Greetings from Honduras. First off, I want to say congratulations to my sister who gave birth to a beautiful little girl, Colby Anne, earlier this week. Congrats sis. Another niece.
Well, what would Peace Corps be without another stay in a hospital for me? That’s right. About 2 weeks ago I went to some hot springs and there I made the intelligent decision to eat very suspect food. I knew it was suspect at the time but went for it anyway. Bad decision.
The next night I found myself in the hospital once again. I was very dehydrated, feverish, and leaking fluids constantly if you know what I mean. I do not like Honduran hospitals. I think my body doesn’t either and it told me when I puked right there in the hospital room. Me and body were tired of being sick and we said it when after a couple hours in a hospital bed I couldn’t make it even out of bed when BLAH!...right there on the hospital floor. I could do nothing but laugh. The situation is so amusing. You just got to laugh sometimes. I did feel guilty about the lady who had to come and clean it up though.
Transitioning smoothly…Also, I recently made a video for the business project explaining what we do here. Its for new volunteers but I hope you can learn from it too. Click and play if you are interested.
Transitioning smoothly…I will be sending an email shortly (the 1st of April) to all family and friends asking if they can help with donations to a great cause. The organization I work with here is trying to add to their scholarship program. They send kids to school and teach them leadership and business skills for there future. These kids normally wouldn’t have an education or any good chance at a better life. Please donate if you can.
As I started to think about this blog, I had a bit of writer’s block. I sat and thoughts started rolling through my head and they were all about the amazing experiences I’ve had, the places I have been, and the people I have met. I’ve thought many times about how many boobs I have seen in the street with babies locked in on them. I remember how many times I didn’t understand what people were telling me only to come to realize I just made a ridiculous agreement for the next day that I know nothing about. I then realized, now is the beginning of the end.
The other day I booked my flight home. May 6th I touch back down in the states. My final appointments are set, and now its just more good times until the end. It’s a weird feeling. This seemed so far away when I started here in Honduras, and now its right in front of me.
I couldn’t be happier with my decision to do Peace Corps. No doubt, best decision I have ever made in my life. I had my worries (normal), had expectations (useless), and my aspirations (all which usually change along the way), and now I have my understanding. I understand how other people live, how they work, what makes them tick.
I think out of it all, I have learned much more about how I tick.
The end is near, but I am smiling.
…until next time.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Chalky Milk, La Madre, and Sentimental Memories...
Greetings again from Honduras. Its late on a Monday night and I’m feeling goofy, pondering my 2 months left, and eating Oreo cookies and milk…but I can’t get this taste out of my mouth.
Let me tell you about Honduran Milk made by Sula. Its great for shakes, its pretty good with cereal, but straight out of the bag (yeah its made in a bag) it tastes like chalk. I can’t figure out why. Things always taste different here, but this one sticks out to me tonight.
So what’s been happening.? Here we go…
Last month during my group’s Close of Service Conference, I was reminded that my days here are numbered. However, some of my most fun and meaningful memories are taking place.
At the COS conference, as we call it, the Honduras 14 training group(meaning those of us in country who arrived in Feb of ’09) reunited to talk about our service and prepare for the next part of our lives. It was truly an awesome time. There we caught up with friends, prepared ourselves for the job search to come, and discussed the importance of development in the world.
It was also a bit sad. It was the last time I would see many of the volunteers from our group, and a reminder that the end of this is near. But more importantly, the feeling of appreciation and respect at the conference was obvious. Many of us had not seen each other in a while, but we were all reminded how much our work and experience means to us, and how close we are because we shared this rare experience with each other.
Taking a complete 180, I just want to share with you about a certain spot booming in my town of Santa Rosa. The place is called the Canti Madre. It’s a cantina, or bar, but not like we know them. A cantina in Honduras would be like a dive bar, but when I say dive bar, I mean think of the worst dive bar you know, now multiply that by about 5 and you’ve got a cantina.
La Madre was really Cantina-y when I first arrived here. But its becoming somewhat of a popular spot. Its getting nicer, but again, in relative terms. At this Canti Madre they sell the famous “Limonadas,” and now even have a “Maracoulla” (Passion Fruit). These drinks consist of 1 part of the natural juice (lemonade or passion fruit), 1 part guaro (local alcohol that could be related to a mix of rubbing alcohol and tequila), and 2 parts sugar. These things will put you out no joke. I have two and I am feeling good. I went there once in my first year and a half of service. I’ve been there 3 times in the last month. Cool little place.
If you ever come to Honduras, make your way to Santa Rosa and visit “La Madre.” You won’t be disappointed.
So to be honest, with only 2 months left thinking about the end is inevitable, and it chokes me up a bit thinking about it. I actually try not to think about it sometimes.
Living with other gringos in Honduras awesome. To have such an understanding with other Americans about working here is awesome. It’s an understanding we will have of each other that no other outside of Peace Corps Honduras will ever really have. It’s a pretty cool thing. If only everyone all around the planet of different cultures, countries, and governments could just get more of an understanding of each other, I think the world would be a better place.
The other day I worked a medical brigade with some awesome fellow volunteers along with an American group who came in from Texas. Yes, I saw some boobs again, a kid get parasites pulled out of his head, and many kids with lice. It was great. Although, I am so worried I am going to get Lice I’ve been washing with Lice shampoo. But I digress…
So we were talking to one guy from the visiting group who was asking the typical questions about living here. He was real interested and its cool to share the experiences. We told him about the good times, the bad, and the in between. Then he said, “that sounds awesome. You guys are probably gonna look back on this as the best time of your life.”
You know what? He’s probably right.
2 months left. What times!
…until next time
Let me tell you about Honduran Milk made by Sula. Its great for shakes, its pretty good with cereal, but straight out of the bag (yeah its made in a bag) it tastes like chalk. I can’t figure out why. Things always taste different here, but this one sticks out to me tonight.
So what’s been happening.? Here we go…
Last month during my group’s Close of Service Conference, I was reminded that my days here are numbered. However, some of my most fun and meaningful memories are taking place.
At the COS conference, as we call it, the Honduras 14 training group(meaning those of us in country who arrived in Feb of ’09) reunited to talk about our service and prepare for the next part of our lives. It was truly an awesome time. There we caught up with friends, prepared ourselves for the job search to come, and discussed the importance of development in the world.
It was also a bit sad. It was the last time I would see many of the volunteers from our group, and a reminder that the end of this is near. But more importantly, the feeling of appreciation and respect at the conference was obvious. Many of us had not seen each other in a while, but we were all reminded how much our work and experience means to us, and how close we are because we shared this rare experience with each other.
Taking a complete 180, I just want to share with you about a certain spot booming in my town of Santa Rosa. The place is called the Canti Madre. It’s a cantina, or bar, but not like we know them. A cantina in Honduras would be like a dive bar, but when I say dive bar, I mean think of the worst dive bar you know, now multiply that by about 5 and you’ve got a cantina.
La Madre was really Cantina-y when I first arrived here. But its becoming somewhat of a popular spot. Its getting nicer, but again, in relative terms. At this Canti Madre they sell the famous “Limonadas,” and now even have a “Maracoulla” (Passion Fruit). These drinks consist of 1 part of the natural juice (lemonade or passion fruit), 1 part guaro (local alcohol that could be related to a mix of rubbing alcohol and tequila), and 2 parts sugar. These things will put you out no joke. I have two and I am feeling good. I went there once in my first year and a half of service. I’ve been there 3 times in the last month. Cool little place.
If you ever come to Honduras, make your way to Santa Rosa and visit “La Madre.” You won’t be disappointed.
So to be honest, with only 2 months left thinking about the end is inevitable, and it chokes me up a bit thinking about it. I actually try not to think about it sometimes.
Living with other gringos in Honduras awesome. To have such an understanding with other Americans about working here is awesome. It’s an understanding we will have of each other that no other outside of Peace Corps Honduras will ever really have. It’s a pretty cool thing. If only everyone all around the planet of different cultures, countries, and governments could just get more of an understanding of each other, I think the world would be a better place.
The other day I worked a medical brigade with some awesome fellow volunteers along with an American group who came in from Texas. Yes, I saw some boobs again, a kid get parasites pulled out of his head, and many kids with lice. It was great. Although, I am so worried I am going to get Lice I’ve been washing with Lice shampoo. But I digress…
So we were talking to one guy from the visiting group who was asking the typical questions about living here. He was real interested and its cool to share the experiences. We told him about the good times, the bad, and the in between. Then he said, “that sounds awesome. You guys are probably gonna look back on this as the best time of your life.”
You know what? He’s probably right.
2 months left. What times!
…until next time
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