The River Wild

It’s been a couple of days since my last post so I’m going to see if I have the stamina to catch you all up until present time (Friday). Brent asked me last time why I didn’t post every day but it just takes time. In the week, with classes and then the extra time I am trying to put in to my studies, along with trying to spend time with the family, I just run out of hours in the day. The heat makes me tired…..just “being” makes you sweat…you don’t have to be active…and that drains you. Anyway, here goes…

Some of you may be wondering how my home stay is going and how life is living with a Honduran family. Truth be told, Dunia and Rudy are just like you and I. They are honest, hardworking people trying to do the best they can for their children. Of course there are differences in many aspects, but after a week here I notice these less and less. There are definitely less modern conveniences and comforts (that we take for granted) whether by choice or necessity. Showers are “temperatura del dia” (my way of saying it comes straight from the tank so it’s coldish to colder). Food is certainly different. The biggest meal of the day is lunch and usually consists of an assorted selection from meat, rice, tortillas, vegetables, noodles, soup, empanadas etc. Dinner is much smaller although Dunia has now made me baleadas twice and I can’t get enough of them. Lunch and dinner is served with homemade drinks. They are all typical Hondurenian and some I like better than others. Here’s an idea of what we drink;


Harchata – made with rice and cinnamon
Tizte – Ground cocao, cinnamon and sugar
Rosa Jamaica – named after the flower it is made from
Chilate – made from maize


The drinks range in colour from white (Harchata), red (Rosa Jamaica) and brown (Tizte). So far not only has my stomach accepted all new food well, it seems to agree with me and I continue to try anything at least once.


Wednesday afternoon after class, Rudy and Dunia asked me if I would like to go to the river for the day on Thursday. It meant forgoing my formal class but it is a typical Honduras, holiday past time and I readily agreed. Opportunities to spend time with the family and their friends is not only enjoyable but a great opportunity to speak, listen and interact.

We left around 9am for the river and as usual views were magnificent……

Travel - Honduras Style

It was further than the previous trip for camping. Dunia told me that many of these families will be in bed by 7pm or 8pm as they have no electricity and simply there is nothing else do. Once we parked we got a ride in the back of a pickup from the local landowner for the short trip to the river. Then it was down the river bed until we found the first group that had arrived. It was predominantly people from the church including the pastor’s son, Harold, who had given part of the service the past Sunday. He speaks very good English and actually teaches it in private classes here in Copan. He practiced his English with me until Dunia caught wind and from then on it was Spanish for the rest of the day. I was truly welcomed and people remembered my name from the service. I was overwhelmed by their warmth and welcome but this is what I have come to expect here in and around Copan. It was great for my Spanish. I spoke Spanish all day and felt it was a "good” day where my language was concerned. It seems that some days I just can’t get my brain to think fast enough while other days like yesterday I chat away and really feel like I am improving. The day was spent in and out (mostly in) the water with breaks for food.

Me and Leo

Food was really good…

Dundo (The circular pieces you see on the fire and Vanessa holding a Dundo before she opens and slices it for the grill)…….This is maza de maiz (part of the maize) mixed with salt and margarine and cooked with an egg in the middle. It is boiled for 30 minutes then was put on the fire in slices just to prepare it a little prior to serving. The “leaf” that you see surround it is also from the maize plant and it the leaf that covers the maize.

Ticuco, also called Chepe ( Also pre-boiled for 30 minutes then wrapped in Tuza for the fire)…it is also made from maize and contains beans and vegetables. Seen on the grill with a chicken (dead of course).

Carne de Res (beef)

Alex, Vanessa and I then wondered off to explore a little more and once again the beauty of Honduras doesn’t let me down…….

Only one way up and down....

We didn’t leave the river until close to 6pm and by the time we got home it was near 8pm. However, I mustered up the energy and wondered in to town to take a look at the alfambras that were under construction. Friday (today) is the Day of the Crucifixion. Here in Honduras it is the biggest day for Catholics and the alfambras have various pictures depicting the crucifixion. Volunteers stay up all Thursday night to make them and they are truly a wok of art. An “alfambra” is literally a carpet. Here in Copan, they are made from tiny pieces of wood chips, with the exception of any area that is white. Then it is made from ground rice. In larger cities and especially in Guatemala, the alfambras can be made from flowers, nuts and seeds. I haven’t seen the town this busy ever. The pictures look a little yellow as the street lights have yellow bulbs (so it’s not my camera). The “alfambras” start as a beige square, marked in to sections.Then, the main centre colour is added. The volunteers for each section then use paper forms to start to create their picture.

This morning (Friday) I had asked Dunia if we could start our class in the Park (they call the town center the park). I wanted to see the alfambras in daylight and going early meant we would avoid the mass of people. I also wanted to catch the start of the procession at 9am. The procession is again for the Catholics. Dunia explained that Evangelists don’t have events such as this as they don’t worship images, which is what this is seen as. I asked her if she was comfortable watching the procession as I didn’t want to put her in an awkward spot. She had no issues and off we went. The alfambras were truly amazing……

Mayan Writing

We then stood by for some of the procession……

It will take the procession about 3 to 4 hours to leave the main church in the park and travel a distance that I can walk in about 15 minutes. Along the route there are “stations” where the father and the procession will stop for prayer and singing. Here is the first station. It reads that this is where Jesus was sentenced to die;

The second station where Jesus was made to carry the cross;

I don’t have to be Catholic to appreciate the art and work that goes in to a day like today and I was glad to have witnesses it… It was then off to class. Not a good day……Maybe I used all my brain power yesterday but I couldn’t seem to get anything right. It was lunch of empanadas (fried tortillas around cheese or beans served with tomatoes salsa). I told Dunia that I am now officially a Hondurenian as I ate the entire meal with my fingers (customary here). As we speak I am in Café San Rafael…just me and Salva for now. A little later I will meet Ellen for dinner then back to hitting the books. Hope you have all enjoyed the photos……