Applying what you´ve learned

I have started to settle into life as a volunteer in Honduras. Almost two months have past and each day I feel more comfortable with life here. The past few weeks of training have been fun. While the majority of our technical training consists of sitting through lectures and examples of the health projects that are ongoing in country, occasionally we get to field test what we’ve learned. This past week the health squad was split into four groups of four and each group gave a 4 hour lecture on HIV/AIDS to a class of high school juniors in La Paz. (a lot of 4’s) Initially we were all pretty nervous about stepping into a class room setting, but after a few minutes it all felt very natural. Everyone did an amazing job speaking and presenting the material. After several activities with the kids we gave a thirty minute lecture on global and country statistics, transmission dynamics, and tools for prevention. Our last activity was a condom demonstration/practice for all 26 of the students in the class. I was honestly a little nervous about the last activity, and after seeing that 22 of the 26 students were girls I was freaking out a little. But, everything was great and the kids were really attentive and interested. Naturally, the activity started with a few giggles. At the end of class, two girls came up to me and the other male volunteer in my group, and asked if she could take a picture with us. Apparently, the gringo boys are a bit of a hit with the Honduran Chicas…it was cute.

Disclaimer...PETA supporters do not read

You might be asking yourself what there is to do for fun when you live in a small town with nothing to do other than eat, sleep, and be hot. Well, the answer is chicken fights. This past weekend a few of us decided to head on down to the old fighting ring, which actually looks like the ultimate fighting champion octogon, but on a much smaller scale. It was the first time for most, so we weren´t really sure how it was going to go down. Unfortunately, the girls that came with us didnt make it past the second fight and got the hell out of there before they passed out. After they left it was just the boys. Now, I dont want to sound machista, but there are only 5 of us men in the health program out of 16. And since we are split into two group of 8, its only Matt and I in Yarumela with 6 lovely ladies. Essentially, there is a lot of estrogen flying around, and there was nothing manlier than watching two savage beasts, or chickens (whatever the case may be) fight to the death. Its actually really impressive that so much planning and training goes into this noble sport. Most trainers actually clip the short wing feathers of the roosters and insert the really long tail feathers in their place so that the roosters have better balance during the fight. Now, contrary to popular belief, and by popular belief I mean Seinfeld, the roosters do not wear miniature bloxing gloves during the fight. Instead, a two inch blade is strapped to the right leg of the rooster in place of its thumb nail. Surprisingly, it IS true that the roosters look more like dogs with gloves strapped to their heads...(they really are huge and there are even different weight classes). Before the fight begins a third rooster is brought into the ring to harrass the roosters waiting to fight. Its pretty crazy. Once the fight begins feathers instantly burst into the air and the men watching the fight start screaming and chanting while waving their bets in the air. Aside from the occasional drunk guy asking me to take him to america, it was pretty amazing. As far as betting, I made a small side bet with a friend of mine and of course I lost. Some of the older men at the fight said that they hadn´t seen a bird go down that bad in a long time...I still stick by my decision. Serioiusly though, the rooster went down in about five seconds with a huge gash across the length of its stomach...disgusting. On a side note, there was this guy there who looked like he was kind of a big deal. Apparently, he is known for breeding a lot of winning roosters, which doesnt mean much since they all are eventually killed (horrible I know). But just to paint you a picture this guy was about six foot, beer belly, white cowboy hat, white jeans, green and white plaid shirt tucked in, huge black-grey mustache, crystal blue eyes, with a huge pistol hanging from his belt. He seriously looked like a drug-lord...not to mention he was walking in circles carrying above his head the biggest white rooster I have ever seen

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On a more serious note…without trying to sound preachy

Everyday that goes by I become more aware of my responsibility towards those that are less fortunate than me. In the world I come from serious worries are few and far between. The future depends solely on an individual’s willingness to take advantage of the hundreds of opportunities that lie before them. In my world we complain about where to eat, and not if we’ll eat; we complain about tap water tasting funny, and not getting diarrheal disease if we drink it; we complain about non-energy saving light bulbs, and not whether or not our town will get electricity in the next 5 years. My words may make you feel guilty, but they are not meant to make you change the way you live your life. How can you compare the wealth of a developed superpower to that of a country unable to provide basic services to a population of 8 million? The world I come from and the world I now live in are not different worlds, but parallel universes. We live in the same time, but see through different eyes. As you sit deciding on what you want to eat, so do I. The only difference is options. As we move down the ladder of wealth, affluence diminishes and poverty flourishes. Developing countries are run by select elite that limit the options of their greatest allies, their people. Yet I sit in this universe and observe as an outsider. It’s a system that has flourished with devastating results, yet it is a system in which people bye into. And while we call it a simple life, it’s simply a life without options.

Phew, needed to get that out.

Ok, I want to give a shout out to my boys in B-town and the Atl crew.