"Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret -it
leads only to evil."
~Psalms 37:8
I would like to share about some struggles I have faced in
Honduras as I adapt to the culture and environment. Anytime one ventures
outside their home country/community there will be moments when one is faced
with something perceived as very different. I want to express some of my
experiences and struggles. These are my personal struggles, limited to my
perspective. There is a lot more to add than what I have written, so this is
rather short.
Sudden Changes
While I am loving Honduras and feel very safe where we are, there
are a few things that have been challenges for me. I am comfortably used to
relying on set schedules for academic school years. All throughout my life in
the U.S. a school schedule was all planned out during the summer months and
rarely changed unless some huge unexpected event occurred that interrupted the
flow of that schedule, such as a global pandemic or a school shooting. Here in
Honduras, what I would consider big plans, can change at the last minute.
Everything from the first day of school to when the week-long summer break
happens have been changed from one day to the other. As someone used to U.S.
timing and culture, this can be frustrating. But I have noticed nobody is
bothered by these sudden changes. Everything just happens as it happens. No
biggie.
Different Takes on Confidentiality
Lack of confidentiality, from the perspective of a U.S. citizen,
is a big thing here in Honduras. At least in the schools and doctor’s offices.
While it does not personally bother me much, it is still shocking since I come
from a culture where if you break confidentiality, it can cost you your job.
But let’s say you’re at the doctor’s office, and a nurse comes in to ask the
doctor about another patient. The doctor and nurse will have a short
conversation about what to do and/or say to the patient. You are sitting there
and hearing everything they say, but it’s not a big deal here. In the U.S. that
could go as far as a lawsuit. Another example would be dealing with students.
Certain information that would not be discussed with anybody but the student
and/or the students’ family, is not as concealed as it would be in a U.S.
public school. While information is not just handed out to just anyone,
conversations between an administrator and student can happen in front of other
students, when in the U.S. it most likely would be dealt with in private.
Drunk Walkers
Running into someone lying unconscious on the sidewalk with no
assistance is a very disturbing site for me. It is not uncommon here in
Juticalpa for someone who is intoxicated to pass out on a sidewalk. No one does
anything for them except briefly check to make sure they are breathing and then
quickly move on. People don’t want to get involved. When I shared with someone
that in the U.S. 9-1-1 would be contacted, and emergency services would be
dispatched within minutes, they responded “emergency services take hours if not
days to arrive.” So far what I have observed is there are not so many drunk
drivers as there are drunk walkers.
Animal Negligence
Since I deem myself an animal lover, watching stray dogs is very
difficult for me. I have seen dogs in terrible condition without any hope of
receiving help. It breaks my heart to see them suffering, and wish I could save
them all. But resources are limited, although available to some degree. There
are veterinarian clinics. Unlike some communities around the world, people here
do have dogs, cats and birds as pets. There is just not as much animal control
as there is in the U.S. As I write this blog, there are three turtles in a
dried up fountain in a park. Someone put them there for the children to enjoy,
however, several people have told me that those turtles are going to die there.
One woman who runs a small shop sat cross-armed, “They don’t have water, except
for the rain water.” She shook her head in disapproval, “They’re just going to
die there.” Animal rights and safety measures are little to non-existent. While
I view in horror as so many animals in shelters get put down (in the U.S.), I
actually see the need for animal control to step in and help control the stray
dog population.
Flies & Mosquitoes
The flies and mosquitos are insane, although it is nothing new for
me since we lived in an agricultural area back in Washington. Especially in the
summer months, flies were nuts. Here is about the same except the mosquitos are
also numerous and they carry more tropical diseases such as Dengue fever (which
Jacob, my husband, got). According to Jacob, Dengue fever is no fun! Flies and
mosquitos give me respect and appreciation for spiders which I am deathly
afraid of. Spiders are one of my least favorite animals in the world, except
for flies and mosquitos. But lately, I have grown to have a fascination toward
them, even though they still scare me.
While I love Honduras and the people here, because I am in a
culture outside my own, there will be difficult moments. This happens to
everyone who travels and lives abroad. These difficult moments, often known as
culture shock, can produce feelings and emotions ranging from anxiety to anger,
and at times even hatred. I personally have not experienced hatred, except
maybe toward flies and mosquitos, but I have felt frustration.
-Nancy
