Living in Cofradia, I have seen many things that one would not normally see in Boston or most places in the U.S. In just one day, I am constantly surprised by some of the things I see and experience here. In order to provide you an accurate picture I’ve decided to recreate on of my days for all of you to read about. So here it is:
Mornings (depending on the day of the week):
We wake up to the sounds of roosters, macaws, Bodega Mabel and Novedades Kenneth shouting out their best deals through a megaphone trying to drone each other out, rambunctious church music (especially this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8vx83n3e2k), and occasional parades or band competitions. It’s a miracle if you can sleep til 10am, and I’ve only done it once so far.
(Novedades Kenneth actually closed down yesterday, so our weekends have become that much more tranquil!)
The Walk to School
We tend to walk to school at a time when most of the population of Cofradía has either already left for work or is not yet out and about. As we walk down our stairs its not unusual to find piles of trash, some as tall as me, filling the street corners waiting for “trash pick up”. As far as I can tell, Honduras does not have an organized trash system, but there are men in pickup trucks and vans who pick up the trash with their own hands and fill up their vehicles. If the trash isn’t being picked up, it is being burned on the side of the road. You’re much more likely to see a burning pile of trash than someone picking it up.
Once we hit the river, amongst the dirty brown water you can sometimes spot a crane or two. The stark white contrast is very striking and it makes for a nice image early in the morning. Floating in the river is more trash. The amount of trash around here is something I still have not gotten used to. No matter how beautiful the scenery, it just takes away from the effect.
Then we cut through Dr. Zelayas’s property. He’s one of the few landowners in Cofradia and he owns the land our school is built on. He also owns a chicken “factory”. I call it this because the life cycle of these chickens is so short and every few weeks a new batch of chicks arrive only to be replaced. We have also seen our fair share of interesting Honduran creatures around the Zalias property: bright red snakes (it was dead), huge ant hills that come up to my knee, bright green and yellow lizards with blue tails, iguanas, and something I can only guess was a field mouse.
School
At school the sights are much more pleasant: children in matching uniforms playing, running, learning, signing, reading, writing. The various insects and animals around school can sometimes cause for interesting days. One day, I found a first grader crying hysterically and all he could tell me was “las hormigas me pican!”. He was covered head to toe with fire ants and the only thing I could think to do was strip him down, shake out his clothes and shoes, and splash him with water. Another day, we found a scorpion in our classroom, which the haciadora killed with a broom handle while telling us that its poison is said to be powerful enough to kill a small child. Then I saved the fourth graders from the supposed poisonous lizard whose blue tail can sting and kill you. I trapped it in a piece of paper and brought it outside; brave, I know. Other than that, it’s pretty much the typical school with normal sights and sounds that come with school aged children, and we all know how crazy those can be. Regardless, it’s a one-of-a-kind, unique feel that will always stay close to my heart.
Walking Home
On the walk home from school we often see people working in Zalias’ property. Sometimes chickens are being rounded up, other times they are harvesting corn, and once the juice factory was up and running.
Since we head home around 3, we usually get a lot more looks and calls from various strangers on the street. There is usually a man in the street so drunk he needs to be carried to the sidewalk by a few of his buddies. It’s quite amusing. A few days a week homeless boys without shoes and with very tattered clothes come around looking for bottles. This image is much more heart-rendering. When we collect enough empty bottles in our apartment, we look for them and bring them down a whole bag full. I’m not sure what they do with them, but we’re just happy to help.
Once back at the apartment, the sounds and sights of Cofradia become less interesting considering I am once again surrounded by gringos. But I love the company. Cofradía is a lively town always filled with such an eclectic mix of sounds and images … I can only imagine what the next 7 months of this journey will bring.
