T-Day Thanks

11.21.07
Happy Thanksgiving to me.
This is the first thanksgiving I’ve ever spent alone. Technically, I’m not alone. There is a room full of people on the other side of the curtain, per usual. There is a fútbol game going on outside my window, even if it’s not of the American kind. But it certainly doesn’t make it feel any more like thanksgiving! I elected to not celebrate with new Cuerpo de Paz friends and a pseudo Turkey dinner—it was my choice to dine on oatmeal and raisins.

That said, today was full of things to be thankful for. For one, hot coffee in the morning and sunshine. Then, a trip up into the mountains of Cabañas to the community of Haciendo San Juan, complete with a horseback ride through the mountains, the farmlands, along side and across the rivers, and ending at a little school house built on top of a hill. This was the first asamblea comunitaria where I got to introduce myself and Obeniel (jefe de la munidad tecnica) mentioned my presencia and apoyo. The community had really prepared for our arrival. They even had the pine needles spread across the floor, which is the sign of a true officially important meeting in Honduras. They had also prepared almuerzo for us, a zopa de guillina, alas, my third this week. I didn’t think I can do another zopa de guillina if my life depended on it! But this one was doable. My bowl had a carrot and a potato in it, and the breast of the chicken, though I’ve learned that all meat here is tough. The community also gave us a huge sac of naranjas to bring back, because it is orange picking season. Living in Copán, Honduras is more naranja country than banana!


The meeting went smoothly, though the process of democracy is not yet caught on to the majority of the participantes. Everyone just raises his or her hand for every project idea, instead of electing what project they most want for their community. Be it la luz, a kinder, a road, land, or una cancha de fútbol. I think dispute is not common in Honduras. In the last meeting in Mirimar San Antonio, a very vocal man spoke his mind about what projects his community needed, but in this community, even the leader was a very soft-spoken man. I imagine without electricity and crowdedness, there isn’t much need to yell. The only loud voices came during prayer. At the opening and closing of the meeting we must evoke god’s name as it is in the agenda.

After going to pee in the cornfields (because building latrines is a project on the list for Haciendo San Juan), we said our goodbyes to the community. On the way back, the guys whipped the horses into a running trot, which definitely left me with a sore nalgas y rodias, but it was so worth it! Remarkably beautiful sourroundings, and to fly by on horseback, for me, was truly unforgettable. Something regular tourists would have paid for, and I, again, am just along for the free ride. Many thanks I have.

Once we were back to the truck, we had one last stop to make back in Pueblo Viejo, a cow that Ronní had bought needed to be brought back with us…and so he was…Kicking and screaming and sliding back and forth in the bed of the truck, along with Noé and Obeniel and las naranjas, which we joked would be juice before the ride was over.


Once back in Cabañas cascoo urbano, I ran to the casa to wash my soaking undies in the pila while it was still sunny and then Benjamin went on a run with me up towards la Cumber San Lucas. I truly do love my host brothers and sister, they are always cheering me up. As we were running away from the killer ants, little Benjamin told me I was the most beautiful creature on earth, the definition of all things beautiful, the essence of beauty…and how can you not love that when you’re sweaty and flicking ants off your ankles? Of course I told him the only thing I was the definition of was a retarded foreign girl in Honduras! But he is a persistent little guy and we laughingly debated my retarded beautifulness all the way down the mountain.


My real dad had called while I was gone, and Carmen had answered and spoke in English to him…well, she said hello and bye! She also brought me some pan to dunk in my post-shower café and this I enjoyed while the dubbed-over version of Home Alone was on t.v.

Tonight on Canal Doce

11.12.07
Gringa spits our Armadillo--Tonight on Canal Doce

It’s la estación de winter in Copan--rain and more rain and grey skies. Halloween has come and gone. Here the celebration is a bit different. The families go to the cemeteries to visit friends and family members who have died. In my host family, they have lost a child, and so they go to visit him. The children still go door-to-door the night before to ask for treats; however, it is not dulces, but rather traditional food made from maíz that they will receive. The spirit of the holiday is sober, subdued.





I’ve just read a book about trying to live forever, about death, and the passage of time (quick) and the passage of love (precious). Here, life is even shorter, and death, less taboo. Though for some, it is still untouchable—the empty house up at the farm in la Cumbre San Lucas where I often go on the weekends. Eva Lidia’s older brother died of cancer a few years back and they haven’t touched his house since. It’s overgrown and eerie; the view from the front stoop is breathtaking.



I’ve visited the family farm in la Cumbre San Lucas four times in total…always after scrubbing the clothes. It is just so calming in the mountains. It’s my escape. I know my grandmother Alberta would’ve loved it for their garden. The food there is also very good! Well, the beans are just beans…but the homegrown coffee, freshly ground and sweetened with sugarcane honey is amazing, accompanied with the homemade pan! Plus the fresh orange juice! Delicioso! More times than not I’ve traveled with my littlest host bother Adalíd, he is precious and strikingly serious for a thirteen yr old. I think these kids would go absolutely crazy in the city. They adore their trees, and fruits and water sources so much…they would not survive it concrete city, packaged food, paved playground-style.

Other news: the local TV guy, Ernesto Grande, from Canal Doce has put me down as his top priority. I’ve already given him an apprehensive interview, which was a lame 2-minute thing where he asked me about the weather! But now, every meeting for the PEDM he is there! He just lurks around the Municipalidad where I work, bugging people for interviews, saying “WOW, Super, WOW!” I can’t look down for a second because when I look up, he will be standing in front of me with a camera in my face! Many folks from town have now seen me on t.v….including my host family…oh the pena!



I wonder why he doesn’t take his camera to the derrumba that is currently making travel to and fro a mess! (See pics) Last week I was coming back from a market trip in Sta. Rita when the truck (which had replaced the normal busitos due to their lack of four-wheel drive) could not travel past the mudslide. All the passengers had to get out and walk. I was carrying a big book bag full of my fruits and produce, my hands were full, and the flip-flops I was wearing got so stuck in the guck that I lost them in the mud with each step; thus I took them off and trudged forward barefoot, mud oozing in between my toes. The folks working on the road all stopped and starred. Once I passed the worst of the mud, I was directed by some spectators to wash my feet and shoes in a little (probably contaminated) stream of water on the side of the road. I used the fuente de agua and slipped back into my shoes. I and the other bus-less passengers then commenced the walk to Cabañas—a good 1hr trek. Luckily, after only 10 minutes on the road a local Señora Patricia gave us all a jálon into town!



This past week we had the 2nd meeting for the Cabildo Infantil program that I’m part of. I presented the ant logo and chick mascota and everyone gave their appraisals and suggestions (Including Ernesto Grande from Canal Doce!). The best part of the meeting though was that I met a woman from a Christian NGO in Copán, who is working with micro-empresas of the area. I told her my interest in her work, along with my background and potential to help. She seemed equally enthusiastic about my help, and so we exchanged info and I hope to hear from her soon!



This weekend their was yet another moment for Canal Doce: My host dad shot an armadillo! That’s right, Manchito brought home an armadillo and skinned it for lunch! (see pics) I tried just a bit of it and had to spit it out…yep, I did it in front of everyone too! I couldn’t help it. The reflexes were too strong. But I think it’s a good sign, I means that I was comfortable enough to let them know that actually Really didn’t like something! It also had great comical value….Gringa spits out armadillo! That’s funny. Almost as funny as fake wrestling, which is my families favorite program on TV…