Eco-stoves in Rural Honduras
This type of landscape is something you certainly won’t see in Texas.
It doesn’t take long to learn that life in Honduras is very different from life in the United States. Rather than getting into a car to go to the nearest grocery store, I just walk to the market to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. While I’m used to strangers rushing by me in the US, here I’m greeted by everyone I pass. Although I love living in such a warm, friendly and beautiful environment, some aspects of Honduran life will be an adjustment for me. I’ve learned quickly that there are a lot of things that I have taken for granted back home.
One thing I have to get used to is not having hot water during showers. This probably won’t be too much of a problem in the summer months, but I’ve already grown tired of freezing every time I step into the shower.
Another adjustment, though not as uncomfortable, will be hand-washing my clothes. Standing over the pila washing my clothes certainly makes me realize how easy life can be in the US.It seems easy enough when you think about it, but trust me, it’s a pain. I had no idea that most Hondurans still hand-wash their clothes. I would never have imagined thanking the geniuses who invented the washer machine and dryer – until now.
Additionally, the absence of street signs has gotten me lost even in my own neighborhood. Although I don’t get lost walking to the office anymore, I still can’t give directions to the taxi cab driver during the day, and at night I can barely recognize my own street. The bright side to all of this is that I probably won’t be as directionally challenged by the time I’m back in the U.S.
Believe it or not, even eating is more difficult here. Vegetables need to be well-cooked to avoid bacteria, and having a glass of water from the tap is out of the question. Avoiding the water is so emphasized, that for the first week I was here, I used bottled water to brush my teeth. Fortunately for me, when I forgot to use purified water a couple of nights, I didn’t get sick. It’s a good thing that my poor memory hasn’t hospitalized me so far.
Due to security reasons, you have to be careful when going out at night here. You should always take a taxi when it’s dark, even if your destination is nearby. This does feel restricting, but I know it’s for my own safety. As I mentioned in my previous blog post, it’s all about precautionary measures down here. I think about my safety a lot more here, which is probably a good change.
I’ve adapted pretty quickly for my first move out of Texas. Despite all of the adjustments, I haven’t regretted coming down here. However, these lifestyle changes have definitely made me appreciate everything I have back home.
