Yesterday was the one year anniversary of us being in site. At this time last year, I was traveling to a place I barely knew, nervous, shy, and wondering what the hell I was thinking.
Now, everytime I go away from my site, and come back, I feel like I´m coming home. The people, the environment, the life, is all so beautiful here. I absolutely love it, and it´ll be really tough to leave. But at the same time, I´m beginning to look towards the future. Excited, and ready for what lies ahead.
I miss you all, and I´ll see you in a year!
lunes, 29 de septiembre de 2008
lunes, 8 de septiembre de 2008
More stories with my parents
I wanted to write a couple more stories about when my parents were here, because I didn’t have much time before. Some highlights of their visit were:
1. Watching their plane land, then watching on the screen as they came through the door from the plane and stand in line to get their passports checked, and finally running to give them a hug, holding my tears back while my mom choked up.
2. Going with my mom (my dad was feeling a little under the weather that day) to visit the profesora, the lady that I lived with for 5 months, who is one of the most dynamic, and my favorite people in all of Agua Fría. The moment she saw my mom, she gave her a huge hug, and looked happier than ever to see her (happier than she ever has been to see me). When we went into the house, we had a good conversation (with me frantically translating everything, as she talks faster than any person I’ve ever met), which eventually led into the death penalty, and how people in Honduras were up in arms about a person who was going to be put to death that night in Texas. The pain she expressed of her people, and how much against the death penalty they were really touched my mom, and she told me later how much she respects a culture that respects life so much.
3. Visiting a wonderful woman from my town who makes some excellent bread. She left a lasting impression on my parents, being the caring, sweet and generous woman that she is. At one point, we were talking about the church, and my dad took out a rosary that had been sent to him in the mail for free, but looked really nice. She looked at it admiringly and instantly, my mom told me to tell her that they wanted to give it to her. Her eyes lit up when my dad handed it to her. I know that was a moment neither of them would ever forget. A couple weeks later, when I was at her house for the funeral that I talked about in my last blog, I saw her take out that same rosary while they were praying for the deceased baby.
4. Watching my mom, who hates coffee with a passion (bad luck, coming to a country where it’s custom to drink coffee at least 3 times a day), run over to the side of the house while no one was watching to dump out the unwanted coffee they had given her. A practice that I, in fact have gotten pretty used to, especially when given more than I can bear to eat.
5. When my parents and I went down to the house of a friend who wasn’t there, but where her kids and tons of others had curiously gathered around to see who these strange people were. My parents took tons of pictures of them, and they kept asking for more and more, getting excited each time we clicked the button. My parents were also having the time of their lives taking the pictures.
6. When my dad asked to take a picture of me and my counterpart, Isai. A picture I will cherish forever, mainly because in any other circumstance, I would never ask him for such a thing.
7. The first time someone mentioned that my parents were ¨gorditos¨ (literally meaning little fat person, but something they freely say to anyone who isn’t as skinny as a flagpole). I had no idea what to say to them, trying to quickly change the translation. My mother demanded to know what the woman had just said, seeing the look on my face. Not being quick enough to make something up, I just told her the truth, saying it wasn’t an insult, just a term of endearment here. She didn’t take it as that. My father either, and the two of them brought it up every once and a while since then throughout the trip, slightly offended.
8. When my parents met Ada, one of the poorest women I know, but extremely generous with what she does have, and a very special friend of mine. She is humble, but still very outgoing with every one, despite their race, sex, or social standing. I loved being able to introduce her and her kids to my parents
9. Going to a prayer event that had been going on all day, and was just finishing when we got there. The women had been praying since 5 in the morning for the soul of a deceased woman who had died that day a year ago. They prayed 5 rosaries throughout the course of the day, and served lunch and coffee and bread in the afternoon. This is a normal custom, something that I have been to various times, and I loved being able to share it with them.
10. Cooking typical and delicious food for my parents
11. Watching when my dad first started driving with the crazy Hondurans, as he carefully passed small cars only on long open stretches, slightly nervous the entire time. By the end of the trip, my mom and I had given him the nickname ¨Honduran,¨ because he was driving just like one. Even after they got back, my mom told me that he still acted a little crazy on the roads once and a while!
12.Watching my parents reaction every time I jokingly mentioned that I was going to marry a Honduran and stay in Honduras forever
13.Going to the house of the family I stayed with during training. This family is like my Honduran family. I love them, and they have always taken good care of me. I loved getting the chance to introduce them to my parents.
14.Teaching my classes on the weekends with my parents there. Teaching the kids here brings me such an overwhelming joy that I don’t get from anything else, and I loved being able to do it with my parents there, although they didn’t understand a word I said to my kids. But they still recognized the relationship that I had with them, and admired the love and respect the kids had for me.
1. Watching their plane land, then watching on the screen as they came through the door from the plane and stand in line to get their passports checked, and finally running to give them a hug, holding my tears back while my mom choked up.
2. Going with my mom (my dad was feeling a little under the weather that day) to visit the profesora, the lady that I lived with for 5 months, who is one of the most dynamic, and my favorite people in all of Agua Fría. The moment she saw my mom, she gave her a huge hug, and looked happier than ever to see her (happier than she ever has been to see me). When we went into the house, we had a good conversation (with me frantically translating everything, as she talks faster than any person I’ve ever met), which eventually led into the death penalty, and how people in Honduras were up in arms about a person who was going to be put to death that night in Texas. The pain she expressed of her people, and how much against the death penalty they were really touched my mom, and she told me later how much she respects a culture that respects life so much.
3. Visiting a wonderful woman from my town who makes some excellent bread. She left a lasting impression on my parents, being the caring, sweet and generous woman that she is. At one point, we were talking about the church, and my dad took out a rosary that had been sent to him in the mail for free, but looked really nice. She looked at it admiringly and instantly, my mom told me to tell her that they wanted to give it to her. Her eyes lit up when my dad handed it to her. I know that was a moment neither of them would ever forget. A couple weeks later, when I was at her house for the funeral that I talked about in my last blog, I saw her take out that same rosary while they were praying for the deceased baby.
4. Watching my mom, who hates coffee with a passion (bad luck, coming to a country where it’s custom to drink coffee at least 3 times a day), run over to the side of the house while no one was watching to dump out the unwanted coffee they had given her. A practice that I, in fact have gotten pretty used to, especially when given more than I can bear to eat.
5. When my parents and I went down to the house of a friend who wasn’t there, but where her kids and tons of others had curiously gathered around to see who these strange people were. My parents took tons of pictures of them, and they kept asking for more and more, getting excited each time we clicked the button. My parents were also having the time of their lives taking the pictures.
6. When my dad asked to take a picture of me and my counterpart, Isai. A picture I will cherish forever, mainly because in any other circumstance, I would never ask him for such a thing.
7. The first time someone mentioned that my parents were ¨gorditos¨ (literally meaning little fat person, but something they freely say to anyone who isn’t as skinny as a flagpole). I had no idea what to say to them, trying to quickly change the translation. My mother demanded to know what the woman had just said, seeing the look on my face. Not being quick enough to make something up, I just told her the truth, saying it wasn’t an insult, just a term of endearment here. She didn’t take it as that. My father either, and the two of them brought it up every once and a while since then throughout the trip, slightly offended.
8. When my parents met Ada, one of the poorest women I know, but extremely generous with what she does have, and a very special friend of mine. She is humble, but still very outgoing with every one, despite their race, sex, or social standing. I loved being able to introduce her and her kids to my parents
9. Going to a prayer event that had been going on all day, and was just finishing when we got there. The women had been praying since 5 in the morning for the soul of a deceased woman who had died that day a year ago. They prayed 5 rosaries throughout the course of the day, and served lunch and coffee and bread in the afternoon. This is a normal custom, something that I have been to various times, and I loved being able to share it with them.
10. Cooking typical and delicious food for my parents
11. Watching when my dad first started driving with the crazy Hondurans, as he carefully passed small cars only on long open stretches, slightly nervous the entire time. By the end of the trip, my mom and I had given him the nickname ¨Honduran,¨ because he was driving just like one. Even after they got back, my mom told me that he still acted a little crazy on the roads once and a while!
12.Watching my parents reaction every time I jokingly mentioned that I was going to marry a Honduran and stay in Honduras forever
13.Going to the house of the family I stayed with during training. This family is like my Honduran family. I love them, and they have always taken good care of me. I loved getting the chance to introduce them to my parents.
14.Teaching my classes on the weekends with my parents there. Teaching the kids here brings me such an overwhelming joy that I don’t get from anything else, and I loved being able to do it with my parents there, although they didn’t understand a word I said to my kids. But they still recognized the relationship that I had with them, and admired the love and respect the kids had for me.
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