Erin Miller

I have a question and I am hoping that someone who might read this might have some suggestions. I am leaving in a week to volunteer in Honduras and to live with a host family there. I need a few ideas for small gifts to bring over to my host family. They have three daughters, ages 9, 8, and 4. They need to be small (because I have to pack them) and cheap (because going to Honduras is expensive.) I'd love some ideas for things that reflect fun aspects of American culture.

Working in WIC has been a much more valuable experience than I could have ever imagined or asked for. I will miss working with our clients and getting to hear amazing stories from interesting people who are working to improve the health and nutrition of their children. Working as a WIC counselor provides innumerable opportunities to help others. I will also miss my supportive and smart co-workers who bring their cultures, traditions, language and cooking to the office. Thank you Denver WIC, it has been an amazing experience; and I LOVE my balloons.

I have really enjoyed my time spent working at WIC. One of the greatest advantages of the job has been an opportunity to improve my Spanish proficiency through working with our very patient, understanding, and helpful Spanish-speaking clients. I have recently come to the conclusion that the most difficult aspect of the job is counseling -- determining what information and which words will be most valuable to a person I am trying to help. Learning a new language and learning about nutrition, and teaching, are all things that I have had experience with in the past. But counseling has been a new challenge. I have recently become impressed and alarmed with my ability to miss the forest for the trees. I often overlook the largest problem facing a client and therefore prohibit any real communication. The other day a beautiful, blue-eyed, fifteen-year-old pregnant girl stared at me from across my desk. She looked at me as if the sky was about to fall down on her. Her beautiful eyes looked at me like a deer in headlights. And I carelessly went on to tell her about the importance of getting enough calcium and the benefits of breastfeeding, even though I sensed that she couldn't hear me. She needed someone to touch her shoulder and tell her that everything was going to work out, the kind of thing that everyone needs to hear every now and then. And at the time, I was so consumed by the information I wanted to share with her, that I missed it. I failed to comfort her and we both just wasted our time staring at each other. Later the same day, a woman came into my cubicle with her two and half year-old who was crying. "Why is she crying?" I asked. "Oh, she's just hungry." I suggested the snack machine downstairs and blindly continued to give the mother information on limiting juice intake and taking her child to the dentist. I never even asked if she needed a referral to an emergency food pantry. How could I have overlooked the obvious problem of a child crying because she was hungry?

Tips for volunteers and travelers in La Esperanza, Honduras

Where to stay
If you have more money than you know what to do with, there is a very nice mountain resort just out of the center of town called Cabanas de los Pinos. The bus can drop you off at the entrance to the resort on your way in to town. The resort has a pool and everything. It will cost you upwards of 800 lempira per night per room. Instead, I recommend staying at Hotel Ipsan-nah in the center of La Esperanza. It is the nicest hotel in town. It is very clean and run by a very friendly and service-oriented staff. It's a big place with volunteer organizations so reservations might help. Their number is 783-2086. The hotel should cost about 400 lempira per night for a 2-3 person room. A cheaper option in town is Hotel Mejia Batres, which costs 200 lempira per night for a 2 person room, but it does have an early curfew. Mejia Batres is located one block off of parque central. Whichever hotel you choose in town, just take the bus from La Guama to the end of the line, to the station on the edge of town. Get a taxi at the station and tell the driver to take you to your hotel. Taxis in town should cost 11 lempira per person. If you want to go to Ipsan-nah, the taxi drivers will probably know the hotel by the name of the restaurant attached to it, El Pollito Indio.

There are a number of must-sees in La Esperanza.
1. The market. It is full of delicious and cheap fruits and vegetables. The strawberries and mangoes are particular highlights. If oranges are in season, buy one off a street vendor. The vendor will cut it in half and offer you salt. Take the salt, it's an interesting cultural experience. Then dig right in sucking the juice out of the half orange. To get to the market, walk 2 or so blocks north from hotel Ipsan-nah and take a left. You should be able to see the market and follow it west for a block, then walk another block north and continue to follow the market west through the streets. Once the market ends, walk three or so more blocks west. You should see a big red sign for Banco Atlantida.

2. Banco Atlantida. Its the only bank in town with an ATM. True to form, it only takes Visa.

3. The "Licuado" (smoothie) stand across from Banco Atlantida in the commercial center. The friendly woman that runs it will make any fruit combination you dream up. You can get the smoothies either milk-based, orange juice-based, or water-based. They cost 20 lempira for a large.

4. Cafe Internet. After your licuado, continue walking west along that block until you see Mike's fast food (It's a bright yellow building with red letters) on your left. There is an internet cafe on the left just before Mikes that has a generator in case you have some immediate internet-related business and the power is out. If the power is not out, take a right at Mike's and walk down hill 4 blocks or so until you come to a large open plaza with soccer fields in the middle. (This is plaza Lempira). When you see the plaza there will be an Internet Cafe on your left, Cafe Internet. It is the best internet cafe in town, and hugely popular with the volunteer types. They sell terrific coffee and deserts and it is run by one of the most friendly and helpful families in town. If you do go, please tell them that "Erline, la gringa que trabajaba con las mujeres en el Albergue, dice hola."

5. Helping build homes. If you have a weekday morning free, go build homes with other volunteers in the hills around town. The driver (Pablo) leaves from Plaza Lempira (which you have just seen) at 7 (ok, 7:15) every weekday morning that volunteers are in town. It's a 10 lempira ride in the back of a truck each way, but one of the greatest Honduran experiences you can get. You will be back in town around 1pm. The truck is bright blue and leaves from the upper left corner of plaza lempira when you look at it from the internet cafe (the northwest corner).

6. El Fogòn. Walk right back up the road you walked down to get to the Internet cafe by plaza Lempira. Walk past Milke's and on your right you will see El Fogòn. This is where you should go to drink a couple of beers and meet up with other volunteers in town in the evenings, it has a great atmosphere.

7. Opalaca's Restaurant. After you pass El Fogon, continue walking up hill to the end of the block and take a left. Restaurante Opalaca's will be on your left. It is the best food in town. Get something alla plancha (on the grill) I recommend the beef steak, but the pork chops are also good. The meal will come with a salad (that is completely safe to eat) and french fries.

8. The kiosk in Central Park. Once you pass Opalacas, you will see central park on your right. The park is a great place to hang out, and the restaurant in the middle serves terrific food. Try a bunch of the sides, they are all delicious. Also be sure to try 'una baleada con todo." It will knock your socks off.

9. La Gruta. You may have noticed a white shrine up-hill from central park. Its worth taking a walk up there to look around. It provides a fantastic view.

La vista de la gruta, La Esperanza, Honduras

If you have any other questions about La Esperanza, or if you will be visiting or volunteering there soon, feel free to drop me an email at: erinashleymiller(at)gmail(dot)c0m