Immerse yourself in another world
We haven't been to Honduras since autumn 2019, just before the Corona crisis began. So this year we were very curious to see what awaited us. Travelling to Honduras, even in normal times, always means immersing yourself in a completely different world. This time it already started when we landed "too early" and had to wait for an hour on the tarmac until the airport staff started working and we could leave the plane. In the airport, everything still seems very international. On the way from the airport to the children's home, however, we found ourselves in the middle of a mess of patched-up cars, horse-drawn carts, begging children and plastic rubbish piling up at the roadside. This year, the traces of hurricanes Eta and Iota were also clearly visible in the form of abandoned, rusty vehicles and washed away sections of the road.
Time with the children
Arriving at the children's home, we were warmly welcomed as always and immediately taken in by the children. Little seemed to have changed at "yo quiero ser...". Except that the children do not go to school away from home but have been at the home continuously for almost two years. During our stay, Honduras celebrated its two-hundredth Independence Day. The children had a long weekend, which we used to invite all the children, including the staff, to a day at the beach. Due to the Corona crisis, most hotels in the country are closed. Thanks to personal relationships, we were allowed to use the beach and the pool of a hotel in Tela. A fine lunch was also not to be missed. We didn't know which of us enjoyed the sea the most that day: We, the Swiss, the children or the staff.
We were also able to be present at another special event. Yulissa received her first own salary and invited the whole children's home for dinner. We have known Yulissa since the children's home was founded and are very proud of her. Yulissa has consistently pursued her goal over all these years and has now finally achieved it. She is a great role model for all the other children to show what can be achieved if one pursues one's goals relentlessly.
Trip to Santa Rosa
Through the newsletters we have learned a lot about the projects in Santa Rosa. Therefore, we really wanted to get to know the place and the projects personally during this visit. Together with Patricia and the family, we drove into the mountains to Santa Rosa. The journey to Santa Rosa led over a road full of potholes that you have to zigzag to avoid. On the road, large trucks meet farmers with their horse-drawn carts. It's a picture we don't know in Switzerland.
Jose Luis, the head of the projects in Santa Rosa, took the time to show us around the entire school and the attached plantation with coffee, bananas, oranges and mandarins. He showed us some of his new innovative school projects, such as the lessons on leather processing, with which he supports the preservation of local craftsmanship. Due to the compulsory homeschooling, however, there were not many students on site and the buildings therefore looked a bit deserted.
As always, the time in Honduras flew by. We enjoyed living in a completely different world for a two-week period. We would like to thank Patrica, the staff and all the children of the children's home "yo quiero ser..." once again for the wonderful time, the delicious food and the warm hospitality.
Adios y hasta la proxima…