I haven't taken the time to write in my blog much during my stay in Copan. For those interested in following my travels -- I apologize. I'm not sure what it is about this town that has sucked me into a sort of time warp. Every few days I think... "dang, I should get online and post something..." and then it's time for dinner, and then we meet up afterward for drinks or a game of Triominoes and I say to myself... "oh, I'll get to it tomorrow..." suddenly five weeks has gone by with only a single post. I've been a little bit better about keeping up with email and Facebook posts. I offer my thanks to those of you who have written. I really do appreciate the contact and well-wishes.
My time in Copan has been wonderful. I feel that I've seen much more of the area surrounding Copan than was ever possible to see near Antigua. We have quite a bit of free time, and the place is safe enough and comfortable enough to walk around alone or in very small groups (unlike Antigua). Even though I enjoy Maya, Aviv and Aaron, at times we have different interests and it has been refreshing to finally find my own footing and do things on my own or with some of the other (non-GVI) students at Guacamaya Spanish school (I will miss you Wess and Katia!) My host family and accommodations are great (see earlier post), which makes it possible for me to comfortably hang out on my balcony at home and read or sip tea and chat with others (or play Triominoes... did I mention that?) Life has been quite good here.
In addition to hanging out in town, we've had some amazing experiences in nearby barrios (neighborhoods). We met a lovely woman named Ellen who introduced us to some of her friends in a nearby pueblo called Llanatios. Ellen is a former Seattle jazz musician who moved to Copan just over a year ago to find some way to improve the lives of children in the region. With her we've twice been up to visit Isias, Alexander, Merci, Maria and her grandmother at a rural homestead in the mountains of Llanatios. A 45-minute taxi ride up a steep and rutted dirt road into the mountains, we walk up steps cut into the dirt to a surprisingly modern building and landscaping that was constructed with world bank funds a few years ago. The front building houses a small workshop and showroom for Maria's handcrafted pottery. Visitors are invited to help prepare clay from the mud the children collect from higher in the mountains, and visitors may then craft their own pottery. If desired, Maria will fire the visitors' pots in an open fire for collection at a later visit.
(Photos)
On our first visit we not only helped prepare clay and made our own little pots, were also invited to prepare and then enjoy a simple and delicious lunch of frijoles and tortillas. we also brought a plastic soccer ball and a jump rope rope to play with the kids, which they seemed to enjoy. We were all so touched by sincerity and kindness of the family that we all wanted to return a second time. A week later we had a chance for another visit. Wess planned to give his guitar to the very musical Isias as a gift for his 16th birthday, so we were all excited to see how the gift would be received. If it is possible to imagine, our second visit was even more moving and enjoyable than the first. Wess played guitar and Isias sang for us, and then Wess taught Isais to play a few chords. Since Ellen is a professional musician, she helped pick out a few more tunes that Isias could play. His brother Alexander also picked out a few chords, and Maria played a bit as well. When Wess explained to Isias that the guitar was a gift, the whole family was so amazingly happy; and we gringos got all teary-eyed. It was a beautiful moment. We rounded out the morning with more jump rope (the kids couldn't get enough of it), and finally Wess introduced the boys to hackey-sack, which Alexander took to immediately. It was tough to leave. I hope to learn from Ellen how the family turns out, and perhaps will return to Copan to see for myself.
Though there are many challenges with any kind of charity (such as cultivating dependency), I was pleased to see the effect of Ellen's efforts here to help the people she meets. About Ellen: she teaches private English and music lessons to pay the bills, and spend most of her time with her own "Project School Supplies". At the moment, 100% of donated funds goes to her projects. Unaffiliated with any organization, Ellen seeks out schools and families in need of support, and matches funds collected from friends and family to accomplish amazing things at a very personal level. For example, with support from the Seattle-based Elliot Bay Book Store she recently raised funds for a new roof and fresh paint for a village school. If you want to learn more about Ellen's projects (or help out with a donation), contact her at ellenlfinn@hotmail.com. She is an amazing woman doing good work on her own terms, and I admire her approach. She deserves support.
We move onto Nicaragua in a week, on February 7. Though I'm sure the other countries in our itinerary will be great too, I will never forget Copan Ruinas, Honduras. I could imagine making a life here, or at least making this a Central American second home. What a place!
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2 comments:
Excellent writeup of Copan; very much enjoyed it.
I believe it's the first time you mentioned liking a place so much you'd consider a home there?
Quite a recommendation. (And good to hear it's a safer place to be... with the shootings happening in Seattle and West Seattle these days, it seems that it's all relative these days.)
If you could e-mail me with a few suggestions on just how you made your blog look this excellent, I would be grateful.
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