Greetings again from Honduras. So here we are back into heightened unrest. The political solution rears its ugly head again.
After 3 months out of the country ex-president Mel Zelaya snuck back into the country and planted himself in the Brazilian embassy. The news on Tuesday was circling around of his retrn. People thought it was false, then they said it was true, then it was confirmed.
Later in the day he stepped out, addressed the people and returned insie the embassy. Of course being in an embassy the authorities here in Honduras are not allowed to go after him. Honduran police and soldiers dispersed the crowd on Monday, injuring some people. Then, a national curfew was put in place from 4pm on Monday the 21st and was just lifted today, September 23 at 10am. The curfew will go back into place tonight at 5pm.
The current government said it may be willing to have negotiations with Zelaya (BBC). But no one is sure what would exactly happen if there were talks or if Zelaya stepped out of the embassy. Honduras said they would still honor the arrest warrant for him.
In the meantime Brazil is asking for meetings with the UN (CNN). Naturally they are a little worried about the center of attention being on their embassy with unrest brewing in the streets from citizens. Honduras sent a letter to the Brazilian embassy asking them either to give Zelaya asylum in their country or to turn him over to Honduran authorities.
Most of the unrest centers in the capitol of Tegucigalpa and again here in Santa Rosa and most parts of the country all is calm, except for people blabbing their opinion and theories of the outcome.
As I had mentioned before a big group of us have a dive trip planned for next week leaving Saturday to the bay islands. Honestly and obviously this is of great concern right now. Will I be able to be on the beach and scuba diving next week? I sure hope so. Let's hope Honduras figures this out. Really, for the sake of the country.
…until next time
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
The great hike...
Greetings again from Honduras. Its Saturday morning and it’s the first weekend in a while I can remember without anything going on. Well, actually my cousin Mike Jr. is getting married this weekend in Tahoe. Obviously I can’t be there but congratulations Mike and Jodi.
So last week I went out to the Eastern part of the country. While there I embarked on the hike of all hikes. We climbed through the jungle, literally, through small waterfalls and cliffs to finally one giant big waterfall. We had a Honduran guide through it all. This guy was a true mountain man yet still very generous in leading us. There wasn’t any passage he couldn’t make happen. He brought his 10 year old son along, and this kid is gonna be one hell of a mountain man when he grows up too.
I can’t help but to just love these moments. That hike was a combination of exploration, soaking in nature, and meeting a man and his son whose generosity I will never forget.
I don’t know, it was a simple (actually pretty grueling) day of hiking. However, in the greater picture of things, it’sa sign of the common bond of humanity. Here I was, in a forresty jungle in the middle of Central America, being led by a Honduran who lived in the hills, giving us nothing more than his skills and his time because he wanted to. He didn’t ask for a dime. Many people just won ‘t do that. Its weird to even think how rare this is. And most of the time this kind of kindness and generosity comes from people who have little to nothing in their pockets.
Its that kind of goodness that gives me faith in a country like Honduras, the US, or any other that needs a little goodness and truth put back into it’s country’s community. It’s those little moments that may seem small, but really make an impact.
This experience and others while serving here in Honduras are just fascinating.
Keep searching…keep exploring…try and try again.
…Until next time
So last week I went out to the Eastern part of the country. While there I embarked on the hike of all hikes. We climbed through the jungle, literally, through small waterfalls and cliffs to finally one giant big waterfall. We had a Honduran guide through it all. This guy was a true mountain man yet still very generous in leading us. There wasn’t any passage he couldn’t make happen. He brought his 10 year old son along, and this kid is gonna be one hell of a mountain man when he grows up too.
I can’t help but to just love these moments. That hike was a combination of exploration, soaking in nature, and meeting a man and his son whose generosity I will never forget.
I don’t know, it was a simple (actually pretty grueling) day of hiking. However, in the greater picture of things, it’sa sign of the common bond of humanity. Here I was, in a forresty jungle in the middle of Central America, being led by a Honduran who lived in the hills, giving us nothing more than his skills and his time because he wanted to. He didn’t ask for a dime. Many people just won ‘t do that. Its weird to even think how rare this is. And most of the time this kind of kindness and generosity comes from people who have little to nothing in their pockets.
Its that kind of goodness that gives me faith in a country like Honduras, the US, or any other that needs a little goodness and truth put back into it’s country’s community. It’s those little moments that may seem small, but really make an impact.
This experience and others while serving here in Honduras are just fascinating.
Keep searching…keep exploring…try and try again.
…Until next time
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Friends, Cigars, and adventures...
Greetings again from Honduras. Time is flyin down here. Its been a crazy month and September will probably be the same. More lessons learned, more great experiences, and more madness that is Honduras.
In coup de ‘tat news, the US puts more stronghold on Honduras to change the government. Check out this website if you are really interested (buzztracker). This thing drags on and boy is it exciting (sarcasm). Demands are getting weaker and who knows where it will end. Peace Corps is pretty much un-affected now in relation to the political issues.
About my last blog, just a note that is really how things here go sometimes. The unfamiliar atmosphere can do funny things to the mind. Someone asked me if I was drunk when I wrote it...not in the slightest
In the life if me, the end of August was full of events. I took another mountain getaway trip to my buddy Harrison’s place. Its nice to get out, experience the land, and meet the people while having good time with friends.
The next day Peace Corps had “reconnect” for all business volunteers. This is where we all the current business volunteers met up in a town got Siguatepeque in the middle of Honduras to join and have a little re-booster, if you will, related to our work and possible work. It was good to see all my friends from training back together again. Good times.
The last day of re-connect a bunch of volunteers (about 60) traveled to my site in Santa Rosa de Copan to go to an event called “Noche de Fumadores.” This means night of smokers. Here in SR there is a well known cigar plant and the city is known for its puros (cigars). We all enjoyed cigars, aged rum, food and beer. Pictures to come.
The event took place during what they call Feria here. Feria is like the town fair but it lasts two weeks with events at night and during the day on weekends. We watched the crowning of the tobacco queen followed y fireworks one night. It was a great cultural experience.
Work continues along, but not with out frustrations. I remain working on a web page for my NGO which seems like it’s taking some time, but such are projects in Honduras. Its in limbo now because I am going to collaborate with another volunteer on it who will travel up in a couple weeks to help me out. Next week I start a project in a smaller outer Aldea (small town) with a 6th grade class there to teach a bit of geography and paint a world map for them. Other small projects take up most of my days.
And so goes my service in Honduras. At the end of this month a group of us head to the island of Utila to take scuba diving courses and obtain our licenses. Damn I can’t wait for this. The beach is my haven and I miss those California days sittin on the sand, sun in my face, and a nice beverage in hand. I haven’t seen the beach in months. This will be a nice return.
Alright, so that’s that. Hope all is well back home. Fall approaches and new adventures are on the horizon. I await for them. Aaaaand I just though of something…
In star wars (I know this sounds like it may get dorky but hang in there. I am not a star wars fan nor that much into it but I can throw this reference out based on many a hip references to it…damn I digress) yoda tells Luke during his tough training, “adventure, excitement, a jedi craves not these things.” I realize, for me the little green man is so wrong. These things are exactly what I crave, and I love it. It makes me see this world from a point of view that opens me up to the true reality of things, peace, and the vast world community. Always explore. Always search. Have fun. Its all part of a great journey. Such is life and so is my experience.
…until next time
In coup de ‘tat news, the US puts more stronghold on Honduras to change the government. Check out this website if you are really interested (buzztracker). This thing drags on and boy is it exciting (sarcasm). Demands are getting weaker and who knows where it will end. Peace Corps is pretty much un-affected now in relation to the political issues.
About my last blog, just a note that is really how things here go sometimes. The unfamiliar atmosphere can do funny things to the mind. Someone asked me if I was drunk when I wrote it...not in the slightest
In the life if me, the end of August was full of events. I took another mountain getaway trip to my buddy Harrison’s place. Its nice to get out, experience the land, and meet the people while having good time with friends.
The next day Peace Corps had “reconnect” for all business volunteers. This is where we all the current business volunteers met up in a town got Siguatepeque in the middle of Honduras to join and have a little re-booster, if you will, related to our work and possible work. It was good to see all my friends from training back together again. Good times.
The last day of re-connect a bunch of volunteers (about 60) traveled to my site in Santa Rosa de Copan to go to an event called “Noche de Fumadores.” This means night of smokers. Here in SR there is a well known cigar plant and the city is known for its puros (cigars). We all enjoyed cigars, aged rum, food and beer. Pictures to come.
The event took place during what they call Feria here. Feria is like the town fair but it lasts two weeks with events at night and during the day on weekends. We watched the crowning of the tobacco queen followed y fireworks one night. It was a great cultural experience.
Work continues along, but not with out frustrations. I remain working on a web page for my NGO which seems like it’s taking some time, but such are projects in Honduras. Its in limbo now because I am going to collaborate with another volunteer on it who will travel up in a couple weeks to help me out. Next week I start a project in a smaller outer Aldea (small town) with a 6th grade class there to teach a bit of geography and paint a world map for them. Other small projects take up most of my days.
And so goes my service in Honduras. At the end of this month a group of us head to the island of Utila to take scuba diving courses and obtain our licenses. Damn I can’t wait for this. The beach is my haven and I miss those California days sittin on the sand, sun in my face, and a nice beverage in hand. I haven’t seen the beach in months. This will be a nice return.
Alright, so that’s that. Hope all is well back home. Fall approaches and new adventures are on the horizon. I await for them. Aaaaand I just though of something…
In star wars (I know this sounds like it may get dorky but hang in there. I am not a star wars fan nor that much into it but I can throw this reference out based on many a hip references to it…damn I digress) yoda tells Luke during his tough training, “adventure, excitement, a jedi craves not these things.” I realize, for me the little green man is so wrong. These things are exactly what I crave, and I love it. It makes me see this world from a point of view that opens me up to the true reality of things, peace, and the vast world community. Always explore. Always search. Have fun. Its all part of a great journey. Such is life and so is my experience.
…until next time
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)