Los Animales

Most of you probably know just how well I handle bugs.  There are lots of bugs here.  Sarah currently has 27 large, red bug bites.  Praise the Lord, I am yet to be actually bitten, but I have certainly had a few experiences with bugs thus far.  And it is only day two.

The first night we got here, I was completely impressed at how clean my room was.  No bugs anywhere.  Even when I shined my flashlight under my bed (there were no monsters, either :)  After it got dark though, and I turned on my lamp (conveniently located six inches from my bed) there WERE BUGS.  Little black wasp-looking things. I killed nine of them before finally asking my host mother what was up.  My biggest issue was that for the life of me, I had no idea where they were coming from.  She and her husband explained to me that they were called “los animales” and that they don’t hurt people, that they only come out in the winter to look for light.  First, they look like they hurt people, they look like they could hurt a lot.  Second, “los animales” translates to “the animals” which only makes them seem bigger and scarier.  Third, this is winter?!  She gave me some spray that did a good job taking care of los animales and I went to sleep.

Then last night, I come in to my room after church to find a couple of the animals floating around, which I took care of with an impressively level head.  A few minutes later I got ready to take a shower, and then walked into my bathroom to a HUGE surprise on my floor.  I’m still not entirely sure what it was.  My best guess is that is was a cockroach, but it looked nothing like a Haitian cockroach (smaller, thankfully).  It was probably four inches long, had big wings, and a lot of long legs.  It was gross.  It was stuck on it’s back, so at first I thought it was dead.  No dice.  It took me three hits with my heftiest shoe to kill that thing.  By then, I was so grossed out that I had to get Sam to put it in the trash can for me.  She did a wonderful job.  Sam also willingly sat on my bed while I showered lest the big guy’s friends had decided to stage an attack.

Finally I crawled into bed, into my sheet-pocket like thing (to provide “protection” from the bugs).  While I was laying in bed, un animale crawled OUT of my sheet pocket and onto my neck.  That was pleasant.   

In other news, we have been having a wonderful time (especially in the day light, when the bugs aren’t as bad).  Yesterday afternoon we met the three other students that are currently at the school with us.  Two graduate students (and one of the girl’s husband) are here to learn some spanish before going to another part of Honduras to do research for the CDC.  While the married couple settled in, the other girl and the three of us did some exploring around the city, ending at a wonderful ice cream store.  Everyone says that the city is completely safe, and that we should have no problem walking around by ourselves.  So far, they’ve been right!  We’re being careful, but it does feel very safe.  Also the town is so small that everyone knows everyone else, which makes asking directions to “La Casa de Lorena” (Lorena’s house--our host mother) very easy.  It’s also a tourist town in disguise so there are “tourist police” all over the place, which makes it even safer.

After supper Sarah, Sam, and I went to church with one of the girls that Sarah lives with.  It was loud and difficult to understand, but I enjoyed it.  

This morning we got up to some panqueques (pancakes!) and more coffee.  Sam and I walked to meet Sarah and the three of us went to the bank to change money and then to a small café to drink more coffee and to play Rummy.  

We’re back in the house now for a siesta after lunch (Honduran Guacmole, which was more like an egg and fresh avocado salad, beans, and tortillas) and then we have to actually start school this afternoon.  We’ll take a test to determine what level we’re at, and then they’ll place us with a tutor and we’ll get started!  I think they want us to spend the first week just learning Spanish before they set us up with some kind of service.  So this week we have the mornings off the play cards and drink coffee (and eventually do homework) and class in the afternoons.  Next week we’ll start class in the mornings theoretically so that we can work and minister in the afternoons...but we’re still figuring stuff out as we go, so we don’t really know yet!

In sum, all is well in Copán Ruinas (except maybe the bugs) and I promise my next blog won’t be so ridiculously long!

Clara