-THIS NEWS DOES NOT EXCITE ME-

2011 PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Message for U.S. Citizens: San Pedro Airport Shooting
October 17, 2011
The U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa informs U.S.  citizens residing in or visiting Honduras that on October 14, 2011, in San Pedro Sula, masked gunmen purportedly dressed as police forced the occupants of certain vehicles exiting the parking area of La Mesa International Airport out of their vehicles and opened fire on them, killing six men and wounding three others. 

While no U.S. citizens have been reported among the deceased or injured, the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa reminds U.S. citizens that violence in Honduras is endemic and the country has one of the highest murder rates in the world.  The recent shootings indicate that this violence can occur in seemingly secure places like an international airport.  We have not seen evidence suggesting criminals specifically target U.S. citizens; however, foreigners are often the victims of opportunistic crime.  Additional information regarding crime in Honduras can be found at the State Department’s Country Specific Information for Honduras.

http://honduras.usembassy.gov/acs_pubannounc2011/message-for-u.s.-citizens-san-pedro-sula-airport-shooting-october-17-2011

2011 PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Emergency Message for U.S. Citizens: Update on Weather Conditions in Honduras
October 19, 2011

The U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa informs U.S. citizens residing in or visiting Honduras of continuing severe weather conditions throughout Central America. You should monitor local and international weather reports and follow the instructions of local emergency officials.  According to the National Weather Service, strong rain showers and thunderstorms continue to affect the coastal waters of Belize and the Gulf of Honduras.  An approaching cold front currently located in the Gulf of Mexico will likely bring additional rain to the north coast of Honduras in the next few days.

In addition to the Departments of Choluteca and Valle, Honduran President Porfirio Lobo Sosa declared a state of emergency for the following departments: Cortés, Comayagua, Francisco Morazán, Copán, El Paraíso, Colon, Intibucá, Olancho, La Paz and Yoro.

Recent heavy rains have damaged roads and bridges.  Approximately 26 miles south of Tegucigalpa on the Pan American Highway (CA-1, Km 54, N1346054/W08718499), heavy rains caused both lanes to wash away into a steep ravine, leaving a gap approximately 20 meters wide.  Light vehicles continue to use this roadway, although traffic is moving in one direction at a time along the inner shoulder.  There are also mild to moderate landslides along other segments of the road.

Please note that 40 hours of additional rain are predicted for this area, and roadways are expected to continue to deteriorate.  If driving overland on this roadway or others in Honduras, please exercise extreme caution, paying particular attention to:
• Cracking or damage to the roadway itself;
• Rockslides coming from the hillside above the road;
• Oncoming or passing traffic driving too fast or irresponsibly, given road conditions.

At this point, the southern route to Choluteca in the vicinity of Moramulca is also not recommended for travel.

Flights into and out of airports in Central America may be suspended.  Travelers should contact airlines for updates.

U.S. citizens should carry their travel documents at all times (e.g., U.S. passport, birth certificate, picture ID’s, etc.) or secure them in a safe, waterproof location.  We also suggest that U.S. citizens contact friends and family in the United States with updates about their whereabouts.

http://honduras.usembassy.gov/acs_pubannounc2011/emergency-message-for-u.s.-citizens-update-on-weather-conditions-in-honduras-october-19-2011

House News:

*** We had the most spectacular thunderstorm I have ever witnessed last night!  ROARING RUMMMMMBLES followed by earthshaking lightening.  Family was supposed to pick us up for dinner at 6- impossible.  Storm took the gutter off the house and an enormous chunk out of the school's cinderblock gate.  No need to say that it stole our electricity and water, too!

*** THANK YOU, MIGUEL!- for filling the holes between my wall and ceiling.  He said that my visitor who has been shedding and using my bedroom as a toilet is dun dun... a gigantic iguana who can no longer enter.  Thank GOD!

*** Clothes, dishes, sheets, etc. are almost all rewashed AND DRIED from the unexpected fumigation, followed by days of rain and no water- PHEW.  

*** Now, meet the newest additions to our house family:

OHHH GOODIE!

As if snakes in my bedroom aren't enough.  Now, there are scorpions in my office.  Grabbed a Honduran to take care of this one.  She killed it with a broom stick, informing me that it can kill a small child and send me immediately to the hospital.  She said as she was leaving with the scorpion, squashed with the stinger hanging out, "Be careful!  They live under that sheet on your wall!"  W H A T

HOLY JESUS!  Another Honduran, Don Celeo, just came into our room to shake the sheet.  A gecko ran out and a tiny spider.  He said about the spider, "this one isn't dangerous," as he reached out and smushed it between his two fingers.  He has agreed to cut this tarp down after the children leave school today.  Why do I have goose bumps right now?!

WEEKEND FEATURE- Livingston, Guatemala

Mom and Dad, I hope it is ok that I post this email I wrote to you upon returning from Guatemala.  I was trying to think of how to explain the trip and realized, I already have!

"Just wanted to let you both know that we are back from Guatemala- WOW!  It was AMAZING!  We got to talk with the Mayan people and got to go into their jungle neighborhoods on these beautiful limestone lagoons.  The houses hover above the water.  NO YARDS!  The women were hanging clothes on the lines from boats below.  It was like nothing I have ever seen!  Kids arrive to the school's front door by boat!  We went to a restaurant and climbed up the side of the cliff to find these HUGE caves.  CRAZY!  We stayed on the water.  There were so many colorful crafts.  I found a man on the street who makes BEAUTIFUL jewelry.  He is from Venezuela.  Also, I picked up some Jaguar tooth necklaces.  I ate SO MUCH GREAT FOOD!  Pizza, icecream, fried chicken, pasta with a BACON sauce, tons of fresh fruit!  Very interesting driving over the border and through the country side.  I've never seen such amazing beauty and such poverty.  I want to write about this neighborhood.  I call them "Patchwork Houses"- just tin slabs nailed together, kids on top of trash piles searching for food- the river on one side, the highway on the other.  The other Sarah went home this weekend and couldn't believe how much her home had changed to her.  She felt like she had never seen a city before, dr office was luxurious, she just looked around in amazement and told me how NICE it is in the states- again, as if she had never been!"

Come, See!

Sometimes I stand in shock, wondering HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE!?  The moment transcends time and there doesn't seem to be any sort of a sufficient explanation for what is staring me in the face.  These are some of the times I think of my family and friends back home.  I want to put them in my body to see out of my eyes, feel through my skin.  Instead, I stand there in silence and just take it all in...  

*COPYRIGHT*

Please do not copy my work,

including images and prose.

We try to visit as many of our students' homes as possible.  Sunday afternoon, we ventured down a stone path, not knowing what we would find...  Chickens walking under the grandmother's chair, she tells me how she loves the beautiful animals in Honduras.  We start making tortillas as the sun dims and the rain begins to fall.  By the light of the wood stove, I glance up and freeze... at the sight of the children (Jose and Josue) releasing perfectly folded paper boats into the stream of water crossing their front yard.  Standing speechless, I just wanted to kneel down and cry.  Incredible!

*COPYRIGHT*

Please do not copy my work,

including images and prose.