11 months in Honduland!
Hey to all you folks! (“all you folks” meaning the three or four of you left that actually check this online journal, that’s okay though, it’s my fault for not writing more frequently),
I just hit the 11 month mark a few days ago here in Honduras. June 21st will be my one year anniversary here in Honduland. According to the Peace Corps chart of depression during service I should be entering my deepest trough. I don’t know about that though, I feel pretty good about being here. When I went to Belize for a week I couldn’t help but feel homesick for my place in Santa Elena.
My latest and newest project has been a science laboratory project. One of the teachers at the elementary school here has a requirement at her university to complete a project in the school and she approached me to see if I could help. I told her that sounded like a great idea and that I’d support her in every way I could. So we got quite a bit of stuff done in just a week or so. We’ve already transformed what use to be a cockroach ridden shed full of trash, scrap wood, and metal, into a clean and freshly painted laboratory space. The unusual fast pace of this project has been aided by the fact that the teacher’s professors are coming to town to check on her progress. So she’s been paying for it all out of her pocket and has been eager to see the project progress. We’ll see how things go from here, it’s widely known among Volunteers in Honduras that projects often start “con mucho gusto,” but often fizzle out quick (i.e. the women’s co-op bakery from November). I’ll see what I can do to keep the enthusiasm high. I will be attending a Peace Corps workshop with my counterpart Isaias in the first week of June to learn how to write project grants and how to plan out projects in general. I’m hoping this will enable Isaias to learn how to write and ask for funds himself. I’d really like to see this happen so I don’t have to be the paternal gringo that Honduras is so use to. Ideally, the project planning conference will enable Isaias to petition his own funds and I’ll just cheer from the sidelines.
I had an interesting cultural lesson recently. You know how sometimes we say things such as, “Hey, did you steal my sweater?” to friends we know well. Or “Hey, did you take my hammer from the shed last week?” Not meaning that the person we’re talking to actually stole the item with malice or intent to keep the item. Well, my razor and shaving cream turned up missing from my shower stall outside. So, naturally, I thought, Toni probably took it to shave up. Toni is my barber, he trims and shaves the edges after I cut my hair, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he came over when I was out of town to borrow my razor and shaving cream. He’s welcome to it. Anyway, I encountered him in the park with a group of guys from town, and I said “Hey man, you steal my razor and shaving cream this weekend?” All the guys sort of laughed and he smiled and said “What are you talking about loco?” And that was it, I didn’t really think much of it. He obviously hadn’t taken it, so I just supposed somebody really stole it or maybe my landlord put it away somewhere. Later on that night when he visited he was acting extremely strange. My friend Erin was visiting me from the states and she could tell something was up as well. It’s hard to explain, but something wasn’t right with him. So a few days ago, I was like “Hey what the heck was up with you that night Erin was here?” “You were acting really strange.” He then told me that I really offended him when I asked him if he robbed me of my razor. He told me that to accuse someone of robbery was extremely offensive and that after I left the guys he was hanging out with were like “why’d he accuse you of stealing?” So, I apologized and told him that I’d never actually accuse him of actually robbing me. I told him that we were good friends and that he’s welcome to borrow my stuff and that in English sometimes we say “hey did you steal my cd last week from my car?” without actually meaning that you actually took the cd for good. It’s all good now, but I’m glad I got that out of him, because I could’ve easily made the mistake again. Ah, the lessons I learn here in Honduras.
BIG NEWS! I’m coming back to the states for a quick 11 day visit! June 28th – July 8th. My cousin Jamie is gettin’ hitched in Charlotte and I’ve got an itch to tear up the dance floor at the reception! My family likes to throw down at wedding receptions. An aspect of us Egetters/Montgomerys/Engles of which I am extremely proud. So I’ll be in Charlotte for that weekend and then back to HOTlanta for July 4th etc. I’m so looking forward to seeing you all! I miss everyone soooo very much.
Okay, enough from me for now. I’ll write again soon! Nos vemos y cuidenses.
Ciao,
Davíd
P.S. Toni and I are pictured above. Thanks Erin! It was so very nice to show you my way of life here. I had a blast, I hope you don’t think I’m too pro-coorperate now! Explanation for all; when Erin was here we visited a mall in Tegus and ate breakfast at a McDonalds. I was embarased, but the truth is, I kind of miss those sort of conveniences. You want what you can’t have I suppose. I also confessed to her that I missed Taco Bell. She told me I shouldn’t repeat that to anyone.
I just hit the 11 month mark a few days ago here in Honduras. June 21st will be my one year anniversary here in Honduland. According to the Peace Corps chart of depression during service I should be entering my deepest trough. I don’t know about that though, I feel pretty good about being here. When I went to Belize for a week I couldn’t help but feel homesick for my place in Santa Elena.
My latest and newest project has been a science laboratory project. One of the teachers at the elementary school here has a requirement at her university to complete a project in the school and she approached me to see if I could help. I told her that sounded like a great idea and that I’d support her in every way I could. So we got quite a bit of stuff done in just a week or so. We’ve already transformed what use to be a cockroach ridden shed full of trash, scrap wood, and metal, into a clean and freshly painted laboratory space. The unusual fast pace of this project has been aided by the fact that the teacher’s professors are coming to town to check on her progress. So she’s been paying for it all out of her pocket and has been eager to see the project progress. We’ll see how things go from here, it’s widely known among Volunteers in Honduras that projects often start “con mucho gusto,” but often fizzle out quick (i.e. the women’s co-op bakery from November). I’ll see what I can do to keep the enthusiasm high. I will be attending a Peace Corps workshop with my counterpart Isaias in the first week of June to learn how to write project grants and how to plan out projects in general. I’m hoping this will enable Isaias to learn how to write and ask for funds himself. I’d really like to see this happen so I don’t have to be the paternal gringo that Honduras is so use to. Ideally, the project planning conference will enable Isaias to petition his own funds and I’ll just cheer from the sidelines.
I had an interesting cultural lesson recently. You know how sometimes we say things such as, “Hey, did you steal my sweater?” to friends we know well. Or “Hey, did you take my hammer from the shed last week?” Not meaning that the person we’re talking to actually stole the item with malice or intent to keep the item. Well, my razor and shaving cream turned up missing from my shower stall outside. So, naturally, I thought, Toni probably took it to shave up. Toni is my barber, he trims and shaves the edges after I cut my hair, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he came over when I was out of town to borrow my razor and shaving cream. He’s welcome to it. Anyway, I encountered him in the park with a group of guys from town, and I said “Hey man, you steal my razor and shaving cream this weekend?” All the guys sort of laughed and he smiled and said “What are you talking about loco?” And that was it, I didn’t really think much of it. He obviously hadn’t taken it, so I just supposed somebody really stole it or maybe my landlord put it away somewhere. Later on that night when he visited he was acting extremely strange. My friend Erin was visiting me from the states and she could tell something was up as well. It’s hard to explain, but something wasn’t right with him. So a few days ago, I was like “Hey what the heck was up with you that night Erin was here?” “You were acting really strange.” He then told me that I really offended him when I asked him if he robbed me of my razor. He told me that to accuse someone of robbery was extremely offensive and that after I left the guys he was hanging out with were like “why’d he accuse you of stealing?” So, I apologized and told him that I’d never actually accuse him of actually robbing me. I told him that we were good friends and that he’s welcome to borrow my stuff and that in English sometimes we say “hey did you steal my cd last week from my car?” without actually meaning that you actually took the cd for good. It’s all good now, but I’m glad I got that out of him, because I could’ve easily made the mistake again. Ah, the lessons I learn here in Honduras.
BIG NEWS! I’m coming back to the states for a quick 11 day visit! June 28th – July 8th. My cousin Jamie is gettin’ hitched in Charlotte and I’ve got an itch to tear up the dance floor at the reception! My family likes to throw down at wedding receptions. An aspect of us Egetters/Montgomerys/Engles of which I am extremely proud. So I’ll be in Charlotte for that weekend and then back to HOTlanta for July 4th etc. I’m so looking forward to seeing you all! I miss everyone soooo very much.
Okay, enough from me for now. I’ll write again soon! Nos vemos y cuidenses.
Ciao,
Davíd
P.S. Toni and I are pictured above. Thanks Erin! It was so very nice to show you my way of life here. I had a blast, I hope you don’t think I’m too pro-coorperate now! Explanation for all; when Erin was here we visited a mall in Tegus and ate breakfast at a McDonalds. I was embarased, but the truth is, I kind of miss those sort of conveniences. You want what you can’t have I suppose. I also confessed to her that I missed Taco Bell. She told me I shouldn’t repeat that to anyone.
posted by David at 1:29 PM
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