Today Nicole won a 42" Plasma TV from the local Cellphone company!!
Of all the people in Sigua who could win - it's the white girl!! Lucky girl!!
Thursday, 8 January 2009
Sweet tooth!
So it seems it's Sugar cane season - everyone wants sugar cane! I am loving how much it has grown in my garden and that friends can come round and we just go cut down a cane and divide it up between us! It was hilarious watching my friends drive off on their motorbike last night with a sugar cane in each hand (not the guy that was driving!) Perhaps the most unlady like food to eat - but when has that ever stopped me?!
Tuesday, 6 January 2009
Operation Water!!
Day 6...still no water!
Today was first day back at school after Christmas and surprisingly enough I enjoyed it! I am however still very much in holiday mode and in denial that I am back working!
We still have no water in our house and so after school I went over to our neighbours/landlords to see if they know of anything new. Obviously not...but she asked me about my pila/peeler (no idea how to spell it!) and I explained it was very dirty so we couldn't use the water. She offered for her helper (a young girl no more than 16 who seems to be a family member!) to come and help me clean it sometime! 10 minutes later, this girl and 2 of the young daughters and their friend come over with a bucket of water to start cleaning it! The pila is like an outdoor water storage sink - people use it to wash their clothes...wash anything in fact. We'd not covered ours and so it had become an insect breeding ground instead.
So these very sweet girls came over and had a great time. Some played with the dogs and then cleaned -they loved it! At one point I had 3 of them all standing IN the pila looking for the plug and just having fun I think! Then....Dona Irma's brother comes over with a hose pipe and climbs up to our water tank to see what is going on.
Obviously there is no water but it's very dirty so he then climbs IN the water tank and cleans it for us and then uses this enormous hose (they have from the farm) and fills it back up - which takes about an hour or so.
At the same time they refill my pila and clean all around - I was so ashamed at how dirty it was!!
The girls are still playing with my dogs and then 2 boys turn up - probably related too and cut my grass for me! Talk about being looked after. Ironically I payed the last 2 months water bill today - not that I've had water for a week but heh!
At one point there were 11 of us in my garden dealin
g with either dogs, water or grass!! How to get to know the neighbours!
So, I now have storage water to get me through a few days.
Hopefully this will be all it needs for the city to sort out the water system so we can be back to normal! Craziness!
(a few more photos..nothing exciting... http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=201829&l=a3c26&id=876635272 )
Today was first day back at school after Christmas and surprisingly enough I enjoyed it! I am however still very much in holiday mode and in denial that I am back working!
We still have no water in our house and so after school I went over to our neighbours/landlords to see if they know of anything new. Obviously not...but she asked me about my pila/peeler (no idea how to spell it!) and I explained it was very dirty so we couldn't use the water. She offered for her helper (a young girl no more than 16 who seems to be a family member!) to come and help me clean it sometime! 10 minutes later, this girl and 2 of the young daughters and their friend come over with a bucket of water to start cleaning it! The pila is like an outdoor water storage sink - people use it to wash their clothes...wash anything in fact. We'd not covered ours and so it had become an insect breeding ground instead.
So these very sweet girls came over and had a great time. Some played with the dogs and then cleaned -they loved it! At one point I had 3 of them all standing IN the pila looking for the plug and just having fun I think! Then....Dona Irma's brother comes over with a hose pipe and climbs up to our water tank to see what is going on.
Obviously there is no water but it's very dirty so he then climbs IN the water tank and cleans it for us and then uses this enormous hose (they have from the farm) and fills it back up - which takes about an hour or so.
At the same time they refill my pila and clean all around - I was so ashamed at how dirty it was!!
The girls are still playing with my dogs and then 2 boys turn up - probably related too and cut my grass for me! Talk about being looked after. Ironically I payed the last 2 months water bill today - not that I've had water for a week but heh!
At one point there were 11 of us in my garden dealin
g with either dogs, water or grass!! How to get to know the neighbours!So, I now have storage water to get me through a few days.
Hopefully this will be all it needs for the city to sort out the water system so we can be back to normal! Craziness!
(a few more photos..nothing exciting... http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=201829&l=a3c26&id=876635272 )
Sunday, 4 January 2009
So near....yet so far!
I woke up this morning and there was water! Lots of it and good pressure too. I was able to have a shower and then I checked all the taps in the house - all working fine! So I went off to church and was able to tell everyone the good news. After church went back home to finally wash the dishes, my clothes and the floor....and it had gone again!! Typical! It may have something to do with a back valve - dont quote me on that. It has to be some form of dodgy pipework as I'm pretty sure the tank has water in it.
Thankfully, Armando the site manage next door should be back working and so will be able to help - my neighbours/Landlords are still not back!
Football today was fun - we actually won!! We were playing the reigning champions and so they were less than impressed and a fight ensued! Our players, their players and their supporters! My friends calmed down pretty quickly thankfully - but not so much the others. Adds a bit of excitement to a Sunday!!?
Amanda is back today too and so that signals that it's nearly time for school again. We start on Tuesday and nothing in me wants to go back....I'm having far too much fun getting to know my friends!!!
Thankfully, Armando the site manage next door should be back working and so will be able to help - my neighbours/Landlords are still not back!
Football today was fun - we actually won!! We were playing the reigning champions and so they were less than impressed and a fight ensued! Our players, their players and their supporters! My friends calmed down pretty quickly thankfully - but not so much the others. Adds a bit of excitement to a Sunday!!?
Amanda is back today too and so that signals that it's nearly time for school again. We start on Tuesday and nothing in me wants to go back....I'm having far too much fun getting to know my friends!!!
Saturday, 3 January 2009
Welcome 2009!
I still have no water and my Landlords who live opposite are away til tonight!! Joy! So, I'm still without water. I did however take my car to be fixed today...my friend Chele Loco recommended a friend of his.....a garage that was in fact a small hut! However, this man seemed to know what he was doing and it only cost me £5 so can't be too bad! I was very grateful my friend Jaime was with me, I wouldn't have liked to have been there on my own!!
When looking under my car at my radiator I noticed 2 wires hanging down precariously....and recognised them as the same ones my dogs had been chewing in the garden! There are workmen nextdoor and so we always have random wires and glass in our garden - I'd presumed this was the same. Apparently not - they had chewed the wires off my car!!! I actually want to shoot them! I went to the electrical mechanic but he was closed.
It is all costing too much money right now. I need to seriously think about buying a new car at this rate as mine is old - '90 - and although the engine is amazing - the rest of it needs constant repair. However, cars cost a lot here especially as I need 4x4 because of where I live. If anyone wants to donate any money towards my car maintainance please feel free!!
And pray I get water soon!
When looking under my car at my radiator I noticed 2 wires hanging down precariously....and recognised them as the same ones my dogs had been chewing in the garden! There are workmen nextdoor and so we always have random wires and glass in our garden - I'd presumed this was the same. Apparently not - they had chewed the wires off my car!!! I actually want to shoot them! I went to the electrical mechanic but he was closed.
It is all costing too much money right now. I need to seriously think about buying a new car at this rate as mine is old - '90 - and although the engine is amazing - the rest of it needs constant repair. However, cars cost a lot here especially as I need 4x4 because of where I live. If anyone wants to donate any money towards my car maintainance please feel free!!
And pray I get water soon!
Friday, 2 January 2009
Who needs water anyway?!
As I said earlier, I woke up today to no water and I had no gas either! The gas was easy to fix, I called the gasman at Tropigas and he brought me round a new tank for my cooker. The water however is a harder one. With no water in the tank it's a nightmare - although I do have a bottle of drinking water! So I'm thankful to Holly and Israel for helping me! I turned up tonight for a shower and to fill jugs and bottles with water!! My problem being that my radiator in my car is leaking so I need water to keep filling that up too - I think getting that repaired is tomorrow's job! So at least I'm now clean, my car has enough water to get to the garage..and well..the dishes can wait!!
I have absolutely no idea how to sort this so I hope my neigbours are back home tomorrow to bale me out!!
Oh the joys!
I have absolutely no idea how to sort this so I hope my neigbours are back home tomorrow to bale me out!!
Oh the joys!
Happy New Year!
Well I went to Toya's party (I found out her name!) and was hilarious. It was indeed the whole extended family in a field! Fredi owns some land and so they took all the plastic chairs, the grill etc and we set up for the night. We lit the bonfire, got the food out - and it started raining! So we put everything back, piled into the cars and headed back to Fredi and Belki's house! I had 12 people in my car - including children...not bad eh? Obviously in the panic to get in my car key snapped in the lock of the back door...luckily had a spare key in the car. Have since had several keys cut and have handed them around to friends in case I have another accident like that! Anyway, back at Fredi and Belki's they just did lots of family photos and I got some of my fireworks out of the car. I am actually firework obssessed! So I managed to have 2 of the aunts adopt me too and if I ever need anything I can go around to their house as they live near me - hilarious!!
On Tuesday there was a sale at Diunsa - huge electrical/homeware store....50% off everything. Now I have been using Dave and Esthers plates/pans etc and they are returning in June and so I had to buy all my kitchen stuff. I decided it was better to buy it all now in the half price sale. So at 5.30am I set off for Tegus (2 hours away) with Carina, Lorena and Becky. A girlie shopping trip. I was a bit apprehensive about how much money I was about to spend in front of my Honduran friends but they completely understood (I think) and we had fun. I saved a lot of money in this sale. We got there just before the store opened at 8. All these girls speak English, but we swapped between English and Spanish all day. A whole lot of fun and a good chance to get to know them better. Nothing goes completely normally with me though. As I was looking at saucepan packages, I opened up one of them and the glass lid went flying across the floor and smashed into tiny pieces. The whole store stopped and stared at me and every worked ran up telling me I'd have to pay for the whole thing. I just stood saying how sorry I was and actually I didn't want these pans. They weren't moving and the pans weren't cheap! They sent for the onduty manager who turned out to speak perfect English. He asked me what happened and what had broken, when he saw it was just a lid he said I could get away with just paying for the lid and asked if 20L was ok (50p!). I heartily agreed and got taken out to some back office somewhere where I payed my fine feeling v relieved I didn't have to pay the full price. Apparently, this never happens and people have to pay the full price...who am I to argue!? My friends were all greatly amused!
Wednesday was New Years Eve. During the day I successfully did very little. Just went and visted friends and chatted the day away - in Spanish. A 4 hour Spanish conversation can't be too bad! Although...we were sat chatting in my car, with the radio on and so it completely drained my battery!! I then had to have them push my car down the road to a garage for them to recharge the battery for me!! I also discovered a whole in my battery - again - but as of now I cna't afford a new one sadly!? Then in the evening we had church. Now I appeared to have missed the memo that everyone dresses up really smart for this service and I turned up in jeans! I managed to put a smart top on but heh! Was a really lovely service and afterwards we all had hot punch - quite lovely! Everyone goes around wishing everyone else Happy New Year and much laughter all round. My Honduran family invited me back to their house to join their party - why not? I'd spent Christmas Eve and their mum's birthday with them! However, I had a few places to visit first! I went up to the Haglers house to go wish the Vissers and other families H.N.Year and play games and eat with them. It was a riot and then at 11.15pm I left for Zuko's house to join ther midnight celebrations. I really wish I'd had my camera with me. Everyone in town had fires burning outside their house and EVERYONE makes a guy - like we do for GuyFawkes. At midnight they burn him and it symbolises the old year...so you burn the old year and welcome the new one. Is quite a sight! I then got my fireworks out of my car - the last ones - and again EVERYONE in town sets of fireworks at midnight...is amazing! After much more greeting and wishing Happy New Year we went in for some dancing!! I learnt the Honduran/latino dances and there I was at the start of 2009 dancing! V amusing - for me and everyone else. This family have definitely welcomed me as one of them!
On the 1st, yesterday, I went with all the guys to a volleyball match, somewhere about 45 minutes away, in an obscure village the other side of Comayagua. Was a long afternoon - we lost obviously - but was fun to be out and about with my friends. As I was driving along, I looked back in my car and realised that noone I was with spoke any English. A real change to this time last year! Aniel and his wife Patty joined us too and at the end of the afternoon I discovered she's an English teacher?! Who knew!? She refuses to speak to me in English as it's good for my Spanish - not a bad idea! They are part of my family too! It has all been an amazing holiday, I've got to know people so much better and have been accepted in a new way by many - not just people my own age!
Today, I woke up to no water. My water tank hasn't refilled - not actually sure what to do about this, so I'm going to call my friends and see who can help me!!! Oh the helpless female!
I hope you all had an excellent Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.
On Tuesday there was a sale at Diunsa - huge electrical/homeware store....50% off everything. Now I have been using Dave and Esthers plates/pans etc and they are returning in June and so I had to buy all my kitchen stuff. I decided it was better to buy it all now in the half price sale. So at 5.30am I set off for Tegus (2 hours away) with Carina, Lorena and Becky. A girlie shopping trip. I was a bit apprehensive about how much money I was about to spend in front of my Honduran friends but they completely understood (I think) and we had fun. I saved a lot of money in this sale. We got there just before the store opened at 8. All these girls speak English, but we swapped between English and Spanish all day. A whole lot of fun and a good chance to get to know them better. Nothing goes completely normally with me though. As I was looking at saucepan packages, I opened up one of them and the glass lid went flying across the floor and smashed into tiny pieces. The whole store stopped and stared at me and every worked ran up telling me I'd have to pay for the whole thing. I just stood saying how sorry I was and actually I didn't want these pans. They weren't moving and the pans weren't cheap! They sent for the onduty manager who turned out to speak perfect English. He asked me what happened and what had broken, when he saw it was just a lid he said I could get away with just paying for the lid and asked if 20L was ok (50p!). I heartily agreed and got taken out to some back office somewhere where I payed my fine feeling v relieved I didn't have to pay the full price. Apparently, this never happens and people have to pay the full price...who am I to argue!? My friends were all greatly amused!
Wednesday was New Years Eve. During the day I successfully did very little. Just went and visted friends and chatted the day away - in Spanish. A 4 hour Spanish conversation can't be too bad! Although...we were sat chatting in my car, with the radio on and so it completely drained my battery!! I then had to have them push my car down the road to a garage for them to recharge the battery for me!! I also discovered a whole in my battery - again - but as of now I cna't afford a new one sadly!? Then in the evening we had church. Now I appeared to have missed the memo that everyone dresses up really smart for this service and I turned up in jeans! I managed to put a smart top on but heh! Was a really lovely service and afterwards we all had hot punch - quite lovely! Everyone goes around wishing everyone else Happy New Year and much laughter all round. My Honduran family invited me back to their house to join their party - why not? I'd spent Christmas Eve and their mum's birthday with them! However, I had a few places to visit first! I went up to the Haglers house to go wish the Vissers and other families H.N.Year and play games and eat with them. It was a riot and then at 11.15pm I left for Zuko's house to join ther midnight celebrations. I really wish I'd had my camera with me. Everyone in town had fires burning outside their house and EVERYONE makes a guy - like we do for GuyFawkes. At midnight they burn him and it symbolises the old year...so you burn the old year and welcome the new one. Is quite a sight! I then got my fireworks out of my car - the last ones - and again EVERYONE in town sets of fireworks at midnight...is amazing! After much more greeting and wishing Happy New Year we went in for some dancing!! I learnt the Honduran/latino dances and there I was at the start of 2009 dancing! V amusing - for me and everyone else. This family have definitely welcomed me as one of them!
On the 1st, yesterday, I went with all the guys to a volleyball match, somewhere about 45 minutes away, in an obscure village the other side of Comayagua. Was a long afternoon - we lost obviously - but was fun to be out and about with my friends. As I was driving along, I looked back in my car and realised that noone I was with spoke any English. A real change to this time last year! Aniel and his wife Patty joined us too and at the end of the afternoon I discovered she's an English teacher?! Who knew!? She refuses to speak to me in English as it's good for my Spanish - not a bad idea! They are part of my family too! It has all been an amazing holiday, I've got to know people so much better and have been accepted in a new way by many - not just people my own age!
Today, I woke up to no water. My water tank hasn't refilled - not actually sure what to do about this, so I'm going to call my friends and see who can help me!!! Oh the helpless female!
I hope you all had an excellent Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)