The New Kids on the Block

I don´t hear much about whats going on in the news, but I can tell by all the new people showing up in town that immigration laws in the United States of America have become stricter. Hondurans seem to think that they´re being targeted over other Latin American countires, but I can´t see why that would be? I wonder what airline they use to deport people? Do they get a group discount?

CARE is a program here in Erandique, as well as in surrounding areas, that has been helping to give food and educational programs. Its funding, from what I hear, comes from USAID? Their funds will be completely cut-off next month and my neighbors will nolonger receive food help and helpful educational programs. Is it becuase more money is being used for the war in Iraq?

This is a shout out to Emma my sick friend that was going to come visit me in Honduras....and I guess all you germ-a-phobes there in the United States of America:

Antibacterial Soap
¨These products are not mere folly-they are dangerous. They contain trace amounts of compounds that can hurt bacteria, but the doses are so low and mild that they affect only the most sensitive germs. So... these substances clear just the weakest bacteria on your hands...reducing competition so the pathogenic strains with higher lecels of resistance can flourish.¨ (p208, The New Killer Diseases by Elinor Levy and Mark Fischetti) AKA YOU´RE ALL GONNA DIE! muuuuuuuuuhahahahaha

Defining Peace Corps Moment.....kinda

First and foremost my dearest deary friend Meredith Sue J. Simpson came to Honduras to visit me!!!

My first outsider to see my honduras-side! It was crazy fun....and it was also great to see a glimpse of the ¨real world¨ here in Honduras. She pointed out all the silly little things and was tickled by things I have looooong become accustomed too (18months)....for example...drinking out of bags and seeing pigs and chickens running through the streets. A week after she left I went WAM BAM back to the United States of America to Mickey and Sara´s wedding!!! And directly after that....cold and alone back into my mountain village. Quite the system overload after being thrown all over the place and getting glimpses of so many differnt worlds.

We had feria, fair, here in Eran-doooooookie celebrating the death of the beloved hero Lempira. He, supposedly, single handedly fought the Spanish outta Honduras. The Spaniards were trying to take over their land and make the pobre Hondurans their slaves. I live in the department called Lempira....supposedly he died here....I¨ve seen 2 of his famous resting places.

The other day I walked past a group of 3 Honduran men. Of course, they all called out the usual ¨mi amor¨, my love bladdiblah and I continued to walk ignoring their calls....afterall my beauty is obvious...I*m nolonger surprised when people tell me. Then one of the chauvenists called out and started to talk to me about a project. I was distant and answered his questions with a slight shake of my head. Finally, I agreed to give some school teachers a first-aid class, ¨but only if he would not call me his love because I am not his love¨. He thought a second, stuck up his thumbs and said ¨cheque pues¨, alright cool. !!!!! No laughs, no kissy noises, just an alright. He listened to what I said and agreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed! It was amazing!! For one second I was actually, maybe, a person.

Ok if that one doesn´t get ya maybe this one will. My best friend in my site, Irma, has a horrible horrible boyfriend. Hes the father of her baby, never gives her money for child support, plus cheats on her all the time even giving her an STD (STI nowadays)...luckily it wasn´t AIDS! Anyway I always told her that I don´t understand why Honduran women let the men treat them that way and I would ask her what would happen if you cheated on him? I would also try to remind her that hes not her boss, but her boyfriend..... Anyway, maybe sometimes people just need a differnt way of looking at things but she told me yesterday how she started sticking up for herself!! She started commenting on how hot some guys were on t.v. and when he asked her what the $%·& she was doing she said, ¨if he could do it she could do it.¨ Then he told her she couldn´t go to the store to pick up beans in her shorts and that she had to change before going out. She said she was gonna go anyway! I know it may seem little, but just the way she told me the story, so firm and so proud! I just laughed I was so happy......Unfortunatly later, after thinking about our conversation and her new found strength...I remembered that the number one nonillness related cuase of death in Honduras is spousal abuse....