Things That Are No Longer Weird...

Landscape of Santa Lucia, Honduras

Moving to Honduras has presented me with many changes.  Changes in eating, changes in dressing, changes in greetings, etc.  Many changes have come easy, but some things have taken awhile to get used to.  Below is a list of some things that were once weird, but are weird no longer. 

The Power Grid 
I've learned that the power randomly comes and goes here.  In the city, on the coast, and in small towns, the power grid doesn't discriminate.  It is not a surprise anymore to discover the power is out for awhile.  We all know that it will come back on soon, and you just have to wait it out.  

Showering
Showers- what a luxury.  I used to take nothing less than 30 minute showers in the states.  Nothing felt better than listening to music while taking a scalding hot shower that would steam up the whole bathroom.  Showers were my time to contemplate life, sing along to Broadway music, and solve the world's most complex problems.  But here, showering is different.  Most places, you step into a shower so cold that it takes your breath away.  Even when the weather is 90 degrees outside and your house is close to matching the temperature because you don't have A/C, the showers are miserable.  I have mastered the 2 minute shower, but still need to improve my initial shriek when the water first touches me.  

Toilets & Bathrooms
Ahhhhh, toilets.  The porcelain throne. The Johnny on the spot.  The Oval Office.  These are such misleading names for a simple outhouse consisting of a hole in the ground, no running water, and no toilet paper.  No, this is not my daily living situation, but I have already experienced my fair share of outhouses like that.  When I'm working in communities outside of the city, I come prepared with my own toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and a good sense of humor.  What else can you do when people show you to a bathroom with a flooded concrete floor, no door, and enough creepy crawlies to swiftly carry me away.  
When I'm not in community, my bathroom experience is much different.  I have the same porcelain throne, toilet paper, sinks, and paper towels that exist in the US- with one change.  We can't throw toilet paper into the toilet. Period.  None of the sewer systems in the city are designed to deal with toilet paper, so as a 'newbie' I have to think twice before I flush. 

Water
How many of you drink water straight from the tap at home?  I know I used to.  I hated the taste of bottled water because I SWORE you could taste the chemicals.  Well, living in Honduras means that you can't trust the water. Ever.  You must buy a 5 gallon jug of water for your home, buy plastic water bottles when out for the day, and question any water you may receive from others.  I know some of you probably think we should just boil out water.  While boiling water does kill bacteria and most parasites, it doesn't take out the toxic chemicals or lead that's found in water here.  It's a huge change having to constantly think about your water source and wondering if you're going to run out of water.  Some days I completely forget and use tap water for my coffee, to wash vegetables, and to pour into a mixture.  No, this isn't going to kill me (yet), but it has changed the way I cook and live.