly! We were able to shack up in a pastor's mom's house who was out of town for a few months---a bit of a bizarre situation, but we didn't complain about a free night's stay.

The next morning we hopped on the morning ferry to Utila. The warm salt water gently spayed up against my face as the excitement grew within me. "I'm actually in the Caribbean!"

Utila is a backpacker's dreamland and a diver's paradise. Pretty much everyone on the island is there to dive, and they do. In fact, most people I spoke with who live there originally intended to stay only for about a week and now, it's been 5 or 6 months and they're still in Utila diving! I heard that story over and over and over again. As we walked around the island searching for what would soon be "our dive shop", we quickly discovered it's addicting appeal. It's realy just a dive-bum town. There aren't really any cars on the island, although some drive motorbikes. Most choose either to walk, ride a bike, or drive a golf cart. The restaurants are quaint and cheep (as is everything on the island). In fact, one of the coolest restaurants I've been to was on this island.

After checking out a couple schools, we decided on a school who gave us an under-the-table deal to give us free lodging and a couple extra dives once we gained our certificate. We started class that afternoon.

I've always dreamed of going to outer-space and being free of this thing called gravity. I don't think that'll ever happen. However, I did escape gravity underwater! It is surreal to be able to control my weight with my breath. Breathe in, go up. Breathe out, sink down. Breathe shallow, float! There is nothing within the atmosphere quite like scuba diving. Floating in mid-water; swimming with countless fish; breathing in a place I've never been able to breathe. It is truly amazing.

Outside of diving, the people were a lot of fun to. In fact, one of the divemasters would fire-dance at night! I remember walking down the road to leave the island and everyone we had met came out to say goodbye to us, shake our hand, kiss our cheeks, and tell us we really shouldn't leave. And we almost didn't. In fact, one of the guys I met told me his flight home to Barcelona Spain left that very day. When I asked him what he was doing he smiled as turned away and said, "I'm going diving!"

On the trip back we were all a bit disheartened. We just had one of the best experiences of our lives, but leaving it was a bit depressing. Back to Antigua. Again. One thing I wont forget is sitting in La Ceiba trying to find a place to stay the night (hoping that it would be free), and what better place to waste time than at the mall, in particular, Applebees. After at least three hours at our table, I'm convinced the waitress hated us. We were delirious, a bit obnoxious, but having a lot of fun. It was here where I, a very white Norwegian, easily reasoned my friend Jacque to believe that my dad was black! Oh what fun can be had on little sleep....

My time in Honduras was absolutely amazing. I couldn't have asked for anything better. The weather was perfect, the water about 80 or 85 degrees, the scuba diving was unreal, the fish were everywhere, the food was delicious, the people were a ton of fun, oh and did I mention the scuba diving was amazing? So if you're ever down in this direction, be sure you check out the Bay Islands. There's nothing like it.