I just returned from an evening with some neighbors. A New York couple renting a house here in the colonia (neighborhood) while they are building a house in nearby Peru, invited us over for a gathering of friends. El Jefe couldn't go, but I did and I had the most wonderful time.
The neighbor's sister, visiting from New York, spent the day making sopa de caracol (conch soup) with Doña Olga, the mother of a friend, who they said made the best sopa de caracol in Honduras. It was excellent! I want that recipe!
I think everyone there spoke English except Doña Olga, but of course I did speak Spanish to be polite. As has been my experience in social situations before, there was not a problem communicating in Spanish, although it wasn't like we discussed the state of the world or anything. Certainly all the children spoke excellent English, including the slang.
One of the guest's husband was from Manchester, England, another's husband was from Italy, educated in Britain, along with three New Yorkers and a Texan (me). We definitely had an international gathering and had the three Honduran ladies outnumbered.
The British man and his wife are both teachers living in town, but previously had a farm with about 80 chickens, so as you can imagine, they were quite interested in my chicken stories and I was quite interested in their chicken advice. I do have to point out that I received some shocked looks when I proclaimed that I raised chickens in this colonia! Even more so than when I tell people I grow vegetables. Everyone kept asking if we were going to eat them! Oh, horrors! Never!
Wendy, the sister from New York, said that I undoubtedly had the nicest looking house and garden in the colonia! Obviously, she didn't look closely or she would have seen how overgrown everything is, but it was nice to hear anyway.
Interestingly, the Italian man and I were the only ones who knew that (American) Thanksgiving was always on a Thursday. We were trying to figure out what day the holiday was. Maybe it was the wine.
I had three glasses of red wine (generally my limit before I fall asleep or do something embarrassing). That loosened me up enough to rant with the Brit about how unimaginative the landscapes are in La Ceiba and what a shame it is that people move out here to the "country" and cut down all the trees and cover everything with concrete. He agreed completely.
Well, I think I'm going to go to sleep now.....
The neighbor's sister, visiting from New York, spent the day making sopa de caracol (conch soup) with Doña Olga, the mother of a friend, who they said made the best sopa de caracol in Honduras. It was excellent! I want that recipe!
I think everyone there spoke English except Doña Olga, but of course I did speak Spanish to be polite. As has been my experience in social situations before, there was not a problem communicating in Spanish, although it wasn't like we discussed the state of the world or anything. Certainly all the children spoke excellent English, including the slang.
One of the guest's husband was from Manchester, England, another's husband was from Italy, educated in Britain, along with three New Yorkers and a Texan (me). We definitely had an international gathering and had the three Honduran ladies outnumbered.
The British man and his wife are both teachers living in town, but previously had a farm with about 80 chickens, so as you can imagine, they were quite interested in my chicken stories and I was quite interested in their chicken advice. I do have to point out that I received some shocked looks when I proclaimed that I raised chickens in this colonia! Even more so than when I tell people I grow vegetables. Everyone kept asking if we were going to eat them! Oh, horrors! Never!
Wendy, the sister from New York, said that I undoubtedly had the nicest looking house and garden in the colonia! Obviously, she didn't look closely or she would have seen how overgrown everything is, but it was nice to hear anyway.
Interestingly, the Italian man and I were the only ones who knew that (American) Thanksgiving was always on a Thursday. We were trying to figure out what day the holiday was. Maybe it was the wine.
I had three glasses of red wine (generally my limit before I fall asleep or do something embarrassing). That loosened me up enough to rant with the Brit about how unimaginative the landscapes are in La Ceiba and what a shame it is that people move out here to the "country" and cut down all the trees and cover everything with concrete. He agreed completely.
Well, I think I'm going to go to sleep now.....
Welcome to my Blogicito — 
