What a wonderful first few days this has turned out to be in Honduras. Life was feeling hectic and anxious in the weeks leading up to this trip. To all of you I was able to say goodbye to thank you all for the encouragement. When I arrived in Miami there were 54 other people greeting me who had similar feelings of wanting to finally begin this journey. Everyone had explained the same few things we barely knew time and time again and although I love you all so much it has been a great weight off of my shoulders in many ways to get here.
That’s not to say my first day was not a crazy one in so many ways. There are new surroundings, new friends, new job, new family, new culture, and a mostly unfamiliar language. But, as the Peace Corps promised I was with my new host family within 4 or so hours of arriving to the country. I must say I really like them. I am the first volunteer they have ever had, and in terms of Honduras they do fairly well, and work very hard for it. The nuclear family has a mother and father and two kids, one 15 year old boy and a 12 year old girl. The father is a security guard by night at a Catholic University in the city a half hour away and when he catches up on sleep he is a carpenter by day. He is currently building apartments next to the house to eventually rent out. My host mother is so very nice and patient with me. She slows down her Spanish for me and repeats herself without hesitation or frustration. The boy works on a farm most days and goes to school most nights. The daughter simply goes to school and smiles at me the rest of the time. I’m not sure if its my skin of my blundering Spanish; probably both.
This is by no means the end of the family around here. Connected to this house is where 6 cousins and their families live as well. Everyone is in and out every day. Two girl cousins of 22 and 18 have taking a liking to me and had a good time trying to see what I was into and quizzing me on objects in the room in Spanish. The food is simple and good in my opinion. Staples are beans, salty cheese, homemade tortillas, fruit sometimes, rice, various meats…you get the picture. Does me just great. Oh and my host mother made me a homemade tea from pineapple and cinnamon to ease my nerves the first night…so nice to have someone care for you in an otherwise nerve-racking situation.
My Room...
I know its only been two days and this may be preemptive, but I feel as though I know I’m doing something I was meant to. I’m loving getting to know a few people in my group, the teachers are great (all Spanish instruction is strictly in Spanish…YES!!), and the climate has been moderate as to ease into the heat. My first cold bucket shower this morning was quite the experience, but I must say better than coffee at 6 in the morning (I think MLA and Safire Canyon helped prepare me for that). So much more to come…its only day two here, and that soft glow of light at the end of the tunnel just got a lot brighter for me.
Peace,
Jesse
…or as they pronounce “Jyes”, or for those that can’t handle that…mi nombre medio…Raymond
