Dia de Municipio

In May, El Nispero celebrated its founding anniversary, of how many years I can’t quiet remember and there is also the debate of whether they celebrate from the colonial population or from Honduran independence. For those who haven’t been tuned in. El Nispero, the municipality, has a population of about seven thousand of which 3,500 live in the city center, casco urbano. There are seven aldeas of which I work in one primarily, Santa Cruz. The day began with a parade through town and then many speeches made by Alcalde and other community leaders. There was also a gift given to EL Nispero’s oldest living mother, as the anniversary was celebrated the day before Mother’s Day. Later in the day, the community members sold comida typical, typical Honduran Foods, from chumpas, small shade structures. By late afternoon though, the main event started. If you need to know anything about El Nispero it is that we grow beans, corn, and coffee. Additionally, women make beautiful mats from tule, a straw like pant. This patate is made in both in both its natural coloring and died. Also, women often form the tule into folders, place mats, bags, and hot plates. So going back to the main event, there was what I guess would be translated into a fashion show in which every participant wore a dress made from and representing El Nispero and its agricultural produce. And this event is taken very seriously. Judges are brought in from Santa Barbara to judge the three different ages groups, kindergarten, elementary/middle school and high school. Additionally, each girl has to make a speech about her gown. Just check out these pics to see the hard work that all the mothers put into this event and you will see some spectacular art work!

Isn't she pretty?

I went home that night, after nearly being hit by a firework that was clearly not set off by a professional, fried crispy from the sun and totally happy!

I will put more pics on my picassa account if you would like to see more of the great dresses.



Wishing you all Peace, Love, and Avocados,

B

Lists

Pues in the the spirit of Steph's recent blog, I have decided to make my own list. and though many things will be amazingly the same from worlds away, I think my list is a little different.

Things I miss from Home:

-Peanut M&Ms
-Carpet
-Washing Machines and Dryers (You really can't recreate the hot towels out of the dryer feeling,)
-Cheese
-Dark Chocolate
-Waking up with a cup of Coffee and the morning News and Music Videos
-Having super awesome Roommates (Living alone is not all it's cracked up to be)
-Going to Gym
- Friends and Family (especially that feeling that you can do something totally weird like break down crying for no reason and have someone who loves you anyways.)

Things I Love from Honduras:
-Jalons (Sitting in the bed of a truck on a sunny day with your friends is an inexplicable experience)
-Choco Bananas (Chocolate Covered Frozen Bananas, Best Ice Cream replacement ever, and it's fruit so it's healthy, right?)
-Coffee drying in the sun
-Little kids running home from the Kinder with their umbrellas.
-Walking around with an Umbrella
-Knowing all my neighbors and having them watch my house when I am not around

-Helpfulness, I can always find someone to carry my big water jug to the house
-The Honduran Hand Flick, moving your hand from palms downs to up, like what? what's up? how are you?
-My Hammock
-Watching World Cup Qualifying Soccer games with people who all really care.
- Hot homemade tortillas
-Doing Yoga in my underwear cause it's to hot to otherwise

Changes for better and for worse:
-My complete lack of table manners, I won't be able to eat in public when I go home
-My stomache, will it ever be the same?
-A growing appreciation for the United States, I don't think I felt like an American until I left.
-Assuming every man is trying to hit on me and really, most of them are. "Adios, Brenna, mi amor." And I am pretty sure I had some guy proposing marriage at the last Baile. Although now, men shouting at me in the streets makes me irritated and annoyed, I think I will go home and when I walk by I group of guys and they don't say anything, I'll think, "what? You don't like this?"
-Being accustomed to chickens and pigs everywhere including restaurants, homes, and in the streets. I will now think nothing of finding a hair in my lunch.