Week 2

Wow…this week went fast! We’ve been busy at training with Spanish classes (a total of 22 hours this week), more safety/security and health training, and technical training a few days this week. Friday morning my Salud (Health) group is going to a hospital in Teguc that specializes in maternal health so we get to visit the maternity ward and see a live birth (hopefully). If some of you are wondering why this blog is posted for Friday but I’m referring to Friday in the future, it’s because I’m currently writing this Thursday evening at home. (UPDATE - Í´m getting ready to publish this blog (Friday afternoon) so I´ve already been to the hospital this morning and I was able to see a live birth! The maternity ward is totally different here...the women who are just beginning labor are all together in one big room then as the progress they move to a different room, again with beds on both sides of the room (no privacy whatsoever) where they basically go through labor on their own, pushing included. Just before they´re about to actually give birth, they move the woman into another room. Luckily when our group of 5 went into the labor room, a women was just getting ready so we got to watch the whole thing).

I went to Teguc the first time on Wednesday with my Spanish class. It’s like any other large Latin American city – utter chaos. Between the cars, taxis, and buses (all honking uncontrollably), pollution, heat, uneven sidewalks, street vendors selling fruit, tortillas, watches, (basically you name it, they sell it), etc. it’s not the most pleasant experience you’ll have. We went to a market and bargained for some fruit and veggies, got to know where several bus stations are, and then saw the Peace Corps Honduras main office. Luke still hasn’t been to Teguc (I think they’re afraid to send intermediate level speakers to the “big city” still) but we’re going Friday evening after classes with our host dad to a market that is only open on Fridays and Saturdays and that sells fruit and veggies that come straight from the fields (very fresh).

Our host mom is going to be gone all weekend because she has a church retreat. She’s worried about what we’ll eat while she’s gone so her daughter-in-law is supposed to come over and cook meals for us. I probably could have managed but would rather have someone set the food down in front of me at this point….although twice this week I’ve came home early to help my host mom cook. I now actually have recipes for: tostadas de pollo o guacamol, las tortillas con quesillo, los pastelitos de papa, las baleadas, las enchiladas, los tacos, el anafre, las catrachas, and plátanos fritos. Obviously most of you have no idea what those things are but I can help you understand by telling you that the main ingredient in almost all of them is fried corn tortillas, beans, and a dry cheese they call queso seco. So far my favorite meal has been las tortillas con quesillo. You basically fry two corn tortillas, put some queso seco between the two fried tortillas, then top it off with what we know as pico de gallo salsa but what they call chismol – delicious. We’ve been eating lots of beans (which we both like), tortillas (both fried and regular), avocado, eggs, fresh fruit, and drinking LOTS of good coffee (we have it with breakfast and dinner). We made guacamole on Thursday night and along with onion, pepper, and salt, she added two hard boiled eggs to the mixture – strangely tasty. I think my host mom really likes when I cook with her as she’s eager to tell me how she does things and keeps telling Luke that he’s going to eat well when we’re living by ourselves because I’m learning quickly. One more thing about the food - they make burritos, enchiladas and tacos here but they are not like the Mexican or Tex-mex ones we know….I’ll explain those another day or if you’re lucky, one day I’ll cook for some of you! J

We found out today that not this weekend but the following, Luke and I are going to the northwest coast (about 5 ½ hours from here) to visit a married couple who are current volunteers (all trainees are doing a volunteer visit this weekend). The pueblo is practically on the beach and just a short drive from the Guatemala border. Although the bus ride will absolutely suck (I already explained how scary those rides are), we’re hoping it will be a nice little vacation and that the couple we’re visiting won’t mind taking us to the beach. We leave on Thursday morning and come back Sunday afternoon.

This weekend will be full of studying as Luke and I both have lots of homework from our Spanish classes. I plan to get up late Saturday morning, have breakfast, maybe meander into town just for the exercise, then come back and lie in the hammock and read all afternoon.

To all our friends and family - have a nice weekend! And thanks again to everyone who’s reading our blog and making comments – it keeps us writing!