Hasta la proxima vez......

Well, one more night in Honduras. I’m presently in San Pedro Sula at the Casa El Meson bed and breakfast. It’s hard to think that my three weeks here are just about done. And what an amazing three weeks it’s been. First and foremost I will remember the people here. The patience, friendliness and kindness of everyone I met in Copan exceeded my expectations.  It seems if you are willing to try to speak with them in Spanish they will go beyond to help you. Store keepers, people in the rural comunties, artisans, or just people walking in your direction all seem happy to share a few words. The other night I was invited to dinner at the house of my teacher and her family. It was so much fun interacting with the whole famiy and sharing some laughs. Thanks to Dunia for being a great teacher and a really nice person;

                                          Dunia;

House "mum" Sara (left) and house "dad" Ernesto (far right). Their son Marel and his wife Zoyla (centre) with their son Ernesto'

I came here to improve my Spanish so where am I with that? I have good days and bad. Ellen, who has been here for three years, tells me that that is normal. At times I chat away and surprise myself. Other times I find it hard to string a sentence together. The other day at the canopy tour I spoke only in Spanish with the guys running the tour and understood virtually everything. My conversation with the tuk tuk driver less so but I was fascinated by his story. While I understood less, I got enough of the story to ask questions in areas that I wasn't sure about. His story was so interesting about his sister I could have sat and talked to him all day. It's been moments like that that have caught me off gaurd. Today I went back to the house of Luis the stone carver. I had visisted him yesterday with Ellen and this is a house I would never have found by myself. Luis and his wife have four children and he is tying to work enough to send his son to high school. I bought a carving fom him made from the shell of a tree called Palo de Morro. Yesterday we accessed their house through their neighbours breezeway. In this breezeway were chickens, geese and dogs as well as grandma (I think) doing the laundry from a big pila. Today I was my myself and I asked if I could pass through again. I was treated to smiles and a welcome as if I had come to see them.  Luis' wife and I chatted for a minute and it still amazes me the patience that people have here. I think overall I am probably where I thought I would be after three weeks. It's not enough time by any stretch to become fluent but I know my Spanish has improved. I am going to carry on classes here with my Spanish teacher via Skype which will supplement my lessons I have at home.

There are of course so many little stories that I just haven't had time to tell you about. Some happy stories and some sad stories all of which have added to my experience here in Honduras.The other day when I was in the village of El Barbasco some of the children asked me if I was their volunteer for the kinder school. Some schools have volunteers (teachers aids) supplies by several organisations (Global Vision International is a big one here). I was so sad to tell them that no I was only visiting. I would have loved to have stayed. Many of these children have terrible teeth. Front teeth are missing and many have black rotting teeth. There is no dental care here for the children in places such as El Barbasco. My teacher tells me that when she was at school the government educated many of the children about brushing thier teeth. She was given a tooth brush that was left at school and everyday they brushed thier teeth. Unfortunately this is no longer continued. Even now the common practive for those that can afford it is to only go to a dentist when you have a problem. It is not common to go for a "check up". Perhaps you remember me telling you about the Ramirez children. I visited them with Ellen on the first day I was here in Copan. They lost their parents a few years ago but with a little help from PSS are doing well (all things considered). Isaias was going to loose all his front teeth from decay. Ellen started them on tooth brushing and paid for Isaias to go to a dentist here in Copan. He has needed several root canals but he will likely keep all his teeth.

Yesterday I said goodbye to Twiggy. It was horrible as I have grown so incredibly fond of the little mite. She looks amazing…Although still too thin she has already put on weight. She has had two baths and is as virtually flea free as any dog can be here. She is continuing to put weight on her foot and I remain hopeful that she will at worst walk with a limp. She has been wormed, given vitamins and now has a great shot at a good life here. Ellen is very fond of her and I leave her in good hands. Twiggy is the fortunate one. Many street dogs here have a tough and awful life while some do actually thrive. Many dogs that you would assume are strays technically have an owner it’s just the owner doesn’t feed or care for the dog. Ellen knows many of the dogs well and by name. She doesn’t have the resources to adopt many in to her doggy sanctuary but she does what she can. She assesses their needs and helps those she can with medication, worming or vitamin shots.

                                         Twiggy;

And finally to Ellen…who I know will read this in the not to distance future…. A huge and heartfelt thank you. Not just for the tireless work that you do but for your enthusiasm to share it with me and the likes of me that cross your path. On many occasions, particularly after a trip to a rural community, I watched tourists walking in and out of the hotels here in Copan and I couldn’t help but wonder if they had really experienced Honduras as I have had the opportunity to do. A dear friend of Ellen’s (Anne) who I had the pleasure to get to know perhaps put it best. She said that the difference was that my experiences with Ellen had allowed me be a traveller rather than a tourist. I am eternally grateful to Ellen for this opportunity and to the friendship she offered me that I know will extend long after I get home tomorrow. Ellen has a commitment to the children and the people of the rural communities that stems from her love and caring of these very same people and her desire to try to help. She has already succeded in so many ways and that is apparent from the outpouring of love and welcome she receives as she walks in to a classroom full of little friends or by the many people that stop her in the street. There is still so much more to do though. On my last night in Copan I ran in to Ellen just before we were to meet for supper. She was buying a bag of beans for one of the teachers as the government hadn't delivered the school lunches which they are supposed to do. For many children, lunch is the only meal of the day. You won't read about things like this on her website but buying 25lbs of beans is just one of the many daily emergencies she deals with. For her it's just doing what needs to be done.

A final word;
I came to Honduras to learn more Spanish but have learned so much more than that. No matter how hard we think we have it we really don’t have a clue. We lead a privileged life and I hope that while being a traveller may not be for everyone we all look for ways that we can improve a life for someone else. For anyone that wishes, please check out Project School Supplies at http://www.projectschoolsupplies.org./

                                         Me, Ane and Ellen;

Hasta La Proxima Vez............!!

Deb Out.

Fincas and Flying....

After a breakfast of toast and fresh fruit I headed in to town Sunday morning and had enough time to grab a coffee "para llevar"...our version of to go. I met up with Alex at the cafe Via Via which is where our excursion to Finca El Cisne was to begin. Alex is a doctor from Florida and is in central america for several weeks. He just finished several weeks in a clinic in Nicaragua then is here for two weeks before heading to Costa Rica then back to Nicaragua. He is also here in Copan to study Spanish and helps out at a clinic in the afternoons. Our guide Carlos was only a little late and we headed off straight away. Carlos speaks fluent English although he knew we were students so we kept the conversation mainly in Spanish. The drive took us north for about 45 minutes up and over mountains and through some absolutely stunning scenery. The road was dirt all the way and we crossed several small streams and passed through  few small communities before we reached Finca El Cisne.

The further north we went, the more lush and green the countryside became;

Finca el Cisne has been in Carlos' family since 1880. It is a working coffee and cattle ranch. It is only in the last two years that they have started to add some tourism to the mix.First on the list was horse riding in the mountains to see the coffee and cardamom plantations.

Sombrero supplied at no additional charge....

Explanation from our guide Carlos about the growing of the coffee plants; The coffee is handpicked and looks like a large red berry of sorts. It then goes to the processing part of the farm for fermentation, removal of the red skin and drying.

On the trail.....

Corn is grown everywhere.

Man made ponds forTilapia 

Giving the horses a break; While we did, Carlos picked passion fruit and we tried some....really good. Carlos also picked a cardamom pod and opened it for us. We tried a seed and I recognised the taste immediately.

We returned to the ranch to an amazing lunch. By far the best I have eaten in Honduras. Starter was watercress salad with tomatoes, onion, cilantro and cheese. It was served with tortillas and another type of cheese which I can't remember the name of. It was followed by Tortilla de Malanaga con miel y jenjibre (taro with honey and ginger), pollo con chipiline (chicken with chipiline which is a locally grown flower), vegetables (of various local sorts) and yuca. It was finished with dessert of a baby banana soaked in cream, cardamom and cinamom and of course a cup of great coffee. After lunch we got to tour the coffee area. As it was Sunday there was nobody working but we got the idea of the process.

This is a very crude explanation. The red berry is fermented and the skin removed leaving a honey like coating on the bean. The beans are then washed in vats such as these. Once this coating is removed the coffee bean is dried.

This is the cheaper coffee. It floats while the better qaulity bean sinks making it easy to separate. The coffee is still very good but is mixed with skin and the beans are not as whole as the better quality ones.

This is the better quality coffee with no dark shells mixed in;

Once dried the beans have a green colour. They only turn brown after roasting. Many coffee plantations do not sell thier coffee roasted. They export the green coffee bean and the company that buys their beans does the roasting. It keeps the coffee fresher for longer.

Green coffee bean ready for export;

After the tour we headed back to Copan via a quick stop at a place called agua caliente (hot springs). The water comes from far within the earth and is boiling hot in places. They have added cold water and made ponds for people to bathe and soak up the warm thermal waters. Upon getting home I noticed that I had brought some friends back with me. Four ticks that I had to pull off myself. I had had another tik take a "ride along" earlier in the week and wasn't surprised that I had picked up a few at the farm. Earlier I had to pull one off Alex.

Monday was the start of the school week. I had the morning free to go out with Ellen and Marel. We visted a place called El Barbasco, a small village way up in the mountain past San Rafael where I had visited before. Once again the road amazes me but the Hondurans just accept that this is normal and Marel luckily is a great driver. Once at El Barbasco we visited the kinder. They have nothing and I was sad to see the children with virtually nothing to play with. Ellen had brought some toys and school supplies so it was nice to help give those out.

The children have no bathroom yet lthough once is partially built. It is hard to imagine how they manage without one!

Class was uneventful but productive on Monday afternoon and the same can be said for today (Tuesday). I had four hours of class this morning and two this afternoon. Straight after class I headed to the Canopy tour on the edge of town. I will let the video do the talking. It was amazing.....

The canopy is four km's long with one section being 1km in length. I loved every minute of it! One of the best parts was that the tuk tuk driver stayed and chatted with me for a bit as I waited to get harnessed up. His sister is presently in Georgia working illegally. She travelled on the "el tren de la muerte"...the train of death, which takes immigrants north through central america to the U.S. border. If they are lucky enough to make it that far they then often cross the the river in to the USA. I knew a lot about this as I had read a book called "Enriques Journey" prior to coming here. It is a great if not sad read.

My apologies if this post is a little choppy and brief. Had a lot of homework tonight and it's getting late. Wanted to post this though before I headed home.

Out!

Many Hands Make Light Work......

And that was certainly the case over the last two days. It's amazing what you can achieve when everyone pitches in.

Friday was the start of my weekend as I had no classes planned, having condensed them in to four intense days during the week. In the morning I met up with Ellen and along with four other "gringos" we headed back to the villages of Sinai and Chilar. Ellen had had two tables and four benches made for the school at Sinai. Many kids had been sitting on the floor or sharing a chair. The children were so excited to see us and raced out of the school with great enthusiasm to proudly carry their new furniture in to the school;

Ellen...getting loaded up!

All hands on deck:

The kids get to enjoy their new tables and benches....

After Sinai, we headed to Chilar. One of the "gringas" with us was a women named Carol. She runs a small organization called "A Better World" (if i remember rightly) and the Granja (Chicken farm) at Chilar was sponsored by "A Better World" as well as PSS.  Carol wanted to see how the construction of the Granja was going. Arriving in Chilar we learnt that the father of the only Grade 7 student girl had died the day before. The entire school with us in tow headed to the widows house to pay our respect. This family lives in tremendous poverty and it's hard to say how they will fare now. Many of these families live in immense poverty and it often becomes even harder when the mothers become single parents. We asked how the father died but the response was somewhat noncommittal. Perhaps the person we asked didn’t know or didn’t like to say. The entire school, students and teachers, and us gringos crammed in to their mud house. It was very dark and smokey from the family’s fire smoldering in one corner of the room. Obviously there is no electricity here and the room was lit by candle light. The father was laid out in the center of the room wrapped in a grey silk looking sheet in some sort of wicker type coffin. Candles burned at his head and feet. I learnt that he will stay in the house for 24 hours before being taken out. I didn't find out what happens then. Burial I assume only because I have seen cemeteries here but perhaps cremation, I'm not sure.

Other traffic on the way to Chilar....... 

Travellin' Honduran Style......

Classroom in Chilar;

Turkey dinner anyone?

Going to pay our respect (with the entire school showing us the way);

After Chilar, Friday afternoon was an excursion with the school. I had chosen to go horse riding again with Beto to La Pintada, a small village about an hour away by horse back in the mountains. The women there run a weaving cooperatve and make scarves from a local plant. I forget the name of it now but it is a plant that grows naturally in Honduras. It can take up to a day to make a scarf. I bought one for $8 (no haggling - my choice). In Pintada I was somewhat accosted by the children who try to sell the tourists, dolls made out of corn husks. The dolls are actually very clever and sell for $1. It's horrible trying to choose between which children to buy from....but how many corn husk dolls does one person need? I got lucky and at one point only four children were nearby so I bought from one each as well as a scarf.. They will make great souvenirs.

Tomato processing (on way to Pintada);

Crossing the river to get to Pintada;

View of the river;

Pintada local making mud blocks to build a new house;

Gives hand washing a whole new meaning;

Weaving demonstration;

Saturday morning dawned hot and sunny. I was picked up by Marel and his family. We were headed to El Bonete a village about 15 minutes outside of Copan for a painting excursion. The school has three rooms and was badly in need of a freshen up. Ellen had to stay behind to take care of other business. We arrived in El Bonete to be greeted by many of the children and parents who had come out to help. As we unloaded the paint and got to work inside, the dads started ripping off the old netting on the outside of the school and replacing it. Many of the students went out back with one of the teachers and raked all the old grass from behind the school to burn. I say rake but they use sticks to push the grass in to bundles then roll the bundles in to a heap for burning. The students run back and forth with water bowls and throw water on the fire when it gets a little big. They also use a branch to bash out any flames that start to creep in the wrong direction. It was great to be a part of this and what was even nicer was to see students, parents and teachers coming together to clean up and repair the school.

Getting to El Bonete we crossed the river;

Many hands.......

                      
                                                Before;                  

During;                
One of the teachers;

  

Curious onlookers;

Even the bookshelves got sanded;

Cleaning out back;

And the dads replacing the mosquito screens;

After;

I got back from El Bonete a few hours ago. Stopped by to see Twiggy who is doing incredibly well. She is a different dog in just three days. It's amazing what a some food, a bath, secure environment and some love will do. I was also really happy today to see her putting some real weight on her paw. It may not be completely broken and I am hopeful that she may heal from this. I think it also helps that she doesn't have to walk miles everyday to find food. If only I could get her home......

Have a full day tomorrow as another student and I are off to the Finca on a full day coffee tour. Have included a few photos below of various shots in and around Copan...

Enjoy!

Some of the adobe houses (made with mud);

BBQ Honduran style (tried it last night);

Overlooking the river;

Fruit anyone?

The carwash; 

And more fruit;

Honduras has stunning views like this everywhere......

 View of the church in the plaza;

The plaza;

Deb Out!

Hasta la lunes.....