It’s been an odd day but a good one. The title means....Thanks to God...for the mountains. Let me explain.......I am typing this in a tent, up a mountain in Honduras. If that’s not odd enough then the sounds that surround me are a constant reminder that I’m not at home. Everyone has gone to bed but I can still hear the laughter and hushed voices of conversations. There are some dogs barking from the valley below mixed with the sounds of ranas (frogs), cicadas, the occasional whooping of a bird and crowing of a cockerel (do they ever stop?). The smoky smell from the fireplace still burning is drifting past my tent and it’s almost time or sleep. First, a quick recap on the day…….
I went to church this morning with Dunia and her family. For those that know me, this will be a surprise as I am not religious. I stopped going to church as a child as soon as my sister was old enough to refuse to go one Sunday and being the dutiful younger sister I jumped unabashedly on her coat tails and refused as well. Since then, it’s been the occasional wedding or funeral. But over the last year through my lessons with Dunia I have learnt how much her faith is important to her and her family. She knows my thoughts on religion but also knows I respect other choices and opinions. I was very touched that she asked as her church is so important to her and I happily went along. The church is very appealing….nothing somber…it’s set in a bright open garden and has no walls, just a floor and a roof. There are no ornate fixtures, infact there isn’t even a cross or anything to denote that it is a place of worship. The congregation all dress in their Sunday best and there must have been a group of about 50 to 60 people. I was welcomed warmly by the pastor who came to welcome me and knew who I was. During the service there were a few of us given special mention and then everyone came to greet me with hugs, handshakes and many “mucho gusto's” (pleased to meet you) and “bienvenido” (welcome). I didn’t understand too much in the service itself but it was easy to see the congregation’s devotion and enjoyment. Dunia’s husband Rudy played the piano and her daughter played the violin. I wouldn’t go back only because it just isn’t for me but I will remember my visit fondly.
The church;
After church we went to Rudy’s mum’s for lunch…..she owns a small store in Copan and had prepared us chicken and rice. The chicken was a very traditional Honduran recipe and it was good! It was then a quick rush back to the house to get ready for camping. We were picked up friends, Alex and Vanessa and their two boys. We piled in to the back of the pick up truck…mattresses, tents, food and all of our knapsacks and bounced our way for about 30 minutes to a little community called Sesemil where both Vanessa and Alex are teachers. There we pulled in to a private finca and after paying our respects to the homeowners, we continued up the mountain to out campground. We were welcomed by some local bacas (cows) that have free run of this entire area.
Where to pitch the tents?
Home sweet home!
It made finding a place to pitch the camps quite interesting. I tried to clear an area with a stick for my little one man tent but if I were a betting person, I would say I am sleeping on several pieces of hardened cow dung tonight. Once the tents were pitched, most of us went for a walk up the next mountain. The views were spectacular! Honduras is a beautiful, lush (in many parts) country with hills, valleys, mountain and rivers that only adds to the beauty of the people. It would be sad to judge this country by the bad press or the crime rate as it is rich in so many ways.
The views are spectacular and hard to capture in a picture or put in to words....
Young coffe plant;
Girl power....Dunia, me, Vanessa and Karen (Dunia's daughter;
Getting back from our walk, dinner was almost ready….strips of res (beef), black beans, tortillas and queso (cheese). It was excellent and I went back for extras twice. The only thing missing was my old buddy Salva, but respectfully I didn't bring any as predominantly nobody else drinks. After dinner it was marshmallows with hot chocolate, a few songs that I couldn’t join in and a lot of conversation. It hurts my brain but I know it’s good for me and everyone has taken on the task to correct my Spanglish as we call it. I converse quite well, albeit with many errors and could engage in most of the conversations. When they all start talking quickly though I still struggle but that is to be expected.
I was awoken through the night several times by the dogs from the nearby finca that were hedging their bets on getting fed by us in the morning and had around all night. Othewise, I actually slept quite well. This morning consisted of Plantains (much like large bananas), bisciuts and coffee with milk...mmm....good.
Dunia cooking plantains.....
After breakfast we took the truck to the very top of the next mountain. It was spectacular and at 8:30am I was already sweating...it is going to be another hot one. We did some shooting with a bb gun and then made our way back. After packing up it was time to go. Through Dunia, I had learnt of a little boy that has a condition called hydrocephalus (Water on the brain) which causes him severe convulsions. He is only 6 years old and is a student of Vanessas. The young boy can see a specialist in San Pedro Sula for free but the irony is that they can't afford to get there. I am going back with vanessa to eet the family before I leave and hopefully to see if I can help. As I mentioned in my previous blog, I have some funds raised by some co-workers, so depending on what the family needs, and the cost, I may try to help them out if I can. I will let you all know.
I stopped in at my school to touch base with Enrique the director. While there I was chatting with one of the other teachers, Yarely, who has taught my dad via skype on a couple of occasions....she told me that I am a much more advanced student than him!!!! (sorry dad). Well, tomorrow, my formal classes begin....so for now I have to hit the books..hasta luego!
Home sweet home!
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