What I did in Field Based Training
October 15, 2001
Hi Family and Friends!
We have a month worth of information to tell you about (including
a new mailing address – found at the end of this letter). I
have found out that my (Jennifer) definition of comfort has been
tested over the last 4 weeks, stretched to new dimensions,
changed, compromised...it simply has been redefined.
However, I am learning that “redefining” perspectives
is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I am reminded of Paul in
Philippians 4:11-12, who writes:
“I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. I
know how it is to be poor and I know how it is to abound.
Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and
to be hungry, both to have abundance and to have need.”
If you have the time to read, I would like to share some excepts
from my journal over the past month:
Sept 2, 01 -FIELD BASE TRAINING
It’s my first night in field base training. I just arrived
at my new host families home in Moroceli, Honduras. I don’t
know if I can do this. My room is nice. Let me rephrase that, my
room is simple. The room is a large block of cement - cement
walls, cement floor and cement ceiling. The bed is relatively
clean, with the exception of a handful of friendly spiders. That
is a new favorite word for me - relative. I am learning in a
third world country - everything is relative. Tomorrow I will put
up my mosquito net to make sleeping much more achievable. In
addition to the bed, I have a night stand. I also have one
window, but my host mom keeps it shut because it doesn’t
have a screen. Even so, there are many flies in the room. I feel
like I am in prison. I guess I never knew how comforting
furniture can be. I wish I had a desk for writing in my journal.
The room is so bare and empty and lonely. I can hear Shawn’s
voice comforting me and telling me “to be happy with what I
have.” I am trying. Other volunteers in my group have rooms
with a fan, desk and dresser! These items are considered a
luxury. I suppose this is a good lesson for me. Actually, this is
the lesson I wanted to learn - to live simply, to be happy with
little and to appreciate abundance.
Tonight for dinner I was served “platanos” (large size
bananas - a staple food popular throughout Latin America). I love
bananas. But, these had a special twist. They were served with
“mantequilla” (normally known as butter, but in
Honduras this is a special sour cream mixture). Imagine, if you
will, hot, fried, greasy bananas smothered in runny sour cream.
Sept. 3, 01 - SHOWERING WITH THE FROGS
The bathroom and shower are both outside. In the middle of the
night I can hear the oversized frogs singing from the latrine. I
almost stepped on one last night about the size of a squirrel.
There’s also a mule who lives next door. He sounds like he
is in such severe pain by the horrendous noise he makes. I think
this could be a very long month.
Sept 4, 01 - POST OFFICE TREASURE HUNT
My assignment this morning was to find the post office. More than
an assignment it turned out to be a treasure hunt! I asked a guy
in the town park where the post office was and he responded,
“there isn’t one.” I asked someone else in the
park and he told me it was to the left of the park. Then he
changed his mind and told me to go to the right. I was finally
directed to a house. I knocked on the door of the house, which
appeared abandoned by all the boards nailed across the windows.
To my surprise and terror a five year old girl opened the door
and out charged a large, black Doberman dog. This did wonders for
my phobia of dogs! Legs shaking, I took a step back and bravely
asked where I could find the post office. The little girl pointed
to the house next door. The treasure hunt continued. As I entered
the gate of the house next door, an elderly woman came to the
porch. I inquired about the town’s post office. She informed
me that her house “used” to be the post office until
about a month ago when her leg became infected and she had to
close the post office. The woman decided her health was more
important and that the national post office would just need to
find another house to use. As a result, the town had not sent or
received mail for at least 6 weeks.
Sept. 5, 01 - PIG POLICE AND PIG PRISON
Our group visited the city hall today and met the pig police!
(You may be laughing, but this is a true story!) To save on
costs, people in town allow their pigs to roam the streets and
eat whatever they find in sight. In reality, this is truly a sad
occurrence being that the pigs eat garbage, spoiled food and
horse excrement. It also explains the high risk of triconossis in
Honduras (a disease carried in pork). To discourage people from
letting their pigs wander around town, Alfredo, the pig policeman
patrols the town with a lasso and catches any pigs who are not
tied up. He then brings them to “pig prison” where the
owner pays a fine have the pig released. Each day is a day of
learning!
Sept. 7, 01 - WORK PROJECT
Most of my month was spent working in the town of Nuevo Paraiso,
which translates to “New Paradise”. This small village
was established 12 years ago as a project for battered women or
single women with children. I worked with about 10 of the women
who make greeting cards. We reviewed quality standards for their
product, marketing ideas and market locations to sell the cards.
The women also asked me to give them a lecture on “Home
Budgeting”, so I developed a mini-workshop for them
involving how to set up a monthly budget to organize their
household expenses. We reviewed spending habits, setting
priorities and learning to set up a savings system. A common
mentality in Honduras is to live in the moment. It is very common
for the women to buy coca-cola and snacks on payday only to find
that at the end of the month, there is nothing left to buy beans
and rice. Sometimes it frustrates me that Coke and Pepsi have
found their way into the most remote parts of this country. I
have witnessed children who are malnourished feasting on pop
while their small bodies crave nutrition. I believe education is
one of the best gifts we can share with the people here.
Sept 8, 01 - JUNE BUGS IN SEPTEMBER
It began to rain today after dinner. I went to my room to read
and discovered a rat searching for shelter from the rain. I
screamed louder than I knew possible, scaring both the rat and
myself. The rat scurried away and I scurried in bed under the
protection of my mosquito net. I noticed a couple of June bugs or
moths flying around. As the rain came down harder more June bugs
came flying under my door into my room. Each minute the moths
seemed to multiply. Soon I was witnessing what appeared to be a
plague of at least 1000 of these insects in my room. I forced
myself to sleep dreaming that I was in the twilight zone. In the
morning I awoke to piles of dead moths at least one inch deep.
There was a cockroach in my shoe to greet me. Can my week get any
better? Less than 24 hours ago I was so enchanted with this
country, working with the women’s group and making a small
difference. Today my spirit is somewhat deflated.
Sept. 10, 2001 – CULINARY ARTS
For all of our friends who are interested in the various foods we
eat, I had a new combination today for breakfast. I was so
excited to have a bowl of cornflakes. The new twist was the
cereal was served in boiling milk. Actually, not a bad invention.
It does, however, quicken the timing of soggy cereal.
Sept. 10, 2001 8PM – THE WILD WEST
Life here is so fun to observe. I am writing tonight by
candlelight because the electricity went out, which tends to be a
common occurrence here. I feel like I am in the Wild West! During
the day people are trotting on horses all over town and outside
the mayor’s office posts are available to tie up one’s
horses. I saw our neighbor today “mowing grass”. This
consists of taking a large machete and chopping the grass by
hand. It is strenuous, back-breaking work! Yesterday, I went with
my friend, Giovanna, and her host family to the “hot
springs”, which should really be renamed as “mud hole
with warm water.” I did find it interesting though, that the
town’s hot spot is a swamp! But, even if you read my
sarcasm, I love the simpleness of this country. The lifestyle is
calm and easy going. This is the peace one does not find amidst
the frantic schedules in the U.S.
Sept. 11, 2001
My heart is broken, I can’t even write after hearing about
the attack on the World Trade Center. Such an evil, evil act. I
don’t know how to describe my emotion – it is of the
utmost sadness.
Sept 20, 2001 OUR NEW SITE: CONCEPCION DE MARIA
[NOTE: OUR NEW ADDRESS IS AT THE END OF THIS LETTER!]
Our town for the next two years is set in the beautiful mountains
of southern Honduras. Shawn and I were able to visit the site
together during the middle of our Field Base training. There are
many exciting projects to be started in the town, in addition to
many new challenges to face. Shawn and I will primarily be
working on a new library project funded by the Riechen Foundation
in the United States. AOL (American Online) donated computers to
be part of the new library. We will work on setting up the
computers, which will include internet capabilities, teach
computer classes, train a new librarian, organize book donations
and work with students/adults in the community to utilize the
educational tool of having their very own library in town! We
will also be busy working with youth groups. One of the goals of
Peace Corps is to work as role models for the youth. Shawn is
considering working with a “photography club” and I
would like to work with a women’s group that focuses on
health and self-esteem issues. Many of the families suffer
terrible diseases from drinking the contaminated water. This can
be prevented by simply boiling the water. I would like to work
with mothers and their children to enhance nutrition and health
within the family. Shawn and I will also have opportunities to do
training and teaching within the high school.
Concepción de Maria is a town made up of about 1,000 people. My
first reaction to the city was the shock of such poverty. The
town is poor and dirty. Mothers line up for hours outside the
health clinic to bring their ill children. Stray dogs roam freely
in and out of the clinic. Trash is thrown on the sides of the
streets as there is no trash collection or sense of pride in
keeping the streets clean. We visited the bakery and I had to
decline from tasting a muffin because of the swarm of flies who
were also looking to find a snack.
How is it that I come from a life of such abundance? When Shawn
and I toured the new library that we will be working with, I
noticed that the cement building can not be larger than my
parent’s garage. To our Honduran community this library is
referred to as the “modern center of information”. By
U.S. standards the structure is anything, but modern.
It will take 3 hours by bus to go to the nearest grocery store
due to the road conditions. After Hurricane Mitch in 1998, the
roads and bridges were completely washed out. The country is
still reconstructing many of the roads. Think of road
construction in the U.S. and the time delays involved. In a third
world country these delays multiply. Due to the limitations on
grocery shopping, our diets will also undergo changes. When I
asked where people buy their milk, my neighbor directed me to the
woman next door who sells fresh milk from her cow! When I called
home to tell my dad, he had a good chuckle. I am already planning
to use powdered milk for the next two years. I can hear my
Grandma Dorn telling me, “Life goes on”, one of her
famous quotes. I think of her often when I am going through my
moments of transition.
Speaking of bridges, we cross what Shawn has nick-named the
“Indiana Jones Bridge of Death” on the way to the high
school. There is a beautiful, clear-water river that runs through
the town. In order to get to the high school, it is necessary to
cross the river. The old bridge was destroyed during the
hurricane and a temporary bridge was made for crossing. That was
three years ago . The bridge sways as you cross and there are a
couple planks that rise if you don’t watch your step. It is
definitely one of the town’s local attractions.
The bathroom to our small apartment is outside (a latrine). I was
not especially fond of the scorpions I discovered above the
toilet nor the lizards slithering outside the outhouse door. I
feel like I am camping. Although, scorpions are not so popular in
Minnesota – even from my camping experience back home.
Overall, Shawn and I are excited to go to our new site. The
people are friendly and motivated to improve their community. I
am looking forward to sharing what we can with the people of
Concepción de Maria. I have a feeling that they will also be
sharing many parts of their lives with us. Lessons that I am sure
will be invaluable.
October 1, 2001 - MOUNTAIN SUNSET
Sitting on the patio I have the perfect view to watch the
day’s setting sun. The mountains are silky gray as if God
outlined them with a soft paintbrush. The canvas looks like a
storybook. Orange-pink light shines through the scattered clouds.
In moments all the color will fade, so I am savoring each passing
moment. The clouds look like a Monet painting - soft and flowing.
So vast are the clouds in the sky that I feel encompassed by
their size. One area of the sky has clouds forming a unique
powdered pattern like marshmallows melting. The beauty cannot be
described in words, but my heart is pleased to have taken part in
the attraction. The gentle breeze is blowing from the mouth of
the clouds and soon, as the darkness comes, the gray sky will
unite with the gray mountains and the light will disappear. The
light never truly dies, however, as the sun will rise tomorrow.
October 11, 2001 - SHAWN’S VISIT TO THE HOSPITAL – THE
DENTAL SAGA CONTINUES
A lot can happen in 9 days. I am sitting in my room in Valle de
Angeles, recovering. Last week Wednesday, I started to feel ill.
I had a dentist appointment on Friday and decided that if my
condition did not improve the next day I was going to travel to
the capital, as my neighbor had contracted dengue, a virus
carried by a certain type of mosquitoes, similar to malaria. I
had most of the signs that it was dengue; fever, sweating, and a
rash. I decided I needed to see a doctor and arrived in
Tegucigalpa on Thursday. I went to the Peace Corps Medical Office
where I waited 2 hours to be seen and was told to go get a blood
test. I had to walk 5 blocks to the lab where they give blood
tests. Later in the afternoon I was told my blood test was fine
and there was nothing wrong with me.
The next day I went to the dentist where I had the worst dental
procedure of my life, an extraction. They pulled and chipped and
tugged until the second from last molar on the upper left side of
my mouth was completely torn out, then he yanked and prodded and
pulled a little more to make sure the roots were gone, too. I got
to keep the tooth as a souvenir. I had to have it pulled after
the molar cracked completely in half from eating a flour tortilla
with beans smeared in the middle. Apparently, if you don't clean
the beans well you can get rocks and other items in your beans,
this is what happened to me. I bit down on a rock and a week
later my tooth was completely cracked in half. After the
procedure, I was driven home by a driver from the training center
and for the most part the tooth extraction went perfect; aside
from the fact that I was awake when it happened. I had a dentist
who has been described by many as "one of the best" in
Honduras, which I don’t doubt he seemed to have really nice
equipment, a very clean office and knew what he was talking
about. I noticed on my first consultation visit that he had more
than 60 certificates on his walls for various continuing
education credits and seminars he had attended. This made me feel
more secure about the whole ordeal. Even if this had happened in
the US I think it would have been “The worst dental
procedure of my life”.
I went home and slept a restless night in Valle de Angeles.
Jennifer arrived on Saturday, after returning from her Field Base
Training (we were separated for a portion of our training) to
find me curled up on the bed with a temperature of 103 degrees
and a red rash from head to foot.
I was pretty sure it was Dengue Fever and it would be gone in a
day or two, as I had now been sick for 3 days and the typical
dengue cycle lasts 3-5 days. Jennifer wasn’t so sure this
would “simply pass” and with concern called the medical
director who told us we would be going to the hospital as soon as
they could find us a ride. A driver showed up two hours later and
we checked into a 1950's style hospital in the capitol. Jennifer
was allowed to accompany me. To our disappointment the hospital
didn't have cable television -only local stations. Cable is a big
deal here, because the local stations are few and very poor
quality; plus they are all in Spanish! (I know this probably
sounds funny coming from the couple who didn’t own a T.V.
during their first year of marriage, but when you are bored in
the hospital, a good movie does help!)
Since it was Saturday, when we checked in, we weren’t able
to find out until Monday that I in fact, had Mono-nucleuses,
which consequently has the same symptoms as dengue fever. The
prognosis was not very welcome. The recovery time for dengue is
about a week, whereas the recovery time for mono can be up to a
month and a half. Being the strapping young lad I am, I have been
recovering very well and after 5 days in the hospital I was ready
for battle again, and returned to my host home in Valle de
Angeles to battle to the 3 little monsters that live there, who
ironically are probably the ones I got mono from in the first
place as mono has a 4-6 week incubation period and they were very
sick 4-6 weeks ago with some mystery disease. This is a great
testament for washing your hands, I’m pretty sure
that’s how I got it (check our photo pagefor their cute pictures!).
Unfortunately, Peace Corps Medical doesn't share my enthusiasm
for service and I have been ordered to stay in my house and rest.
So here I am passing the time by "resting" in my host
home. It's not very peaceful though. When the children are not
sleeping, they are screaming. So much for resting and relaxing.
The good news is that I will not be missing too much training and
will still graduate with the group on October 19th! This is the
day that Jennifer and I are sworn in as official Peace Corp
volunteers.
After my hospital experience and all the other “fun
stories” we have shared since our arrival in Honduras, I
have a new quote that I am submitting for our 2001 Peace Corps
T-Shirt design:
SHAWN’S QUOTE FOR THE MONTH:
“Every meal a banquet, every paycheck a fortune,
every day an adventure. That’s what I love about the corps.”
And that’s our recap of the month. Thanks for reading all
those pages! We always look forward to hearing your comments,
humor and suggestions. Have a great week. We’ll write again
from the mountain!
Love,
Jennifer and Shawn
P.S. We do have a post office in our town. It is in
someone’s house. But, she is healthy and the post office
functions! We’d love to hear from you. Our new address for
sending all correspondence is:
Shawn Miguel y Jennifer Silvera
Voluntarios del Cuerpo de Paz
Barrio el Centro
Concepcion de Maria, CHOLUTECA
HONDURAS
America Central