The toughest thing about my site

Its not what I expected. I thought the toughest thing about coming to volunteer in Honduras would be getting used to the living conditions. But I have gotten used to the rainy weather, huge bugs, and cold bucket showers. The real challenge is in one deceptively simple word:

CULTURE

The challenge is a day-to-day, moment-to-moment effort required to speak in another language and be effective in another culture. It’s when working as a Peace Corps volunteer in the city municipality, the incomprehension and mounting frustration that I can’t help but feel. Its getting used to dealing with a perplexing bureaucracy, the lack of motivation in some host country counterparts, and the tremendous daily, hourly effort required to speak in another language and be effective in another culture. It’s a constant struggle to be self-aware and sensitive.

Culture can be beautiful and encourage people to new heights. It can also inhibit individuals – dividing and destroying communities. I have never recognized it as such a powerful force. A wise friend of mine named Missy cautioned me about

CULTURAL FALLACIES

Or defending practices based on tradition and culture. Let’s talk about where this can go wrong – MACHISMO or sexism in Honduras. Woman’s lower status in society is constantly defended in Honduras by arguments of cultural fallacy. As a feminist from US culture, it becomes difficult to deal with the daily cat calls, harassment, lack of respect as a female leader, etc. I can’t drink a beer in my town as a woman and am constantly asked why I am 24 and don’t have kids.

It effects work too….
I am working on creating a cooperative of farmers in this region with 4 other municipalities. I invited several farmers to an organizacional meeting including 3 woman just to have the driver refuse to take the women. I had gone in another car but he apparently told the woman that this was a man’s meeting and they were not invited. (majority of farmers here are men).

Or the patronato that tries to stop the meetings of the women’s groups I am organizing by locking us out of the meeting venue- the community center.

A short Anecdote to clarify culture as a factor in development in Honduras: There are 2 pots on a stove both filled with rats - one represents El Salvador and the other Honduras. The pot representing El Salvador has a lid on it while the Honduran one has none. Why is that? Because if you would take the lid off the Salvadorean pots, all the rats would scramble out, escaping danger to a better situation. But for the Honduran pot, the lid is not necessary. If one rat tries to escape, move on to something better, the other rats will quickly pull him/her down. Thereby no one escapes, develops, or betters their lives.

This aneadote may seem odd but I have retold it to other locals and they completely agree that is Honduras. There is a culture of EGOISMO or selfishness. I see it between men, women, and children.

Poverty can be just as much about economics, GNPs, and money as it is about culture. Culture- as I now am beginning to understand- is both the end and the means of development work.