PICS

Please notice the ISU shirt!!!! It was FATE! She just so happened to buy the shirt a couple months ago. CRAZY!


Last night with the awesome host family. My host sister and Lourdes.


Yolandy! Amazing lady! Taught me so much... like how to make tortillas.


TAAAADAAAAA. Lady in action! wATcHA!


Doña Berta!! The second host mom. Only pic I took of her. She wasn't too fond of pic taking.


Dinner with Doña Berta. EGGS! YUM! ....NOT!!!


Lourdes' neice, Collet, adorable girl! :)

PHEWF AC! 5.18.10

I’m back! Thank goodness the office is air conditioned; now I can comfortably type away and think. I don’t know how I am going to withstand the next two years with this melting temp, locals even complain about the weather and it’s only going to get worse!

OH EM GE!

Any who,

Along with this new position, I have a new host family, Aminda (mom), Darwin (dad), 2 teen brothers, and one niece. Last night I had a nice little dinner with them and… watched a movie. What movie you ask? Creiendo en Dios (Believing in God). Aminda asked during dinner what religion I was, I replied, Christian and she said, “Oh, we are Mormon, we have reunions every Monday night, this week we are watching a movie, would you like to join?” After attempting to come up with a quick lie and simply stuttering out some ridiculous excuse (I can’t even remember it was so ridiculous), I soon accepted knowing that my lame excuse was not enough to not participate in the Monday night family activity. Well anywho, I wasn’t really paying attention, I was too distracted from the overwhelming heat and sweat emitting from my body (mind you, we were sitting outside while watching the movie).

Besides the movie, they are really a nice welcoming family! Young couple, Darwin is 25 and Aminda is about 28 I believe, they seem like cool hip Mormons. Aminda was telling me how much she liked raeggaeton and liked dancing then she invited me to a dance this Friday…of course I accepted!!! How could I pass this opportunity up, I love dancing! Woohhooo!!! I think this will be the first time I am out passed 9:30 p.m. woohoo!!! I’ll let you know how it goes though, don’t want to set any high expectations. I hope it’s not a Mormon band or something like that. For the record these are the first Mormon people I have interacted with, I didn’t know what to expect, but they seem like very nice people. I was also invited to attend church with them on Sunday, and as much as I wanted to say no I couldn’t help but accept the invitation. : ( ugh! I kind of felt obligated. I mean how would it look that I accepted an invitation for a dance but not church? … Let you know how that one goes too.

The house I am living in is different from the others as well. My room is separated from the others which is ok because it gives me privacy, but at the same time it's harder to integrate with the family. We have a courtyard in the middle of the house with trees, plants, and just an open airy place which makes the house a lot more comfortable and cool. The courtyard is surrounded by rooms, kitchen, and bathroom. I’ll post pics up soon…

Anywho, all volunteers are required to live with their host families for 2 months and then we have the option of getting our own place!!! At first I was inclined to live with the host family for my two year service, but now I’m seriously considering getting a place of my own. Not because of the family, I would just like to experience living on my own sometime in my life… why not now? Nacaome is a safe place… I guess we shall see after a couple months.

Well, I’m signing off. Hope everyone is doing well!

Officially Peace Corps volunteer 5.16

Hi All,

I have some exciting news... I am officially a Peace Corps Volunteer!!! I swore in at the U.S. Embassy on Friday May the 13th!!! I’m not going to lie it was a bittersweet day because although I’m glad training is over and excited to start my assignment, I’m certainly not happy to leave my new friends, host family, and the comfortable schedule. I feel as if we were babied for the past few months and now the training wheels have been taken off to be let out to the “real world”.

***

I am currently sitting in my counterpart’s kitchen typing away while drenched in sweat!

WELCOME to my new home, NACAOME, Valle!

(Valle is one of the departments of Honduras) It’s about 90 degrees F year around at this place, OMG am I going to have to get used to this. I woke up this morning with damp sheets from my own sweat (sorry for the details just trying to keep it real).

So what will I be doing for the next two years you ask?

My primary counterpart is Jesy Baralaga, the manager of ADED- Valle (Economic Development Agency of Valle). ADED focuses on creating and strengthening women’s micro business and income generation endeavors. My role as a PCV in the Nacaome community is to primarily assist Jesy in designing and presenting trainings to the leaders of these groups in business topics. I’ve had some time this weekend to get to know Jesy and she is definitely another strong woman making it work for herself. When talking to her I feel her passion for bettering her community and empowering women. I am really excited to start working with this organization and hope I can contribute in their efforts.
-OMG is it hot!!!! I’m slowly melting away!

Oook it’s way too hot to type or even think right now! I’ll finish this later….

Training thus far 4.16.10

I should have known better! It’s been about 2 weeks since I’ve written an entry and soo much has happened since then. I was sick last weekend and had to begin and finish a lesson plan during that weekend so I didn’t have much time for myself.

I can’t believe only 3 more weeks until I am back in Zarrabanda. I called Lourdes last night to catch up; she is excited to have me home again. : ) Who wouldn’t?! jk

*Side note*
“Excited” reminds me of a Spanish mishap I had the first day I was here in Honduras. - I was talking to Javier, this really nice bi-lingual trainer at our site, about how happy I was to meet my family and start this new adventure in my life- but in Spanish (you know trying to show off my Spanish speaking skills, haha) I told him “Si, estoy muy umm muy EXITADA para conocer my familia!” after an awkard pause and stare from Javier I asked… “Is that the right word?” He just looked at me, laughed, and replied, “no no no you shouldn’t say that, I know you are trying to translate “excited” in Spanish but it’s emocionada… “exitada” is a different type of excitement!” We both just laughed it off.

Darn tricky Spanish words!

Anywho

These past couple weeks I have been busy working on some independent projects. At first the “independent projects” were a little ambiguous but after about a week I was well aware of some needs in the community.

I am working with la Escuela and Coloegio de Ojojona and Colegio de Santa Ana (the next town by us). The initial contact with the principals was a little intimidating as all the information I was told was who to talk to and that they were expecting a Cuerpo de Paz trainee. My first week trying to meet with them was actually very interesting and made me realize the differences in American vs. Honduran culture. One of the differences being that working hours aren’t exactly 8am – 4pm Monday thru Friday… especially schools. Things are more laid back here; when I was able to talk to the principals and professors the meetings were not solely about work, most of the conversation was about life in Honduras, politics, “los un-I-staes”… anything but work, and they lasted for about an hour, not once looking at their watch; they are all very interesting, nice, welcoming people to talk to. Well anywho, after a week of tracking people down and looking for work to do, I finally was able to get an idea of how my next few weeks would progress.

***
This past week I finished working with girls ages 14 – 17 attending trade school (taller de Hogar). These girls are learning how to knit and sew so that in the future they are able to sell the articles of clothing they have made and in a sense have them start thinking about methods to begin their own micro- business in whatever skills they possess. As Profesora Lesbia and I were looking over the syllabus for the class, one of their assignments in the next couple weeks was to have the students begin their own micro- empresa with the product being the things they have made in class. Seeing as my background is in business we figured that this was a great opportunity for me to teach about the basics of starting their own micro- empresa. I taught 2 classes last week and I truly feel they learned a little something… even if it was the definition of a couple terms or the first couple things to think about when starting a micro- empresa… I had a great sense of fulfillment after teaching and not to mention I have earned the title “profe” from students! : ) Next week I will be working with la Escuela de Ojojona and revising the inventory system they are using for their school supply store, I have a feeling this will be a little more challenging.

As for our technical classes, they have also kept me pretty busy, but very interesting. The week before my charla with las chicas, I as well as the other trainees were assigned to shadow a local businesses in the community. I was assigned to a local pulperia (the Honduran equivalent of a convenient store) to shadow their business and develop a business plan. I really liked this activity as I learned a lot about local businesses and I feel more confident in my writing business plan abilities. : )

As far as my host family goes… it’s been going pretty well. It’s Berta and I now, and she has definitely warmed up to me, she’s more talkative now. In my prior entries I may have made it seem as if I really disliked my family and was just terribly unhappy with them but that’s not the case. It’s just taken some getting used to, they are really nice people. Berta takes care of me really well too; last weekend when I was really sick, her mom senses kicked in and she tried her best to make me feel better. Also, last week I kinda gave a little hint that I was missing fried plantains with my dinner/ beans because I had that in Zarabanda, well a couple days later I found them on my plate along with my beans and they were delicious. Yes, fried plantains for dinner! They are actually quite delectable, I thought it was a little weird and too sweet at first but it’s not bad at all.

Also, Berta has been a little more adventurous now and leaves the house to go the market alone. Actually she kinda peeved me off last time she went, because she said she couldn’t find anything to make for lunch so we had leftovers. Now, don’t get me wrong I don’t mind the leftovers; I ate them at home and wouldn’t mind them now, what I do mind is that she doesn’t buy good healthy food. I know, you may be thinking: but Vanessa they are poor, you have to understand if that’s all they have to eat that is all they have! Well I’m here to tell you, that the host families get reimbursed pretty well for having us in their house, actually they may be making a nice little profit off me since I don’t think I eat that much…. Yes folks, I have been cutting down on the food intake. : P

Anyhow, life is great. I’m glad to be here. Some days are a little more challenging then others but that’s what I was looking for… a challenge. I find out in about 2 weeks where I will be placed for the next 2 years of my life!! Aaahhh

Hope everyone is doing well. Keep on showing me love please! besos

P.S. Amor y Frijoles takes place in Ojojona! It´s a must see vid... just cause you get to see where I live. jk. it´s not such a bad movie...

Munchers 4.6.10

Oh yeah, one more thing I miss! Going to sleep peacefully without a worry that a pesky bug might attack me!!! Last night I stayed up for about an hour listening to cockroaches stumbling around my garbage bag and eating my trash. Talk about paranoid! I haven’t felt really uneasy going to sleep but last night I was certainly missing my own bed. I guess I kind of deserve that little scare. Before I knew about my little mango incident I had ordered delicious homemade doughnuts for my host family to share as well, but after I found out about my mangos I decided to have the doughnuts all for myself. Haha, I know evil Vanessa! Well I left the package in the garbage for awhile and have a feeling that’s what the cockroaches were munching on last night!

Lights out! 4.2.10

It is 9 o’clock on a Friday night and I’m in bed. The electricity has been out for about 30 min now and before then went out 2 more times. It’s also raining for the first time since I have been here… a little eerie. This makes me think of the – what I considered- simple things in life or what I took for granted in the states, for example, reliable electricity or running water. Here, in Ojojona, the town gets running water about every 3 days; this means conserving water is essential around here. Typically Berta and I talk about rationing water at least once a day: how many more days till the water comes, if the water came today, are we running out of water, will we need to use the sisterna, is there any water in the pila… on and on.

Texting and calling in the states were also taken for granted. Here, I have to consciously use my saldo (prepaid amount) to communicate.

Sardines and Mangos 3.31.10

Just going on a little rant today… it’s pretty funny, I was a little peeved at first but I can only laugh now!

As I mentioned in my previous blog my intake of vegetables and fruits has become practically non- existent. I loved getting my daily intake of healthy food groups and now it has come to a complete halt… no, I lie, the only fruits I do consume are the ones made in juice that are loaded with sugar.

Fyi, everything is 10x sweeter here, including coffee. I’m starting to like it now, just took some getting used to.

I digress

It’s been a week now since I have been craving some delicious juicy sweet mangos and have been tempted to purchase some from the street vendors conveniently located everywhere in Ojojona. Monday I gave in and decided that I, as well as my host family were in need of some delicious fruit, specifically, mangos! So after class I took a stroll to the nearest street vendor and asked him kindly to give me 5 of his best mangos for my host family and I (surprisingly sold at 1 lempira each... about 10 cents). Well I get home and tell them I bought mangos for us and Berta graciously says thank you and sets them on the table.

***

Tuesday comes along and it’s time for lunch. Lunch is always a nice little surprise because rarely do I find a meal that is disappointing. As usual I setup the table and was helping prepare when suddenly a faint fishy smell hits me… I look at the stove a little worried and what do I see… sardines! Now I have heard some bad stories about sardines, so I automatically think the worst. I have never actually had sardines, and I am a firm believer in “you can’t knock it till you try it” attitude, so my host mom went ahead and prepared my plate with 2 sardines, an egg, and rice. Well, let’s just say I politely declined the second sardine… I tried and certainly knocked it! BLAH

Well after the disappointment I thought, what better time to eat my delicious mango then now. I went to the kitchen searching for my mango and just couldn’t find it, so I asked Berta where she had placed the mangos because I wanted to take one to school. She gasps, looks at me in shock and says, “awww, I ate the last one this morning!”… I was furious!!!! Couldn’t believe it, after I was served sardines for lunch I was robbed from my delicious sweet mango! Sooo upset!

I’m sure it wasn’t done in a malicious intent just a simple miscommunication or someone mistakenly didn’t do their math and forgot they had eaten two... whatever the case funny story now.