I can't express how happy I am to begin writing my blog. I know that it's still 3 months (August 15) until I ship out to Honduras, but like all of the future plans, it doesn't hurt to begin preparing early.
Right now, I am sitting in the basement of the Berwyn public library, doing some simple research on life in Honduras, demographics, etc. It is about two hours till the end of the world (ET or CT?), as predicted by Harold Camping, a religious radio broadcaster, who believes that at 5pm on May 21st, the world will come to an end. Based on his theory, 2% of the world population - who have been goodie goodies - will "rapture" and go straight to heaven to meet their makes, where they will probably live in eternal happiness, eating muffins and drinking sweetened coffee for the rest of eternity. Unfortunately, the rest of the world will meet a less happier end, portrayed as a fiery mash of earthquakes, death, murder and wait, zombie apocalypse? I wonder if Mr. Camping over here watched little too much of zombie flicks. And doesn't Jesus love Zombies too?
Anyway - If i manage to survive the Zombie attack, - I am planning to gather some basic info about traveling, working and living in Honduras. I will be living in Copan Ruinas, a town located an hour east of Guatemala border. From what some of my friends, who lived in Copan, told me, it is one of the more safest towns in the country. It is composed out of small communities that thrive of farming and tourism. Since the town is located near world-famous Mayan Ruins, it attracts a lot of travelers and archeologist who enjoy the beauty and the history of one of the oldest civilizations on earth. Due to the size and reputatoin of the town, the crime rate here is significantly low. This is good to know, knowing how common kidnappings in Central America occur.
I have always been fascinated by ancient history, especially Egyptian and Mayan, so to know that I will be living withing walking distance from these gorgeous temples brings me a lot of joy and excitement. It also provides me with reassurance that if zombies migrate, I will have a fortified ancient structure to serve as a zombie-proof shelter :) Oh and also, the town is beautiful and is the home of many exotic birds.
I am thinking about the time when I came to this country. I was 14 and I came, more or less, not by choice, since my mom remarried and I moved with her from Russia to US. The move gave me some insight into living, growing and becoming part of multiple cultures. Now that I've lived in a foreign country for 8 years, I see some of the things that one ought to consider when before traveling to another country.
1) If you are an American, Register with the Department of State, STEP program. In case anything bad happens to you while you are living, traveling or working abroad, US government has information about your whereabouts which makes it easier for them to track you.
2) Make sure you find out information about the main modes of transportation within and outside of the country, so that when you get there you won't look like a complete idiot, ending up riding a donkey for 7 hours.
3) If you are getting ready to work somewhere abroad, talk to your sponsor, manager, boss, about living in that country. It is important that you know what you are getting in. Don't romanticize your trip. Yo want to make sure that you have clear, and realistic understanding of what your life is going to be there. Thinking that it's going to be a Disney film is alright, but be ready for major dissapointment if it's not. Be smart. Research and get to know as much as you can, from first-hand testimonials and other credible resources of what you are getting in and make the decision if that place if for you.
4) If you can, try traveling with somebody. It's always funner and safer to have a company than travel solo.
5) Try to lower your expectations. Before you leave, try to keep an open mind. Living and working in another culture/country can be a life-changing experience. Be prepared to stretch the limits of your worldview and understanding of others. People grow in contact, not in isolation.
6) Plan, spend a day in the library (like me), only without the threat of the global apocalypse if you can, looking into the history and the culture of the country you are going to. If you are not excited to learn about their culture, then ask yourself, why am i doing it? Is it worth doing? Remember, you are going there. They are not coming here.
7) IMPORTANT. Try to learn some of their language. I don't mean like the whole language. That will come naturally after you've lived there for a while. I mean basic knowledge, just to get around. Challenge yourself. You will see, people will treat you more kindly and respectfully if they see that you are trying to learn their language and be a part of the culture. Don't be an American, expecting people to speak English when you get there. That's rude and it won't get you far in terms of making friends and building bonds.
8) As I've mentioned before, be ready for a life-altering experience. In my view, we all have that adventuring spirit inside of us. If you observe carefully, children exhibit that spirit at a very early age. When children are small and can't walk, they crawl on the floor, and the end of the carpet can seem like the edge of the universe. When they learn how to walk, they begin exploring the ins and out of their house. They go in the attic, look through every bookshelf, under every table. And even through they may be afraid of the dark, or what is in the closet when they fall asleep. they will grow, and it's only a matter of time until they discover that there is light in those places. As they grow older, they venture outside of their house and into the world. They meet other children, from other households. They play on swings, go into the woods, drive cars, fly airplanes. The process continues. . .so enjoy, don't get eaten by zombies . . .the world is your playground . . . . :)
