Educadora de la Calle

.... ah forgot to mention I have changed work place from January on... I still work in Casa Alianza... only that now I am an "Educadora de la Calle"... which basically means that we go with a team of 2 peolpe on the street and look for the kids.... and later try to convince them to come to casa alianza... because there they can embrace a much brighter future than on the street... starving to death and taking resistol (glue which they inhale and makes them high).... With my work I go to placed of Tegus that I have never imagined I would get close... but the challenge is incredible... the impressions are overwhelming... the people you talk to have so much to say... they just need someone to listen...last week I went to a part of Tegus which is called Villa Nueva.... very pooor poor part... and we started to talk to these 3 little kids... (Jose - 8, Mario - 8 and Jorge -7) .... they were looking for toys in the trash... their cloths were dirty and destroyed... they had no shoes on.... but still... when we went up to talk to them... they were laughing .... and happy... because even though they were dirty and poor... they were happy... they were happy to be together and to have a family that loves them.... the problem with these kids was that they are too young for Casa Alianza... usually we work with kids between 12 and 18.... well but in a couple of years I am sure we can do something...I have to say... this work is so challenging... not only physically because one walks around all day to look for the kids.. but as well as already mentioned the stories of violation, abuse, prostitution, addiction problems (with time one learns to ignore the disgusting smell of urine, dirty and shit)... its a question of habit i guess... but living this... feeling this... made me grow in so many ways ... i can not describe it... it made me realize... the importance of priorities and family. I really dont know if you understand what I am going through.. I really do hope so.... i want you to understand and I hope my mail could help you to picture a piece of my new world. heaps of love and kisses

x-mas trip

hey ...
long time no hear... i know... and I am sorry for the missing updates... but here I am now... new year ... new luck... more energy ... no requests for new year (after 20 years one simply stops to bother..:) )
so what has happened here eversince christmas....
Christmas here is very interesting....the entire family gathers and one has to wait until 12 oclock to heat... and there is a countdown when the clock ticks 12 oclock and there is firework, heaps of merrenge.... and people are happy...
after the food orgie and the presents the kids usually go out... so did I .... I went to see a couple of my friends who invited me to their post party and we danced salsa and merrenge in their garden ... and kept drinking.... later that night.... we are already talking about 3 and ongoing... I went to a party in santa lucia (which is basically outside of tegus) .... and we kept celebrating till the dawn... was heaps of fun
on the 26 we started our big journey to Trujillo (11 hours by bus) .... it is located on the north coast of Honduras.... so after a very interesting journey with dirty bus, which had so much dust in the air that you could see clearly anymore)...arriving in trujillo we directly jumped into the sea.... it was a beauty.... really relaxing after all this journey.... so anyhow.... the next day we went to visit ... Cayos Blancos ... (rented a boat for a day .... and the guys brought us 2 km from the coast to a spot where you could scuba dive .... see one of the most beautiful corals in the world .... clear blue ocean... incredible).... after the day trip... in the night we went out ... and met these 6 very fun guys... which whom we went to a garifuna part of the town.... there we have seen over 50 garfiuna women dancing and singing in their natural environment (this is pretty rare to see... because usually they dance for tourists.... but not for themselves)... so anyhow.... we kept going.. and went to this bar on the beach... and we started to dance bachata, salsa, ... IN THE SAND.... i tell you... i felt like in a movie... the sand between my feet.... hearing the oceans sound.... increble.

after Trujillo we went to Ceiba where we went up the pico bonito.... well at least we inteneded... we went until the mangas.... were the nature was so pieceful and overwhelming ... that it made you forget the noise of the busy town for one minute.... we swam in ice cold river water.... jumped down waterfalls... :)....

the following day.... Cayos Cochinos... this is basically the most beautiful spot in Honduras.... Small little Island groups approximately one hour from Ceiba by boat.... there is nothing ... only island.... island... beach beach... turtles..... I swam with a baracuda (1 m size)... I saw caracol which were as big as my head.... and observed fish which were white, black, blue, red, gree, grey.... all possible colours that you can imagine.

from that daytrip we went to Utila...the scuba diving paradise... and even though it was my intention to do that... my financial situation didnt allow it anymore... so what did we do.... dancing on the beach.... drinking beer in the water...:).... bycile day trips... and of course one ought not to forget.... having new years in the possible most beautiful place of the earth....
Imagine this... when the countdown started.... the people who were standing on a podest... started to distribute champain to the crowd downstairs (including me)... so when 2009 finally started ... i did not only get a champain shower... but observered the firework .... and it was soooooo extreme... I still dont have appropriate words for Utila... i guess you have to be there to understand...:)....
the one and a half weeks ... ended far to fast.... with no money left in my pockets.... from ceiba we hitch hiked back home (dont worry mum and dad.... it was a good friend of mine who happened to pass by Ceiba and gave us a ride)... tough I have to mention that 3 of the people were sitting in the back of the pick up... hehe.... for 8 hours.... it was an adventure... and we all survived it....
the following weekend we went to this place called san pedro sula ... where we saw this extremly good concert ... from Polache (Honduran singer...really really good music).... and not like in tegucigalpa (where the party officially ends at 2....) .... we had a really good time...:).... the next day we went to Puerto Cortes and Omoa ... nice little towns at the north coast ... but nothing compared with Trujillo or Cayos Cochinos or Utila....

well i guess this is my short story of my x.mas trip... i know.. there was a lot of party included.... but i guess we deserved it ...to its full extent... working and working.... makes you need distance every once in a while...:)

Christmas Camp in Valle de Angeles

So.... there is not too much to say about the Christmas Camp, only that 70 people (staff members, volunteers, ex volunteers... basically everyone who has been involved with ICYE... was invited.... in Valle de Angeles... little town 30 minutes from Tegucigalpa... really really nice... i must say...
slept in small little cabañas (cottages).... which had amaks in front of the porch.... got to know heaps of lovable people....

the major attratcion of the camp was the big big game that we played. 50 people divided in 5 different groups. Each group had to pass various steps to get to the treasure (which you can all imagine was alcohol and chocolate...hehe... ).... and the games were like running around with a lemon on a spoon in your mouth while being tied to your collegue, or pouring olive oil with a straw from one glass to the other, finding coins in flour.... and stuff like that...
in the evening .. after a big big feast of deliciousness... jummy... i must tell you.... there was dance, music, people improvising with bongos... and some punta...
all in all... pretty fucked up and with a hang over included...;)

jerga de Honduras

here a page for all those who speak spanish and wanna understand caliche (name of the honduras slang)

http://www.tubabel.com/pais/HN?filter=words

my personal version is about to come

Analysis of the Situation

I have promised some updates from Honduras (am doing my voluntary year in Tegucigalpa with street children/orphans in a place called Casa Alianza). What I am doing right now here is that I give English, Math, Accounting and Spanish lessons (yes all in Spanish, dont ask me how I am doing it, it is extremely hard at times... but one makes the best of every and each situation in life I guess) and I have to express my respect to all of my old teachers. I had no idea how difficult it is to bring up the motivation every day. To motivate the little kids to sit down and listen because in the end education is the key to success and a successful life... especially, eversince I am here I have realized how important education is after all. Of how some kids on the other hand are trapped in the vicious circle of society because of the stupidity and the incapability of the government to support them. Public education is unaccaptable. One course lasts only 25 minutes. And most of them hand out Work Sheets and let the kids fill it out. No explanation. Nothing. It is simply unaccaptable of how the teachers here treat the children. Let them study everything alone with helping. Public education might be free of charge but is not worth anything the way it is used. I have met so many children (from age 12 to even 20) that were incapable of reading and writing. Still they are able to survive in a society that is based on understand and communicating. I keep asking myself how it is possible. Yes, back in Vienna and school we kept learning about Illiteracy but it is one thing to learn about it in theory. Maybe feel sorry for people who cant read and be blessed of how lucky we are. But working with people with this incapability is something so different. You see life so diffrently. I do at least eversince I am here. It made me realize so many things. For example education.

Another thing is the problem with public hospital.... one of my friends... isaac ... 24... had a stroke... that is not the only thing I am shocked about, but as well the estado del hospital. Today when I passed by to visit my friend Izaac, I found him in a room with more than 5 people. This room was supposed to be for the people who freshly came out of brain surgery. It was full with peolpe...too many visitors... how are you supposed to relax with all the noise?... impossible!... constantly someone entereing. I couldnt stay for long, because they had to take him to another hospital. This hospital, as it turned out, didnt have all the required equipment for his kind of brain surgery and check ups, so they took him to another one. (Ah and of course everything has to be paid instantly after the treatment- this I know because I have been to a hospital last week (a private one thank god) . What do people do, if they dont have the required means? Die in front of the hospital? How is this system supposed to work or be accepted by society?
The hospital seemed like one from 50 years ago... old doors... bad equipment... overly filled... patients waiting on the floor because there where not enough beds available.. i dont know what to say.... nor what to do....

This is not he only thing that shocks me these days... the kids stories are getting really hard for me to digest... i hear more and more stories ... and the only thing i feel is helpless... i dont know what to do ... how to help them... and that makes me sick..one of my kids... his name is jesus ....

(i know... i keep laughing about his name every time i hear it...:)) .... he is 13 ... a very cute little boy... who told me that his brother got killed in front of his eyes.... (his brother was a member of Mara 18- the biggest problematic of central America --> these are youth gangs who are the biggest challegnge for each government because their high unemployment rate, violence rate and willignness to integrate into society. The average rate of people being in this gangs are approximately 3 years. After that they either get killed, violated and then killed or can escape, which only rarely happens)... and I feel so lucky to see how well he s doing.. and of how he is still able to live another day after all that he has been through... i admire him... sincercly...and thats just one of the many stories.. i dont know what to do or how to help.. i really just wanna take away their burden but i know i cant.. and i m here... getting to know them all.. but right now .. i feel like its not enough... how to help them... and what more I could do?...?????... what???... it s so unfair... why do some have so much and others nothing... why do some live in luxery and others eat food from the trash in the hope to survive another day?...
Why do some receive the best surgical treatment and others have to see people dying on the street because they didnt know better which other way to go?... why?... and i know the only answer is money... because we live in a materialistic world... where equality doesnt matter.. where the equal distribution of material is not the way people select but the accumulation of personal wealth... and being here in Honduras... living the difference i feel after all I have learned in school, trapped with my knowlede... being able to analyize the situation is one thing but not able to change it, the other... and that is the problem that you kept praying me in school... and naive as i was i thought i understood what they were talking about... but i was so wrong... living the difference and KNOWING that your help is limited or in other cases not availble because of egoism... that is what makes me depressed, helpless and it is simply so wrong.

Lago Yojoa (lake Yojoa)

One weekend outside of Tegucigalpa with two fabolous ladies... Federica from Italy and Mati from Spain.
We left on Saturday... supposably at 8:30.... but travelling with 2 girls who come from the South of Europe... well I guess you will understand that timing simply doesnt run in their blood.. so we finally left at 11.30... haha... yes... it was pretty funny... but when we started to hit the road the real fun started.... after only 3 hours with the bus... with was stuffed with people and heat.... we arrived in a little town at the lake called Guama... .from there we took a rapitito... which is a small bus which drives from one town to the other.... then when we arrived in la Naraja... we took a Microtaxi...( looks like a bicycle only with an engine and can carry exactly 3 people).... and we went to our fablolous bed and breakfast hotel .... when we entered .... well we didnt see the cabañas... that we were supposed to sleep in... because everything was covered with plants .... and basically what happened was that the hotel was in the middle of a little forest.... our cabaña was pretty luxurious ... we had an amak on our porch... and it was fabolous... no noise.... no car... only we, the nature and the house made beer that the owner produced... image our luck.... :)
in the night we went out... wanted to explore the surrounding.. but given the fact that when it gets dark, practically nothing goes anymore (bus, taxi ....nada)... we wanted to walk to the lake to have dinner.. (the lake was 8 km from our hotel)... so as we walk a car passes by with 4 young guys (who in the end nos daban aventon -> gave us a ride) to a very nice restaurant at the sea side... where we had super delicious fish from the lake and enjoyed a couple of bottles of white wine from Chile... jummy.... one moment I will definitly never forget for the rest of my life. it was so beautiful.... and we had such a great time with mati and fede).... billiard... and the last challenge this night came when we didnt know again how to get home.. but luckily enough we found the boys who brought as... and they took as home again....

the next morning we went to the cascadas (waterfalls) approximately 17 km from the hotel.... was beautiful.. eventough not as expected because it was too touristy... anyhow... beautiful reunion with nature... no doubts about that.... if you watch the picutres... i guess they say more than my words could possibly describe them....

culture differences

culture differences
1. i seriously miss walking on the street by night.. here its simply not possible... after its dark ... better with taxi.. i dont even use the bus when its dark.. so thats how extrem it is here...
2. talking on the street with the phone is a no go as well... why? cus they most probablly would rob me once i do....
3. going out is very interessting... well... the clubs all close at 2 a.m. and then you simply look for an after party....
4. when you enter a club, people actually can move... not just from one side to the other... but here its like ... when you observe people dancing, they are dancing like there is not tomorrow... with passion for the music.. .which is mostly reggeton.. but the movement is pretty sexy i have to admit...
5. you can buy only one cigarrete... only costs 2 lempira ... which is like less than 5 cent...
6. people drink their drinks out of plastic bags.... not of glasses.. .like when you buy a juice on the street .. you ll get it in a plastic bag.... with a straw...
7. people spit on the floor without hesitation.. no matter if it s inside a house or not...
8. the traffic on the street has no order... the fastest and strongest wins... which is never the pedestrian
9. there is one pedestrian area in entire tegucigalpa.... so no rights for people without a car
10. people here eat everything with tortilla.. whether its soup or.... meat.. doesnt matter ... there is no life without tortilla...
11. sunday is family day here.. .in almost every family.... eating, travelling.. doesnt matter.. as long as the family does it together...
12. people live in their families until they get married, so if this means 27 or 30... thats ok too... well ..not for me... given the fact that things and liberties are simply different.. but its mostly an economic thing.... too expensive to move out
13. man are not allowed in the rooms of girls... if boyfriend would visit, door has to be open or you have to be somewhere, where people can see that you re not doing anything that the catholic curch wouldnt allow before marriage...