hellooo!
I have internet for the day and thought that a new entry definitely had to happen, as it’s been over two months since the last post. So very sorry to anyone who checks this regularly for updates-you should probably stop. :)☺
I am currently sweating profusely and wishing with all my heart that I had a fan in my room, as we’ve now entered the hellacious summer season, where even the native Floridian and lover of sunny weather wants to kill herself.
Ok, so since last time (holy mac, since Thanksgiving!), I celebrated my first Honduran Christmas, vacationed on the North Coast for New Years, participated in a medical brigade, and fell more in love with my beautiful little pueblo.
So Christmas. A little bit different than how I’m accustomed to celebrating, but beautiful nonetheless. I’ve grown up in a family of Christmas fanatics. 12ft tree, lightup Santa and sleigh on the roof, nativity scenes in every room, special Christmas china, even holiday specific shower curtains. And I love every bit of it. Thus, celebrating away from home was bound to be difficult. And though I very much missed all of the aforementioned, the warmth and love that I received from my community was such an affirmation that despite the occasional hardship, getting to live here is such a gift. I ate nacatamales ‘till I was sick, and then moved on to my new fave food-torejas, basically French toast, but drenched in syrup. I received lessons on how to make each, because my host mom still hasn’t lost hope in my learning how to cook. Here in Alubaren, you basically just house hop, eating and chatting at each destination, which was amazing. We finished off Christmas with a Catholic mass and dancing for all us heathens. ☺
So, after that, I packed my bags and left to visit my bud Sarah in El Paraiso, where we hung out with the Boy Scouts, ate delicious baleadas, and then left to visit our old host families in Talanga. It was wonderful to see Dona Dulce and the gang. I have been so unbelievably lucky with my host family experiences. They’re ally doing well and were superexcited that I had come to visit. After spending a day there, we left yet again and headed up to the North Coast for a big gringo New Years in La Ceiba! It was absolutely fabulous to see friends that I hadn’t heard from since training and to catch up. Annnnd seeing the beach after having withdrawals for the past 6 months was also incredible. Sooo new years, surrounded by good friends and sandy beaches, was a beautiful thing.
Que mas? Ah! Medical brigade! The fabulous volunteer before me had put me in contact with a woman in a nearby aldea whose son had a club foot. The club foot brigade arrived in mid January, so off we went hoping that Lester would be eligible for the surgery. We definitely had adventures in Teguz, as she had seen the capitol one other time in her life and my Spanish is still intermediate at best. There was fear over riding an escalator, refusal to eat fried chicken because Church’s doesn’t provide tortillas, and laughter every step of the way. Lester ended up not needing the surgery, as his case was supermild in comparison to the other kids, but they gave him orthopedic inserts and we’ll head back in 4 months to make sure that he’s improving.
Playing soccer on the women’s team here has been such a blast. We recently had a game, the highlight of which was being announced as the “gringaaaa peligrosaaaa” (dangerous American girl). This time, one of the nearby towns came to Alubaren to play and to prepare the field, we swept it. With brooms made of tree branches. For two hours. I should mention that our field has no grass, but has an abundance of giant rocks, cow manure, and small pebbles. Haha yayyyy for new experiences!
I also just got back from RECONNECT, a weeklong training where I got to see all of my favorite youth volunteers. It was so much fun to see everyone but at the end, I was ready to get back to Alubaren. It really feels like home. I got off the bus and was immediately invited into a friend’s house to eat delicious rice, toasty tortillas, and coke and then was greeted with shouts and hugs from the neighborhood kids. Life is good. ☺
There’s so much more to tell, but that’s the downside to posting every 3 months. I’ll try to write again sooner, now that I have somewhat steady internet.
Love you guys so so very much. Come visit!!
Love,
margaret

Hi friends!
I thought that it was probably time to update this with news from Alubaren! I am currently approaching my third month in site and am truly having a blast. I just feel unbelievably lucky to get to live a life full of adventure and beautiful kids and swimming holes and, well, I’m just seriously blessed. I am realizing that I am absolutely terrible at updating this blog with actual facts and details of my life here so here’s my best try. ☺
I am still living with my host family, a delightfully full and chaotic house that consists of my mom, Robertina, a teacher in the primary school, and my 4 host siblings, who range in ages from 22 to 3. In addition, my mom is currently renting out the extra rooms in the house to a mysterious man named Don Jorge, who in my two months I’ve only seen once when we happened to be brushing our teeth at the same time, and Jorgito, who lives in the room next to mine with his wife and 2 year old daughter. Add to the mix my mom’s boyfriend who visits on weekends and the mountain of aunts, uncles, and cousins that pop in every day and you’ll have a glimpse of my homelife. Thank goodness I love people, because I can imagine that for some, sharing a living space with 11 other people might seem like hell. I love it though! It’s a little bit hectic when sharing the one shower and bathroom, but absolutely never boring. I’ll probably live here ‘till January, and will then move into my own place, as my visitors will need somewhere to stay (i.e. seeester visit-February 2011-partayyyyyy!!). so that’s the fam.
As for work, we are currently starting summer vacation, so the past week has been a whirlwind of school parties and graduation ceremonies. I finished up Yo Se Leer, handed out diplomas, and listened to precious speeches by the parents, who are thrilled that their children can now read. With the school closing ‘till Feb, I’ll be switching my focus to the NGO in town and the centro de salud. Oh. And baseball. Las Panteras started training this week, and I can say that it was an unequivocal disaster. Ok. Those of you reading this that know me are aware of my limited knowledge when it comes to sports. So teaching baseball (a ridiculously stupidly technical sport), in Spanish, with VERY limited resources is an adventure in itself. In addition to these obstacles, my jugadores often arrive to practice with their younger siblings in tow, so while attempting to lead drills (lifted from the Cal Ripken Jr. guide on “Coaching Youth Baseball, The Ripken Way”, thanks dad!), I have 2 year olds dancing in batting helmets and trying on the catchers gear. Oh, and there are often the 8 year olds who, bitter about the fact that they’re one year shy of the required age to play, shoot off firecrackers in the hills behind the field. So, I don’t think it’s any shock that I am coming to dread MWF 3-5pm.
In addition to baseball, I’ll continue to do the pregnant women’s charlas in the health center and will be working more closely with ADACAR, especially in regard to utilizing the local library. Aside from my official work with my counterparts, I’ve continued to spend time with Doña Marta, the town matriarch, who feeds me and attempts to marry me off to various men that she has deemed as handsome, worthy suitors. Awkward, but endearing. I’ve also been to two quincenearas and the superawesome receptions that followed. There was a lot of sitting in silence and trying not to notice the fact that I was being stared at like some sort of tall blonde alien. Annnnd then there was dancing, where I found myself assaulted by young males smelling like cheap liquor who were curious about my marital status and my interest in finding a latino boyfriend. I’m not sure that I ever want to repeat that experience, so I might be skipping out on the receptions from now on. I also find time to hang out my posse of kids who keep me busy playing in the park and in the river.
So really, life here is abundantly more than I ever could have hoped for. I leave my house every morning and am greeted with shouts from the kids next door, hugs from the old ladies selling tortillas, and invitations to come in and have a cup of coffee from the families that I’ve come to know during my two months. In short, this choice to come and live here for two years has yet to feel like a sacrifice. I’ve received so many letters commending me on my decision to give up the luxuries of the States, and while I definitely appreciate the mail and the warm thoughts, I don’t feel like I’ve given much up. I absolutely miss my family and friends. I miss being able to effortlessly express my thoughts and moods. But, along with the luxuries, I’ve gotten to give up the ridiculously rapid pace of life in the US, the prioritization of monetary success over community, the tendency to live each day burdened with a mountain of obligations and stress. I don’t mean this to sound preachy or self righteous. I am aware that my choice to live here for two years is only possible because of the sacrifices that others have made for me. I simply wanted to marvel at the fact that my supposed sacrifice rarely feels as such.
I miss you guys so so very much, especially my amazing family (Hamricks included) from whom I’ve gotten a package every single week. Thank you mom and aunt tonda and mrs. Liz-I love you guys to pieces-know that your craft supplies and brownie mixes have been enjoyed by an entire pueblo full of beautiful kids. Also, to all that have written me letters-they lift my spirits and bring me so much joy. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!
Love, love, love.
Margaret
P.S. it’s Thanksgiving today as I post this! Mi familia-I love you guys so so incredible much. You’re so much of the reason why I’m here, why I’m able to live out this adventure. On the hard days, I know that I have your support and am daily strengthened and encouraged by your words and your belief in me.

Alubaren!

Ok. So I have managed to let not one, but two months slide by without posting anything. And what a crazy two months it has been! I am now officially a Peace Corps Volunteer and have already been in my new site for over a month! There is so much to share, but I will try to keep it relatively brief, because I realize that much of this blog is really only interesting for my mother. Here we go.
My site:
My next two years will be spent in a small pueblo called Alubaren, a beautiful little town nestled in the mountains. It’s got about 4000 people total, with a little over a 1000 living in the casco urbano and the rest living in the surrounding aldeas. Annnd it’s chockfull of rivers, swimming holes, meadows, and flowers. The crazyabundant natural beauty more than makes up for the fact that we have no bank, no restaurants, and often no lights. There are two churches, one catholic and one evangelical respectively and a charming old park. And then there are about 16 pulperias, selling an assortment of vegetables, toiletries, and junk food. It’s about 3 hours from Tegucigalpa and 4 hours from Choluteca and 2 hours from El Salvador. So those are the details about my new home!
My first month here hasn’t been one of extreme programming but it’s been incredibly busy. I’ve realized that I am much more people-oriented than task-oriented (a fact that few of you will find shocking) and that works well with the pace here. We were told in training that it’s important to gain the community’s confidence and trust before beginning projects and so that’s been my focus. ☺
My days are full of home visits, where I’m given coffee and cooked squash with sugar on top (I almost died the first time this was placed in front of me), or playing baseball with the boys that hang around my house. I take kids to the river for swimming adventures and attend charismatic church services where I once saw a woman shimmying because the Spirit moved her. And its out of these moments that I’m beginning to get a clarity of focus for the needs of this community. I’m learning that people will not knock on my door with a list of problems that they’d like me to fix. But when I’m sitting on the floor of the local pulperia, playing with this adorable 2 year old, I’ll be approached by a woman who wants me to teach her to read. Yeah I have doubts. I often feel that Western urge to have tangible immediate results. But I’m trying my best to take time to listen first.
As of right now, I do a story hour once a week in the kinder, a literacy program for second and third graders that was started by the amazing volunteer before me, help out at the NGO, and spend time at the centro de salud. I’ll also be beginning baseball in November. Ohmygoodness I’m dreading that a little bit. I know almost nothing about baseball and the little I do know is super diminished when you translate it into the Spanish I can speak. It’ll be an adventure! Hopefully I’ll write again soon!
Off to the swimming hole! ☺

I might be the worst blogger ever. there’s so much to tell but I often don’t have the energy to pause and jot down my thoughts and emotions in a coherent, interesting post. So you’ll have to deal with hearing from me once a month, when I am finally forced to process the past few weeks. I’ll be here in Talanga for just 5 more days before we head back to Zarabanda for a final week of training and then are sworn in as official Peace Corps Volunteers! Not much has changed since my last entry, my host family is still amazing, feeding me pancakes, French fries, and steak (I’m pretty sure that if I was to stay here for the entire 2 years of my service I would be 400 pounds). Training is going well-in regard to Spanish, I’ve advanced from Novice High to Intermediate Low! Yayyy!! In order to be sworn in, I have to end training as Intermediate Mid, so one more level to go!

I have officially been in Honduras for over two months! Ahhhh! And so far, I’m loving it. I love the slow pace, that buses run 2 hours late because the driver wants to stop and play cards at the local pulperia, that strangers are greeted with snacks and coffee, that schedules are never followed and plans are forever changing. I’m sure that the next two years will be filled with the frustrations that come with working in this environment, but for now, I feel like the girl who loves chaos and spontaneity, who is averse to all things rigid or punctual, has finally found her niche.

For the most part, life is pretty rosy, but there have been really bad days and moments of failure. I’m learning that the key to sanity here is to not take myself too seriously, and to look at each day with new eyes.

Por ejemplo:

Awhile ago we went a local school and talked with 5-6 year olds about dental hygiene. IN SPANISH. We split up into groups of 4 and went to different classrooms, armed with games and colorful posters. So we’re there for an hour talking about cavities and brushing your teeth. At the end of this talk, we decide to ask the kids questions to review. Starting with what I believe to be a no-brainer, Stacie asks “Que es un carie?” (What is a cavity). A girl in the back enthusiastically yells “Repollo!”(Cabbage). Ohmylord. Something went seriously wrong there. Whether it was the language barrier, complete disinterest, or some other freak occurrence that causes kids to connect cavities with large purple vegetables, we’ll never know, but somehow, the message wasn’t clear.

moments like that keep me grounded. They remind me that I’ve got a lot to learn and that the best laid plans often end in fiasco or misunderstanding. It’s also a reminder that in the midst of programs and projects, my focus has to be on creating relationships and learning from my community. Because the instant I let my pride convince me otherwise, I’ll completely miss the point and be caught yelling “repollo!” at the end of my time here.

In other news, my self directed project is going super fab! Part of our training consists of going to work in a school twice a week with a team of 3-4 other aspirantes. I do believe that I got incredibly lucky and have the best team and the best school! We’ve had around 45 kids every time, and that in itself is a crazy miracle with the teacher strikes going on. Those definitely merit an explanation

I’ll do my best but I’m not sure that I understand the situation completely.

Here goes:

Ok. So here in Honduras, the teachers have been on strike for the past 4 weeks. The reason given for the strike is dependent on who you ask, but I’ve gathered that there are a couple of factors. According to the teachers, the government is attempting to pass a law that lays the foundation for the privatization of schools. This, along with the fact that the government has been pulling money from their “social security” fund has the teachers up in arms. Add that the teachers union is bigtime powerful here AND that the teachers haven’t been paid in months and you will understand the why the situation is kind of intense. If it doesn’t get resolved soon, there’s talk that this school year won’t count and the kids will have to start over in Feb. I will just suffice it to say that this has been incredibly frustrating to witness.

Back to my self directed project. Next Thursday, we’ll be having a parade through the town, complete with masks, instruments, songs, and dance! For really great photos of the kids’ masks and fuego shakers, I’ll refer you to the blog of my dear friend Lisa Lavezzo because you guys know that I’m so not tech savvy.

Que mas? Oh! On Wednesday, I’ll be finding out the location of my site where I’ll be living for the next two YEARS! Ahh! I’ve received some hints and have been told that I will be in a rural community that is in the mountains near rivers. Super exciting!!

Ok. I’m going to go ahead and post! Love love love to any and all of you who read this!

1 month down!

lo siento to anyone who has checked my blog for updates in the last month! it has been a whirlwind of change, beauty, and stress. I have now been in Honduras for 35 days and i am completely in shock over how quickly time has passed. i have another 5 weeks of training and then i'll officially morph from a Peace Corps Trainee to an actual Volunteer! so exciting! as for updates, i'm not sure where to begin. here's my best try:
I am currently in Talanga, Honduras for Field Based Training, which is basically a time where we receive specialized technical information regarding our specific project, mine being youth development. It's where they attempt to give us a taste of what it will be like to actually be a volunteer. My day begins with INTENSE language classes from 730-1130, lunch with my familia, and then more training in the afternoon that focuses on issues specific to youth development.
the days are long, but the other trainees are so much fun. i've definitely found kindred spirits-wonderful people who are positive and so happy to be here.
for all of you who teased me about the food here-suck it. my host mom owns a restaurant (my casa is directly behind it) and the food is AMAZING. i have steak and french fries for lunch with a watermelon milkshake. i am loving life. i'm pretty anti-frijoles, which is kind of a huge problem here. the Hondurans are incredibly creative when coming up with ways to serve beans. i've had them fried, refried, smashed, thrown in a blender, boiled, liquified, with eggs, with plaintains, with butter, with breakfast, with avocado, as a snack, on chips, on tortillas, deceivingly shaped like a sausage patty (unbelievably huge letdown) and numerous other ways. it's incredible really and i would be impressed if i wasn't filled with dread every time i spot them in a dish.
my host family here is absolutely wonderful. my mom owns a restaurant and is incredibly tranquila and then i have three sisters, three primas, three dogs, and a baby chick! it's hectic, chaotic, and just the way i like it! for those of you who are familiar with my luck theory, i've shaved off several good years of my life because of how awesome my host families have been. i am currently the only trainee in talanga to have a washer and dryer. bah! i count my blessings daily.
there are so many interesting stories i could tell, so many beautiful moments that i need to share, but my time is short! one of the most hilarious parts of honduras that has to be mentioned are the piropos. Piropos are the Honduran equivalent of catcalls and they're one of the best parts of my day. when a woman walks down the street, honduran males often find it necessary to yell certain expressions of admiration. Some are poetic, others crude, and they're often mildly creepy (i.e. when i hear a kissing noise from the deep recesses of a building. sketch). "Bonita gringa", "Usted es guapa", "I love you", and "Mi amor" are very popular, along with some other more graphic phrases.
though life here is stressful and i miss home a great deal more than i expected, i find myself laughing often-at myself, at situations that would only happen here in honduras, with other aspirantes, and at the sheer insanity of the fact that i will be spending the next two years of my life in this country.
all in all, life is so so abundantly good. i have been cared for and taken care of in so many ways and am truly living the adventure i dreamed of. more posts to come-i should have pretty steady internet for a few weeks! love, love, love!
"Making your mark on the world is hard. if it were easy everyone would do it. but it's not. it takes patience. it takes commitment. and it comes with plenty of failure along the way. the real test is not whether you avoid this failure because you won't. it's whether you let it harden of shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere."

VA for eight days. :)

i hate early morning flights.

As knows anyone who has been my friend or roommate for any amount of time, I become a monster if i am forced to be awake prior to 9am.
this is sometimes a shock for people, since I am usually happy and chipper. but there is something about the early a.m. hours that brings out the worst in me.
don't look at me, don't touch me, and if you talk to me, the best i'll be is unresponsive.
so, leaving my home at 430 am to catch my flight to VA was basically hell.

but today, as i flew to baltimore and then sat and waited for our flight to norfolk, i was reminded of why i've always loved airports. i love watching both the farewells and the reunions, witnessing children shouting upon sighting their grandparents in the crowd, the tearful goodbye as a parent watches their kid head off on a great adventure, the embraces exchanged between husband and wife, or sister and brother. it's real and it's raw and you're left wondering at the way that we're all living out a similar story of introductions and goodbyes, lives of transition and the struggle to hold on to what's important in the midst of a world that's everyday changing.
but enough about that. :)
i'm currently in petersburg, VA, visiting my grandfather for the last time before i depart for honduras! i'll be here 'till sunday, and am then packing up for washington, d.c., to see my best friend meggo for memorial day! in other news, i've decided that i am SO not a fan of virginia bbq. annnnnnd done.

"...of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings."

Exactly one month 'till i pack up my bright yellow duffel and jet off to Houston, TX, where i'll begin orientation for the next two years of life as a Youth Development Peace Corps Volunteer!! over the past few days, i've been an emotional wreck, vacillating between extreme excitement over what's to come and heartache over all that i'm leaving behind. when this dream of joining the peace corps was first born, it was so far off, and the day when I would have to say goodbye to family and friends seemed so very distant. with 30 days left, i'm struggling to see all the people i love, to visit every place that has been near and dear to my heart. it feels sometimes as though i'm attempting to have enough conversations/coffee dates/movie marathons/beach days to tide me over for the next two years. and yeah yeah, i know that those years will be filled with new friendships and new beautiful places and people, but it's difficult to imagine life without the old familiar faces, the girls that i've grown up with, who knew me when i was awkward with bangs and braces and loved me regardless.
but...
despite all of that, i feel an overwhelming sense of excitement and anticipation for all that's to come. it's hard to imagine what life in honduras is going to look like, but it is without a doubt going to be the adventure of a lifetime.

i have yet to pack/purchase anything. i should probably get on that. it's just a little bit of a daunting task to think about packing for the next two YEARS. but like everything else so far on this journey, it'll work out, it'll get done, and it'll be fine.
feeling so so very thankful for the life that i live. :)