Out of the chaos...

Well, it has been quite some time since I have adequately posted something updating you on my life and goings-on here in Tegus. I feel like the last month has had a theme slightly reminiscent of chaos. Today was the last day of school (read: Chaotic), and recently as many of you may have heard, there was a plane crash in Tegucigalpa in which the plane ran off the runway and onto a busy street, where it still remains 1 week after the crash (read: Really Chaotic). There have also been many hunger strikes (read: Chaotic) and then just the regular everyday life (read: Slightly less chaotic than plane crashes and hunger strikes).

My guess is that however interesting my last day of school may be, you guys are probably more interested in the plane crash and what that now entails for our precious little Toncontin International Airport. On Friday morning at about 9:00 a.m. a TACA flight coming from San Salvador to pick up more passengers in Honduras before heading to Miami ran off the runway, killing 5 people. Its amazing that only 5 died, because as you can see from the picture, the plane broke into 3 pieces, and landed on top of 3 cars on a busy highway. The casualties would have been much higher, but luckily the "bomberos" (firefighters) arrived on the scene shortly and sprayed a foam-like liquid all over the area to protect the plane from exloding from the fuel leaking from both the plane and the cars that it landed upon.

Since then, Tegucigalpa has closed the doors for its international airport, diverting all flights to San Pedro Sula (5 hours away by bus) to an airport that cannot handle twice the number of flights. So, the roads are still closed with the plane remaining in its exact spot, the capital city's airport is out of commission, the airlines are not increasing the number of flights leaving SPS, but trying to fit twice the amount of people on it, and in the meanwhile hundreds of employees of Toncontin airport are out of a job. The latest rumor is that they will never open Toncontin International again, but permanently change Palmerola Air Force Base (owned by the U.S.), located a little more than an hour outside of the city, into the new international airport. I don't know who is benefitting from that venture, but my guess is that someone in the government is making a ton of money from that decision because it is certainly not beneficial to anyone else. It is almost ridiculous to think of the capital of a country not having an airport, and the trickle down effect almost seems to have no end. How will people get to the airport? What will they do with the newly renovated Toncontin? What will that mean for mission groups coming down? What about the former employees and their families? Tourists? And all of this is off the top of my head.

From this, it slightly complicates my plans for returning to the U.S. First, I have my kindergarten graduation (once again, chaotic) on Wednesday, June 11th at 2:30. That will last about an hour and a half, which puts me at 4:00. I will then need to find a ride (hint hint: I'm trying to save money for a car!!) with my suitcases in my fancy graduation dress and heels to the bus station that is at least 40 minutes away, not counting rush-hour traffic, to catch a 5:30 bus. Hopefully I will be able to change at the bus station before my 5 hour bus ride, only then to arrive at the SPS bus station, find a taxi at 11:00 at night, go to a hotel, and wake up again at 4:00 a.m. to find another taxi to take me to the airport at 5:00 a.m. to catch my 7:30 a.m. flight.

Even with all of these complications, I am reminded how blessed I am. I am mobile. I have a credit card to cover these unpredicted life events. I have the resources to take a leisurely trip to visit my familyand watch my little brother get married. I have my health. I have family and friends. I might whine and complain a little, but I know that I am so blessed.