The past five months have been a whirlwind of adventure. Here´s the 4-1-1
Mafia Warfare:
My town of Gualaco was caught in the middle of a power-struggle of two rivaling families in Olancho. It consisted of a hitman and four other accomplices being dragged out of their houses during midday on a Sunday only to be led to their deaths. They were taken into the mountains and shot and then the car was set on fire as the assailants fled the scene. This led to a roadblock of about 20 armed men -none were police- being set up in order to catch the assailants. Upon nightfall, a family was passing through and got scared. Unfortunatly, they decided not to stop and were shot down. All the men (including some young teens) in the car were killed or injured, but the women were left unharmed. At this point around 20 deaths had occurred in a 24-hour period and Peace Corps decided to temporarily remove me and the other two nearby volunteers from site. I had the great luck of being sent up to Trujillo where much of my downtime was spent relaxing in a hammock on the beach. The day before we were to receive word as to whether we could return to site or not, a 20-minute shoot-out occurred in the middle of my town and a few more people died. Obviously Peace Corps said we could not go back yet and continued to monitor the situation. About two weeks later when things had cooled down Peace Corps gave me the option to return to site or have a site change. Given that I had never felt unsafe in my community (aside from some moments when the Coups started), I asked them to give me two weeks where I could return to site and see how I felt. Upon returning, I realized my town had this eeiry ghost town feeling where everyone seemed to be afraid to leave their houses even during daylight hours. After a week I started to get in the groove again and things started to feel better. That night three truck loads of armed men began driving through our community, including in front of my apartment, searching for men to kill who were on their hit lists. After this, I decided it was too much. I asked Peace Corps to change my site rather than wait around for another shoot-out to occur.
Site Change:
My new town is still located in the department of Olancho, about two and a half hours southeast of Gualaco. Unfortunately, I am no longer located in the mountains. Instead I am in a very hot valley between two mountain chains. Good bye to cool nights and a very nice studio apartment. My town is much smaller and rural than my last site, but still just as dusty. After only a couple days I had a mental breakdown that involved me sobbing to my mother over the phone while she talked me down from the ledge. As of now I have been in my new town for almost two months and the town is slowly growing on me. I am with my fourth, and hopefully my last, host family. They have a really nice house and have been very good to me. My spanish is improving ever so slightly and I am located only 15 minutes from the city of Catacamas meaning I have access to better food and other volunteers. I have a lot of work in my new town as I have been training the older students to help me out with my health charlas in the high school. Also, I am now teaching basketball and volleyball gym classes once or twice a week. This involves lots of yelling, dragging kids to participate in my drills since they can´t understand my broken spanish, and lots and LOTS of sweating. The kids seem to really like it though and have a lot of fun. Considering the only sport played here is soccer it´s a nice change of pace for the kids.
Despedidas Galore:
The H12 training class that came in a year before us are no longer volunteers. They have graduated from their services. Many are traveling to different parts of central and south america, many are returning home to the glorious and ever-so-comfortable U.S.A., and a few are remaining in Honduras to continue their service or find local non-Peace Corps work. It´s sad to see them go, but even more sad to know that it will be us next year. This past year has gone by so fast and through the good and bad, I cannot imagine being anywhere else. Good luck to all those who have gone and to the rest of us left.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
SUPERPOST
I realize I have been slacking on the posts so here is a SUPER-post in which I will recap some major events that have occured during the last 4 months.
TRAVEL...I have traveled now to almost all of the departments of Honduras; just five more to go. I´ve visited the beautiful beaches of Trujillo a few times (what I like to consider my second site), canoed on Honduras´ lovely Lake Yojoa, and spent Halloween at the Mayan Ruins. Most recently I was at the Lake for Thanksgiving, cooking and laughing with my fellow volunteers. Although it wasn´t exactly the home cooked meal with the fam that I´m used to, it was a wonderful time had by all AND included some great food. I was also lucky enough to be able to leave the country to visit my family in the States. Trust me when I say lucky; just days before leaving a national 24-hour curfew was implemented and all us volunteers were put on STANDFAST. The curfew was brought on due to the extradited President, Zelaya, sneaking back into the country and holing himself up in the Brazilian Embassy. We were not allowed to travel or leave our sites. The airports closed and all flights were cancelled. Thankfully the day before my flight, the curfew lifted allowing me just enough time to travel to San Pedro Sula and catch my flight the next morning.
WORK...this will be a short one. Schools closed early for the National elections, and by early I mean in October. Upon arriving back in the country from the U.S., I realized I would not be doing any more health charlas in the school and have spent the last few months trying to figure out how to make myself useful. Currently I am working with some girls from my town teaching them to create beauty from trash. We are making purses and jewelry out of potatoe chip bags. I am also learning how to weave baskets out of pine needles.
RELATIONS...I spent almost a month in the States nursing my mother after she had surgery. It was a taxing but enjoyable time being able give back to my mother for all those years she took care of me. However, my time abroad meant lots of time for my town to make up lavish gossip as to why I was ¨really¨ away. My favorite being that my sitemate, a.k.a. the OTHER gringo, got me pregnant and I had to leave Honduras in order to have the baby. Gotta love chisme. Needless to say, I spoiled that upon my arriving back in site without a baby bump! More volunteers from both my project and my cohort have up and left Peace Corps for various reasons. Medical and lack of work seem to be the most at fault. However, I´m sure being in a country during times of political rest, aka The Coup, has had its share of influence. I´m still working on making a Honduran friend, which is more difficult than it sounds. You risk being considered a hussy if you befriend men and I have little to offer in terms of conversation for all the married mothers my age. Currently my friends are my 14 year old host sister and my 50 year old comedora (lady who cooks for me when I want plato tipico). Here´s hoping for 2010!
FIRE...unfortunately, the sun isn´t the only source of me sweating. On my way back from visiting the Peace Corps doctors in the Capital I caught the last bus back to my site and about an hour into the ride the engine caught on fire. Luckily I was sitting next to the fire exit, but unfortunately in the panic I forgot I was sitting next to it. Being in the middle of the bus I examined my escape routes...run towards the large flames in the front or towards the back where I´d have to fight my way through all the giant bags of rice and beans that were blocking the doors. Luckily I didn´t have to make a decision because the bus ayudante had a bucket of water that he threw onto the flames. The next day my shower almost caught on fire as it sparked and burnt part of the plastic nozzle. I now shower with my power turned OFF in my apartment. So much for having an electroducha to warm my water. Feel free to send me a fire extinguisher for Christmas.
FOOD...I accidently broke my mini-refrigerator that cost me about three months rent when I took a knife to it. I was trying to chip away some of the excess ice in order to make room for the boneless skinless chicken that I bought while in the larger City. Unfortunately, I also chipped away part of the tray causing all the freon gas to be released. I am very sad. But on the brighter side, I was able to cook up the chicken with barbecue sauce and had some tasty chicken for ONE whole day. It was beautiful.
I think that should do it on the recap. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I´m enjoying my time here in Honduras.
Happy Holidays!
TRAVEL...I have traveled now to almost all of the departments of Honduras; just five more to go. I´ve visited the beautiful beaches of Trujillo a few times (what I like to consider my second site), canoed on Honduras´ lovely Lake Yojoa, and spent Halloween at the Mayan Ruins. Most recently I was at the Lake for Thanksgiving, cooking and laughing with my fellow volunteers. Although it wasn´t exactly the home cooked meal with the fam that I´m used to, it was a wonderful time had by all AND included some great food. I was also lucky enough to be able to leave the country to visit my family in the States. Trust me when I say lucky; just days before leaving a national 24-hour curfew was implemented and all us volunteers were put on STANDFAST. The curfew was brought on due to the extradited President, Zelaya, sneaking back into the country and holing himself up in the Brazilian Embassy. We were not allowed to travel or leave our sites. The airports closed and all flights were cancelled. Thankfully the day before my flight, the curfew lifted allowing me just enough time to travel to San Pedro Sula and catch my flight the next morning.
WORK...this will be a short one. Schools closed early for the National elections, and by early I mean in October. Upon arriving back in the country from the U.S., I realized I would not be doing any more health charlas in the school and have spent the last few months trying to figure out how to make myself useful. Currently I am working with some girls from my town teaching them to create beauty from trash. We are making purses and jewelry out of potatoe chip bags. I am also learning how to weave baskets out of pine needles.
RELATIONS...I spent almost a month in the States nursing my mother after she had surgery. It was a taxing but enjoyable time being able give back to my mother for all those years she took care of me. However, my time abroad meant lots of time for my town to make up lavish gossip as to why I was ¨really¨ away. My favorite being that my sitemate, a.k.a. the OTHER gringo, got me pregnant and I had to leave Honduras in order to have the baby. Gotta love chisme. Needless to say, I spoiled that upon my arriving back in site without a baby bump! More volunteers from both my project and my cohort have up and left Peace Corps for various reasons. Medical and lack of work seem to be the most at fault. However, I´m sure being in a country during times of political rest, aka The Coup, has had its share of influence. I´m still working on making a Honduran friend, which is more difficult than it sounds. You risk being considered a hussy if you befriend men and I have little to offer in terms of conversation for all the married mothers my age. Currently my friends are my 14 year old host sister and my 50 year old comedora (lady who cooks for me when I want plato tipico). Here´s hoping for 2010!
FIRE...unfortunately, the sun isn´t the only source of me sweating. On my way back from visiting the Peace Corps doctors in the Capital I caught the last bus back to my site and about an hour into the ride the engine caught on fire. Luckily I was sitting next to the fire exit, but unfortunately in the panic I forgot I was sitting next to it. Being in the middle of the bus I examined my escape routes...run towards the large flames in the front or towards the back where I´d have to fight my way through all the giant bags of rice and beans that were blocking the doors. Luckily I didn´t have to make a decision because the bus ayudante had a bucket of water that he threw onto the flames. The next day my shower almost caught on fire as it sparked and burnt part of the plastic nozzle. I now shower with my power turned OFF in my apartment. So much for having an electroducha to warm my water. Feel free to send me a fire extinguisher for Christmas.
FOOD...I accidently broke my mini-refrigerator that cost me about three months rent when I took a knife to it. I was trying to chip away some of the excess ice in order to make room for the boneless skinless chicken that I bought while in the larger City. Unfortunately, I also chipped away part of the tray causing all the freon gas to be released. I am very sad. But on the brighter side, I was able to cook up the chicken with barbecue sauce and had some tasty chicken for ONE whole day. It was beautiful.
I think that should do it on the recap. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I´m enjoying my time here in Honduras.
Happy Holidays!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Your Guess is as Good as Mine
After finally having the clearance to travel outside of our departments, it was revoked two days later. Things around my town have slowly become more and more confortbable...that was until I read the news reports today and discovered that tension is once again heating up. Just when I finally unpacked my evacuation backpack Peace Corps Honduras´s future once again looks dreary. We´re getting no official reports of being evacuated, but all the news reports suggest future conflict. At this point in time, your guess is as good as mine as to whether or not things will settle down.
Since there has been very little work for the vast majority of volunteers, we have resorted to using theme parties as a way to pass the time. Our first party was ¨Ropa Americana¨theme, which translates loosly to anything American thrift stores were unable to sell, followed by 80s Prom Night. As you can imagine, Olancho was able to see some fantastic costumes by the gringos. Special appearances were made by Don Johnson, Samantha Fox, a Lenny Kravitz whannabe Michael Jackson, Sixteen Candles´very own Long Duck Dong along with a mix of see-through mesh spandex and neon-sheen puffiness. It was AMAZING.
Thankfully my spirits have picked up since classes began today after a three weeks of strikes. With my first HIV charla in site planned for this week, I´m hoping work picks up too. However, things have not been easy. My health project team has lost 6 volunteers so far (and we´re only 5 months into our Peace Corps service). Since we only started with 14 the health team is desperately holding together. In addition, two others from the health team are having to be moved due to safety concerns in their sites. They are some of my closest friends (both in terms of distance outside of Olancho and relatonships) so I´ve had my share of low points. However, I´m relying on lots of phone calls and visits with other volunteers within Olancho to keep me going.
As especially described in my last two posts, this rollorcoaster is taking me for a ride. I´m hanging on though and for the most part am enjoying the ride. I´m thinking of you all and want you all to know I am safe and staying strong. I miss you all. Stay tuned for more Worlds of Fun fun!
Since there has been very little work for the vast majority of volunteers, we have resorted to using theme parties as a way to pass the time. Our first party was ¨Ropa Americana¨theme, which translates loosly to anything American thrift stores were unable to sell, followed by 80s Prom Night. As you can imagine, Olancho was able to see some fantastic costumes by the gringos. Special appearances were made by Don Johnson, Samantha Fox, a Lenny Kravitz whannabe Michael Jackson, Sixteen Candles´very own Long Duck Dong along with a mix of see-through mesh spandex and neon-sheen puffiness. It was AMAZING.
Thankfully my spirits have picked up since classes began today after a three weeks of strikes. With my first HIV charla in site planned for this week, I´m hoping work picks up too. However, things have not been easy. My health project team has lost 6 volunteers so far (and we´re only 5 months into our Peace Corps service). Since we only started with 14 the health team is desperately holding together. In addition, two others from the health team are having to be moved due to safety concerns in their sites. They are some of my closest friends (both in terms of distance outside of Olancho and relatonships) so I´ve had my share of low points. However, I´m relying on lots of phone calls and visits with other volunteers within Olancho to keep me going.
As especially described in my last two posts, this rollorcoaster is taking me for a ride. I´m hanging on though and for the most part am enjoying the ride. I´m thinking of you all and want you all to know I am safe and staying strong. I miss you all. Stay tuned for more Worlds of Fun fun!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
I did not cause this international incidence!
In the shadow of Michael Jackson’s death, many of you might still be unaware that Honduras is experiencing political turmoil in the likes that it has not seen since the last Cold War. Last Sunday around midnight the President, Jose Manuel Zelaya, was arrested and exiled to Costa Rica in his pajamas. This military coup occurred on the eve of a referendum that would have allowed Hondurans to vote to change the Constitution that currently only allows a President to serve a single term of four years. The referendum was to change the Constitution to either allow a second term or unlimited terms. With the Congress and the Military against Zelaya, they deemed the referendum to be unconstitutional. Instead of going through the democratic process of impeachment, the Congress decided to take him out and put Congress in command.
As you can imagine, Hondurans and the Peace Corps Volunteers are in a minor state of distress. Stories are spreading of military police making their rounds through towns confiscating weapons and arresting boys and men between the ages of 15 and 45 to draft them into the military. I walked out of my house today to find the streets eerily empty and everything closed down. Even the three donkeys that hang out around the corner were no where to be found. Now how am I supposed to escape if even the donkeys are out of business? Bus tires have been slashed and roadblocks have been placed throughout the country to prevent protestors from entering the Capital. I walked hesitantly down the block expecting for a truck load of armed soldiers to turn the corner and force me to fight for the Honduran army. I’m prime real estate down here considering I’m bigger than most Hondurans.
The U.S. and the U.N. are calling for Zelaya to be reinstated and there is talk of Zelaya coming back on Thursday with military reinforcements from Venezuela. The Congress has not backed down and is threatening to arrest Zelaya upon reentering the country. All signs are pointing to a showdown with opponents on both sides. I live in Zelaya country considering he is from Olancho and the people are very upset with his arrest. The anti-Zelayas support the Congress’s actions as they feel Zelaya was leading Honduras down the path of a dictatorship.
At this point in time, I feel a possibly false sense of security. Although my community feels safe, the frequent calls to other volunteers and family members have me on edge. Just about every hour my phone rings or I get a message from other volunteers and we discuss what crazy things are going on in each of our towns. My one bag that we´re allowed to take if evacuated is packed as I wait for the text message saying we´re heading to safer grounds to wait till things calm down. The last few days I’ve holed myself up in my room surviving on mangoes and peanut butter.
Meanwhile, the new training class of volunteers that was scheduled to arrive in Honduras on Wednesdayon is heading off to the Dominican Republic to wait this ordeal out while the rest of us currently serving volunteers stay the course! I guess this is what they meant by the slogan “How far will you go?” Well, I think a few earthquakes, a pandemic flu outbreak, and now a military coup is pretty damn far? Especially, considering I haven’t even been here for five months.
I hope you all enjoy your Fourth of July weekend, but remember the 200 or so volunteers here in Honduras who are on lockdown waiting to see how this crisis plays out. Here’s hoping that my next post will be written under much calmer and happier circumstances.
As you can imagine, Hondurans and the Peace Corps Volunteers are in a minor state of distress. Stories are spreading of military police making their rounds through towns confiscating weapons and arresting boys and men between the ages of 15 and 45 to draft them into the military. I walked out of my house today to find the streets eerily empty and everything closed down. Even the three donkeys that hang out around the corner were no where to be found. Now how am I supposed to escape if even the donkeys are out of business? Bus tires have been slashed and roadblocks have been placed throughout the country to prevent protestors from entering the Capital. I walked hesitantly down the block expecting for a truck load of armed soldiers to turn the corner and force me to fight for the Honduran army. I’m prime real estate down here considering I’m bigger than most Hondurans.
The U.S. and the U.N. are calling for Zelaya to be reinstated and there is talk of Zelaya coming back on Thursday with military reinforcements from Venezuela. The Congress has not backed down and is threatening to arrest Zelaya upon reentering the country. All signs are pointing to a showdown with opponents on both sides. I live in Zelaya country considering he is from Olancho and the people are very upset with his arrest. The anti-Zelayas support the Congress’s actions as they feel Zelaya was leading Honduras down the path of a dictatorship.
At this point in time, I feel a possibly false sense of security. Although my community feels safe, the frequent calls to other volunteers and family members have me on edge. Just about every hour my phone rings or I get a message from other volunteers and we discuss what crazy things are going on in each of our towns. My one bag that we´re allowed to take if evacuated is packed as I wait for the text message saying we´re heading to safer grounds to wait till things calm down. The last few days I’ve holed myself up in my room surviving on mangoes and peanut butter.
Meanwhile, the new training class of volunteers that was scheduled to arrive in Honduras on Wednesdayon is heading off to the Dominican Republic to wait this ordeal out while the rest of us currently serving volunteers stay the course! I guess this is what they meant by the slogan “How far will you go?” Well, I think a few earthquakes, a pandemic flu outbreak, and now a military coup is pretty damn far? Especially, considering I haven’t even been here for five months.
I hope you all enjoy your Fourth of July weekend, but remember the 200 or so volunteers here in Honduras who are on lockdown waiting to see how this crisis plays out. Here’s hoping that my next post will be written under much calmer and happier circumstances.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
WHEN YOU GONNA GET UP?
My home for the next two years!When I hit the point where I thought I could take no more, the twelve weeks of never-ending technical training and Spanish classes have finally come and gone and I am now officially a Peace Corps volunteer! After an awkward day of meeting my counterpart for the first time and forgetting all my Spanish upon being introduced and having 5 LONG hours of classes with my counterpart after being sworn in as a volunteer at the American Embassy, I found myself frantically searching for my fellow volunteers to get a final hug and dish out words of encouragement before entering the next stage of my voyage. With tears in my eyes and thoughts of terror in my mind, I dutifully packed my bags and prepared myself for the lonesome trip I would be taking to my site in the morning. Heading out to what is known as the Wild Wild West of Honduras, I took one last eventful ride in the Peace Corps vehicles –whipping around the mountainous roads, holding onto the other volunteers and praying that none of my bags would be sacrificed from the tops of the vans and into the abyss below. Upon arriving in Tegucigalpa, my poor counterpart was forced to help me lug all my crap to the bus station heading for Olancho. Thank you PC for giving us so many books and manuals – I arrived in country with three bags and now somehow have eight bags due to all of the materials I have received while in country.
Shortly after noon I arrived in my site to be slapped back into reality that yes I am in Honduras and yes I am in the Peace Corps. As I patiently waited for my third and final host family to find the key to my room I began chatting it up with several high school students who also rent rooms from my family. After about 30 minutes my little host brother somehow managed to open up my door sin llaves and I got a glimpse of my glorious room. Stark empty except for a rickety old bench and the dried blood stains from all the mosquitoes killed on the walls I begin laughing to myself thinking this must be a mistake. I can’t remember how many times PC staff reminded us that we volunteers are spoiled by our families in field based training and it’s not the reality once we get to site. But come on, I didn’t expect to be sleeping on the floor with the creepy crawlies. I don’t even have a sleeping bag. After about an hour and realizing that yes this is indeed my room I decided to be the rude American and ask my host mother if I would be getting a bed. She politely informed me that it would cost an extra 100 lemps so I politely informed her that I would have to check with Peace Corps since they approve our housing allowances. Then after another ridiculously polite conversation with Peace Corps things seemed to be straightened out and a bed was placed in my room!
Other than a few very awkward days, I am happy with my site. It is located in a picturesque part of the country – in many ways it reminds me of the Appalachians. I am surrounded by beautifully lush green mountains and live in a quaint little town that has plenty to offer including two hotels. That’s right, you all can come visit me any time you like; for a few American dollars you too can experience my life as a volunteer! I know all of you are jumping out of your seats to come experience the ice cold bucket showers, raw meat being dried on the same lines as your clothes, and hours spent hand washing your clothes only to spend days drying on the clothes line because of the torrential down pours of rain that occur every few hours. I expect only the true adventure seekers to trek it down south to my parts of the woods. For those of you who can do without the commodities listed above, I do live only a few hours from the beautiful beaches of Trujillo and the North Coast. I can always meet you up there – just not in the next three months as we new volunteers are not allowed to stay out of our sites overnight until August 15.
Until then I’m sticking it out and getting along just fine down here. Hope you all are doing the same!
As I’ve done in my other posts here is a list of my oh-so-awkward yet still amusing experiences:
· I most recently saw my male landlord sitting on the toilet as I walked into the courtyard of our house. And yes, we made eye contact as he slowly closed the door to the bathroom and I embarrassingly stared at the ground.
· After waking up one morning all groggy and blurry eyed I almost ran smack dab into a piece of raw meat hanging on the clothes line as I was walking to the bathroom. Talk about a health risk!
· It took me 5 days to have a bowel movement upon moving to my new site; and in case you hadn’t noticed, among us volunteers talking about our bowel movements is as common as talking about how are days went.
· At the house where I go to eat, I was lucky enough to watch a mouse scale down the wall, which occurred again around the same time the following day. I never new mice could crawl on walls.
· Again at my place of eating, I watched a large and very alive chicken jump on the kitchen counter and eat leftovers off of the plates in the sink.
· During the hottest part of the day, the lock on my door broke and I was temporarily locked in my room while my sister climbed in through the window only to discover that yes I indeed was stuck and she too was unable to open the door. Eventually another girl was able to unlock it from the outside.
· After asking an old lady how much a skirt cost that was hanging up she told me I was too fat and that it would not fit me. All I could do was shake my head at her poor business strategies and yet she was still surprised when I walked out empty handed.
· Almost every day I meet someone new I get the same questions of: Do you have kids? Are you married? Are you divorced? What religion are you? Have you visited a church here yet? Blah blah blah…
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
