all the rumors are true: peace corps is temporarily pulling volunteers out of honduras. the news fell on my ears with shock and shock is what is remaining in the wake of such malas noticias.
i do not care to comment on the reasons behind this change, but only on the distressing effect it will have on a country i have come to call my own. and not even in a grandiose way to say that i affected large amounts of change, oh no. simply that all volunteers, myself included, have to tell their work partners, their host families, the owners of the neighborhood pulperias, the mail lady, and the people who have taken us in as their own that they have to abruptly leave. no reason, valid or not, can comfort the shock that comes with the news. i leave with hope that some chose to stay and continue to inspire, and be inspired, by others. there is sadness is in the statement: the places who need the most help are the hardest to get to. and now i have met this sadness and know her.
in three weeks i will depart from my pueblito. no longer certain of what is ahead, i can only remember the words of my beautiful friend, esperanza. "tomorrow is never promised, no. it is for today we are happy and thankful. it is for today we are good. we make today the greatest and will not fear tomorrow. and if we do it right, today is yesterday's tomorrow. and we are ready for anything."
Autobusni in Croatia - A Guide to Getting Around
12 years ago
Que lastima, mi amiga. You end up putting down roots no matter what, don't you. I hope the transition is as easy as possible for you. And Merry Christmas from all of us.
ReplyDeleteI came to read your blogpost through my research on the Peace Corps pull-out from Honduras. I am tremendously saddened by the news. I am a Honduran, and I am also in shock on how the failure of our government affects so negatively the lives of so many, not only Honduran, but also from all over the place. I hope soon they resume their operations. All best wishes. Fernanda
ReplyDeleteHI Kyla,
ReplyDeleteI came across your blog and I wondered if you would be open to an interview about your experiences in Honduras. I am writing a magazine article for Americas Quarterly - www.americasquarterly.org/ -, which is a voice on-the-ground piece about the security issues PCVs face in the Northern Triangle Central American countries. I would love to hear any stories you may have and am collecting stories both from those who have witnessed or experienced danger and those who have had a relatively problem free experience. I will also be comparing it to the experiences of RPCVs from the last couple of decades to see how things have changed. And, of course, the piece will be framed in light of recent PC decisions in the area.
I would love to talk to you if you have a few minutes for a Skype call. Let me know if you have time, please get in touch on iouliafenton@gmail.com
Ioulia
Thanks so much for writing, Fernanda. Here's to the best for your country.
ReplyDelete