A Week in the Life of Semana Santa!

Hello!

Semana Santa is a big week here in Honduras...and in many other places too, but it's a celebrated a little differently here.

So first, for those who are wondering...Semana Santa means Holy Week and it's the week of Easter. As you know, Honduras is a pretty Catholic country and Comayagua in particular is a very religious city in Honduras as well as big and beautiful. Therefore, about 10 or more of us (Peace Corps Volunteers) went to Comayagua to see the festivities, swim, enjoy each other's company, etc.

The weeks festivities:
Monday, April 18- traveling 2 &1/2 hours to Comayagua by bus. Arrived to see Monica and friends and went to the pool where it was beautiful, peaceful, basically on us there and quite hot. I got a nice tan and we had an awesome sandwich with good cheese and ham and mangoes (yes, I have eaten mangoes quite a bit here despite my supposed allergy-side note-I was told by a friend that possibly not eating the skin would be better). After leaving the pool, we walked around and went to Wendy's to eat where I had a GREAT salad with blue cheese, cranberries, chicken and fries (on the side) OMG I was SO excited to eat American food! :) After that, we went to the big central park and saw a procession in the large catholic church...

Tuesday-This day, we went to the lake/waterfall. It was very beautiful and large! The waterfall was about 2 hours away in different buses with beautiful views especially since you have to walk sometimes to get to the different buses-it was like walking through a random Honduran ghost town almost! We went to the park where we saw a lizard, lots of vegetation, and got a little soaked by the waterfall on the lookout deck. Some friends went behind the waterfall and jumped off! So, we watched them, hung out, played in the water, and left to hitchhike randomly with some nice gentlemen. Afterwards, we went to the Princesita which has HUGE baliadas-flour tortillas with beans, cheese and other things inside. It was a little struggle, but we managed to scarf the thing down...

Wednesday-We went shopping for clothes at the used american clothing shops and I found a great flowy skirt por FIN!! Then, we ate at Dunkin's Donuts and then we went to a Chinese restaurant where we had GREAT sweet and sour chicken and fish with boiled rice FOR FREE (friends know the owner who is a Chinese lady that's been in Honduras for 38 years)!!!

Thursday-Some friends got there hair braided at a local Garifuna's salon-I just got a french braid by a PCV friend. lol. After, we went to a waterpark with dinosaur statues...there were TONS of Hondurans and we were the ONLY Americans. Later, there was a pretty cool concert with dancing and music. They had cute little competitions with the children and others for singing and dancing. Also, in the back of the park, we got to pick some fresh mangoes off the trees. We figured out the technique finally on how to get the fruit off the trees. Also, I realized today (after seeing others with them) that I want a sarong, they are quite useful. Then, we rested....ate and went to a bar/club which was quite sophisticated (lol) and hung out on the couches and watched tv and talked with another volunteer and her father who was visiting from the states. It was interesting seeing and hearing how he was viewing the culture...can't wait for Mom to come!! Later, we waiting for the procession which blesses the streets before they make the rugs and took pics and hung out more to dance a little and see the start of the rug-making. Went to sleep around 2:30a.m. All in all a GREAT night.

Friday- Woke up early to go see the rugs and watch the procession in the streets that tramples the rugs and goes through the 12 "stations" of the Christ story with him being betrayed by Judas up to His resurrection. Ate at a GREAT restaurant with air condition...had a sandwich with awesome sauce and a greek salad. Then, later, we went to dance and enjoy the environment by the pool.

Saturday-Went shopping for foods and went HOME!!!

Deja Vue and New Things Too!

Hello!

These past weeks have been interesting since there have been strikes for the last three weeks here in Honduras at the schools…so there hasn’t been any classes for almost a month (starting when I was in the states). So, many projects that I was going to do are difficult to get started with the teachers doing there own thing (fighting for there rights, etc.). Right when I got into site (literally the first day, my town was having its feria…it’s festival to celebrate its saint) I was enthralled in activities…possibly a good thing to forget about the sadness of being away from home once again. I’ve included some random pictures of the past weeks-mostly of the excursion (more info. farther down). I tried to load the video...but, virtually impossible~ BUT, do not fear...I posted them on Facebook! :)



BUT, we are doing some things in my site such as COLGATE, a dental and personal hygiene program with an elementary school and a kindergarten in a nearby community. It’s nice to get out and do something, even if just for only one time a week. We talk about how to brush your teeth and why it’s important…and LOTS of fun activities! Also, we’re working more with the youth group to go out and do excursions to document the nearby places that are touristy and we go and play games and bring lunch and they bathe in the river (I don’t because I’m suspicious of the dirty rivers especially with children…I know they’re peeing in the river). But, we just had our first one this past Saturday and I think it went very well…it was SOOO tiring, but it was good exercise and bonding time with the kids and it got them out of the house since there hasn’t been school in so long!!

That’s pretty much all I’m doing right now…and working so hard to get more projects off the ground and applying for grants and things for the projects because we have so many things we can do so I want to use my time wisely! But, right now, I’m in Tegucigalpa…about to go to training and then for Holy Week (the week of Easter) I believe I will be going to Comayagua to participate in the festivities! AND, Monica told me that we (PCV’s) will actually get to help with making some of the street rugs out of sand…I’m REALLY excited!!

YAY! That’s all for now…talk with you all soon,
LOVE, Victoria

Honduras to U.S. and Back Again (We'll not quite yet)

Well, well, well...it's been about a week and a half that I've been visiting in the states, and............... I LOVE IT!!! lol.

Yes, well, maybe that wasn't a surprise, but anyways, I have gained a new appreciation for the United States and GA in particular. I love my state. Also, I love my family and friends-they showed me so much love while I was home, I cried one time even. lol. I think I went out to eat with friends and family almost every day I was home. Also, speaking to my Christian friends and family was really encouraging
as they helped me to realize that my experience in the PC might be hard, but I'm there for a reason and I'm doing good. It was very nice to see how so many people are supporting me outside the PC and inside the PC! It's quite amazing...I feel very blessed with all the support and love I have.

So, coming back home for the first time after 8 months was definitely interesting. I asked many Peace Corps friends how they did it, how it felt, etc. to prime myself before leaving and coming back. BUT, I must admit, I was not really overwhelmed. I did not have a panic attack...even though, I definitely understand how that is possible. But, no, everything seemed pretty normal except a few things:

>There was ALWAYS toilet paper in the bathrooms...I felt so spoiled. In Honduras, if you don't bring your own toilet paper, well, you won't have any.
>DIVERSITY!! I got to see so many different people...Asians, African Americans, whites, etc. I was SO excited!! :)
>I got to ride in my OWN CAR! You don't understand...usually if I do get to ride in a car in Honduras, I'm not on the inside. I ride in the back-it's quite sad.
>The bathroom is inside the house and close by...I did not have to walk through the house, down the stairs, and outside to get to the bathroom! It was so nice.
> I get to choose the temperature of my water everywhere I am...in the faucet, in the shower, etc. In Honduras, everything is one degree...pretty cold. lol.

One thing I did miss however, was my friends that I've made in Honduras and speaking Spanish. I actually enjoy speaking Spanish now. But, I will get plenty of that when I go back in like 5 days.

So, for now, I'm enjoying home cooked meals..I actually did eat collard greens and cornbread (Alicia)! lol. I also have had Godiva chocolates, Dip 'N Dots, sausage balls, biscuits with honey, spinach and bacon quiche, amazing sushi, etc.
Also, I went back to Emory University and saw the new updates and a couple of old friends. And, I got to meet new people and new places. ALSO, I did not plan this...but, I actually came back to celebrate 2 holidays (Mardi Gras and St. Patrick's Day). Although Mardi Gras is a heathen holiday, it was fun creating mini floats. Anyways, I'm so excited about coming home and soaking up the U.S. and will go back to Honduras ready to work again and wait to come back for Christmas...this whole journey is going by SO fast, but I'm enjoying it and I know the Lord is using this time to teach me more about the world and myself.





Thank you all for everything!
Victoria :)

Thoughts

It's been a while since I posted, so I thought I would say a few words. All is well in my site...and it's officially like 2 weeks before I'm home! I'm pretty excited. Also, I'm still enjoying my chocolates that I got from home for Valentine's Day and I did end up sharing them. It's crazy how I'm a much more thoughtful and sharing person having experienced Honduras.

Furthermore, I'm trying to get stricter about my diet (less fried foods, coffee, more water, etc.) and exercising. I just picked up a book about Piltes from the Peace Corps Office. So, we shall continue praying about that.

Also, I wanted to make a small note about an issue here in Honduras that is SO common and so prevalent pretty much everywhere you go and that is IMMIGRATION. It might NOT suprise you the number of times someone has asked me to help them to get to the states or if I can take them back with me as if they're some cargo that I can easily add to my luggage. Well, I nicely decline and tell them that the process is a bit more complicated and you need paperwork, etc. But, it's just amazing to me that so many people want to go to the states. And, also, it's amazing how many people here (mainly men) just came from the states...possibly were forced back. I personally have a couple of stories about immigration. My host mom during trainig told me that she decided one day that she was going to go to the states because they didn't have a house and times were really hard. She told me of her journey in buses through Mexico and then through the Arizona desert and then to her destination. She told me how it was a very difficult time through the desert for weeks and her feet were blistered and she found shad under trees to sleep. It sounded so sad, especially coming from someone that I knew...it wasn't just a story I had heard on the news or someone, it was from my host mom.

Also, I have a 9 year old girl in my host family's house who's parents are both in the states and have been for 5 years!! It's so sad watching her try to cling to her uncle as a daughter clings to her father...she even calls him father sometimes. But, the states was a more appealing option to her parents and so they left her alone with family members. But, her life is incomplete and every day I know she encounters moments where she misses her parents and realizes that she's a little alone.

With all of this pain that immigration causes, it makes me think that it's not worth it...BUT, how can it be stopped? Yes, you can enforce laws to stop the flow of human bodies into the states, but the underlying cause is necessity of jobs in these countries, resources, education, and hope. It's difficult. Sometimes, I believe that Honduras can be a better place if people would stay in the country and work for the good in the country instead of just leaving, bringing money back, and making there life better financially (but worsening family life). But, is there one solution? How long will it take to see improvement? Will it be lasting change?

It's a very complicated issue and I would like to know what you guys think...

Hope to hear from you soon!
Victoria

Interesting Things to Note

Well, well, well...January is almost over and I can't believe it! Next week (the whole week), I will be going to my first training to learn how to implement the COLGATE program and a reading and writing program in my community. It should def. be interesting and I have a teacher coming with me who teaches at a rural school with one classroom! So, it should be nice for her.

Anyways, some things I would like for you to know:
Things I thought I'd never do:
1. Mountain climb for like an hour or more...when we say in the states that mountain climbing is a hobby, here it is a reality for some people as the communities are SO far away and always up in the mountaines somewhere...I'm so upset that we have to walk so much all the way up hill, but it is good exercise.
2. Drink coffee...honestly, the coffee is good. I can drink it black or with creamer. Supposedly it's really great coffee according to my friend here who was also a coffee drinker in the states.
3. Use a LATRINE!! So, in the states, using the bathroom for me was always an ordeal. I had to clean the seat and then I had to lay down the paper on the seat. AND, if there happened to be the slightest crack in the door I would hang up my purse or a jacket to cover it up. HERE...o no...I've used a latrine, which is a toilet without a flusher. So, this means you must throw water in the toilet for it to flush. Sometimes, they're not that clean...quite questionable actually. Furthermore, I have officially (yesterda) used an outside latrine without a door. I just prayed that noone was watching, cause I def. used the bathroom. Also, I want you to know it was difficult because the latrine had three walls and a top...and the top was so low I couldn't stand up, so it was REAL awkward trying to get my pants back up. But, anyways, I made it through and used hand santizer afterwards. :)
4. I picked coffee!! It's actually really easy...but, I personally would not recommend it for long periods of time and the mosquitos or insects might get to you.
5. I eat deviled eggs. I realize this is not a huge deal, but I didn't like them in the States and know I'm quite fond of them. This is also true for oranges, beets, and some other things that I can't remember.

More culture insights:
a. (cause I already used numbers) Many families here have maids that help out in the house. I DID NOT expect to find that. I guess it's because they have large families sometimes and people need employment?
b. Sometimes when younger people meet with older family members, the older family member touches there head and says God bless you. I think it's quite neat.
c.No PRIVACY..so, everytime I walk past this one little child, he's always asking me where I'm going and where I came from...he's a little child...I do not feel like I need to explain my life to him. Furthermore, one time I was usig the ATM and I had a Honduran friend with me and you know what? She was looking all in my business while I was checking my account info. I KNOW!!
d. Sharing is a big deal here. I guess it's because some people have more than others financial wise. So, everyone shares. I am not used to sharing to the extent that I'm expected, however and this has caused some awkward situations. For instance, it's NOT appropriate to eat in front of others at any time without offering them some. Furthermore, if you buy something and have other people with you, you have to buy for them as well. Even if they have money...it's really crazy! It's not like in the States...everyone for themselves...Oh no.

>Blessings from God:
The Lord has been so good to me lately I feel like I should send a shout out to Him...lol!!
My cell phone feel on the floor of the bus coming to Teguz today...BUT, a nice gentleman picked it up and gave it back to me (NOT COMMON, especially here).
Everyday I get to wake up with new joy, strength, and hope!
Everything always works out...it really just does.


That's all for now and I hope everyone enjoys the rest of this first month of 2011!
See ya'll soon,
Victoria :)

A New Year, A New Start, A Blessing!

Hello Family and Friends!

The holiday season is officially over, but I hope that the feelings of happiness and joy continue throughout the year!! Here in Honduras, there was quite a bit going on. There are many traditions here that are very similiar, if not the same, as the U.S. However, there were many traditions that are different from our Holiday Season traditions. Furthermore, of course, I introduced my family to some of our traditions. So, this Christmas was definitely a Honduran-American Christmas and New Year´s!! lol. We did all kinds of things from decorating with lights, Christmas Trees and reindeer, making decorations with the children, the CD with 100 songs, a lot in English…it was very nostalgic with Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, White Christmas, Jingle Bells, Silver Bells, Frosty the Snowman, etc., watching holiday movies, drinking hot chocolate, eating peppermint sticks, and more! It was quite beautiful despite the lack of christmas lights in every house as is normal in the U.S. However, The Little girls and I watched The Polar Express and some holiday movies of Winnie the Pooh, Nora the Explorer and Mickey Mouse. It was quite interesting. Also, they got to try hot chocolate and peppermint sticks (the BEST) for the first time thanks to my mom.


However, there was of course an interchanging of culture, so I learned quite a bit also about some of their traditions during Chrsitmas. During the month of December, they charole in the church every week. They used to go around the town and visit people´s houses, but people stopped responding so they ended that. That was a little sad, because I wanted to charole and visit people´s houses, but anyways. Also, the Catholic Church makes a nativity scene in the front of the church (my host dad made it). I have a picture below. By the way, you can´t see it, but I found a dinosaur in the nativity scene! Lol. It must have been a Little kid or a joke, I´m not sure, but I´m pretty sure their were no dinosaurs in the manger. But, it was beautiful.


So, on Dec. 23, we made tamales and I got to help! It´s quite a process with the preparing the corn,the stuffings, the leaves of the banana tree,etc. I actually also helped cute down the banana trees that I later ¨cooked¨or dried on the stovetop to wrap the tamales in.

On Dec. 24, we played Amigos Secretos which is Secret Santa for us in the states. It was quite fun...I ended up giving a little girl a skirt and shirt and I got a sweater...no pics of the sweater, but oh well. It was a fun time with the fam.


On Dec. 25, I went to the bull ridings in Lamani, Comoyagua with a counterpart and the family. It was very interesting and fun!! One time, there was a drunk guy from the crown that got into the pin...lol!


On De. 31, we celebrated the New Year with food (stuffed chicken) and a doll that I helped make with my host dad. The doll represents the old year because it´s made with old clothing and you burn it at 12a.m. to represent leaving all the old things behind and moving into a NEW YEAR!!



I hope everyone´s year was great and that all the end of the year celebrations were awesome as well!! I will post more pictures later.

Also, a side note, I did a lot of preparing for this new year...my room is painted a different color, I moved my things around in my room, I cleaned my shoes, washed all my clothes, painted my nails, and swept my room (a lot of work). Here are some pics to enjoy:


Update-Jan. 6-This is the day that they celebrate the three Kings coming to visit Jesus in the stable. So, it´s tradition for someone in the community to steal the baby Jesus from the Catholic Church Nativity Scene and then on the night of Jan. 6, the town goes around house to house and asks if the baby Jesus is here and they sing and the little kids really participate! It´s really cute. And then, when it gets later in the night, the house that has the baby Jesus shoots up a firework and all the kids go running towards that direction and there is the baby and then their a service to remember the biblical importance of the event and then there´s food afterward. Very interesting!


Happy 2011,
Victoria

ALMOST CHRISTMAS!

I hope the title didn´t make you think that I was going to talk a lot about Christmas, because I will save that until the next blog. HOWEVER, their have been a lot of cool things that have happened lately.

Thanksgiving Day-
We went to the orphange and cooked and ate and hung out with the children. I made sweet potatoe souflee and biscuits. It was SO much food! The kids were quite full at the end and I believe everyone was satisfied with the day. :)
Their´s only one nun working there and theres´s like 20 kids or something. So, I´m sure she enjoyed the help even if it was just for one day.



Also, since school ended, there were a ton of graduations and I personally attended 3. I missed some, but there were too many to go to! Anyways, I have some photos of the graduations for you guys. It was really interesting the way they do graduations because the God Father and God Mother are responsible for bringing a gift and escorting the student to get their diploma. I thought this was interesting because the parents don´t escort their own children.



Furthermore, the past weekend, the family and I went to Los Esposos, a village nearby with family. It was SO beautiful...LOTS of walking, but it was great weather and we had a lot of fun. We walked around almost the whole village...to see the one school building with 2 classrooms, the one convenience store and the one half-built church. lol. It was quite small...but very peaceful. We also ended up seeing a river baptism, which was pretty cool. They sang, had a word from the Bible, and then baptised the youth (I think there were 6 in all).




All in all, it has been going good...during these times of vacations I´m just teaching one English Class and helping start a newspaper. Also, since my town is very big in cafe, I´m going to help harvest cafe and stuff like that. But, there are SO many more exciting things coming up as it gets closer to Christmas. I can´t wait to pots my next blog about Christmas! It´s going to be beautiful!!

Talk to you soon and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Victoria