More Happenings from Honduras

After living in the United States for over fifty years, we see things daily that are unbelievable. This week we have seen enough unbelievable things to last a lifetime.

Regularly, the kids here do not go to school for some reason or another. They only go to school half a day and to miss so much makes me wonder how much education they are getting. No one has gone to school this whole week. No one. No one in Santa Ana or Los Pinos or Nueva Oriental. The teachers did not get paid so they are not working. I can't say that I blame them. I do not think I would want to continue working if I didn't get paid. But what about the kids?

The policemen did not get paid either. They were stopping cars and asking people for money to buy gasoline for their vehicles. Teachers and policemen not getting paid are incomprehensible in the United States.

Yesterday, a major street was blocked at 5:30 p.m. for a political rally. I would not have been too happy about that no matter which party it was, but since it was the party I don't like, it was even more irritating.

Normally, the electric company brings a bill here to Casa de Esperanza and a day or two later, I go to the bank and pay the bill. I knew a bill had not been received and I had asked around and really did not know how to go about getting the bill without it being brought to me. Today, I was in Tegucigalpa running a few errands and Marc called and said the man from the electric company was at Casa and if we did not pay our bill within the hour, the electricity would be cut off. Temporarily, I forgot about all errands and headed toward Santa Ana. A group of students was protesting and had another major thoroughfare blocked.

I got to Santa Ana and found an old paid receipt from the electric company and went racing to the bank in Ojojona. I was told I could not make a cash payment for 20 or 25 minutes. I was also told to leave and come back. I know about 20 or 25 minutes in Honduras. I waited 35 minutes and went back. I was told it would be 5 more minutes, would I please wait outside in a chair. I could not even stand in the bank. When the 10 minutes were up, I was called back inside the bank. The account number was entered and the amount due was huge. The ladies in the bank did not think they could accept that large of a payment. It took several phone calls and much discussion for me to finally walk away with a paid receipt.

Before I left for town again, I found out Russell really needed to see a doctor. I drove him to the clinic in Ojojona and, a few minutes later, we left the clinic laughing and seeking another option. What he was told he needed to do, I don't think anyone would have done. We drove to the pharmacy, explained his symptoms, and, after paying, walked away with antibiotics. You think that would have happened in the states.

After a couple of normal errands, I went to pick up a package at DHL. I got the paperwork on the package. Tomorrow, I have to go back to DHL with a customs agent. It will be decided what I owe for these packages. Then I have to go to the bank at the airport (the bank at the airport is the only bank that will accept customs fees) and pay the fees in cash. Then I have to return to DHL with the customs agent to get the packages. I cannot imagine how much time this will take. Be thankful, really thankful next DHL or UPS delivers your package to your front door.

After the bank and the DHL experience, I started laughing. I could not help it. I could not make up something like this. It was just so unbelievable and we live with this daily. But in a country that has 30% unemployment, I guess some of these crazy things help keep a few people employeed.



Terri