Allen & Marcel Volunteer in Honduras

  Allen and I arrived in Honduras a year ago and while a lot has happened, the time seems to have gone by very quickly. Looking back, our first five weeks in Copan were an excellent introduction into the country as Copan is a fun small town that is easy to get around in. The immersion Spanish gave us a jump start on the language and since most people in Copan do not speak English, it also gave us a jump start on communicating despite a language barrier. We had a half day of school, a pampered life with our host family and enjoyed air-conditioned cafes in Copan while doing a lot of homework. There were also many fun tourist-type activities and a daily morning walk to enjoy in our free time and many stores close by so we could purchase whatever we needed. Cafe San Rafael in Copan When we arrived at the NPH Ranch afterwards, it was a different experience as we had more basic living quarters and simple food (so not the pampering and easy access to cafes and stores). We also had ful...

Allen and I both love fruit, especially tropical fruit and this is the season for one of Allen’s favorites, mangos, of which we ate many last year when we were in Copan in June. Right now, the mangos are green, but the locals love them that way. The kids pick green mangos off the trees on the ranch and eat them raw, enjoying the tart taste. However, the top of the fruit where it connects with the tree is quite acidic and the children rub off this part or risk getting a rash around their mouth. Green mangoes are also cut up and sold in bags on the streets, sometimes with salt which enhances the tart and salty taste. Allen and I prefer ripe mangoes and are just hoping there will be some left to ripen! Picking Green Mangos at NPH Fruit served on the ranch is primarily bananas, plantains, and avocados. Watermelon is also served on special occasions and watermelon and passion fruit juice are served. These fruits are grown on the ranch, but also supplemented by outside purchases. Other tre...

  Invitation to Mothers' Day Celebration Fathers’ Day is celebrated in March in Honduras on the day of St Joseph and there was a special celebration for many of the men on the ranch, including Allen. The men were entertained with presentations from the women and children who expressed their gratitude and gave them gifts. As usual (in Honduras) there were prizes, both earned through a competition and random. Allen “won” some money in a random prize drawing – just another verification of how lucky he is! He also got a bunch of gifts from some of the kids. Fathers' Day Celebration For Mothers’ Day, the celebration is the second Sunday in May like in the US. The Ranch planned an event for the Wednesday prior but ended up moving it to the following week due to disruptions in school from the poor air quality. The air on the ranch was kind of smoky due to local wildfires, but the air in Tegucigalpa was so bad that schools were closed for three days. I don’t know how this helpe...

We have been told numerous times since we have been at the Ranch that NPH Honduras has an activity called Olympiadas (Olympics) that takes place in May and is “muy divertido” (very fun). All the NPH children and many of the employees are divided up into teams of 30 – 40 people. The teams have some kind of mascot (last year’s theme was mythical animals) and puts together a costume, flag, and presentation/drama/dance/song reflective of their assigned mascot. At the end of May the teams compete in unusual physical challenges like wheelchair races or obstacle courses as well as present their show, their flag, and a cheer. A team of judges decides on the 1st, 2 nd , and 3 rd place teams. An Olympiada Event from 2023 Now that it is May, the activity is rolling out with anticipation and confusion (as is normal here). The theme of “exotic animals of Honduras” was chosen by ranch employees from among several alternatives and was announced in April. We received the team rosters a few days ago...

El Salvador is a relatively small country bordering Honduras and Guatemala. We found out from other volunteers that it is very easy and economical to get there using a private bus that operates as a shuttle between the two capitals: Tegucigalpa and San Salvador. We reserved round trip bus tickets online for less than $75 per person and left early Saturday morning (5:30AM) from the Clarion Hotel in Tegucigalpa. I should mention that the bus was air conditioned, comfortable, and provided a meal, drinks, and a couple of movies over the 7-hour ride. Crossing the border took more time on the Honduras side (yes, we had to go through Honduras customs to leave) than on the El Salvador side. We arrived at the Sheraton in San Salvador early afternoon and had time for lunch before checking into our hotel. Yard Art at Our Hotel in San Salvador The first item on my sightseeing list for San Salvador was the Holy Rosary church. We did not make visiting hours which closed at 3PM but were able to go ...