mr. tresidder is back!

We have extra special guests at Paya Bay at the moment: Matthew Tresidder and his wife, Sally. Mr. Tresidder came to Roatan 32 years ago to teach The Queen's Proper English to local Oak Ridge, Roatan kids during his UK "gap year." (Along with British Honduras - now Belize -  the Bay Islands formed part of the British presence in Central America during the colonial period. Pressed by a surging United States under its Monroe Doctrine, Queen Victoria ceded the islands to the then-new Republic of Honduras, which claimed them, in 1859). To celebrate his 50th birthday, Sally gave her husband a trip back to Roatan as a gift. A few days ago, I accompanied Matthew and Sally on a walking tour of Oak Ridge to explore the town and visit as many of his former students as possible still residing there.

Sally and Matthew pose in front of a picturesque vista of the seaside town of Oak Ridge, Roatan.

Matthew shared this photo of me circa 1982. I was eleven years old.

Cloise Gough, a former student, reacts to her surprise encounter with our teacher.

We visited the primary school where the English classes were taught in the afternoons after regular Spanish school in the mornings.

Matthew and Sally pose in front of the "memory breezeway" at the Instituto Privado Bautista, a school still operating after all these years.

We also visited the apartment where Matthew and his compatriot and fellow teacher, David Brown, resided during their twelve-month stint in Oak Ridge back in the early 80s.

We took a water taxi to get to The Cay, the part of town where my home was. Water transportation is still the best way to get around this seaside community.

Ms. Judy Kirkwood, the lady driving the boat, is the mother of one of Matthew's students, Marian. (Marian is currently working and residing in the Cayman Islands.) The young lady on the left is Marian's daughter. Ms. Kirkwood gave us a lift back to the car park that was starting point of our tour.

Evelyn Cooper, another student from that memorable year, was very happy to see our teacher again.

Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.