My Family in Ojojona

First, let me mention that Ojojona was hardly affected by hurricane Felix. We had rain, chilly weather, and a little bit of breeze, but nothing more. Thanks to people who wrote to see if I was okay. Unfortunately, it sounds like Nicaragua and the north coast of Honduras were hit much harder.

 

Although I live in my separate little house out back, I’ve gotten to know Esperanza and her family pretty well. I eat all my meals with her and members of her extended family are always popping in and out of the house. Esperanza has lived in her house for over 30 years and used to live there with her mother, who is now deceased. Her father died decades ago, but built the house when he was still living. Her parents did quite a bit of traveling and were well known in the community, so I assume they were pretty well off.

 

Esperanza is divorced and has two children. Her sons, Daniel (24) and Christian (22) both work in Tegucigalpa. Daniel works 6 days a week on a computer in the office of a bank. Christian works 6 ½ days a week (every other Sunday) as a salesman in a mall. Both leave very early in the morning for Tegucigalpa and don’t return home till about 7 pm. Christian said he makes 110 Lempiras a day, or about $6. The bus trip to and from Tegucigalpa costs 18 Lempiras, leaving about $5 a day. I assume Daniel makes more, but am not sure how much.

 

Esperanza also operates a small Pulperia (general store) out of her house. She sells bread, candy, pop, candles, matches, and various other small items. Pulperias are common throughout Honduras. There are two others within 100 yards of Esperanza’s. Neighbors are constantly knocking on the door to make small purchases.

 

Christian’s girlfriend in Tegucigalpa is going to have a baby in December. This is a little problematic since she is only 15, but not very unusual here. His girlfriend mother lives in the United States and has forbidden her to move in with Christian. The girlfriend came to live here once briefly, but her mother threatened to have Christian put in prison for statutory rape if she didn’t leave. Christian plans on helping to support the baby when it is born. Daniel is dating a teacher from Ojojona who is about his age. He has no children.

 

While Esperanza and her sons don’t have any money for certain luxuries like cable or a car, they live reasonably comfortably. They have a new TV, a DVD player, a refrigerator and a well-maintained house. Esperanza has a woman named Chaya come in every day to do laundry and clean. Chaya started working for the family years ago when Esperanza’s mother was alive.

 

Although Esperanza and her sons are the only two people living in her house, it is actually owned jointly by her and all of her siblings. Esperanza has four brothers and two sisters, and they are a close family. Even though only three of the siblings live in Ojojona, I have met all of them over the past couple weeks. Most seem to be pretty well off financially for Honduras. Here’s a quick rundown:

 

Arturo lives across the street in a large house. All of his 5 children, ages 15 to 25 live with him along with two grand children and a live-in housekeeper. His wife Ana operates a pulperia (small general store) out of the house and also sells handicrafts that she makes. In the past Arturo drove a bus and a delivery truck. Now he opperates a small farm with several milk cows. He owns quite a bit of land and is selling it bit by bit to people who build houses on it.

 

Mario is the youngest in the family and also lives in Ojojona. He’s married to Julia, the treasurer of Ojojona’s water board. They have one 12-year old daughter Adela. Until recently, Mario and Julia lived in the small house where I live, which Mario built. Six months ago, they finished construction of a new house about a half mile away and moved there. Mario works as a vendor in Tegucigalpa’s largest market. Julia often comes to eat lunch with us, since she works nearby at the water board office.

 

Irene and Rosie are both married and live in Tegucigalpa. Irene has one son and Rosie has a son and a daughter. Both send their kids to private bi-lingual schools (English and Spanish). Rosie’s 16 year old daughter speaks English better than I speak Spanish and wants to study architecture after high school, possibly at a university in the U.S. Irene works in real estate and Rosie manages a candle factory. Both have university educations. Rosie owns a small well-kept house next door to mine, where her family and Irene’s family stay when they visit Ojojona on weekends.

 

Julio lived about two hours south in the city of Choluteca. He works as a salesman and also as a coordinator for some sort of non-denominational Christian brotherhood that was founded in the United States. Julio spent the night at Esperanza’s house last week, on his way from Tegucigalpa where he had bought sandals, handkerchiefs and underwear to re-sell near Choluteca.

 

Geraldo lives in Tegucigalpa and going to be ordained as an Episcopal minister in November. He drives a large new pick-up and visits the United States often. I have only met him once briefly.

 

That’s a quick summary of the people I spend my time with when I’m not working. Arrangements were not made for me to live with Esperanza until the day we arrived in Ojojona, but from day one she and her family have included me in just about everything they do. We in the United States could learn something from Honduran hospitality.

 

Below are some pictures of where I’m living:

 

My 2-room house out back

 

The entryway, surrounded by corn and banana plants

 

The small wooden building on the left is my bathroom. The cement basing in the center

is the pila where wash my clothes and get water to bathe.