The Hidden Honduras

By Matt

Three years ago when I was studying here in Honduras our class read a book called “Don’t Be Afraid Gringo” written by a Honduran woman named Elvia Alvarado (She also visited our class at the end of the semester). In the book Elvia talks a lot about how the poverty of Honduras is hidden, and out of reach of the average visitor. She is speaking about the lives of average Hondurans, specifically those who live in rural areas. One way this shows up is in the huge contrast between rich and poor. In a big city like Tegucigalpa you will see fancy hotels and beautiful shopping malls, but if you happen to make it to the outskirts of town you will see many people living in tiny shacks with dirt floors. In Santa Lucia where we studied Spanish there were huge mansions up on the hill with manicured lawns and vineyards. One day we took a walk with the family into the woods behind the mansions to a community of little shacks without running water or electricity where people were living in pretty rough conditions. We see the same contrast as we walk down the street to our house each day. There are nice little brick homes painted green and pink with glass windows and cars in the driveway and two doors down will be a house made from dirt blocks with limestone coating which seem to be slowly melting because of the rain. Honduras is truly a country of contrasts.