OK, I Cheated...

I need to come clean. I cheated. I bought some tamales in the mercado this morning. I spent part of yesterday at Gloria's house, learning how to make tamales. I even got to help -- a little. I'll get to taste them later today, but I already know they're going to be fantastic. I'll also get to eat torreja, the very special dessert that is served during Navidad. I'll let you know how that turns out.

But, back to my buying tamales. Since Woody and Marla arrive tomorrow, I wanted to make sure they get to eat some, so I bought some. I would never ask to bring some home at the houses I'll be visiting later. (Now, if they offer, that's a different story.) And, even though I know I'll be eating more tamales later, I had to try one of the ones I bought -- just to make sure they're good, of course. They are!

Last night's church service went very well. The youth group put on a drama and I thought they did a good job with it. It was, encapsulated, the life of Jesus. They started with the Annunciation and ended with the Resurrection. In between, we saw Joseph lead a very pregnant Mary on a very pregnant donkey. So pregnant, in fact, that at one point I thought we might be witness to a live birth right there. (The donkey, not Mary. Mary's prenancy was aided by pillows and such.) We saw the Temptation of Jesus, Jesus heal, the Crucifixion and then the Resurrection. I was really proud of the young people.

I pray that you all have a wonderful, blessed Navidad!

The Real Cost of Free Pizza...

Last Friday was the last day of escuelita for December. We'll have a final 3-week session in January. Earlier in the week, I had told the class that I would buy pizza for lunch on Friday, and if they wanted, someone could bring a movie for us to watch. Since Domino's Pizza has just opened here in Comayagua, everyone wanted to order that. So, I asked one of the students to get me the phone number, and also to call them in advance and find out how much 3 pizzas would cost.

Friday arrived and the students really did try to stay focused on their work, although, pizza was always in the back of their minds. At 11:30 I wrote out exactly what we needed and had Christopher call to order the pizza. (I do okay in person, but talking on the phone is still pretty difficult for me.) He ordered the pizzas, gave his name, gave the phone number, and then asked for the total cost. 510Lps. I wrote it down on the paper. Then I got out the money, included a tip, and gave it to Christopher and the other boys. They were going to wait for the pizza to arrive. They were ready with their watches, as well. All the boys were determined to make sure the pizza was delivered in 30 minutes, or else it was gratis.

Well, in exactly 30 minutes a Domino's delivery moto (motorcycle) pulled up and the guy pulled out one box of pizza. One box. I ordered three pizzas. We checked the receipt: it had Christopher's name on it, but only one pizza. Christopher told the man that we ordered three, told him what we ordered and how much it would be. The delivery guy told us to call the store. So, while I went to get the phone, the guy left ~~ with the pizza!! A few minutes later, he came back, still with just one pizza. We started all over again. Christopher told him what we ordered and even pulled out the paper I had written, including how much it should cost. It ended up that the guy left us the one pizza, free, and said that he'd be back with the other two. He asked for the pizza list Christopher had and told us that when he returned, I'd have to sign a receipt for the free pizzas. No problem.

We went inside and inhaled the single pizza. Then we waited outside for our remaining two FREE pizzas. All the kids were pretty pumped that we were getting free pizza. Soon, we saw the familiar moto pulling up. It was a different driver and he only had one pizza also. And, it was the wrong pizza, for the wrong person. Christopher told him what we were waiting for and the driver called Domino's (on my phone). He told us that the original guy would be right there with our pizza. As he drove off, I told Christopher I didn't believe it. Ten minutes later, our pizza still hadn't arrived. I rounded up the students and we all walked across the highway to order two pizzas from the Esso. Twenty minutes later we were walking back to Enlaces with two hot steaming pepperoni pizzas.

Back in the classroom, we tried to watch The Passion. But none of the DVD players would play it. I think that's because it was a bootleg copy. We ended up watching Prince of Egypt, an animated film about Moses. It was in English, but we put on Spanish subtitles. I was really impressed with the kids; during the movie, they would point out the things that don't line up with the biblical account. Good job, kids!

All in all, it took us two hours, several phone calls, and lots of standing around to get our pizzas. One was free, but it sure felt like we really paid for it. Free pizza? No thanks!

Pupusas...

Hopefully, you'll enjoy this story as much as I do.

Last Thursday, I went to have pupusas for lunch. Pupusas are corn masa stuffed with queso (cheese) and/or chicharrones (meat or sausage), then shaped like a pancake and cooked on a griddle. They're usually served with shredded cabbage and some salsa. I had something very similar in Mexico last February, and they were called gorditas there.

So, I rode my bike to Pupusería Pamela and sat down at one of the tables. There were two guys sitting at another table, and I recognized one of them, from seeing him there before, so I said hello. I started my greeting at the same time he started to greet me; he recognized me also. Two other younger guys came in right behind me and sat at the other remaining table. Someone came out to take my order and the order of the two young guys.

A few minutes later, Juanita, the owner, came out and saw me. She started walking toward me as she was saying her greeting and I got up and made the few final steps to her. We exchanged the traditional kiss/hug greeting of friends and I was so happy! This was a sign that we had crossed over, past merely acquaintances who say 'hello' on the street. She asked if my order had been taken yet.

When Juanita went back inside, to prepare our food, I turned back to the first two gentleman. I asked the one that I did not know if the taxi with the Hispano flag out on the street was his. It was. I asked him if he had gone to the game on Sunday. Then asked if he was going to the game that night. Yes, on both counts. The flag on his car was a great conversation starter for me! A few minutes later, those guys left and the two guys who came in about the same time as me started asking me some questions.

We talked for a few minutes, across the two tables and then I just asked them if I could join them. Talking at the same table was much easier than talking across two. I didn't need to ask them to repeat themselves (as much, anyway). I found out that they were both doctors and they worked at Colonial Hospital, doing their residencies. Luis planned to specialize in internal medicine and Yasser had his eyes on surgery. (Too bad these guys weren't a little older...) Yasser was not familiar with the Center here at Enlaces, so Luis started to tell him about it. I thought that was pretty cool! Luis told Yasser about all the ways Enlaces helps the people of this city, that it was more than just the Youth Center. Luis said that he came to the Center regularly when he was younger, and when he had more time.

Then I found out that Luis was one of the doctors who helped with the medical brigade here in September. Yasser has participated in two brigades that were coordinated by the military base here in the area. Again, how cool. Both doctors want to give back to their country and people. They were asking me questions about why I'm here and what I've been doing. It was an awesome opportunity to share God's love with them, and to share my heart for this country with them.

Soon, we were all done with our lunches. Luis and Yasser got up to go pay and I sat there for another minute to finish my Diet Coke. When I got up to go inside to pay, Yasser was just coming out and said, "Please, we want to pay for your lunch." My jaw absolutely hit the floor!! I mean, speechless!! I was finally able to thank them. But I was still in such shock. They left and I got on my bike to head for home.

While I was riding home, it was hard for me to see the road through the tears. I was (and am still) so overwhelmed by their gesture. As I was thinking about it, I am certain that buying me lunch was their way to say "thank you" to me for caring about the people of their country. They heard my heart and responded.

One Week, Two Fútbol Games...

First, last Sunday did not start like any other. It was our first morning service at the church. The place was packed! That, in itself, made for a great Sunday. Then, a group of us went to the Hispanos game in the afternoon. Hispano was playing Motagua here in Comayagua, and if they won, there would be another game on Thursday in Tegucigalpa.

Eleven of us crammed into Carlos' pickup truck for the drive over to the stadium. Hector and his son, Danny, drove over a little later in Hector's new carrito. We got some great seats and waited for the game to start. I was enjoying this slice of local culture. The sights, the sounds, the smells. Did you know that you can buy tacos, tajaditas and other great local foods at a fútbol game? I didn't have any of them, but they sure smelled good. During the game I just kept looking around: the action on the field, the roar of the crowd, the rugged mountains in the background. It was truly a wonderful afternoon. There were probably about 10,000 people in the stadium that day.

Hispano won! Two-to-one. Excellent! They would get to play on Thursday, and, although I didn't know it on Sunday, I would get to go.

Wednesday night after church, we finalized plans to head to Teguc on Thursday. Carlos and Hector were both going to drive, since we couldn't ride in the back of Carlos' truck all the way to Teguc. We ended up having 11 going over and 12 coming back, because one person joined us there.

The game on Thursday was crazy! It was in el estadio nacional (the national stadium), which holds about 42,000 people. Total attendance at this game would probably top out at about 22,000. Because we got there so early, we got some great seats. As we were looking for our seats we passed so many vendadores who were selling such great things that I decided I was going to try some of the food. As soon as we picked out our seats, I got back up and went down toward the food. The chuletas smelled fantastic while walking by. For 40Lps ($2) I got a plate of chuleta de cerdo (pork chop), refritos, papas, tortillas and several different sliced and chopped veggies. I knew that there was a certain amount of risk in eating the food, particularly the veggies, but decided I was going to risk it. When I got back to my seat, I inhaled my food. Gustavo decided that it looked so good that he went for a plate himself. And the game hadn't even begun yet. Later, during the first half, I had some tajaditas, including the cabbage and tomato.

Ah, yes, the game. Well, let's just say that at least there were other things at the stadium to be excited about. By the end of the first half, Motagua was up 4 to 0. The game was turning out to be a rout. Fireworks and firecrackers were going off everywhere. People throw them, without caring about where (or on whom) they land. The police were there, too. Looking like navy blue Imperial Stormtroopers in their body armor and full shield helmets.

Shortly before the second half started, we got to see the Stormtroopers in action. Right in front of us, a fight broke out between some Hispano and Motagua fans. I don't know what happened, but the female Hispano fans weren't about to back down against those Motagua guys. We all just stood there, knowing not to say or do anything (except watch). Soon, the Stormtroopers flew down the stairs and right into the melee, billy clubs brandished. And let me tell you, the Stormtroopers were not afraid to use their clubs. You know those videos of LA police womping on some guy while a home video camera just happens to catch all of it for the 6:00 o'clock news? That's what it was. I even watched one Stormtrooper almost lose his billy club to an overzealous fan, until another Stormtrooper came to his rescue.

About that time, we decided that the seats in the bowl were much safer (and were also much closer to the exit we would need). So, we made our way over to the bowl, making sure that our movement could not be even slightly misinterpreted as heading down toward the fight, which now included probably 75 fans and Stormtroopers. You were right, Glenda. Soccer is so much more exciting than American football!!! :-p

Darn the luck. We sat down right in front of some ladies making baleadas. Not only were they making baleadas, but they were also first making the flour tortillas right there. It was fascinating to watch. They would stretch and twirl the dough, much like you do for pizza. Then they would place the freshly stretched dough onto one bucket grill, then another, and then finally smear on some refritos, mantequilla, and parmesan cheese. They were 6Lps each. Quiero dos, por favor.

When the score got to be 6 -- 0, we left. There were only a few minutes left to play, and this one was already in the history books. We made it back to the cars easily. Soon, the streets were flooded with Motagua fans. You could easily tell the Hispano fans, they were quiet and suddenly, the horns on their cars no longer worked.

Let's see:
Ticket -- 60Lps
chuleta plate -- 40Lps
bag of water -- 3Lps
tajaditas -- 10Lps
2 baleadas -- 12Lps

Total money spent on game: 125Lps ($6.25)
Cultural value of the night: priceless
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As a sidenote: For the record, I never had any negative reaction to any of the food I ate at the stadium. Yesterday after church, Rosita and Francisco invited me to join their family at dinner. At the restaurant, we were talking about the game. When I told Rosita what I ate, she said, "No, Susan, we don't eat at the game. It's not safe." Francisco disagreed.

Home Again, Home Again...

I started my journey to Costa Rica on Monday, 27 November. Purpose? To renew my visa. When I entered Honduras I was given a 90-day visa. I could get one 30-day extension, but that wouldn't be long enough. So, I decided to leave the country for the required 3 days, then reenter on a new visa.

I took the Los Contreras bus to Tegucigalpa on Monday. When I arrived in Teguc, I took a taxi to the home of my new friends, Jenny and Adam -- two young missionaries from Arizona. They had graciously opened up their home to me (actually, the home of the pastor and his family that they are staying with). Adam had the phone number of a taxi driver, so he called the driver and made arrangements to have me picked up at 5:00am Tuesday morning and brought to the King Quality terminal. Imagine my surprise when the taxi driver arrived, RIGHT AT 5:00AM!!

I checked in at King Quality, got my seat assignment, and waited for the bus to board. I'd have to change buses in about two hours, and then from there it would be a direct trip to San Jose, with a short stop in Managua, Nicaragua (and at the various borders, of course).

While waiting, I was talking to a man from Arizona. Within a few minutes I realized that he was the type of traveler who gives Americans a bad name: NOTHING was ever good enough for him. He proceeded to tell me how dangerous San Jose is, how his friend was robbed there three times in 30 days, how poorly he's been treated at restaurants in Honduras, how fat Guatemalans are, and on and on. I didn't bother to ask him all the questions I was thinking: Were you treated poorly because you walked in to a restaurant with a visible chip on your shoulder and an air of superiority, are you aware of the genetic predisposition of Guatemalans, etc., etc. And, guess who I got to sit next to on the first leg of the trip? Yup. Mr. Rude American. I prayed silently for him, and for me -- that I wouldn't kill him or say what was really on my mind. Thank God for iPods!!

We switched buses and I was thankfully reprieved from my seat in the closest thing to purgatory that I've experienced. I was now sitting next to a guy from El Salvador. Very friendly. We were able to talk a little bit. Hey, I think I'm starting to catch on a little.

At our very first border crossing, I got just a little worried. We were at the Honduran/Nicaraguan border and the official there told me that I was over my 90 days. I explained that I was exactly AT my 90 days. Well, he made me step to the side and told me he wouldn't be stamping my passport and he'd let them deal with that when I left Nicaragua. I paid my $7 fee and was the only one given a receipt. We made a brief stop in Managua and then were on toward Costa Rica. At the border there, everything went very smoothly. I was never questioned about my visa. I received a 90-day visa for Costa Rica. We arrived at our final destination in San Jose at about 12:30am. It had been more than an 18-hour trip so far, and I still had to get to my hostel. I got a taxi, who charged me $10US (because it was very late, he said). I didn't care. All I wanted was a bed.

I had notified the hostel that I might be arriving very late, and was told that would be no problem, and it wasn't. I checked in, paid, and was shown my room. I had revived just enough that now all I wanted was to wash my face, brush my teeth and check my email. So that's what I did. I jotted off a quick note to let a few people know that I had arrived just fine. OK, how soon until I can go back home now?

Even though it was about 1:30am when I went to bed, I got up at about 7:00am. I took a nice warm shower and got ready for the day. Breakfast was included at the hostel so I made my way to the dining area. I walked around the place a little to get familiar with things. I found all brochures for places to go and things to see. Then I asked Melissa which one she would recommend. It ended up being a trip to Waterfall Gardens. http://www.waterfallgardens.com/ I wasn't sure if I wanted to spend the money, so I decided that I'd wait until later in the day to make my reservations for the next day.

Melissa gave me a map and an overview of the city. I decided that I was going to make my way to the mercado central (central market). Melissa told me that things were cheaper there than at other places for souvenirs. She told me where the mall was, and that's where I went first. I walked to the mall, found a bank and waited for it to open. I was about third in line. I needed to change money. I received 515 Colones to the dollar, so in my mind I just used 500:1 to figure out the approximate cost of things. After walking around the mall a little, I went outside, grabbed a taxi and headed for the mercado. I walked all around the mercado, several times. I really wasn't in any hurry and didn't have any real agenda for the day. I bought some souvenirs for friends back home, noting that everything was much more expensive in Costa Rica than in Honduras.

It was soon lunchtime and I was hungry. I decided to eat at one of the lunch counters in the mercado, but knew that I needed to be particular about where and what I ate. I turned down the siren song of one counter, gracefully explaining that sometimes their food is too rich for our American systems. (Translation: I don't trust this place and think it will land me in the bathroom for days on end.) I intended to walk much further away, but the place across the way caught my eye. I ended up with a fruit drink, sopa de mariscos, arroz, platanos, and tortillas. At the invitation of two Ticos (Costa Ricans) I also tried the pickled veggies that were on the counter. ¡Muy ricos! And the cost for lunch was pretty reasonable: about $3.50.

After lunch I waited for the rain to let up some, then ventured across the street and into another mercado. Like I said, I had no real agenda for the day. Soon, I was ready to head back so I hailed another taxi and made my way back to my hostel. I met several of the other guests there. It was definitely an international crowd. And, hey, I even met a guy from West Orange, NJ. Go figure!

OK, I decided to do the waterfall/rainforest/butterfly/hummingbird place. I called to make reservations and found out that they needed a minimum of two people and as of that time, only had one (me) with one other "maybe". They would call me in the morning to confirm or cancel. That was fine with me, because I figured that if it didn't happen, then I'd save the $55US that it was costing. Yes, it was definitely a splurge, but how often do you get a chance to visit a rainforest? As it turned out, they ended up booking a group of 3 others: two retired sisters and the daughter of one of them. We hit it off wonderfully.

Waterfall Gardens was magnificent. I got lots of butterfly pictures and even managed to get several decent hummingbird pics. The picture of me below was taken in front of one of the five waterfalls there.The trip included transportation to/from my hostel, a stop at a coffee plantation on the way up the mountain, a guided tour of Waterfall Gardens, and a wonderful lunch. By the end of the day I knew that it was well worth the money.

I got back to the hostel and was able to rest, talk with some of the others and then take a taxi back to the bus station. My bus was scheduled to leave at 3:00am, so I needed to leave the hostel at 2:00am. Sleep could wait. And hopefully, because I was so tired, it would be easier to sleep on the bus.

The trip back was relatively uneventful. We crossed the border into Nicaragua and they gave me a 90-day stamp in my passport. So, I'm set for the rest of my time here. At the Nicaraguan/Honduran border, the Nica official took my yellow visa paper, the one that's normally left in your passport. I didn't realize it at the time, and hope that doesn't pose a problem when it comes time for me to leave. We'll see.

One thing I did note: it had been a pretty dull, gray, overcast day -- UNTIL we crossed the border into Honduras. I looked up and the clouds were breaking up and the sky was bright blue. Shortly, I was treated to one of the most gorgeous sunsets I've seen. The sun was hidden by some clouds, but the rays were breaking through over row after row of mountains. It almost looked like wave after wave at the ocean. Absolutely breathtaking!!

The bus arrived at the King Quality terminal about 8:30pm on Friday, as scheduled. I got a taxi and then made my way over to Paul and Ellen's house. Ellen's directions were great. It was so good to see them and spend some time with them. They needed to leave the next morning for Olancho, so I helped them a little bit with Grace. Since this was their first trip with the baby, I thought it might help them ease into the traveling a little if they had a little help. I know they'll have a routine worked out in no time. Plus, Ellen and Paul are going to be travelling to San Pedro Sula soon. They're planning to stop by here in Comayagua on the way back.

On Saturday, I took a Los Contreros bus from Tegucigalpa back to Comayagua. They let me off right in front of Enlaces. Oh, it felt good to be home. And Kezia, the dog, was very excited to see me also. Back in my own bed, I slept very soundly that night.

Sunday morning was our first morning service, switching from having church service in the afternoon. Wow! I got so many hugs from people -- and I had only been gone for six days.