A Corrupt Society

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It hasn't been the best of weeks for me. For some reason, things are just really starting to annoy me. I'm getting really tired of living the same day OVER and OVER again. I work with the same people that I go home to at the end of the day. These are the same people that we spend our evenings, and weekends with. We go to the same bars, the same restaurants, etc. It just gets to be fairly tedious. I'm surprised actually that I've lasted 10 months before feeling this annoyed.

I'm just starting to feel really ready to come home.

Alisa and I have been talking about this a lot lately. In fact, she's gone off to Tegus with Donray this weekend, just to get away from Comayagua. The city is just so small too. There's not a lot of variety. It's not like you can go to another grocery store for a change, or go to a different movie theatre with a different group of friends.

Walter has been a nice escape from all this, although the poor guy is not treated fairly in his job so we can't truly escape Comayagua. He's been forced to work Saturday afternoons... no extra pay. He told his boss he thought this was unfair. His boss told him that he would have no job if he didn't do it. I told Walter to get a lawyer and do something about it. Problem is, his boss is rich and could afford to pay anybody off. This country is so corrupt. So after working at the centre, Walter gets to head off to work until about 5 or 6 in the evening. This prevents us from even going to Tegus for a night. His boss has also promised to help build a new medical centre at the centre. Problem is, he made that promise 2 months ago and keeps saying "next week", making Walter look bad to Yanida (the woman who runs the centre).

He's going to ask for next Saturday off so that he and I can go to the lake for our 6 month anniversary. Walter claims it won't be a problem at first, but them somehow his boss will make him work, like calling him the morning of and telling him he has to go to work. Nice. We'll see how that goes.

Things about this country are just really starting to bother me: the corruption, not feeling completely safe walking down my own street, being heckled by nasty men in the streets, students not giving the respect you'd expect, lack of unorganization, "Honduran time" where EVERYTHING is late... so much more.

I went with Alisa to the walk in clinic earlier this week, as she wasn't feeling well. We sat in the waiting room and watched some guy carry in a lifeless body, took her to some back room, and no one seemed alarmed. No one was in a hurry to do anything. No one seemed panicked. I felt sick to my stomach. Alisa almost got up and left.

I find it disturbing that a society has become so desensitized to so many things. I can't imagine the things that they have seen in their lifetime.

In the 10 months I have been here, I have been to more funerals than I have been to in years. In the 10 months I have been here 2 people we "know" have died from natural causes, an American bar owner was shot and killed, and about 4 people we "know" have died or been hospitalized due to car accidents (one of those being a pedestrian hit by a car). These are just the people we know or are somehow connected to them through a friend or co-worker; The ballet teacher's husband, Scott's wive's brother, the guy who picked me up from the airport, Walter's friend... it's sick. I don't even want to think about how many others die in silly accidents like this daily.

I feel so blessed to have been born into a good family in a wonderful Country. I'm really feeling ready to return to it. Leaving Walter will be tough. Leaving new made friends will be tough. Leaving my students, with hopes of them having bright futures will be tough. Everything else will be easy to say goodbye to.

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Comments

[Jamie]

I hear you
I know what you mean about kids not giving you the respect you deserve. Right now I'm teaching music at my old highschool because i need hours to get into teacher's college and the grade 9 class is rediculous. They don't listen, they talk back, and they are rude we even had to suspend one kid cause it tried to smack me in the face with his trumpet mouth piece and was calling me a bitch. And now that he's back its the same story except not he making sexual comments to me that are just vulgar and rude. The teacher I'm working with isn't really doing much about it either so I know whta you mean with the respect issue. I know it's frustrating. Hang in there!

[jill]

are you thinking like a honduran? or a canadian?
hey sarah i was reading your journal.. a corrupt society.. it caught my eye.. but then i was a little dissapointed in your views... it seems to me that although you are living in honduras.. you are still expecting things to be the same or equal to those in canada... which i can tell you they are not.. and will never be. hiring a lawyer because your bf has to work extra hours unpaid?? perhaps in canada someone would "da bola" to this.. but.. im sure that your boyfriend knows that that is a helpless cause.. that perhaps it is even lucky If at all he is in "caja" or a legal worker. - is he? - because then he would perhaps have more rights. but if he is paid "en negro" then he wont. You also have to realize that although you may be sensitive to seeing lifeless bodies.. i would be too.. perhaps the hondurans are not. It is a different way of life. Different customs and realities. Here in uruguay many things are different as well. But i dont go into situations expecting a "canadian" response or reality. ya know? otherwise if that was what i was looking for i would always be dissapointed. anyway consider yourself lucky - although perhaps you do not realize it now. that you were able to leave canada - many canadians cannot - and see the realities of another world. but to compare them is not right. chau

[swills82]

In response to Jill
I never expected Honduras to be like Canada. I knew coming down here, that things would be different. I think where I am at right now, is just being frustrated by my surroundings. I'm not just a Canadian being frustrated by it either. There are also many Hondurans frustrated by the corruption. For example, your house being robbed but NOTHING being done about it because someone has bought off the police, or the police were somehow involved. I am not expecting these things to change. I am simply saddened by the fact that they happen. The fact that these people know it is a helpless cause saddens me. They have no way to stand up to their rights because they have none. I do feel blessed to have had this experience. Seeing the realities of another world has been an eye-opening experience and made me feel lucky to live in a place like Canada where I do have rights as an individual.

[clara]

Sarah....I am extremely saddened to read the entry submitted by the writer named "Jill". I am always enthused when I hear of young people like yourself travelling to less fortunate parts of the world in an attempt to make a difference to the people of that society. The writer's comments imply complete complacency to accepting the differences between underprivleged societies and our own in Canada. "Don't expect it to be like Canada"......!!!...precisely, because we are fortunate enough to live in such a democratic society should we be horrifed by the corruption that exists in other parts of the world. Although I have not had the opportunity to witness first hand life in Honduras or Uruguay, I have studied life in many different societies while obtaining my Master of Arts degree in Sociology. Also, several years of experience working with immigrants, many of them convention refugees to Canada, has given me the opportunity to hear first hand unspeakable stories of terror, brutality, corruption and torture. Believe me.....no one gets used to seeing lifeless bodies!!!.....just a greater ability to put up barriers in order to cope....because it becomes a necessity for survival. It is precisely young people like yourselves who MUST compare what you see in third world countries to Canada!! It is important to take this knowledge and share it with others in order to increase awareness of what is occurring in other parts of the world. Recognize it as wrong, and take whatever small steps you can to make a difference with the people you are working with. Sarah, even suggesting to Walter that he should get a lawyer is increasing his awareness that other parts of the world do not accept employee exploitation. He will likely never get a lawyer to deal with this issue....but what counts is that you've given him the knowledge to look at things differently. History has shown us it takes knowledge and awareness and great strength and conviction to change society. We need only think of the movement to end slavery and the right of women to be finally considered as "citizens" in the eye of the law to realize how long it takes to change an injustice. But it does happen....and it takes many, many people to make it happen because they fundamentally start to believe that the way they live is wrong. You are very right Sarah in feeling frustrated. We are privileged to live the way we do in Canada and therefore we must recognize the inequites that exist. Please don't ever become accepting of different "customs or realities" or "get used to it"................that would truly be an injustice and a travesty to the good people who have shared their lives with you over the last 10 months.

[DAD XXX OOO]

RE: BATTLING CORRUPTION
Bravo Clara! Morally depraved, wicked, influenced by bribery or fraudulent activity, the harmful and the mean-spirited, the ugly and the wrong — all are unacceptable, no matter where in the world you live. Keep up your caring, loving, engaging spirit, Sarah. Your personality will continue to shine through in the muddied, dusty, evil occasions that sometimes arise. Continue to expend your energies in a positive fashion and their impact will be felt. Changing the world takes time. But all things start with a simple gesture or a small step. Hang in there. Godspeed, Boo. Love, now and always, DAD XXX OOO

[Miss Jenna]

Starfish
I know you've heard this story before but just wanted to remind you that what you do is important: A man is walking down the beach when he comes across thousands of starfish that have been washed ashore during the previous night's storm. As he continues, he sees a woman picking up the stranded starfish, one by one, and throwing them back into the ocean. He stands back and watches for a moment, wondering what she might be thinking. As he approaches her, he yells out, "Hey. There's no way you'll be able to save all these starfish. Do you really think it'll make a difference throwing them back in?" As she picks up the next starfish and tosses into the sea, she replies, "It made a difference to that one." You may not be able to change the entire country, but you are giving your students the tools they will need if they so choose to do so. Keep making a difference in the lives around you!

[swills82]

UPDATE - MORE CORRUPTION
So here´s another thing... our phone bill. We checked it out and had a bunch of extra charges on there from phone calls that we DID NOT make. We asked around and apparently this is ¨normal¨. People are always charged for calls they did not make. No one fights it, as it´s not much money, and even if you try, they simply tell you ¨well, it´s on your bill, so you have to pay it.¨ One of the school admins even said ¨Yes. They are theives.¨ Charge a little bit here and a little bit there. Making lots of money I´m sure. Nice.

[MOM]

So proud of you
Way to go Clara! Amazing response. And from your follow up phone call to me I know how passionate you are about this. Nice follow up by Dad and Jenna too (nice story Jenna). Really - this is all part of the amazing experience you are having there - living and learning. You are a shining star and such a caring human being. I know you have made a difference in the lives of your students this year - I know you are struggling with them but I can honestly say that when we were there I could tell that they looked up to you and really liked you. Really. I just wish I was there (or better you here) so that I could tell you that personally and give you a big hug to go with it. Sorry folks but I am the Mom and she's been gone too long! Hang in there kiddo - love you lots and see you soon! Love Mom