As Christmas gets closer, there are more and more parties and ferias taking place in the various barrios. Our neighborhood is no exception! Last night there was a party of some kind, pretty much all night long. No, I'm not kidding. All night long.
I went to bed at about 11:00pm and even though I had my iPod playing through an external speaker, I could still hear the party. In fact, it was often punctuated by the sounds of loud firecrackers -- like M-80s or something. They even had a live band. Eventually, I fell asleep while listening to Top Chef on my iPod.
A few hours later, at 2:30am, I woke up to what I first thought were gunshots. Nope. More large, loud firecrackers. Then I realized that the band was still playing, so I listened for a while. To me, it sounded like a blend of mariachi, ranchero, and high school marching band. Boom! Boom! More firecrackers, actually, these were fireworks and I could see the flash through my window. Eventually I fell back to sleep.
Up again at 4:30am. Yup, the band was still playing. Loudly! In fact, it almost sounded like it was outside my house. I was just too tired to get out of bed and check it out. I listened to the music for a while more. Hey, that trumpet player's not too bad! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! More fireworks. And still more. Yes, these Hondurans really know how to party!
My alarm went off at 5:30am and I initially thought that the party had finally ended. Wrong! It had just moved a bit. As I got up and went into my bathroom, where the windows are open, I could hear the band and the fireworks/firecrackers. By 6:00am, though, it seemed that the party was over. I mean, people have to sleep sometime, right?
So, I'm sitting here at my table now, listening to another party. This one is using a stereo system not a live band, and they're not playing mariachi or ranchero music. For that, I'm thankful! I'm also thankful that I'll have my iPod at the ready again tonight to drown out the sounds if the party is still going on when I decide to go to bed. I'm taking bets...
>>>I was just getting ready to hit the "post" button when the ranchero music started up. LOUDLY!! It will probably be a long night. Again.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Finally...
...I'm legal.
Well, I've always been here legally, but I've spent the last year and a half working on getting my residency status. Of course, the organization we've been working with was very quick to take my money to start the process ($600USD). And then, the wait. And wait. And wait.
Lots of phone calls to Tegucigalpa to check on the process and I usually heard one of two different answers: "With all the things that happened with the government, no one is moving forward processing residencies." Or "Yes, we should have your carné in 30 days." So I was left waiting some more. And paying some more.
Each time I had to renew my visa I had to pay for that. Most renewals also included a trip to Tegucigalpa, which meant more money spent for gas, food, etc. I guess I could look at it as contributing to the economy. But the frustration of the waiting was a bit wearying. One time I even had to send my passport to Tegus for the renewal and it was shipped back to me by the FedEx equivalent. Now, THAT was an unsettling three days.
Last month, Sandi got a phone call from Ana Rut at the OIM telling her that we were finally moving forward and I'd have my carné soon. Then, Ana Rut called again and said I needed to meet her at Migraciones to finish up the process. So I did that two days later. I took another photo, was finger printed and paid MORE money. Then I received my provisional carné, which is supposedly as valid as the final one. But there's just something about a folded up piece of paper that doesn't seem quite as real.
According to the lady at Migraciones, I was supposed to come back in 30 days to pick up my actual carné. That's just what I did this week. On Thursday, I left a voice message for Trify asking him if we were going to Tegus on Friday or Monday. He called me back a few minutes later to tell me that he was heading to Tegus right then. So, I quickly got ready and left with him.
As you may have picked up on by now, nothing is ever easy here. Nothing. The reason that Trify was going to Tegus was to drop off a file with someone at the residence of the US Ambassador to Honduras. Finding that neighborhood took quite a while. But we finally made it there. Then we had to turn around and head to the other side of town to go to Migraciones.
Once at Migraciones, I got in line and waited for my turn. The woman took one look at my paper and said my carné wasn't ready. I was insistent. I told her that I had been waiting and was told I could return in 30 days for it. She told me that it wasn't yet 30 days, to which I answered that on Monday it would be 30 days and I was only 4 days early. Somehow that must have made sense to her since she took my paper and headed off to the back room. After a while she came back and told me that my carné was ready but the person who gives them out was not there and I'd have to come back the next day. Seriously? OK, if that's what it takes.
By this time the woman was actually trying to be a bit helpful so she told me that if I made a copy of my provisional carné she would make sure that it was ready for me early Friday morning. I made the copy!
So, Friday morning Trify, Erica, Haniel and I set out for Tegus. The day's objectives were Migraciones, the Congreso (to bring more papers for Adán), and then a little shopping. Before we even made it to Tegucigalpa, Hermes called and said that the brakes on the red truck had gone out. Finding the place that was going to fix them proved a bit more difficult than it should have been, especially since the business had changed names. More driving around. More asking for directions. More being misdirected.
Finally, we found the place. The funny thing is, we had been right across the street from that place just the day before when we ate at Coco Baleadas. If only we had known that the name had changed, we would have driven right there. After dropping off the truck, we had to go to the bank to transfer funds to get it fixed. Tick, tick, tick... It was well after 1:00pm and we had yet to do any of the things on our list.
At that point I thought the best thing to do would be to 'divide and conquer'. And that's what we did. I took a taxi over to Migraciones while the others dealt with the bank. After negotiating the taxi price down to 70 Lempiras, from the 90 that the driver initially wanted, the trip to Migraciones was quick.
Speaking of quick, I was, incredibly, in and out of Migraciones in less than 5 minutes. No kidding!! When I got there, I was the fourth person in line, behind one woman at the counter and two Mormon missionaries -- with a stack of passports to do renewals for. I was thinking that I would have a long wait. Nope. The woman from the day before saw me and waved me over to another window. She handed me a piece of paper and told me to go get a copy of it. As soon as I was back at her window, she handed me the original, stepped into the back room for a moment and returned with my carné. She had me sign the book, showing that I had received it, and then said, "Felicidades." Congratulations!
So, finally, after a year and a half, almost $1000USD paid, many trips and even more phone calls, I have my residency carné. Finally.
Next up? Getting my driver's license, which should be easy now that I'm a resident. Oh, and I'm still waiting for the license plate for my moto. In January, I will have been waiting for a year.
Well, I've always been here legally, but I've spent the last year and a half working on getting my residency status. Of course, the organization we've been working with was very quick to take my money to start the process ($600USD). And then, the wait. And wait. And wait.
Lots of phone calls to Tegucigalpa to check on the process and I usually heard one of two different answers: "With all the things that happened with the government, no one is moving forward processing residencies." Or "Yes, we should have your carné in 30 days." So I was left waiting some more. And paying some more.
Each time I had to renew my visa I had to pay for that. Most renewals also included a trip to Tegucigalpa, which meant more money spent for gas, food, etc. I guess I could look at it as contributing to the economy. But the frustration of the waiting was a bit wearying. One time I even had to send my passport to Tegus for the renewal and it was shipped back to me by the FedEx equivalent. Now, THAT was an unsettling three days.
Last month, Sandi got a phone call from Ana Rut at the OIM telling her that we were finally moving forward and I'd have my carné soon. Then, Ana Rut called again and said I needed to meet her at Migraciones to finish up the process. So I did that two days later. I took another photo, was finger printed and paid MORE money. Then I received my provisional carné, which is supposedly as valid as the final one. But there's just something about a folded up piece of paper that doesn't seem quite as real.
According to the lady at Migraciones, I was supposed to come back in 30 days to pick up my actual carné. That's just what I did this week. On Thursday, I left a voice message for Trify asking him if we were going to Tegus on Friday or Monday. He called me back a few minutes later to tell me that he was heading to Tegus right then. So, I quickly got ready and left with him.
As you may have picked up on by now, nothing is ever easy here. Nothing. The reason that Trify was going to Tegus was to drop off a file with someone at the residence of the US Ambassador to Honduras. Finding that neighborhood took quite a while. But we finally made it there. Then we had to turn around and head to the other side of town to go to Migraciones.
Once at Migraciones, I got in line and waited for my turn. The woman took one look at my paper and said my carné wasn't ready. I was insistent. I told her that I had been waiting and was told I could return in 30 days for it. She told me that it wasn't yet 30 days, to which I answered that on Monday it would be 30 days and I was only 4 days early. Somehow that must have made sense to her since she took my paper and headed off to the back room. After a while she came back and told me that my carné was ready but the person who gives them out was not there and I'd have to come back the next day. Seriously? OK, if that's what it takes.
By this time the woman was actually trying to be a bit helpful so she told me that if I made a copy of my provisional carné she would make sure that it was ready for me early Friday morning. I made the copy!
So, Friday morning Trify, Erica, Haniel and I set out for Tegus. The day's objectives were Migraciones, the Congreso (to bring more papers for Adán), and then a little shopping. Before we even made it to Tegucigalpa, Hermes called and said that the brakes on the red truck had gone out. Finding the place that was going to fix them proved a bit more difficult than it should have been, especially since the business had changed names. More driving around. More asking for directions. More being misdirected.
Finally, we found the place. The funny thing is, we had been right across the street from that place just the day before when we ate at Coco Baleadas. If only we had known that the name had changed, we would have driven right there. After dropping off the truck, we had to go to the bank to transfer funds to get it fixed. Tick, tick, tick... It was well after 1:00pm and we had yet to do any of the things on our list.
At that point I thought the best thing to do would be to 'divide and conquer'. And that's what we did. I took a taxi over to Migraciones while the others dealt with the bank. After negotiating the taxi price down to 70 Lempiras, from the 90 that the driver initially wanted, the trip to Migraciones was quick.
Speaking of quick, I was, incredibly, in and out of Migraciones in less than 5 minutes. No kidding!! When I got there, I was the fourth person in line, behind one woman at the counter and two Mormon missionaries -- with a stack of passports to do renewals for. I was thinking that I would have a long wait. Nope. The woman from the day before saw me and waved me over to another window. She handed me a piece of paper and told me to go get a copy of it. As soon as I was back at her window, she handed me the original, stepped into the back room for a moment and returned with my carné. She had me sign the book, showing that I had received it, and then said, "Felicidades." Congratulations!
So, finally, after a year and a half, almost $1000USD paid, many trips and even more phone calls, I have my residency carné. Finally.
Next up? Getting my driver's license, which should be easy now that I'm a resident. Oh, and I'm still waiting for the license plate for my moto. In January, I will have been waiting for a year.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Like Old Times...
I'm sitting here in the school, waiting on one of about a million Windows updates to install on a computer I just reformatted and reinstalled. Ah, just like being at Sprint again.
So I thought I would use some of my wait time to write, as it's been too long!
Yesterday I went for a bike ride. Sort of. I've known for a while that I've been riding on borrowed time and it seems that yesterday it was time to pay up. What do I mean? Well, my bike here (the GT that I brought from the States) is 11 years old. No problem there. I mean, I've kept it well-maintained. Mostly. Unfortunately, the tires on it are also 11 years old. I knew I would need to replace them soon and have been planning to get new tires when I'm in the States in December.
Anyway, back to the bike ride... Yesterday was gorgeous and I decided to ride up El Volcan, at least to where the pavement ends. I even put my camera in my jersey pocket, planning to take a few pics. Well, I did one lap on the boulevard and on my second lap turned up toward El Volcan. So far, so good, right? I was about 3/4 mile on that road, just next to the cemetery, when I noticed that my back tire felt squishy. I got off the bike and looked, and gave the tire a bit of a squeeze. Yup, going flat. I did a cursory inspection to see if I could find the offending shard of glass that might be the culprit, but didn't spend too much time on it.
Spare tube? Nope.
Patch kit? Nope.
Tire irons? Nope.
Pump. Yeah, I had that but it does no good without the rest.
I quickly decided to turn around and try to coast as far home as possible. I would give a few cranks on the pedals, then stand and put as much weight as possible on the front, hoping to nurse the rear tire for all it was worth. Apparently it wasn't worth much! I made it back to the boulevard before realizing that I needed to get off the bike or risk ruining my rim. Then I ended up walking the rest of the way home. In my cleats. And helmet. Finally, it dawned on me that while it may not seem that strange to see someone walking their bike while wearing a helmet in the US, here, it was totally, completely dorky! So, I took the helmet off.
By the time I got back home, I had registered 5 miles on the computer. 3 1/2 riding and 1 1/2 walking. After my shower, I set about fixing the bike. The rear tire was shot. Thankfully, I had also shipped my original tires for that bike down, so I was able to change out both the tire and tube.
At least I got a decent workout.
So I thought I would use some of my wait time to write, as it's been too long!
Yesterday I went for a bike ride. Sort of. I've known for a while that I've been riding on borrowed time and it seems that yesterday it was time to pay up. What do I mean? Well, my bike here (the GT that I brought from the States) is 11 years old. No problem there. I mean, I've kept it well-maintained. Mostly. Unfortunately, the tires on it are also 11 years old. I knew I would need to replace them soon and have been planning to get new tires when I'm in the States in December.
Anyway, back to the bike ride... Yesterday was gorgeous and I decided to ride up El Volcan, at least to where the pavement ends. I even put my camera in my jersey pocket, planning to take a few pics. Well, I did one lap on the boulevard and on my second lap turned up toward El Volcan. So far, so good, right? I was about 3/4 mile on that road, just next to the cemetery, when I noticed that my back tire felt squishy. I got off the bike and looked, and gave the tire a bit of a squeeze. Yup, going flat. I did a cursory inspection to see if I could find the offending shard of glass that might be the culprit, but didn't spend too much time on it.
Spare tube? Nope.
Patch kit? Nope.
Tire irons? Nope.
Pump. Yeah, I had that but it does no good without the rest.
I quickly decided to turn around and try to coast as far home as possible. I would give a few cranks on the pedals, then stand and put as much weight as possible on the front, hoping to nurse the rear tire for all it was worth. Apparently it wasn't worth much! I made it back to the boulevard before realizing that I needed to get off the bike or risk ruining my rim. Then I ended up walking the rest of the way home. In my cleats. And helmet. Finally, it dawned on me that while it may not seem that strange to see someone walking their bike while wearing a helmet in the US, here, it was totally, completely dorky! So, I took the helmet off.
By the time I got back home, I had registered 5 miles on the computer. 3 1/2 riding and 1 1/2 walking. After my shower, I set about fixing the bike. The rear tire was shot. Thankfully, I had also shipped my original tires for that bike down, so I was able to change out both the tire and tube.
At least I got a decent workout.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Not to be Taken for Granted...
This post was written last night, but as you'll read, I'm just now able to post it...
I just got done sending out my newsletter and updating my Facebook status about it when we had a huge brownout. That happens a lot around here. Thankfully, I have surge suppressors and voltage regulators for most of my electronics. And, thankfully it happened AFTER hitting the ‘send’ button on my email, because a brownout also means a loss of internet. That also means that I won’t actually be making this blog post until sometime tomorrow (Tuesday).
Last Friday I got to help my friend Stephanie move into a new apartment. Her house has been broken into and robbed twice in the past six months. The last time was just a few weeks ago. Her cleaning lady happened to walk in while the robbery was in progress, so she probably kept the thieves from making off with more than they already had. But that was enough for Stephanie; it was time to move.
After I got back from Stephanie’s new house, I started looking at the things that I have here, and grew even more grateful. There are so many things that I have, which make for an easier life, that so many others don’t have. I don’t ever want to take those things for granted.
For instance, I have a washing machine. Stephanie does her laundry by hand, in a pila. That’s really tough work. While seeing Stephanie’s water dispenser, I once again became very thankful that we have our own well and I can drink the water out of any faucet anywhere on our property and not have to worry about getting sick. I’m also thankful that we have a guard 24/7. While that doesn’t guarantee that we will not be broken into, it is a bit of a deterrent.
As I look around me right now, there are lots of things that I don’t have, which I once had in the States. Yet, as I look around me right now, there are lots of things which I do have, which many Hondurans do not have. It causes me to continue to thank God for His many, many blessings in my life. It also causes me to think that it’s time to go clean out another closet or shelf!
I just got done sending out my newsletter and updating my Facebook status about it when we had a huge brownout. That happens a lot around here. Thankfully, I have surge suppressors and voltage regulators for most of my electronics. And, thankfully it happened AFTER hitting the ‘send’ button on my email, because a brownout also means a loss of internet. That also means that I won’t actually be making this blog post until sometime tomorrow (Tuesday).
Last Friday I got to help my friend Stephanie move into a new apartment. Her house has been broken into and robbed twice in the past six months. The last time was just a few weeks ago. Her cleaning lady happened to walk in while the robbery was in progress, so she probably kept the thieves from making off with more than they already had. But that was enough for Stephanie; it was time to move.
After I got back from Stephanie’s new house, I started looking at the things that I have here, and grew even more grateful. There are so many things that I have, which make for an easier life, that so many others don’t have. I don’t ever want to take those things for granted.
For instance, I have a washing machine. Stephanie does her laundry by hand, in a pila. That’s really tough work. While seeing Stephanie’s water dispenser, I once again became very thankful that we have our own well and I can drink the water out of any faucet anywhere on our property and not have to worry about getting sick. I’m also thankful that we have a guard 24/7. While that doesn’t guarantee that we will not be broken into, it is a bit of a deterrent.
As I look around me right now, there are lots of things that I don’t have, which I once had in the States. Yet, as I look around me right now, there are lots of things which I do have, which many Hondurans do not have. It causes me to continue to thank God for His many, many blessings in my life. It also causes me to think that it’s time to go clean out another closet or shelf!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
In the News...
While I was out on the bike yesterday, I started thinking about something I had seen on the news on Sunday. I was flipping through the channels and stopped on one of the Honduran stations. Up until about a month ago, it had been a Guatemalan channel. The news was on so I tried to see if I could understand what was being said. I could.
They were talking about two ladies (they looked like very early 20s) who had been assassinated in Tegucigalpa. Yes, assassinated. One was shot in the face, and the other in the chest. The part of the report that is hard to get used to is the footage that goes along. Video news here does not spare on gore or dead bodies. So, all of the viewing world got to see these two young women lying on the ground. Dead. After a few minutes of watching the report, the next shot of one of the ladies (the one shot in the face) had her body mostly, and mercifully, covered by a sheet. The report kept droning on and on, that the cause was unknown, etc., and after a few minutes, I changed the station. I didn't need to hear, or see, any more.
While riding, I was thinking about that news report, which then got me thinking about another news report. When I was in NJ, I got to share at Chapel service at the school where my friend, Angela, teaches. After the service, Angela told me that I might get to be on the Korean news. I asked, "You mean a regional station that broadcasts in Korean?" "No," she said, "on the news in the nation of Korea."
Ang's school has about 25 or so students from Korea who board at the school. It just happened that on the day I was there, a news team was there doing a story on those students. It was pretty cool to think that maybe, just maybe, some folks in Korea heard a little bit about the ministry here in Honduras. What about it, Cucc? Did you get to see the final footage?
So, I kept riding for a while, deep in thought and my own inner monologue. Then it hit me: My inner monologue was happening in Spanish. Really!! Wow! That is definitely a step in the right direction of language acquisition. Of course, when I realized it, I didn't know the Spanish word for monologue. I took a guess at it, and was mostly correct, although I misplaced the accent. For the curious, the correct word is monólogo. Which means an inner monologue is un monólogo interno.
This morning I needed to go to the bank to make a payment which will get me one step closer to that elusive residency carnet. I had a long (very long) wait in line. I struck up a conversation with the woman in front of me. She was quite friendly and I think we both welcomed the diversion from an otherwise incredibly boring, and did I mention long, wait. 45 minutes. I was amazed that I was able to do so well with my Spanish. We talked a little about my frustration with it, and she told me to just keep doing what I was doing -- talking with others -- and it would come along.
Maybe I am beginning to make real strides in learning Spanish.
They were talking about two ladies (they looked like very early 20s) who had been assassinated in Tegucigalpa. Yes, assassinated. One was shot in the face, and the other in the chest. The part of the report that is hard to get used to is the footage that goes along. Video news here does not spare on gore or dead bodies. So, all of the viewing world got to see these two young women lying on the ground. Dead. After a few minutes of watching the report, the next shot of one of the ladies (the one shot in the face) had her body mostly, and mercifully, covered by a sheet. The report kept droning on and on, that the cause was unknown, etc., and after a few minutes, I changed the station. I didn't need to hear, or see, any more.
While riding, I was thinking about that news report, which then got me thinking about another news report. When I was in NJ, I got to share at Chapel service at the school where my friend, Angela, teaches. After the service, Angela told me that I might get to be on the Korean news. I asked, "You mean a regional station that broadcasts in Korean?" "No," she said, "on the news in the nation of Korea."
Ang's school has about 25 or so students from Korea who board at the school. It just happened that on the day I was there, a news team was there doing a story on those students. It was pretty cool to think that maybe, just maybe, some folks in Korea heard a little bit about the ministry here in Honduras. What about it, Cucc? Did you get to see the final footage?
So, I kept riding for a while, deep in thought and my own inner monologue. Then it hit me: My inner monologue was happening in Spanish. Really!! Wow! That is definitely a step in the right direction of language acquisition. Of course, when I realized it, I didn't know the Spanish word for monologue. I took a guess at it, and was mostly correct, although I misplaced the accent. For the curious, the correct word is monólogo. Which means an inner monologue is un monólogo interno.
This morning I needed to go to the bank to make a payment which will get me one step closer to that elusive residency carnet. I had a long (very long) wait in line. I struck up a conversation with the woman in front of me. She was quite friendly and I think we both welcomed the diversion from an otherwise incredibly boring, and did I mention long, wait. 45 minutes. I was amazed that I was able to do so well with my Spanish. We talked a little about my frustration with it, and she told me to just keep doing what I was doing -- talking with others -- and it would come along.
Maybe I am beginning to make real strides in learning Spanish.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The Reunion Trip...
OK, let me just say it: My trip to the States for my high school reunion was incredible! Every part of it! Pretty much from the moment the plane touched down in Newark, until I was back in Honduras, I was busy. In addition to all the festivities of the reunion itself (the party on Friday and all the football related activities on Saturday), there were breakfasts, lunches and dinners with friends, trips to NYC, Montauk Point and the Jersey Shore, and, yes, shopping!
The picture above was taken during the ferry ride into the City. My friend Maureen and I went in one day 'to play'. And play, we did. We visited Chelsea Market, Ground Zero, and Times Square. We had Frozen Hot Chocolate at Serendipity's and I even got to play on the big piano at FAO Schwarz. A great day, indeed.
For me, it was just so good to connect/reconnect with friends from high school. Even though I was in NJ for almost two weeks, the time flew by and there were still so many people that I didn't get to spend much more than a passing 'hello' with. That seems to be a common thought among many of my classmates, so it looks like we're not even going to wait 5 years to have another reunion, but are already planning to have some kind of a shared 50th Birthday Bash in 2012. Ouch! 50?
Another great part of my trip is that it could also be called the NJ Diner Tour, ala Guy Fieri and Triple D. I went to the Tick Tock, Nutley, Versailles, and Lyndhurst Diners during my visit. Even though Nancy and I were at the Lyndhurst Diner for breakfast on a Sunday, I asked about and was brought some of their wonderful homemade pickles. Hmmmm, pickles and eggs. A new taste sensation?
Yes, of course I also got to enjoy so many of the foods that you can only get in the NY/NJ area: Taylor Ham (5 times, but who's counting?), pizza, bagels, Italian bread, and Rippers. In fact, I hit Rut's Hut for a Ripper before I had even made it to Nutley and the wonderful hospitality of Lisa & Mike. I'm thankful for my GPS.
At the risk of closing this post philosophically, one of the things that made the reunion such a success is that it wasn't about cliques, or being cool, or whatever. It was about people. And I was so genuinely grateful to see so many people. All the years just seemed to melt away. Everyone else seemed to feel the same way, too.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Back on the Bike...
...And this time, with a helmet.
Yes, you read that correctly. I wore a helmet on my bike ride this morning. What, you ask, could have prompted such an action? Well, basically it comes down to this: About a week or so before my trip North, I was out on the bike and rode part way up El Volcan. When I turned around to head back to town, I was soon freewheeling at 37.5mph. That's pretty fast on a bike. I just had one of those "D'oh" moments and decided I should wear a helmet here, too, despite how strange it looks.
I mean, in the States, I won't ride a bike without a helmet, but here I have resisted wearing one since I want to try to blend in a little. But let's face it, I'm never going to fully blend in here. I'm a gringa. On a bike. For exercise. In the words of Marisa Tomei in "My Cousin Vinny"... "Oh yeah, you blend." Not.
The upside of wearing the helmet is that I rode today relatively uninterrupted. I still had to avoid becoming a hood ornament for cars, taxis, and even a motorcycle. But I only got one "Hey, Baby" and not a single marriage proposal. Wait! Is that an upside?
As much as I missed the feeling of the wind in my hair, I know that I'm much safer wearing the helmet while riding. I guess I'll continue to do it when I go out for exercise. Now, if I'm just headed to the store for something quick, all bets are off.
Yes, you read that correctly. I wore a helmet on my bike ride this morning. What, you ask, could have prompted such an action? Well, basically it comes down to this: About a week or so before my trip North, I was out on the bike and rode part way up El Volcan. When I turned around to head back to town, I was soon freewheeling at 37.5mph. That's pretty fast on a bike. I just had one of those "D'oh" moments and decided I should wear a helmet here, too, despite how strange it looks.
I mean, in the States, I won't ride a bike without a helmet, but here I have resisted wearing one since I want to try to blend in a little. But let's face it, I'm never going to fully blend in here. I'm a gringa. On a bike. For exercise. In the words of Marisa Tomei in "My Cousin Vinny"... "Oh yeah, you blend." Not.
The upside of wearing the helmet is that I rode today relatively uninterrupted. I still had to avoid becoming a hood ornament for cars, taxis, and even a motorcycle. But I only got one "Hey, Baby" and not a single marriage proposal. Wait! Is that an upside?
As much as I missed the feeling of the wind in my hair, I know that I'm much safer wearing the helmet while riding. I guess I'll continue to do it when I go out for exercise. Now, if I'm just headed to the store for something quick, all bets are off.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
There's a Wind a Blowin'...
The past few days here have been fairly breezy and quite a bit cooler than it should be this time of year. And by cooler, I mean that it was in the low 70s. Many people were commenting that it was December weather.
In fact, it's been so windy that on Sunday I got out a kite and Samuel, Jonathan and I went to the vacant lot next door to try to fly it. We were only marginally successful. My kite was lacking a tail, and then some of the material that holds the crossbars started to tear. Even in the short time we were out there, we had fun. I'm going to see what kites I can find while I'm in the States.
Another thing that happens when it gets cool like this is that the coats, hats and scarves come out. On Sunday night, Sandi, Brenda and I went to the grocery store. As we were leaving, I saw a little niño completely bundled up: thick, heavy flannel jacket, ski cap and scarf.
Then on Monday morning, many of the teachers and staff showed up similarly dressed. It's all a matter of perspective, of what we're used to. While I haven't put on a sweater yet, I am wearing long pants today. But I'm still in flip flops. I've turned off most of the ceiling fans in my house today. Last night I was still sleeping with only a sheet, my ceiling fan and the floor fan. Tonight I will probably turn the floor fan off.
And speaking of tropical depressions (we were talking about them, right?), Tropical Depression Sixteen (such a sexy name) has formed and is heading toward Cuba and later, Florida. Yes, just in time for my trip tomorrow, TD16 may hit Miami as my plane is trying to land. Of course, that also means that IF I land in Miami, my plane for Newark may not be able to leave. Hmmm, I seem to remember this movie. I think I lived it in August 2006 when I was coming here to Honduras for 5 1/2 months. The Miami airport was shut down and I had to spend an unexpected night (and pay unbudgeted dollars) in a nearby hotel. I'm hoping that TD16 is not a remake of that film.
Well, hopefully, my next post will happen while I'm in NJ...
In fact, it's been so windy that on Sunday I got out a kite and Samuel, Jonathan and I went to the vacant lot next door to try to fly it. We were only marginally successful. My kite was lacking a tail, and then some of the material that holds the crossbars started to tear. Even in the short time we were out there, we had fun. I'm going to see what kites I can find while I'm in the States.
Another thing that happens when it gets cool like this is that the coats, hats and scarves come out. On Sunday night, Sandi, Brenda and I went to the grocery store. As we were leaving, I saw a little niño completely bundled up: thick, heavy flannel jacket, ski cap and scarf.
Then on Monday morning, many of the teachers and staff showed up similarly dressed. It's all a matter of perspective, of what we're used to. While I haven't put on a sweater yet, I am wearing long pants today. But I'm still in flip flops. I've turned off most of the ceiling fans in my house today. Last night I was still sleeping with only a sheet, my ceiling fan and the floor fan. Tonight I will probably turn the floor fan off.
And speaking of tropical depressions (we were talking about them, right?), Tropical Depression Sixteen (such a sexy name) has formed and is heading toward Cuba and later, Florida. Yes, just in time for my trip tomorrow, TD16 may hit Miami as my plane is trying to land. Of course, that also means that IF I land in Miami, my plane for Newark may not be able to leave. Hmmm, I seem to remember this movie. I think I lived it in August 2006 when I was coming here to Honduras for 5 1/2 months. The Miami airport was shut down and I had to spend an unexpected night (and pay unbudgeted dollars) in a nearby hotel. I'm hoping that TD16 is not a remake of that film.
Well, hopefully, my next post will happen while I'm in NJ...
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Bits From the Bike...
In the past week, I've been out on my bike 5 times. In fact, I was hoping to get out there again this morning, but when I woke up, it was raining. Yes, I know. There have been many times I've ridden in the rain. But those were usually when I had no option: Want to get to the day's overnight camp? Ride your bike. Today, I had a choice and I chose not to ride.
However, let me try to regale you with some of my encounters and observations from the past week:
There's a kiddie carnival set up in a vacant lot right now. One morning there was a huge, and I mean HUGE, vulture sitting at the very top of the ferris wheel. Menacingly. Did I mention that it was huge? But it was gone on my next lap around the boulevard. Oh, well. Maybe it wasn't that big after all.
A gringa on a bike, riding loops on the boulevard, for exercise is still an oddity. People will stare. I usually meet their stares with a wave or a "Buenos días."
After this week, I think I know which are the best street vendors from which to eat. The ones with the most taxis stopped and the most taxistas eating. Of course, best does not always translate to safest.
I lost count of how many times this week I almost became a hood ornament for a taxi. I am giving serious consideration to getting a bell for the bike. And a helmet for my head. Glenda, did you just read that?
Friday morning must be Ladies' Day at the gym. I saw dozens of ladies coming and going, out running and speed walking. No other day has had as many ladies out there.
There is at least one other person in Comayagua who uses clipless pedals. I saw HER on Friday as she was leaving the gym. She was on her bike, clipping in as I passed, so I slowed down and waited for her to catch up. Then I told her that she is the only other person, besides me, that I've seen using clipless pedals. Unfortunately, I don't know the Spanish word for 'clipless' so I Spanglicized it to 'cleepless'.
If there are two people riding on one bike, the person on the seat pedals and the one on the top tube steers. Always. Unless there are small children involved.
So there you have it, my experiences on the bike this past week. I have no idea what the coming week will bring, in terms of new cycling adventures, but I'm planning to find out.
However, let me try to regale you with some of my encounters and observations from the past week:
There's a kiddie carnival set up in a vacant lot right now. One morning there was a huge, and I mean HUGE, vulture sitting at the very top of the ferris wheel. Menacingly. Did I mention that it was huge? But it was gone on my next lap around the boulevard. Oh, well. Maybe it wasn't that big after all.
A gringa on a bike, riding loops on the boulevard, for exercise is still an oddity. People will stare. I usually meet their stares with a wave or a "Buenos días."
After this week, I think I know which are the best street vendors from which to eat. The ones with the most taxis stopped and the most taxistas eating. Of course, best does not always translate to safest.
I lost count of how many times this week I almost became a hood ornament for a taxi. I am giving serious consideration to getting a bell for the bike. And a helmet for my head. Glenda, did you just read that?
Friday morning must be Ladies' Day at the gym. I saw dozens of ladies coming and going, out running and speed walking. No other day has had as many ladies out there.
There is at least one other person in Comayagua who uses clipless pedals. I saw HER on Friday as she was leaving the gym. She was on her bike, clipping in as I passed, so I slowed down and waited for her to catch up. Then I told her that she is the only other person, besides me, that I've seen using clipless pedals. Unfortunately, I don't know the Spanish word for 'clipless' so I Spanglicized it to 'cleepless'.
If there are two people riding on one bike, the person on the seat pedals and the one on the top tube steers. Always. Unless there are small children involved.
So there you have it, my experiences on the bike this past week. I have no idea what the coming week will bring, in terms of new cycling adventures, but I'm planning to find out.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
The Brevity of Life...
Our days are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
The wind blows, and we are gone -- as though we had never been here. ~~ Psalm 103:15-16
Don't hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky.
It slips away, all your money won't another minute buy.
Dust in the wind, All we are is dust in the wind. ~~ Kansas
10 years old and his life has been snuffed out. I'm sure that when he woke up yesterday morning he had no idea it would be his last. Yet, it was. Gone before lunch.
The little guy died about 25 yards from our front gate, hit by a truck. Thankfully, his death was fairly instant. He used to come to the Center some years ago, as one of our "street kids" -- the poorest of the poor. He didn't attend school because his father wanted him to work to help support the family.
When I saw him yesterday, less than 10 minutes after it happened, there was already a crowd of 40 or 50 people gathered around him, staring. Gawking. Traffic on the Central American highway had come to a crawl in both directions. Both his mother and his father had already arrived and the mother was alternating between sobbing and wailing uncontrollably, and blaming the father with words of "This is all your fault. YOU made him work."
I stood there feeling helpless. I wanted to go up and just hug the mother, but a female police officer was already doing that. Then the mom would break away and pummel the father, and go back to the arms of the police officer. I could pray, and I did. I asked God to comfort the parents. I asked Him to somehow turn this into something good, for His Name's sake.
It's a scene that's all too common here, but for me, this was the first time I've witnessed it literally on our doorstep.
Sandi had, mercifully, run to our warehouse and grabbed a sheet to cover his small body. She told me that if she hadn't done this, he would have been lying there in the street, uncovered, for hours until the forensic police arrived and said the body could be removed.
When the father bent down to remove the sheet and look at him once again, the crowds pressed in closer for another glimpse. The mood grew very tense, as the mother did not want this to happen. I actually took a few steps back, sensing that it would only take the wrong thing to be said and then things could actually get violent. As the crowd drew back, satisfied in once more seeing this little guy lying there dead, being part of what's going on, having more to discuss with others later in the day, I saw his tiny arm and hand laying on the ground. It almost looked as if he were sleeping, but I knew differently. The blood all around him was bright red, and already thick from the hot sun.
With a few others, I turned around to go back through our gate. And I prayed.
Most of last night I thought about the brevity of life. How short it is. I wondered about this little guy and if He knew the Lord. I thought about how important it is to make the most out of every day because none of us know if it will be our last.
And I prayed: Lord, let my life count. Not for me, but for You and Your Kingdom.
But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear Him. His salvation extends to the children's children.
Praise the Lord, everything He has created, everything in all His kingdom... Let all that I am praise the Lord. ~~ Psalm 103:17, 22
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Running Around in Tegucigalpa...
Sandi and I left Comayagua around 7:30am to head into Tegucigalpa. We had several places to go to and knew that with all the construction on the highway and with the main bridge into town being down (literally), we'd have to be quick at each place in order to get everything done.
You guessed it: we didn't get everything done.
Our first stop was Migraciones, where I was seeking a 30-day renewal of my visa and Sandi needed to renew her carnet. We both got our initial paperwork started, then got in line for the bank so that we could pay our respective fees. Interestingly, my fee for a 30-day visa renewal was the same as Sandi's one-year renewal of her carnet. Well, we stood in the bank line for almost an hour. Right before we had arrived at Migraciones, so had 5 or so Mormon missionaries, to get some of their paperwork done. Unfortunately, they got in the bank line about 4 people in front of us. Once at the window, the main Mormon missionary pulled out a stack of at least 20 - 25 passports and papers to pay for. You have got to be kidding me!!
After standing in line for way longer than either of us wanted to, Sandi and I were both finally able to pay our fees and get back in our respective lines. At my window for the visa renewal, things were going quite well, much faster than usual. The woman at the window made all the appropriate stamps in my passport and told me to take a seat and she'd have the boss sign my passport.
Sandi wasn't quite as fortunate. She was told that she'd need more paperwork from her bank. "But this is the same thing I've been bringing for years." "Yes, I know. But the laws have changed and now you need to bring different papers."
A few minutes later I was called back up to the window. "The boss just left for lunch and can't sign your passport yet. You may wait or come back later this afternoon." "When will the boss be back?" "Around 1:00pm." It was 11:15. We decided to leave and try to run more errands in the interim.
We made it in and out of PriceSmart in record time. I got my permanent membership card and Sandi picked up just a few things for the school. The only thing that I bought was a slice of pizza and a Diet Coke. It wasn't quite as good as the pizza at Costco. Plus, Glenda wasn't there to enjoy a slice with. :-)
Back at Migraciones, I got my signed passport and we were back on the road. Hopefully, that was the last time I will need to renew my visa. We have been assured that the government is going to start approving residency carnets within the month. Since I'll be in the States at the end of September, I'll get a fresh 90-day visa when I return. THAT should be plenty long enough for me to get my carnet.
From Migraciones we made our way over to the School of Tomorrow offices to pick up some PACEs for the school. There were only 4 boxes of them and we thought we'd be in and out pretty quickly. Nope. Our wait for the materials to be brought to us seemed very long. Very. Then, when it was time to start checking all the materials against the order list, the woman helping us was slower than slow. Sandi and I kind of took over that process as tactfully as we could. We wrapped the boxes of books into a tarp in the probably case of rain, and tried to get out of Teguc as quickly as possible.
We wanted to avoid the workers' demonstration that was happening. It could have been teachers, doctors, nurses, we're not sure, but we didn't want to get caught up in the middle of it. We were successful in that.
Since the main bridge into town collapsed about a month ago, the 'usual' detour takes you in a very long and round about way into town. Sandi knew of another way in and tried it out two weeks ago when picking up some people at the airport. That's the way we went. It made things much faster. Next time I go into Tegucigalpa, I want to take my camera and get some pictures. There are some scenes of the beauty of the mountains contrasted with the poverty of some of the barrios on that particular route that are etched into my mind.
We never did make it to Imapro to get medals and trophies that are needed. Sandi has to go back to Migraciones again ~ with different bank papers ~ to renew her carnet. But we made it back to Comayagua without incident.
You guessed it: we didn't get everything done.
Our first stop was Migraciones, where I was seeking a 30-day renewal of my visa and Sandi needed to renew her carnet. We both got our initial paperwork started, then got in line for the bank so that we could pay our respective fees. Interestingly, my fee for a 30-day visa renewal was the same as Sandi's one-year renewal of her carnet. Well, we stood in the bank line for almost an hour. Right before we had arrived at Migraciones, so had 5 or so Mormon missionaries, to get some of their paperwork done. Unfortunately, they got in the bank line about 4 people in front of us. Once at the window, the main Mormon missionary pulled out a stack of at least 20 - 25 passports and papers to pay for. You have got to be kidding me!!
After standing in line for way longer than either of us wanted to, Sandi and I were both finally able to pay our fees and get back in our respective lines. At my window for the visa renewal, things were going quite well, much faster than usual. The woman at the window made all the appropriate stamps in my passport and told me to take a seat and she'd have the boss sign my passport.
Sandi wasn't quite as fortunate. She was told that she'd need more paperwork from her bank. "But this is the same thing I've been bringing for years." "Yes, I know. But the laws have changed and now you need to bring different papers."
A few minutes later I was called back up to the window. "The boss just left for lunch and can't sign your passport yet. You may wait or come back later this afternoon." "When will the boss be back?" "Around 1:00pm." It was 11:15. We decided to leave and try to run more errands in the interim.
We made it in and out of PriceSmart in record time. I got my permanent membership card and Sandi picked up just a few things for the school. The only thing that I bought was a slice of pizza and a Diet Coke. It wasn't quite as good as the pizza at Costco. Plus, Glenda wasn't there to enjoy a slice with. :-)
Back at Migraciones, I got my signed passport and we were back on the road. Hopefully, that was the last time I will need to renew my visa. We have been assured that the government is going to start approving residency carnets within the month. Since I'll be in the States at the end of September, I'll get a fresh 90-day visa when I return. THAT should be plenty long enough for me to get my carnet.
From Migraciones we made our way over to the School of Tomorrow offices to pick up some PACEs for the school. There were only 4 boxes of them and we thought we'd be in and out pretty quickly. Nope. Our wait for the materials to be brought to us seemed very long. Very. Then, when it was time to start checking all the materials against the order list, the woman helping us was slower than slow. Sandi and I kind of took over that process as tactfully as we could. We wrapped the boxes of books into a tarp in the probably case of rain, and tried to get out of Teguc as quickly as possible.
We wanted to avoid the workers' demonstration that was happening. It could have been teachers, doctors, nurses, we're not sure, but we didn't want to get caught up in the middle of it. We were successful in that.
Since the main bridge into town collapsed about a month ago, the 'usual' detour takes you in a very long and round about way into town. Sandi knew of another way in and tried it out two weeks ago when picking up some people at the airport. That's the way we went. It made things much faster. Next time I go into Tegucigalpa, I want to take my camera and get some pictures. There are some scenes of the beauty of the mountains contrasted with the poverty of some of the barrios on that particular route that are etched into my mind.
We never did make it to Imapro to get medals and trophies that are needed. Sandi has to go back to Migraciones again ~ with different bank papers ~ to renew her carnet. But we made it back to Comayagua without incident.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
The View from the Bike...
Finally, I made it out for another bike ride. Once again, it’s been too long since I’ve been out on my bike. The boulevard is much less crowded on Sunday afternoons than it is on weekday mornings around 7:00. In fact, for quite a while today, there were more taxis than anything else out there.
That doesn’t mean that there was nothing to see, or no obstacles to avoid. It even seemed like some of the taxis were passing me a bit closer than normal. I’m sure it has something to do with the sight of a gringa on a bike, who is obviously out there for exercise and enjoyment, not just to get from one place to another. I’m also sure that the riding shorts, sleeveless jersey and mirror attached to my sunglasses make me just a bit more conspicuous. Target practice, perhaps?
At any rate, it certainly felt good to be riding. I did five laps on the boulevard and took a short side trip up toward El Volcan. I only got about one mile out on that road before turning around and heading back, though. I’m sure the young bull that was right in front of me, mooing, thought that he made me turn around. I think I sensed a little self-impressed twinkle in his eye as I turned. But, no, the real reason I decided to head back for home was because of the storm coming down the mountain. The thunder had a bit of a detrimental effect on my desire to keep riding. So, turn around I did, letting the bull think that it was all because of him.
Once back on the boulevard I finished my current lap and wondered if I could make it one more lap before the rain hit. Well, I decided that the temperature was dropping a bit too quickly and the clouds were getting darker and more ominous by the minute, so safety should probably rule the day. I made it back to the house just a few minutes before the rain started. Looks like I made the right decision. 13 miles. Not too bad, but not terribly good, either.
While out there today, I did see something new. I was headed up the boulevard and coming down on the other side was a man on a horse. That part is nothing new. But the man had a rope in his hand and was leading a small donkey with a young boy on it. OK, that’s not new, either. The new part is the young colt that was running along with them. Kind of. The colt had no halter or lead and was running in the median. And in the road. Then back to the median. It really did look like it was enjoying itself. But it made me nervous to wonder if it was going to bolt out into the road just as a car was passing. Thankfully, that didn’t happen, as evidenced by no colt in the road on my return trip.
That doesn’t mean that there was nothing to see, or no obstacles to avoid. It even seemed like some of the taxis were passing me a bit closer than normal. I’m sure it has something to do with the sight of a gringa on a bike, who is obviously out there for exercise and enjoyment, not just to get from one place to another. I’m also sure that the riding shorts, sleeveless jersey and mirror attached to my sunglasses make me just a bit more conspicuous. Target practice, perhaps?
At any rate, it certainly felt good to be riding. I did five laps on the boulevard and took a short side trip up toward El Volcan. I only got about one mile out on that road before turning around and heading back, though. I’m sure the young bull that was right in front of me, mooing, thought that he made me turn around. I think I sensed a little self-impressed twinkle in his eye as I turned. But, no, the real reason I decided to head back for home was because of the storm coming down the mountain. The thunder had a bit of a detrimental effect on my desire to keep riding. So, turn around I did, letting the bull think that it was all because of him.
Once back on the boulevard I finished my current lap and wondered if I could make it one more lap before the rain hit. Well, I decided that the temperature was dropping a bit too quickly and the clouds were getting darker and more ominous by the minute, so safety should probably rule the day. I made it back to the house just a few minutes before the rain started. Looks like I made the right decision. 13 miles. Not too bad, but not terribly good, either.
While out there today, I did see something new. I was headed up the boulevard and coming down on the other side was a man on a horse. That part is nothing new. But the man had a rope in his hand and was leading a small donkey with a young boy on it. OK, that’s not new, either. The new part is the young colt that was running along with them. Kind of. The colt had no halter or lead and was running in the median. And in the road. Then back to the median. It really did look like it was enjoying itself. But it made me nervous to wonder if it was going to bolt out into the road just as a car was passing. Thankfully, that didn’t happen, as evidenced by no colt in the road on my return trip.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Home Again...
On Thursday morning, we loaded up the bus with the team of 12 from Michigan, plus 9 of us (6 adults, 3 kids) from the team here. The goal was simple: get the team from Michigan to the airport and through security, then get ourselves to Villa Nuria for a few days to relax, debrief, pray, play and prepare to move forward. Mission accomplished on all fronts!
After we got settled into our rooms, Sandi and I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things we needed. In addition to having two bedrooms, the rooms at Villa Nuria include a little kitchenette, so we were cooking there in order to not spend money eating out. We went to La Antorcha supermarket and let me tell you, that place is a haven for sensory overload. I mean, not only did they have 3 or 4 different brands of canned garbanzo beans (think: hummus), but they had three different sizes of cans, including #10 (the food service size). We didn't buy any garbanzo beans, but that's not the point. We could have.
Back at Villa Nuria, I was going to take a little nap, but got involved in the last half of a movie on TV. Then, I set up a small network for Trify, Erica and me to share the single internet connection. There's no wireless there yet. I also brought an extra switch and some cables so that we could set up a network in Sandi, Currie and Hermes' room. Yes, we all brought our laptops. There's always work to do: emails to catch up, calendars to coordinate, etc.
On Friday, we all spent time at the pool at some point in the day. Then, after a late lunch/early dinner, the 6 adults prayed together and talked about some things for the coming weeks.
Saturday morning included a leisurely breakfast, included in the room price, a little more time at the pool for those who were interested, and then packing up the bus again for the trip back to Comayagua.
As we were leaving San Pedro Sula, we saw the effects of recent rains. The rainy season has started early and flooding is already happening in several areas.
What you can't really see in this photo is that people are swimming back over to the houses to try to retrieve anything they can. A block away, we saw a bunch of men sitting around like nothing was happening. After all, this is just life in Honduras and flooding happens. I guess after a while, the people are unfazed by it. Maybe 'unfazed' is not the right word. Perhaps 'resigned' would be more accurate.
When we got to Lago de Yojoa, we stopped for a meal. Most of us decided on fish since we were at the lake. Here's a pic of last night's dinner, partially consumed before I thought to take a picture.
After we got settled into our rooms, Sandi and I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things we needed. In addition to having two bedrooms, the rooms at Villa Nuria include a little kitchenette, so we were cooking there in order to not spend money eating out. We went to La Antorcha supermarket and let me tell you, that place is a haven for sensory overload. I mean, not only did they have 3 or 4 different brands of canned garbanzo beans (think: hummus), but they had three different sizes of cans, including #10 (the food service size). We didn't buy any garbanzo beans, but that's not the point. We could have.
Back at Villa Nuria, I was going to take a little nap, but got involved in the last half of a movie on TV. Then, I set up a small network for Trify, Erica and me to share the single internet connection. There's no wireless there yet. I also brought an extra switch and some cables so that we could set up a network in Sandi, Currie and Hermes' room. Yes, we all brought our laptops. There's always work to do: emails to catch up, calendars to coordinate, etc.
On Friday, we all spent time at the pool at some point in the day. Then, after a late lunch/early dinner, the 6 adults prayed together and talked about some things for the coming weeks.
Saturday morning included a leisurely breakfast, included in the room price, a little more time at the pool for those who were interested, and then packing up the bus again for the trip back to Comayagua.
As we were leaving San Pedro Sula, we saw the effects of recent rains. The rainy season has started early and flooding is already happening in several areas.
What you can't really see in this photo is that people are swimming back over to the houses to try to retrieve anything they can. A block away, we saw a bunch of men sitting around like nothing was happening. After all, this is just life in Honduras and flooding happens. I guess after a while, the people are unfazed by it. Maybe 'unfazed' is not the right word. Perhaps 'resigned' would be more accurate.
When we got to Lago de Yojoa, we stopped for a meal. Most of us decided on fish since we were at the lake. Here's a pic of last night's dinner, partially consumed before I thought to take a picture.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
No Power Failures...
It's hard to believe that it's been over a week since we've had a power failure. ¡Increíble! And, although I'm not superstitious, I'm sure that the fact that I've just put it out there means we will have a power failure. Soon. At least if we do, the team visiting us from Michigan will get a little bit more of the "missions experience".
We have a group of 12 people from the Detroit, MI area with us right now. They've been here for about a week and a half and have a few more days to go. They've been giving special classes in the school (martial arts and crocheting), leading the Chapel services at school, helping with work projects around the property, and have visited the local hospital and an orphanage.
Today they are in Ajuterique, building a new kitchen for the school there. Money was very generously donated by some new friends of the ministry, to build a new outdoor kitchen, where the lunch for the school kids is cooked. The objective of the Michigan team is to build the kitchen. Today. With guidance from several of our guys, Trify is confident that at the end of the day, the kitchen should be finished, or almost finished.
Here are a few pics of what the kitchen looks like now...
What I apparently did not get pictures of is the roof over the kitchen. It's made of wooden posts, courtesy of nearby trees, and plastic -- some of it tarps and some of it trash bags. Much of it full of holes.
Hopefully the team will bring back a few "after" pics so I can post those, as well. Otherwise, I'll be able to get some in September when we are out there for Día del Niño (Day of the Child). It would be cool to be out there today and be able to say, "Move that bus", or something like it.
We have a group of 12 people from the Detroit, MI area with us right now. They've been here for about a week and a half and have a few more days to go. They've been giving special classes in the school (martial arts and crocheting), leading the Chapel services at school, helping with work projects around the property, and have visited the local hospital and an orphanage.
Today they are in Ajuterique, building a new kitchen for the school there. Money was very generously donated by some new friends of the ministry, to build a new outdoor kitchen, where the lunch for the school kids is cooked. The objective of the Michigan team is to build the kitchen. Today. With guidance from several of our guys, Trify is confident that at the end of the day, the kitchen should be finished, or almost finished.
Here are a few pics of what the kitchen looks like now...
What I apparently did not get pictures of is the roof over the kitchen. It's made of wooden posts, courtesy of nearby trees, and plastic -- some of it tarps and some of it trash bags. Much of it full of holes.
Hopefully the team will bring back a few "after" pics so I can post those, as well. Otherwise, I'll be able to get some in September when we are out there for Día del Niño (Day of the Child). It would be cool to be out there today and be able to say, "Move that bus", or something like it.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Here's to New Beginnings...
Well, it has been entirely too long since I've posted. Rather than beg your forgiveness and give promises to never let so long of a lapse happen again, I'll just write. It's what I love to do!
Over the last few months, since my last post, I would often see things and think, "That would make a great blog post." Then I would be riddled with guilt that it's been so long since I've written, that I wouldn't even know where to start. So, I'll just write. There. I've said it twice now in two paragraphs.
About three weeks ago, I started teaching an adult English class to members of our team here. Now, lest you think that I'm teaching bad words to adults, let me clarify: I am teaching a beginning English class to adult members of our team. The response was so overwhelming that I divided the class into two groups of 6 each. These are members of our staff who speak no English. Sure, they may know a few words here and there, but that's about it. Wow! They are doing fantastic! Each one of them is so motivated to learn English. They know it's a skill that can help them advance in life. And they're very concerned about proper pronunciation.
A side benefit to teaching the English class seems to be that my Spanish is improving. I have to do a bit of explaining in Spanish, so I'm constantly looking up words and checking for proper usage of verbs. I also have a classroom full of folks who are as eager to help me with my Spanish as they are eager to learn English. To quote Dances with Wolves, "Good trade."
This first round of classes is only being offered to our staff. There are even a few people that were not able to sign up now and will take the class at a future time. We also see the opportunity to expand the circle to whom it is offered: spouses of team members, parents of school children, and, eventually, to those in the community. The desire to learn English runs deep here. Many people know it's a way to improve their lot in life, to get better jobs, and thus, to help break the cycle of poverty. More than just teaching them English, we're excited to be able to teach people more about God and His love for each of us. Teaching English just happens to be one vehicle we can use.
Well, I'd best end this post here. We have a group of 12 people coming from Michigan for a missions trip. They'll be here for almost two weeks. We still have a lot of little things to do around here to get ready for their arrival in a few hours.
Until next time...
Over the last few months, since my last post, I would often see things and think, "That would make a great blog post." Then I would be riddled with guilt that it's been so long since I've written, that I wouldn't even know where to start. So, I'll just write. There. I've said it twice now in two paragraphs.
About three weeks ago, I started teaching an adult English class to members of our team here. Now, lest you think that I'm teaching bad words to adults, let me clarify: I am teaching a beginning English class to adult members of our team. The response was so overwhelming that I divided the class into two groups of 6 each. These are members of our staff who speak no English. Sure, they may know a few words here and there, but that's about it. Wow! They are doing fantastic! Each one of them is so motivated to learn English. They know it's a skill that can help them advance in life. And they're very concerned about proper pronunciation.
A side benefit to teaching the English class seems to be that my Spanish is improving. I have to do a bit of explaining in Spanish, so I'm constantly looking up words and checking for proper usage of verbs. I also have a classroom full of folks who are as eager to help me with my Spanish as they are eager to learn English. To quote Dances with Wolves, "Good trade."
This first round of classes is only being offered to our staff. There are even a few people that were not able to sign up now and will take the class at a future time. We also see the opportunity to expand the circle to whom it is offered: spouses of team members, parents of school children, and, eventually, to those in the community. The desire to learn English runs deep here. Many people know it's a way to improve their lot in life, to get better jobs, and thus, to help break the cycle of poverty. More than just teaching them English, we're excited to be able to teach people more about God and His love for each of us. Teaching English just happens to be one vehicle we can use.
Well, I'd best end this post here. We have a group of 12 people coming from Michigan for a missions trip. They'll be here for almost two weeks. We still have a lot of little things to do around here to get ready for their arrival in a few hours.
Until next time...
Sunday, May 2, 2010
I'm Back...
Yes, I'm back in the United States. I arrived in Kansas City late on Wednesday. I think it was well after midnight: before I went to bed, and yet I woke up at 6:20am the next morning. That would have been 5:20am Honduran time, which is pretty much when I get up, so my internal clock was still working.
Later on Thursday morning, I drove back to Lawrence for a 'restoration'. If you have to ask, you don't know and I'm not about to tell you. The interesting thing is that as I was driving from Lawrence to Olathe, in my own car, it felt totally normal. I was prepared for all kinds of reverse culture shock or sensory overload situations, but so far I've had none. In fact, while I was driving, it was almost as if my car was on auto pilot. I mean, the car has made that trip literally thousands of times in my daily commute between Lawrence and Kansas City. Even driving around in Lawrence has not felt strange. Sure, there are new businesses and other businesses that have gone belly up, but I haven't felt out of place. I'm thankful for that.
It has been absolutely fantastic to see so many friends so far. Reconnecting is fun! Last night, several friends hosted a welcome home party for me. I had a wonderful time. Such a diverse group of people showed up and it truly made me feel welcome!
Tomorrow, Monday, I'm having lunch with two friends from college. Jon was, literally, the very first friend I made in Lawrence when we both moved into Hashinger Hall about a million years ago. And, I met Susan the same day. So, the three of us will have lunch and probably laugh hysterically until we're asked to either keep it down or leave the restaurant.
Later on Thursday morning, I drove back to Lawrence for a 'restoration'. If you have to ask, you don't know and I'm not about to tell you. The interesting thing is that as I was driving from Lawrence to Olathe, in my own car, it felt totally normal. I was prepared for all kinds of reverse culture shock or sensory overload situations, but so far I've had none. In fact, while I was driving, it was almost as if my car was on auto pilot. I mean, the car has made that trip literally thousands of times in my daily commute between Lawrence and Kansas City. Even driving around in Lawrence has not felt strange. Sure, there are new businesses and other businesses that have gone belly up, but I haven't felt out of place. I'm thankful for that.
It has been absolutely fantastic to see so many friends so far. Reconnecting is fun! Last night, several friends hosted a welcome home party for me. I had a wonderful time. Such a diverse group of people showed up and it truly made me feel welcome!
Tomorrow, Monday, I'm having lunch with two friends from college. Jon was, literally, the very first friend I made in Lawrence when we both moved into Hashinger Hall about a million years ago. And, I met Susan the same day. So, the three of us will have lunch and probably laugh hysterically until we're asked to either keep it down or leave the restaurant.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
So, I'm Leavin', on a Jet Plane...
Yes, it's true. All my bags are packed; I'm ready to go.
So, in my last remaining minutes before turning off the computer, possibly until I land in the US tomorrow, I thought I'd do a quick update.
Rain. Rain. And more rain. Wow! It rained buckets last night. In fact, it rained in my kitchen! I was on the computer and happened to look up and behind me. Don't ask my why; I just did. A leak that had previously been fixed was leaking. I got out a towel and a pot. Then I started looking at the other places in the house where it's leaked in the past. They're easy to spot. The one over the dining room table was getting a bit wavy and water soaked, so I moved the table a bit so that if it started leaking after I went to bed, at least the table would not get ruined. It didn't leak.
I didn't actually make it to bed until well past midnight, and got up at 5am, but don't feel tired at all. Now, let's see how it goes later today!! But, I think I've accomplished all that I needed to. My suitcases are packed. The linens on my bed are changed for houseguests who are arriving on Thursday. Trash is taken out. Dishes are done and put away. Yup, I think I've got it all covered.
Yes, I have my passport. Don't worry. Hmmmm, maybe I should go double check any way. Yup. It's there.
So, now it's time for my good-byes:
Good-bye, avocado. I will miss your rich, buttery goodness. I'll miss you with salt and lime. I'll miss your cheapness -- cost, that is.
Good-bye, mango. Our time together has been all too brief this season The fault is entirely mine. I fear that you shall depart before I return. Well, I will patiently wait for your return next year, dreaming of you longingly. Perhaps I will even plan future trips to better accommodate your seasonal appearance.
Good-bye, guanabana. I wonder if you'll still be hanging around when I come back.
Good-bye, fresh tortillas. I shan't forget you and will quickly come visit your hot, steamy goodness in June.
OK, that's enough good-byes. I've just made myself hungry again. And, that's after enjoying two avocados this morning.
So, in my last remaining minutes before turning off the computer, possibly until I land in the US tomorrow, I thought I'd do a quick update.
Rain. Rain. And more rain. Wow! It rained buckets last night. In fact, it rained in my kitchen! I was on the computer and happened to look up and behind me. Don't ask my why; I just did. A leak that had previously been fixed was leaking. I got out a towel and a pot. Then I started looking at the other places in the house where it's leaked in the past. They're easy to spot. The one over the dining room table was getting a bit wavy and water soaked, so I moved the table a bit so that if it started leaking after I went to bed, at least the table would not get ruined. It didn't leak.
I didn't actually make it to bed until well past midnight, and got up at 5am, but don't feel tired at all. Now, let's see how it goes later today!! But, I think I've accomplished all that I needed to. My suitcases are packed. The linens on my bed are changed for houseguests who are arriving on Thursday. Trash is taken out. Dishes are done and put away. Yup, I think I've got it all covered.
Yes, I have my passport. Don't worry. Hmmmm, maybe I should go double check any way. Yup. It's there.
So, now it's time for my good-byes:
Good-bye, avocado. I will miss your rich, buttery goodness. I'll miss you with salt and lime. I'll miss your cheapness -- cost, that is.
Good-bye, mango. Our time together has been all too brief this season The fault is entirely mine. I fear that you shall depart before I return. Well, I will patiently wait for your return next year, dreaming of you longingly. Perhaps I will even plan future trips to better accommodate your seasonal appearance.
Good-bye, guanabana. I wonder if you'll still be hanging around when I come back.
Good-bye, fresh tortillas. I shan't forget you and will quickly come visit your hot, steamy goodness in June.
OK, that's enough good-byes. I've just made myself hungry again. And, that's after enjoying two avocados this morning.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
¡Increíble!...
Yes, ¡increíble! Absolutely incredilble! In a strangely funny twist of irony, our Denton-shipped container is scheduled to arrive here in Honduras on May 8 or so. Ironic because I leave for six weeks in the States on April 28. So, my things will finally get here, after almost 9 months, but I won't be here to start going through them. Oh well, the boxes will be waiting for me when I get back. Box after box after box. I'm sure I will hardly know where to start.
No, I know exactly where I'll start: setting up the TV and BluRay player. Wait, I should probably start by filling the bookshelves with books. But the kitchen needs to be set up, too. On second thought, maybe I have no idea where I'll start. Actually, I'm sure I'll start by sorting, again, and thinning out my stuff some more.
While I was packing to move here, I thought I had done quite an admirable job of getting rid of a lot of my stuff. I mean, I gave away, threw away or sold more things than any one person really needs. Yet, my remaining things filled my one-car garage and then filled a decent sized moving truck. Yes, I can rationalize and say that some of those things are for the ministry here, that they're not really for me, but let's face it -- I still have too much.
Well, this will be another opportunity for me to see just how attached to physical things I really am. I hope I pass the test!
One thing that I'm a little sad about is that my cycling sandals, my Keen cycling sandals are among my things. That means that I won't have them when it comes time to do some rides in the States. I'm glad that I still have a pair of cycling shoes waiting for me in Shawnee. Plus, I can't remember where my bike helmet is. Did I pack it to come down here? Or is it waiting for me, as well? I'll know the answer to those questions, and more, by this time next week!
No, I know exactly where I'll start: setting up the TV and BluRay player. Wait, I should probably start by filling the bookshelves with books. But the kitchen needs to be set up, too. On second thought, maybe I have no idea where I'll start. Actually, I'm sure I'll start by sorting, again, and thinning out my stuff some more.
While I was packing to move here, I thought I had done quite an admirable job of getting rid of a lot of my stuff. I mean, I gave away, threw away or sold more things than any one person really needs. Yet, my remaining things filled my one-car garage and then filled a decent sized moving truck. Yes, I can rationalize and say that some of those things are for the ministry here, that they're not really for me, but let's face it -- I still have too much.
Well, this will be another opportunity for me to see just how attached to physical things I really am. I hope I pass the test!
One thing that I'm a little sad about is that my cycling sandals, my Keen cycling sandals are among my things. That means that I won't have them when it comes time to do some rides in the States. I'm glad that I still have a pair of cycling shoes waiting for me in Shawnee. Plus, I can't remember where my bike helmet is. Did I pack it to come down here? Or is it waiting for me, as well? I'll know the answer to those questions, and more, by this time next week!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Recent Bike Rides...
Thankfully, I've been able to spend a little more 'saddle time' recently. I went for rides on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I planned to ride today, but that got waylaid by the tyranny of the urgent. Although, in today's case, I think the 'urgent' was the incredible desire for an afternoon nap.
I'm still not sure how long my bike rides are. On Saturday and Sunday, I upped my mileage to five laps, from four. However, when I have no idea how long a lap is, the whole thing is kinda moot. At one point, I thought a lap might be three miles, but I suspect I'm overestimating and a lap is more like two or two-and-a-half miles. That would make five laps a measly 10 miles. 12 1/2 miles, at the most. Pitiful. At this rate, I have no idea how I'll ever survive on the Cottonwood. I'm just hoping that riding my incredibly heavy mountain bike will translate well once I throw my leg over the top tube of my trusty Steelman. That's trusty -- not rusty!
I do enjoy being out there riding. On Saturday, I had two ladies that were counting my laps. That was kind of cool. I also had one guy yell out to me, "¡Muy bien! ¡Muy bien! ¡Muy bien!" as encouragement. I couldn't help but smile as I thought of Manolo Saiz of the now defunct Once team yelling out, "¡Venga! ¡Venga! ¡Venga!" in his attempts to spur his riders on to victory. OK, OK, maybe I'm overdoing it, but when you're on the bike, strange and silly things often enter your thoughts.
On Sunday, I saw a young boy lead a small herd of pigs across the boulevard. Once safely across, the pigs just kept right on running. I don't think there was a cliff around for them to rush off of, but again, lots of thoughts enter your mind while on the bike.
Occasionally, I have a student, parent or teacher say that they saw me riding my bike on the boulevard. Yeah, I guess a gringa on a bike, doing laps over and over, really does stick out.
I'm still not sure how long my bike rides are. On Saturday and Sunday, I upped my mileage to five laps, from four. However, when I have no idea how long a lap is, the whole thing is kinda moot. At one point, I thought a lap might be three miles, but I suspect I'm overestimating and a lap is more like two or two-and-a-half miles. That would make five laps a measly 10 miles. 12 1/2 miles, at the most. Pitiful. At this rate, I have no idea how I'll ever survive on the Cottonwood. I'm just hoping that riding my incredibly heavy mountain bike will translate well once I throw my leg over the top tube of my trusty Steelman. That's trusty -- not rusty!
I do enjoy being out there riding. On Saturday, I had two ladies that were counting my laps. That was kind of cool. I also had one guy yell out to me, "¡Muy bien! ¡Muy bien! ¡Muy bien!" as encouragement. I couldn't help but smile as I thought of Manolo Saiz of the now defunct Once team yelling out, "¡Venga! ¡Venga! ¡Venga!" in his attempts to spur his riders on to victory. OK, OK, maybe I'm overdoing it, but when you're on the bike, strange and silly things often enter your thoughts.
On Sunday, I saw a young boy lead a small herd of pigs across the boulevard. Once safely across, the pigs just kept right on running. I don't think there was a cliff around for them to rush off of, but again, lots of thoughts enter your mind while on the bike.
Occasionally, I have a student, parent or teacher say that they saw me riding my bike on the boulevard. Yeah, I guess a gringa on a bike, doing laps over and over, really does stick out.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Technology. The Good and the Not-So-Good...
I love technology. I think most people know that about me. Whether it's building a cool, new computer, watching a movie on an iPod, ditching hard copy maps by using a GPS, or downloading books to my computer via Kindle for PC (at least until I actually have my own Kindle), I love technology. But all that technology has a down side: it needs electricity to make it work.
And, therein lies my problem. Last night I went to bed, having written a test for my 6th graders, converted it to Word 97-2003 format, and stashed a copy on my thumb drive so that all I'd have to do this morning is run to the office and print off 27 copies. The problem? The power went off at 1:32am and had not been restored when I got up and got ready this morning. Ugh! No power means no printer. Well, I can deal with that. I figured I'd just bring my laptop to class and read the questions to the kids as they wrote the answers on sheets of paper. (That brought up a whole different set of problems, but I'll leave that for another post.)
I also had planned to go online this morning to look up some Scriptures on Bible Gateway, but again, no power means no internet. OK, I could deal with that, too. I borrowed a Strong's Concordance from Sandi and found the verses I was looking for. Unfortunately, I couldn't look them up in the New Living Translation, which has become a version I use a lot for Chapel. Still, I could deal. Plus, I've resolved to buy a copy of the NLT when I get back to the States.
Showers were out of the question today, too. Although we have our own well here, it uses a pump to get the water to faucets. You know the rest of this story, I'm sure... No power means no pumps for the water. OK, we keep more than a gallon of water in the fridge, so at least I could wash my face and brush my teeth. See? I'm still dealing quite well with the whole no power thing.
Then it hit me: No power means I can't brew any coffee. Excuse me? Those heavenly beans, picked at their peak ripeness and air roasted to perfection, called to me from the freezer. Taunting me. Teasing me. Mocking me. I managed to drown out the medium roast chorus escaping from the freezer and begrudgingly opened the refrigerator, pouring myself a glass of iced tea. No, it really wasn't the same, but it would have to do.
I went over to the Center, where we were going to have our Chapel service (sans sound system) for the teachers and staff. Mr. Alan shared this morning and I actually understood about 75% of what he said. Wow! That was a victory.
Then it was time for the 5th-10th grade Chapel. Mr. Elvis, Miss Marjorie and Miss Cindy led a time of praise and worship, a cappella, and it went quite well. When I was about to begin, I started in almost a whisper so that I could get the kids' attention. It worked. They saw my mouth moving, but couldn't hear what I was saying, so everyone needed to be quiet. Then I was able to use my 'outdoor voice' so that I could share the Word of God with them.
Chapel service over, I headed to the 6th grade classroom. As Mrs. Juanita opened the door, the power came back on! There still wasn't time for me to print off their test, but at least they now had air conditioning!
And, therein lies my problem. Last night I went to bed, having written a test for my 6th graders, converted it to Word 97-2003 format, and stashed a copy on my thumb drive so that all I'd have to do this morning is run to the office and print off 27 copies. The problem? The power went off at 1:32am and had not been restored when I got up and got ready this morning. Ugh! No power means no printer. Well, I can deal with that. I figured I'd just bring my laptop to class and read the questions to the kids as they wrote the answers on sheets of paper. (That brought up a whole different set of problems, but I'll leave that for another post.)
I also had planned to go online this morning to look up some Scriptures on Bible Gateway, but again, no power means no internet. OK, I could deal with that, too. I borrowed a Strong's Concordance from Sandi and found the verses I was looking for. Unfortunately, I couldn't look them up in the New Living Translation, which has become a version I use a lot for Chapel. Still, I could deal. Plus, I've resolved to buy a copy of the NLT when I get back to the States.
Showers were out of the question today, too. Although we have our own well here, it uses a pump to get the water to faucets. You know the rest of this story, I'm sure... No power means no pumps for the water. OK, we keep more than a gallon of water in the fridge, so at least I could wash my face and brush my teeth. See? I'm still dealing quite well with the whole no power thing.
Then it hit me: No power means I can't brew any coffee. Excuse me? Those heavenly beans, picked at their peak ripeness and air roasted to perfection, called to me from the freezer. Taunting me. Teasing me. Mocking me. I managed to drown out the medium roast chorus escaping from the freezer and begrudgingly opened the refrigerator, pouring myself a glass of iced tea. No, it really wasn't the same, but it would have to do.
I went over to the Center, where we were going to have our Chapel service (sans sound system) for the teachers and staff. Mr. Alan shared this morning and I actually understood about 75% of what he said. Wow! That was a victory.
Then it was time for the 5th-10th grade Chapel. Mr. Elvis, Miss Marjorie and Miss Cindy led a time of praise and worship, a cappella, and it went quite well. When I was about to begin, I started in almost a whisper so that I could get the kids' attention. It worked. They saw my mouth moving, but couldn't hear what I was saying, so everyone needed to be quiet. Then I was able to use my 'outdoor voice' so that I could share the Word of God with them.
Chapel service over, I headed to the 6th grade classroom. As Mrs. Juanita opened the door, the power came back on! There still wasn't time for me to print off their test, but at least they now had air conditioning!
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