to the most amazing brother in the world who made this weekend absolutely unforgettable. I love you, Chris, and am so thankful that I got to spend time with you in El Salvador! Thanks for making this entire journey possible. Hermanos por vida.
Details of the fabulous trip to come! Miss you all. Be well.
8.17.2009
8.02.2009
August 1, 2009
My dream is dead…I should just face it…I can never be a wife in Honduras…It’s too risky…I would end up accidentally killing my husband!
Haha, so now that I’ve gotten the melodramatic intro out of the way, I will explain to you what I mean. Remember how my last blog started with me talking about sitting down to have a nice meal in my apartment? WELL, turns out Shanny ain’t the best cook (or may not have lost her Irish luck for the moment…I personally think this is the more the truth than the former) because she woke up at 2am on Monday morning sweating with: chills, a 102 degree fever, a pounding headache, unnecessary to mention bowl movements, and pain in every bone of her body. At first I thought, “OH SNAP, swine flu finally caught up to me!” Then I thought, “I am a fighter, bring on the badness!” Then I thought, “Silly girl, you couldn’t even battle those bed bugs.” Finally I realized, “It hurts to think. Shut up, and go back to bed.”
At this point I am going to insert a nicer tale of my weekend activities to lighten the mood a bit. Friday night, Anna and I went out to Santa Rosa to hang in the good company of some other PCVs. We chilled out and caught up on life, feasted on some American fare at a place called Zots (pretty much like a Hondu T.G.I. Friday’s), and then ended the night at a restaurant/bar where the DJ was in full effect upstairs. I have not danced like I did that night since the states! (Mind you, the PCVs were the only ones dancing while los demás sat and stared like creepy, old men do in the states…or pretty much anywhere in the world). Saturday we made banana pancakes (I think we could be Jack Johnson’s poster children) and homemade piña drinks, rolled around town for a bit in the afternoon, and then hit a concert that night. (That’s right!) We went to a legit club (with a cover and all! I am seriously amazed at how developed Honduras is in some places with such a high level of poverty in others) and saw a Hondu rock band. They were SO GOOD! I was seriously impressed and again enjoyed myself dancing the night away. Sunday, after Skyping with the fam from Bryan’s computer (ah thank ya sah), my girl Katherine (another PCV in Santa Rosa) made us some lunch while we watched Zoolander and shared a bit about our present sentiments of our life in Hondu. I shared some of my fears and struggles with her, and she was nothing but supportive and helped me to level my emotions a bit (thanks, lady!!). I made my way back home Sunday afternoon and tucked myself with a smile on my face unknowing of the danger that lurked in the dark that night…
This brings us back to where we left off: Monday funday! (I put an exclamation point at the end of that sentence because I took this whole experience in stride. It’s now just sort of comical because it is adding to my crazy experiences as a PCV.) I went to the doctor to explain my symptoms, get some tests done, and start on one of the most fun treatments I have had yet in my life…SHOTS IN THE ASS. (Hahaha. Sorry if that is vulgar for some. I just think it’s hilarious.) Over the week, the doctor and I became good friends (as you can imagine) as each morning I went to visit him to get my series of 5 shots over a 5 day period. (Thanks for rotating the shots, doc!) What would warrant such a treatment? Well! I feel lucky enough to say that I got a bacterial infection with a name because seriously, if I just said I had a bacterial infection it would not be as cool. I HAVE E.COLI. That’s right! (Haha, I probably didn’t even spell it correctly. Where is Google when I need it!?) I don’t really even know how or when I got it, but I got it! Luckily, it didn’t do too much damage to me after that first harsh night. With the shots and medications over the week, I was able to improve nicely and quickly. The only thing that has taken a bit longer to recover is my strength. I have not been able to run but have started doing short yoga sessions in the morning. I hope to be back in business by this coming Monday.
While I was suffering from the illness on Monday and Tuesday, the Escuela was continuing to suffer from the political crisis. I made it back into work on Wednesday to find out that because of the lack of payment from the municipalities in the Mancomunidad and frozen funds from La Cooperación Española, cuts were inescapable. Seven of the eleven employees—including the Director of the Escuela (who has really been my role model and saving grace these past few months) and the Director of the Vivero (my counterpart)—are being laid off. Pretty crappy, I know. The Directors will be there until the end of this month to try to wrap their work up. After that, two instructors, an administrator, and a social promoter will remain. What does this mean for me? Outstanding question. No idea. My counterpart mentioned that I still may be able to give training sessions to the Vivero kids, but I’m just worried that with the loss of leadership within the office that the kids will become discouraged or disinterested and decide to take their participation elsewhere. I talked to my PC Program Director about the whole sitch on Friday, and he told me that he was going to call the woman in charge of the Escuelas nationwide to figure out where the program is headed. (Unfortunately, I also heard that the Escuela in Ojojona is closing for good. That brings the count down to three that are still in existence.)
Thursday brought some promise to my future as I went out to two aldeas to visit two women’s groups—one who makes juguitos (basically Otter Pops) and the other who cultivates guayaba (which is like a mix of an apple and grapefruit) with the PRAF promoter (who is a really nice guy and seems to really want my help). The groups are struggling with some infighting but seem very motivated to make their businesses successful and were thus open to my participation in soliciting ideas to assist in the commercialization of their products. I did my best offering some suggestions and look forward o helping them and the other groups out in the days to come. (There are 15 groups in total.)
Friday started a bit sad having to say goodbye to some of m coworkers in the office but ended happier hanging out with some visiting PCVs and chatting by the bonfire.
The rest of this weekend should be relaxing. I plan to make (fine, try to make) my Nana’s ABSOLUTELY ADDICTING brownies today and Skype with the fam tomorrow.
What lies ahead? Good things! Monday I am pretty sure that I will change apartments. (Sorry that this probably makes no sense because it lacked a prelude. There is another available apartment in the complex that is upstairs, gets wicked sunlight, and lacks the ever so annoying blasting music of my upstairs neighbors that my landlord offered to me on Friday.) The rest of the week, I will be attending the workshop that I mentioned in my previous entry in Santa Rosa. I will get some good info and get to see some other Business PCVs that I haven’t seen since training. The following week, I will attend VOS training and see my brother! (WHOOHOO! My brother and I decided to change up the scenario and hit El Salvador instead of having him risk a trip into one of the capital cities of Hondu.) I will finish out the month regrouping with all the other Business PCVs and catching up on their past three months in site. Awesome August!
So ya, life has given me some lemons here. Some of them were rotten and made me sick. Some of them are not yet ripe, and I am therefore unsure how they taste. Some were sweet, and so I thus made lemonade. Let’s keep on rockin that lemon tree to see what type of lemon will fall next…(Clever, right?...No?...Maybe tomorrow.)
Here’s to you Hondu!
Haha, so now that I’ve gotten the melodramatic intro out of the way, I will explain to you what I mean. Remember how my last blog started with me talking about sitting down to have a nice meal in my apartment? WELL, turns out Shanny ain’t the best cook (or may not have lost her Irish luck for the moment…I personally think this is the more the truth than the former) because she woke up at 2am on Monday morning sweating with: chills, a 102 degree fever, a pounding headache, unnecessary to mention bowl movements, and pain in every bone of her body. At first I thought, “OH SNAP, swine flu finally caught up to me!” Then I thought, “I am a fighter, bring on the badness!” Then I thought, “Silly girl, you couldn’t even battle those bed bugs.” Finally I realized, “It hurts to think. Shut up, and go back to bed.”
At this point I am going to insert a nicer tale of my weekend activities to lighten the mood a bit. Friday night, Anna and I went out to Santa Rosa to hang in the good company of some other PCVs. We chilled out and caught up on life, feasted on some American fare at a place called Zots (pretty much like a Hondu T.G.I. Friday’s), and then ended the night at a restaurant/bar where the DJ was in full effect upstairs. I have not danced like I did that night since the states! (Mind you, the PCVs were the only ones dancing while los demás sat and stared like creepy, old men do in the states…or pretty much anywhere in the world). Saturday we made banana pancakes (I think we could be Jack Johnson’s poster children) and homemade piña drinks, rolled around town for a bit in the afternoon, and then hit a concert that night. (That’s right!) We went to a legit club (with a cover and all! I am seriously amazed at how developed Honduras is in some places with such a high level of poverty in others) and saw a Hondu rock band. They were SO GOOD! I was seriously impressed and again enjoyed myself dancing the night away. Sunday, after Skyping with the fam from Bryan’s computer (ah thank ya sah), my girl Katherine (another PCV in Santa Rosa) made us some lunch while we watched Zoolander and shared a bit about our present sentiments of our life in Hondu. I shared some of my fears and struggles with her, and she was nothing but supportive and helped me to level my emotions a bit (thanks, lady!!). I made my way back home Sunday afternoon and tucked myself with a smile on my face unknowing of the danger that lurked in the dark that night…
Prank calls from Honduras are NOT allowed!
Sweatin it from shakin it
As you can see, smoking is permitted
This brings us back to where we left off: Monday funday! (I put an exclamation point at the end of that sentence because I took this whole experience in stride. It’s now just sort of comical because it is adding to my crazy experiences as a PCV.) I went to the doctor to explain my symptoms, get some tests done, and start on one of the most fun treatments I have had yet in my life…SHOTS IN THE ASS. (Hahaha. Sorry if that is vulgar for some. I just think it’s hilarious.) Over the week, the doctor and I became good friends (as you can imagine) as each morning I went to visit him to get my series of 5 shots over a 5 day period. (Thanks for rotating the shots, doc!) What would warrant such a treatment? Well! I feel lucky enough to say that I got a bacterial infection with a name because seriously, if I just said I had a bacterial infection it would not be as cool. I HAVE E.COLI. That’s right! (Haha, I probably didn’t even spell it correctly. Where is Google when I need it!?) I don’t really even know how or when I got it, but I got it! Luckily, it didn’t do too much damage to me after that first harsh night. With the shots and medications over the week, I was able to improve nicely and quickly. The only thing that has taken a bit longer to recover is my strength. I have not been able to run but have started doing short yoga sessions in the morning. I hope to be back in business by this coming Monday.
While I was suffering from the illness on Monday and Tuesday, the Escuela was continuing to suffer from the political crisis. I made it back into work on Wednesday to find out that because of the lack of payment from the municipalities in the Mancomunidad and frozen funds from La Cooperación Española, cuts were inescapable. Seven of the eleven employees—including the Director of the Escuela (who has really been my role model and saving grace these past few months) and the Director of the Vivero (my counterpart)—are being laid off. Pretty crappy, I know. The Directors will be there until the end of this month to try to wrap their work up. After that, two instructors, an administrator, and a social promoter will remain. What does this mean for me? Outstanding question. No idea. My counterpart mentioned that I still may be able to give training sessions to the Vivero kids, but I’m just worried that with the loss of leadership within the office that the kids will become discouraged or disinterested and decide to take their participation elsewhere. I talked to my PC Program Director about the whole sitch on Friday, and he told me that he was going to call the woman in charge of the Escuelas nationwide to figure out where the program is headed. (Unfortunately, I also heard that the Escuela in Ojojona is closing for good. That brings the count down to three that are still in existence.)
Thursday brought some promise to my future as I went out to two aldeas to visit two women’s groups—one who makes juguitos (basically Otter Pops) and the other who cultivates guayaba (which is like a mix of an apple and grapefruit) with the PRAF promoter (who is a really nice guy and seems to really want my help). The groups are struggling with some infighting but seem very motivated to make their businesses successful and were thus open to my participation in soliciting ideas to assist in the commercialization of their products. I did my best offering some suggestions and look forward o helping them and the other groups out in the days to come. (There are 15 groups in total.)
Friday started a bit sad having to say goodbye to some of m coworkers in the office but ended happier hanging out with some visiting PCVs and chatting by the bonfire.
The rest of this weekend should be relaxing. I plan to make (fine, try to make) my Nana’s ABSOLUTELY ADDICTING brownies today and Skype with the fam tomorrow.
What lies ahead? Good things! Monday I am pretty sure that I will change apartments. (Sorry that this probably makes no sense because it lacked a prelude. There is another available apartment in the complex that is upstairs, gets wicked sunlight, and lacks the ever so annoying blasting music of my upstairs neighbors that my landlord offered to me on Friday.) The rest of the week, I will be attending the workshop that I mentioned in my previous entry in Santa Rosa. I will get some good info and get to see some other Business PCVs that I haven’t seen since training. The following week, I will attend VOS training and see my brother! (WHOOHOO! My brother and I decided to change up the scenario and hit El Salvador instead of having him risk a trip into one of the capital cities of Hondu.) I will finish out the month regrouping with all the other Business PCVs and catching up on their past three months in site. Awesome August!
So ya, life has given me some lemons here. Some of them were rotten and made me sick. Some of them are not yet ripe, and I am therefore unsure how they taste. Some were sweet, and so I thus made lemonade. Let’s keep on rockin that lemon tree to see what type of lemon will fall next…(Clever, right?...No?...Maybe tomorrow.)
Here’s to you Hondu!
7.23.2009
July 22, 2009
Well, here I am, sitting at my kitchen table (plastic), in my chair (also plastic), listening to my music (Ani DiFranco), eating a dinner cooked by…you got it…me (burnt grilled cheese with a chopped tomato and green beans). I gotta say that I’m pretty proud of myself for making it to this point without any major stumbles. It’s been quite trek these past three weeks. Seriously, it has been such a friggin month…in every sense of that word (I think it’s originally from Austin Powers if my memory serves me)…and we still have another week left…damn.
Unfortunately, the internal stability and mental well-being of Hondu and its citizens continue to be in flux. This has and continues to cause me much anxiety and frustration. There have definitely been moments where I thought about returning home because I was depressed at the fact that I couldn’t get rid of scabies because I couldn’t move out, stressed out and disappointed at work because the Escuela was forced to send their students home due to lack of funding and thus not focused on progression with the Vivero kids, and scared at the thought of being trapped in a civil war. Then there have been other moments where I think that I will be completely pissed off if I am forced to leave (like now) because I finally am settled into my own apartment, have started interviewing the kids in the Vivero which will then lead to training sessions on business administration, met with a promoter for PRAF (a group that trains and support women’s microenterprises) to start assisting some of the groups with commercialization, and am looking forward to a workshop focused on income generation for persons living with HIV/AIDS, a visit from my brother (HOPEFULLY!), and a training to become a VOS (Volunteer Offering Support) member for the Honduras Peace Corps community. (After the training, I will be available to offer peer support confidentially in any aspect to any volunteer in the country. As a member, I am the only other person that can visit someone in the hospital besides their spouse. That’s pretty dope!) So ya, as you can tell, I’m a bit uneasy at the moment, especially since these next two days are supposed to dictate the future of this country and my service here. (Ha, I think I said that in my last blog about three weeks ago. Can you believe this much time has passed without stability?)
Other activities that I have engaged in (this sounds like a business report) besides the aforementioned and since our last encounter include a trip to Santa Rosa with my host mother where I purchased the big items for the apartment to transport in her truck (including a double bed because it was actually cheaper than a single!), a trip to Teguc to see the dermo for several issues (including scabies, which I still apparently have, big surprise), and an absolutely fabulous visit from seven other PCVs to celebrate Independence Day (both for the US and for our training group) this past weekend. (Unfortunately, the feria was canceled this weekend, so I couldn’t show the crew the “best of” Gracias.) We played cards and chatted it up on Friday, made pancakes and mimosas Saturday morning, had a bonfire and roasted hot dogs Saturday night, and slept in (a rarity!) on Sunday. It was glorious!!
Where does that leave me? Well, on the downside, I’m close to broke after buying almost everything for the apartment, still itching away my skin on various parts of my body, exhausted after the weekend, and worried that I will not get to see my brother in August. (I really pray that I get to see you, Chris!) On the upside, I’m so happy to be in my apartment and without pressure to live on someone else’s clock, stoked that I have the ability to travel out of my site to visit my friends in other sites, comfortable with cooking my own Honduran food, and so thankful that I have such a supportive and loving family that is helping to make this journey possible. Although my situation is probably easier to live with than in other PCV sites around the world, it’s not necessarily easy for me. I miss my family terribly and sometimes worry about my safety as a foreigner here but am trying to continue on with the thought that this is what I chosen for myself, right now, to make myself a better person for others in the future. I hope (and pray) that it’s doing just that.
Unfortunately, the internal stability and mental well-being of Hondu and its citizens continue to be in flux. This has and continues to cause me much anxiety and frustration. There have definitely been moments where I thought about returning home because I was depressed at the fact that I couldn’t get rid of scabies because I couldn’t move out, stressed out and disappointed at work because the Escuela was forced to send their students home due to lack of funding and thus not focused on progression with the Vivero kids, and scared at the thought of being trapped in a civil war. Then there have been other moments where I think that I will be completely pissed off if I am forced to leave (like now) because I finally am settled into my own apartment, have started interviewing the kids in the Vivero which will then lead to training sessions on business administration, met with a promoter for PRAF (a group that trains and support women’s microenterprises) to start assisting some of the groups with commercialization, and am looking forward to a workshop focused on income generation for persons living with HIV/AIDS, a visit from my brother (HOPEFULLY!), and a training to become a VOS (Volunteer Offering Support) member for the Honduras Peace Corps community. (After the training, I will be available to offer peer support confidentially in any aspect to any volunteer in the country. As a member, I am the only other person that can visit someone in the hospital besides their spouse. That’s pretty dope!) So ya, as you can tell, I’m a bit uneasy at the moment, especially since these next two days are supposed to dictate the future of this country and my service here. (Ha, I think I said that in my last blog about three weeks ago. Can you believe this much time has passed without stability?)
Other activities that I have engaged in (this sounds like a business report) besides the aforementioned and since our last encounter include a trip to Santa Rosa with my host mother where I purchased the big items for the apartment to transport in her truck (including a double bed because it was actually cheaper than a single!), a trip to Teguc to see the dermo for several issues (including scabies, which I still apparently have, big surprise), and an absolutely fabulous visit from seven other PCVs to celebrate Independence Day (both for the US and for our training group) this past weekend. (Unfortunately, the feria was canceled this weekend, so I couldn’t show the crew the “best of” Gracias.) We played cards and chatted it up on Friday, made pancakes and mimosas Saturday morning, had a bonfire and roasted hot dogs Saturday night, and slept in (a rarity!) on Sunday. It was glorious!!
First round of visitors: Harrison, Moses, Rachel, Bert, and Kalin
Arguing over “Asshole” rules: Me and Anna
And I love her: Kalin and Me
Atop Fort Saint Christopher: Moses and Rachel
Enjoying the view: Kathryn
The infamous Honduran belly rub: Ryan, Kyle, Moses, and Harrison
Some lovely ladies of the west: Hannah, Rachel, Kathryn, and Me
Bonfire booyah (“bulla”): Courtney, Vanessa, Rachel, and Hannah
Where does that leave me? Well, on the downside, I’m close to broke after buying almost everything for the apartment, still itching away my skin on various parts of my body, exhausted after the weekend, and worried that I will not get to see my brother in August. (I really pray that I get to see you, Chris!) On the upside, I’m so happy to be in my apartment and without pressure to live on someone else’s clock, stoked that I have the ability to travel out of my site to visit my friends in other sites, comfortable with cooking my own Honduran food, and so thankful that I have such a supportive and loving family that is helping to make this journey possible. Although my situation is probably easier to live with than in other PCV sites around the world, it’s not necessarily easy for me. I miss my family terribly and sometimes worry about my safety as a foreigner here but am trying to continue on with the thought that this is what I chosen for myself, right now, to make myself a better person for others in the future. I hope (and pray) that it’s doing just that.
Kitchen #1, camera 1
Kitchen #1, camera 2
Living room #1, camera 1
Living room #1, camera 2
Room #4, camera 1
Room #4, camera 2
Bed #4
Bathroom #2, camera 1
Bathroom #2, camera 2
7.03.2009
July 2, 2009
So…ya…a few things have changed since my last offic blog…I think that two most noteworthy would be the government and the President of Honduras, (ya, you heard me right!) although this should hopefully be old news to you by now. Forget bed bugs! Civil unrest seems to be a little more worrisome.
On that, I wanted to happily and thankfully report that the bites have died down. I changed my sheets again and am currently spending my nights bundled up in sweats, a hoodie, and socks on top of a blanket on top of my bed. (It seems to be doing the trick although it’s probably comical to watch me turn over and try to avoid touching the blanket with my skin like its lava or something.) The PC Medical Office responded to my case by offering to bring me to the PC dermatologist in Teguc to have me officially diagnosed so that they could then potentially accept my request to move early, but I decided that rather than risking a solo trip to the dangerous capital city and causing drama with the host fam, I would be patient and wait out the half month. (We aren’t even allowed to go to Teguc right now, anyway, so this is pretty much a moot point. Just wanted to catch you up.)
A quick recap of the rest of my activities since my last blog is as follows: I did not end up house sitting as the missionary family decided not to travel because of the controversial election that was supposed to take place on Sunday. (Good call on their part.) I was bummed but still able to have a fabulous Saturday. (Sunday was a different story.) I Skyped it with fam in the morning and spent the afternoon walking around town with Bert, Kalin, and another PCV from an outlying aldea, Courtney, searching for cheddar cheese and broccoli (both of which we found to be rarities here) while chatting about what the following day would bring. Although we struck out with the greens, we were able to find some cheddar cheese slices to do the trick for Kalin’s home-style mac and cheese that night. (You work with what you got.) Saturday night we prepped and feasted on some carne asada, chismole, baked m&c, and Ghirardelli brownies c/o Kalin’s mom (thank you, Kalin’s mom!) all the while enjoying the laughs of Mall Cop on Bert’s computer. Ah, the life and joys of a PCV in Hondu…
Sunday…ha…well I awoke to find the power out, the cable cut, and my mom rambling about the “Golpe de Estado” that had occurred earlier that morning. Needless to say, I spent the most of the day talking to family back home about the sitch and to get the news as well as staying in my room as much as possible so as to avoid any sort of trouble in town. This was pretty much the same story for Monday and Tuesday, as well. Instead of my standard morning runs, I stuck to jump roping and yoga at home, ran as few errands as possible, and packed up most of my belongings in case the situation escalates and evacuation becomes eminent. (This may be a totally premature move, but I really don’t mind as I am going to have to move all my ish mid-month anyway.) Yesterday, I came back into work for half the day to get some cuidadano insight from my coworkers and counterparts about everything, had lunch with a bunch of PCVs to get some PC insight, and spent the rest of the day doing an inventory of all my personal and PC ish. Today I am back at work listening to the many possibilities of what is to come on Saturday…
How do I feel about all this? Good question. I ask myself that about every 30 minutes, the same amount of time that my certainty level of staying in Honduras changes. Let’s just say I feel helpless, but not in a sad, pathetic sort of way. I feel helpless in the sense that these events are completely out of my control and that my two year stint as a PCV could be deemed obsolete in two days. I don’t know if that’s true…I don’t think it is. It’s weird thinking about that possibility. I def want to stay and finish out my work here. I have so many things coming up in the near future that excite me: a new apartment, a puppy, a visit from my brother, progress in ETC, potential volunteer opps in other sectors, workshops, a diving trip, Halloween, and maybe a feria. (So sad that it’s a maybe! The mayors from the Mancomunidad are meeting tomorrow afternoon in Gracias to discuss whether or not they are going to cancel it because of swine flu. Ah, I probably forgot to mention that in all the other the excitement. Gracias has reported cases of swine flu. Cool.) On the other hand, this country has some things that it needs to figure out (most of which the higher powers seem to want to accomplish through the use of firearms from what I have heard in the news) that I may be better off staying away from. At this point, I will say that I am thankful to be in Gracias (everyone keeps reassuring me of how lucky we are to be here because “Todo es tranquilo acá.”), have heard nothing more from the PC after being taken off Standfast (actually Phase 2, not 1), and am counting down the hours until Saturday when Zelaya is supposed to return with company. Other than that, I have nothing to say. It’s better that I don’t.
On that, I wanted to happily and thankfully report that the bites have died down. I changed my sheets again and am currently spending my nights bundled up in sweats, a hoodie, and socks on top of a blanket on top of my bed. (It seems to be doing the trick although it’s probably comical to watch me turn over and try to avoid touching the blanket with my skin like its lava or something.) The PC Medical Office responded to my case by offering to bring me to the PC dermatologist in Teguc to have me officially diagnosed so that they could then potentially accept my request to move early, but I decided that rather than risking a solo trip to the dangerous capital city and causing drama with the host fam, I would be patient and wait out the half month. (We aren’t even allowed to go to Teguc right now, anyway, so this is pretty much a moot point. Just wanted to catch you up.)
A quick recap of the rest of my activities since my last blog is as follows: I did not end up house sitting as the missionary family decided not to travel because of the controversial election that was supposed to take place on Sunday. (Good call on their part.) I was bummed but still able to have a fabulous Saturday. (Sunday was a different story.) I Skyped it with fam in the morning and spent the afternoon walking around town with Bert, Kalin, and another PCV from an outlying aldea, Courtney, searching for cheddar cheese and broccoli (both of which we found to be rarities here) while chatting about what the following day would bring. Although we struck out with the greens, we were able to find some cheddar cheese slices to do the trick for Kalin’s home-style mac and cheese that night. (You work with what you got.) Saturday night we prepped and feasted on some carne asada, chismole, baked m&c, and Ghirardelli brownies c/o Kalin’s mom (thank you, Kalin’s mom!) all the while enjoying the laughs of Mall Cop on Bert’s computer. Ah, the life and joys of a PCV in Hondu…
Frozen beer! Who woulda thunk it?
Sunday…ha…well I awoke to find the power out, the cable cut, and my mom rambling about the “Golpe de Estado” that had occurred earlier that morning. Needless to say, I spent the most of the day talking to family back home about the sitch and to get the news as well as staying in my room as much as possible so as to avoid any sort of trouble in town. This was pretty much the same story for Monday and Tuesday, as well. Instead of my standard morning runs, I stuck to jump roping and yoga at home, ran as few errands as possible, and packed up most of my belongings in case the situation escalates and evacuation becomes eminent. (This may be a totally premature move, but I really don’t mind as I am going to have to move all my ish mid-month anyway.) Yesterday, I came back into work for half the day to get some cuidadano insight from my coworkers and counterparts about everything, had lunch with a bunch of PCVs to get some PC insight, and spent the rest of the day doing an inventory of all my personal and PC ish. Today I am back at work listening to the many possibilities of what is to come on Saturday…
How do I feel about all this? Good question. I ask myself that about every 30 minutes, the same amount of time that my certainty level of staying in Honduras changes. Let’s just say I feel helpless, but not in a sad, pathetic sort of way. I feel helpless in the sense that these events are completely out of my control and that my two year stint as a PCV could be deemed obsolete in two days. I don’t know if that’s true…I don’t think it is. It’s weird thinking about that possibility. I def want to stay and finish out my work here. I have so many things coming up in the near future that excite me: a new apartment, a puppy, a visit from my brother, progress in ETC, potential volunteer opps in other sectors, workshops, a diving trip, Halloween, and maybe a feria. (So sad that it’s a maybe! The mayors from the Mancomunidad are meeting tomorrow afternoon in Gracias to discuss whether or not they are going to cancel it because of swine flu. Ah, I probably forgot to mention that in all the other the excitement. Gracias has reported cases of swine flu. Cool.) On the other hand, this country has some things that it needs to figure out (most of which the higher powers seem to want to accomplish through the use of firearms from what I have heard in the news) that I may be better off staying away from. At this point, I will say that I am thankful to be in Gracias (everyone keeps reassuring me of how lucky we are to be here because “Todo es tranquilo acá.”), have heard nothing more from the PC after being taken off Standfast (actually Phase 2, not 1), and am counting down the hours until Saturday when Zelaya is supposed to return with company. Other than that, I have nothing to say. It’s better that I don’t.
6.30.2009
A Little Clarity
Hey, again. So nothing new to report here. My health and spirits are in good shape. We, as PCVs, have been on STANDFAST (Phase 2: Stay in site. Pack a bag. Prepare for consolidation.) since noon on Friday. It is supposed to end at noon today but could quickly change. We have also had two nights, Sunday night and Monday night, of country curfew (9PM until 6AM). Classes were canceled yesterday and today, and there are some roadblocks near the presidential palace. There were demonstrations yesterday in the capital city involving riots and police response. Although we currently have two presidents and cabinets in Hondu, Zelaya is supposed to return to the capital this week to regain his position as President. It seems that a majority of the world disagrees with his arrest and is asking for his reinstatement. A lot of the news stations in Honduras have been blocked, so most of the information received here is through commentaries on the radio and through the internet.
As for Gracias, there was a demonstration yesterday by local teachers who are in support of reinstating Mel because of the reforms that he has made in the past in their favor. Today there was supposed to be a meeting of all of the mayors of the department of Lempira in Gracias. I have no idea if it actually happened and, if so, what took place. I have not gone in to work for the past two days and have tried to stay indoors as much as possible. Although I feel safe and haven't experienced any ill sentiments personally, I am keeping a low profile.
Here is an excerpt from an email that our Country Director sent us that will hopefully give a bit more clarity on the encuesta on La Cuarta Urna that was supposed to take place this past Sunday:
"Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in November 2009. Honduras' constitution does not permit a President being elected for a second term.
President Zelaya proposed that there be a national encuesta (survey) to allow the Honduran people to decide whether or not they would like to be able to vote in the November elections for a cuarta urna (fourth urn) that would call for a constitutional assembly to be held at some future date. The purpose of a constitutional assembly would be to change the Honduran constitution, possibly including permitting presidents to be re-elected. This national encuesta and the cuarta urna in the November elections have been ruled as against the law by Honduras' top court."
That's about all I got for ya now. If you would like to get in touch with me, try sending a free text through the Tigo site (and I will respond to you directly if you keep the dialogue box open) or feel free to call my cell phone. I have limited access to the Internet so will send out another update as soon as I can.
Love to all.
As for Gracias, there was a demonstration yesterday by local teachers who are in support of reinstating Mel because of the reforms that he has made in the past in their favor. Today there was supposed to be a meeting of all of the mayors of the department of Lempira in Gracias. I have no idea if it actually happened and, if so, what took place. I have not gone in to work for the past two days and have tried to stay indoors as much as possible. Although I feel safe and haven't experienced any ill sentiments personally, I am keeping a low profile.
Here is an excerpt from an email that our Country Director sent us that will hopefully give a bit more clarity on the encuesta on La Cuarta Urna that was supposed to take place this past Sunday:
"Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in November 2009. Honduras' constitution does not permit a President being elected for a second term.
President Zelaya proposed that there be a national encuesta (survey) to allow the Honduran people to decide whether or not they would like to be able to vote in the November elections for a cuarta urna (fourth urn) that would call for a constitutional assembly to be held at some future date. The purpose of a constitutional assembly would be to change the Honduran constitution, possibly including permitting presidents to be re-elected. This national encuesta and the cuarta urna in the November elections have been ruled as against the law by Honduras' top court."
That's about all I got for ya now. If you would like to get in touch with me, try sending a free text through the Tigo site (and I will respond to you directly if you keep the dialogue box open) or feel free to call my cell phone. I have limited access to the Internet so will send out another update as soon as I can.
Love to all.
6.29.2009
Safe for now...
Hey, team. Just wanted to let you know that I am safe in site as the rest of the country figures out its next best move. I understand that there are a lot of countries that are not fans of what happened to the Honduran President. I have no idea what will happen in the days to come, but I just wanted to let you know that I am safe in my tranquil town. I will update you if anything changes. For now, you be well. Safety never takes a day off...
6.24.2009
June 24, 2009
Where to start…let’s rewind back to the day I wrote my last blog. Then, let’s fast forward to that night…SCABIES STRIKES AGAIN!! Oh ya, Friday night I woke up in the middle of the night to the same intensive itching that I was experiencing before. (WTF.) Luckily, Saturday afternoon I had an appointment with the doctor. On Saturday, right before I went to my appointment, I was playing with the muchacha’s baby and (wouldn’t you know it) noticed a series of red bumps on one of her arms. Now, I’m no doctor and can’t say that this rash was the effect of…oh, I don’t know…SCABIES (said like Dana Carvey as the Church Lady), but it definitely wasn’t normal. I went to the doctor that day, told him the itching had dissipated on my trip to Comayagua, showed him the damage done to my wrists and ankles the night before, and explained what I saw on the baby’s arms. His response…so deep, so profound, and so true…was, “You need to move out.” (YAY! Glory be to someone who understands!) He recommended telling my family that they should be treated as the bugs seem to live in the house until I recounted to him the last time I tried to explain the sickness to them and that they didn’t believe it was from something in the house but rather a bug that flew in through my window. He prescribed me some more meds (luckily not the burning type) and suggested that I speak to the PC about moving out of the house as soon as possible. So that’s what I did. I called the PC Medical Officer on duty, explained my situation, and inquired about moving into my apartment at the beginning instead of middle of July. My “case” is currently under review, and I should have an answer by Thursday. Another option would be to move me into another host family’s house, but I believe that such a move would severely burn bridges and start rumors in town. I will not have that. I would rather suffer through the discomfort than screw myself over for the next two years. Vamos a ver.
I digress. The rest of my news is jolly and promising for my future here. Saturday I ran with Alex, Jen, and my host mother. (I am proud and surprised by her. She has joined Alex and me to walk while we run in the mornings. So far so good for her.) Afterwards, I washed clothes on the pila (for the last time at the house as the washer is now connected, yes!), met one of the local missionary families in town that lived near Bert and Kalin (Allen and Faith, really nice people from Washington that have been here eight months), and made homemade pizza for Bert’s 28th birthday (we were surprisingly successful). The night was fun celebrating with Bert and Kalin’s host family and local friends.
Sunday was different than most days but good, none the less. I went to Allen and Faith’s house to join other missionary families in the area for church. (Well, it really wasn’t church. The activities consisted of the families singing psalms and reading a bit from the Bible.) Although I don’t necessarily following their specific practice of faith, It was nice to meet some pleasant people and definitely fabulous to indulge in an American potluck that followed. I even was lucky enough to use Faith and Allen’s wireless internet to Skype with the fam for Father’s Day. It was a good day!
This week has seriously been going well (for serious). I have been working in the Escuela during the mornings, walking around in the afternoons to meet other community leaders (i.e. director of the Gracias youth center, director of a local grade school, doctor at the health center, owner of a local hotel, teacher at a school in an outlying aldea who wants to teach business administration classes, and employee in the Tourism Office who needs help with a business plan), emailing organizations to offer my services as a PCV (i.e. PRAF, EDUCATODOS, etc.), and reading about as well as practicing yoga in my room. In my down time, I am reading the ten-year Strategic Plan of the Mancomunidad and trying to master Spider Solitaire.
This weekend should be AWESOME. Faith and Allen asked me to house sit for them! I will be able to watch movies with Bert and Kalin, cook my own food, make lattes (holy goodness I am so friggin excited for that), and use the internet at their house all weekend! Staying in town this weekend is a perfect idea seeing as we were just told that all Honduras PCVs are on STANDFAST from Friday until Monday. (This is Phase 1 of the PC Emergency Action Plan which basically means that we are to remain in site and prepare for CONSOLIDATION, if necessary. This is the result of the cuarta urna election this weekend.)
I feel like the time will speed up once July hits because there is so much to do/going on. I will be purchasing and moving housing items as well as partaking in the activities of the Feria de Lempira (a conquistador who the department is named after) throughout the month. I will be planning some trips to visit other PCVs, preparing for my brother and Carrie to visit, and hopefully finding my very own puppy (well, it will be both Anna’s and mine). I hope that you all enjoy your celebrations for the 4th! I will be missing the good times back in the day in Tahoe with my girls that day…
I digress. The rest of my news is jolly and promising for my future here. Saturday I ran with Alex, Jen, and my host mother. (I am proud and surprised by her. She has joined Alex and me to walk while we run in the mornings. So far so good for her.) Afterwards, I washed clothes on the pila (for the last time at the house as the washer is now connected, yes!), met one of the local missionary families in town that lived near Bert and Kalin (Allen and Faith, really nice people from Washington that have been here eight months), and made homemade pizza for Bert’s 28th birthday (we were surprisingly successful). The night was fun celebrating with Bert and Kalin’s host family and local friends.
Made from scratch and love
The always happy couple: Kalin and Bert
Sunday was different than most days but good, none the less. I went to Allen and Faith’s house to join other missionary families in the area for church. (Well, it really wasn’t church. The activities consisted of the families singing psalms and reading a bit from the Bible.) Although I don’t necessarily following their specific practice of faith, It was nice to meet some pleasant people and definitely fabulous to indulge in an American potluck that followed. I even was lucky enough to use Faith and Allen’s wireless internet to Skype with the fam for Father’s Day. It was a good day!
This week has seriously been going well (for serious). I have been working in the Escuela during the mornings, walking around in the afternoons to meet other community leaders (i.e. director of the Gracias youth center, director of a local grade school, doctor at the health center, owner of a local hotel, teacher at a school in an outlying aldea who wants to teach business administration classes, and employee in the Tourism Office who needs help with a business plan), emailing organizations to offer my services as a PCV (i.e. PRAF, EDUCATODOS, etc.), and reading about as well as practicing yoga in my room. In my down time, I am reading the ten-year Strategic Plan of the Mancomunidad and trying to master Spider Solitaire.
This weekend should be AWESOME. Faith and Allen asked me to house sit for them! I will be able to watch movies with Bert and Kalin, cook my own food, make lattes (holy goodness I am so friggin excited for that), and use the internet at their house all weekend! Staying in town this weekend is a perfect idea seeing as we were just told that all Honduras PCVs are on STANDFAST from Friday until Monday. (This is Phase 1 of the PC Emergency Action Plan which basically means that we are to remain in site and prepare for CONSOLIDATION, if necessary. This is the result of the cuarta urna election this weekend.)
I feel like the time will speed up once July hits because there is so much to do/going on. I will be purchasing and moving housing items as well as partaking in the activities of the Feria de Lempira (a conquistador who the department is named after) throughout the month. I will be planning some trips to visit other PCVs, preparing for my brother and Carrie to visit, and hopefully finding my very own puppy (well, it will be both Anna’s and mine). I hope that you all enjoy your celebrations for the 4th! I will be missing the good times back in the day in Tahoe with my girls that day…
6.20.2009
June 19, 2009
Heeeyyyooo! So instead of waiting until this weekend to recount the wonderful week away, I am going to stay in on a Friday night (gasps around the world) to recount the goodness. (To be quite honest, at this point in my life a Friday night is equivalent to a Tuesday night. There is no night life in Gracias, and I have to be home by 9pm. When I move into my own place, I won’t have a curfew…but that won’t change the fact that there is no night life in Gracias.) Whatev, let’s get to it.
My trip to Comayagua from Tuesday until today was fulfilling, both figuratively and literally, and enjoyable. Figuratively speaking, I was able to catch up with a friend and fellow Business volunteer, work with the staff of the Escuela Taller in Comayagua to refine the stages/topics/filters of the incubator, and spend the night out of site in my own hotel room. (Unfortunately, I did not have the luxury of a bug-free bed, as I am currently nursing the aftermath of an attack on my arm from a spider…thinking about it more, maybe it really was the mother scaby getting her revenge on me for killing her babies.) I reconnected and reinforced a friendship, progressed with defining my objectives in the Vivero, and accomplished some personal goals (I got all my PC pics up on Facebook and caught up on the news on Aljazeera). Literally speaking, my meals were fabulous and free! (Nothing in this world is free, it seems, as my jeans don’t seem to fit me as well as they did before I left.) Regardless, I am happy to say that my edible indulgences included: a salad bar (even if it was at Pizza Hut), pancakes (ya, Pa), a doughnut (stuck that right in my back pocket, literally), Coronas (I know eyebrows are raised right now, it was a treat alright), Baskin Robbins Gold Medal Ribbon (ya, Bro), Frosted Mini Wheats (NOT cornflakes!), a Fuji apple (ya, Ma), and French toast (“when in Rome”). (I realize that it could be sad that I am even spending time talking about this. I will say what I always say: I am just happy to have food, whatever that may be. There are many who can’t say the same.) What did I enjoy most? (1) The lack of piropos thrown at me in the city (as it is home to a American military base and thus quite accustomed to foreigners); (2) The countless Beatles songs blasted on the car ride out with the director of the Escuela; and last but not least (3) The decision to get a puppy with Anna (the Health PCV in Gracias; she will be moving into a house with a yard) when she gets back from the states at the end of June. Holler.
Bring on the weekend. Tomorrow I am running in the morning (needed as noted), checking back in with the doctor (pray for no more cream), and celebrating Bert’s birthday (the husband of the PCV couple in Wat/San from my training group) with pizza and cheesecake (so much for running). I have Sunday Skype dates with the fam, Pops, and Louise (Batman and Robin unite again!) as well as a tutor sesh.
Next week brings some new challenges. I am going to be working on defining the objectives and goals of the stages of the business curriculum, visiting OCH to figure out what happened to those grants I was supposed to review two weeks ago, seeking out the person in charge of the women’s office in the Mancomunidad to hopefully start working with a women’s group, and starting to get prepared to move (ya I know it's early, but I'm excited!). Next Sunday is the fun day…la cuarta urna!! I’ve mentioned that before, right? Ha. Stay tuned, folks. Life in Hondu is about to get real interesting…as if it wasn’t already.
My trip to Comayagua from Tuesday until today was fulfilling, both figuratively and literally, and enjoyable. Figuratively speaking, I was able to catch up with a friend and fellow Business volunteer, work with the staff of the Escuela Taller in Comayagua to refine the stages/topics/filters of the incubator, and spend the night out of site in my own hotel room. (Unfortunately, I did not have the luxury of a bug-free bed, as I am currently nursing the aftermath of an attack on my arm from a spider…thinking about it more, maybe it really was the mother scaby getting her revenge on me for killing her babies.) I reconnected and reinforced a friendship, progressed with defining my objectives in the Vivero, and accomplished some personal goals (I got all my PC pics up on Facebook and caught up on the news on Aljazeera). Literally speaking, my meals were fabulous and free! (Nothing in this world is free, it seems, as my jeans don’t seem to fit me as well as they did before I left.) Regardless, I am happy to say that my edible indulgences included: a salad bar (even if it was at Pizza Hut), pancakes (ya, Pa), a doughnut (stuck that right in my back pocket, literally), Coronas (I know eyebrows are raised right now, it was a treat alright), Baskin Robbins Gold Medal Ribbon (ya, Bro), Frosted Mini Wheats (NOT cornflakes!), a Fuji apple (ya, Ma), and French toast (“when in Rome”). (I realize that it could be sad that I am even spending time talking about this. I will say what I always say: I am just happy to have food, whatever that may be. There are many who can’t say the same.) What did I enjoy most? (1) The lack of piropos thrown at me in the city (as it is home to a American military base and thus quite accustomed to foreigners); (2) The countless Beatles songs blasted on the car ride out with the director of the Escuela; and last but not least (3) The decision to get a puppy with Anna (the Health PCV in Gracias; she will be moving into a house with a yard) when she gets back from the states at the end of June. Holler.
Comayagua’s central park and cathedral
25 (yes, I counted) bites…1 for every year of my life…how nice
Bring on the weekend. Tomorrow I am running in the morning (needed as noted), checking back in with the doctor (pray for no more cream), and celebrating Bert’s birthday (the husband of the PCV couple in Wat/San from my training group) with pizza and cheesecake (so much for running). I have Sunday Skype dates with the fam, Pops, and Louise (Batman and Robin unite again!) as well as a tutor sesh.
Next week brings some new challenges. I am going to be working on defining the objectives and goals of the stages of the business curriculum, visiting OCH to figure out what happened to those grants I was supposed to review two weeks ago, seeking out the person in charge of the women’s office in the Mancomunidad to hopefully start working with a women’s group, and starting to get prepared to move (ya I know it's early, but I'm excited!). Next Sunday is the fun day…la cuarta urna!! I’ve mentioned that before, right? Ha. Stay tuned, folks. Life in Hondu is about to get real interesting…as if it wasn’t already.
6.15.2009
June 15, 2009
What a week!! Let me be the first to tell you that scabies SUCKS. It is super annoying. Because of it, I did not sleep much during the nights and was thus forced to take some time off from work to nap during the days...ah well, I guess naps aren’t so bad. I also spent a solid eight to nine hours on the pila, rediscovered my love/need to practice yoga more frequently to combat internal and external frustrations, and came to appreciate the characteristic/virtue/skill of patience. (W O W. Ya. “And that’s all I have to say about that.” –Thank you, Mr. Gump.) The highlights of the week and weekend included watching the Honduras soccer game with friends while consuming a real cheeseburger, catching up on my Best of YouTube podcasts while the scabies lotion burned the creatures (and crap) out of me, and marking the date one month from now when I will be writing to you from MY VERY OWN apartment. (Thanks be to GOoDness for that last one!)
Wow, this is probably the shortest entry I will ever write. There should be some solid activity this week to make up for it. I will be going to Comayagua tomorrow until Friday afternoon to meet with the Escuela Taller (ET) and Vivero de Empresas staff there. We will be sharing the progress made in the Gracias incubator thus far in hopes of soliciting ideas, suggestions, and comments Comayagua incubator (which has supposedly been one of the most successful in the country thus far). Besides that, I will get to stay in a hotel (complete with a TV in-room and pool), not have to pay for anything (saving money is glorious in the life of a PCV), and (hopefully) get to check out the digs of the city c/o my PCV homie working for the Vivero there. Added bonuses: nights not in a bed of terror and another week closer to living in my own apartment. (Can you tell it’s time? Thank you SO MUCH to my family members who have dealt with/consoled/offered support to me throughout this week. It was so very much needed and appreciated!) Bring on the new week!
**A special shout out to Nick Clark for sending me a surprise package full of games and candy!! You rock my socks, man! I got it today. So solid! So appreciated! THANK YOU!**
They knew we were coming
Supportin the locals: Kalin, Bert, and Vanessa
Lovin my sitemate: Me and Kalin
Wow, this is probably the shortest entry I will ever write. There should be some solid activity this week to make up for it. I will be going to Comayagua tomorrow until Friday afternoon to meet with the Escuela Taller (ET) and Vivero de Empresas staff there. We will be sharing the progress made in the Gracias incubator thus far in hopes of soliciting ideas, suggestions, and comments Comayagua incubator (which has supposedly been one of the most successful in the country thus far). Besides that, I will get to stay in a hotel (complete with a TV in-room and pool), not have to pay for anything (saving money is glorious in the life of a PCV), and (hopefully) get to check out the digs of the city c/o my PCV homie working for the Vivero there. Added bonuses: nights not in a bed of terror and another week closer to living in my own apartment. (Can you tell it’s time? Thank you SO MUCH to my family members who have dealt with/consoled/offered support to me throughout this week. It was so very much needed and appreciated!) Bring on the new week!
**A special shout out to Nick Clark for sending me a surprise package full of games and candy!! You rock my socks, man! I got it today. So solid! So appreciated! THANK YOU!**
6.11.2009
June 8, 2009
Scabies: 1, Shannon: SOL. Yup, sounds fun, huh? Well, I would start out where I left off last week, but the most immediate thing on my mind seems to be the mites traversing all over my skin. (I seriously wish I could see them because I would kick the crap out of them!) So ya, I haven’t been sleeping that much and thought a lot of it had to do with the fresh air that I was not getting as there aren’t any screens on my windows and I thus don’t leave them open at night. (Ah yes, did I forget to mention that the information booklet was completely wrong about the temperature here? Probably. So the average temperature of Gracias is about 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is always humid. I am thus always sweating in my room and breathing recycled air. I will say that the booklet was right on with the skin infections, though. Well done.) Well, fijase that most of my sleepless nights are instead due to the ridiculous itchy sessions that I have endured for the past week or so. Because last night was the worst of it, I finally went to the doctor today. Fun times when I found out I had some little bed bugs living in my room with me. I came home after my appointment (trying so hard not to be pissed off and upset while trying to maintain my knowledge of Spanish), tried unsuccessfully to explain the infection to my mother (who totally does not believe me and instead blames my bed bugs on the open window during the day), and with the help of the muchacha (the poor woman, she is so petite) moved my bed (reminder: the biggest I have ever had) to one of the spare rooms and switched it out for a twin. (I knew that ish was too good to be true.) I threw the majority of my clothes in my suitcase (as I patiently wait for the washer/dryer to be reconnected) and after a shower applied some of the most uncomfortable lotion I have every come into contact with all over my body. (It burns.) Let’s hope the homies don’t like the scent and feel as much as I don’t and get the off my skin!
Back to last week. Tuesday went well with work at the Escuela and another apartment search. Wednesday was alright but did not end well when I got caught in the heaviest downpour that I have even been in (it was literally raining through my umbrella) and ruined my camera that was stored in my purse. (Why I didn’t wait out the storm to walk home…no idea. Apparently the rain here will take you and your electronics to town.) Thursday morning was a free day for me. I spent the morning at the hotel updating computer software, afternoon at the Termos de Rio (the nicest of the hot spring spots) relaxing with a bunch of PCVs and snacking on chips and salsa (um, can you say complete joy? Hannah, you know what I’m talking about), and night hanging at Dan’s to celebrate his departure (which I hope to live at one day, it’s the cutest house). Friday was uneventful except for a potential appearance of ninjas in my stomach from the Chinese food that I consumed the night before (Bo, I thought I left those guys in SF!).
The weekend was so darn chill; I was proud of myself that I was able to endure it. (Usually I can’t sit still for two minutes let alone two days.) I cracked open my first leisure read book (by David Hunt, I highly recommend him as he writes awesome murder mysteries set in SF!), completed a solid amount of Sudoku puzzles (with the never failing strategy taught to me by the man himself: Pops), and took some naps. (Looking back, what a shitty idea on that last one!) Saturday night I went to a local hotel to watch the soccer game on a big screen with a bunch of norteamericanos (¡ganadores!) while Sunday was spent searching out more places to live with Bert and Kalin (my sitemates).
Tonight, well, here we are. Like they say…sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite…that’s so messed up.
Back to last week. Tuesday went well with work at the Escuela and another apartment search. Wednesday was alright but did not end well when I got caught in the heaviest downpour that I have even been in (it was literally raining through my umbrella) and ruined my camera that was stored in my purse. (Why I didn’t wait out the storm to walk home…no idea. Apparently the rain here will take you and your electronics to town.) Thursday morning was a free day for me. I spent the morning at the hotel updating computer software, afternoon at the Termos de Rio (the nicest of the hot spring spots) relaxing with a bunch of PCVs and snacking on chips and salsa (um, can you say complete joy? Hannah, you know what I’m talking about), and night hanging at Dan’s to celebrate his departure (which I hope to live at one day, it’s the cutest house). Friday was uneventful except for a potential appearance of ninjas in my stomach from the Chinese food that I consumed the night before (Bo, I thought I left those guys in SF!).
The weekend was so darn chill; I was proud of myself that I was able to endure it. (Usually I can’t sit still for two minutes let alone two days.) I cracked open my first leisure read book (by David Hunt, I highly recommend him as he writes awesome murder mysteries set in SF!), completed a solid amount of Sudoku puzzles (with the never failing strategy taught to me by the man himself: Pops), and took some naps. (Looking back, what a shitty idea on that last one!) Saturday night I went to a local hotel to watch the soccer game on a big screen with a bunch of norteamericanos (¡ganadores!) while Sunday was spent searching out more places to live with Bert and Kalin (my sitemates).
Tonight, well, here we are. Like they say…sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite…that’s so messed up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
