Home sweet home

"The love of a family is life's greatest blessing"

-Unknown

Being home for the holidays was absolutely wonderful. It was so refreshing to be able to spend time with my family, curl up on the couch and watch Christmas movies with Mom, go bowling with my little cousins, and sled ride and relax in the hot tub with my best friends. The count down to the New Year couldn't have been better either- I spent it with my closest friends and Mom.

I'll admit- I did experience a little bit of reverse culture shock- I had to force myself to flush my toilet paper again and the reality of there actually being laws on the road was something I had almost forgotten and repressed. It's incredible the things we have in the States that so many of us take for granted. The U.S. truly is one of the best places on earth, despite everyone's complaints about the health care reform, government taxes, and education. But you don't see kids, barefoot, in the streets begging to wash your windows at an intersection for a few cents... we truly are so lucky. And I consider myself extra lucky to have grown up in the United States AND to have the friends and family I do. Though the distance now is incredibly difficult at times, I have wonderful people in my life who love and support me and make everything worth it.

Thank you to you all.

Weekend trip to Costa Rica... which turned into a week

But in the end the only steps that matter are the ones you take all by yourself. 

-The Weepies

As a foreigner in Honduras, one of the requirements to my stay here is renewing my visa every 90 days. After about three months in the country, a foreigner must leave the CA-4 (which includes Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua- all the countries that touch Honduras) and stay out of these countries for at least 72 hours. This means I just HAVE to leave and explore more of Central America... not a bad deal!

My roommate and I decided to go to Costa Rica where she has a friend whom she met while she studied abroad. So, we had a free place to stay in the mountains- rather volcanoes- of Costa Rica. Yes, Fernando was his name and he lived half way up a volcanic mountain. Sure it sounds dangerous but the last time the volcano erupted it just let out a lot of smoke and the wind was blowing down the other side of the mountain so he wasn't affected... phew!

Fernando's porch

Now there are two options to get to Costa Rica- you can either "chicken bus" your way there or take an 18-hour direct bus. We were bringing our laptops to work while we were there so hopping our way on and off chicken buses and dodging bandits and thieves didn't sound like the best idea. So we bought tickets for TransNica and set out at 4am on a Thursday. By about 8am we were already at the Honduras-Nicaragua border.  And truthfully, the Central American borders are just as sketchy as they show on TV. You don't feel safe, there is no direction, no order, and you are constantly minding your things because any second they could disappear. You continually have to keep a lookout in every direction and the kids that offer to "help" you with your bags are quick with their hands so it is best to do it yourself. 

Fernando's street

When we arrived at the border, we all had to get off the bus, pay the entrance fee to the next country, get our passports stamped, and then have our bags checked. This all sounds legit except the fact that this "checking" of the bags consist of a swift slip of the hand in the side of your bag and then you are waved on. On our way back, the police officer took one look at us and didn't even ask to open our bags! It really didn't seem to difficult to be able to conceal something...

While we are through "aduana" (customs) the bus is sprayed down to prevent any kind of bugs, animals, or disease from crossing the border. Everyone shuffles along and we try to make our monetary conversions with the men as discrete as possible. Our Honduran bank cards say they don't work outside of Honduras so we had to make sure we had enough cash for the whole trip... (which turned out to be longer than expected! Good thing I'm a big just-in-case planner!)

Parul with Susanitas

It took about an hour to get through the border and then we were back on the road, trekking through Nicaragua. Like Honduras, Nicaragua has beautiful landscape and we were surprised to see fields upon fields of massive windmills. Farming and sugar cane fields lined the road. It was a smooth drive until we hit Managua, the capitol of Nicaragua. Here we had to get off again and switch buses and endure the anxiety while we stood, quite waiting, quite vulnerably with our bags at our feet. Another four hours later we reached the Nicaragua-Costa Rica border where we went through customs and baggage check yet again. Then finally at about 10pm that night, we arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica and dear Fernando was there to greet us.

Fernando's neighborhood

Fernando's house is located off of a steep dirt road with a gorgeous view down the mountain. Colorful hammocks decorate his wide wrap-around porch and his three golden retrievers add to the character of the lofted wooden cottage. His wide open living room, which poured into the kitchen, was so warm and welcoming. We stayed in his loft and were lovingly woken up by the dogs every morning.

view from his street

One day we decided to take the public bus down to the center of town (Turialba). We weaved through mountains and lush green fields and crossed rivers. Fernando referred to his town as "very rural" but this level of rural was still very far from that of Honduras. Costa Rica is still technically considered a developing country but the houses are significantly more equipped and this country has one of the best health care systems in all of Central America- some say better than the U.S. because the government has universal health care and it has proved to be very successful. Costa Rica also doesn't have a military- another interesting fact! 

Just driving through town it is obvious that this country is different from other Central American nations. We felt perfectly safe walking around town at night- we even went out with our cameras! We hardly have any pictures of the streets of Honduras because we don't dare carry our cameras out with us!

So after a few wonderful nights with Fernando-- visiting his favorite local bar, having dinner as one of his neighbor's house, and playing with his cute doggies-- we headed back to San Jose to catch the TransNica bus back to Honduras. BUT.... come to find out, it was sold out! And not only were there no seats for the following day but the next available bus wasn't until Tuesday. We couldn't believe our ears at first- it was Saturday and we weren't going to be able to get back to Tegucigalpa until late Tuesday night- while we both had to get back to work! So we were, essentially, stuck in Costa Rica!

Volcan Irazú

Now I promise- this truly wasn't as bad as it sounds... who wouldn't want to be stuck in Costa Rica?! We found a hostel and made ourselves comfortable and began to re-plan our next three days. Since we had the time and nothing better to do we decided to go to the top of the tallest volcano in Cost Rica- why not right?! It is called Volcan Irazú and was one of the coolest things I've ever done. Once we were up there, we walked around the crater and could see way down inside of it. At the bottom of the huge opening was this murky, almost fluorescent, neon green water. They say that you can see the steam from the volcano from miles away. While it was pretty chilly and windy way up there, you could lay on the ground and it was hot to the touch! I may have stolen some volcanic sand while I was up there...

my roommate and me with Fernando

The next couple of days consisted of working on our laptops while basking in the sun at our hostel, touring around downtown and making stops at some local bars to check out the scene. We wandered the railroad tracks at night and went to a delicious tea bar. Though we spent a bit more money than we anticipated, getting stuck in Costa Rica was definitely a cool experience.

Thanksgiving in community

Pleasure is spread through the earth
In stray gifts to be claimed by whoever shall find.

~William Wordsworth, 1806

the feast!

My experience of the holiday season in Honduras was a bit different than in the US… to say the least. It is the strangest thing to be looking at a Christmas tree in the office while I’m wearing a tank top and sandals… But even though this holiday season is nothing like I’m used to, the people I live and work with have made it a truly memorable experience. We had a huge Thanksgiving feast at our apartment and it got pretty cramped with over 40 people in our tiny living room but it was great to be surrounded by such wonderful people. The preparation process was astronomical! We ended up using 4 ovens between three houses to make all of the food… and there was certainly a ton of it! We made a huge batch of sangria using one of our water jugs… and it was such a hit that it was gone before dinner was on the table! Before we ate, we took the time to go around to every person to share what we were thankful for.  This was the most diverse Thanksgiving dinner I’ve ever had- with all of the different nationalities we have in the house, the table was filled with Spanish rice, Tandoori fish, and my personal favorite, Mom’s stuffing. (This was my first time truly cooking it all on my own and it was a true success!) Though I would have liked to be with my family on Thanksgiving Day, I definitely have a second family here in Honduras… and I think we are going to have leftovers for the next month.

the ride to Zurzular

Eddie, Maria Cristina and their five children

The next morning after the big feast, a bunch of head packed up and headed out to community at 6am. This community visit turned my Thanksgiving weekend into the most inspiring Thanksgiving weekend I’ve ever had.

I was out in one of our communities called Zurzular for three days participating in public health projects. We worked in a family’s home and in three days, we constructed two concrete floors, a stove, a water pila, and a full latrine with its own septic.  This was the first Public Health project that Global Brigades has brought to the family so it was pretty exciting to the community members. All of the neighbors were crowded around all day, greeting us with smiles and offering us their homemade coffee. The mayor, Don Antonio, was very present throughout the three day process and it was great to see him so involved with his people.

the family's home

I am going to have a hard time trying to explain this weekend- it just simply cannot be put into words how wonderful it was to work with this family and help to change their lives for the better. This family has five children and both parents, Maria Cristina and Eddie, are 30 years old and all seven of them sleep in the same small room, with walls built out of adobe and a ceiling of metal paneling and large rocks to hold it down. Before these projects, their bedroom and kitchen had dirt floors. They used an inefficient adobe stove and would collect their water in a large plastic bin. This bin didn’t have any way to drain so it would get quite dirty and attract mosquitoes, which leads to infection. They also didn’t have their own latrine and would have to use to the bathroom at the neighbor’s house across the dirt road. 

before we started the latrine...

almost there...

...ready for use!

I personally was helping to build the concrete floors and the stove. We build concrete floors for these families because it cuts back on bugs in the home as well as minimize the dust that gets kicked up from walking on the dirt, which can lead to respiratory infections and asthma. Similarly, their stove often leaked smoke into the home and burned wood at an inefficient rate.

their home before we started working

To start, we used a plastic hose filled with water to find a level measurement around on the walls, from which we measured down to create a uniform level height for the floor. Then we used a level and string to form our two maistras or guidelines of concrete. I can’t even count how many buckets of concrete we ended up making but I have about 15 bruises on each thigh from hoisting up buckets of dirt above my shoulders! And this family lives on the side of a cliff and making your way up and down a dirt cliff with a ton of dirt in your arms is no easy task!

mixing and laying the concrete

getting the level for the floor

The two concrete floors took a day each and the third day we spend constructing the stove. We mixed more concrete as the two rows of concrete dried and then used a long piece of 2x4 to level the rest of the room. We scraped side to side to lay the rest of the floor, as someone else went back over the already-laid sections to create the pure cement finish. It was an intense back workout but I’ve never felt better to be doing manual labor. The emotional reward was indescribable. Maria Cristina would peer into her kitchen as we worked and just quietly watch and smile. Eddie, a skinny but undeniably strong man, was running around all day with us, working at a speed that tripled each of us. To have him so involved in the projects and always asking what to do next really expressed how thankful he was and how badly he wants to learn how to maintain his home in a healthier way. Even the children—who followed us around all day, so interested in what were doing—were so excited to be the first the ones of their friends to be getting these projects in their home.

the old water basin

constructing the new brick and concrete pila

The pila was another very exciting project for the family. Prior to our brick and concrete pila, the family stored their water in a plastic bin and cleaned their clothing by scrubbing it on a rock. Now, they have a washboard and an efficient draining system for their water storage so they can clean their collection tank often and easily. Hollie got a good shot of Maria Cristina looking at her pila in almost disbelief, as she repeated “¡Mi pila! ¡Es la mia!” (MY pila. It’s mine!).

the new pila

It took a team of about twelve of us to complete these projects in the three days and though they were filled with long demanding hours, I couldn’t help but think about how hard Eddie works everyday just to maintain the little bit he has for his family. As we worked hand-in-hand with the family and played around with the curious kids in between, I just kept thinking about how proud Dad would have been to see this. He may not have understood why I wanted to move here but I think if he could see these projects he would be able to relate and really see how our efforts directly affect the family. I could see him thinking that this stuff is pretty cool!

the team

Thanksgiving weekend was probably the most appropriate time for such a project, being the weekend to recognize what you’re thankful for. The family was so thankful to now have their own complete facilities and I am thankful that they showed me such a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.

Maria Cristina

Another hiking adventure...

Real elation is when you feel you could touch

a star without standing on tiptoe.

~Doug Larson

A couple weeks ago, a bunch of us took the Land Cruiser out past one of our communities and went on an all-day hike. This was nothing like the other hikes we’ve been on… this was more like rock climbing! I mean literally, we brought rope and had to use it to get up a few boulders at one point! We were under the impression that we would be following a river the entire was to the waterfall, but instead we were actually hiking through the river the entire time! We were drenched all day- good thing I wore my spandex which dry fairly quickly! It was a treacherous hike and obviously I sprained my ankle again! We were constantly balancing and climbing over rocks, wading up to our waists in water, and scaling down the sides of boulders. A few of us took some spills and were drenched up to their necks the whole time! 

 

 

Community visit to Joyas

"Learning to speak another's language means taking one's place in the human community. It means reaching out to others across cultural and linguistic boundaries. Language is far more than a system to be explained. It is our most important link to the world around us. Language is culture in motion. It is people interacting with people."
- Sandra Savignon

While on the staff retreat at our compound, we took the Panama staff to one of our communities to show them a few of our projects here in Honduras. We took them to a town called Joyas, where we recently had an inauguration because the Water, Public Health, and Microfinance projects have been completed there.

collection tank above the community

We drove about an hour and a half in the land cruiser to the community and then we listened as Ben (our Water Brigades Lead) explained the Water project that he helped to execute in this community. Under the direction of his team, students from all over the U.S. helped to complete a sustainable water system for this community. They laid about 8 kilometers of piping to bring fresh water to the people's homes. It was so incredible to learn about this project more in depth. Ben explained everything- how the pumps work to collect the water, how the pressure of the water builds up as it travels, how the PBC piping is laid in the ground, and how the waters collects in the distribution take above the community before it is distributed to all the homes. We hiked up to the distribution tank where we could see the river in the distance from which the lines collect the water. 

GB brick and mortar stove

pila with wash board shelf

Then we were welcomed into the home of one of the families and listened as Moises (one of the Public Health Coordinators) explained how the PH team constructed an efficient stove for the family. It looked quite simple by American standards but this unadorned stove changed this family's habits and dramatically increase their health. Because of this stove, the family no longer has to breath in all the smoke that it emits- we installed a chimney that directs the smoke out of their home. There was also an accessible latch on the side from which the family members can easily clean the inside of the stove and chimney. Moises demonstrated this process for us to show us just how much soot the stove is emitted- after one swipe, the rag was black. It was almost unbelievable to think that until GB came to this community, the women would cook all day long and breath in all this smoke and so much soot would collect on the ceilings and walls of this home, and the children would constantly be breathing in the fumes. It made me smile inside that GB did such a simple thing for this family but it really impacted their life at home.

old latrine

Next we checked out the pila. This is basically the family sink. It is a concrete water basin that is located outside the home and it can be filled up with a hose from the faucet that Water Brigades installed. There is a top shelf that has a drain so that you can scoop water from the basin and wash your hands and dishes. There is also a wash board on the shelf for cleaning clothes. Interesting how we have a porcelain sink in every bathroom in our home and picking out the kind of kitchen sink you want is often a big deal in the States- it has to match, it has to be the right size, the right height... these people are delighted and so thankful for a concrete one outside of their home.

new GB latrine!

Another project that GB Public Health completed for every family in this community was to construct a latrine at every home. Many of the old latrines (if a family had one) were usually made out of flimsy wooden sides with a cloth serving as a door. GB constructed a concrete one, with solid floors and metal paneling for the door. Every latrine is hooked up to a septic tank, that is either completely new or a renovated version of their old one. These septic tanks will last 10-15 years, depending on the size of the family. The tank is also covered by concrete instead of just wood so the substance doesn't get into the group as much when the wood rots. The system is very simple- there's no seat on the toilet, no handle- it flushes from pressure when you add water. This simple change, however, prevents a lot of disease for the family and also allows them to go to the bathroom close to home, rather than having to hike up into the mountain, which ultimately results in their feces coming back down to their home when it rains.

my boss and 2 other wonderful ladies that I work with- overlooking Joyas

It was so wonderful to get a detailed explanation of two of our most exciting developmental projects. It really made me feel more connected to the communities that we work with, as well as to the rest of the Honduran and Panamanian staff. As I walked through this beautiful community with my fellow staff members, gazed at incredible views, and listened to details about what GB is known for by the people we serve, I just thought to myself how lucky I am to be standing on such a gorgeous mountain in the middle of Honduras with such wonderful people who are dedicated to empowering the lives of others.

Community Inauguration in Joyas

Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.
- Albert Einstein

One of the first things I noticed when I moved to this country was the overwhelming need of simple necessities. In the U.S., we don't think about how luxurious it is to have plumbing and running water and refrigerators to store food in... but imagine for a minute that we didn't have all of these things. We sometimes joke here about how we can't throw toilet paper in the toilet when we use the bathroom but I have come to view any plumbing at all as a luxury. It is something that many of the communities we visit don't have until start working with them.

the state with the beautiful handmade decorations

Last Friday, all of us staff were invited to an inauguration in one of our communities because GB had successfully finished all of the Water, Public Health, and Micro-finance projects in this community. Over the last year, GB staff and U.S. students have been working with the community members to bring running water from the mountains to their homes, to construct latrines throughout the community, and to establish a micro-financial system so that members can manage their money and practice loans.
Today in Joyas, water is pumped from the source, filtered and chlorinated, and is available to the people via a simple faucet in their home. This water is clean and drinkable and the community members are more grateful to have this single faucet than we are to have an entire running sink in every kitchen and bathroom in our homes... unbelievable isn't it?

one of the teenagers' performances

This community is also now equipped with a latrine outside every home so the people no longer have to hike to the mountains to go to the bathroom. These latrines are quite simple, typically a cinder-block stall with a toilet basin in the middle connected to septic hole. In order to flush the toilet, a bucket of water is poured in after use (nope, no handle or anything!).

We brought simple things to this community but the way the people spoke and expressed their gratitude was so heartwarming. You could feel the gratitude and thanks beaming from these people as they spoke. One woman made me cry when she read a poem that she wrote. She was thanking God for everyone who had helped her and her community and expressing how wonderful it is to be able to clean in her home with running water. She compared the GB workers and students to God's angels who brought these great gifts to her community. It was unbelievable to hear first hand how much we have helped to better these people's lives.

drinking from the freshly-installed water faucet

Also during the ceremony, women sang songs, filled with lyrics of gratitude, and children performed skits and plays centered around what they have learned from GB. They sang about washing their hands before eating, brushing their teeth, and picking up their trash around the community.
The ceremony was beautiful and it definitely struck home with reiterating what we are all doing here.


Like most of the communities we work with, Joyas is located over 2 hours away form the city and it is mainly dirt roads that lead to this community. It is no easy task to reach these areas and flat tires are not uncommon during the journey! The dirt roads are often obstructed by huge ditches and rivers. It was an adventure for sure, and I have to say I was a bit uneasy as we crossed some rivers that had fairly strong currents. Here are some pictures of our journey to Joyas...

Amapala... otra vez!

Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.  

~Mohammed Ali

pulling up to the island

If I could to become a fisherman, walk around barefoot all day, play beach soccer on a daily basis, and drive a boat for a living, then I would so move to Amapala...
After taking a day trip to this beautiful peaceful island with Mom, I knew I had to return. So last weekend, 13 of us headed down for the weekend. 

fishing canoes and beach-side huts

women preparing our yummy fish

It is the most secluded and tranquil island I have ever seen. It is so quiet and remote that you feel like you are worlds away from civilization... which is not inaccurate to say. The beaches are quiet and undeveloped, populated with a few simple huts and cabanas. Hammocks are an abundance. Boys play soccer on the dark sand. Men wheel in their fishing canoes on round blocks. Kids play in the water all day long, while their parents clean the in-coming fish in their beach-side mom-and-pop restaurants. We were treated like family when we stepped up to one of these restaurants- I wanted to show everyone the same place Mom and I had gone. After wading in the water and taking massive amounts of pictures, we all feasted on incredible fish, shrimp, and fried plantain chips. It was once again, the best seafood I have ever had- not an exaggeration!

freshest fish ever!

 

clothes drying on people's fence

After we ate, we walked along the beach, went swimming and explored some caves. We had enjoyed a trip around the island, standing in the bed of a truck... it was an experience. The island is so beautiful. The streets are all cobblestone. The houses that line the roads are not as poor-looking as those in the mainland but instead just simpler and the colors on the island are strikingly bright.

a shot from the back of the truck

I truly want to move here. Everything is so simple and everyone is so friendly- the children on the beach befriended us with no hesitation and they just loved our digital cameras! Emily and Christina met these two beautiful girls last time, Angie and Margery, and they remembered them and loved playing with all of us. They had a kitten, newborn puppies, and chicks at their home! I went swimming with the younger one who couldn't swim so I held her in the water and she was so brave!

Christina's great shot of Margery

It was really interesting to observe these girls' childhood. They entertain themselves each day on the beach all day long, playing with rocks and shells, swimming in the water with their friends, jumping off the anchored boats along the shore, all along with no adult supervision. In the States, we treat children as fragile little dolls that shouldn't be left alone-- especially around water-- and these girls got along just fine, never complaining about being bored or bothering their parents for something to do. When they were served lunch, they took their plates with gratitude and found their own place to sit within the little cabana restaurant. They ate in silence and though they were young, they fed themselves without any help and cleared their plates, without being picky about what they were given to eat.

These two little girls aren't needy like so many kids I have babysat for in the states. They didn't throw tantrums for not having enough Legos or beg to have one more piece of candy or complain that it was too hot to be outside... they make due with what they have and they enjoy the simplicity of their lives, and they taught us a thing or two about simple appreciation for the beautiful place in which they live and spend everyday of their lives. Of course they don't think about how they are playing on a beautiful secluded beach, surrounded by the mountainous islands of El Salvador and Nicaragua; this is their life and only us tourists are fascinated by the peaceful tranquility of the mountain island. For these little girls, this is everyday life...

The strolls around the island were so amazing, but the stroll home was not so enjoyable...

my first flat tire experience in Honduras

Our 3 hour trip back home turned into 9 after we endured three, yes THREE flat tires on the bus ride back! You see smooth roads in this country are about as common as hot water-- which is not at all! The first time we hit two pot holes in a row- and by pot holes I mean man holes (about 3 feet wide and 4 inches deep! Yes, we went back to look...) and this blew out that back two tires. Like most vehicles, we only had one spare on the bus so we had to wait for a friend to come meet us, pick up the tire, drive into town to get it repaired, and then bring it back to us... this took about 3 1/2 hours... oh and it was raining, obviously. In the midst of our waiting around on the side of a random road that looked like it was out of the movie Jeepers Creepers, we entertained ourselves by chasing down frogs, playing cards, and climbing trees to pick random fruit. A sweet Honduran family actually stopped to pass the time with us- they told it was a dangerous area for a bunch of white people to be hanging out alone. They stayed with us for over an hour while we waited and they had young children with them too! It was so sweet of them.

We thought all was fine and good once we finally got on the road again but within about another hour everyone woke back up to that all too familiar sound of driving on a rim... the repaired tire had blown out. This time we were stuck just after a nice bend in the road so we decided to stay in the bus. We passed another 2 hours telling each other brain teasers and riddles... it was great bonding actually!

We finally arrived back home at around 2am, starving, still wet, and beyond tired. I'd say the seafood was well worth it though!