Dearest Rachel –
For all that there are misadventures on every trip, it would seem that this particular one has had them in spades. Two of the guys in particular have been inflicted with various ailments – and they happen to be roommates at the hotel, which makes one wonder if their proximity has any connection to their ailments. However, the one currently laid up is thus because of some variant of what would, in another country, be referred to as “Montezuma’s Revenge,” although Honduras being Mayan country prior to colonization, rather than Aztec, such vengeance ought to be ascribed to some other leader (then again, given that one of their last holdouts against Spanish rule was a man named ‘Lempira’ – yes, the name of their modern currency – that would probably be confusing to all concerned). Meanwhile, his roommate (who has since recovered) was falling ill while we were flying down, so it couldn’t have been that. Still, it makes one wonder, given that they’re the only two to be completely laid up (although there was at least one other individual dealing with “el chorrillo” or “the little stream,” but not incapacitated by it) for any length of time.
On a lighter note – although ironically, still bathroom-related – is the fact that one of the women managed to get herself locked in a washroom yesterday morning. Not sure how it happened, but she mentioned trying to call out for her husband, and then actually calling her husband (as well as texting him), all to no avail, at least not at first. I honestly don’t know how she got out – she didn’t quite get to that part of the story when she was telling it – but the fact that she could tell it (and laugh at it) is proof that she did manage to extricate herself. And a good thing, too, as she and her husband were returning to the States that afternoon; it would not do for her to somehow be trapped here, unable to leave.
All the sort of things that make for a good (if embarrassing) story to tell to the folks at home once you get there – although Kris seemed just as happy to be on her way home, if only to cut short the grief she would get from the rest of us due to her getting herself locked up like that. In the span of maybe ten minutes, as she was relating the story to me and a couple of others, four different additional people came up to her to ask if she was okay, requiring her to back up and tell the story again from the beginning. Now that she’s flown home, she doesn’t have to worry about relating that story until the rest of us return and bring it up again.
The same, however, can’t be said for one of the organization’s students; hers was more than a misadventure. From what I’ve been told, she was riding to or from campus in a tuk-tuk when the driver pulled out onto the main highway. I won’t venture to assign blame, but the tuk-tuk was T-boned on her side, throwing her out of the vehicle. As of now, her injuries include several broken toes (and possibly more bones beyond that, but that’s what’s known thus far) and a full-body case of road rash. Then again, considering this was an argument between a tuk-tuk and a truck, this could have been orders of magnitude worse. Either way, though, she is languishing in hospital, and we’ve no idea what might be involved in her recovery.
It so happens that this girl had been one of the students in my finance class back in January. Others of our group were mentioning that they had been talking with her that same Tuesday morning; for this to happen to her was a serious shock to all of us to one extent or another. You and I know all about that sort of situation, don’t we, honey?
However, by last evening, it was at least confirmed that there was nothing in terms of internal bleeding, or anything else that could have been literally deleterious. She’s going to spend some time recovering, to be sure, but at least recovery appears to be certain at this point. Her survival seems little short of what some might consider miraculous; and indeed, for all we know, it may well have been. If so, she’ll need to consider why, exactly she was spared and given an extra lease on life to do from here on out (and it will be interesting to see her take on an answer to that question in the future).
With that particular scare (mostly) out of the way, we can go back to at least one more touch of lightheartedness, if that’s all right with you. On several occasions throughout the week, the group – and a fair number of the students – convene at one restaurant or another for dinner (as opposed to other nights, where we eat at the café on campus). Obviously, we ride in one or another of the organization’s vans to get there. Well, on our way out of the restaurant last night – and I don’t know how it happened or who tripped it, but – the alarm on our van went off. Mauricio was beside himself for more than a moment trying to figure out how to turn it off. Eventually, he just gave up and tried to drive off, but it kept sounding off for a good few minutes.
However, a mile or so into our trip back, the alarm just… stopped, as mysteriously as it had began. No explanation; just one moment it was whooping like a savage, the next, nothing. We even passed by a few police cars after that – several of which had their lights on already – but none of them were interested in us, now that the alarm had gone silent. We were just one of hundreds of cars that went by them without a second thought. But if it hadn’t somehow shut itself off a moment or two before, the story could have been vastly different.
Or perhaps not; I’m told the police have a… reputation here, to a certain extent, to the point that our pastor who’s traveling with us doesn’t identify himself as having been a member of the force in a past life.
Anyway, that’s what I have for you for now; I’d like to hope you found that amusing. And if this is anything like the rain arc I’ve written you about previously, you just know there’s going to be more such misadventures to come, now that I’ve supposedly written you with an exhaustive list of them for this week. Regardless of whether that becomes the case, I’d appreciate it if you’d keep an eye on me, and wish me well, as I’m going to need it.
Letters to Rachel 