Honduras and Roatán

This is Honduras and the island of Roatán, just north of the mainland:

Honduras’ history is, well, tumultuous.  The country, with it’s numerous military coups (the most recent being in 2009), has had a history of fairly consistent political instability, corruption, and power struggle. The country is known for its gang activity (but hopefully steps are moving in the right direction) and for the brief but violent 1969 Guerra de Fútbol (the “Soccer War”: rooted in immigration and economic issues between Honduras and El Salvador, the first acts of violence of the war occurred between fans at a World Cup qualifying match between the two teams).

True, Honduras is known as a violent country. But that is not the only thing for which it’s known. The Maya civilization thrived in the western part of the country, and there are ruins to visit in Copán.  There are many tropical national parks to explore. The country’s economy is largely dependent on its export of bananas and coffee, and, in more recent years, on tourism.

And tourism, of course, is how many know of the island of Roatán.

The Bay Islands, which include Roatán, Utila, and Guanaja, are considered culturally worlds apart from the mainland with a mixed heritage of African, Carib, and European.  In the 1700s, the islands were a hotspot for English, Dutch, and French pirates. The islands were under the control of Great Britain until 1859, when they were ceded to Honduras. English is still largely spoken on the islands, but because of the recent increase in tourism, many people from mainland Honduras have come to the islands in search of work speaking Spanish, which is becoming more and more prominent.

I had the opportunity to visit Roatán this May with my family and friends. It is beautiful. It certainly has that laid-back “island” feel.  The island runs on tourism, and it shows. There were large, gated hotels and resorts all along road leading to the east end of the island and countless billboards and signs advertising ziplines, restaurants, and diving (Roatán is world-renown for it’s diving. The Mesoamerican Reef is the second-largest barrier reef in the world). 

Alongside these hotels and billboards, however, sits dilapidated homes and shops. Police officers randomly pull people over for no reason but to demand payment in order to pass (the folks who own the houses we stayed at paid the police a monthly “fee” so that they would not stop the cars that carried those who rented from them … aka, us). I don’t know if I am wise enough or smart enough to make any kind of conclusion or judgment about these kinds of situations, but I see them. In any case, I’m sure this will be something I will continue to think about after I spend more time there.

In the meantime, here are some more photographs to get an idea about what I can expect… countdown: 38 days!

a su corazón

I did it. I joined the millions of folks posting their thoughts and experiences on the internet and got a blog. I’m a little surprised at myself, but I want to be able to share my experience working in Roatan with all of the people that are supporting me. So… here goes nothin’!

I thought I would take this first post to explain the title of my blog and quote above. Nelson Mandela is reported to have said “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart” during negotiations with the Apartheid. 

I absolutely agree with his statement.

I spent the last four years studying Spanish and Portuguese. I studied in Brazil and in Chile and in the USA with professors from all over the world. One of the most profound things that I have learned is that language is fundamental to who we are. It is not only formed by grammar structures and vocabulary (and believe me, I’ve taken plenty of classes that covered those areas), but it is composed of our culture, our social and economic background, our age.

When I think about going to work in health care in the future, I believe that my background in language is going to be absolutely essential to providing care.  I want to connect with individuals and communities in their language, which not only varies around the world, but also varies in the United States. It varies depending on culture, social and economic background, and age. Sally Okun, an RN who started a health-oriented social network, recently discussed the importance of learning the language of patients (what she calls the “patients’ lexicon”) in a wonderful Ted Talk at TedMed this year. Check it out:

I am excited to go to Roatan to better my Spanish, to bridge the language barrier between volunteer physicians in the clinic and patients, and to ultimately help provide better care for patients and their families. While I’m there, I think I’ll get a better idea of what Nelson Mandela said and that I will truly learn what it means in health care to speak with someone in a way that goes a su corazón.