Made in Cleveland

Driving home from the office yesterday in the rain. We pulled over to let a group of guys (workers) hitch a ride in the back of the pickup. Standard Honduran road etiquette. One of the guys was wearing a Cleveland Indians hat. The old kind. Blue with a big Chief Wahoo. The hat was pretty worn, but that toothy grin was still bright. All those pearly whites. A little reminder of home.

A lot of people down here wear clothes donated from the States. You end up seeing some funny things. When I was working in Copantle with Don Juan on his house, he kept wearing the same lime green t-shirt. "Mount Sinai High School Senior Trip: We're Going to the Best Place on Earth." On the back it said "Disney World."

Las luciernagas

From La Moskitia, the jungle in eastern Honduras.

The indigenous people there have this cool belief about fireflies. Las luciernagas. When they come at the end of summer, everyone opens their windows at night to let them in. The fireflies are the spirits of the dead, back to visit.

Split

From El Heraldo, the daily newspaper in Tegucigalpa.

"Partido" means "party," as in the Liberal party. Also "parted," as in separated. The third sense is "game" - of soccer, of politics. The split in the Liberal party over the Resistance has been a pretty big topic down here.


Since the coup, the Resistance (FNRP) has refused to support the new government. The rest of the Liberal party is trying to move forward. In the meantime, lots of infighting.
"Each one for his side"
- "Coup-supporting trash!"
- "Delinquent rustler!"

City chaos

Rain rain go away.

Things have been a little crazy in Tegucigalpa lately. The rain will not quit. A week ago, it washed out a 12 meter section of the north road into the city. Now there is this big crater and the road is closed. We have to take a circuitous route to get into the city. Over a muddy half-road and onto an unfinished highway.

In the afternoons, when it pours, people stand in their doorways in the barrios with plastic brooms and try and sweep the water into the street.

Also, the teachers are on strike. Again. This time they are in the streets with the unions. An increase in minimum wage, etc. Yesterday we could hear their bucket drums and air guns from the office. Exciting, but also a little old. Students have missed a big chunk of the school year because of striking teachers. I read an editorial in the paper advocating a do-over. Cancel this school year and make everyone repeat it starting next year. 2010 redux.

Pepper tea

At home in Tegus. Last night we had pepper tea and new tortillas.

The pepper tea is made from leaves of the pepper tree - the kind that goes with salt, not the vegetable. The tea ends up pale red. Vaguely spicy.

New tortillas are different from regular tortillas. Made from fresh corn, as opposed to dried. The corn is cooked for a few minutes. Then it's ground and made into dough. Gives the tortillas a different taste. A little richer.

Graffiti

Lots of great political graffiti around Tegucigalpa. Alongside the highway and on the sides of buildings. Mostly coup-inspired. A sampling:

URGE MEL

Short for "Es urgente que Mel regresar."

Probably the most popular anti-coup slogan. It´s spray-painted everywhere. Bring back Mel. (Manuel Zelaya, liberal pre-coup president).

EL PODER ES EN LAS CALLES

"The power is in the streets."

My favorite.

SI A LA CONSTITUYANTE

"Yes to the constituent."

More power to the people. Most of the graffiti is in simple, thin lettering. Black, red or white spray paint.

SI SABES EL DERECHO, SIGUES LA IZQUIERDA

"If you know what´s right, follow the Left."

On the side of the road in downtown Tegus. Great play on the directions of the political spectrum.

MAS ARTE, MENOS GOBIERNO

"More art, less government."

Under a cool sketch of a cartoon head with giant eyes.

Library update

Sorry for the blog slacking. My backpack fell off the back of a pickup truck. My computer and camera chargers were in my backpack. Still trying to replace everything. So no pictures for now.

Despite all the rain, the library is moving forward. Construction has started on the actual building. The foundation is finished.

Also, Buena Vista has officially changed its name. Brisas del Valle - Breezes of the Valley.

Leaving in a week or so for Brisas to work with a group of women there. We'll talk about how to organize and run the library. They'll learn the Dewey decimal system and how to catalog new books. Also, we'll figure out rules for membership. This should be the best part of the whole project - working with the women to make the library sustainable.

Should be in Brisas for two weeks. I´ll be staying in Copan at the local Peace Corps volunteer´s apartment and hiking in every day.