Still in Training

Hello. I’ve got a short and sweet blog entry this week! (For me, that is.)

1. Adaptation
2. Visiting Local Businesses
3. Bonfire, Cave Paintings

1. Adapting to Honduran culture. I just wanted to talk about ways that I think I am adapting slowly but surely to the Honduran lifestyle. Sure I’m still wet under the ears considering all the time I’ve got left here, but lots of things that were weird to me nine weeks ago are just part of my daily routine nowadays.

First is the food. I am completely used to and content with eating beans, rice, plantains, eggs and tortillas on a daily basis. They fill you up and I like the way they all taste together—at first it was weird mixing the sweetness of the plantains with everything else, but now it just feels normal.

Second, I’m learning how to live with and around kids. Sure, not every Honduran family has lots of kids, but many do; kids seem to be everywhere (something like nearly 50% of Honduras’ population is younger than 30!) Being an only child, I don’t really have too much experience living with young kids. But I think that my younger host siblings and I are getting along great and it’s actually been fun. We play lots of games (soccer, basketball, badminton, card games, who can make the weirdest face etc). I also get to help out with homework and English sometimes. If they start making trouble, I let the parents handle it. Win win. Also, the 17 year old host brother has become one of my best friends here in Ojojona and has been a big help with getting accustomed to the culture.

I don’t think twice about taking a cold bucket shower or flushing the toilet using a bucket. It’s inconvenient getting running water every four days, but it’s not the end of the world.

Finally, for the most part, I’m used to the weather. I still get hot, but I just don’t notice it as much. Besides, it makes my cold showers feel all the better.

2. Business Visits. As far as what I’ve been doing, we’ve been visiting lots of local businesses including a potter way up in the hills overlooking Ojojona, artisan shops in the main plaza, a tilapia farm 45 minutes into the woods on a very bumpy road, and a local cheese producer. The last made me a little nauseous, but the farm was really cool. I like how they’re making it a point to show us all aspects of typical Honduran businesses.

3. Bonfire and Cave Painting Adventure. Last weekend one of my follow volunteers had a bonfire in his back yard and we played guitar and had a good time. It’s nice to relax with on the weekend with fellow trainees. They will be a great support in the future both in terms of technical help and motivation.
Also, this past Sunday, eleven of us went on a real Honduran adventure, hiking into the woods in search of caves with wall paintings/carvings. We got a little lost because of bad directions, but it was a blast. It reminded me of Indiana Jones. We finally found the caves with the help of a local kid who lived around there. The paintings were neat, but sadly people had graffiti-ed the rest of the caves (see pic if it loads—which it probably won’t, based on my track record here). The whole thing took about five hours all together. De todos modos, it was awesome to get out into nature.

Tomorrow we’ve got our last technical interviews with our training directors in which we’re going to discuss possible sites/work.

Okay, those are this week’s thoughts. Hope everyone’s doing well in America.