My beautiful new home...
Well this won't be a long post, but I wanted to share my first, very fleeting impressions of Santa Rosa de Copan and my site, Dulce Nombre.
I went out to Santa Rosa on Saturday with Angela and a married couple, Danyel and David. It only took us 3 and a half hours to get there on a direct bus from Siguatepeque to Santa Rosa...I think our bus driver set some kind of speed record. Angela and I both took a Dramamine because the roads get pretty curvy! The Western region of Honduras is GORGEOUS. I could not believe the views that we passed on the way to Santa Rosa. I can't wait to see the faces of people who come visit me on that first bus ride to my site! There are these huge green rolling mountains that have tons of curves and crevassess, white cows and horses dotting the inclines. The best friend of one our trainers, a prominent Honduran in Santa Rosa, picked us up at the bus station and recommended a hotel for us. We thought it was really expensive but there wasn't another option that wasn't really sketchy. This really nice hotel in downtown Santa Rosa cost the equivalent of 6 dollars...so you can see our scale is a bit different down here. But let me just say this, the city is ADORABLE. I love it. It has cobblestone streets and all the stores and restaurants have these little historic looking plaques instead of big tacky signs. Bakeries and coffee shops are prevalent, sending aromas of baking bread throughout the city. It seems like a little European oasis in the middle of Honduras. I felt safe there, even after dark. The cathedral on the central park is beautiful and many of the buildings are painted bright colors. After getting there we walked around and had lunch at a little diner type place and then asked for directions to where the Peace Corps volunteer crash house is. It is near the center and is the upstairs of a house on a corner. Walking up we found several volunteers in the area lounging around under blankets, since this weekend was pretty chilly here in Honduras. Everyone was coming into Santa Rosa that night for a farewell party for the group that is getting ready to leave Honduras. We heard so many funny stories from the past two years. All of them said we had the best region in Honduras. We hung out with them most of the day. That night they made all this great food together and had beers, champagne, and this local alcoholic mixture they made that was really strong and I avoided. About 30 volunteers came in from the region. We went to a karaoke place and had a great time, then at midnight they went off to a dance club, one of their favorite places. Angela and I decided to go back to the hotel, which was only 2 blocks away, since it was late and their was a cover charge. But it was great to meet some of the awesome people in my region.
The next day Angela and I went out to Dulce Nombre with Pri, the volunteer I am replacing. It is so beautiful!! It too has cobblestone streets but on a much steeper incline. It is surrounded by the same green mountains. It took about 35 minutes by bus from Santa Rosa, but is faster by car. I saw my cute new house, which I won't move into until after Pri, leaves in 2 months. It has 2 or 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, sala or living room area, a big back yard with a plot of grass where I hope to have a garden, and the back yard is surrounded by a wall, which has a gate through which I have a view of green hills with horses grazing. I dropped off about half of my stuff that I had brought from Siguatepeque, which should made the move much easier on Saturday. The house is near the center of the town. I met my counterpart briefly and had lunch there, and we walked to meet a family where I want to live for the first 2 months. The house is very nice and the family was great...a mother in her thirties, with a 6 month old and a 16 year old. Her husband was killed the year before in circumstances I am not quite clear on yet, but the family obviously has a bit of money. She was very fun and talks a lot, which will be good for my Spanish. We only had 2 hours to spend in Dulce Nombre because Angela and I had to take the bus back to Santa Rosa in time to catch a bus back to San Pedro Sula and on to Siguatepeque. But I am so excited to get started...nervous of course, but I think it will be a great experience. I hope! The ride home took 4 and a half house since it wasn't direct, but it was ok. I made it home safe and unfortunately have a head cold today but am in good spirits. Mom has my new address and said she would send it around. Email me if you don't get it and want it!
Wednesday we go to Tegucigalpa, and Thursday I will be sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer! Then Saturday I will move to my site permanently! It's hard to believe. I'll write soon. Miss and love you guys!
I went out to Santa Rosa on Saturday with Angela and a married couple, Danyel and David. It only took us 3 and a half hours to get there on a direct bus from Siguatepeque to Santa Rosa...I think our bus driver set some kind of speed record. Angela and I both took a Dramamine because the roads get pretty curvy! The Western region of Honduras is GORGEOUS. I could not believe the views that we passed on the way to Santa Rosa. I can't wait to see the faces of people who come visit me on that first bus ride to my site! There are these huge green rolling mountains that have tons of curves and crevassess, white cows and horses dotting the inclines. The best friend of one our trainers, a prominent Honduran in Santa Rosa, picked us up at the bus station and recommended a hotel for us. We thought it was really expensive but there wasn't another option that wasn't really sketchy. This really nice hotel in downtown Santa Rosa cost the equivalent of 6 dollars...so you can see our scale is a bit different down here. But let me just say this, the city is ADORABLE. I love it. It has cobblestone streets and all the stores and restaurants have these little historic looking plaques instead of big tacky signs. Bakeries and coffee shops are prevalent, sending aromas of baking bread throughout the city. It seems like a little European oasis in the middle of Honduras. I felt safe there, even after dark. The cathedral on the central park is beautiful and many of the buildings are painted bright colors. After getting there we walked around and had lunch at a little diner type place and then asked for directions to where the Peace Corps volunteer crash house is. It is near the center and is the upstairs of a house on a corner. Walking up we found several volunteers in the area lounging around under blankets, since this weekend was pretty chilly here in Honduras. Everyone was coming into Santa Rosa that night for a farewell party for the group that is getting ready to leave Honduras. We heard so many funny stories from the past two years. All of them said we had the best region in Honduras. We hung out with them most of the day. That night they made all this great food together and had beers, champagne, and this local alcoholic mixture they made that was really strong and I avoided. About 30 volunteers came in from the region. We went to a karaoke place and had a great time, then at midnight they went off to a dance club, one of their favorite places. Angela and I decided to go back to the hotel, which was only 2 blocks away, since it was late and their was a cover charge. But it was great to meet some of the awesome people in my region.
The next day Angela and I went out to Dulce Nombre with Pri, the volunteer I am replacing. It is so beautiful!! It too has cobblestone streets but on a much steeper incline. It is surrounded by the same green mountains. It took about 35 minutes by bus from Santa Rosa, but is faster by car. I saw my cute new house, which I won't move into until after Pri, leaves in 2 months. It has 2 or 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, sala or living room area, a big back yard with a plot of grass where I hope to have a garden, and the back yard is surrounded by a wall, which has a gate through which I have a view of green hills with horses grazing. I dropped off about half of my stuff that I had brought from Siguatepeque, which should made the move much easier on Saturday. The house is near the center of the town. I met my counterpart briefly and had lunch there, and we walked to meet a family where I want to live for the first 2 months. The house is very nice and the family was great...a mother in her thirties, with a 6 month old and a 16 year old. Her husband was killed the year before in circumstances I am not quite clear on yet, but the family obviously has a bit of money. She was very fun and talks a lot, which will be good for my Spanish. We only had 2 hours to spend in Dulce Nombre because Angela and I had to take the bus back to Santa Rosa in time to catch a bus back to San Pedro Sula and on to Siguatepeque. But I am so excited to get started...nervous of course, but I think it will be a great experience. I hope! The ride home took 4 and a half house since it wasn't direct, but it was ok. I made it home safe and unfortunately have a head cold today but am in good spirits. Mom has my new address and said she would send it around. Email me if you don't get it and want it!
Wednesday we go to Tegucigalpa, and Thursday I will be sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer! Then Saturday I will move to my site permanently! It's hard to believe. I'll write soon. Miss and love you guys!
posted by Lauren @ 11:50
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