I was at Immigration today picking up my residency card (I am now officially a resident of Honduras!) and it was down pouring. So much so that it was hard to see outside. People here (especially the women) will put anything on their heads to "protect" them from the rain. Most women opt for a plastic bag if they don't have an umbrella. Today I saw a women wearing a washcloth on her head. It would have helped for maybe 0.25 seconds in the downpour. I had to hold my laughter in, but the woman seemed to think it helped.
But, I probably got more looks than she did. I wore a rain jacket with a hood. I got all sorts of looks and people didn't even bat an eye at the lady with the washcloth on her head. Just another difference in cultures during rainy season!
Monday, October 1, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
Ants and Dirt
Dear goodness has it really been since April that I last blogged?! Guess I've been a little busy. Learning another language can do that to a person - make them busy.
Well I have a little story to share with you that just happened to me today. Here in Honduras we have these rooms called bodegas or empleados (storage or employee rooms where the maids sometimes live. These little rooms usually have a toilet, sink and shower or some variety of the 3.) I use my bodega as a storage room. I went in there today for the first time in several months to get some things out of storage. I knew there would be some spiders and ants, etc. But to my horror I never thought I would find a HUGE pile of dirt up to the top of the toilet seat with cockroaches and ants!!
I spent the next hour cleaning up this pile of dirt/cement. I didn't know what to do with all of this dirt (no, I don't need more dirt in the yard.) so I decided to put it in garbage bags. Brilliant idea, or so I thought. First I used a huge yard trash bag and after a couple of shovels full, the bag was so heavy I couldn't move it. "No problem, I'll just use the smaller trash bags." I thought. This was a great idea until I picked up the bags and each one of them broke (you know, you can't have a trash bag stronger than kleenex here.) So, after triple bagging and sweeping up all the dirt a-g-a-i-n I finally got it all cleaned up.
My lessons for the day 1.) go out to the bodega a little more often than once every few months. 2.) triple bag the bags before putting dirt in them. Unless, that is, you don't want a dull day.
Well I have a little story to share with you that just happened to me today. Here in Honduras we have these rooms called bodegas or empleados (storage or employee rooms where the maids sometimes live. These little rooms usually have a toilet, sink and shower or some variety of the 3.) I use my bodega as a storage room. I went in there today for the first time in several months to get some things out of storage. I knew there would be some spiders and ants, etc. But to my horror I never thought I would find a HUGE pile of dirt up to the top of the toilet seat with cockroaches and ants!!
I spent the next hour cleaning up this pile of dirt/cement. I didn't know what to do with all of this dirt (no, I don't need more dirt in the yard.) so I decided to put it in garbage bags. Brilliant idea, or so I thought. First I used a huge yard trash bag and after a couple of shovels full, the bag was so heavy I couldn't move it. "No problem, I'll just use the smaller trash bags." I thought. This was a great idea until I picked up the bags and each one of them broke (you know, you can't have a trash bag stronger than kleenex here.) So, after triple bagging and sweeping up all the dirt a-g-a-i-n I finally got it all cleaned up.
My lessons for the day 1.) go out to the bodega a little more often than once every few months. 2.) triple bag the bags before putting dirt in them. Unless, that is, you don't want a dull day.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Could that really be?
Today I saw something that I knew my eyes could possibly not be seeing.
Here in Honduras you can often see people at intersections trying to earn money by doing different things or by selling something. They could be "blowing" fire, juggling, balancing different objects, begging, washing windows, etc. Or they could be selling flowers, fruit, phone chargers, phone cases, stuffed animals, newspapers, toothpaste (best buy of the year for me - a big tube of Colgate toothpaste for $1 - yes!), or about anything else you can think of. At my intersection there is always a guy sitting in a wheelchair. I'm not sure how many times I've come close to hitting him because he sits in the middle of a lane sometimes.
Today as I was going to meet some friends I was stopped at an intersection. I saw this guy in a wheelchair wheel himself into the dangerous area (the place I call where if you move one more inch forward you will be run over by a turning vehicle). They think this is a good spot to perform because they are out in front of the stopped traffic and many people can see them. I think they're risking their lives for a few pennies. Anyway, this guy proceeds to the dangerous area in his wheelchair. The next thing I know, I see his left foot up above his head! At first I thought he had a prosthetic leg and was holding it up and waving it in the air. Nope. It was his real leg that he could bend at the hip straight up. Now, I'm a nurse and have seen my share of bendy people, but I had never seen someone able to sit in a wheelchair and pull their leg straight up with their foot above their head. I was tempted to track him down and ask how he does it.
Sadly, this is how this particular man was earning his money today. After I stopped laughing at the sight of someone sitting in the middle of an intersection with their leg straight up in the air - it is funny if you think about it, I was hit with what some people will do just to earn a few dollars to be able to survive.
Here in Honduras you can often see people at intersections trying to earn money by doing different things or by selling something. They could be "blowing" fire, juggling, balancing different objects, begging, washing windows, etc. Or they could be selling flowers, fruit, phone chargers, phone cases, stuffed animals, newspapers, toothpaste (best buy of the year for me - a big tube of Colgate toothpaste for $1 - yes!), or about anything else you can think of. At my intersection there is always a guy sitting in a wheelchair. I'm not sure how many times I've come close to hitting him because he sits in the middle of a lane sometimes.
Today as I was going to meet some friends I was stopped at an intersection. I saw this guy in a wheelchair wheel himself into the dangerous area (the place I call where if you move one more inch forward you will be run over by a turning vehicle). They think this is a good spot to perform because they are out in front of the stopped traffic and many people can see them. I think they're risking their lives for a few pennies. Anyway, this guy proceeds to the dangerous area in his wheelchair. The next thing I know, I see his left foot up above his head! At first I thought he had a prosthetic leg and was holding it up and waving it in the air. Nope. It was his real leg that he could bend at the hip straight up. Now, I'm a nurse and have seen my share of bendy people, but I had never seen someone able to sit in a wheelchair and pull their leg straight up with their foot above their head. I was tempted to track him down and ask how he does it.
Sadly, this is how this particular man was earning his money today. After I stopped laughing at the sight of someone sitting in the middle of an intersection with their leg straight up in the air - it is funny if you think about it, I was hit with what some people will do just to earn a few dollars to be able to survive.
Monday, February 6, 2012
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words. That is, if I had a picture...
Sorry for not posting for, well, I can't quite remember how long it has been. Apparently life has been a little busy, or I have just been lazy and procrastinating. More likely, it's the latter.
I've said numerous times that I wish I would take more pictures here, especially while in the car. But, I don't think driving while taking pictures is the best idea I've had. So, you're just going to have use your imagination on these. Here are a few things I've seen around Honduras:
*2 Policemen riding in the back of a police pickup. Both sitting down (at least they were sitting). One in the bed of the truck. The other on a motorcycle with out a helmet and with the tailgate down. Not the brightest of men serving Honduras.
*A man riding a motorcycle. Not a huge man, but not necessarily skinny either. He's carrying a spare tire. You guessed it. He's wearing the tire around his middle like a floatation device used in a swimming pool.
*My friend's and I look of surprise when we noticed that the lame and beggar have traded "roles" on the street corner. I almost gave them money for effort.
*A man washing his shoes in a puddle, in the street, of a busy intersection. Traffic was backed up for a ways because of him.
*A family taking a lovely evening stroll. In the rain. In the dark. Down the middle of a very busy road.
*(This one happens all. the. time. In fact, I almost hit 3 of them in less than 2 minutes one day because of where they walk.) A man pushing his ice cream cart down the lane of traffic when there is a sidewalk 2 feet away. They could not care less that traffic is backed up because of them. They are going to sell that ice cream!
*A woman walking down the mountain carrying a tub of items on her head without using her hands. Oh yeah, she was wearing 3 inch high heels and a mini-skirt.
*A major intersection without functioning traffic lights. I have never seen a traffic jam so big in my life! No one was willing to move an inch so someone could get through. I had to go home and take a nap after that day of driving!
If you don't believe me, come on down and see for yourself! I would hire you for a day just to take pictures. :)
I've said numerous times that I wish I would take more pictures here, especially while in the car. But, I don't think driving while taking pictures is the best idea I've had. So, you're just going to have use your imagination on these. Here are a few things I've seen around Honduras:
*2 Policemen riding in the back of a police pickup. Both sitting down (at least they were sitting). One in the bed of the truck. The other on a motorcycle with out a helmet and with the tailgate down. Not the brightest of men serving Honduras.
*A man riding a motorcycle. Not a huge man, but not necessarily skinny either. He's carrying a spare tire. You guessed it. He's wearing the tire around his middle like a floatation device used in a swimming pool.
*My friend's and I look of surprise when we noticed that the lame and beggar have traded "roles" on the street corner. I almost gave them money for effort.
*A man washing his shoes in a puddle, in the street, of a busy intersection. Traffic was backed up for a ways because of him.
*A family taking a lovely evening stroll. In the rain. In the dark. Down the middle of a very busy road.
*(This one happens all. the. time. In fact, I almost hit 3 of them in less than 2 minutes one day because of where they walk.) A man pushing his ice cream cart down the lane of traffic when there is a sidewalk 2 feet away. They could not care less that traffic is backed up because of them. They are going to sell that ice cream!
*A woman walking down the mountain carrying a tub of items on her head without using her hands. Oh yeah, she was wearing 3 inch high heels and a mini-skirt.
*A major intersection without functioning traffic lights. I have never seen a traffic jam so big in my life! No one was willing to move an inch so someone could get through. I had to go home and take a nap after that day of driving!
If you don't believe me, come on down and see for yourself! I would hire you for a day just to take pictures. :)
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