La Tigra

This past weekend, about 35 of us took a trip out to La Tigra National Park to hike, observe flora and fauna, and of course have some serious fun. We hired out a bus to take us directly to the park, but to our dismay the bus would only take us to the bottom of the mountain. After consulting our guidebooks, we learned that the hike up to the hotel would only be a half hour. WRONG! It took us nearly two hours to hike up a very, very steep mountain. After a short rest the majority of the group took off to explore the cloud forest but I hung back with a few other volunteers and spent the afternoon relaxing.

The next morning we went for another hike (yes, this time I went) through the park and decided to catch the bus on the other side. We would then take the bus into downtown Tegucigalpa and find another one that went back to Santa Lucia. Well, when we got to the other side of the park the first bus never showed. After waiting for a few hours, we were informed that the bus had been hired out and that the next one would come until 3. We ended up hitchhiking to another bus stop, which took us to downtown Comayaguela (yes, the most dangerous part of Tegucigalpa) and from there we took a cab to another bus station near the Hospital de San Felipe. Again, we waited for the bus to Santa Lucia, but instead decided to take another bus to Valle de Angeles. Upon arrival in Valle, we hitchhiked to Santa Lucia. In all I think the trip took about 4 hours which is an eternity in comparison with our 30 minute trip up there. The journey home was a total disaster, but I can’t remember the last time I had that much fun.

Today I am going to visit another volunteer in San Jose de Potrero, Comayagua. Should be lots of fun… Things are going beautifully.

Al Mercado

This morning we took a trip to the mercado in Comayaguela in Teguc to practice our bargaining skills in Spanish. The trip over here in and of itself was an experience. We took a public bus from Santa Lucia (very crowded, complimented with the musical stylings of Michael Jackson and Cindy Lauper) to the Hospital de San Felipe in Teguc. From there we took a cab out to the mercado. The taxi driver appeared as though in his late 80s, and I wasn't sure which was older: the driver or the car. Wires were dangling from underneath the steering wheel and everytime we took a turn the car made this really unsettling clanking sound. I was having trouble breathing from all of the pollution, and I was struck by the filth.

The market itself was also a bit chaotic. People shouting, tossing melons and bananas across the street to one another, raw meat setting out on dirty counters... It was great.

Training Week #1

To my annoyance, training only officially began last Monday and Peace Corps doesn’t recognize the first week of staging, arrival and host family orientations. Even though I am enjoying myself, time is passing very slowly. I hope the next two years go a bit faster.

My typical day consists of waking up at 6:30 in the morning, dressing and heading off for “la escuela” which begins at 7:30. We have language classes for 4-5 hours each day, followed by a generous lunch break. After lunch I usually spend the remainder of my break playing soccer with Honduran boys, which is great fun. Technical training and cross-cultural sessions are in the afternoon and run until 4:30. So far technical training is somewhat of a disappointment, but it’s still early…

It’s a lot colder here than I expected it to be, and I am now kicking myself for not bringing more clothes. It’s difficult to buy things here unless you take a trip to Tegucigalpa, and I am still figuring out the bus system. Supposedly it will be warmer in a few weeks.

Next weekend I am planning on taking a trip to La Tigra national park with a few other volunteers. We are planning on leaving on Saturday evening, spending the night in a hotel, and hiking all day on Sunday. To the left is a picture of our training site... Can we say Club Med Peace Corps?

Que Magnifica!

We arrived in Tegucigalpa after a bumpy landing at the shortest runway in the entire world. As the pilot announced “Welcome to Tegucigalpa,” my eyes began to shed tears of joy. Fortunately my pride was strong enough to hold them back. I was so happy to be in Honduras.

Almost immediately we were ushered onto a bus headed for Santa Lucia. Driving through Teguc, I got a brief glimpse of the poverty that is rife in theis part of the world. There was trash everywhere, but the environment was so beautiful that it was difficult to concentrate on the negative things. The mountains are absolutely breathtaking, the sun is warm, and the colors of the buildings are a marked contrast to the dismal houses of the suburbs.

My Spanish needs a lot of work, so the first night with my host family was a bit akward. Luckily the language trainers are fantastic (and very patient) so I have learned a lot only in a few days. I’ve nearly doubled my vocabulary.

My host family is absolutely wonderful. They are so warm, conversive, and hospitable – I could not ask for anything more. There are two parents in their mid-thirties and one son who is 13. The porch provides an excellent view of Tegucigalpa, and I can see the stars at night.

I am the youngest of 50 other ‘aspirantes’ (Peace Corps Trainees), and we comprise a very diverse group. Sure, there are some Type A personalities, but in general this is a great group of people. I’ve already made a couple of amigos.

Here is a picture of our living room...