News Brief

Ok, as the title says... short and dry for this one.

We wrapped up the last of our training today with a ¨cocina verde¨ session on making healthy food with readily available ingredients (especially weeds). We made some awesome fried egg and greens pancake things, green juice, soy milk, and soy chorizo. I also spent 3+ hours in the hospital earlier because I have had a cold and it led to a throat infection (most of the time spent waiting was for the doctor to tell me what I already knew) then they stuck a needle full of penicillin in my ass, gave me some ibuprofen, and sent me on my way. This is unfortunately going to impede my ability to party with everyone in the capital of Tegucigalpa tomorrow.

Speaking of which, upcoming news.... we are traveling to Tegucigalpa tomorrow very early for some ceremonial stuff and a reception at the embassy. The Honduran president Maduro was invited but nobody seems to think he´s really going to show. Thursday night we´re going to get to hang out one last time around Tegucigalpa, stay in a hotel there, and Friday morning we get sworn in officially as peace corps volunteers. I already have my certificate saying I satisfactorily completed tech and language training (finishing with a level of Advanced Low in Spanish). I´m also supposed to write a speech to deliver on behalf of the PAM training group in Spanish, since I´m a decent hand with words and I have the second best spanish level in the PAM group. I´m not sure if that´s tomorrow or Friday.... I´ll just write it on the bus to Tegucigalpa tomorrow. :P

I have to pack up all my junk tonight, because after swearing in I´m going to continue south at 10:30 am or so and head directly to the city of Choluteca, and start working on getting my mountain of crapola up a mountain of dirt and rocks, the last 2 km being a hike unless I can find someone with a truck. At this point I can easily see myself going 3+ weeks without a day off by the time I get myself settled-ish, all told.

So that´s what´s on the plate; this means I will not be back in Siguat on Friday for anyone that might have been planning to call me (it just makes sense since Tegucigalpa is on the way to my site). I do not have a mailing address nor phone number yet, but I will get those things as soon as I can. The phone is probably going to be a pulpería or the house of somebody I trust in Agua Fría, and the mailing address will be the post office in Choluteca so I´ll just have to go pick it up on my weekly trip to town or whatever. I will continue to be very busy for awhile after I arrive because I have to completely furnish that house and fix some stuff, but I will try to keep in touch.

Love to all,

Gabe