Well, almost mango season.
I went for a bike ride this morning, just to keep my legs fresh. I had ridden on Saturday, and when I first got on the bike today, my sit-upons were feeling a little, well, sat upon. Within a few minutes I was feeling better, though. It was cool and there was just a bit of misting going on this morning. Then, there was a headwind during the parts where I go slightly uphill. Ah, it felt like riding in Kansas. Almost.
Yes, the temp, wind and mist all combined to make me feel like I could have been riding in Kansas, maybe on the Wicked Wind. Except for the part where we all had to slow down because there were two different ox carts creating a traffic jam. Or the part where I had to ride through the vultures on the corner that were munching on some roadkill. At least the vultures had managed to drag the dearly departed dog a bit further onto the sidewalk, rather than where he and they were yesterday: right in the roadway. Or the part where a lady was burning her trash in the road in front of her house. I guess maybe the Kansas comparison quickly fades, huh?
After my ride, I showered, did a load of laundry and headed out toward the post office. My parents' anniversary is in three weeks and I'm hoping that the card I sent out today will actually get to them in time. It's the first time I've mailed things from here, so I'll just take the ever popular 'wait and see' approach. It cost 42 Lempiras to send my Hallmark wishes northbound. Yup, Hallmark. When Sandi and I were in HiperPaiz last week, I looked for anniversary cards and actually found one I liked. Mom & Dad may have to take it to their church to have the Assistant Pastor translate it, but I was glad that I managed to find a card.
As I left the post office, I was rubbing excess glue off my fingers. Oh, I forgot to tell you that you don't lick the stamps here. They weigh your letter, sell you the stamps and then offer you the glue. Basically, it was a bit of Elmers in a cap from a spray paint or hair spray can with a Popsicle stick in it. After sticking on your stamps, you need to wait just a little bit so that the glue can dry and your letter won't get stuck to others.
Excess glue off my fingers, I continued walking back toward the mercado and home. When I got to my friend Walter's corner fruit stand, I stopped to talk to him for a few minutes. I saw that he had some mangos, but they were the small ones, the ones that are picked green, cut and served with salt, vinegar, hot sauce, etc. But at least these ones were a bit more ripe. I asked Walter if he had any of the large mangos yet. He said that he did. I asked if they were sweet and ripe. He said, "yes" and plopped one down in front of me.
Honestly, the mango looked a bit sad. It was starting to wrinkle, from being old, and was yellow and green with no signs of red. But Walter assured me it was a good one. I paid my 10 Lempiras and put the mango in my purse. I knew that the price was super expensive because it's so early in the season. I also know that once mango season really gets under way, people will be giving them away by the bagful -- kind of like the over-productive cucumbers of a Kansas summer. Still, I didn't mind paying 10 Lemps if I had a good piece of fruit to consume.
Once home, I got out my mango splitter, ready to christen it on the first mango of the season. I'll be darned, but the skin seemed too tough for the splitter. Maybe I should have peeled it first? Plan B was to follow AB's foolproof mango cutting instructions. Sorry, I couldn't find an actual Alton Brown demo of it, but this video is pretty much the same as I remember AB cutting it.
Mango cut and released of its skin, there was nothing left to do but taste. And, oh my, was it tasty! I stood over the sink and quickly consumed ('inhaled' might be a better word) the whole thing. Walter's record of never selling me a bad piece of fruit remains untarnished.
I am absolutely convinced that it was not an apple, but a mango, that satan used in the garden to tempt Eve. And with fruit as heavenly as a mango, it's at least a bit understandable why she gave in to the temptation. OK, not really, but I stand by my assertion that mangos are heavenly!
So, for the record: Let mango season begin!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Ready for Convention...
The Central American Student Convention begins on Tuesday morning, and I think I'm pretty much ready for it now. Except for packing. After church today I went to the store to buy some of the clothing I need for it. Flip flops and sandals are unacceptable footwear, so I ended up spending 330 Lempiras to buy a pair of closed-toe dress shoes. Then, I also bought a pair of warm-up style pants so that I'd be dressed appropriately on athletic competition days. I even found a pair of knee high stockings so that I don't have to wear regular stockings. Even the thought of wearing a pair of stockings is repulsive, but since the skirts I have don't cover my ankles, I have to wear hose. So, I'm going to fudge it a bit and wear knee highs since I have a skirt that should be long enough to accommodate them and still not have to wear the real thing, the completely restrictive, utterly repressive-in-this-heat stockings. What? You think that perhaps the clothing standards might be a bit restrictive and puritanical? But wait, there's more.
Today I found out that if my blouses/shirts expose the bones at the top of the rib cage (clavicle, I think, but the ones less than an inch from my thyroid neck scar) they are considered too low and revealing? Seriously? Now, that's downright puritanical. I mean, I dress quite modestly already, but am starting to feel that maybe I should head down to the Catholic church tomorrow and see if the nuns have a few habits I can borrow. Thankfully, it will all be over by Friday afternoon and I can go back to being myself. Dressing like myself! Total cost for today's purchases: 724 Lempiras ($38.33 USD).
The good part about my afternoon shopping trip is that after I was done, I just took a bit of a leisurely spin on my motorcycle. My packages were safely ensconced in my mochila (backpack), so I just rode. I took the road that heads up toward the Oki. I rode until I ran out of pavement and then drove just a little bit further before turning around and heading back. It felt great to be out there in the sun.
On my way back, I decided to stop by a store to try to buy a second helmet. They were closed, so I'll try again either tomorrow or Saturday. Right now, I can't (legally) have a passenger with me unless they happen to have their own helmet. Although, you might be surprised at some of the motorcycle "helmets" I've seen people wearing. I've seen bicycle helmets, hard hats, and even toy fireman's helmets. Yes. Really. Toy fireman's helmets being used as a motorcycle helmet. And, apparently that's just fine, because I've never seen any of those people being pulled over. I'm sure my passengers will appreciate the fact that I value their lives just a bit more than buying them a party favor and calling it a helmet.
Actually though, I'm really hoping to buy myself a new motorcycle helmet when I'm in the States. I don't really trust the ones here. There are no DOT or Snell certifications. Plus, it seems that most of the helmets here are full-face closed helmets, which I find really limit your vision. I'm wearing an open-face helmet with a shield and I actually like it, but, it's black and very, very hot. I can't get it in white or any other light color. So, I'll be checking out a few places to see if I can find a helmet.
How about that? From clothing to motorcycle rides and helmets in just one post.
Today I found out that if my blouses/shirts expose the bones at the top of the rib cage (clavicle, I think, but the ones less than an inch from my thyroid neck scar) they are considered too low and revealing? Seriously? Now, that's downright puritanical. I mean, I dress quite modestly already, but am starting to feel that maybe I should head down to the Catholic church tomorrow and see if the nuns have a few habits I can borrow. Thankfully, it will all be over by Friday afternoon and I can go back to being myself. Dressing like myself! Total cost for today's purchases: 724 Lempiras ($38.33 USD).
The good part about my afternoon shopping trip is that after I was done, I just took a bit of a leisurely spin on my motorcycle. My packages were safely ensconced in my mochila (backpack), so I just rode. I took the road that heads up toward the Oki. I rode until I ran out of pavement and then drove just a little bit further before turning around and heading back. It felt great to be out there in the sun.
On my way back, I decided to stop by a store to try to buy a second helmet. They were closed, so I'll try again either tomorrow or Saturday. Right now, I can't (legally) have a passenger with me unless they happen to have their own helmet. Although, you might be surprised at some of the motorcycle "helmets" I've seen people wearing. I've seen bicycle helmets, hard hats, and even toy fireman's helmets. Yes. Really. Toy fireman's helmets being used as a motorcycle helmet. And, apparently that's just fine, because I've never seen any of those people being pulled over. I'm sure my passengers will appreciate the fact that I value their lives just a bit more than buying them a party favor and calling it a helmet.
Actually though, I'm really hoping to buy myself a new motorcycle helmet when I'm in the States. I don't really trust the ones here. There are no DOT or Snell certifications. Plus, it seems that most of the helmets here are full-face closed helmets, which I find really limit your vision. I'm wearing an open-face helmet with a shield and I actually like it, but, it's black and very, very hot. I can't get it in white or any other light color. So, I'll be checking out a few places to see if I can find a helmet.
How about that? From clothing to motorcycle rides and helmets in just one post.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Excuse Me, Can You Spare a Few Days?...
A few extra days would be awesome. So, if anyone has some just laying around, not being used, please pass them my way. In fact, if you have a couple of days that are only slightly used, with plenty of hours left in them, I'll take those as well. That's how it often feels around here. I find myself saying things like, "It's Thursday already? What happened to Tuesday and Wednesday, because I know that yesterday was Monday?"
Those lapses of time are simply amazing, especially in a culture where it seems that relatively few people value the ticking of the clock. Except when they're driving. Then, everybody has to be somewhere NOW! And, they're bound and determined to get there before you. It doesn't matter if I'm going slow because the 18-wheeler in front of me can't muster any more steam to get up the mountain, and I'm too cautious to pass him on a blind curve, in construction, in the dark. The dude behind me will pass us both, usually getting back into our quasi-lane of traffic mere micro seconds before being flattened by the oncoming 18-wheeler that only has one headlight.
On the road. That, my friends, seems to be the only time most Hondurans give a flip about time. Personally, I think they're all just Dale wannabees.
So, if you happen to find a few extra days, let me know. I can probably even pack them into my suitcase when I'm back in the States in SIX WEEKS.
Those lapses of time are simply amazing, especially in a culture where it seems that relatively few people value the ticking of the clock. Except when they're driving. Then, everybody has to be somewhere NOW! And, they're bound and determined to get there before you. It doesn't matter if I'm going slow because the 18-wheeler in front of me can't muster any more steam to get up the mountain, and I'm too cautious to pass him on a blind curve, in construction, in the dark. The dude behind me will pass us both, usually getting back into our quasi-lane of traffic mere micro seconds before being flattened by the oncoming 18-wheeler that only has one headlight.
On the road. That, my friends, seems to be the only time most Hondurans give a flip about time. Personally, I think they're all just Dale wannabees.
So, if you happen to find a few extra days, let me know. I can probably even pack them into my suitcase when I'm back in the States in SIX WEEKS.
Monday, March 15, 2010
A Hug and a Kiss at the Supermarket...
Today has been a long day, and even though I should make another entry about the medical brigade, I'm tired. But, something happened this evening that I thought would make for a good blog post.
This evening all four of us ladies were headed toward the grocery store. Sandi was driving and Brenda, Jenny and I were opening the gate. The other two girls went through, to get into the truck, when we spotted a very drunk, very shirtless guy coming toward us, a bottle of Tatascan in hand. Tatascan is Honduran rot gut. I've never tried it and have absolutely no intention of doing so.
Anyway, the dude was walking directly toward us. I told Brenda and Jenny to get in the truck with Sandi. But the guy was also trying to get in the back of the pickup. I told him to get down and go, but he just said something in Spanish which I couldn't understand. Currie came out and tried to run interference for us. I locked the gate, and got in the front of the pickup. Then, so that Currie could get back inside, Sandi called the drunk guy over to her window, which was cracked open just enough to talk. She distracted the guy while Currie went back inside. Then we headed to the grocery store. Just another average day in Honduras.
At the grocery store, we all kind of separated so that we could get the things we needed. I was happily picking out some of the incredible produce they had tonight: zucchini, summer squash, bataste, carrots, etc. Suddenly, I was being hugged and kissed by a man. No warning, just a hug and a kiss. It turns out that it was Wilmer, from church, and was totally innocent, but it shocked me anyway. I mean, I must have been so caught up in my veggie euphoria that I just didn't see him. I quickly composed myself and told him that we were all there this evening. He said that he had already seen Sandi and Jenny. Whew! Tell Doris that I said 'hello', Wilmer!
This evening all four of us ladies were headed toward the grocery store. Sandi was driving and Brenda, Jenny and I were opening the gate. The other two girls went through, to get into the truck, when we spotted a very drunk, very shirtless guy coming toward us, a bottle of Tatascan in hand. Tatascan is Honduran rot gut. I've never tried it and have absolutely no intention of doing so.
Anyway, the dude was walking directly toward us. I told Brenda and Jenny to get in the truck with Sandi. But the guy was also trying to get in the back of the pickup. I told him to get down and go, but he just said something in Spanish which I couldn't understand. Currie came out and tried to run interference for us. I locked the gate, and got in the front of the pickup. Then, so that Currie could get back inside, Sandi called the drunk guy over to her window, which was cracked open just enough to talk. She distracted the guy while Currie went back inside. Then we headed to the grocery store. Just another average day in Honduras.
At the grocery store, we all kind of separated so that we could get the things we needed. I was happily picking out some of the incredible produce they had tonight: zucchini, summer squash, bataste, carrots, etc. Suddenly, I was being hugged and kissed by a man. No warning, just a hug and a kiss. It turns out that it was Wilmer, from church, and was totally innocent, but it shocked me anyway. I mean, I must have been so caught up in my veggie euphoria that I just didn't see him. I quickly composed myself and told him that we were all there this evening. He said that he had already seen Sandi and Jenny. Whew! Tell Doris that I said 'hello', Wilmer!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Medical Brigade, Part 2
After Sunday's clinic at the garbage dump, Monday we were headed up the mountain to La Oki. About a week before we were there for the clinic, the mountain had suffered a fire which melted the tubes that bring water to the community. One of the Bridge Ministries partners had been up there with us right after the fire and he told us to buy the tubing that they needed and that he would pay for it. So, along with lots of medical supplies, a generator, a welding machine, new iron gates for the school, two new bookcases, school supplies and about 25 or 26 people, we loaded the plastic tubing onto the chicken truck for the ride up the mountain. What's a chicken truck? So glad you asked...
Here's the chicken truck being loaded with stuff at Enlaces:
And here it is being loaded with people:
Then it's time for a 45-minute ride up the mountain, mostly in 4-wheel drive territory. Yes, we stand in the truck. After arriving at the Oki, it was time to unload the chicken truck:
The people were waiting patiently for us when we got there, even though the sun was already blazing:
The team got set up and began the triage process:
By the end of the day, the doctors had seen about 200 people. The ride down the mountain seemed a lot faster than the ride up! It was a great day!
Here's the chicken truck being loaded with stuff at Enlaces:
And here it is being loaded with people:
Then it's time for a 45-minute ride up the mountain, mostly in 4-wheel drive territory. Yes, we stand in the truck. After arriving at the Oki, it was time to unload the chicken truck:
The people were waiting patiently for us when we got there, even though the sun was already blazing:
The team got set up and began the triage process:
By the end of the day, the doctors had seen about 200 people. The ride down the mountain seemed a lot faster than the ride up! It was a great day!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Medical Brigade, Part I...
It's been a long week and I know I have a lot of catching up to do, so here goes...
Last Saturday evening, a team of 21 arrived in San Pedro Sula. Because their flight didn't get in until almost 9:30pm, and they would still need to go through Immigrations and Customs, we all stayed in San Pedro for the night. Sandi & I had their rooms ready and waiting to go when they got there so that all they needed to do was sleep.
Up early on Sunday morning, the whole group had breakfast at the restaurant in Villa Nuria. Then it was time to load up the Enlaces bus and head back to Comayagua. I was riding with Currie and Samuel in the pickup, and Sandi rode on the bus with the group to give them a bit of an introduction. Between the bus and the pickup, we had a great game of leap frog going for a while.
Once everyone arrived in Comayagua, the group checked in to their hotel and then walked over to Enlaces for lunch. Rosy fixed a fine meal of tacos catrachos (Honduran tacos) for us! With full bellies, the team was now ready to head out to the day's clinic destination: the garbage dump. I planned to drive out to the dump on my motorcycle. In retrospect, that may not have been one of my wisest decisions.
After we (the bus and the moto) turned off of the main highway, we were in four wheel drive territory all the way. The bus quickly dropped me as I hung back a little so as not to eat dust. The rode grew increasingly rough and soon I couldn't see the bus. I started to get a little worried because I didn't remember the active dump area to be so far back. I finally caught up to the group and Hermes told me that my memory was correct, that the 'working' part of the dump used to be much closer to the highway.
It only took a few minutes for the team of nurses, doctors and the pharmacy folks to get set up and acquainted with their translators. All in all, it was a great first day. 39 people were seen for medical issues and 6 of them gave their lives to Jesus, as well!! I was surprised that the number of people out there was so low because we know that there are about 80 people who actually live at the dump.
In the picture below, you can see huge bags and piles in the background. The bags are filled with plastic that has been recovered from the trash and will be taken to be be recycled. By doing this, the people earn a few centavos. How they manage to eek out even a subsistence completely baffles me.
Before leaving that afternoon, we also handed out some food that we had brought with us. It wasn't much, but it was food that we did not want to go to waste and the people were grateful to receive it.
In this picture, Belen is talking to a patient as we use the side of the bus to offer a little shade and protection from the wind.
Last Saturday evening, a team of 21 arrived in San Pedro Sula. Because their flight didn't get in until almost 9:30pm, and they would still need to go through Immigrations and Customs, we all stayed in San Pedro for the night. Sandi & I had their rooms ready and waiting to go when they got there so that all they needed to do was sleep.
Up early on Sunday morning, the whole group had breakfast at the restaurant in Villa Nuria. Then it was time to load up the Enlaces bus and head back to Comayagua. I was riding with Currie and Samuel in the pickup, and Sandi rode on the bus with the group to give them a bit of an introduction. Between the bus and the pickup, we had a great game of leap frog going for a while.
Once everyone arrived in Comayagua, the group checked in to their hotel and then walked over to Enlaces for lunch. Rosy fixed a fine meal of tacos catrachos (Honduran tacos) for us! With full bellies, the team was now ready to head out to the day's clinic destination: the garbage dump. I planned to drive out to the dump on my motorcycle. In retrospect, that may not have been one of my wisest decisions.
After we (the bus and the moto) turned off of the main highway, we were in four wheel drive territory all the way. The bus quickly dropped me as I hung back a little so as not to eat dust. The rode grew increasingly rough and soon I couldn't see the bus. I started to get a little worried because I didn't remember the active dump area to be so far back. I finally caught up to the group and Hermes told me that my memory was correct, that the 'working' part of the dump used to be much closer to the highway.
It only took a few minutes for the team of nurses, doctors and the pharmacy folks to get set up and acquainted with their translators. All in all, it was a great first day. 39 people were seen for medical issues and 6 of them gave their lives to Jesus, as well!! I was surprised that the number of people out there was so low because we know that there are about 80 people who actually live at the dump.
In the picture below, you can see huge bags and piles in the background. The bags are filled with plastic that has been recovered from the trash and will be taken to be be recycled. By doing this, the people earn a few centavos. How they manage to eek out even a subsistence completely baffles me.
Before leaving that afternoon, we also handed out some food that we had brought with us. It wasn't much, but it was food that we did not want to go to waste and the people were grateful to receive it.
In this picture, Belen is talking to a patient as we use the side of the bus to offer a little shade and protection from the wind.
Friday, March 5, 2010
And Other Places...
It's been a busy week and it's going to continue on for another week. After our trip to Ajuterique on Monday, we went to La Esperanza and Intibucá on Tuesday. That was about a 3-hour drive each way. I've got lots of great photos and I really will post them. Eventually. Right now, though, I'm just trying to get this update out on the interwebs before I need to head out to get some groceries with Sandi.
We're going to get the groceries for the school for next week and for a group of 22 that arrives tomorrow. I imagine we'll have three carts full of food!! The group arriving tomorrow will be doing medical brigades and some construction projects. The group arrives in San Pedro Sula about 9:30pm tomorrow, so by the time they all get through immigrations, luggage pick up, and customs, it will probably be about 11:00pm. So, we're just planning to spend the night in SPS.
The four of us (Currie, Sandi, Samuel, and me) will head up there sometime tomorrow to get the last minute shopping done. We'll also check into Villa Nuria and get all the rooms assigned and ready. Sunday morning, breakfast is provided by Villa Nuria. After that, it's on to the Enlaces bus to head back to Comayagua. We should make it back here right around lunch time.
Lunch will probably be something light, then we all head out to the garbage dump for a medical clinic. Yes, I'll be taking lots of pics. Don't worry. Once the clinic is finished, it will be just about time for dinner. Then probably group devotions and bed.
Monday morning, it starts all over again. And that will be our week. Some members of the team will also be doing various construction projects, including building desks ('offices' in ACE lingo) for the school. So, yes, it will be a busy week.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Ajuterique...
Today the 7th grade class was planning to take food and school supplies to Ajuterique. I decided to join them, but rode there on my motorcycle so that I could get out and enjoy the sun a bit. Ajuterique is one of the areas where we have a feeding program. Basically, it works like this: if the kids will attend school, we will feed them. It's pretty simple, really. Kids learn better when they have food in their bellies.
All of our food programs have been started in areas where there was no school or just a feeble attempt at a school. Usually within the first year of starting such a program, the government takes notice and often sends in a teacher. Ajuterique is no different. The teacher there is very dedicated to seeing his kids and the community succeed.
Today when he was asked what needs they have, the teacher was honest and said that they don't have any pots big enough to cook for the 31 children who are now attending school. He told us that several mothers bring their pots each day so that the food can be cooked.
After returning to Comayagua, Sandi, Nubia, and Jimmy, who is visiting from the US, went to the market and purchased two very large pots and some utensils for Ajuterique. Later in the afternoon, we made another trip back there. The reaction among the teacher and several of the mothers was as if we had just given them gold. They were thrilled. The teacher told us that he had a community meeting later that day and he was going to show everyone the new pots they had.
It was great to see such joy on their faces, but it made me wonder: Do we miss opportunities to be thankful in the midst of seemingly simple things?
All of our food programs have been started in areas where there was no school or just a feeble attempt at a school. Usually within the first year of starting such a program, the government takes notice and often sends in a teacher. Ajuterique is no different. The teacher there is very dedicated to seeing his kids and the community succeed.
Today when he was asked what needs they have, the teacher was honest and said that they don't have any pots big enough to cook for the 31 children who are now attending school. He told us that several mothers bring their pots each day so that the food can be cooked.
After returning to Comayagua, Sandi, Nubia, and Jimmy, who is visiting from the US, went to the market and purchased two very large pots and some utensils for Ajuterique. Later in the afternoon, we made another trip back there. The reaction among the teacher and several of the mothers was as if we had just given them gold. They were thrilled. The teacher told us that he had a community meeting later that day and he was going to show everyone the new pots they had.
It was great to see such joy on their faces, but it made me wonder: Do we miss opportunities to be thankful in the midst of seemingly simple things?
Monday, February 22, 2010
Happy Anniversary...
...to me! It's been one month since I bought my motorcycle, so to celebrate, I went for a nice long ride on Saturday, which was, coincidentally, my six-month anniversary of arriving here.
And, now, we interrupt this blog to give you some breaking news ~~ This just in: I have received a 60-day extension of my visa!!! That's right. Ana Rut and the OIM seem to have come through for me. The 60-day extension will take me up to April 20, and when questioned about the 8 days from then until I head back to the States on April 28, Ana Rut said that we'll have my carnet by then. So, now all I need is to have my passport back in my hands and then wait for more news of my carnet.
We now return to your regularly scheduled blog...
So, Saturday was a fantastic day. I started out by going to breakfast with Jenny. We chose La Princesita's Super Baleadas. I mean, any time you can get a great breakfast for 32 Lempiras (18 for the baleada and another 14 for a bottle of pop), is a good day!! Oh yeah, 32 Lempiras equals $1.69, based on an exchange rate of 18.895 Lempiras to the dollar.
After breakfast, I dropped off Jenny at the mall so that she could print out some stuff. Yes, we went on my moto. Jenny trusted me enough, even though I haven't purchased a second helmet yet. I think we did just fine on the bike, especially considering it was my first time having a passenger.
Then I was off to La Libertad. It's about 40km away. I had been on that road for a short while about two weeks ago, but turned back before long since I didn't know where it would take me, or how safe it was. Finding out that it was a safe road and incredibly beautiful, I quickly put a trip to La Libertad on my 'to do' list. I was going to go last week, but a bit of a nasty sunburn on my lower back put a damper on those plans. The thought of the sun hitting my back, even through a t-shirt just was not pleasant.
Besides, as it turns out, going to La Libertad on Saturday was so much more symbolic. Not only was it the one-month anniversary of my moto purchase, it was also the six-month anniversary of my arriving in Honduras. The drive out there was breathtaking. Truly.
Comayagua sits in a valley (called the Comayagua Valley, as it happens) so no matter which way you drive, you quickly hit the mountains. The road to La Liber, as I heard it called today, was no different. I was only a few short kilometers outside of town when I began ascending, twisting and turning. And around each curve there appeared a view even more gorgeous than the one before. So, I just kept right on driving. My mind was wandering and all of my senses seemed on heightened enjoyment: the mountain views, the somewhat scraggly fields, the smell of the earth, the warmth of the sun on my arms and legs, the sound of the wind. It was glorious.
I was lost in my own thoughts when suddenly I saw something unexpected heading down the highway toward me, coming from the opposite direction. What? Two guys on road bikes? Really? Then, three more. Hmmm... I realized they were all gringos and then thought that they might be from the base. Slowing down quite a bit, I raised the visor on my helmet and asked the next two guys, "Hey, where are you all from?" Somewhat startled, the guy looked back and said, "Soto Cano." Yeah, I was right. Within seconds I saw the last few guys, followed by a military van. But, oh, the lust and longing that stirred within me: those sleek road bikes, such skinny tires, helmets, gloves, spandex shorts, lycra jerseys, and cycling shoes. When I finally roused myself from my cycling induced fantasy, I had an epiphany, an aha! moment. There was absolutely no reason why I can't use that same road and do some Cottonwood training on that very same road. Yeah, it'll be on my 75 lb. mountain bike, but, it's doable. Even without clipless pedals, helmet or padded shorts. I doubt I'll ride all that way to La Libertad, at least not at first, but I'm gonna head out that way on my bike next weekend. I think.
A woman on a moto is definitely somewhat new here, but a gringa on a moto? Now that's almost scandalous. Almost. Actually, here in town, there are a decent number of ladies who are riding motos or scooters, but it was obvious to me that most of them don't ride to La Liber. As I passed by people on the roadside or in their yards or fields, they stared. All of them. I tried to wave to as many as I could, and most of them waved back or at least smiled.
I arrived in La Libertad and rode around just a little. There are lots of one way streets and the town is on the side of a mountain, so there are some steep grades on several of the roads. A few of them were easily 14 or 15% grades. They would have been killer on a bike. I wondered if the military guys had ridden all the way out there.
After making it to the parque central in front of the church, I relaxed for a minute while deciding what to do. I drove across the way to a little pulperia, took off my helmet, trying to pretend I didn't see everyone staring at me, and walked inside. They had Diet Coke in the cooler, but it was in plastic bottles so I opted for a glass bottle of Fresca, even though Fresca here is not sugar free. The woman asked if I wanted it in a bolsita, which would have been 'to go', but I told her I was going to drink it here. I paid my 8 Lemps and walked back outside. All eyes were back on me. It wasn't unsettling, though. To my right was a small table, but it was occupied by a young woman, her baby and her mother or grandmother (sometimes it's nearly impossible to tell). I started talking to them, and after a few minutes, they asked me to please sit down and join them.
Even with my limited Spanish, I love trying to talk to people. I guess I'm not quite as limited as I think I am, but, yes, my lack still frustrates me.
When I finished my drink, I said my good-byes, put my empty bottle in the rack on the floor and was back on my moto. I drove around the town just a little more and then made my way back to the highway.
Unfortunately, the ride back to Comayagua seemed to be over much quicker than the ride out. Isn't it always like that? At one point, though, as I was riding, I saw some people ahead of me at a little roadside eatery. They were furiously waving at me as I passed. I smiled and waved back, realizing that I had first waved to them on my way out. They must have seen me coming from quite a ways and started waving. Maybe it was the most exciting part of their day to see the gringa on the moto. Twice.
As I left the country air and attitude behind me, I made my way through the crowded, noisy streets of Comayagua. I opened the front gate of Enlaces, and by the time I had my moto through, the guard was right there, ready to lock the gate behind me.
All in all, a beautiful day, and it wasn't even noon yet!
And, now, we interrupt this blog to give you some breaking news ~~ This just in: I have received a 60-day extension of my visa!!! That's right. Ana Rut and the OIM seem to have come through for me. The 60-day extension will take me up to April 20, and when questioned about the 8 days from then until I head back to the States on April 28, Ana Rut said that we'll have my carnet by then. So, now all I need is to have my passport back in my hands and then wait for more news of my carnet.
We now return to your regularly scheduled blog...
So, Saturday was a fantastic day. I started out by going to breakfast with Jenny. We chose La Princesita's Super Baleadas. I mean, any time you can get a great breakfast for 32 Lempiras (18 for the baleada and another 14 for a bottle of pop), is a good day!! Oh yeah, 32 Lempiras equals $1.69, based on an exchange rate of 18.895 Lempiras to the dollar.
After breakfast, I dropped off Jenny at the mall so that she could print out some stuff. Yes, we went on my moto. Jenny trusted me enough, even though I haven't purchased a second helmet yet. I think we did just fine on the bike, especially considering it was my first time having a passenger.
Then I was off to La Libertad. It's about 40km away. I had been on that road for a short while about two weeks ago, but turned back before long since I didn't know where it would take me, or how safe it was. Finding out that it was a safe road and incredibly beautiful, I quickly put a trip to La Libertad on my 'to do' list. I was going to go last week, but a bit of a nasty sunburn on my lower back put a damper on those plans. The thought of the sun hitting my back, even through a t-shirt just was not pleasant.
Besides, as it turns out, going to La Libertad on Saturday was so much more symbolic. Not only was it the one-month anniversary of my moto purchase, it was also the six-month anniversary of my arriving in Honduras. The drive out there was breathtaking. Truly.
Comayagua sits in a valley (called the Comayagua Valley, as it happens) so no matter which way you drive, you quickly hit the mountains. The road to La Liber, as I heard it called today, was no different. I was only a few short kilometers outside of town when I began ascending, twisting and turning. And around each curve there appeared a view even more gorgeous than the one before. So, I just kept right on driving. My mind was wandering and all of my senses seemed on heightened enjoyment: the mountain views, the somewhat scraggly fields, the smell of the earth, the warmth of the sun on my arms and legs, the sound of the wind. It was glorious.
I was lost in my own thoughts when suddenly I saw something unexpected heading down the highway toward me, coming from the opposite direction. What? Two guys on road bikes? Really? Then, three more. Hmmm... I realized they were all gringos and then thought that they might be from the base. Slowing down quite a bit, I raised the visor on my helmet and asked the next two guys, "Hey, where are you all from?" Somewhat startled, the guy looked back and said, "Soto Cano." Yeah, I was right. Within seconds I saw the last few guys, followed by a military van. But, oh, the lust and longing that stirred within me: those sleek road bikes, such skinny tires, helmets, gloves, spandex shorts, lycra jerseys, and cycling shoes. When I finally roused myself from my cycling induced fantasy, I had an epiphany, an aha! moment. There was absolutely no reason why I can't use that same road and do some Cottonwood training on that very same road. Yeah, it'll be on my 75 lb. mountain bike, but, it's doable. Even without clipless pedals, helmet or padded shorts. I doubt I'll ride all that way to La Libertad, at least not at first, but I'm gonna head out that way on my bike next weekend. I think.
A woman on a moto is definitely somewhat new here, but a gringa on a moto? Now that's almost scandalous. Almost. Actually, here in town, there are a decent number of ladies who are riding motos or scooters, but it was obvious to me that most of them don't ride to La Liber. As I passed by people on the roadside or in their yards or fields, they stared. All of them. I tried to wave to as many as I could, and most of them waved back or at least smiled.
I arrived in La Libertad and rode around just a little. There are lots of one way streets and the town is on the side of a mountain, so there are some steep grades on several of the roads. A few of them were easily 14 or 15% grades. They would have been killer on a bike. I wondered if the military guys had ridden all the way out there.
After making it to the parque central in front of the church, I relaxed for a minute while deciding what to do. I drove across the way to a little pulperia, took off my helmet, trying to pretend I didn't see everyone staring at me, and walked inside. They had Diet Coke in the cooler, but it was in plastic bottles so I opted for a glass bottle of Fresca, even though Fresca here is not sugar free. The woman asked if I wanted it in a bolsita, which would have been 'to go', but I told her I was going to drink it here. I paid my 8 Lemps and walked back outside. All eyes were back on me. It wasn't unsettling, though. To my right was a small table, but it was occupied by a young woman, her baby and her mother or grandmother (sometimes it's nearly impossible to tell). I started talking to them, and after a few minutes, they asked me to please sit down and join them.
Even with my limited Spanish, I love trying to talk to people. I guess I'm not quite as limited as I think I am, but, yes, my lack still frustrates me.
When I finished my drink, I said my good-byes, put my empty bottle in the rack on the floor and was back on my moto. I drove around the town just a little more and then made my way back to the highway.
Unfortunately, the ride back to Comayagua seemed to be over much quicker than the ride out. Isn't it always like that? At one point, though, as I was riding, I saw some people ahead of me at a little roadside eatery. They were furiously waving at me as I passed. I smiled and waved back, realizing that I had first waved to them on my way out. They must have seen me coming from quite a ways and started waving. Maybe it was the most exciting part of their day to see the gringa on the moto. Twice.
As I left the country air and attitude behind me, I made my way through the crowded, noisy streets of Comayagua. I opened the front gate of Enlaces, and by the time I had my moto through, the guard was right there, ready to lock the gate behind me.
All in all, a beautiful day, and it wasn't even noon yet!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Where Things Stand...
...for now, anyway.
In the ever frustrating, ongoing, and even possibly humorous saga of 'Susan and her carnet' or 'Susan and her visa extension', today I write a new episode:
Yesterday morning, Sandi tried to call Ana Rut. It was 10:30ish, but Ana wasn't there. Later that afternoon, Sandi called and even made contact. In fact, Ana knew exactly who Sandi was and why she was calling within about a half second of recognizing her voice.
A short while later, I was in the school and Sandi came to talk to me. "Well, I've got news, but I'm not sure you're going to want to hear it" was Sandi's greeting to me. Hmmm, I immediately had images of packing my bags and hopping a bus to Costa Rica. Thankfully, it was nothing that drastic. I'm still not convinced that I like our interim solution, but, it is what it is.
Ana Rut, in talking to her boss about my situation and the limbo that I find myself in, told Sandi that if I would send them my passport and $40US, Ana would personally take my passport to Immigrations and get me another extension of my visa. Sandi mention that I'm flying back to the States on April 28 for a visit and asked her if she could get my extension until that date. "No problem" was the response.
So, I went to my house and got my passport and $40US. I was getting ready to go to the FedEx-equivalent office to express my passport to Ana Rut and the OIM. We got the address, but it was a PO box, meaning that my passport would be sitting there until someone went to the post office.
Now, I was already greatly suspect at even sending my passport. I mean, you hear it all the time: Don't give anyone your passport. Don't let it out of your sight or control. And these folks want me to send/give them my passport for an indeterminate length of time? Plus, the OIM needs to leave my passport with Immigrations for 3 days. That would be the same Immigrations who lost the passport of an Enlaces intern a while back, only to have it show up a day or so before she was set to leave the country. So, yes, I was more than a bit apprehensive about sending my passport to Ana Rut.
As it turns out, Erica, one of our school administrators, is heading to Tegucigalpa today and will be in the same neighborhood as the OIM office, which has moved and is now located inside the United Nations building. She offered to bring my passport and money and hand deliver it to Ana Rut. Whew! That's a huge relief, especially since Erica knows how much and how long we've been dealing with this whole mess.
Sandi wrote a note to include in the envelope, reminding Ana Rut that the extension needs to be until April 28. She even told Ana Rut that we would be willing to drive to Teguc to pick it up when she gets it back. We'll see how that goes. I'm hoping it will be next week, but, who knows?
If ever there was a time to say... "I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore."
In the ever frustrating, ongoing, and even possibly humorous saga of 'Susan and her carnet' or 'Susan and her visa extension', today I write a new episode:
Yesterday morning, Sandi tried to call Ana Rut. It was 10:30ish, but Ana wasn't there. Later that afternoon, Sandi called and even made contact. In fact, Ana knew exactly who Sandi was and why she was calling within about a half second of recognizing her voice.
A short while later, I was in the school and Sandi came to talk to me. "Well, I've got news, but I'm not sure you're going to want to hear it" was Sandi's greeting to me. Hmmm, I immediately had images of packing my bags and hopping a bus to Costa Rica. Thankfully, it was nothing that drastic. I'm still not convinced that I like our interim solution, but, it is what it is.
Ana Rut, in talking to her boss about my situation and the limbo that I find myself in, told Sandi that if I would send them my passport and $40US, Ana would personally take my passport to Immigrations and get me another extension of my visa. Sandi mention that I'm flying back to the States on April 28 for a visit and asked her if she could get my extension until that date. "No problem" was the response.
So, I went to my house and got my passport and $40US. I was getting ready to go to the FedEx-equivalent office to express my passport to Ana Rut and the OIM. We got the address, but it was a PO box, meaning that my passport would be sitting there until someone went to the post office.
Now, I was already greatly suspect at even sending my passport. I mean, you hear it all the time: Don't give anyone your passport. Don't let it out of your sight or control. And these folks want me to send/give them my passport for an indeterminate length of time? Plus, the OIM needs to leave my passport with Immigrations for 3 days. That would be the same Immigrations who lost the passport of an Enlaces intern a while back, only to have it show up a day or so before she was set to leave the country. So, yes, I was more than a bit apprehensive about sending my passport to Ana Rut.
As it turns out, Erica, one of our school administrators, is heading to Tegucigalpa today and will be in the same neighborhood as the OIM office, which has moved and is now located inside the United Nations building. She offered to bring my passport and money and hand deliver it to Ana Rut. Whew! That's a huge relief, especially since Erica knows how much and how long we've been dealing with this whole mess.
Sandi wrote a note to include in the envelope, reminding Ana Rut that the extension needs to be until April 28. She even told Ana Rut that we would be willing to drive to Teguc to pick it up when she gets it back. We'll see how that goes. I'm hoping it will be next week, but, who knows?
If ever there was a time to say... "I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore."
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Tick, Tick, Tick...
That ominous sound is the passing of time. A daily reminder that, now, my current visa expires in three days and we are STILL waiting for an answer. If something doesn't change soon, as in, right away, I will need to leave the country on Saturday and spend three days somewhere else. The really bad part of that is that I can't get any good airline deals at this time. The bus? To Costa Rica? I've done it before.
On Monday, Sandi called Ana Rut at the OIM and was told that she (Ana Rut) would have an answer by Tuesday. Sandi was also told not to call back, that Ana Rut would call her. Oh, there are times I wish I was a betting woman. I could have cleaned up had I only bet against a phone call. No, of course Ana Rut didn't call. So, I'm still waiting.
It can get pretty frustrating: inconsistencies, laws that change with no notice, indecision, mucho corrupción, etc. That has been one of the hardest things to get used to here, especially for a take-charge kind-of-person like me who is used to having all her ducks in a row. Hopefully, we'll get some answers, positive answers, when Sandi calls Ana Rut this morning.
But, for now, I wait.
On Monday, Sandi called Ana Rut at the OIM and was told that she (Ana Rut) would have an answer by Tuesday. Sandi was also told not to call back, that Ana Rut would call her. Oh, there are times I wish I was a betting woman. I could have cleaned up had I only bet against a phone call. No, of course Ana Rut didn't call. So, I'm still waiting.
It can get pretty frustrating: inconsistencies, laws that change with no notice, indecision, mucho corrupción, etc. That has been one of the hardest things to get used to here, especially for a take-charge kind-of-person like me who is used to having all her ducks in a row. Hopefully, we'll get some answers, positive answers, when Sandi calls Ana Rut this morning.
But, for now, I wait.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
New School Year...
Well, the new school year started today. I think it actually started yesterday for public schools and most other private schools who keep to the Honduran calendar. But, our school week is only 4 days long for kinder through 5th grade. It's not until they're in 6th grade that our students start for 5-day weeks. Plus, this week, they only have half days.
I'm going to be teaching a Language Arts class to the 6th - 10th graders. I'll have three separate classes, which meet twice a week each. That should work pretty well. I'm also planning to help the upper grades with their English PACEs, as needed.
We had opening exercises this morning and I saw quite a few new faces, not just among the kinder and prepa kids, but in the upper grades as well. I know that we've had an influx of students from other schools. After opening exercises, I spent some time in the Center, talking to many of the children as they ate their merienda. I met a family of 3 kids who are from Saginaw, TX. Their father is a contractor on the base. English is their first language, but they also speak Spanish.
Last weekend, we were in San Pedro Sula for a teachers' convention. It was held on the grounds of an incredible bilingual school in the north part of San Pedro Sula. Heck, if it was any further north, it would have been ON the mountain. The campus was just gorgeous.
On our way back to Comayagua on Saturday, Sandi and I stopped near the lake to buy some beans. We ended up with a 110 lb. sack of red beans and a 5 lb. sack of black beans. The only area I've seen actually use black beans is the Taulabe area. Everyone else seems to use the red ones. In fact, while I was walking through the mercado today, I was paying attention to the beans. The shops that sold beans had 5 or 6 big sacks of red beans and only 1 sack of black beans.
After the beans, we went to Luis' house to pick up some coffee. Both Sandi & I were getting low. We got 5 more pounds and are hoping to get some coffee from Sandi's friend, Pam. If that coffee is as good as Pam says, I'll be bringing some of it back to the States on my trip. The proceeds of Pam's coffee goes to support the orphanage there, so that would be a great thing.
I'm going to be teaching a Language Arts class to the 6th - 10th graders. I'll have three separate classes, which meet twice a week each. That should work pretty well. I'm also planning to help the upper grades with their English PACEs, as needed.
We had opening exercises this morning and I saw quite a few new faces, not just among the kinder and prepa kids, but in the upper grades as well. I know that we've had an influx of students from other schools. After opening exercises, I spent some time in the Center, talking to many of the children as they ate their merienda. I met a family of 3 kids who are from Saginaw, TX. Their father is a contractor on the base. English is their first language, but they also speak Spanish.
Last weekend, we were in San Pedro Sula for a teachers' convention. It was held on the grounds of an incredible bilingual school in the north part of San Pedro Sula. Heck, if it was any further north, it would have been ON the mountain. The campus was just gorgeous.
On our way back to Comayagua on Saturday, Sandi and I stopped near the lake to buy some beans. We ended up with a 110 lb. sack of red beans and a 5 lb. sack of black beans. The only area I've seen actually use black beans is the Taulabe area. Everyone else seems to use the red ones. In fact, while I was walking through the mercado today, I was paying attention to the beans. The shops that sold beans had 5 or 6 big sacks of red beans and only 1 sack of black beans.
After the beans, we went to Luis' house to pick up some coffee. Both Sandi & I were getting low. We got 5 more pounds and are hoping to get some coffee from Sandi's friend, Pam. If that coffee is as good as Pam says, I'll be bringing some of it back to the States on my trip. The proceeds of Pam's coffee goes to support the orphanage there, so that would be a great thing.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
If I Could Save Time in a Bottle...
I know. I know. It's wishful thinking. But, seriously... where does the time go? I really do have very good intentions of keeping this blog somewhat current, but then the day to day stuff just happens. Plus, I often think, "Who really wants to read about my life here, or about us painting or whatever?" No, I'm not having a pity party -- had one of those the other day and I was the only one who showed up!!
Well, it's been super busy since I posted last week about Grey's Anatomy. Yes, we watched the show. Yes, it was a new one. Unfortunately, I probably won't get to watch tonight's episode because we're having a parents' meeting for school and I don't know if we'll be done before 8pm.
School starts next week and the teachers have been here getting their classrooms ready. I just went around and took photos of many of them. I'll be posting them on Facebook, on the Bridge Ministries - Enlaces con Cristo - Honduras page. So, if you're on FB, feel free to mosey on over and take a gander.
Last Sunday, I rode up to San Pedro Sula with Currie, Sandi & Samuel. Currie & Samuel were heading back to the States and I didn't want Sandi to drive home alone. Plus, a trip to the city = a trip to PriceSmart!! We got to the airport in plenty of time and the boys got checked in and even paid their departure tax (which has gone up to almost $37/person). Then we all got some baleadas for a bit of a merienda. After a while, Sandi & I left the airport and headed toward PriceSmart, with a planned stop at Diunsa first.
Diunsa was having an incredible sale! A LOT of the sporting goods were 50% off. In fact, just two days earlier Hermes and I were at the Diunsa in Tegucigalpa, saw some really awesome ping pong tables (which we desperately need), called Currie & Sandi, and ended up buying two of them. But I digress... While at Diunsa, we found some fútbol nets which were also 50% off. Sandi made some calls to Charley and found out that it looked like the nets were good ones. The normal price was more than 50% less than what we usually pay for the nets, and we were able to get TWO complete sets of nets for the price of one. It was awesome!
Before we could check out, however, everyday life in Honduras took over. Sandi got a call from Currie saying that they (Honduran officials) weren't going to let Samuel leave the country without permission from his mother. Excuse me??? He has a US passport, not a Honduran one. Sandi tried talking to the officials, but it was to no avail. She ended up leaving me at Diunsa, so as not to take the time to check out, heading back to the airport, talking to the officials, who wrote a quick note saying it was okay for Samuel to leave, signed the note, and then came back to Diunsa. I mean, really, was all that necessary? Samuel has traveled with just one parent before; this is not new -- but the president is. And, it looks like any/everything that can change will.
Back at Diunsa, we also ended up buying two basketball backboards. Yup. 50% off on them, too. So, over the course of the weekend, Diunsa made quite a bit of money from Enlaces: two each on ping pong tables, basketball backboards and fútbol nets, plus the fútbol uniforms Hermes bought for the school on Friday. Then there were the personal purchases that he and I each made.
After Diunsa, we made it over to PriceSmart and were able to get in and out of there in probably record time. We really didn't have a lot to get there. Tomorrow will probably be different since school starts next week and they need lots of food.
We're leaving at about 4am tomorrow to make it up to San Pedro Sula for a teachers' conference. Most of the teachers are going and we'll stay overnight in Villa Nuria, which is a pretty nice ApartHotel. Basically, they are residence hotels. Each unit has two bedrooms, a small living room and a small kitchenette. They're located very close to the airport, which works really well if we have late evening or early morning flights. They even have shuttle over to the airport. And, the pool's very nice, too!!
Well, that's about it for today, but I'm going to do a better job of updating. I promise. Or, I promise to try.
Well, it's been super busy since I posted last week about Grey's Anatomy. Yes, we watched the show. Yes, it was a new one. Unfortunately, I probably won't get to watch tonight's episode because we're having a parents' meeting for school and I don't know if we'll be done before 8pm.
School starts next week and the teachers have been here getting their classrooms ready. I just went around and took photos of many of them. I'll be posting them on Facebook, on the Bridge Ministries - Enlaces con Cristo - Honduras page. So, if you're on FB, feel free to mosey on over and take a gander.
Last Sunday, I rode up to San Pedro Sula with Currie, Sandi & Samuel. Currie & Samuel were heading back to the States and I didn't want Sandi to drive home alone. Plus, a trip to the city = a trip to PriceSmart!! We got to the airport in plenty of time and the boys got checked in and even paid their departure tax (which has gone up to almost $37/person). Then we all got some baleadas for a bit of a merienda. After a while, Sandi & I left the airport and headed toward PriceSmart, with a planned stop at Diunsa first.
Diunsa was having an incredible sale! A LOT of the sporting goods were 50% off. In fact, just two days earlier Hermes and I were at the Diunsa in Tegucigalpa, saw some really awesome ping pong tables (which we desperately need), called Currie & Sandi, and ended up buying two of them. But I digress... While at Diunsa, we found some fútbol nets which were also 50% off. Sandi made some calls to Charley and found out that it looked like the nets were good ones. The normal price was more than 50% less than what we usually pay for the nets, and we were able to get TWO complete sets of nets for the price of one. It was awesome!
Before we could check out, however, everyday life in Honduras took over. Sandi got a call from Currie saying that they (Honduran officials) weren't going to let Samuel leave the country without permission from his mother. Excuse me??? He has a US passport, not a Honduran one. Sandi tried talking to the officials, but it was to no avail. She ended up leaving me at Diunsa, so as not to take the time to check out, heading back to the airport, talking to the officials, who wrote a quick note saying it was okay for Samuel to leave, signed the note, and then came back to Diunsa. I mean, really, was all that necessary? Samuel has traveled with just one parent before; this is not new -- but the president is. And, it looks like any/everything that can change will.
Back at Diunsa, we also ended up buying two basketball backboards. Yup. 50% off on them, too. So, over the course of the weekend, Diunsa made quite a bit of money from Enlaces: two each on ping pong tables, basketball backboards and fútbol nets, plus the fútbol uniforms Hermes bought for the school on Friday. Then there were the personal purchases that he and I each made.
After Diunsa, we made it over to PriceSmart and were able to get in and out of there in probably record time. We really didn't have a lot to get there. Tomorrow will probably be different since school starts next week and they need lots of food.
We're leaving at about 4am tomorrow to make it up to San Pedro Sula for a teachers' conference. Most of the teachers are going and we'll stay overnight in Villa Nuria, which is a pretty nice ApartHotel. Basically, they are residence hotels. Each unit has two bedrooms, a small living room and a small kitchenette. They're located very close to the airport, which works really well if we have late evening or early morning flights. They even have shuttle over to the airport. And, the pool's very nice, too!!
Well, that's about it for today, but I'm going to do a better job of updating. I promise. Or, I promise to try.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Grey's Thursdays...
Yes, even here in Honduras, we watch Grey's Anatomy. Thankfully, our cable company rebroadcasts WABC from New York City. So we've made Thursday night "Girls Night". Sandi comes over, and then she, Jenny and I watch it together. I'm glad that we're finally back to new episodes.
This week, we've spent a lot of time searching for ceramic tiles for the counter top in the Center. You would not believe how hard (impossible, really) it is to get black and white tiles in the same size. We've tried to get 15x15(cm), 20x20, and 20x30. It should be simple, really. White tiles and black tiles. But it seems that if we find black tiles, we can't get the same size in white and vice versa. Yes, of course we've tried to buy the black from one place and white from another. It's just not working. Believe me, if we could find a way, we would. So, we've settled for white tiles and black grout. It should look pretty cool.
If all goes as planned, I'm heading in to Tegucigalpa tomorrow morning. I need to get a few things done for my motorcycle. Hermes needs to pick up more of our curriculum and also buy some chairs. It looks like a trip to PriceSmart is in our future!
The weather here is starting to get pretty hot. Most days it get up into the upper 80s or lower 90s. Shortly, however, it will get much hotter. And, we're in the dry season now so any rain showers will be few and far between. Already, I can see how the grass is starting to dry out. The up side of all of that is that it's almost mango season!! Yes, I love mangos! I'm already planning to buy enough to peel and freeze so that we have some later in the year.
Well, that's about it for tonight.
This week, we've spent a lot of time searching for ceramic tiles for the counter top in the Center. You would not believe how hard (impossible, really) it is to get black and white tiles in the same size. We've tried to get 15x15(cm), 20x20, and 20x30. It should be simple, really. White tiles and black tiles. But it seems that if we find black tiles, we can't get the same size in white and vice versa. Yes, of course we've tried to buy the black from one place and white from another. It's just not working. Believe me, if we could find a way, we would. So, we've settled for white tiles and black grout. It should look pretty cool.
If all goes as planned, I'm heading in to Tegucigalpa tomorrow morning. I need to get a few things done for my motorcycle. Hermes needs to pick up more of our curriculum and also buy some chairs. It looks like a trip to PriceSmart is in our future!
The weather here is starting to get pretty hot. Most days it get up into the upper 80s or lower 90s. Shortly, however, it will get much hotter. And, we're in the dry season now so any rain showers will be few and far between. Already, I can see how the grass is starting to dry out. The up side of all of that is that it's almost mango season!! Yes, I love mangos! I'm already planning to buy enough to peel and freeze so that we have some later in the year.
Well, that's about it for tonight.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
On the Road Again...
Yesterday morning I went for a fairly long ride on the motorcycle. When all was said and done, I had put just over 50 kilometers on the bike. That's 31 miles. My motorcycle only has kilometers for speed and distance, so I'll be doing lots of conversions.
Anyway, to start out, I went out on the road I rode last weekend and followed it until I ran out of pavement. I stayed on the hardpack for just a little longer before turning around and heading back into town. Then, I rode on the old boulevard, past Mang Ying, past the Incessa pool and just kept going. I'd never been that far on that road before and it was just gorgeous. I started winding my way up a mountain and at one point pulled over to the shoulder to look. Breathtaking. Absolutely breathtaking. After riding a little bit further, I turned around and headed back toward town. Again. I was a bit hesitant to keep traveling on that road because since I don't know the road, I don't know where it leads and I don't know how safe it is. Later in the day when I was telling Sandi where I went, she told me that it gets even prettier and that it's safe to just keep going. Good. I'll try that another day.
So, after I got back to town, I headed out toward Siguatepeque. I wasn't going to go to Siguat, just in that direction. I ended up taking the road to Ajuterique. It was there that I saw something I've never, ever seen before. As I was driving, I saw what looked like a cow or bull ahead of me and on the side of the road. No big deal; I see those all the time. As I got closer, I realized that it was a bull. A dead bull. Standing. On three legs. Really. I didn't slow down too much as I passed it, because I knew that I'd be passing it on my return trip.
Further down the road, I passed a field of what I thought were cucumber vines. But then I thought that they might be pataste. No, they were cukes. Within a quarter mile, I passed a fenced in area where a cow was munching on a huge pile of discarded cucumbers. I guess that's what happens if the farmer can't sell all his produce. I hope the cukes don't effect that cow like they do me...
Back to the bull. You know, the dead one. Approaching it from the other side, I was able to slow down and actually pull over in front of it. It had obviously been dead for a while. Part of its snout had been eaten away, exposing the bone. It still had horns, but I could tell that the vultures had been picking away at it. Oh yeah, it only had three legs. One had been removed. No, I didn't get close enough to see if the leg had been cut off or eaten off. The whole thing was just pretty freaky. Actually, it was kind of surreal. It reminded me of TV shows or movies with scenes in the desert -- the ones where an animal skull or snake skin is used as some kind of a 'keep away' sign. Oh how I wished I had my camera with me. I took a picture with my phone, but don't think I can transfer it to here.
All in all, it was a great day. I was only out there for an hour and a half, but that was plenty of time to just think, ponder, muse and soak in the sunshine.
Anyway, to start out, I went out on the road I rode last weekend and followed it until I ran out of pavement. I stayed on the hardpack for just a little longer before turning around and heading back into town. Then, I rode on the old boulevard, past Mang Ying, past the Incessa pool and just kept going. I'd never been that far on that road before and it was just gorgeous. I started winding my way up a mountain and at one point pulled over to the shoulder to look. Breathtaking. Absolutely breathtaking. After riding a little bit further, I turned around and headed back toward town. Again. I was a bit hesitant to keep traveling on that road because since I don't know the road, I don't know where it leads and I don't know how safe it is. Later in the day when I was telling Sandi where I went, she told me that it gets even prettier and that it's safe to just keep going. Good. I'll try that another day.
So, after I got back to town, I headed out toward Siguatepeque. I wasn't going to go to Siguat, just in that direction. I ended up taking the road to Ajuterique. It was there that I saw something I've never, ever seen before. As I was driving, I saw what looked like a cow or bull ahead of me and on the side of the road. No big deal; I see those all the time. As I got closer, I realized that it was a bull. A dead bull. Standing. On three legs. Really. I didn't slow down too much as I passed it, because I knew that I'd be passing it on my return trip.
Further down the road, I passed a field of what I thought were cucumber vines. But then I thought that they might be pataste. No, they were cukes. Within a quarter mile, I passed a fenced in area where a cow was munching on a huge pile of discarded cucumbers. I guess that's what happens if the farmer can't sell all his produce. I hope the cukes don't effect that cow like they do me...
Back to the bull. You know, the dead one. Approaching it from the other side, I was able to slow down and actually pull over in front of it. It had obviously been dead for a while. Part of its snout had been eaten away, exposing the bone. It still had horns, but I could tell that the vultures had been picking away at it. Oh yeah, it only had three legs. One had been removed. No, I didn't get close enough to see if the leg had been cut off or eaten off. The whole thing was just pretty freaky. Actually, it was kind of surreal. It reminded me of TV shows or movies with scenes in the desert -- the ones where an animal skull or snake skin is used as some kind of a 'keep away' sign. Oh how I wished I had my camera with me. I took a picture with my phone, but don't think I can transfer it to here.
All in all, it was a great day. I was only out there for an hour and a half, but that was plenty of time to just think, ponder, muse and soak in the sunshine.
Monday, January 25, 2010
2-for-2 and a Moto...
Last week was a good week: I went 2-for-2 at the post office. Both of my trips down there resulted in a card or letter for me. It really is amazing how uplifting a card or note from the States is. It makes me feel remembered and a part of things.
Yes, last week was a good week: I bought a motorcycle. I am the proud owner of a 2009 Honda V-men. It's a 125cc bike, which is pretty small by US standards, but is actually a very common size of bike here. I would have rather purchased a 150, but Honda doesn't make one in this style. While shopping, I was determined to find a chopper-style moto because it gives a more upright, comfortable ride.
What do you think?
Yes, last week was a good week: I bought a motorcycle. I am the proud owner of a 2009 Honda V-men. It's a 125cc bike, which is pretty small by US standards, but is actually a very common size of bike here. I would have rather purchased a 150, but Honda doesn't make one in this style. While shopping, I was determined to find a chopper-style moto because it gives a more upright, comfortable ride.
What do you think?
Yeah, I like it, too!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Sensory Overload...
Well, my trip to Immigrations today, to get my visa renewed while I (not so) patiently await the final approval and arrival of my residency carnet went okay. Not good, but okay. Actually, I guess it wasn't even okay. They only gave me a 30-day extension and then told me that I can't get another extension without making some kind of forward progress on my paperwork. When I said that all of my paperwork is in, and that I'm waiting for things on their end, I was told that I'm missing some papers. Of course, no one could tell me what I'm missing. After standing in another line, then waiting in that same line, we still had no answers. Then a call to OIM (the organization supposedly helping) revealed that the person we needed to talk to was in a meeting. Her voice mailbox was full.
Hmmm, Sandi decided that we would just drive on over to the OIM office and talk to Ana Rut in person. So, we drive over there, past the American Embassy, sit at the most bizarre traffic light, get honked at, park, and then walk up the stairs to the OIM office. Um, what's going on here? The office is... gone. That's right, the office that was there just a few months ago is not there. No sign on the door informing us of their new location. Just... gone.
During our lunch at TGIFriday's, Sandi called the OIM again to find out where their new location is. Apparently they moved somewhere near the Panama Embassy. We have no idea where that is, but I'm sure we'll find out. Unfortunately, in the midst of all of this, I'm still waiting on my residency carnet and only have 30 more days on my visa.
After lunch, we went to PriceSmart and then to HiperPaiz. HiperPaiz is the Honduran WalMart. Not just 'like' a WalMart. It IS WalMart. Right down to the Great Value and Equate house brands. Yes, it's pretty cool. The store is not nearly as large as most WalMarts in the US, but it's still a dizzying experience.
I truly experienced sensory overload while we were in there. So many varieties of produce. Fresh herbs, just like in the States, but instead of being $3-4 for a small bag of basil, that same bag of fresh basil was about 35¢. Not all the prices were less than in the States though. All of the imported goods were definitely more than US prices, but still less than buying them here in Comayagua ~ if they can even be found here.
Cream cheese. At least five different brands of cream cheese. Not only that, but they had Philadelpha brand Cream Cheese, Reduced Fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese, tubs of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, tubs of WHIPPED Philadelphia Cream Cheese, and tubs of Salmon, Pineapple and Strawberry Philadelphia Cream Cheese. That's not one flavor, but three, of course.
What about peanut butter? They've got it: Peter Pan (smooth and crunchy), Skippy, and 3 different off brands. I'm used to going into the grocery store and seeing peanut butter. One brand. If you want peanut butter, you take what's on the shelf.
Two full aisles of back to school supplies. TWO. And, end caps with more school supplies.
Seriously, I went into sensory overload and it got me wondering what it's going to be like when I head back to the States at the end of April. How will I deal with so much variety. Too many choices may not be such a good thing.
My biggest disappointment was while I was looking for toothpaste. Now, I'm a Crest kind of gal. Do you think that they had Crest toothpaste? Nope. Not one variety. Not one tube. Sure, they had row upon row of Colgate. Gel, non-gel. Whitening. Mouthwash enhanced. Colgate toothpaste for as far as the eye could see. They even had several varieties of Sensodyne, plus several other brands. But Crest? I guess I was getting greedy to think they might have it. I'm glad I've got enough to last until April!!
Hmmm, Sandi decided that we would just drive on over to the OIM office and talk to Ana Rut in person. So, we drive over there, past the American Embassy, sit at the most bizarre traffic light, get honked at, park, and then walk up the stairs to the OIM office. Um, what's going on here? The office is... gone. That's right, the office that was there just a few months ago is not there. No sign on the door informing us of their new location. Just... gone.
During our lunch at TGIFriday's, Sandi called the OIM again to find out where their new location is. Apparently they moved somewhere near the Panama Embassy. We have no idea where that is, but I'm sure we'll find out. Unfortunately, in the midst of all of this, I'm still waiting on my residency carnet and only have 30 more days on my visa.
After lunch, we went to PriceSmart and then to HiperPaiz. HiperPaiz is the Honduran WalMart. Not just 'like' a WalMart. It IS WalMart. Right down to the Great Value and Equate house brands. Yes, it's pretty cool. The store is not nearly as large as most WalMarts in the US, but it's still a dizzying experience.
I truly experienced sensory overload while we were in there. So many varieties of produce. Fresh herbs, just like in the States, but instead of being $3-4 for a small bag of basil, that same bag of fresh basil was about 35¢. Not all the prices were less than in the States though. All of the imported goods were definitely more than US prices, but still less than buying them here in Comayagua ~ if they can even be found here.
Cream cheese. At least five different brands of cream cheese. Not only that, but they had Philadelpha brand Cream Cheese, Reduced Fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese, tubs of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, tubs of WHIPPED Philadelphia Cream Cheese, and tubs of Salmon, Pineapple and Strawberry Philadelphia Cream Cheese. That's not one flavor, but three, of course.
What about peanut butter? They've got it: Peter Pan (smooth and crunchy), Skippy, and 3 different off brands. I'm used to going into the grocery store and seeing peanut butter. One brand. If you want peanut butter, you take what's on the shelf.
Two full aisles of back to school supplies. TWO. And, end caps with more school supplies.
Seriously, I went into sensory overload and it got me wondering what it's going to be like when I head back to the States at the end of April. How will I deal with so much variety. Too many choices may not be such a good thing.
My biggest disappointment was while I was looking for toothpaste. Now, I'm a Crest kind of gal. Do you think that they had Crest toothpaste? Nope. Not one variety. Not one tube. Sure, they had row upon row of Colgate. Gel, non-gel. Whitening. Mouthwash enhanced. Colgate toothpaste for as far as the eye could see. They even had several varieties of Sensodyne, plus several other brands. But Crest? I guess I was getting greedy to think they might have it. I'm glad I've got enough to last until April!!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
I've Got Mail...
I have to admit it: days when there is a card or letter in the PO box for me are much better than days when there aren't. Today's journey to the post office was rewarded by a Christmas card from Doris. It really brought a smile to my face! Yes, I communicate electronically with lots of people, but, if we're all honest, every one of us enjoys getting something personal in the mail. That doesn't include bills, of course.
Right now, we're doing a bit of a face lift on the Center, so I've spent part of today painting. Thankfully, I didn't get any paint on my clothes; I don't have any old jeans here that are really appropriate for painting in. I think we've got most of the trim work done on the walls, and Charley is making good progress on rolling them out. It's a big job. It's a big Center. Once the walls are done, we'll work on painting all of the metal railings and such. They are currently blue, but will soon be black. The walls are gray and will have purple and blue accents. I don't think anyone here knows that the whole gray and purple thing reminds me way too much of K-State, but we put together a small committee to select colors and that's what they chose. I'd much rather have accents of crimson and blue, of course...
On Friday, we're going to head to Tegucigalpa to get another extension of my visa since my carnet still hasn't arrived. Sandi talked to one of the ladies about it last week and found out that I'm not missing any paperwork or anything. It's just that no one wants to do anything official until the new president comes in. So, it looks like I'm stuck spending another $40 for another 60-day extension, even after paying $600 toward my carnet. Ah, ya gotta love it! OK, you don't really have to love it, but that's the way things seem to work around here.
Right now, we're doing a bit of a face lift on the Center, so I've spent part of today painting. Thankfully, I didn't get any paint on my clothes; I don't have any old jeans here that are really appropriate for painting in. I think we've got most of the trim work done on the walls, and Charley is making good progress on rolling them out. It's a big job. It's a big Center. Once the walls are done, we'll work on painting all of the metal railings and such. They are currently blue, but will soon be black. The walls are gray and will have purple and blue accents. I don't think anyone here knows that the whole gray and purple thing reminds me way too much of K-State, but we put together a small committee to select colors and that's what they chose. I'd much rather have accents of crimson and blue, of course...
On Friday, we're going to head to Tegucigalpa to get another extension of my visa since my carnet still hasn't arrived. Sandi talked to one of the ladies about it last week and found out that I'm not missing any paperwork or anything. It's just that no one wants to do anything official until the new president comes in. So, it looks like I'm stuck spending another $40 for another 60-day extension, even after paying $600 toward my carnet. Ah, ya gotta love it! OK, you don't really have to love it, but that's the way things seem to work around here.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
A New First for Me...
Yesterday was definitely a first... I broke into a cemetery. Yes. Really. Autumn wanted to visit her father's grave, so she bought a flower and we headed that way. The cemetery is on the road out of town that leads up the mountain to the Oki, for those of you who have been here (and been to the Oki).
In the US, when you think of a cemetery, it's normally a fairly pretty place with lots of nice green, immaculately manicured lawns, properly cleared walkways and paths, an occasional bench, etc. Not so here. Way not so. Basically, it was a field with a fence/rock wall around it. Three quarters of it was fence, but in the front, it had a half-height brick wall and then barb-wire up to about the 10 foot point. Immaculately manicured lawn? Think again. There was no lawn. There was some grass, but it was more like what we would call native grass, the kind good for grazing cattle. Paths? What paths?
As we pulled up to the cemetery, it was pretty obvious to see that there is construction going on pretty much all around the area. And, of course, there were some cows grazing IN the cemetery. We got out of the truck and walked up to the gate. It was barb-wired shut. I guess, in the past they had the gate closed, but you could still get in by unlatching the barb-wire. Not yesterday. They had lots of barb-wire securing the gate, and large stones in place so that the gate won't open. Hmmm, that's interesting. We walked about 25 yards away from the gate, to a place where the brick wall was about waist high, and there was about a 2 foot gap between the brick and the barb-wire. Well, we pulled up on the barb-wire enough so that each of us could climb between the wall and the wire, being careful to clear the barb-wire before standing up.
There aren't that many people buried in this particular cemetery because it's private and costs more than the public cemetery. Although it's fairly a fairly large property, I'd estimate the number of graves at maybe 30. I did notice that a few of the other graves had somewhat fresh flowers on them, as well. And there was even evidence that someone had been buried within the last few months. So, we know that people are getting in somehow.
Then, of course, there are the cows. We had to dodge large piles of cow plop while walking.
Autumn put the flower on her dad's site, and we walked around looking at some of the other markers. Then, we saw a young kid start to make his way over to where we had been. We knew that he was zeroing in on the fresh flower. Perhaps he thought it might make a good snack for the cows. Sandi talked to the little guy, letting him know that Autumn had put a flower on her father's grave, and taking it would be wrong. As we walked back toward the road, we pretty much resigned ourselves to the fact that the kid would probably take the flower anyway.
We dodged more cow plop on the way back to the car.
We climbed back over the fence again, being careful to avoid the barb-wire. Since there is obvious construction in the area, we wondered what they're going to do about the cemetery. Are they going to leave it as is? Are they going to try to relocate the people buried there? I mean, it seems odd to have buildings or homes going up, and they have a cemetery as their front yard. I guess time will tell.
In the US, when you think of a cemetery, it's normally a fairly pretty place with lots of nice green, immaculately manicured lawns, properly cleared walkways and paths, an occasional bench, etc. Not so here. Way not so. Basically, it was a field with a fence/rock wall around it. Three quarters of it was fence, but in the front, it had a half-height brick wall and then barb-wire up to about the 10 foot point. Immaculately manicured lawn? Think again. There was no lawn. There was some grass, but it was more like what we would call native grass, the kind good for grazing cattle. Paths? What paths?
As we pulled up to the cemetery, it was pretty obvious to see that there is construction going on pretty much all around the area. And, of course, there were some cows grazing IN the cemetery. We got out of the truck and walked up to the gate. It was barb-wired shut. I guess, in the past they had the gate closed, but you could still get in by unlatching the barb-wire. Not yesterday. They had lots of barb-wire securing the gate, and large stones in place so that the gate won't open. Hmmm, that's interesting. We walked about 25 yards away from the gate, to a place where the brick wall was about waist high, and there was about a 2 foot gap between the brick and the barb-wire. Well, we pulled up on the barb-wire enough so that each of us could climb between the wall and the wire, being careful to clear the barb-wire before standing up.
There aren't that many people buried in this particular cemetery because it's private and costs more than the public cemetery. Although it's fairly a fairly large property, I'd estimate the number of graves at maybe 30. I did notice that a few of the other graves had somewhat fresh flowers on them, as well. And there was even evidence that someone had been buried within the last few months. So, we know that people are getting in somehow.
Then, of course, there are the cows. We had to dodge large piles of cow plop while walking.
Autumn put the flower on her dad's site, and we walked around looking at some of the other markers. Then, we saw a young kid start to make his way over to where we had been. We knew that he was zeroing in on the fresh flower. Perhaps he thought it might make a good snack for the cows. Sandi talked to the little guy, letting him know that Autumn had put a flower on her father's grave, and taking it would be wrong. As we walked back toward the road, we pretty much resigned ourselves to the fact that the kid would probably take the flower anyway.
We dodged more cow plop on the way back to the car.
We climbed back over the fence again, being careful to avoid the barb-wire. Since there is obvious construction in the area, we wondered what they're going to do about the cemetery. Are they going to leave it as is? Are they going to try to relocate the people buried there? I mean, it seems odd to have buildings or homes going up, and they have a cemetery as their front yard. I guess time will tell.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Awesome Day at the Post Office...
What a great day to go to the post office. I got two more Christmas cards AND a huge package. OK, the package wasn't just for me, but it was HUGE. As I was waiting in line to get my package, a little boy wanted to see the picture that was in one of my cards. I told him that the little boy in the picture was 4 years old and was quickly told that the boy I was talking to was 7. I then found out that he's in second grade and loves playing video games. I really felt like I had struck gold when, while retrieving my package was told to walk through the door behind me. That led to the 'inner sanctum' of the post office and I was soon on the other side of the window. While I was walking down the corridor, I was thinking how something like this would never happen in the US: a customer would not be allowed behind the counter to get their own package. But there I was, behind the counter, getting my own package.
After the post office, I walked around the corner, with my cards and package, to the souvenir shop. The last of the carteras de churros (hand bags/purses made from chips bags) that Sandi and I ordered were in. They are made by some ladies, single moms and widows, in one of the surrounding mountain villages of Comayagua. We ordered 125 total, and when the lady found out about the ordered, she cried, saying that "now her kids will get to have Christmas."
Basically, these bags are made out of empty chips bags. They are an awesome example of the ingenuity of people to make a treasure out of trash. And, they are the primary means of support for a group of single moms and widows here. I am planning to bring some back to the States to sell, if people are interested. They would make a great gift and are definitely a conversation piece. I use one as a pencil case. See what you think...
From this:
After the post office, I walked around the corner, with my cards and package, to the souvenir shop. The last of the carteras de churros (hand bags/purses made from chips bags) that Sandi and I ordered were in. They are made by some ladies, single moms and widows, in one of the surrounding mountain villages of Comayagua. We ordered 125 total, and when the lady found out about the ordered, she cried, saying that "now her kids will get to have Christmas."
Basically, these bags are made out of empty chips bags. They are an awesome example of the ingenuity of people to make a treasure out of trash. And, they are the primary means of support for a group of single moms and widows here. I am planning to bring some back to the States to sell, if people are interested. They would make a great gift and are definitely a conversation piece. I use one as a pencil case. See what you think...
From this:
To this:
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