Honduras 08: Archives

JONATHAN BINDER writes:
It seems as though I am constantly bracing myself for future events. Take the holidays, for example. From the very first moment I saw Christmas decorations in Target while shopping for Halloween candy, I knew it would only be a matter of time before I was thinking about finals, winter break, and the ironic chaos that comes with the celebration of a savior’s birthday. So before my mind crashes into Christmas, I tap the brakes so that I may coast to gentle stop.

But it is much harder to brace yourself for something you know little about. So here’s what I do know: I am taking a travel writing class; I am going to Honduras; I am participating in a number of adventurous activities; I am going to capture my discoveries with words, photos, and video; and I would guess that it is going to be a life-changing experience.

Out of that information, it is still hard to find the excitement. My mind can’t fully wrap around the idea of going far away to a land I have only tasted through Google images. There are many important steps that need to be taken before a trip of this caliber, but the list of preparations fogs my vision of the thrill ahead of me: writing checks, setting up our blog, scheduling medical shots, corresponding with our travel guide, etc. All the clues in front of me say I am leaving January 13.

Day by day, this trip to Honduras becomes more real. Even a map shows me this destination really does exist. And with an extremely zoomed out frame, Honduras seems like a hop and skip away. But now, the thrill of it all is not knowing exactly what to expect. So when putting it that way, the trip isn’t real yet; it’s merely a fantasy.

And how do you mentally prepare for a fantasy? You don’t, because it seems just far enough out of reach that it's impossible to give it any serious consideration. But with many more tangible preparations ahead of us, I will try to keep my head out of the clouds.

JONATHAN BINDER writes:
As I gather all my possessions for the trip to Honduras, I just smile and wonder how I will fit it all in two carry-on bags. It never fails; each time I pack for anything, I end up whistling the Tetris theme song as I try out different item formations.

Most trips I go on, clothes have been the focus of packing. But for this trip, it is all about the technology. One bag will be dedicated to my computer, digital camera, HD video camera, hard-drive, and an assortment of wires to keep everything working. But it is all worth it because I anticipate this being the most well-documented trip I have ever taken. And that excites me. Traveling to Honduras is a great opportunity. It is an experience that I will want to remember and share with many others.

But I am not there yet, so I just have to keep on packing. It is a bit unsettling that I keep remembering items that I have to pack. Sure, it’s good that I remember them, but it just gets me thinking, “What else haven’t I remembered yet?”

It is as if I am never done packing until I walk out the door. And just like the levels in Tetris, the further along you go, the harder it gets, because for every item I remember at the last minute, I have to stuff it in a bag that I thought was already full.

But I am always up for a challenge, and of course to get a high score ... so bring it on.

See you in Honduras.

JONATHAN BINDER writes:
For my foreign language requirements in high school, I decided I would take French instead of Spanish. I never really took into account traveling or working in a field that would require another language. Not to say that I do not want to go to France, but it turns out I made it to a Spanish-speaking nation first.

So thus far in Honduras I have been trying not be alone when ordering food or getting directions of some sort. Otherwise, I have to look over my shoulder to see if anyone just heard the predicament I am facing. Other than that, I have been smiling, nodding, pointing, or staring vacantly, which I can only imagine looks ridiculous.

I figure my best option is to be as courteous as possible in an attempt to not run anyone’s patience too thin. And so far the people in Honduras have been wonderful. I already know some basic phrases, and of course please and thank you: Por favor and gracias. But during the first few days here, the very first thing I looked up was forgive me: disculpe. Can everyone say disculpe? dees-kool-pe. Good. And since I already knew please, I was ready to apologize for every time I get in the way or take way too long to order food.

For instance, I was trying to figure out what to get for breakfast one morning. The waitress came and took the other orders first, and the pressure was piling up. Finally, it was my turn. I had an idea of what was going on, but it was still frustrating not knowing all my options. Now keep in mind, even when the menu is in English, I have the hardest time deciding what to eat; it can sometimes be the hardest decision of the day. So I quickly ordered Baleada.

I later find out from surveying what others had gotten that they had Honduras pancakes. I was not too happy about this. I was too intimidated by the menu and was only concerned with getting the order done with.

Luckily, I am not a picky eater at all. All the food I have tried here in Honduras has been delicious, and I am all about trying something new. So perhaps a blind gesture at something random on the menu might not be a bad idea.

JONATHAN BINDER writes:
I only brought four shirts with me, including the one I wore to travel. Although I was trying to pack light, I don’t know what I was thinking. Any amount of physical activity causes me to sweat profusely. So far in the Honduras heat we have hiked through rainforests and ruins, whitewater rafted, and traveled many hours in bulky vans that lacked the air conditioning that I consider to be air conditioning.

Yeah, a lot sweating.

I had three options: smell bad, buy new clothes, or do some laundry. Well, I hate to smell (and I am sure others don’t enjoy it much either) and I am cheap. So by process of elimination, it was laundry time. But for many people in Honduras, laundry doesn’t involve any machines. I grabbed the bar of laundry soap and went to work at the stone washer board. It may be a very old practice, but it was certainly a new experience for me.

I must say Honduras is the perfect place to use this method. I clean my clothes in the morning, hang them up on the clothesline and the sun does the rest. Now, I can sweat without sweating it.

So, as all the water we drink turns into a salty, smelly discharge, it will be nice to know I’ll have something fresh to wear.

(I am wearing a hand-washed shirt right now; it smells fantastic!)

Jonathan Binder is an undergraduate journalism student.