I haven`t been able to post for a while because I am unable to get onto the internet from home. For some reason my computer is not working right and with all that is going on politically here I was unable to go to the church during the day. Last night we went to the church for a huge party (inappropriate time to bring my computer and hide out in the office working on my blog). Over 100 people attended the party last night, but yesterday morning there were protests in the streets and all of the schools were closed so taxis were not running. Seems like people are just taking things as they come.
We went to the movies to watch Star Trek Wednesday night. It had Spanish subtitles. Right when I would get sucked into the movie and feel like I was back in the US, the glowing red emergency exit sign would catch my eye (Salida de Emergencia) and I would realize where I was again.
Thursday was my day off . We kind of had a girls´day. We hung out in our pajamas and watched the news as things continued to escalate in the streets. On Thursday supporters of the president protested. On Friday Karla and I were supposed to work at the church but we woke up and watched the news. Schools were closed and people who oppose the president were protesting in the streets downtown so we were unable to get to the church. Both protests ended with out any violence, although it felt from the safety of my home that Thursday´s might have escalated if the rain had not started to downpour about an hour into the protest.
The bottom line is that tomorrow there will be a vote. The president requested that this vote be held because he wants to run for another term. But the problem is that his term is over - it´s like if president Bush had said there was going to be a vote to see if the people wanted him for an extra term. The president here thinks that if he gets enough votes on Sunday he can try to change to constitution and run for another term. The voting itself is against the constitution, nevermind trying to run for another term.
Yesterday they tried to make him take a test to check his ¨competency¨ (aka sanity) but of course he refused. He is turning against many of his closest staff. So far the military has stood up to him when necessary, from what I understand. I don´t know what will happen tomorrow. I think there will be a vote, but I dón´t know what good it will do. Only time will tell.
At this point the plan is still to drive to the north shore and take a boat to Utila early Monday. We do expect there to be problems on Monday, but we will leave before anything begins.
The language barrier has been less of a barrier lately. I don´t have to focus as hard and I understand more things more easily. Until now I was having a really hard time following conversations with more than one person and often felt really frustrated. Everyone would be laughing and I would have no clue why, but for the past two nights things have been easier. I can even joke along now.
I have some great photos to post of the kids making and setting off rockets with the people who are visiting from The River Church on Wednesday afternoon. I´ll post the pics when I can upload them onto my computer. Thursday, because of the problems in the streets everyone got sent home from the church at 2 pm so the project for that afternoon was cancelled.
It was great to see such a nice turnout for the dinner last night! First we played Duck, Duck, Goose (Pato, Pato, Ganso) in the dark with glowsticks around our wrists. I lost the first time and almost lost the second time. I couldn´t see who I was picking to ¨goose¨. After loosing the first time I picked a kid who looked little, figuring he would be easier to outrun, but I had two factors working against me. The first was that there were 52 people in my circle so I had to run a long way. And the second and more challenging problem was that the little guy I picked was Conejo - the little rabbit who can run like the wind! I´m not sure if I really slid into my spot on the gravel before he tagged me, or if the kids pitied me, but that time I won ¨by a hare¨. We set off more rockets and ate chorizo and fried plantains. I think it was very successful night.
I cannot even conceive of how difficult the physical labor they have been doing at the house they are working on. They start at 8 am and sometimes don´t finish until after 4 pm in the blazing heat. But they have put in a cement floor, strengthened and painted the walls and more. I haven`t seen their work because I´ve been doing the breakfast program, but I know that they return to the church looking physically exhausted. And then they go back for another day without complaint. I really respect what they are doing. I like to think of myself as someone who can handle physical challenges, but I honestly don´t think I could do it - especially in this heat.
My stupid IBS has been acting up lately. I have meds for it, but they are at home so that doesn´t help much here. I rarely have problems with it, so I didn´t think to bring my meds. Everyone here thinks that my stomach can´t handle the food, but the sypmtoms are different.
Got a lot of laundry done yesterday and it didn`t even rain! Bought some books and am ready for Utila. Still am not letting myself get too excited in case something happens and we can´t go. We won´t have any contact with the outside world once we get there, so I´ll take lots of pictures and hope my computer works when I get back.
We went to the movies to watch Star Trek Wednesday night. It had Spanish subtitles. Right when I would get sucked into the movie and feel like I was back in the US, the glowing red emergency exit sign would catch my eye (Salida de Emergencia) and I would realize where I was again.
Thursday was my day off . We kind of had a girls´day. We hung out in our pajamas and watched the news as things continued to escalate in the streets. On Thursday supporters of the president protested. On Friday Karla and I were supposed to work at the church but we woke up and watched the news. Schools were closed and people who oppose the president were protesting in the streets downtown so we were unable to get to the church. Both protests ended with out any violence, although it felt from the safety of my home that Thursday´s might have escalated if the rain had not started to downpour about an hour into the protest.
The bottom line is that tomorrow there will be a vote. The president requested that this vote be held because he wants to run for another term. But the problem is that his term is over - it´s like if president Bush had said there was going to be a vote to see if the people wanted him for an extra term. The president here thinks that if he gets enough votes on Sunday he can try to change to constitution and run for another term. The voting itself is against the constitution, nevermind trying to run for another term.
Yesterday they tried to make him take a test to check his ¨competency¨ (aka sanity) but of course he refused. He is turning against many of his closest staff. So far the military has stood up to him when necessary, from what I understand. I don´t know what will happen tomorrow. I think there will be a vote, but I dón´t know what good it will do. Only time will tell.
At this point the plan is still to drive to the north shore and take a boat to Utila early Monday. We do expect there to be problems on Monday, but we will leave before anything begins.
The language barrier has been less of a barrier lately. I don´t have to focus as hard and I understand more things more easily. Until now I was having a really hard time following conversations with more than one person and often felt really frustrated. Everyone would be laughing and I would have no clue why, but for the past two nights things have been easier. I can even joke along now.
I have some great photos to post of the kids making and setting off rockets with the people who are visiting from The River Church on Wednesday afternoon. I´ll post the pics when I can upload them onto my computer. Thursday, because of the problems in the streets everyone got sent home from the church at 2 pm so the project for that afternoon was cancelled.
It was great to see such a nice turnout for the dinner last night! First we played Duck, Duck, Goose (Pato, Pato, Ganso) in the dark with glowsticks around our wrists. I lost the first time and almost lost the second time. I couldn´t see who I was picking to ¨goose¨. After loosing the first time I picked a kid who looked little, figuring he would be easier to outrun, but I had two factors working against me. The first was that there were 52 people in my circle so I had to run a long way. And the second and more challenging problem was that the little guy I picked was Conejo - the little rabbit who can run like the wind! I´m not sure if I really slid into my spot on the gravel before he tagged me, or if the kids pitied me, but that time I won ¨by a hare¨. We set off more rockets and ate chorizo and fried plantains. I think it was very successful night.
I cannot even conceive of how difficult the physical labor they have been doing at the house they are working on. They start at 8 am and sometimes don´t finish until after 4 pm in the blazing heat. But they have put in a cement floor, strengthened and painted the walls and more. I haven`t seen their work because I´ve been doing the breakfast program, but I know that they return to the church looking physically exhausted. And then they go back for another day without complaint. I really respect what they are doing. I like to think of myself as someone who can handle physical challenges, but I honestly don´t think I could do it - especially in this heat.
My stupid IBS has been acting up lately. I have meds for it, but they are at home so that doesn´t help much here. I rarely have problems with it, so I didn´t think to bring my meds. Everyone here thinks that my stomach can´t handle the food, but the sypmtoms are different.
Got a lot of laundry done yesterday and it didn`t even rain! Bought some books and am ready for Utila. Still am not letting myself get too excited in case something happens and we can´t go. We won´t have any contact with the outside world once we get there, so I´ll take lots of pictures and hope my computer works when I get back.
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