Driving in Honduras

The first person we saw was a completely naked man walking on the side of the freeway. From the looks of it he spent a lot of time in the sun, all of him. Gio asked our taxi driver, “Es normal?” Ismael answered, “No, el es loco.”

Bienvenidos a Honduras.

It seems in Honduras there aren’t really driving laws, just guidelines or driving suggestions. I think I like this system better. Stay alert, use your head, make decisions that aren’t going to kill people, and drive without worrying about getting a ticket. I saw some things that just don’t happen in The States.

While driving across Honduras Ismael gave us a little tour of the country as we developed our initial impressions. He taught that the Hondureños love their car horns. They don’t use the horn to express anger and disapproval, but rather as a way to say, “I’m right here.” He used his horn more in the first 20 minutes of our drive than I will in my entire life.

He honked the horn every time we passed another car, if anyone was walking the side of the road and they were anywhere near our lane, and also if we saw any cute young chicas walking along the highway. It was a two-lane highway so you passed cars whenever there was enough room to do it safely. Just the amount of space needed to be “safe” was debatable. Cars headed the other way would be passing, thus headed directly at us in our lane and less than 100 feet away and Ismael didn’t slow our car at all. It was clear that they had plenty of room to get out of our way before reaction was necessary.

Once we were behind a couple cars going below our desired speed. Just as we went to pass them both the car in front of us was also making a pass. So we just went even wider. Soon we had three adjacent cars headed the same direction. It got sorted out with us in front and both cars ahead of the slow previously leader. Our driver smirked and said to us a phrase that roughly translates to, “I bet you don’t see that much in the States.”

Later in the week a taxi driver picked us up with his four-year-old daughter in the front seat. His young daughter sat in the front with no car seat and no seat belt. But don’t worry this was not a father that didn’t take precautions. Before we started driving he asked her to sit back in the seat.

I didn’t even discuss the public transit with no official stops, the passenger vans that were never too full for a paying customer, and pick-up trucks transporting the whole family.

We didn’t see any more naked people.

Thought of the Week

I've studied human psychology for 9 years, but I still can't explain why the person who broke into my car took the owner's manual but not the cash and change.
--Louise Cosand

Pic of the Week

Sausalito, CA

New Feature

Quite some time ago Sean complained about me consistently posting the fail blog photos. Michelle added that I was over-posting them. I did a survey and everyone said to continue sharing them in some capacity. However, the other day my thinking was beginning to agree with Sean, and I told Michelle I planning to just cancel fail blog all together. Being a good editor she immediately asked, "What are you going to do to replace it?" I hadn't thought of that. So I kept fail of the week for a little while longer. Now I have the answer to her question.

Tomorrow I will be beginning my new feature: Pic of the Week. This will be a better fit for the blog. I am going to share pictures that I have taken myself of things I have seen and personally captured with a camera. This will still allow for some humor, and still provide a quick pic for those that don't want to read my column. It will be more original and share insight on things I am doing with my life.

Next week I plan to get a new cell phone that more closely resembles the technological advances of our times. This will will allow me to take a picture with it and put it on the computer (my phone doesn't really have the feature now).

Enjoy Pic of the Week.

Fail Blog PG-13

Once again we take this opportunity to laugh at the inappropriate. Only look below if you can handle it.

On Vacation

I will be taking my first extended vacation in two years. My regular Sunday column will resume 8/22.

Until then feel free to stop by weekly and peruse the archives. On the right side of the page I have labels that include baseball, poker, education and emergency room stories. I'm guessing you can find something of interest. Those of you that want to avoid the extras and just read my actual columns can click on the "general" tab. I'm also planning on starting a new feature next month. Stay tuned.

Hasta luego.

Bathroom Conundrum

The left side of the stall (right side if you’re already sitting) contained a stainless steel contraption holding the toilet paper and seat covers. The top of it provided a nice little platform just large enough for me to stand the papers I received when I registered in the morning. After using the toilet I picked up both my bags off the floor (they gave me another bag when I registered) and I headed to my 9:00am session.

I chose a table and met two of the 2,200 educators attending this AVID summer institute. Soon after sitting down I realized I left my registration papers in the stall. I immediately headed back to the bathroom. But of course, the first stall, the one I had used earlier, was occupied.

However, I noticed the stack of papers I left stood higher than the top of stall wall.

It would be very possible (and I think fairly easy) to just reach up and grab the papers. He may not even notice.

What am I to do in this situation?

Several possibilities crossed my mind.

None of them that involved speaking to a stranger sitting on the toilet seemed like a good idea.

So I just did it. I reached up, grabbed the stack of papers and...

As I thought the smooth acquisition was occurring I heard something fall to the ground. Oops. I muttered, “Sorry” as I began to walk away. The poor guy on the john said nothing.

On my way out of the bathroom another guy says to me, “That was awkward.” I guess he witnessed the whole thing. He added, “But you got the papers.” At this point I still wasn't sure what had fallen to the ground, but I didn’t feel like staying in the bathroom long enough to figure it out.

Back at my table I realized which paper it was-- the blue cardstock one which had contained my name tag and the day’s agenda. I asked the guy next to me for his blue paper so I could see if there was any pertinent information I would need before continuing my day.

While looking at his paper I realized a couple of things. One: it was clearly smaller in size explaining why it fell when I snagged the others. Two: There was a paper somewhere in the bathroom on the third floor that read, “Welcome Kevin Burrill.”

I headed back to the bathroom for the third time that morning. The bathroom was now empty and my blue cardstock paper was on the floor of the adjacent stall. Maybe it slid right through the air past my silent friend.

I picked it up and took it with me.

Thought of the Week

Nostalgia and hope stand equally in the way of authentic experience.
--Wiggs Dannboy
(character from Tom Robbins' Jitterbug Perfume)