All the kids in da´ school gettin´ tipsy........

a couple of weeks ago, honduras celebrated Dia de Lempira. According to historical dates. it is believed that lempira was born in 1499. Lempira was a Lenca warrior who was famous for fighting for the rights of the Lenca people. every year he is honored through fiestas. the name of honduran money is derived from the name of this warrior. some say that he actually did not exist and is a representation of all leaders of indian tribes who were in the struggle for freedom, but who knows......

the celebration fell on a wednesday and on wednesdays i go to a small village called el portillo. there were lots of comida tipicas like ticuco and bebida tipicas like atol (typical cultural drinks and food). i ate this..... drank that...... some stuff i liked..... some stuff...... not so much, but you learn after being here a while that you can´t turn down what is being offered to you. well, Lillian, a pregnant lady and mother of one of the kids that is in my group offered me a drink. wasn´t anything out of the ordinary. i just tried like five different drinks and some food, just thought it was another bebida tipica. she extended her arm and offered her drink to me ( which she had been sipping on since i arrived). i reached for the orange plastic cup....a little apprehensive, because i just got through trying the almost most yuckiest stuff i have ever tasted and wasn´t quite ready to try something else as equally disgusting, but i thought "what the hell!! you only live once." hmmmmmmmm!!!!! smells interesting ....kinda tart. what is this called again? chicha. uh huh... and what is it made from? Corn. uh huh......and how do you make it? like the others. uh huh! but it smells.....funny....like alcohol. this is alcohol?? nooooooooo!!!! promise me this isn´t alcohol. are you guys joking with me? noooooooo, we promise. i had my doubts, but why would these lovely catholic god loving women lie to me.(four of them in all) why would a pregnant lady be drinking alcohol. okay so it isn´t alcohol. i´ve smelled weirder stuff. eaten stranger things....

i put the plastic orange cup to my lips, and the mere touch against my lips let me know that i wasn´t about to just taste a bebida tipica but something a little stronger. i gave the cup back and said nu-uh this is alcohol!!! there heads swaying side to side. noooooo!!!! no es alcohol. okay tell me again how do you make this stuff? a woman walks up i guess intrigued by our banter and wanted to get in on the giggling. i asked her. she begins by saying se fermenta..... se fermenta!!!!! well, ladies... that is how you make alcohol. it ferments. you take barley, grain, oats, fruit whatever your heart desires and you ferment it and over a couple of days or weeks it becomes alcohol!!!!! their chins dropped a couple of inches in disbelief. they had no idea what they were drinking and dishing out to their youngsters was in fact able to get one drunk. these ladies thought that because they could make it with their own hands that there was no way that it was alcohol. alcohol is something made with intriquite machinery and such not by their own hands. therefore.... all members of the commmunity: grandmas, grandpas, uncles, aunts, pregnant, unpregnant, and KIDS partake in chicha fun!!!

yes, people, my little 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 year olds were a sippin´that there good ol´moonshine. i proceed to go into the room where i meet with my kids. they ask me did you like the food? yes. did you try the drinks? yes. do you like chicha? no. why not....We Do!!! what?? you guys like chicha? and in unison, the kids broke out SI!!!!!!! NOS GUSTA.

needless to say, the kids were a bit rowdier than usual. high on life......NOPE....tipsy of chicha!!! i was flabergasted at first, but it has been awhile since that incident and....not too surprised. just another interesting fact to add to my what in the world!!! list.

Aiiiiiiii, NO!!!!