Elderly Need

With the unbearable heat, I wanted to get an ice cream cone.  Burger King has my favorite ice cream cones when I'm abroad. I love my Eskimo, but I don't like their Vanilla ice cream in the cooler(yes weird). Always, always content sitting and eating my $1 ice cream cone, I see the cutest old man dressed like a elderly rebel. He has some cool glasses and a war general shirt. His name is Reynaldo. He is speaking a difficult Spanish, but I am following 80 percent. Reynaldo just sits and reads the newspaper. He is talking about different wars and how his wife passed away long ago.  It's clear that he's lonely and needs a friend. The elderly always need a friend and if you think they don't-they do.  He is sharing with no filter and he is happy to have someone to share things with. Reynaldo lives in a city outside Leon and a program helps him come to the center every Wednesday.  Every Wednesday is the senior citizen matinee movie at 12pm. He introduces me to his friend, Harry, and Harry is friendly and thinks he's got a new date.

Reynaldo is planning our second meeting asking me to meet him in the park in front of the cathedral.  This is 1 minute from where I'm staying, but when I will have the time during the day is beyond me. 

I tell him that I will try to meet in the park on Thursday, but it would have to be after 4pm.  He says that he will be in the park from 2 to 4 and wait for me. 

Unfortunately, I did not make it at 4 and Reynaldo was waiting for me and I never came.  This makes me sad, but it's the reality that presents itself sometimes.  You can't help everyone all the time and sometimes you need to say, "No."
Still adore this man.... but sad for the hope lost 

Don't set up people's expectations too high because if you disappoint- this is a bad case of guilt and a complete sadness for the other person. PRIS

Cinderella Can Dream

                     

At my bed and breakfast, one of my favorite people besides my pequena amiga was the housekeeper, Odilli. I didn't just love her because she made the best Gallo pinto and breakfasts, but I loved her for her kind spirit.  She opened up and shared some personal things about her life. The difficulties she has faced with raising a child all alone. She is just a kind individual who, again, deserves some acknowledgment. When it came to my breakfast in the morning, she gave me the best fruit and coffee that I just couldn't resist drinking.  She always inquired as to what I liked for breakfast and I just loved the fresh fruit and yogurt. From my Honduras grocery visit, I had some oatmeal packets left over.

She asked, "Is that what people eat in America?"
I said, "Yes, some people."
She said, "Is it healthy?"
I said, "Yes, very healthy."
She said, "Well then why are the American people so big?"

It was a cute comment and a real question.   She had a cute innocence besides her exterior that presented as tough with a difficult life seen on her face. Life was not easy for her, but I encouraged her to take time for herself. One day, I was asking her about the beaches and she said, "I've never been to the beach." When I hear these types of things, it absolutely upsets me and appauls me. Of course, it's the typical response for people who are working to live rather than living to work. This woman is working 15-20 miles beach and she has never went once.  It's not the way a human life should be lived-it's wrong, which is why I fight for people like her. 

When it came to cleaning, this woman cleaned. As I see with hired help, they keep cleaning obsessively.  Nevertheless, I have never seen someone clean the floors as much as her. It's common for Nicaraguans to always be cleaning the floor, but this woman was always, always cleaning the floor. The whole place was spotless at all times including my room. She came at 6 am and she rarely sat down to take a break. Odilli had a very professional relationship with the owner and it was not much more than that, which is a shame after working for her for seven years. If it came to a family event, I'm sure she would not be included.

Many relationships with the housekeeper are kept professional and separate.  I remember when I visited India and all my family members had a housekeeper. Instead of just treating them as hired help, I would like to talk to them, learn about their life, and make them laugh.  When I was at my cousins' wedding, I took a few pictures with them and someone commented on this. It was funny and strange that I was taking pictures with real human beings who also had beating hearts. 

The housekeeper can dream. She can dream of a life where she had her own nice home and business. She can dream of not having to cater to someone's family rather than just focusing on her own. She can dream about meeting a nice man and being happy. She can dream.....She can dream.....PRIS

The Power Of Hello

When it comes to a simple hello, it holds so much power in a the exchange between 2 beings. When we acknowledge another persons spirit or being- it always holds strong value. A person may or may not acknowledge the hello, but the important part comes from just the simple delivery.

For example, in New York people seldom say a friendly hello or good morning. Often I found myself sitting on the subway looking up craving that smile or that small interaction. It's something that many cultures adopt, especially Spanish cultures. Before you make a transaction, it is a hello, good morning, or how are you?

 The Power of Hello goes extremely far in Morocco where people turn the "Hello" into a whole conversation and a true concern about the other person's life.  People are very focused on the initial engagement and making sure the other person is okay before they continue any business or further interaction. I used to say they have a "Five minute hello" because they spend so much time on the initial engagement.

In terms of the current country Honduras, people have an interesting way of expressing their "Hello." They say "Hello" to people they know, but as far as strangers- a hello from a stranger confuses them.  It's fun to watch their reaction to you like you are going to hurt them by just saying a "simple hello." This is present in La Ceiba, but this does not mean it's the case for the rest of Honduras.  As my friend said, La Ceiba is the place where people go to live their private life and disassociate from their actual culture or country.  This is unfortunate, very unfortunate and it leaves me longing for that positive interaction that gives me a cultural boost.  It has such meaning when the country makes an effort to be friendly and "say hello."  

As far as our cultural world, they can either extend the greeting towards their fellow civilians or they can choose to engage in their own self and daily routine. Although, one simple hello can change a persons day- Es la verdad:)