Monday, April 11, 2011

My Favourite Things (In Honduras)

White-washed adobe with roofs of red tile,
Flirting young students just learning their wiles,
Uniformed children all lined up to sing:
These are a few of my favourite things.

Slapping mosquitoes, and chasing off chickens,
Fried plantain pieces, and playing with children,
Finding my students their homework did bring:
These are a few of my favourite things.

When one bug bites, and another stings,
And I itch like mad,
I simply remember my favourite things,
And then I don’t feel so bad.

Going to bed early, and eating fresh mangos,
Library books, and new patterns to sew-o,
Walking to mass as the church bell rings:
These are a few of my favourite things.

Mountaintop forests, what high elevations,
Washing my clothes without electrification,
Crystal-clear waters that pour forth from springs:
These are a few of my favourite things.

When one bug bites, and another stings,
And I itch like mad,
I simply remember my favourite things,
And then I don’t feel so bad!

With the really-true dry weather and heat, many insects have emerged which I have not seen until now. Mosquitoes have returned, but so have fleas, bedbugs and a wider option of spiders, along with a host of other biting insects. Mosquitoes seem to be the least of my problems, as they have a helpful hum to identify their presence. In comparison, I have never seen the insects that like to live in the seams of my clothing or the ones that must inhabit parts of my bed. Spiders can move surprisingly fast, and you don’t know one was around until some body part starts itching and turning red. Which insect took 15 bites in a 10cm diameter area of my leg? Who knows! I didn’t notice the bites until the insect was long gone.

In other news, Semana Santa (Holy Week) begins next week. If people can afford to, this is when they travel, and prices (especially at the beaches) skyrocket. My friend Lexie is coming from Ontario, and we plan to visit parts of Guatemala, while still returning to La Campa in time to celebrate Easter Sunday here.

No comments:

Post a Comment