Finally a Blog from Honduras

Hello Everyone...
I posted a blog on Wednesday, but apparently it did not go through, so I´ll try to give a quick overview of the past week.

We arrived in San Pedro Sula, Honduras last Saturday and took a bus to the training site of Santa Lucia. We were met by our host families around 8PM. Well...most people were. Because of the confusion with our flights and everything, I was an orphan until my host mom showed up about 20 minutes later. It was pretty funny. I am living with a mother and father, Edelmira and Miguel, and 2 sisters, Vanessa (18) and Ligia (thirty). They are great and are helping me out a lot with my Spanish, as well as all the Honduran cultural things I need to learn. As PC trainees, we are not allowed to visit the capital, Tegucigalpa, despite the fact that it is 15 minutes away, because it is too dangerous. However, I found away around that and will be going with my host family in the next week or so. Hopefully, when I´m there I´ll be able to buy a cell phone. Mostly I´ll use it in case of emergency and for contact with other volunteers (most PCVs have them here) but you guys will also be able to call me! Start saving phone cards!!

The last week we´ve spent doing a lot of paperwork, getting immunizations (I´ve gotten Hep A, a Rabies booster, an MMR booster, Typhoid, and Polio so far...although I´m not convinced I needed any of these...and I have 4 more to go), learning about our projects, and getting placed in Spanish classes. I tested in at Intermediate Low (+) and have to be at an Intermediate Medium to be sworn in. I don´t think this should be too difficult, I was actually anticipating to be at a much lower level. The health project seems really interesting...there is a wide variety of work we will be doing, from giving charlas (talks) to groups in very rural communities to helping train midwives in areas where women don´t have access to skilled health professionals.

A typical day for me starts around 5:25, when I wake up. Usually I go running...I started out going by myself but have found some people that are around my level so it´s been nice to socialize at the same time. Santa Lucia is up in the mountains, so there are some killer hills that are helping me get back into shape. After running, I shower (my family has an electroducha, which is an electric thing that warms the water...sometimes) and have breakfast. I have about a 15 minute walk to class, which begins at 7:thirty (the three button is broken on my computer). We have Spanish classes all morning; I´m in a group with 4 other trainees. At 11:thirty, we have our lunches brought to us by our host families, which is great. After lunch, we have project-specific training from 12:thirty to 4:thirty. After classes, a group of people usually go play some futbol with the Catrachos (word for Honduran people) or have a beer. We also have a lot of homework that requires us to talk to people throughout the community...conducting interviews, etc. I´m sure the locals get a kick out of all the gringos running around trying to speak Spanish. I usually eat dinner with someone from my family around 6, then hang out with the family watching horrible American movies dubbed in Spanish (so far I´ve watched Lizzie McGuire, George of the Jungle, The Santa Claus, and a lot of reggaeton videos). Usually I go to sleep about 8thirty or nine, altough I´ve discovered that the 9oclock curfew we were warned about isn´t really existent.

I´ve saved the best for last...the food. As you may know, I haven´t eaten meat for about 5 years now. My 2nd day in Honduras, I was introduced to a Honduran specialty called Sopa de Mondongo. For those of you who may not know, this is soup made with intestine and vegetables. My host mom sells this soup, as well as fruits and vegetables on the weekend, so it only made sense that she would serve it to me. Not wanting to be rude, of course I ate it...but I did avoid any object that I could not identify or that had the appearance of internal organs. Basically...my vegetarianism went out with a bang!
Actually, other than that, my family has been great. Once I established to them that I was a vegetarian, I have been having some really awesome meals. Fresh tortillas, beans, rice, avocado, and more fruits and vegetables than I know what do do with.

Today, I´m headed off to hike with some friends in the mountains. In the evening, the host families are putting on a suprise party for all us volunteers that we all found out about days ago.

Also, I have a phone in my house...if you´re interested in having the number please email me and I´ll use my discretion in who can have it.

Caroline...tell whoever I stole that blue fleece from that it´s been a real lifesaver. I´ve literally worn it every day and every night. It´s a bit colder here than I anticipated.

Oh yeah...and if anyone wants to send me anything, all I really would like is an Audio Bikram Yoga CD, and my Spanish index cards of verb conjugations that is in my bookcase (Mom and Dad, that´s directed at you). The PC told us not to bring any dictionaries or Spanish material because it would all be supplied...but apparently that means they will talk at us really fast in Spanish and expect us to pick up every word they are saying...

Email me if you want to know more about any specific stuff, or just to give me an update on what´s going on with everyone!

Love
Anna