Miss Independent

Today I felt like I was really living independently in Honduras.  It was nice.  Usually Jairo gets me my water for the house, but every day I hear a man walking by outside yelling "AGUAAAAA" over and over at 7am.  (I liked the guy who used to walk by Karla and Jose's house better - he came at an hour when I'm already dressed and he used to yell "AGUA AZUUUUUUL!  AGUA! AGUA AZUUUUUL!"  Agua Azul is the brand name - like Figi or Aguafina.)  I heard my agua man so I quickly threw on some clothes and ran out with the empty container.  But he was nowhere.  I looked up and down the street and waited but I didn't see him.  So I left the container inside the gate and went back to my house.  Turns out I can hear him when he does the block behind my house because a few minutes later I heard him again and he was at the top of my street.  I waited with my empty container, pretending I knew what I was doing.  He came along and said something that I assumed was asking if I lived in the back house, so I said yes.  He carried the big old bottle to my doorstep.  I was a little worried about that, but I've seen him go into other people's gates, so I guess that's what he does for everyone.  It's probably safer for him to exchange money inside the gates, and those bottles are really heavy!  They are the ones that offices have on top of water coolers.  I had a hard enough time walking from my doorstep through the kitchen with it.  I paid him 35 Limpiras and he went on his way.  And now I don't have to ask Jairo to get me water.

Jairo went to get a bunch of medical tests done this morning, so Lourdes asked if I could take a cab to the breakfast program.  Lourdes had a doctor appointment at noon, so I knew she wouldn't be there either.  As I walked down to the corner where the cabs wait, I prayed that I would know which cab to choose that would take me safely to the church.  I was ready to bargain, but the second cab I saw was my buddy who took me to church last Sunday when everyone thought I had ridden with someone else.  I went straight to him and asked him if he could take me to the church.  He said sure.  His buddy, who had been chatting with him in the front seat, got out and opened, then closed the door for me.  I initiated some small talk on the way there, and asked him for his phone number.  That's what you do when you find a cabby you like, you get their phone number and call them for rides.  I repeated the number back to him and he told me his name is Jose.  I told him I might call him at 1 pm for a ride home and he said that would be fine.  We talked about the horrible traffic because of roadwork.  Then he took me inside the gate and all of the way around to the church.  Last time I was happy because he charged me 70 limpiras.  This time he only charged me 60!  I don't know why.  Last time I rode with him we discussed that if I went to the grocery store, which is so close he thinks I should walk there (but others say it's not safe), I should expect to pay 60 limpiras to get home with my groceries.  So 60 limpiras to get to the church is a great deal!

I was late to get to the breakfast program because traffic was TERRIBLE and it wasn't even rush hour.  But the girls had everything under control and Marlen, one of the Moms, was there in the kitchen. (Between Marlen and her daughter Maylin I always think someone is calling my name.)  Everyone found it hilarious when I exploded into the kitchen proclaiming in Spanish how terrible the traffic was.  I don't know why, but whenever I say dramatic things people always laugh.  Karla talks like that all of the time and nobody laughs at her, so I'm not sure why it's funny when I do it.  They told me I needed to calm down.  I was calm, just felt bad because I was so late.

Sidenote:  For a culture that is not at all concerned with being on time, I have noticed the strangest thing.  If someone asks you what time it is, they want to know the time exactly to the minute - so you answer 3 minutes before 11, for example.  I have no idea why those three minutes matter.  In the US we would say, "Almost 11"  or even say, "11".  It's odd to me.  I'll have to ask someone about that sometime.

We prayed before the meal.  I felt so sad when one of the boys prayed desperately for his father to come back home.  His father moved out of the country to be with another woman.  I could hear in his prayer how much he misses his father.  I wonder if his father has any clue how much his children long for him.

After we were done with prayer, the kids ran to wash their hands.  They know they are supposed to
walk, though it is hard.  They usually walk when Lourdes is there.  But today all of them ran.  There was even some pushing.  One boy fell down on the cement, so I asked them to all come back and sit down.  At first they stood there looking at me.  Then some of them came back.  Finally, when they realized I was serious and was going to wait until they all came back, they walked over and sat down.  I told them I am sure they know the rules about running and pushing, then asked who is ready to walk.  Everyone's hands shot up so I told them to go ahead.  They did speed walking, which is normal, over to the line and washed their hands nicely.

I sat down and had breakfast with them, which was nice.  Then most of them left, after brushing their teeth with the new toothbrushes.  A few stayed and played checkers with the chess set.  The girls stayed and practiced their dance.  There were more dancers today.  The ones who were not here yesterday still need a lot of work.  They like the dance, but it is long and parts are fast.  I told them I am going to video tape it on Mother's Day.  I'll post it on my blog.  They love seeing photos of themselves on my blog or on Facebook.

We cleaned up the church so it will be more ready for Sunday.  It is so cute to see the tiny ones helping out.  Sometimes they are more helpful than the older kids.  We got everything done and they knew they were supposed to leave, so a few of the boys hid behind the bodega playing.  When I found them one boy was lying on the ground hurt, and the rest were playing a rough game of fútbol around him.  I reminded them this is not time to play and they had to leave, then corralled them out the door.

Misael putting the chairs away.  He is a great helper!

After talking Eunice a little, I called Jairo because he had expected to be at the church to take me home, but he wasn't there.  He and Josselyn both went to Lourdes' doctor appointment, which was something Lourdes really wanted, so I was happy about that.  Lourdes feels bad because sometimes she doesn't have the energy to do things the way she used to.  She said she is not the same mother she used to be.  I am sure that is true, but Josselyn is 19.  She is capable and willing to help if Lourdes asks.  Lourdes was hoping the doctor could explain to them why she is not able to do all of the things she used to.  I think they do understand, but Lourdes will feel better after they hear it from the doctor too.  Lourdes said that she was very happy because the doctor told her she was doing everything right.  She said he emphasized that exercise is as important as the medicine.  He also gave her a different, stronger medicine, but told her she was still doing well because some people need 18 pills to control their fibromyalgia and she only needs one.  She felt good about that.

Then she told me that she was with Jairo and they would not be coming to the church at all today because his mother just had some sort of a stroke in her face.  They were going to be with his mother and find out what is going on.  I was thinking that it is unfortunate that Jairo's brother, who is a doctor, is in Argentina right now.  I told them I can call my taxi driver and get a safe ride home.

I called the number, but he either had his phone off, or the battery was dead.  It was an hour past the time I told him I might call.  Eunice called her usual driver, but he was at the hospital with someone.  Then she called another backup person she uses, but he was busy too.  We started to worry about how I would get home because in the area of the church, I cannot walk down to the corner and get a cab.  Many people are killed on that corner.  That is also where the kids keep getting hit by cars.  Finally, Eunice's backup driver told her he would send someone else whom he trusts.  Eunice seemed skeptical and told him that that cab was for someone else (me) and the person absolutely would not pay more than 60 Limpiras for the ride.  She said she has had to argue with cabbies over price lately.  So when the cab showed up she told me to wait before I got in.  She confirmed that I would only have to pay 60 Limpiras.  (I could have done that.  I did appreciate her help but it spoiled my day of complete independence!)  Once again I made an effort to talk with the driver.  I told him that I am going to have a car here soon and I'm nervous about driving.  He asked if I am a good driver.  I said yes, in the states I have driven in the biggest cities at rush hour with no problem, but here is very different!  He said walk, don't run.  I said if I go slow I will never get anywhere, only aggressive drivers get anywhere here.  I also told him I think it is safer to be aggressive than to go slow with these drivers.  He said I should not be impatient about long lines and that I should practice during the day, not during rush hour.  Good advice.  Then he dropped me at my house, took my 60 limpiras and went on his way.

I got home to find a pile of flying ants dead on my kitchen floor.  I ran into the bedroom to see if there were any more, but thankfully, they stuck to the kitchen.  I also found the daily dead cockroach on it's back.  Only this one wasn't completely dead because after I took a picture, before I had time to clean it up, it flipped over on its belly somehow!  Yuck!!

Now that is a big cockroach!

I made another huge dinner, which was delicious.  But then the unsecured internet I have been "borrowing" from neighbors wouldn't connect so I was BORED!  I wanted to see if I could get that letter out to ask for more funding, but still had no words.  I wanted to go running, but it is dark here by 6pm, so that was out of the question.  I ended up watching some tv.  At one point I noticed I was watching The World's Strictest Parents in Spanish and didn't realize for a while that it wasn't in English.  I watched some travel shows and the Simpsons in Spanish.  Finally I found The Shawshank Redemption.  Forgot how great that movie is.  They both made it to Mexico and I fell asleep.