The amount of things I was able to see and sometimes do because back home in the US it is very difficult to get opportunities like this.
1.-How was the local ABV Coordinator and the support provided in-country?
The in-country support was good. They responded to text messages pretty quickly.
2- What was the most surprising thing you experienced?
- At the program: the amount of things I was able to see and sometimes do because back home in the US it is very difficult to get opportunities like this.
- At the accommodation: my host mom was super sweet and funny and cooked the best food I ate in Honduras.
- About the country: it wasn’t as dangerous as people make it out to be but you still need to be careful.
3- What was most difficult to experience?
At the program: the most difficult experience at the program was that during the entire time I was there was a doctor strike so there was way less patients in both the hospital and the clinic so there was less things to help with.
At the accommodation: the most difficult thing about the accommodation was that there wasn’t air conditioning, so it took a few days to get used to.
4- Any tips for future volunteers…
- Clothing: tips for clothing are if you have flowy light weight pants, bring them, because even though shorts are worn they aren’t as common as pants and they are more revealing.
- Donations: NO volunteer should donate cash to anyone here in Honduras. All donations should be purchased items like gauze, hand sanitizer, blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes, etc. I recommend that volunteers bring cash and purchase these items in country after asking the clinic what their favorite brands are, talk with the local coordinator about this.
- Weather: even though the weather might say it’s going to rain everyday, I only remember it raining twice during the day.
4.1-Other things volunteers should know:
- bring all cash in $10 bills or smaller NEW. It is very difficult to exchange $20 bills. Also it might be smart to wait until you get here and exchange your dollars at the bank for a better exchange rate.
- maybe bring a small battery powered fan because sometimes the power would go out and it can get pretty hot without a fan.
- if your service provider is expensive for coverage in Honduras, expect to use SIM cards in Honduras. I had to use a Claro SIM card and I would add data to it from cards they sell at the gas station. The cards I used were 100 lempiras for 3 gb for 1 week. The lack of service surprised me as soon as I got to San Pedro Sula and it took me a while to find WiFi so I could update people.
- also the guide/website/volunteer summary tells you that you need to get yourself to LCE airport. Do not only book flights to San Pedro Sula thats not the final airport. I recommend taking a Hahn Air flight through Aerolíneas SOSA from San Pedro Sula to La Ceiba.
- don’t trust the locals when they tell you sketchy food is safe to eat.
5- Personal Paragraph (ABV Program Testimonial):
Although there were hardly any doctors the time I was there (due to the strike), I still feel that this experience was very valuable. I was able to improve my Spanish listening a lot and learn from watching the doctors work. I also received training in wound cleaning and stitches which would be a difficult opportunity to get a hold of in the US.
6- How would you describe your accommodation, meals and security:
I loved Denise. She was amazing. Her food was great as well
7- What was your favorite memory of this trip?
- Program: My favorite memory of the program was being able to watch a surgery for the first time (an appendectomy) and spend time with the surgeons there. They were very sweet and there usually were not many students in the OR so we were able to see things pretty closely.
- Country: My favorite memory of the country was going to the festival and watching the parade with my roommate.
8.- How was the ABV USA support prior traveling?
- Communication (Phone/emails/Online chat): I would update the orientation guide to include Aerolineas SOSA as an airline recommendation.
- Website Information: The website information was good.
9 – Are you willing to speak to other potential ABV volunteers?
Yes.
10 – Can you tell us how did you find or know about A Broader View?