February 18, 2010
February 16, 2010
some little things
If you pack last minute, here are some things you might forget (based on experience):
-camera
-neosporin
-advil
-vitamins
-ipod charger
-workout shorts
-dictionary
-US dollars
-jeans
-sunscreen (hence the advil)
-swimming goggles
I don't know how so many things managed to sneak out of my suitcase!
-camera
-neosporin
-advil
-vitamins
-ipod charger
-workout shorts
-dictionary
-US dollars
-jeans
-sunscreen (hence the advil)
-swimming goggles
I don't know how so many things managed to sneak out of my suitcase!
February 12, 2010
deliciomundo!
That's a word that my brothers made up- but since they don't read this blog, I can take total credit for it: Deliciomundo means a whole world of delight surrounding you, touching all the senses, and lifting your spirit. It's best said in a shout, 'Deliciomundo!!!'
Here are some deliciomundo experiencias of Honduras from my first week:
1. Our first free night, my three colleagues & I went to a 'restaurante tipico' of Honduras (which we found out means that it's completely for tourists). While we ate mountains of food (taquitos, queso, pinchos, cerveza, vegetales, etc) and shielded our eyes from the gaudy decor, a mariachi band serenaded us with 'Que nos deja.' I learned of the dramatic Mexican mariachi music, and we spoke some hilarious mixture of spanish & english. I've never seen so many stereotypes rolled into one location, but it was great.
2. The hotel pool is so small that I can't swim laps back n forth, so I swim in circles... that's right.
3. One of the meetings we had with politicos was in someone's home - it's considered a great honor to host guests, and we were treated like royalty - special lemonade, fruit cocktail, & digestive biscuits. It was a challenge to focus on conversation with such delicacies in front of me - I am having that problem a lot here.
4. Hondurans speak in paragraphs - you ask one question, and it might be 20 minutes before the next pause. I've never seen anything like it.
5. Last night we drove up a mountain to this beautiful restaurant called El Picacho, and ate a fabulous dinner overlooking the city lights. The sprawling hills of Tegucigalpa and the evening air made for a fabulous setting.
6. My two colleagues (Carlos & Olga) and I got mistaken for a family. Carlos now calls me 'mi hija.' And he wants me to marry his son - not sure exactly how that is going to work.
7. My favorite part of being in a foreign country is visiting someone's home - to me, it's the best way to grow to love the culture. Olga, Mary & I were invited to the home of our dear local guide (her name is Andrea) for dinner. Andrea's parents of course treated us like dignitaries - but it was wonderful to see the inside of a home: the walls are covered in central american art - beautiful paintings, frescoes, and woodwork. The home is filled with ornate catholic symbolism, yet it feels peaceful. Moments pass, Mama leaves to check dinner with the cook (yes, cook), and everything feels very measured. Drinks are always flowing, food is delicious, and the conversation (still in paragraphs) is comfortable. You wonder if it's always like this - pleasant, courteous, formal yet kind -the epitome of hospitality. And just as kindly, the hosts usher you gently into the evening - and I guess you will continue to wonder. In Honduras, people welcome you into their home proudly: because they are your equal, it would be their honor to provide you a welcome into their country. What a lovely mixture of hospitality, national pride, and generosity.
Here are some deliciomundo experiencias of Honduras from my first week:
1. Our first free night, my three colleagues & I went to a 'restaurante tipico' of Honduras (which we found out means that it's completely for tourists). While we ate mountains of food (taquitos, queso, pinchos, cerveza, vegetales, etc) and shielded our eyes from the gaudy decor, a mariachi band serenaded us with 'Que nos deja.' I learned of the dramatic Mexican mariachi music, and we spoke some hilarious mixture of spanish & english. I've never seen so many stereotypes rolled into one location, but it was great.
2. The hotel pool is so small that I can't swim laps back n forth, so I swim in circles... that's right.
3. One of the meetings we had with politicos was in someone's home - it's considered a great honor to host guests, and we were treated like royalty - special lemonade, fruit cocktail, & digestive biscuits. It was a challenge to focus on conversation with such delicacies in front of me - I am having that problem a lot here.
4. Hondurans speak in paragraphs - you ask one question, and it might be 20 minutes before the next pause. I've never seen anything like it.
5. Last night we drove up a mountain to this beautiful restaurant called El Picacho, and ate a fabulous dinner overlooking the city lights. The sprawling hills of Tegucigalpa and the evening air made for a fabulous setting.
6. My two colleagues (Carlos & Olga) and I got mistaken for a family. Carlos now calls me 'mi hija.' And he wants me to marry his son - not sure exactly how that is going to work.
7. My favorite part of being in a foreign country is visiting someone's home - to me, it's the best way to grow to love the culture. Olga, Mary & I were invited to the home of our dear local guide (her name is Andrea) for dinner. Andrea's parents of course treated us like dignitaries - but it was wonderful to see the inside of a home: the walls are covered in central american art - beautiful paintings, frescoes, and woodwork. The home is filled with ornate catholic symbolism, yet it feels peaceful. Moments pass, Mama leaves to check dinner with the cook (yes, cook), and everything feels very measured. Drinks are always flowing, food is delicious, and the conversation (still in paragraphs) is comfortable. You wonder if it's always like this - pleasant, courteous, formal yet kind -the epitome of hospitality. And just as kindly, the hosts usher you gently into the evening - and I guess you will continue to wonder. In Honduras, people welcome you into their home proudly: because they are your equal, it would be their honor to provide you a welcome into their country. What a lovely mixture of hospitality, national pride, and generosity.
February 9, 2010
Day 1, Tegus
That's what the natives call it - I'm in Honduras for 2 weeks of business meetings. A 3 a.m. trip to the airport, 2 plane rides, and 3 meetings later - it's 8 at night here, and I'm ready for bed! But first, here are some first impressions for this Central American capital:
-sunny? yes!
-sweaty? a bit.
-Tegucigalpa is in a valley, so to get from one place to another, you literally have to go down one mountainside and up another. Some streets are so steep, I wasn't sure we would make it up!
-narrow, narrow streets- many too narrow for 2 cars to pass one another - to me it is charming.
-flowers pouring over little walls, which are typically covered in politically relevant graffiti
-dudes with AK-47s outside McDonald's (remember the same in El Salvador?)
-the beautiful centro-american courtesy - it is ingrained in the culture, and I am trying to figure out how people get from this beautiful language, hospitality & kindness to kidnappings, drug killings, and hostage situations - maybe the class disparity? I think people have written books about this - I need to get myself to the biblioteca!
-colors on buildings - not gaudy (like I often think of in Africa), but they are a gentle reminder that no, you are not in the United States
-the streets are paved! my colleague Olga said, "Abigail after Gulu, of course Tegus is charming!" but somehow I'm trying to still be objective.
-walking is not allowed (for a gringa like me, anyway). Despite my new dark hair, if people can tell you're a foreigner, you are immediately a target for the moto-taxi gangs. don't worry, Mom, I'm not walking anywhere.
Would you believe I forgot to bring a camera? Hopefully one of my colleagues has one-- I'll post more soon!
-sunny? yes!
-sweaty? a bit.
-Tegucigalpa is in a valley, so to get from one place to another, you literally have to go down one mountainside and up another. Some streets are so steep, I wasn't sure we would make it up!
-narrow, narrow streets- many too narrow for 2 cars to pass one another - to me it is charming.
-flowers pouring over little walls, which are typically covered in politically relevant graffiti
-dudes with AK-47s outside McDonald's (remember the same in El Salvador?)
-the beautiful centro-american courtesy - it is ingrained in the culture, and I am trying to figure out how people get from this beautiful language, hospitality & kindness to kidnappings, drug killings, and hostage situations - maybe the class disparity? I think people have written books about this - I need to get myself to the biblioteca!
-colors on buildings - not gaudy (like I often think of in Africa), but they are a gentle reminder that no, you are not in the United States
-the streets are paved! my colleague Olga said, "Abigail after Gulu, of course Tegus is charming!" but somehow I'm trying to still be objective.
-walking is not allowed (for a gringa like me, anyway). Despite my new dark hair, if people can tell you're a foreigner, you are immediately a target for the moto-taxi gangs. don't worry, Mom, I'm not walking anywhere.
Would you believe I forgot to bring a camera? Hopefully one of my colleagues has one-- I'll post more soon!
February 6, 2010
check it out--
My team in northern Uganda makes it to youtube!!
What you might not see in the video is that the kids & professional dancers sent messages of social change through the breakdance skits - talking about domestic violence, skipping school, peaceful coexistence between different religious groups - lots of topics selected by the kids. The grant is finished, but it remains controversial - even among our staff - because of the different (progressive) movements and the fact that girls were doing the dance moves.
What you might not see in the video is that the kids & professional dancers sent messages of social change through the breakdance skits - talking about domestic violence, skipping school, peaceful coexistence between different religious groups - lots of topics selected by the kids. The grant is finished, but it remains controversial - even among our staff - because of the different (progressive) movements and the fact that girls were doing the dance moves.
January 19, 2010
Philadelphia
It's more like the city of sisterly love for me - I took the past weekend to visit Philly and 3 of my wonderful friends from all different stages of life. L & I have known each other since I was born (she had a couple of miserable years before I came along, but let's just skip over that). Emily lived with me in Spain, and Amy & I shared a house with 9 other 'mates in college. I've been to Philadelphia before, so no need for a lot of site-seeing. It was the perfect weekend to my friends in different areas of the city - cute Jenkintown, happenin' south Philly, and quaint west Philly.
If there was ever a city that is filled with hipsters - it's Philly. Skinny jeans, short messy haircuts, flat boots, indie music, retro chic, bicycle riders, organic produce, 'found' decor, and general angst fill the city soul. Public transit is the way to go, Goodwill is the only place to shop. Local coffee shops and even tea shops are the hotspots. Everyone is busy, few are helpful. People from Philly love Philly.
At one point, Amy & I started counting the number of girls who looked like they were copping Anthropologie's style - we stopped because it was every single girl we passed. So I started thinking: what exactly is hipster? And why is it such a big deal? I know my own association with the word (see above description of Philadelphians) - but what does it actually mean? Merriam-Webster says a hipster is: a person who is unusually aware of and interested in new and unconventional patterns (as in jazz or fashion). So there we have it - Philadelphia is filled with unusually aware and interested people.
I'm not sure agree with this definition, because if a whole crowd of people are doing thing X, then thing X is no longer indie or even unusual. I'm pretty sure thing X is now a trend. It is a trend to be hipster. there, I said it. No disrespect to Philly, which I am growing to love, but it's true.
This post has been brought to you by the letters P, E, A, and L. (guess what they stand for? it's way easy)
If there was ever a city that is filled with hipsters - it's Philly. Skinny jeans, short messy haircuts, flat boots, indie music, retro chic, bicycle riders, organic produce, 'found' decor, and general angst fill the city soul. Public transit is the way to go, Goodwill is the only place to shop. Local coffee shops and even tea shops are the hotspots. Everyone is busy, few are helpful. People from Philly love Philly.
At one point, Amy & I started counting the number of girls who looked like they were copping Anthropologie's style - we stopped because it was every single girl we passed. So I started thinking: what exactly is hipster? And why is it such a big deal? I know my own association with the word (see above description of Philadelphians) - but what does it actually mean? Merriam-Webster says a hipster is: a person who is unusually aware of and interested in new and unconventional patterns (as in jazz or fashion). So there we have it - Philadelphia is filled with unusually aware and interested people.
I'm not sure agree with this definition, because if a whole crowd of people are doing thing X, then thing X is no longer indie or even unusual. I'm pretty sure thing X is now a trend. It is a trend to be hipster. there, I said it. No disrespect to Philly, which I am growing to love, but it's true.
This post has been brought to you by the letters P, E, A, and L. (guess what they stand for? it's way easy)
January 6, 2010
Greece is the word...
...it's the word that you heard Becky & me say about 100 times this past weekend. We're working on planning our second international excursion together - and we've decided on Greece. Surrounded by the beautiful blue Mediterranean Sea, eclipsed in the ancient philosophers, and filled with the mysterious mythological folklore - it's a country I have wanted to visit for a long time. Not only did the foundations of the world come from Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, not only was the art there inspirational for centuries of artists, sculptors, and actors, but so many of the biblical apostles traveled through Greece... You could spend an entire vacation just visiting the sites where Paul traveled. Our tour advisor Chris told me, "The beauty of Greece is that you're never more than an hour away from the beach." I think this is going to be a good vacation.
Becky teases me because I know more about ancient Greece & Rome than I do about America, but these societies laid the framework for the western world. What philosopher do you know who has not studied Plato? What artist do you know who hasn't studied the Discus Thrower? and has anybody missed the Olympics for the past few centuries? Drama, art, music, storytelling, and let's not forget those amazing greek specialty foods - spanakopita, baklava, and feta cheese baby.
So, who has been to Greece out there and wants to send me some recommendations? We're looking for places to stay, favorite things to eat, tour ideas, beaches, adventure-filled activities - anything! As we say around the office, gracias antemano!
Becky teases me because I know more about ancient Greece & Rome than I do about America, but these societies laid the framework for the western world. What philosopher do you know who has not studied Plato? What artist do you know who hasn't studied the Discus Thrower? and has anybody missed the Olympics for the past few centuries? Drama, art, music, storytelling, and let's not forget those amazing greek specialty foods - spanakopita, baklava, and feta cheese baby.
So, who has been to Greece out there and wants to send me some recommendations? We're looking for places to stay, favorite things to eat, tour ideas, beaches, adventure-filled activities - anything! As we say around the office, gracias antemano!
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