Ponderosa
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
"Diamonds in the Sky with Lucy!"
Summertime in La Ceiba and the livin' is easy (at least until Friday when the next team arrives). The last couple days have been filled with endless swinging in Lucy's new red swing in the backyard, painting our nails with "prosh" (nail polish), smelly rotten mangos, an air-conditioned lunch at KFC (undoubtedly, the most physically comfortable 45 minutes of my day), obscene quantities of Zucco lemonade and Cheerios, relentless bug bites, "sess-me street", and profuse sweating.
Last night, Lindsey and I made a special meal for Josh in honor of his last week in Honduras. Lindsey, Sean, and I thought it only appropriate to christen the Bostonian with his first ever shrimp and grits dinner (complete with sausage, bacon, seasonings, and plenty of cheese and butter). I'm proud to say he thoroughly enjoyed the Southern cultural experience. I've truly loved all the opportunities I've gotten to help Lindsey in the kitchen and now have several new recipes to bring home. The evening was concluded with cheesecake and several more raucous rounds of nerts. I no longer believe myself to be good at card games.
Today, the McCann girls and I decided to temporarily escape the heat by spending our morning at a nearby hotel pool. By purchasing an inexpensive lunch, we got to swim free! As it approached lunchtime, Lindsey gave me the task of ordering inside. As I proceeded to open the door, however, I was greeted by nearly 20 Honduran men using computers and 20 pairs of eyes staring at me. Trying to ignore the smiles and the snickers, I made my way to the back of the room, looking for a menu. It didn't take long before one of them directed me to the front desk and restaurant next door. I feel like I should probably have been embarrassed by this experience, but I've become far too comfortable with my role as the "stupid foreigner" to really be fazed anymore.
We all left the pool feeling full, sleepy, and sunburned (perfect recipe for a beautiful naptime). Awake once again, the girls and I enjoyed a walk around the neighborhood in pursuit of some homemade popsicles. We slurped on rapidly melting coconut and strawberry "vasitos" (literal translation is "little cups" because of the molds in which they were made), each for only about 30 cents. Returning home to change wet clothes and wash sticky hands, we prepared for our next excursion: Josh's goodbye dinner at Ponderosa steakhouse with the entire team. Two chips-and-dip appetizers, two huge plates of chicken, pork, and beef filets, two heaping dishes of sweet fried plantains, and two doggie bags later, we made our way back to the McCann's house to share sentimental Josh memories and Erin's homemade cheesecake.
And so I end another day in Honduras exactly the way I start it, with a cold shower and bug spray.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Making smoothies at the McCann's is an extra special experience, given that the main ingredient (mango) can be found right in the backyard. Lucy is a true fan and is always thrilled about starting the day with some "smoovies." I am too :)
Yesterday morning, after our smoovies, we met up with Josh and the Pettengills and made the short trek to a nearby church (the least Pentecostal in the area). About midway through the service, the pastor asked the row of gringos to come up in front so he could pray for us (what, did we stand out or something?) Once again, we were warmly greeted by everyone. The extra tambourines offered for any desirous members of the congregation was a nice touch too. On our way out, we picked up some homemade Honduran lasagna to take home for lunch--I love this church!
After the McCann's daily siesta and the embarrassing Mexico/USA soccer game on TV, we all headed over to the Pettengill's for "gringo church," a small time of worship with the team. Back home, it was dinner, baths, and bed for the girls. Josh came over and spent the evening with Lindsey, Sean, and I playing a vicious game of nerts (a card game much like dutch blitz, so obviously, I was hooked). I immediately felt right at home with this group of gamers as they all appeared at least as competitive as I am (even sweet, soft spoken Lindsey;) )
Another Monday and another "Klid's Club" (Lucy lingo). As always, we left the house with only the bare necessities for Ellie and Lucy's daily lives: pacifiers (aka crack cocaine), toys, extra diaper, new outfit, wipes, juice box, water, and about 300 snacks. For Lucy, real meals are just overrated. She thrives on snacks and treats, namely cheese and jellybeans. Klid's Club today began with a water activity, which rapidly transformed into a full-on aquatic battle. This week, I enjoyed a mini-celebrity greeting by some of my favorite Armenia girls: Estela, Blanca, Gabby, and Oneida. Estela is the youngest sister to Blanca and Gabby, and each day is newly fascinated by all my freckles and piercings. Oneida is nearly mute and her story is a sad one. Having undergone a lot of abuse and at such a young age, it breaks my heart to see how clearly excluded she is by the other kids. Apparently, her nonverbal communication toward the gringos, however, shows major improvement. It's pretty amazing how quick the children are to grab your hand and pull you into a game, or to jump into your arms and give you a big wet kiss on the cheek. They're so hungry for attention and approval, for someone to tell them they drew a GREAT picture.
I thought I'd close this blog with a little update about the political situation here in Honduras given the various inquiries I've received about it all. I live in La Ceiba, which is a good 6 hours from the capital, Tegucigalpa, and have in no way felt endangered or stuck at any time. There have been a few teacher strikes since I've been here that have served more as inconveniences in blocking traffic than anything else. Zelaya has attempted to enter the country three times now and has been successful once...barely. For a number of reasons, it seems this is just one big publicity stunt on his part. He has very few supporters here and seems to lack any kind of plan after he reaches the border. Likely, the political unrest will remain at a stalemate until the new elections in November. Unfortunately, the USA media has really blown the entire issue out of proportion. If anything threatening were to happen, we'd be evacuated via helicopter within thirty minutes. Not bad! If you'd like to read a more detailed account of the current and previous political situation in Honduras, take a look at Sean's blog:
http://mccannsinhonduras.wordpress.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
