Hello everyone. I am finally here after much traveling. This is a beautiful country with amazing people. Unfortunately, the language barrier presents some difficulty. It is then that you realize the importance of a smile or a kind act because these speak volumes in any culture.
One of the first things I noticed on the three hour drive from the airport to Comayagua (other than the heat) was poverty. People lived in tiny run-down homes many of which didn't even have a proper door. We passed many walking or biking along the road because they have no cars. Virtually no one has hot water and I strongly suspect some people don't have running water at all. It is sad, but also seems somewhat surreal.
The strange thing is that the poverty and Honduran culture is right next to things like Pizza Hut and a mall. We stopped by the mall to exchange money at a bank there when we were in town today and it just felt awkward to be back in something so American. It just didn't feel right to be there because we are supposed to be living in solidarity with the poor, or at the very least experiencing Honduras culture. I really don't feel like the American consumer culture is helping anyone here.
I am looking forward to going to language school next week. I also hear that we might get play with the children at a home for children with AIDS run by the Missionaries of Charity tomorrow.
Hope everything is well back in the states. I'll write more when I can since I don't know if I will have access to a computer when I am at the school.
No comments:
Post a Comment