Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Winding down

I’m starting (well not starting, I started a while back) to think about life after this. I’ll be home on May 1st, Peace Corps has the plane ticket bought, folks comment that “pucha, ya va a ser” (loosely translated into yikes, you’re almost out of here), and little ladies are coming to my house more frequently to look at my stuff and drop big hints on how much they’d love my TV or my mini-fridge as a parting gift (I though a photo or a little keychain was a nice parting gift—you’re seriously asking for a fridge?). It’s crazy to think it’s been two years. I mean, most days in my site I feel like I’ve been here an eternity, the minutes and hours creep by, but then I look back and it’s been two years!!!!! I’d rather not think about plans just yet—I’d much prefer to stick to my Honduran concerns which are much more mundane and less daunting (such as washing my clothes, burning the trash, visiting folks, talking about local current events such as how high the river’s gotten or which kids have run off to the city together). But I do feel it necessary to write a little list of things I’ll miss here. I know sometimes I don’t always sound so optimistic about life here, but there are many things I’ll miss. Such as:

- The sleep I get. Where else will I ever go to bed at 9 and wake up at 7 every day for two years? That’s quality sleep.
- The fact that no matter how much you screw something up, or how many materials you forget to a meeting, it’s not a problem.
- The fact that no matter how late a meeting is running, how poorly planned an event is, how many bus drivers are on strike and are keeping you from getting home, or how crowded a bus may be, everything works out. The meeting eventually will start, the event will run, someone will always come along to give you a ride, and there will always be enough room on the bus for one more.
- Everybody knows my name. And everybody’s glad I came!
- The lip point.
- The fun Honduranisms like “púchica,” “y cómo,” “ni ‘quiera Diós,” “vaya pues,” and my favorite “qué barbaridad.”
- Tigra my adopted dog.
- The silly rumors I hear people say about me. This can also be under things I will NOT miss, but in a way I’ll miss the ridiculous gossip.

And now what I’ll miss, in pictures…



POWER CHICKEN in San Pedro Sula, the best place for huge portions of jerk chicken and ribs and other types of meat. Power Chicken!! Yeah!!


Neighborhood kids who come to play!

My little Honduran Irish lass, and goddaughter


Rosario, my wonderful next-door neighbor and friend.




The hill leading to my neighborhood from the upper part of town, a slope that opens onto this amazing view of rolling hills and green pastures—every time I go down this hill I think to myself “This is Peace Corps.”




2 Comments:

Blogger Janpedrano said...

Hi Maureen, I found out your blog yesterday and your last article about what will you miss from Honduras is great!. I just did a post on mine about it, I translated your list.

Our country has several problems to overcome, but is the little things that "enchant" people around the world to stay or at least to enjoy for a change.

You can see the post (in Spanish) here: http://janpedrano.blogspot.com/

Saludos!

3:32 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Reading Janpedrano's blog, I linked up to your blog and READ absolutely ALL of your posts! I got caught up in your 2yr honduran experience... Im originally from San Pedro Sula but I've lived in Costa Rica now for 3 yrs, and I cant wait the day to come back home, and reading this last post of yours has only stirred up all those tender feelings... hope your readjusting in DC is quicker than u think... but I hope, you'll always carry our 5 blue stars within your heart.

PS: I also have a blog and as a proud honduran its written in spanish and its about futbol. U might want to check it out to practice your spanish reading skills.

http://1minutomaseldescuento.blogspot.com

7:43 PM  

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