A warm greeting to everyone! I would like to say firstly that I believe whomever first begin salutations with “a warm greeting” must’ve been feeling themselves very warm. And if that’s not the origins of this particular saying, understand it is this sentiment that I wish to express to you now, a very warm greeting to you because I myself am feeling very warm, because I live in Honduras now, and it’s very warm…In any case, here’s a nice little (ha!) update on adjusting and adapting to Honduran life for the last month.
Rainy season is upon us (you know how I feel about that XD), and now the temperatures are cooling down a bit, especially in the mornings and the evenings. The transition into this season was immediate, I mean, November 1st hit and it’s as if someone just turned on the rain cycle for us here. I might otherwise be complaining about a constant rain but it’s arrival has been an overall positive experience than a negative one. With so much rain, we’re not in danger of being without water for an unknown period of time. In fact, because of our open-roofed garden courtyard area, our evening rain showers are quite literally evening showers for us at the mission house. It’s some of the greatest water pressure I’ve had thus far, and you can’t be in fear of wasting water when it’s falling from the sky. Washing clothes and trying to get them to dry is a bit of a struggle, but sometimes if you’re lucky, you can get a spare few hours of sunlight.
The past month has been very busy with numerous activities. It began with a quinceñera for two of our girls, which if you are unfamiliar with the term, just think of a large wedding you may have been to in the past but for the celebration of someone’s fifteenth birthday. It’s quite the Latin American custom and is meant to signify a girl’s transition into womanhood, very lavish and very fancy. The girls looked very beautiful in there gowns and tiaras, and I believe enjoyed the festivities immensely (I mean, who wouldn’t? I’m jealous I didn’t get a quince for my 15th birthday. Mom? Dad?).
We’ve taken a few trips outside the Finca, the most recent being my joining the honors students of the school on their trip to Campamento for a pool day and treats. It was a pretty sweet place. They had two pools, one that went very deep and the other that was maybe 3 feet deep with two slides! TWO! In the 3 ½ hours we were there these kids were up and down and up and down the entire time. I felt like a celebrity. I had kids asking me left and right to race them down the slides, and when that wasn’t happening, they would jump into my arms to be carried around or to use my shoulders as a spring board into the wading area. Another weekend trip was spent visiting the town of Santa Fe about 15-20 minutes from the Finca. We met up with our Finca physician, Dr. Julio, who gave us a proper tour of the town. What a lively place! It’s primarily populated by Garifuna persons, a fascinating culture that I suggest looking up if you have the time. Everywhere we went, there was music and activity in the streets. I’m convinced Dr. Julio knew everybody there. He would walk by houses yelling in, “Hola tia! Hola primo!” [Hey aunt! Hey cousin!]. Whether he was actually related to each of the people he greeted I can’t be sure, but that’s just the nature of their culture. It’s fascinating, and I love it. We visited the coastline, saw their church, peeked into the school, and ate some rico [delicious] bread called pan de coco [coconut bread]. This same day, I ate my first fried fish with head, tail, and everything still intact. Kind of blew my mind considering I’ve never eaten anything that was simultaneously staring at me, but all the same, the fish was delicious.
Our regular trips into Trujillo on Sunday are primarily for attending mass, but we also have time to walk around the town to buy personal items or just hang about with a cone from Sarita in hand. That being said, our first ever trip as new missionaries was no walk in the park, in fact, it was a walk in the street. Unbeknownst to us, this particular Sunday included a Care for the Environment demonstration along the main road of Trujillo in which we were asked to participate. Ok. Sure. It’s good to care about the environment and create awareness of the damage being caused to it, but I was not prepared for this whatsoever. In the very typical Honduran matter, there were a plethora of speeches before any walking was to happen. Everyone and their mother had something to say about what we were doing. It’s not that what they had to say was bad, I just think I might’ve worn something other than a cotton polo and slacks if I knew all 20 of them were going to say basically the same thing in the sweltering heat. Then began our walk to the church. This was mas o menos organized, but random stops in our travels and not knowing how long we’d be at this before reaching the church had me a little more on edge than I would’ve liked to have been on a Sunday before Mass. Oh well. I considered it my penance for the day.
One of my greatest achievements this month has occurred in our kitchen. Maybe it’s because I’ve hung around with a previous culinary student for the last two years, but I’m quite the master chef if I do say so myself. My very first cooking expedition included dismantling and boiling to death a whole chicken, a real life, full sized, everything in tact chicken…Ok, it was frozen first, but the chicken was whole. With a singular knife in hand, the battle had begun. Blood and guts and gore were flying everywhere! I must hand it to the clucking beast, she put up a good fight, but before my eyes, the beast was slain. If you’ve never tackled such a feet, I must warn you that by the end of it, that chicken and I got real intimate. My prize? A creamy chicken and vegetable stir fry to satisfy the bellies of all. Comparatively, my next cooking expedition was a bit tamer. This past weekend we received a donation of king crabs, and like the good Marylander that I am, I was destined to tackle the frozen beast. After a thorough boiling, the real work was about to commence. With my rock in hand (for I was lacking the proper tool that are nutcrackers), I began smashing my way through their coarse and blood red defenses to procure their fleshy and oh so tasty innards. It’s a miracle I came out of that encounter unscathed, but I must say, after conquering approximately four of the brutes, I was pleased with the loot. (Side note: I think I understand now why crabs are so expensive and why people are less inclined to eat them). What became of these ugly creatures was a delectable Crab Creole soup with rice, tejadas, sandia [watermelon], and rolls. In case anyone was curious, I’m no longer confused about what the next step is after the Finca. Catch me and my cooking magic on the next season of Chopped.
Oh! I nearly forgot! In the excitement of these past events, I learned of the jobs I’ll be taking on here. I have been asked to teach English for 5th, 6th, 8th, and 9th grade. It’s a bit of a large workload, but I’m geared and ready for it. I’ve even had the opportunity to do some teaching in the classes already! I’m a completely different person with the students, laying down the law and demanding respect and good work ethic. This might be a “see it to believe it” kind of situation, but I can guarantee there will be no funny business in my classroom come February. The students have been forewarned. To all my teacher relatives and friends, any advice, tips, suggestions, words of wisdom, and good teacher resources are very much appreciated. In addition, I have been asked to oversee and act as the liaison for our special projects occurring here on the grounds. This includes installment of a water filtration system providing clean water throughout all the campus (which is expected to be finished within the month) and our solar energy project of adding solar panels to provide greener and more sustainable energy while also saving on the monthly costs of illuminating this wonderful place. Someone described the role to me as being a professional nagger, that is, making sure that the project is continually moving, and if it’s stalled to quickly resolve the delay so things can again start moving forward. I think I can manage that. To all my nagging relatives and friends…er…I mean…
Along with new roles, I have taken on a few new names. The first is “Profe,” similar to saying “teach” though it’s not as informal here. This one in particular rings in my head at night because all day at the school it’s “Profe! She did this to me! Profe! I need a pencil! Profe! Profe! Profe!” I mean, wow. The second name I acquired on the soccer field, “Ryan McQueen.” Every Friday we invite friends outside the Finca to play a pickup game on our field. I had been looking forward to the day I could get back and live those glory days, and to my surprise, having not played semi-organized for about 6 years, I was pretty darn good. No goals in the game, but I was making plays all around. Despite lacking tacos [cleats], I was lightning on the field, catching all who thought they were free and clear of defenders. There’s no telling what next week’s game will be like now that I’ve recently acquired mis tacos from home. I have also been referred to numerous times as “Brayan” and “Raya.” It may come as a shock to some that apparently I mumble so some letters get confused or just dropped when I introduce myself (Also, “Ryan” in Spanish is typically spelled with 2 A’s).
Anyway, whatever my name is, things are going well, and I am doing well, too. With a little more purpose and a little more time here, I am becoming, slowly but surely, more comfortable. I am beyond grateful for the overwhelming love and support I’ve received through letters, texts, emails, and video calls. All of these ways of keeping in contact mean a great deal to me. I miss seeing friends and family a good bit, but it’s good to know that you’re never too far (thank you modern technology). A special shout out to Mom and Dad for the abundance of Halloween candy I received recently. I can’t be certain I’ve ever collected so much candy in my childhood as they sent me, but I’ll do my darnedest to finish it (and if I don’t, thankfully there are 11 others who’d have no issue giving me a hand, or their mouth, rather).
Ok. Thanks for reading. Until next time.
Paz y Bien
Profe Brayan Raya McQueen
