Heart of Honduras

I am currently in Jesus de Otoro. If you look at a map of Honduras, just point to the middle and you are very close. It´s high ground. I really like it here just because I can now move around freely. Something very funny happened to us: we ended up disliking the city we were told we would love (San Pedro Sula) and really liking Tegucigalpa where we hoped not to go back. We were actually grinning from ear to ear when we came back to Tegus. The heat is swealtering in San Pedro, its like beeing in a dry sauna, and nightly gun shots to top it all. My aunt said that the vultures would indicate where the bodies were. Misha and I probably lost a few pounds by just sitting around in the heat and then gained them again by inhaling white dust (not exactly what your are thinking) that makes up the busy street infront of my aunt´s house. I not only liked Tegus because of its cool weather but because I can now find my way around there. I promised my dad´s family to stop by in Otoro and so here I am. It´s a very small town with cobble stone streets. Everybody seems to know each other- very quaint.

I said good-by to my love yesterday. Very sad. We have never been apart for what we are scheduled for, I hope to find a job soon to make time fly. The country seems to be in a state of learning english and so english teachers are needed.....

Brief Travel Log

July 24: Left Tegucigalpa for San Pedro Sula

July 24 to 28: Stayed in San Pedro Sula and visited Puerto Cortes.

July 29: Came back to Tegucigalpa to see my love go home. Bittersweet return to the Capital. Will explain later.

July 29: Arrived in Jesus de Otoro (middle of Honduras).....

Will write about my trip later...

Leaving Tegucigalpa

Today we leave Tegucigalpa (Tegus). The first city I saw in Honduras. We were only here for immigration formalities, and now that we are finished we leave for San Pedro Sula. Tegus has left a lasting impression. Our business was mostly at the embassy so that is where I met most people. It`s not easy to get a US visa here. Of course, all of us have high hopes of leaving the country. I remember many leaving the embassy with disappointment. I was told that you pay one hundred dollars to get an appointment, not an easy thing for your normal Honduran. You can try again if denied, but will have to pay again and wait for six months or a year.
I noticed many wearing United States clothing as we walked the city or visited points of interest. What I mean by this is a lot of people wore LA Dodgers baseball caps or t-shirts, actually more sportswear from the east (NY), Disneyland shirts, Lakers, or other American specific brands. It is as if many are already in the United States by proxy. Not all want to go to the US. Like the taxi driver who had lived in the US legally, and could go back anytime but choses not to because he sees no possibility of a normal life there. Or my cousin (university student) who got a visa after a hunch to just show up and apply for one but has not used it. It can also be that many have relatives in the US and they send them things that are location specific which they wear. But you can certainly see the American connection.
Speaking of United States` influence, you can find any American restaurants and fast food here. I was not ready for this. There is BK, KFC, DKD, Mickey D`s, Churchies, Subway, and the list goes on and on. According to good information there was once an IN n OUT here!! I find this hard to believe. But you name it and you have it here. I visited two malls that were exact replicas of some back home.
Going around the city was exciting. I reminded myself of my cat who is very eager to go outside but once outside freezes in surprise of being outside and then rushes back inside our house. And he does this over and over. Yeah, that`s how it was. You become braver and braver. I began by not wanting to leave the hotel but eager to visit the city. Then I walked out to the street infront of the hotel, then a block and rushed back. Taxis got me far away from the hotel, but I went from the hotel door to into a taxi and out at to the door at the other location. No real street walking for me, at least not until my cousins arrived. They took me places. Erick, Danny and Fer were great guides. Fer was street wise, Danny gave us the political scoop of things and Erick drove us to places of interest he thought we could not miss while here in Tegus. Out of all drivers that took us places here, he was the best. Here you have to show your intentions and demand attention as you drive around and everybody knew when we were coming. Even San Pedranos told me that they would never drive in this capital.
I`m just rambling now. We are leaving for San Pedro soon. Tegus I will certainly see you again, thanks for the baptismal by fire....

Tegucigalpa Pics

Tegus Central Park

Fer y Erick - good people

Banda Cristiana y Luisito

Estatua de Morazan y la Catedral en el Parque Central

Casa en el parque Nacional y el El Picacho

US Embassy Interview

Possible Interview question: What do you like most about your wife? How about the patience to wait more than seven hours at a lobby where we were the first ones to come in and the last ones to get out. Better yet, wait six years to get where we are now. Or, the bravery of not crying after being told that her spouse is staying behind in Honduras for six to eight months. The love to stick by her husband as life gives them a curveball and the usual path of graduating-finding a job-getting married-and having kids is interrupted by asking for her husband in a foreing country. The faithfullness of seeing this process till the end, or the self control to not scream from the top of a mountain in frustration as we are given one more task.... All in all its her caring and gentleness that attracted me to her in the first place....

P.S. Lets just say that we overprepared, the interview itself lasted about five minutes where we asked most of the questions The interviewer was very nice and made every effort to make us feel comfortable. The next step is submitting a waiver that will allow me to go back home. We have to go to the office of the Department Homeland Security here in Tegucigalpa to finish this process..We`ll be heading out to San Pedro Sula very soon....

This is the Day

Today is the day, its what we are here for. We are leaving to the US Embassy very soon, and so wish us the best. Michele and I roamed the city yesterday and will post pics later. But today is all about the interview. We have done all we can to prepare and expect to be ready. Thanks for your prayers and words of encouragement.

Valle de Angeles

Misha finally arrived yesterday and I was able to meet my cousins here in Tegucigalpa. So I went from being locked up in the hotel to finally seeing a lot of Tegucigalpa. They have been taking me many places including their neighborhoods. Ever seen City of God? It`s something like that. They took me to Valle de Angeles. The pic above is the central church in the small town. We have many plans for today....

Ever since I had left Honduras at a young age, I had always wondered what it would be to live among my own countryfolk. Every now and then when I met someone from Honduras in California, we were so glad to talk and it was like we had known each other for a long time. So in coming to Honduras I was very eager to meet people. I was ready to go outside for a walk, take pictures here and there etc. Unfortunately I`ve been told by everybody to be careful in Tegucigalpa. I`ve been told that crime has been rampant and so to avoid walking anywhere. So my first two days in the Honduran capital have been spent cooped up in the hotel. Besides running around in taxis I have not seen much of the city or its people, but more of its traffic. Streets are small and winding (the capital is located among rolling hills and mountains), cars are mostly asian ( a lot of mitsubishis). Interestingly what has captured my attention has been the amount of overhead electrical wires. They are many electrical or telecommunication wires running that it seems that some poles could topple under their weight. They seem heavy and never-ending. Buildings that have some type of value (hotels, stores, banks) have armed guards posted outside. These guys are ARMED. They carry shotguns or assault weapons and swing them out in the open. I guess they do this to intimidate and to throw off anybody with bad ideas. Again, all of this is what I see in passing as I pass by in taxis. There is much you miss as you fly by. I can`t wait till my cousins come over. I get to go places with them...

So I am finally here. 12 hours and a half of travel. First of all, after the cancellation of my flight last night, they did not give me proper tickets so I had to explain myself everytime at security checkpoints, immigration, flight boarding etc. So a trip with one stop turned out to be a trip with three stops. From LAX to Guatemala City to San Salvador and then Tegucigalpa. I enjoyed being in the Guatemala airport mostly. It was recently built and everybody was proud of it. I waited for four hours and so had time to look around. Right infront of the airport was Guatemala City, and (unfortunately I did not learn this until after take off) right behind it you could see a big mountain that looked like a volcano. I will have to find out its name. I met a few people while travelling. There was Doctor Alex who was returning to Honduras from Cuba. I met him on my way to Tegucigalpa from El Salvador. I asked about Cuba and he was more than willing to share his experiences with me. He is finishing his doctorate and will practice in Panama shortly. I also met Jeff who was coming from Australia and landing in Guatemala City to teach Guatemalans on proper care of horses and cattle. So, I am finally here in Tegucigalpa. Its too late to see much so I cannot give any impressions yet. The view is great from the hotel. I will have to see tomorrow what is infront of me

Travelling to Honduras

I will be travelling soon to Honduras. I was seven when we left for Belize, so I don't remember much. Just cows, walking over a bridge and a few scenes here and there probably impressed upon me by my parents and sisters. I remember other things and places we visited mostly in the north (Puerto Cortes) while on our way to Belize. To tell you the truth, I rather be in Belize than in Honduras if given the choice. But the official statement is " a wait of three to six months." I want to keep you posted of my travel to Honduras. I will be interesting, since I find myself searching sites about Honduras as any tourist might. I plan to take pictures as I go along and visit old acquaintances.