Monday, July 12, 2010

ESPAÑA WINS!

Hi from Santa Bárbara.

1. Spain:World Champions.
2. The Honduran Diet.
3. Death of a Laptop.
4. Independent Housing.
5. Business Trip.

1. Spain: World Champions. I think that one of the signs of my gradual adapting to Honduran culture is my new appreciation for futbol. Ive watched close to every World Cup game with my host family on their High Def flatscreen. Thats right, they have an expensive TV. After Honduras and USA, I was rooting for Spain, so I was very happy to see them winning. It was an exhausting game with seemingly unbreakable defenses on both sides, especially the Netherlands. Right now is San Fermines in Pamplona, so I cant begin to imagine the celebration going on there.

2. The Honduran Diet. I have lost 20 pounds in the five months Ive been in Honduras. A fellow volunteer told me it was probably because Im drinking less beer here. Heh. In truth, it is most likely that Im eating very healthy and getting a lot of exercise. I also am not drinking as much beer.

3. Death of a laptop. My laptop is officially on the fritz. It caught a Honduran virus and gives me a lovely black screen every time I try booting it. No music or movies for me now; I guess it is the real deal Peace Corps from now on, if I cant fix it.

4. Independent Housing. (Considering I get official approval,) I will be moving into my own house in the coming days. Ive lived the mandatory two months with my host family and found a nice house, good location, friendly landlord, and that meets all the requirements. It will be pretty bare for a while, but that is ok. Itll be kinda like living in the dorms all over. Good news is that rent is 660 lempiras a month, which comes out to be about $32.

5. Business Trip. Went to El Paraiso, a city on the Nicaraguan border, with my coop to fill out paperwork and receive the necessary info about funding from Canada. If we are approved, we will be getting a little more than US$300,000 for environmental improvements for everything to do with coffee in our area (from farm upgrades to a new electrical system in our plant). It was a nice trip too; we got to visit the same border where Mel Zelaya, deposed president, infamously tried to cross into Honduras during the coup. I touched the same sign he did. One of these days I will be able to upload all the pictures I want to.