So we're back in training now, with our swearing in delayed for another week. i've posted some pictures, all 5 of them, but theres a really cool bug that no one could identify, so if one of you can, props. hope all of you are well. im safe here, so if you were worried, dont be.
9.24.2009
hn11.
so, zelaya came back this week. he locked himself in the brazilian embassy and screamed to a crowd of the Resistancia, proclaiming his return and their salvation, or something. the government promptly retaliated, requesting the cooperation of the embassy and his capture. Soon violence broke out in the streets. According to some sources, people were beaten, some shot, and a police car was lit on fire by the rioters. Once the action began, the government issued a nationwide curfew. At 4 pm, everyone was supposed to be off the streets, watching their tv sets, and hoping against a civil war. Around 6 or 7, the government starting cutting of the power, as a means of deterring any kind of organized action, or news broadcasts that might put them in a negative light. Cell phone service was disabled for about 2 hours. Late at night, a full day "toque de queda", or curfew/stay at home announcement, was made, for Tuesday. All of our training sessions were cancelled, and now, we sit around the campo, hoping to hear something about what may be going on in the capital. It's hard to tell what is true or false on the tv or radio, as both sides have reason to release false information. Its amazing that a whole country can be put on the edge of its seat, just because some guy with a mustache and a white hat said some inflammatory things through a fence. I wish I could know what the US is doing, or what the rest of the world thinks. Once I get internet, maybe ill be able to maintain a better knowledge of current events, but for now, I'm in the dark. Its frustrating, but at the same time relaxing. Basically, there ain't nothing i can do but wait for word from Peace Corps. Until then, im gonna chill, listen to music, go hiking, and hope we don't get sent home. Cross your fingers guys, NO EVAC!
9.21.2009
hn10.
we partied last night like it was 1995, 99, or whatever year you guys enjoy to party like. we were invited to dance at the house of the host family of our training specialist, and by eight o'clock, almost the whole PAM 15 group was there. i spent much of the beggining in the kitchen, helping the daughter of the lady who owns the house, cook enchiladas, the whole time insinuating that she should be out dancing, and not cooking. outside, at first, almost no one danced and it looked as if the whole thing was going to turn out ugly, kinda like a 6th grade formal, where the boys and girls sit apart, chewin on munchies, staring at each other. but with persistent nudging, a few of us got some honduran girls to start dancing, and soon, the whole group was rowdy. merengue, bachata, punta, reggaeton, even some hip hop, like snoop dog and that one song that goes, "you know i like you, i know you like me, you know i liiikkkkeee you, i know you like me", or whatever. can't seem to remember now. by the third or fourth song, we were being pulled out to the center by different hondurans, everyone competing over the gringo boys. it was kinda flattering. at times it was awkward, as certain girls were there with their boyfriends, who would watch as we twirled their ladies around the yard. but when we apologized and tried to explain, they just laughed, and didn't seem to care. by 11, everyone had a regular dance partner, in my case the daughter of the lady who owned the house, and we danced and laughed til after 1 am. now, im in my bed, trying to sleep off the soreness, but the fucking chickens wont stop clucking.
i am now in zarabanda, our first site here in honduras. tomorrow we finally get our specific site assignments, no bullshit. hopefully, everyone will shut up about where they're going, and will somewhat relax, for the first time in weeks. i'm personally very tired of hearing everyone's guessing game, always discussing the possibilities. no one seems to notice that the location matters little, its the work that counts. but whatever, let them have their time to wonder, hope, and argue. tomorrow, everything will be different. as for now, i'm happy. exstatic to be honest. i spent the afternoon in teguz, part of it in the hospital doing an x ray, but for no reason. so i fell a few weeks ago, running in cleats down a dirt road, and twisted my ankle. today, when i asked a pcmo about it, she told me that it was necessary to do a radiografia, so that they could check if it was broken or fractured. i let them, mostly because it meant a trip to teguz and the peace corps office. i ended up getting 10 new books to read, checking my mail, chatting on the facebook. it was refreshing to be able to connect again, if only just for a few hours. but im getting used to it, living outside of the network, away from the constantly updating pages and blogs, news feeds. it feels nice. more time is spent with the family, talking, watching movies, cooking, writing. but yeah, for now, there isnt much more to say. maybe tomorrow, or this weekend, ill write again, hopefully something more exciting.
so it's official, i'm in. i'll be sworn in next week, and by the 26th ill be in copan. more specifically, ill be arriving to my site, las capucas, de san pedro de copan. there, for the next two years, i should be working with coffee certification, organic farming, home gardens, and even possibly, hydroelectric power and lobriculture (i dunno if its called that in spanish, but it means earthworm farming). it should be an awesome experience. apparently, i will be living with a really sweet family, in a beautiful house that overlooks the mountain at 1600 meters above sea level. I'll be right at the base of celaque. i'll apparently have electricity, an office with internet, hot water, and all sorts of amenities that make no sense for a PAMer. many of my companeros no tienen luz, or hot water. definitely not internet, la red, como quiera. but that's alright. life is what you make of it. ill have an opportunity to work daily with the common farmer, improving techniques of cultivation, organic fertilizer and pest repellents, and anythign else that can improve the sustainability of the coffee industry there. although i may spend some time indoors, i plan to be in the field as much as possible, sembrando with the campesinos, cosechando, y platicando. look that up in the dictionary if you need help, google should be enough. other than this, life is about the same as before. my familia aqui en zarabanda, is awesome. increible. they treat me as one of their own, and i try to repay the favor as much as i can. today, i acted as doctor, and patched up my little sister who cut her face on some barbed wire, o alambre de pua. she was running through the yard, where my older host brother is constructing something, and she didn't see the wire that was stretched at face-level. she ended up cutting her cheek all the way up to her nose, and splitting her gum open with the resulting fall. when they brought her to me, she was sobbing quietly, but surprisingly strong. she didn't say anything, but you could see that she was showing an incredible restraint, amazing for a girl her age. i cleaned the wound with rubbing alcohol, and she didn't flinch. "does it sting...pica?" i asked. she nodded, but not even a tear. i applied antibiotic lotion, and asked her to rinse out her mouth with salt water. she obeyed, without a word. afterwards, she sat on the bench in front of me, head bowed, tears running down her cheeks. but she wasn't hysterical by any means. it was stammering. i then proceeded to act like an idiot, and she began to laugh. i don't think that i had felt as good in quite some time. it was so wonderful to see her smile, even as the pain clearly still hid beneath.
so it seems i spoke too soon. i wont write anything specific now, but mel zelaya is back in honduras. things might change. ill keep you all updated. peace. cuidanse.
9.16.2009
side post.
ok, so i posted a few pictures while on a side trip to teguz today. don't have any blog entries to post, but pictures are up. check out the site, its on the links thing over here on the side somewhere. i couldnt post a lot of them, just because i didnt have my computer and i can't install picasa here, but i will post more once i have internets. k.
9.12.2009
hn8
alright, so this is a much longer post than usual, mostly because i have started writing every day. i will also be writing more often in two weeks, with frequent posting, as my permanent site has internet availability. but i will tell you guys all about that when i get there.
part1
i'm not sure what to write, but i felt like writing anyway. i had a pretty miserable day today, but regardless overall i feel great. i'm in honduras. i still have moments where i ponder that fact with amusement. i was thinking today about life, as many have experienced it, and i think for my age, i'm doing just fine. living in a new country, with a whole new culture, assimilating, speaking a new language. not so bad. so when one day goes badly, who really gives a fuck. oh man that feels good to say. who gives a FUCK. exaclty. i don't. soon training will be over, and i will be in another place. but finally to stay, not just to pass through. a new home for two years. ill have new friends, another family, i think my fifth for this trip, or fourth, whatever. ill have a job, for the first time in my life, ill be my own boss. i can wake up when i want, plan my own projects, do what i wish whenever it is that i wish it. yeah ill be working with other people, but thats not the same. ill have no deadlines, not as we know them at least, no official time to start working each day. if i want to, ill have it, but that's up to me, and i'm ecstatic over that fact. if i dont want to work one day, i can go out riding or walking or sleep in a hammock, and no one can stop me. you know, just writing about it is making me feel better already about my day. and you know, i think even though there have been some rough patches with my fam, we've bonded more than i've thought. my little host sister drew a picture the other day of the whole family, and i was in it, as her big brother. today, she asked me if i loved them, and if i loved my real dad more than my host dad. lol, papochka, no worries, i still love you. i had to explain to her that it was different, that my love for them was on a different conceptual plane than my love for my real parents. i couldnt just break her heart. but it made me see that even though we dont always get along, or they annoy the shit out of me, its all because they love me. and thats kind of what a real family is like. sometimes, people can push you to the edge, but in the end, they'll be the ones pulling you back. and all it takes is an innocent question from an eight year old to see the truth.
part2
i wish i wrote more. maybe i lcak for inspiration, maybe my days are filled with such monotonous activity that little occurs which requires a written account. maybe, its that i don't see the richness of each experience that i have, at least not enough that i share it will all of you. i just watched into the wild, for the first time, and it made me wonder about the power of the written word, of the true story of an amazing experience. not that my [eace corps adventure is at all comparable to what Macandless experienced, but still. from now on, im going to try a new excersize. every night, regardless of what occured, i will write. either a summary of the day, or some phylosophical jibberish, or even some fiction. maybe a joke i learned, or a story i overheard at the nearby pulperia. for example, i can say that for today, although not much has happened, i have had one realization. i am a master of jalon. or hitchhiking. i have begun to use it as my sole means of transport when i commute in town, and for some reason, no one has yet to refuse. anyone who has a pickup truck is always willing. and it saves a lot of time, since the walk from one side of town to the other takes over half an hour. true, i could be walking more, but i save that energy for other things. like chopping wood. lol. anyway, ill write more tonight. maybe i can share some more, or not. regardless, you'll all be reading about it soon enough.
part3
ok, so since i have begun this journey i have experienced many social and cultural norms that are quite different from my exectations, even taboo in certain respects. for example, corporal punishment. i have seen it first hand here in honduras, and not just spanking, but flat out violence directed at children as a means of education, or training obedience. i have seen a father use a belt on children in such a way that would be considered illegal in the states, frowned upon to the highest degree. and you know what, after a discussion i had with my host mom today, it seems that it is quite the contrary here, in fact, its encouraged. yes thats right, encouraged. suggested. preferred. a cure-all, like the old potions of the middle ages, when 1 thing was used to heal any illness, reduce the size of one thing, increase the size of another, grow hair in one place, tan one spot, remove a rash, produce an odor, whatever. this is the same. they think that through a beating, a child learns that an action is unwanted. but to be honest, i dont think it works. i think it encourages hiding a behavior instead of altering it. and what's worse, the form of castigation itself is perpetuated throughout the generations, and children who were hit at a young age grow up to do the same to their own sons and daughters. so maybe the children cry, and seem like they learned a lesson, but in fact, the beating does little to actually teach right from wrong. they associate the beating with the instance, not the concept. so yeah, maybe a boy will be beaten for fighting with his sister while doing homework, but while they're playing soccer, he'll still pull her hair and push her, because for him, the cases are different. soon enough, his parents will see him doing it, beat him again, and he'll probably learn then. or not, and maybe in another place, with different circumstances, things will not turn out so well. in fact, maybe the inner rebelious nature of the child will lead to the opposite, and further unwanted behavior. i tried another approach with my little sister which worked out wonderfully, and i think is a excellent alternative. i was talking to her at one point today about something important, and midway through what i was saying, she turned away and began paying attention to something on the tv. i called to her, and she didnt respond, at which point i said her name and asked her to repeat what i had told her. she just shrugged, smiled, and turned back to the cartoon that was playing on the television. so i tried an experiment. i told her out loud that i was upset, and that in order to become friends with me again, and be my sister, she would have to appologize for her actions. well at first she huffed and puffed, and ignored me, but i did the same. finally, as i was walking to my room to go to sleep, she approached me, and quietly said, "disculpe por lo que hice", sorry for what i did. i asked her for what, she told me, and we parted ways. i forgave her, she went to sleep happy, and having learned that it is important to pay attention when someone is talking to you. sure i could have slapped her, given her the belt, and maybe this once she would have understood, but with the peaceful method, i provided incentive for good, and a consequence for bad. i don't think that in the future she will want to lose a brother or a friend that easily.
part4
so i'm gonna vent tonight, but only for a short while, and then i'll tell you what my two year old sister did in my room today. but venting first. so the honduras-mexico game was tonight, and we decided, us trainees, that we would hold a viewing at the salon tecnico, with a projector and snacks. claudia, our awesome training director, offered to make tajadas, or fried green bananas, but alas the electric stove was not cutting it. so i volunteered to go fry the things over the wood burning stove thing that was in the backyard. i ended up frying those fucking gineos for over 45 minutes. i dropped them off for the group, went to clean up, when marcos approached me about making popcorn really quick. so, i assisted him, and while half time passed, that's right, i missed the first half, we made a huge kettle of popcorn. however when i returned, i found that all of the fried bananas had been eaten,and none remained for me. and not a single thank you from the group. but wait, it gets better. we watched the rest of the game, and then josue, carmen, marcos, y yo, went to start cleaning up, only to find that everyone else, had left. they just peaced out, skadoodled, blew the popsickle stand. fucked off without a word. and we were left mopping, taking out the trash, and washing dishes. it was awesome. and you know what, it wasnt even the first time. when we made pancakes and watched a movie, same shit, different day. its amazing, how during the day everyone is curtious, "please" and "thank you" and "oh no, you first", and at night its every man for himself. or herself. whatever, not the time to be politically correct. no one even thanked marcos for the popcorn. whats wrong with people. alright, enough of that. more importantly, my sister and her escapades. so i'm sitting in my room while my host mom is trying to sell me some clothes that she keeps in the back. its like a side business for her, and it was more of a time for us to bond than anything. both of us knew that i wasn't gonna buy anything. so, as she goes through the bag, both my sisters, the 8 and 2 year old, keep going in and out of the room. now, the eight year old is cool, but the 2 year old still lacks any self control, so i forbid her from entering. just as a precaution. so the first time, im like, swendy, get out. she comes back, and im like, jennifer, take swendy out. (that's right, her name is swendy, not wendy, or sandy, but swendy.) third time, i let it slide, and all of a sudden, in the middle of conversation, little swendy farts, let's a big one rip, right next to me. PEDO, she says, and looks at me innocently. we laugh, but at this point, i'm like, get this thing out of here. i get the older sister to carry her away and continue chatting with my mom. within seconds the little monster is back, and by the time i even realize, she manages to shit, right in the center of the room. just like that. and then she stood there, just looking at me, repeating the word kaka. no remorse, or apologetic tone. just, hey, check it out, i just crapped in your room, what you gonna do about it? and the mom and the other sister just stood there, laughing. as if a child had not just defecated inside my private residence. i wonder if its a cultural thing.
part5
today was an awesome day. although it began fairly miserably, the way i feel now is beyond words. so i woke up this morning with a stomach ache, and ended up excreting something which looked like a mix between coffee with cream and sugar and hot cider. yeah, that's right. gross. but after i got to training, things started improving. i had lunch with john, which included an amazing salad of lettuce, tomato, broccoli, mushrooms, cucumber, lime, salt, and a whole lot of love. the first time i had veggies in like a month. i then had my last technical interview where i was given the best news of all. first of all, i have the most awesome site i could have asked for. ill be working in one of the most beautiful national parks of honduras, collaborating with a large coffee cooperative, working on organic farming, certification, hydro electric power, forest conservation, and environmental ed. yeah, all of that at once. hopefully, i can at least get one project off the ground. ill also be assisting with the construction of letrines, improved stoves, and other infrastructure. did i mention that ill have electricity and internet. yeah, internet. you guys will be hearing from me a hell of lot more often than before, hopefully. and i might even have a horse. shits awesome. it also seems that i will be placed quite close to a few of my good friends, which makes me quite excited. basically, i got everything i ever wanted, and more. on the 17th i will know more exact details, but ill be peeing my pants until then, out of sheer excitement and anticipation. but even more so, the awesomeness didnt stop there. i got home tonight and my family and i celebrated dia de ninos, which was awesome. the food was great, and best of all, we had a dance party where my little siblings jived and grooved to reggaeton and punta, while i used my flashlight to create a strobe light effect. for like half an hour. while the electricity was out. the music blasted out of my dad's pickup, as the kids went nuts on the porch. it was adorable and heartwarming. i danced with them for some time, and then resorted to just keeping the beat on the laser light show. by the time the lights came back on, the kids were exhausted and the parents ready for bed. it was a sweet night.
part6
had some excitement today, and not the boring kind that i've been writing about. tonight, my friends came by to escape the rain after working on a project at the nearby school with some locals. they had gotten stuck there when a huge storm hit our valley, and they were forced to come to my house because they live much further away. they had left the school locked, and by seven were eating catrachitas on my porch. when the rain stopped around 8, we decided to walk down to the school to get the rest of their things, and make sure everything was secure. when we got to the front gate, we found the lock forced open. in the pitch black we couldnt see anything, but with the flashlight that a fourth friend brought from his nearby house, i scanned the inside yard. at the far end i saw movement, at which point we decided it was best to visit the principal, get his truck, and come back in force. when we arrived, we found the place empty, but we still walked up and down the grounds, machetes in hand. apparently, the school has been broken into before, but as the classroom doors and the computer room door are all padlocked, no one has ever succeeded in robbing the place of anything valuable. crazy no?
part1
i'm not sure what to write, but i felt like writing anyway. i had a pretty miserable day today, but regardless overall i feel great. i'm in honduras. i still have moments where i ponder that fact with amusement. i was thinking today about life, as many have experienced it, and i think for my age, i'm doing just fine. living in a new country, with a whole new culture, assimilating, speaking a new language. not so bad. so when one day goes badly, who really gives a fuck. oh man that feels good to say. who gives a FUCK. exaclty. i don't. soon training will be over, and i will be in another place. but finally to stay, not just to pass through. a new home for two years. ill have new friends, another family, i think my fifth for this trip, or fourth, whatever. ill have a job, for the first time in my life, ill be my own boss. i can wake up when i want, plan my own projects, do what i wish whenever it is that i wish it. yeah ill be working with other people, but thats not the same. ill have no deadlines, not as we know them at least, no official time to start working each day. if i want to, ill have it, but that's up to me, and i'm ecstatic over that fact. if i dont want to work one day, i can go out riding or walking or sleep in a hammock, and no one can stop me. you know, just writing about it is making me feel better already about my day. and you know, i think even though there have been some rough patches with my fam, we've bonded more than i've thought. my little host sister drew a picture the other day of the whole family, and i was in it, as her big brother. today, she asked me if i loved them, and if i loved my real dad more than my host dad. lol, papochka, no worries, i still love you. i had to explain to her that it was different, that my love for them was on a different conceptual plane than my love for my real parents. i couldnt just break her heart. but it made me see that even though we dont always get along, or they annoy the shit out of me, its all because they love me. and thats kind of what a real family is like. sometimes, people can push you to the edge, but in the end, they'll be the ones pulling you back. and all it takes is an innocent question from an eight year old to see the truth.
part2
i wish i wrote more. maybe i lcak for inspiration, maybe my days are filled with such monotonous activity that little occurs which requires a written account. maybe, its that i don't see the richness of each experience that i have, at least not enough that i share it will all of you. i just watched into the wild, for the first time, and it made me wonder about the power of the written word, of the true story of an amazing experience. not that my [eace corps adventure is at all comparable to what Macandless experienced, but still. from now on, im going to try a new excersize. every night, regardless of what occured, i will write. either a summary of the day, or some phylosophical jibberish, or even some fiction. maybe a joke i learned, or a story i overheard at the nearby pulperia. for example, i can say that for today, although not much has happened, i have had one realization. i am a master of jalon. or hitchhiking. i have begun to use it as my sole means of transport when i commute in town, and for some reason, no one has yet to refuse. anyone who has a pickup truck is always willing. and it saves a lot of time, since the walk from one side of town to the other takes over half an hour. true, i could be walking more, but i save that energy for other things. like chopping wood. lol. anyway, ill write more tonight. maybe i can share some more, or not. regardless, you'll all be reading about it soon enough.
part3
ok, so since i have begun this journey i have experienced many social and cultural norms that are quite different from my exectations, even taboo in certain respects. for example, corporal punishment. i have seen it first hand here in honduras, and not just spanking, but flat out violence directed at children as a means of education, or training obedience. i have seen a father use a belt on children in such a way that would be considered illegal in the states, frowned upon to the highest degree. and you know what, after a discussion i had with my host mom today, it seems that it is quite the contrary here, in fact, its encouraged. yes thats right, encouraged. suggested. preferred. a cure-all, like the old potions of the middle ages, when 1 thing was used to heal any illness, reduce the size of one thing, increase the size of another, grow hair in one place, tan one spot, remove a rash, produce an odor, whatever. this is the same. they think that through a beating, a child learns that an action is unwanted. but to be honest, i dont think it works. i think it encourages hiding a behavior instead of altering it. and what's worse, the form of castigation itself is perpetuated throughout the generations, and children who were hit at a young age grow up to do the same to their own sons and daughters. so maybe the children cry, and seem like they learned a lesson, but in fact, the beating does little to actually teach right from wrong. they associate the beating with the instance, not the concept. so yeah, maybe a boy will be beaten for fighting with his sister while doing homework, but while they're playing soccer, he'll still pull her hair and push her, because for him, the cases are different. soon enough, his parents will see him doing it, beat him again, and he'll probably learn then. or not, and maybe in another place, with different circumstances, things will not turn out so well. in fact, maybe the inner rebelious nature of the child will lead to the opposite, and further unwanted behavior. i tried another approach with my little sister which worked out wonderfully, and i think is a excellent alternative. i was talking to her at one point today about something important, and midway through what i was saying, she turned away and began paying attention to something on the tv. i called to her, and she didnt respond, at which point i said her name and asked her to repeat what i had told her. she just shrugged, smiled, and turned back to the cartoon that was playing on the television. so i tried an experiment. i told her out loud that i was upset, and that in order to become friends with me again, and be my sister, she would have to appologize for her actions. well at first she huffed and puffed, and ignored me, but i did the same. finally, as i was walking to my room to go to sleep, she approached me, and quietly said, "disculpe por lo que hice", sorry for what i did. i asked her for what, she told me, and we parted ways. i forgave her, she went to sleep happy, and having learned that it is important to pay attention when someone is talking to you. sure i could have slapped her, given her the belt, and maybe this once she would have understood, but with the peaceful method, i provided incentive for good, and a consequence for bad. i don't think that in the future she will want to lose a brother or a friend that easily.
part4
so i'm gonna vent tonight, but only for a short while, and then i'll tell you what my two year old sister did in my room today. but venting first. so the honduras-mexico game was tonight, and we decided, us trainees, that we would hold a viewing at the salon tecnico, with a projector and snacks. claudia, our awesome training director, offered to make tajadas, or fried green bananas, but alas the electric stove was not cutting it. so i volunteered to go fry the things over the wood burning stove thing that was in the backyard. i ended up frying those fucking gineos for over 45 minutes. i dropped them off for the group, went to clean up, when marcos approached me about making popcorn really quick. so, i assisted him, and while half time passed, that's right, i missed the first half, we made a huge kettle of popcorn. however when i returned, i found that all of the fried bananas had been eaten,and none remained for me. and not a single thank you from the group. but wait, it gets better. we watched the rest of the game, and then josue, carmen, marcos, y yo, went to start cleaning up, only to find that everyone else, had left. they just peaced out, skadoodled, blew the popsickle stand. fucked off without a word. and we were left mopping, taking out the trash, and washing dishes. it was awesome. and you know what, it wasnt even the first time. when we made pancakes and watched a movie, same shit, different day. its amazing, how during the day everyone is curtious, "please" and "thank you" and "oh no, you first", and at night its every man for himself. or herself. whatever, not the time to be politically correct. no one even thanked marcos for the popcorn. whats wrong with people. alright, enough of that. more importantly, my sister and her escapades. so i'm sitting in my room while my host mom is trying to sell me some clothes that she keeps in the back. its like a side business for her, and it was more of a time for us to bond than anything. both of us knew that i wasn't gonna buy anything. so, as she goes through the bag, both my sisters, the 8 and 2 year old, keep going in and out of the room. now, the eight year old is cool, but the 2 year old still lacks any self control, so i forbid her from entering. just as a precaution. so the first time, im like, swendy, get out. she comes back, and im like, jennifer, take swendy out. (that's right, her name is swendy, not wendy, or sandy, but swendy.) third time, i let it slide, and all of a sudden, in the middle of conversation, little swendy farts, let's a big one rip, right next to me. PEDO, she says, and looks at me innocently. we laugh, but at this point, i'm like, get this thing out of here. i get the older sister to carry her away and continue chatting with my mom. within seconds the little monster is back, and by the time i even realize, she manages to shit, right in the center of the room. just like that. and then she stood there, just looking at me, repeating the word kaka. no remorse, or apologetic tone. just, hey, check it out, i just crapped in your room, what you gonna do about it? and the mom and the other sister just stood there, laughing. as if a child had not just defecated inside my private residence. i wonder if its a cultural thing.
part5
today was an awesome day. although it began fairly miserably, the way i feel now is beyond words. so i woke up this morning with a stomach ache, and ended up excreting something which looked like a mix between coffee with cream and sugar and hot cider. yeah, that's right. gross. but after i got to training, things started improving. i had lunch with john, which included an amazing salad of lettuce, tomato, broccoli, mushrooms, cucumber, lime, salt, and a whole lot of love. the first time i had veggies in like a month. i then had my last technical interview where i was given the best news of all. first of all, i have the most awesome site i could have asked for. ill be working in one of the most beautiful national parks of honduras, collaborating with a large coffee cooperative, working on organic farming, certification, hydro electric power, forest conservation, and environmental ed. yeah, all of that at once. hopefully, i can at least get one project off the ground. ill also be assisting with the construction of letrines, improved stoves, and other infrastructure. did i mention that ill have electricity and internet. yeah, internet. you guys will be hearing from me a hell of lot more often than before, hopefully. and i might even have a horse. shits awesome. it also seems that i will be placed quite close to a few of my good friends, which makes me quite excited. basically, i got everything i ever wanted, and more. on the 17th i will know more exact details, but ill be peeing my pants until then, out of sheer excitement and anticipation. but even more so, the awesomeness didnt stop there. i got home tonight and my family and i celebrated dia de ninos, which was awesome. the food was great, and best of all, we had a dance party where my little siblings jived and grooved to reggaeton and punta, while i used my flashlight to create a strobe light effect. for like half an hour. while the electricity was out. the music blasted out of my dad's pickup, as the kids went nuts on the porch. it was adorable and heartwarming. i danced with them for some time, and then resorted to just keeping the beat on the laser light show. by the time the lights came back on, the kids were exhausted and the parents ready for bed. it was a sweet night.
part6
had some excitement today, and not the boring kind that i've been writing about. tonight, my friends came by to escape the rain after working on a project at the nearby school with some locals. they had gotten stuck there when a huge storm hit our valley, and they were forced to come to my house because they live much further away. they had left the school locked, and by seven were eating catrachitas on my porch. when the rain stopped around 8, we decided to walk down to the school to get the rest of their things, and make sure everything was secure. when we got to the front gate, we found the lock forced open. in the pitch black we couldnt see anything, but with the flashlight that a fourth friend brought from his nearby house, i scanned the inside yard. at the far end i saw movement, at which point we decided it was best to visit the principal, get his truck, and come back in force. when we arrived, we found the place empty, but we still walked up and down the grounds, machetes in hand. apparently, the school has been broken into before, but as the classroom doors and the computer room door are all padlocked, no one has ever succeeded in robbing the place of anything valuable. crazy no?
9.07.2009
hn7
ok, so its the first time ive had access in two weeks, and its only gonna get worse from here on out. ive been writing less as well, mostly because of the monotony of training and life here in la cuesta. not that i dont like it, just there isnt much to write about. but i´m happy nevertheless. training is almost done here, and then we´ll be in teguz for two weeks prior to shipping out to our permanent sites. im really excited. real work is about to begin, and all the awesome things that come with it. self direction, lack of authority figures, own schedule, etc etc. anyway, enough about that. ill write more about those things once they actually happen. for now, ill be posting the entries i wrote in the past two weeks, reflections, accounts of what has been going on. i would love to post pictures sometime soon, but the internet here is so slow, im not sure when ill be able to actually do that. maybe when we get to teguz. anyway, enjoy.
p.s. the second one is a little politically sensitive, so i would like to make this disclaimer, now, as well as again before the entry. my opinion is personal, and is not at all representative of the peace corps or us govt.
part 1
btw, prior to publishing this i should say that my views do not represent the views of Peace Corps, nor of the government of the united states of america. so here it goes.
i thought i might change the pace a bit, and instead of writing directly about my experiences and adventures, i may instead discuss some feelings i have been having. revelations you may say. now im not gonna get all nostalgic on you guys, no im not dying from the absense of my friends and family, although i do miss you all greatly. no, the truth is, i have been thinking a lot about the cultural differences between the states and here, and I think its about time to expound some knowledge on you people. alright, where should i start. first and foremost, honduras is a country that is still recovering from an epoch of colonial rule, in fact, so much of the current problems stem from what was done in the past three centuries. however, worst of all, to this day, the curses of upper class rule affect every aspect of society. now, some of you may say, shit, here comes the communist dribble. but no, i wont go there. in fact, i will remain apolitical, and will only say the following. when a select few are in charge of the financial situation in a nation, and all they care about is new cars and houses, while the remainder of the population, the majority, suffers, well thats a problem. a rather large and significant problem. and to be honest, this happens everywhere. in russia, in the states, and in central america. no matter what name the government goes under, the mismanagement of funds, aid, and resources places a heavy weight on the shoulders of the population. but you may ask, dimochka, how does this manifest itself so that you may express such strong feelings? well ill tell you. when the mayor of a small town drives a brand new car, lives in a mansion, and the only paved road in town leads to his house...thats a problem. when the government receives aid funding every year, but the municipalities and small communities havent seen anything since 06...thats a problem. when people live in cardboard houses with 8 children, and enough food for 4, all because of the lack of infrastructure, education, and local assistance...thats a problem. when people think that the swine flu is more dangerous than HIV...that's a problem. when students in 6th grade can't read, can't multiply, and don't care...that's a problem. when school is closed more days than it is open...that's a problem. what else, well there are a bunch of problems. the country is struggling. as the poorest nation in central america, honduras is hanging on by a thread. thousands are unemployed, maybe millions. the political system is faulty, with corruption at every level of power, regardless of affiliation. and worst of all, the common person seems comfortable where they are. sure they may complain, talk about it with their neighbors, but little is done to create any true change. and that's also normal. the same happens everywhere. and i'm not suggesting revolution by any means, i just feel that through reform, gradual, but progressive, reform, the people here can obtain a standard of living, and amenities, which haven't yet been seen by the majority of this nation. however, after all the negative is said and done, there are certain things which appeal to me. in fact, draw me to this lifestyle. first and foremost, its simple. people work, eat, sleep, watch telenovellas, play soccer, and talk with friends and family. that's mostly it. periodically someone will go somewhere, see something new, go swimming in the river, go to the nearby larger town, but by and large, life is, well, simple. little stress, and even less hassle. the food is simple, but amazing. beans, tortilla, chicken, pork, beef, avocado, vegetables, fruit, oh man the fruit, fresco, topoillos, choco bananos, baleadas, catrachas, tacos (different than mexican), empanadas, fried plantains, everything. its all delicious. and nutritious. but its not complicated, or expensive. and nothing is packaged, or processed. its all fresh. sure people eat chips and drink soda, but in comparison to the states, its nothing. to be honest, too many people can't afford that stuff. and the coffee. of man, the coffee. they drink it all day long, sweet, and black, and delicious. and that's cheap too, even organic. as for the rest of the day, yeah, a lot of time is spent in front of the TV, which dissappoints, but frequently its on mute, and people are talking about things they see, constantly in a state of discussion. its a shame that they don't read more, but that's not their fault, its the lack of education, and the idea that is solidified in the school systems that reading is only for studying. i guess, i'm writing all of this because it makes me realize how happy i am that i have chosen to be a volunteer here. i'll be able to change something. maybe something small, insignificant in the scope of the nation, but regardless, something nevertheless. maybe after i leave, there will be people somewhere here in honduras that will perceive the world differently. that will want to do things another way. a better way. a more concientious, environmentally sound, responsible, way. hell, they may even want to read some novels, instead of watching them.
p.s. now that i have read what i wrote a week ago, it seems a bit cliche. but ill publish it anyway, mostly because it was how i felt then, and why i wrote it. hopefully you guys have appreciated it. if not, ill get rid of it, save it somewhere else.
p.s. the second one is a little politically sensitive, so i would like to make this disclaimer, now, as well as again before the entry. my opinion is personal, and is not at all representative of the peace corps or us govt.
part 1
btw, prior to publishing this i should say that my views do not represent the views of Peace Corps, nor of the government of the united states of america. so here it goes.
i thought i might change the pace a bit, and instead of writing directly about my experiences and adventures, i may instead discuss some feelings i have been having. revelations you may say. now im not gonna get all nostalgic on you guys, no im not dying from the absense of my friends and family, although i do miss you all greatly. no, the truth is, i have been thinking a lot about the cultural differences between the states and here, and I think its about time to expound some knowledge on you people. alright, where should i start. first and foremost, honduras is a country that is still recovering from an epoch of colonial rule, in fact, so much of the current problems stem from what was done in the past three centuries. however, worst of all, to this day, the curses of upper class rule affect every aspect of society. now, some of you may say, shit, here comes the communist dribble. but no, i wont go there. in fact, i will remain apolitical, and will only say the following. when a select few are in charge of the financial situation in a nation, and all they care about is new cars and houses, while the remainder of the population, the majority, suffers, well thats a problem. a rather large and significant problem. and to be honest, this happens everywhere. in russia, in the states, and in central america. no matter what name the government goes under, the mismanagement of funds, aid, and resources places a heavy weight on the shoulders of the population. but you may ask, dimochka, how does this manifest itself so that you may express such strong feelings? well ill tell you. when the mayor of a small town drives a brand new car, lives in a mansion, and the only paved road in town leads to his house...thats a problem. when the government receives aid funding every year, but the municipalities and small communities havent seen anything since 06...thats a problem. when people live in cardboard houses with 8 children, and enough food for 4, all because of the lack of infrastructure, education, and local assistance...thats a problem. when people think that the swine flu is more dangerous than HIV...that's a problem. when students in 6th grade can't read, can't multiply, and don't care...that's a problem. when school is closed more days than it is open...that's a problem. what else, well there are a bunch of problems. the country is struggling. as the poorest nation in central america, honduras is hanging on by a thread. thousands are unemployed, maybe millions. the political system is faulty, with corruption at every level of power, regardless of affiliation. and worst of all, the common person seems comfortable where they are. sure they may complain, talk about it with their neighbors, but little is done to create any true change. and that's also normal. the same happens everywhere. and i'm not suggesting revolution by any means, i just feel that through reform, gradual, but progressive, reform, the people here can obtain a standard of living, and amenities, which haven't yet been seen by the majority of this nation. however, after all the negative is said and done, there are certain things which appeal to me. in fact, draw me to this lifestyle. first and foremost, its simple. people work, eat, sleep, watch telenovellas, play soccer, and talk with friends and family. that's mostly it. periodically someone will go somewhere, see something new, go swimming in the river, go to the nearby larger town, but by and large, life is, well, simple. little stress, and even less hassle. the food is simple, but amazing. beans, tortilla, chicken, pork, beef, avocado, vegetables, fruit, oh man the fruit, fresco, topoillos, choco bananos, baleadas, catrachas, tacos (different than mexican), empanadas, fried plantains, everything. its all delicious. and nutritious. but its not complicated, or expensive. and nothing is packaged, or processed. its all fresh. sure people eat chips and drink soda, but in comparison to the states, its nothing. to be honest, too many people can't afford that stuff. and the coffee. of man, the coffee. they drink it all day long, sweet, and black, and delicious. and that's cheap too, even organic. as for the rest of the day, yeah, a lot of time is spent in front of the TV, which dissappoints, but frequently its on mute, and people are talking about things they see, constantly in a state of discussion. its a shame that they don't read more, but that's not their fault, its the lack of education, and the idea that is solidified in the school systems that reading is only for studying. i guess, i'm writing all of this because it makes me realize how happy i am that i have chosen to be a volunteer here. i'll be able to change something. maybe something small, insignificant in the scope of the nation, but regardless, something nevertheless. maybe after i leave, there will be people somewhere here in honduras that will perceive the world differently. that will want to do things another way. a better way. a more concientious, environmentally sound, responsible, way. hell, they may even want to read some novels, instead of watching them.
p.s. now that i have read what i wrote a week ago, it seems a bit cliche. but ill publish it anyway, mostly because it was how i felt then, and why i wrote it. hopefully you guys have appreciated it. if not, ill get rid of it, save it somewhere else.
9.01.2009
hn6.
entries from the past 2 weeks, although I have been writing less and less lately. I guess a lot has depended on my energy levels, which are significantly low lately. a mixture of our grueling training schedule, 7 30 am to 5 pm daily, and constant cacophony of pollo outside my bedroom window every night. actually, last night there were people creeping about outside my house, probably trying to rob the place, but luckily everything was locked, and they gave up quickly. maybe they saw my dad´s gun on the kitchen table and decided it was a safer bet to let it go. not worth dying for a few cheap appliances. i have also been maintaining my sanity with some russian candy my mom sent me, so thank mamchik, the stuff is like my new crack. if anyone has a chance to, go to a russian store in your neighborhood, and ask for batonchiki, or little loaves. they´re the shit. anyway, here are my most recent entries. enjoy. hope all is well with you peoples. cuidanse.
there is not much for me to write today, but i feel obligated to at least mention a little about what has happened during training in the last few days, as well as the occurances of last weekend. everything in PST has been going well, with lots of hands-on goodness. this week's focus is ecotourism, so we went into comayagua today to see how rio negro's campaign has been going (rio negro is where a volunteer has been working with locals on some eco-tourism projects, and where we will be going tomorrow to camp out and learn about the work). it seems that there are a lot of difficulties in advertizing such a project, however it was a good learning experience nonetheless. this weekend, a small group of us went to some natural pools with a large local family, where we went swimming, ate a sweet honduran meal, and more or less relaxed for a day. i jumped from a tree into a pool and luckily have a video to prove it, so you guys can watch whenever i get around to posting it on youtube or wherever. its sideways tho, so i dont know if i can fix that. anyway, so far, that's all i got. oh wait, on a different note, i got a haircut and a shave, honduran style, so once i get a few pictures of myself with my new doo, you guys can laugh it up. alright, ill write more when i got more to say. cheque.
again, i don't have muchas ganas to write right now, but i've been slacking lately, and well, its about time i sat down and wrote a lengthy one. first and foremost, news. this past wednesday, our group went camping in rio negro, where we spent the evening platicando with the natives, discussing all sorts of topics. thursday morning the local tourguides who have been in training with a PCV for some time, took us on the trail to the cascada, or waterfall. it was beautiful. the rainforest was lush, filled with a plethora of tree species, shrubs, ferns, and anything you could think of. the trail followed a river which acts as a water source for the whole comayagua valley, which includes my home town of la cuesta. we spent a long time walking, discussing the points of interest, but the pace was slow, and it frustrated me a little. i guess its necessary for a guide to hike at the pace of the slowest in the group, but ours was quite fit, and i think we could have moved quicker. its also possible that after years of hiking with mom and dad, i have been trained to move quickly up and down mountains, so maybe i was just out of place. regardless, the waterfall was amazing. we drank the water directly from the source, and to be honest, it was more refreshing and sweet than i could have imagined. its a shame that by the time it reaches the people in the valley, its full of ghiardia and parasites. pues, asi es la vida. we spent the rest of the afternoon discussing the procedure with the guides, giving pointers, constructive criticism mostly, trying to improve the overall experience. we all returned exstatic, if not for the experience, than just because we got to spent a night in the woods, away from the norms of tech training. friday was devoted to a cultural day, where our group presented american culture, whatever that is, to our host families and a large group of school children, while they presented their culture to us. it was an interesting experience, but overall i think it went well. i acted as master of ceremonies, along with my companera lucy, who did a much better job than me. regardless, it went off mostly without a hitch, the people were happy, and us voluteers got to try a bunch of honduran food. ah, finally, now i arrive at today. this morning, a group of us went to repair the damage that had occured to our stove, the one we built a few weeks back. apparently, we failed in certain aspects during the initial construction, and algunas partes did not work out, or broke. so, we went back and fixed it, good. now, hopefully, in three days when the whole thing dries, we can come back and see how it works out. hopefully, the clay mixture will hold, and the hornilla will heat up properly. at least we learned a lot from the experience, and now it looks a hell of a lot better than it did before. at three we played a game of soccer with the locals, which began well, and ended badly, with us losing 4 to 8. but i guess it happens. quedo mal, la marcadora era fea, pero, aprendimos mucho. i returned home, ate dinner with the fam, chopped some wood, and carried a 5 gallon jug of water, could be 6 or 7, dunno, from the nearby supermarket all the way to my house. it was all pretty exhausting.
there is not much for me to write today, but i feel obligated to at least mention a little about what has happened during training in the last few days, as well as the occurances of last weekend. everything in PST has been going well, with lots of hands-on goodness. this week's focus is ecotourism, so we went into comayagua today to see how rio negro's campaign has been going (rio negro is where a volunteer has been working with locals on some eco-tourism projects, and where we will be going tomorrow to camp out and learn about the work). it seems that there are a lot of difficulties in advertizing such a project, however it was a good learning experience nonetheless. this weekend, a small group of us went to some natural pools with a large local family, where we went swimming, ate a sweet honduran meal, and more or less relaxed for a day. i jumped from a tree into a pool and luckily have a video to prove it, so you guys can watch whenever i get around to posting it on youtube or wherever. its sideways tho, so i dont know if i can fix that. anyway, so far, that's all i got. oh wait, on a different note, i got a haircut and a shave, honduran style, so once i get a few pictures of myself with my new doo, you guys can laugh it up. alright, ill write more when i got more to say. cheque.
again, i don't have muchas ganas to write right now, but i've been slacking lately, and well, its about time i sat down and wrote a lengthy one. first and foremost, news. this past wednesday, our group went camping in rio negro, where we spent the evening platicando with the natives, discussing all sorts of topics. thursday morning the local tourguides who have been in training with a PCV for some time, took us on the trail to the cascada, or waterfall. it was beautiful. the rainforest was lush, filled with a plethora of tree species, shrubs, ferns, and anything you could think of. the trail followed a river which acts as a water source for the whole comayagua valley, which includes my home town of la cuesta. we spent a long time walking, discussing the points of interest, but the pace was slow, and it frustrated me a little. i guess its necessary for a guide to hike at the pace of the slowest in the group, but ours was quite fit, and i think we could have moved quicker. its also possible that after years of hiking with mom and dad, i have been trained to move quickly up and down mountains, so maybe i was just out of place. regardless, the waterfall was amazing. we drank the water directly from the source, and to be honest, it was more refreshing and sweet than i could have imagined. its a shame that by the time it reaches the people in the valley, its full of ghiardia and parasites. pues, asi es la vida. we spent the rest of the afternoon discussing the procedure with the guides, giving pointers, constructive criticism mostly, trying to improve the overall experience. we all returned exstatic, if not for the experience, than just because we got to spent a night in the woods, away from the norms of tech training. friday was devoted to a cultural day, where our group presented american culture, whatever that is, to our host families and a large group of school children, while they presented their culture to us. it was an interesting experience, but overall i think it went well. i acted as master of ceremonies, along with my companera lucy, who did a much better job than me. regardless, it went off mostly without a hitch, the people were happy, and us voluteers got to try a bunch of honduran food. ah, finally, now i arrive at today. this morning, a group of us went to repair the damage that had occured to our stove, the one we built a few weeks back. apparently, we failed in certain aspects during the initial construction, and algunas partes did not work out, or broke. so, we went back and fixed it, good. now, hopefully, in three days when the whole thing dries, we can come back and see how it works out. hopefully, the clay mixture will hold, and the hornilla will heat up properly. at least we learned a lot from the experience, and now it looks a hell of a lot better than it did before. at three we played a game of soccer with the locals, which began well, and ended badly, with us losing 4 to 8. but i guess it happens. quedo mal, la marcadora era fea, pero, aprendimos mucho. i returned home, ate dinner with the fam, chopped some wood, and carried a 5 gallon jug of water, could be 6 or 7, dunno, from the nearby supermarket all the way to my house. it was all pretty exhausting.
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