Reality Check

My host, Alejandra, took me on a little trip today with a couple of her church-group friends to visit some individuals they help and offer support to. We drove to a neighbourhood not too far away. They call them neighbourhoods. North Americans might use the words "hillside slums". Little one-room 'houses' for the most part. Dirt floors, scrap metal/wood/plastic walls and roofs, sometimes no plumbing or power, the odd chicken or skinny little dog. Certainly no cars. You get the picture.

I'd only ever seen these places on television screens. It's a whole other experience to see them live and add-in the accompanying sounds, smells and textures. I think I would have found it even more sad than I did had not everyone there greeted me with a sincere, warm smile, a handshake or kiss, and an equally warm and inviting, "Buenas dias. Mucho gusto!" The reality is my average old Reef sandals represent two month's rent in those parts.

As these things seem to do, it ended in irony. When driving out of the area and back to the hustle, bustle, cars and motorbikes of Tegucigalpa I saw a young lady walking along the street in a dirty old t-shirt with Obama's face on the front. Underneath it said "Change".

Translating Bread

When I arrived I noticed a skookum new Cuisinart bread machine in the kitchen. I think it had never been used because the thick, complicated, all-in-English user manual was too daunting to figure out.

One of my very best friends since I arrived in Honduras is Google Translate. In case any of my CIDA or CESO associated friends haven't discovered it yet, it can quickly get you out of a jam when communication hits a brick wall. And in 58 different languages. Compared to online translators of the past, it's remarkably accurate as long as you're not writing a book with it. It can even speak the phrase to you out loud or you can speak to it, so no typing. Better yet, there's an iPhone app version.

So now, with some recipes translated, the hotel is making fresh bread every day. White yesterday, whole wheat and cinnamon swirl today.

This is a shot of a couple of the ladies proudly displaying their first creation.

I Have a Secret

Shhh ..... come close ..... I have a secret about my real job teaching at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). Here it is: I learn more than my students do.

The same is true here at Aparthotel Guijarros.

The 8 staff here have plenty of interaction with the guests occupying the 10 rooms. They certainly solve challenges creatively as they arise. But, do they really know what guests are thinking? As consumers, do you always voice your opinions? Are you more likely to voice them if your feedback is anonymous? And easy to do? If you can do it on your phone while you are waiting for your flight at the Tegucigalpa airport? I think so.

I spent this morning creating an e-mail to be sent to departing guests. The usual "thank you for your visit" stuff, plus two embedded links. One that leads to an online SurveyMonkey guest feedback form and one that leads to the Aparthotel Guijarros page on TripAdvisor.com. Given a few months of feedback from both avenues, Guijarros should have a precise indication of their areas of opportunity as far as improvements go. (and, equally, what they should not change)

What does this have to do with my secret? A Canadian who's Spanish is limited to ordering beer and a young Honduran who speaks slightly more English than that can spend half an hour together and figure out this whole e-mail / SurveyMonkey / TripAdvisor thing using a made-up 3rd language. With many laughs along the way.

Gabriela learned how to send out internet guest comment cards. I learned a whole new form of communication, increased my Spanish vocabulary, and learned even more about the ways and culture of how Hondurans think and work.

Have I told you I love it here?

A Day Trip To The Country

Yesterday my host, Alejandra, picked me up at the hotel and we drove into the mountainous countryside south of Tegucigalpa to visit the two market towns of Santa Lucia and Valle de Angeles. Beautiful historic towns, warm people, lots to see.

The drive itself was an adventure. Aside from a panorama of endless pine-covered hills, there was always plenty along the shoulders of the roads - cows, horses, dogs, people sleeping (I think/hope?), children darting across the road, old cowboys on horseback complete with rifles and bandoliers, endless shacks with people grilling corn over oil barrel barbecues, pickup trucks with beds full of people.

Santa Lucia street scene

Market street - Valle de Angeles

Dogs enjoying the shade - Valle de Angeles

The kitchen of Delicio di me Tierra restaurant - Valle de Angeles

Colonial church - Santa Lucia

'Recycled' mural created by Valle de Angeles children using .....

..... soda cap liners.

Found It

International restaurants are making inroads here, particularly Chinese and ..... well ..... these ones .....

I've gotten used to the ingredients that Honduran cuisine revolves around. Rice, beans, corn and wheat tortillas, plantains, avocados, an embarrassment of spectacularly ripe tropical fruits, a simple almost mozzarella-ish cheese called olancho, mantequilla cream (like slightly beaten whipping cream with a touch of salt), eggs, beef, chicken and pork.

Today I discovered what can be considered the national dish of Honduras. Sopa de Mondongo - a beef broth with tripe, corn, plantains, cabbage, potatoes and squash with hints of clove, coconut milk and chillies. Hearty and wonderful.

Funny thing is, it is only served on Sundays. And I mean only. You won't find it anywhere Monday to Saturday.