Saturday, September 26, 2009

Words I would have never learned if it weren't for Honduras

golpe de estado (coup d'etat) and toque de queda (curfew)

The short version: I'm STILL not a Peace Corps Volunteer

The long version:
Monday – Mel Zelaya decides to return to Honduras
3:30 – curfew announced (starting at 4:00), teachers freak out, because our training center is at least half an hour from Teguc where they all live, we all go home early
I start feeling sick, but don't think anything of it
Tuesday – curfew extended, no classes, I stay in bed all day feeling pretty awful, curfew extended again
Wednesday – I do not receive the news about not having class again, get up and get dressed, despite still having a fever of 101, learn that there is no class and go immediately back to bed. I'm hungry at lunchtime, someone decides that an appropriate lunch would be french fries, greasy rice, and fake processed chicken nuggets. I start to have stomach issues and skip supper. I get a call from the medical officer asking if I'm sad because my family is worried about me since I've spent 2 days in bed. I tell her, no, I'm just sick
Thursday – feel much better, fever is gone, but still having stomach issues. We learn in training that because we've missed so much time (2 days), we have to postpone swearing-in 5 days (granted, only 3 of those 5 days are weekday/classes). We then proceed to do practically nothing all day. I eat 4 crackers for lunch, then manage to sneak out to take a power nap. Also, I have my language interview and learn that I've passed the language requirement for serving in Honduras! (I'm at a level 5 on a scale of 1 to 10.. I think that means I can only say half the things I might need to say in order too survive.. but pssh, that was while I was sick.. ha.)
Friday - a day of classes aka not much all day. We had reservations for a restaurant afterwords to celebrate being sworn-in.. HA! We didn't even get to take advantage of those reservations because Zelaya was creating noise in Teguc and there was a curfew put in place again that night
Saturday (today) - I wake up feeling good, and decide to go for a walk to a waterfall, but start feeling awful on the way there. I worry that it might have been a mistake, but after forging up the river to the fall I feel 100% better. totally worth it, it was gorgeous.. one day I'll get pics up

3 comments:

  1. Love to hear your stories. Glad you are feeling better. Do you get the Indiana clan letters?

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  2. So sorry you were ill, Teresa, but now that is behind you, right? Now you will stay well for a while. Of course I hope you are not surrounded by more people who are sick.

    Stay healthy and good luck on the swearing in, whenever it happens. It's good to hear what you are doing even if it isn't what you had planned.

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  3. Poor Teresa D: Please feel totally absolutely better soon!
    (And please send me your new address!)
    Very useful words, indeed.

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