A Taxi Ride in Honduras

We left Tegucigalpa Monday morning en route to an orphanage we support in central Honduras. My wife made arrangements for us to travel by taxi instead of the public bus. This is not as expensive as you might imagine for a seventy-mile drive, and it is certainly a safer option than a bus for two gringos with limited Spanish language skills. We have made this same trip many times over the last few years and have a specific taxi company we use. We always request the same driver. Due to the current political situation, I will refer to him as “Bill”.

Bill is a pleasure to travel with. He is always pleasant, funny, and even acts as a kind of tour guide instead of rushing to the next fare. Want a photo of something? Bill pulls over and parks--sometimes even directing the best camera angle for the shot. He will detour off the direct route to show you a historic monument, a lovely view, an old church, or even a nice public park. He is proud of his country and eager to share it with foreigners. I believe national pride is the reason why he takes so much time to show us new things each time we ride with him.

This time he arrived to pick us up thirty minutes early (not typical Honduran behavior). He asked me if it would be ok if we picked up his wife for the ride out to the orphanage. After assurances that it was a fine idea, we went to pick up his wife in an area of Tegucigalpa we had not previously seen. Bill detoured through the narrow streets, carefully noting points of potential interest, including the entrance road to the blockaded Brazilian embassy where former president Zelaya is taking refuge. We stopped on a nearby corner and picked up Bill’s lovely wife, who he calls “Baby”. He grinned and explained in his best English: “We married ten years—no babies. So this is my baby.”

Bill and Baby took us to a quaint little public park called “the park of the lions” for some photos and then we headed out of Tegucigalpa. Bill and Baby both speak a little English and we speak a little Spanish, so the conversation was slow but effective. Baby was cautious at first, but when she determined that we loved Honduras she began to speak her mind in a quiet, determined way.

Baby is a public school teacher. She is not working at present because of the political turmoil. The children have had almost no classroom time this year, especially since July, and now school has been canceled for the remainder of the year. The authorities have decided that all students will be promoted to the next grade anyway. It is obvious from her troubled expressions that Baby is upset for the children who are missing critical opportunities to learn. Learning time that probably cannot be replaced.

We ask Baby who she supported (the Honduran teacher’s union is reportedly pro-Zelaya). She told us that the union is divided. She crossed picket lines and continued to teach when her union went out on strike; at one point soldiers had to protect her and the others who crossed the line, as well as the children who wanted to continue learning. She spoke quietly but with conviction. She admitted her personal life has been affected by the troubles as well. It is difficult to do little things when tensions flare up and civil liberties are curtailed (curfews). Simple things normally taken for granted, like buying groceries and shopping become challenging. She is weary and ready for things to settle down and life to return to normal.

Bill and Baby were both curious about what is being reported in the U.S. They wanted to know what people in the States are thinking about Honduras. (How do you tell someone with so much national pride that the average American couldn’t locate Honduras on a world map?). They are baffled by the U.S. political response thus far. They are emphatic that that 70-80% of the country continues to support the current government and the removal of Zelaya. Both see Venezuela’s Chavez as the real cause of the current political problems. They do not want a dictatorship in Honduras.

They are emphatic that the violence which has occurred has been more isolated than what international news organizations have reported or implied. Baby was adamant that only four people had actually been killed in the so-called riots (holding up four fingers to add emphasis to her point). At one point Bill becomes particularly animated as he gestures to the peaceful countryside: “Where is the violence? Do you see violence?” Both worry that the people from the U.S. will continue to stay away. They have noticed that even the church groups from the States are no longer coming.

Time seemed to pass too quickly on this occasion and we arrived at the orphanage sooner than I would have liked. Hugs, goodbyes, and hopes for God's blessings were were exchanged all around. In the weeks ahead as I search for the latest news from Honduras, I will be reminded of a proud taxi driver and his school teacher wife. It's funny how the politics of a little obscure country can become very personal when names and faces are attached.