September 9, 2013
The Periclean Class of 2016 has hit the ground running by getting to know our classmates, as well as absorbing as much information about Honduras as we can. In order for our class to be able to determine what direction we want to take our project, it is crucial that we have an understanding about the current issues Honduras is facing. With that in mind, today’s class consisted of hearing peers’ presentations about Honduras’ leisure, ecology, international politics, US relations, and domestic politics.
The forces of nature seem to repeatedly grab hold of Honduras. A recent landslide made it difficult for Hondurans to access the capital, until the roads could be repaired. Correspondingly, a recent hurricane has caused widespread flooding and evacuation orders to be declared. The Honduran farming industry has taken a toll with crop failures and farmers having difficulty getting their produce to markets. In addition, Dengue Fever has been on the rise in Honduras since the 1950’s. The latest numbers stated that seventeen people in Honduras had lost their lives to Dengue Fever. On a positive note, the Red Cross has been able to donate 169,000 dollars to help combat Dengue Fever. Honduras has been caught in a storm the last couple of years trying to manage what nature keeps throwing at them.
Although Honduras has been kept busy dealing with issues outside of their control, they are a country rich in culture. The three main holidays Hondurans celebrate are: Christmas, Easter, and their Independence Day (September 15th). Much like Americans, Hondurans loves to indulge in traditional cuisine. Their dishes are flavored with a variety of spices and use corn, kidney beans, yuka, and plantains as staples in their diet. Most recently, Honduras won 2-1 in a soccer game against Mexico. This moved them up in rankings to third, which means they will most likely have the opportunity to go to the World Cup. This would be an immense morale boost and unifying event for Honduras. While this could unify the Honduran population, their government is currently facing difficulties attempting to be a unified front.
The Honduras government faced a coup in 2009. Since that event President Lobo has been in power. Currently, the United States does not recognize him as the legitimate leader. The government is in a dispute right now over a tiny island that lies off the coast of both Honduras and El Salvador. In addition, along the coast three military bases have been added in the last couple of years in an attempt to curb the drug trade along the coast. US military forces are present at all three of the bases. Directly related to the drug trade happening in Honduras is the gang violence. Their prison systems have fallen into disrepair. At the moment they are operating at 138% above capacity level. Since 2006 there have been more than a six hundred preventable deaths in their prison system. Like any country, Honduras is attempting to sort out their issues and find appropriate ways for the government to take action.
Honduras is a county filled with potential that is currently facing some detrimental hardships. At the same time, they have had some impressive victories, like the win against Mexico in soccer. I am confident that the determination of the Honduran people will far outshine their tribulations in the years to come. John Quincy Adams demonstrates the reward in determination, “patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish”.
— Meredith Berk ‘16
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September 11, 2013
On a day of solemn remembrance, the Class of 2016 gathered to celebrate budding community partnerships by learning about Honduran cuisine. Our instructor was a talented Honduran immigrant, Suyapa Mejilla, who has worked for several years in North Carolina teaching low income families about nutritious cooking on a budget. We were thrilled to be her very first cooking class in English! The Class of 2016 split up into two sections and met for approximately one hour each in La Cocina in El Centro to cook two traditional dishes including carrots and chayotes on the cream as well as oven-baked yellow plantains. Paired with sweet guava and mango juices and good company, these dishes made for a wonderful midafternoon meal and opened the gates for conversation. It was truly exciting—and delicious—to see our class come together to work on a project even this small.
¡Trabajando juntos!
Between peeling, slicing, cooking, and cleaning, Ms. Mejilla provided us with an informative overview of her native country. She paid special detail to explaining the in’s and out’s of the democratic constitutional republic’s government, geography, social norms, and economy. Her informative stories reinforced the importance of agriculture and tourism in Honduras. We were somewhat surprised to hear her testimonies that Americans continue to travel in great numbers to the country’s vacation destinations despite travel warnings, but we came to a greater understanding after she explained the importance of preparation for a trip to countries like Honduras. Having returned there every year to visit family and to go on vacation since moving to the States fifteen years ago, she is certainly a wealth of knowledge!
Suyapa enseñándonos sobre el turismo en su ciudad natal, Tela, Honduras.
Working with Ms. Mejilla was an absolute joy. Her kindness, perseverance, and dedication to social change through her work and lifelong volunteering provided us with a window into some of the many strengths of Honduran culture. The stories she shared with us caused our minds to yet again begin churning with ideas for work in Honduras as well as in our local community, as she informed us of some of the needs she addresses daily in her own professional life. This partnership is filled with burgeoning possibility for us and the Class of 2016 is excited to continue cultivating it in hopes of achieving positive change—and learning how to make more delicious meals!
¡Mi plato favorito!
Next week the Class of 2016 will finish up its current event presentations and begin discussing our summer reading The Broken Village as well as the FSA report. Ms. Mejilla’s stories left us hungry for more information, so we are eager to dive in!
¡Buen provecho!
Much love,
Caley
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