SPAIN: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

I’ve had an interest in Spain for quite a while. And my kids go to a Spanish immersion magnet elementary school (well, my daughter finished and is now in middle school). Their math and science classes are taught in Spanish, and most of their Spanish teachers come from Spain. (However, I think most of the Hispanic students who attend are from Latin America.) A few years ago, I read James Michener’s Iberia, which gave a history of many of the key areas around Spain.

The Spanish name for the country, España, is a little unclear on its origin but is generally thought to have stemmed from some kind of Phoenician or even some Greek-influenced one. There are quite a few theories out there, and everyone probably thinks theirs is the right one. 

Spain is located in the southwest corner of Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula. It’s bordered by Portugal to the west and France to the north. The country of Andorra lies in the Pyrenees between Spain and France, while the British territory of Gibraltar (where the famous Rock of Gibraltar is) lies on the opposite end of the country. Spain also has several islands (mainly the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Morocco) as well as a few exclaves bordering Morocco (Ceuta and Melilla). Spain’s climate can vary, depending on where you are and how high in the mountains you are. They have either a Mediterranean climate, semi-arid, or oceanic climate.

Ceuta

The earliest people in this area were the Celts, Basques, and Iberians, followed by the Phoenicians and Carthaginians before being incorporated into the Roman Empire. It became Gothic during the Middle Ages (as opposed to being Goth), and then Muslims from North Africa crossed the Mediterranean and took over the land for themselves. It essentially became a Muslim state, and many of the existing cathedrals were either torn down or redesigned as mosques. Although Christianity was restored after the Spaniards eventually kicked them out, there are several Spanish words of Arabic origin (sukkar – azúkar – sugar; azzayt – aceite – oil). Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon got married and Spain basically reunited. They hired an Italian named Christopher Columbus (as we call him in English) to find a way to Asia, which ended up one of the biggest screw-ups in history. He found islands, sure, but they were in the Caribbean, which he promptly claimed for Spain. But he also killed off practically everyone already there through torture and disease, raping and pillaging. But it began Spain’s conquests (i.e. stealing) lands in the Americas. Other Spaniards did end up making it to Asia and took over the Philippines and stopped by quite a few other islands as well. During the 1550s, they also made their way around the bottom of Africa. And of course, none of this was done without fighting and arguing with the British, the French, and the Dutch who were all doing the same thing. The 1700s and 1800s were nothing but strife between Spain and France, especially against Napoleon, which left Spain reeling from the impacts of it all. They lost a lot of the land they had accumulated, including Cuba toward the end of the century. While the Second Republic of the 1920s caused a bit of political and social turmoil, they also established universal suffrage. And then came WWII. Francisco Franco put Spain in the same club as Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Communist Russia. When Franco died in 1975, the country began the process of becoming a democracy again. In recent decades, there have been movements for certain minority areas to gain its own autonomy, namely the Basques and Catalonia, but none have succeeded yet. In 2005, Spain joined a handful of countries to legalize same-sex marriage. 

 

This guy had an obsession with statues of himself on horseback, the last of which were taken down in 2008 (33 years after his death). 

Located on the River Manzanares, the capital city is Madrid. This city is pretty much right in the center of the country. It’s generally hot in the summers with plenty of sunshine to mild in the winter. Not only does the city serve as the nation’s center of government, but it’s also a hub for transportation, commerce and finance (many multinational companies have branches here), media, culture, education, sports (including bullfighting), and entertainment. Madrid is especially known among the art world for its famous Prado Museum, but there are numerous other art museums and galleries spread throughout the city.

Spain has a mixed economy but also has a somewhat high unemployment. Many Spanish companies have risen to international levels, especially with Latin America and Asia. Spain’s known for certain agricultural products: olive oil, wine, olives, cereal grains, citrus fruits, grapes, cotton, and other fruits. It’s also the second most visited country in the world. In fact, the main office for the World Tourism Organization is located in the capital. Cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Leon, and Castile remain top cities for tourism.

Roman Catholicism is still the dominant religion in Spain, although it’s not an official religion anymore. It still has a long history in Spain, and there have been four Popes from Spain. Even though 70% identify themselves as Roman Catholic (and most of those people don’t even attend church at all), nearly a quarter of the people say they have no religion at all. The rest of the people are either Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, or some other Asian religions. There used to be quite a few Jews in Spain until they expelled them all in 1492 until about the 19^th century. However, if you can prove you were part of the Sephardic Jews that were kicked out in 1492, then you can request Spanish nationality. I can’t even find my college IDs from 20 years ago.

Not surprising that Spanish is the official language of Spain. The version considered the official version is also called Castilian Spanish. However, there are also other languages that share that official status: Catalan (which I think is like a cross between Spanish and Portuguese), Galician, Basque, and Occitan. Other minority languages include Aragonese in Aragon and Astur-Leonese in León.

I was looking through a list of famous people from Spain, and it was rife with actors, musicians, artists, explorers, filmmakers, writers, athletes, and scientists that I didn’t always realize who were from Spain. They have contributed and shaped the world as we know it (whether for good or bad, it is what it is). I’m excited to take a closer look at a country I’ve been interested in (and from the point of view of moving to).

Up next: art and literature

PERU: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

Years ago, I met a couple who said they were getting ready for a trip to Machu Picchu as part of their backpacking tour of South America. I think I had barely heard of it and was really not quite sure of which country it was in. They made it sound impressive. Of course, not wanting to risk looking stupid, I asked an open-ended question about their travel itinerary and pieced it all together. (I Googled it later.) One of the most iconic places in South America, this ancient Incan city is now a World Heritage Site. 

 

The name Peru is most likely stemmed from Birú; however, who Birú was referring to is somewhat disputed in history. Some believe he was a local ruler who ruled from what is now Panama, but other theories implied that he was a just an Indian crewmember on a ship that belonged to the governor Pedro Arias de Ávila. Regardless of its origin, it eventually changed over to Peru.

Peru is located in the northeastern corner of South America. It borders Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil and Bolivia to the east, and Chile to the south. It also has a long coastline along the Pacific Ocean to the west. The Andes Mountains run down the coastline, dividing the country between the mountainous region and a highlands region. The Amazon rainforest extends itself into Peru as well, and many of the rivers that vein their way through the country are actually extensions of the Amazon River. Because of this immense change in scenery and altitude across the country (along with being near two major ocean currents), Peru has quite a wide biodiversity.

The earliest people in this area were of an agricultural-based society. During the 15^th century, the Incan Civilization gained prominence in the Andes, growing to be the largest civilization in the Americas during the pre-Columbian era. With their capital in Cusco, their empire spread pretty much for the entire western seaboard of South America. However, they were no match to the Spanish Conquistadors. They pretty much exploited the people in their search for gold and silver and anything else they thought could turn a quick buck. And the Spanish brought quite a bit to the area: African slaves for labor, diseases, Catholicism, and the Inquisition. It was like a hellish Christmas. By the 18^th century, several rebellions and reforms have taken place, but most were suppressed. Much of Central and South America was swept up in the mass independence movements during the early part of the 19^th century. Peru was able to gain theirs through the help of Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín and their military power. As a new country, they worked to expand the railroad system and a number of other infrastructure improvements that ended up nearly bankrupting the country. There were a number of conflicts between Peru and its neighbors throughout the latter part of the 19^th century and 20^th century, several of which ended in many deaths on both sides. Today, the country is working toward a better human rights record, peaceful elections, and more transparency in government. (Most of the rest of us can strive for this, too.)

The capital city of Lima is not only the largest city in Peru, but it’s also one of the largest metropolitan centers in South America. It was named after a famous oracle (Limaq) who lived in the area. The capital city is located along the Pacific coastline about halfway between the borders. Lima (and not the Spanish word for lime, mind you) houses the center of the federal government as well as being a center for commerce, finance, and education. The National University of San Marcos is the oldest continuously functioning university in Latin America, opening its doors in 1551. It’s a global city, holding numerous international competitions, conventions, and events.

Peru’s economy is one of the fastest growing ones in the world. The World Bank classified them as an upper middle income, and they also have a high Human Development Index to match. Inflation is generally low, and unemployment rates are falling. Agrarian reformation and income redistribution has helped with some of this. Services account for more than half of the GDP, followed by manufacturing. Trade has increased through free trade agreements, especially with the US.

Roughly 97% of Peruvians are Christian, with about 80% of them being Catholic. The remaining 3% are non-religious. However, there are also a number of indigenous spiritual traditions that people also adhere to even if they are Christian, and sometimes they merge the traditions of the two. Some of the Incan festivals, such as Inti Raymi, are still celebrated to this day.

Peru lists three official languages: Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara. In areas where other indigenous languages take prevalence, those languages will also have a quasi-official status for that area. Spanish is used as the language of the government and in education and is spoken mostly among the coastal regions. In the mountainous regions and other areas, Quechua and Aymara tend to be spoken more than Spanish, especially in the Amerindian communities.

Lima has made great strides in recent years at really creating a name for itself as one of the global leaders in the culinary scene. Rivaling much larger cities, Lima has several restaurants that have made the list of Top Restaurants in the World. One of the key elements that many of Lima’s restaurants encompass is to embrace its multiculturalism: its demographics include Incan and other indigenous/pre-Columbian cultures, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Lebanese, and several other immigrant cultures. And not only do they embrace it, they blend it and merge it and create something that is quintessentially Peruvian. I’m really excited to venture into this and find out more.

Up next: art and literature

PARAGUAY: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

When I went to Brazil in 2003, I spent my first week in Curitiba, which is the state capital of Paraná. I was asked many times whether I was going to travel to visit Foz de Iguaçu and see the famous waterfalls. However, it was on the other side of the state, and it just wasn’t feasible to fit into my schedule or budget. But if I ever make the trip back to Brazil, I definitely want to add this into the trip. While the city is on the border with Paraguay, the actual falls are across the border from Argentina. Foz de Iguaçu (or Foz de Iguazu in Spanish) is pretty much a five-and-a-half-hour straight shot to Asuncion, Paraguay. I’ve already got this planned out.

Kind of like certain dishes, everyone has their own take on how the name Paraguay came to be. Many historians and linguists have come up with a variety of translations over the years, but most of them stem from the Guaraní language and most have something to do with water or the river.

Paraguay is a landlocked country in the central part of South America. The northern part borders with Bolivia (the other landlocked country in South America), part of the eastern section borders with Brazil, and the southern and western parts touch Argentina. Its climate is tropical and subtropical, depending on where you are.  The Paraguay River, which is the second-longest river in South America, pretty much divides the country in two.

 

Jesuit mission ruins

The first people moved into this area thousands of years ago. Today, there are still 17 different ethnolinguistic groups still living in Paraguay. The first Europeans to arrive in the area were the Spanish when de Espinosa’s crew created what would become the capital city of Asunción. Jesuit missions popped up across Paraguay as well as other areas throughout South America with the mission of forcing Christianity among the indigenous peoples who were content praying to whatever they prayed to. Paraguay actually kicked the Spanish out in 1811. It only took three years to get their first dictator, José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, who wanted to set the country up as a utopian society and pushed a mixed-race (mestizo) society among other things. Although there wasn’t a lot of slavery in Paraguay, it was officially banned in 1844. In 1864, Paraguay entered the Paraguyan War against the Triple Alliance of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. It was one of the bloodiest wars in Latin American history, although the actual causes are still being debated. The first half of the 20^th century saw numerous back-to-back coups and presidential changes. In 1954, Alfredo Stroessner took to power, and his Colorado Party had a history of violating human rights and violence to get things done until he was overthrown in 1989. The Colorado Party that had been in power for the past 60 years finally lost its majority. However, Fernando Lugo, who won by a landslide, was impeached in 2012 on grounds of a badly executed land eviction among other issues.

Asunción, otherwise known as Nuestro Señora Santa María de la Asunción, is the capital city of Paraguay. As one of the oldest cities in South America, founded in 1537, it was named after the Catholic Feast of the Assumption (held August 15). Today, the city has over 2.1 million people in its metro area. It sits on the banks of the Paraguay River, which pretty much borders with Argentina, especially heading south of the city. Not only is it the center of government, but it’s also a center of commerce, banking, and education. It’s rife with museums, historical buildings, sports facilities, theatres, and arts galleries.

For much of the past 40-50 years, Paraguay has had one of the highest economic growth patterns in South America, and it only continues to grow. They are among the world’s leading producers of stevia, soybeans, corn, tung oil, wheat, and beef. They're also known for their yerba mate production. Agriculture is extremely important since most of the country lives in rural areas. Mining, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing industries have really began setting footholds in the country. Even at that, the country still struggles with wage inequality; estimates show between 35-50% of the country lives in poverty, and most of those in the rural areas. Clean drinking water and electricity haven’t even made it to the vast majority of the rural and indigenous population.

Nearly 90% of Paraguayans are Roman Catholic. There are smaller numbers of various Protestant denominations as well as some communities of other religions such as Baha’i, Islam, and indigenous religions.

Officially, Paraguay is bilingual in both Spanish and Guaraní. The Guaraní language is one of the largest indigenous languages in South America, native to Paraguay and Bolivia (although there are also communities in Argentina and Brazil as well). The city of Asunción has many speakers of a dialect called Jopará, which is more of a casual form of Guaraní that uses quite a bit of Spanish loan words. Because of its history and proximity to Brazil, there are also a significant number of Portuguese speakers.

From what I’ve gathered in reading about Paraguay and its people, they’re society is built around the land, their food, and hospitality. They even made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for having the world’s largest barbecue that hosted nearly 30,000 people. It’s easily a country I could spend some time in, eating my way from city to city.

Up next: art and literature

PANAMA: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

Panama is the bridge that links Central America with South America. This narrow tilde-shaped country is the only barrier between the East and the West. One of the world’s major feats of construction, the Panama Canal, helped ease the cost of doing business and allowed for goods to be transported all over the world. I remember in 1999 when the US handed control back to the Panamanians and was confused as to why it hadn’t happened sooner.

It’s not exactly clear where the name Panama originated from. Some linguists believe it could be stemmed from a several root words: one theory is that it refers to a type of local tree while another may refer to the many butterflies that are there during the late summer. One of the more popular theories is that it refers to a fishing village named Panamá, which means “abundance of fish.”

Panama is the last stop in Central American if you’re heading south. It’s actually more horizontal than it is vertical. It shares a western border with Costa Rica and an eastern border with Colombia, as a gateway to South America. The Pacific Ocean is to the south, and the Caribbean Sea is to the north. The central part of the country is mountainous and heavily forested with rainforests. Many of the rainforests are so thick the closer you get to the border with Colombia that it’s become a haven for guerilla fighters and drug lords. It’s one of the reasons why the Pan-American Highway stops here and picks up in Colombia. Panama has a tropical climate, although they do have a rainy and dry season.

The earliest people living here were from the Coclé, Cuevas, and other tribes. Many of the indigenous people died out due to the lack of immunity from the European diseases the Spanish brought along with them. (As Janet Jackson said, “Nasty, nasty boys.”) The first Spanish explorers arrived in search of gold and other riches they had heard about (must’ve been that 15^th century fake news). They claimed the land for Spain and ruled it for nearly 300 years. However, “ruling” was difficult since so many of the indigenous tribes resisted something fierce. This area was frequented by many different groups of people besides the Spanish and the indigenous tribes, including British and Dutch pirates, freed African slaves, and one Scottish colony that didn’t end well (probably ran out of whiskey). In 1717, Panama was included as part of the viceroyalty of New Granada. During the 1800s, many of the countries under Spain’s reach were itching to gain their independence, and Panama was no different. They finally broke away from Spain in 1821 but then became a part of Colombia. Right at the turn of the century, Panama was in the middle of the Thousand Days War, often acknowledged as a war for land rights for the indigenous people. The country finally did manage to gain its independence from Colombia in 1903. In part of the treaty associated with the independence, the US finagled its way to build and control the Panama Canal, which was completed in 1914 (and wouldn’t be given back for another 85 years). From that point, Panama became increasingly more militarized. Elections actually took place in 1968, but it all went to hell afterwards. Price freezing and other oppressive measures were the order of the day. During the early 1980s, Gen. Noriega came to power, and he had his hand in a bunch of shady illegal stuff going on. His regime was generally supported by the US and even operated with the CIA, but when massacres started taking place, the US threw sanctions at them like darts. Then after they found out that Noriega was trafficking drugs in Florida, that was apparently the last straw. The US used this as an excuse to invade the country, which ended with the deaths of hundreds of civilians and military alike. Today, the country is working on ways to improve its governmental transparency and its social and civil services.

Panama City (not the one in Florida), or Ciudad de Panamá, is the country’s capital city and largest city. It was founded in 1519, located on the Pacific side of the isthmus. The Old Quarter features Spanish and French architecture that was popular when the Panama Canal was being built. Today, the city is a tourist spot and also serves as the country’s center for government, higher education, commerce, sports, and banking. Although it’s not the only arts center in the country, it’s certainly one of them.

Panama has one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America and generally has a low unemployment rate. Once Panama took back control of the Canal, it generated millions of dollars in revenue from tolls. Having two coasts, it has several port cities, making it a prime location for doing business. It’s also strengthened itself as a financial center, and tourism is a contributor to its economy as well. Panama was also one of the first Latin American countries to adopt the US dollar as its currency.

Since the government doesn’t keep track of religion numbers, it’s only estimated that roughly 75-85% of Panamanians are Roman Catholic, leaving 15-25% as Protestant. However, there are a number of other minor denominations and religions represented throughout the country: LDS Church, Bahai, Episcopalians, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Seventh-Day Adventists, and other indigenous religions.

About 93% of Panamanians speak Spanish as their first language. However, many people also speak and understand English as well because of its status as an international language in business. There are also a number of indigenous languages still spoken in the home along with Spanish.

Panama has a unique location. Because of its narrowness, you can actually see the sun rise on the Atlantic and set on the Pacific from the same point. The country is located just south of the hurricane alley, so it rarely sees the number of tropical storms and hurricane that other countries in Central America and the Caribbean experience. I’m already sold on visiting Panama, but now I’m coming up with more reasons to go.

Up next: art and literature

MEXICO: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

For obvious reasons, Mexico and the US have a special history and relationship. For me personally, I dated a guy from Oaxaca once a long time ago, and recently my husband and I have talked about what it takes to move to Mexico. Especially if Trump becomes “president.” Hey, at least there will be a wall separating us from him. But regardless of what people think about it, Mexicans are now becoming one of the largest immigrant groups to the US. In fact, both of my neighbors on either side of me are from Mexico, and they are great neighbors. So, while it tends to be a topic of discussion and sometimes vitriol, I really want to delve into the real Mexico and what it means to be Mexican. 

 

The name Mexico comes from the Nahuatl language. Nahuatl is the language of the Aztecs and sometimes referred to the Aztec language, especially in older books. In Nahuatl, Mexihco refers to the heartland of the Aztec Empire, sometimes called the Valley of Mexico and its people, the Mexica. There are a number of other theories and disputes by historians and linguists on the actual meaning of Mexihco and other possible origins of the name Mexico. 

Mexico is included as part of North America. It shares a long border with the United States to the north (following along the Rio Grande for much of the way). It also borders Guatemala and Belize in the south. It’s eastern side touches the Gulf of Mexico, and Cuba is not far from the city of Cancún on the Yucatan Peninsula. The Pacific Ocean lies to the west, along with a peninsula known as Baja California. Mexico has several mountain ranges that rise out of the landscape, and it also is the reason that Mexico has several active volcanos as well. The climate varies so much across the land: from the cooler, drier areas high in the mountains to the much warmer tropical rainforests of the Yucatan. 

One of the first civilizations in Mexico was the Olmecs. They are often seen as the predecessors to the Mayans, another major civilization spanning southern Mexico and Guatemala. They were responsible for the domestication of maize, beans, and tomatoes, which helped facilitate the transition to more of an agricultural-based society. The Olmecs were also known for their brutal ballgames and the Mayans were mostly known for their famous calendar, which was brought to everyone’s attention in 2012 (since it was “predicted” that would be the end of the world). The Aztecs came along a little later and became an important civilization not only in Mexico, but in much of North and South American history. “Aztec” actually refers to several different groups of people who generally lived in the same area. The Aztecs were mostly remembered for their sacrificial practices. They were also known for having to deal with the Spanish as they made their way across the land in order to conquer it. The famous Aztec king Montezuma fell to the hands of the Spanish, and the Spanish (unintentionally?) infected them with smallpox due to the fact that the Aztecs had no natural immunity to it. The Spanish moved in and took over their capital of Tenochtitlan, which eventually became the city of Mexico City. The country was later included in the Viceroyalty of New Spain, which also included many areas around the Caribbean, Central America, and other areas. Under Spanish rule, the face of Mexico would change. Europeans and native Mexicans would intermarry and create the mestizo class. In 1810, Mexico finally declared its independence from Spain. Like a lot of countries, their first decades were met with economic strife, which was partly the cause for the Pastry War (hmm, sounds like the loser gets a nasty raisin pie). Anyway, there were several wars and battles fought that led to gaining and losing land, including losing Texas to the US. The Mexican Revolution took place during the early days of the 20^th century, and the country then spent pretty much the rest of the century under a one-party rule. The 2000 election changed all that when Vicente Fox won. Today, Mexico is a highly diverse and modern country.

Mexico City is a global city and a major financial and economic area in the Americas. With an urban area of roughly 20 million people, it’s about the same size as São Paulo, Brazil. Not only is it the oldest capital in the Americas, it’s one of two that was built by the Amerindians (the other being Quito, Ecuador). Actually, the city has just passed a number of liberal rulings in recent years: same-sex marriage, abortion, no-fault divorce, some forms of euthanasia, and other measures. It’s actually quite a diverse city and every bit of a modern city. There are significant populations of Arab, African, European, and Amerindian/Mexicans throughout the city and Mexico itself. Mexico City is also the home of the largest population of Americans outside of the US. It’s a cultural center of the country, especially for art, higher education, museums, theatres, and media. But it’s also a commerce, government, and sports center as well. (Mexicans love their soccer and bullfighting.)

This country is a leading global economy, making it the 11^th largest country by PPP (purchasing power parity) and having the 15^th largest nominal GDP. Some of the largest industries that drive the Mexican economy include electronics, auto manufacturing and parts (it produces the most vehicles in North America believe it or not), communications, science and technology, energy, transportation, and tourism.  

Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion in Mexico, but there are also a number of other Christian denominations. It’s actually the second largest Catholic population in the world, behind Brazil. There is also a growing number of non-religious people. Because Mexico is a widely diverse country, there are small numbers of Muslims, Jews, and Buddhists in Mexico as well. 

The national language is Spanish, and Mexico is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. But there are a number of other indigenous languages spoken in Mexico as well. Many people also speak Nahuatl, Zapotec, Mixtec, or Mayan languages. When I dated that guy from Oaxaca, and I listened to him speaking with some of his friends, and I couldn’t understand anything they were saying, recognizing it wasn’t Spanish; they all spoke one of the indigenous languages of Oaxaca—he told me that state alone has nearly 90 languages spoken there. 

There is so much about Mexico that I already know. I read James Michener’s “Texas” and “Mexico” years ago, both of which cover much of Mexican history. Mexican cooking and Mexican fusion is extremely popular as is many Mexican musicians. Reggaeton is certainly gaining popularity here in the US. (I love reggaeton, by the way, so I’m one of them.) Even in moderately sized cities, there are Mexican grocery stores and bakeries. Their presence is everywhere, even outside of the major urban areas. Spanish is the most widely studied second language in the US. I know it’s been hard to narrow down what recipes I’m going to pick for Mexico because everything sounds amazing.  But I’m going to try…as I look for ways to go there myself.

Up next: art and literature

HONDURAS: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

When I was in college, I used to meet a lot of people from a lot of different countries. It helped that I was part of the Languages, Literatures and Linguistics department at Indiana State University. I met a few people from Honduras there as well as when I used to tutor in ESL in various places. And oh, what I wouldn’t give to be there right now, where it’s warm and fresh fruit is always in season, instead of here in Indiana, where we’re bracing for wind chills below zero and fruit is expensive now because it’s out of season. Those things make me sad.

The name Honduras means “depths,” which may be stemmed from many sources. Some historians believe it may have been based on a statement from Christopher Columbus, or it may have referred to the Bay of Trujillo. Before 1580, Honduras only referred to the eastern part of this area whereas Higueras (“fig trees”) referred to the western portions.

The country of Honduras is located in the middle of Central America, surrounded by Guatemala to the west, El Salvador to the southwest, and Nicaragua to the east. It has a very long coast on the Caribbean side (700 km/435 mi) and a very short coast on the Gulf of Fonseca (153 km/95 mi), which opens to the Pacific Ocean. Because of its tropical climate, Honduras has a wide variety of flora and fauna. They’re quite known for the number of native plants, including 630 varieties of orchid along with over 700 types of birds, and over 50 types of bats. Honduras’ rain forests and cloud forests keep ecotourists arriving year after year. The Mosquito Coast, named after the Miskito Indians who first lived there, spreads along the Caribbean coast and extends through most of the Nicaraguan coast. There are still many areas of the Mosquito Coast that are scarcely populated and contain untouched rainforests.

Before Columbus arrived in this region of the world, the Mayan civilization extended through what is now known as Honduras. On his fourth and final trip to this area, Columbus landed in the Bay Islands and near where the city of Trujillo currently lies. Hernán Cortés later came in from Mexico to conquer these lands as well; however, much of the Miskito Kingdom did not fall to the Spaniards at that time. The Spanish counted Honduras as a province of Guatemala, and eventually moved the capital from Trujillo to Comayagua to its current-day capital of Tegucigalpa. They set up silver mines, basically using the native peoples to work the mines in exchange for protection from other warring tribes along with other promises (this legal system was called encomienda). But as disease spread, the Spanish brought in slaves from Africa to pick up the “slack” from the dying native population they were more or less responsible for. Honduras did eventually gain its independence from Spain in 1821, but it was difficult for them to find their place. It was part of the First Mexican Empire, then it was part of the United Provinces of Central America before settling on becoming the Republic of Honduras.  There have been many skirmishes and rebellions throughout the early years in Honduras’ history. The fruit companies, and more specifically the sale of bananas, carved out a significant corner of Honduras’ economy, thus leading to the term Banana Republic (given by no less than the US author O. Henry). The downside was that although these were very large companies and had a lot of influence on several governments, they were tax exempt, and therefore didn’t contribute very much to the economies at all. In 1969, Honduras and El Salvador became engaged in border tensions that escalated during elimination matches ahead of the World Cup.  This became known as the Soccer War. The US has had a military presence in Honduras many times in the early part of the 20^th Century as well as on and off again during the 1970s and 1980s in an effort to keep peace in Central America among other reasons. Honduras has also been ravaged by hurricanes and flooding many times, causing millions of dollars in damage and taking years to rebuild its infrastructure.

The capital city is Tegucigalpa, or commonly referred to as Tegus by the locals. Lying in the interior of the country, yet not far from the Pacific side, this capital city has about 1.3 million people in its metro area. The origin of the name Tegucigalpa is disputed, although many historians and anthropologists believe it is derived from a Nahuatl word. The government of the newly founded country decided to alternate the capital city between Tegucigalpa and nearby Comayagüela, although eventually the capital included both cities, each city holding different functions of the government.

Honduras is one of the poorest countries in Central and South America with a high unemployment and underemployment rate and a high poverty rate. Although they do have a substantial mining industry, mostly in silver, gold, zinc, and lead, the country is still highly indebted to foreign aid. There seems to be a lot of debate over whether government-owned or private-owned utilities and subsidies are better and how much actually goes back into the economy. Honduras’ infrastructure is one area that varies widely on where it is. Urban areas generally seem to have better roads, cleaner water, and better functioning sanitation systems. The rural areas can be far less sophisticated in what is provided. In 2003 a new law was passed that essentially took the burden of handling water and sanitation off of the federal government and placed it in the hands of regional and local officials. Many towns banded together to improve their own conditions. I would be interested to see if conditions increased for the better.

While officially Honduras often considers itself a majority Catholic nation, studies have found that the number of Protestants of many denominations is gaining popularity. Many people often attend more than one church, which may be skewing the numbers. Honduras also has significant followings of Buddhism, Bahá’í, Rastafari, Islam, and Judaism.

The official language of Honduras is Spanish, although there are several other languages that carry a recognized regional language status: Garifuna, Miskito, Bay Islands Creole English (also referred to as Caracol), Samu, Pech, Jicaque, and Ch’orti’ (a Mayan language).

For a country that lies along the infamous Ring of Fire, and unlike other nearby countries, Honduras does not contain any active volcanoes. But it does have the oldest clock in the Americas, located in the city of Comayagua, which is still actively keeping time. Thought to have been built during the latter part of the 1300s, this clock still apparently does keep time after all of these years (even though parts of it have been replaced and refurbished over the years). The clock was built in Spain and received as a gift, but it’s disputed as to who exactly gave the clock as a gift. One of the craziest things I read was the “raining fish” phenomenon (called lluvia de peces) in the town of Yoro. There are a number of theories as to why or how this happens, especially given the fact that this town is 140 miles from the Atlantic coast. Whatever is causing this ichthyoidal gift wrapped in superstition, it’s been going on every year for more than a century. I’m excited to jump into researching Honduras. I’ve already downloaded an album by the Honduran metal/rock band Diablos Negros, so this is bound to be good.

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GUATEMALA: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

Years ago, a family from Guatemala moved to our area and started attending our church.  This past Easter, we went back to attend Easter service with my parents, and they had come as well.  At that time, I had just finished cooking food from El Salvador not too long before that, and we talked about how Guatemala makes similar dishes, but with their own flair, of course.  I love the moments when get to I talk to people about food. And not just food, but food they love. When people share their tips and their variations and their shortcuts (like, they told me I can just buy curtido in the Mexican supermarkets, and sure enough, I found it), you get a glimpse of what makes people happy, their childhood, and how families function in general (Who does the cooking? Who does the buying? How do people interact when talking about food and meals?).  It’s not just food: it’s life. 

Guatemala is located in Central America, surrounded by Mexico to the north and west, Belize and the Caribbean Sea to the east, Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest.  Guatemala’s landscape varies widely.  It is fairly mountainous but also has desert, coastal, and forested areas as well.  Guatemala has several volcanoes with a few of them active, so it also is subject to earthquakes as well. Although the country lies in the tropics, many areas in the mountains have a fairly temperate climate.

The name Guatemala comes from the Nahuatl, meaning “place of many trees.”  It’s thought that it may also have come from other local languages as well, meaning “land of the eagle” or “mountain where water gushes.”

Archaeological evidence shows people have been in this are from 12,000-18,000 BC.  One of the earliest civilizations here were the Mayans. They built a ton of cities throughout Guatemala, southern Mexico, and other surrounding areas, although they’re known for their large temples.  The largest concentration of Mayan cities was centralized around Petén.  The Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés moved into the area around 1519 and claimed it for Spain.  The capital was moved to Antigua Guatemala and later moved again after it was destroyed in several earthquakes. Guatemala declared its independence from Spain in September 1821.  It later joined the short-lived Central American Federation.  After this dissolved, Guatemala went through a period of different dictators, each with their own ideas and customs they introduced to the country, and each overthrown by the next dictator.  During the 1950s, land reform was at the heart of an international incident when the US-based United Fruit Company risked losing acreage in an attempt to break up some of the large-tract farms so anyone could have a chance to own land. They threw the election so the candidate they wanted would win and overturned the ruling. The 1970s and 1980s brought a lot of guerilla warfare and fighting in both urban and rural areas with the Guatemalan Civil War ending in 1996. 

The capital is Guatemala City, or just simply called Guatemala by the locals, or even Guate. It’s not only the largest city in the country, but with 4.1 million people in the metro area, it also makes it the most populous in all of Central America.  Every bit a modern city, Guatemala City boasts universities, shopping from bargain to upscale, theatres, museums, and major sporting events. 

While Guatemala has the largest economy of the Central American countries, there is still a steep income gap. It’s been estimated that over half of Guatemalans live in poverty. Many Guatemalans were lucky enough to leave the country during the Civil War, and they have chosen to stay and send money back home.  Guatemala has a largely agricultural- and textiles-based economy, exporting fruits, vegetables, cloth, and raw materials for biofuels such as palm oil and sugar cane. They also mine a significant amount of nickel, zinc, gold, silver, and cobalt. Guatemala is also party to free trade agreements with several agreements.

Historically, Roman Catholicism has had a strong hold in Guatemala, but about a third of the population consider themselves Protestant these days. Mayan religious practices are protected, and many Mayans joined the National Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Guatemala where they incorporated many of the traditional Mayan rites into their practices. Guatemala also has small pockets of Jewish, Muslim, and Buddhist practitioners. 

Spanish serves as the official language for government and education, and most people speak it as a first or second language. However, there are 21 Mayan languages spoken in Guatemala and two non-Mayan languages (Xinca and Garifuna) that are used as vernacular or local languages.

Are you a chocoholic like me? Well, we have the Ancient Mayans to thank. They were the first ones to create chocolate as we know it. The Guatemalan currency, the Quetzel, is named after a beautiful endangered bird whose feathers used to be used as currency by the Ancient Mayans. It’s been credited to the Ancient Mayans for coming up with the mathematical concept of zero as well, which is where my bank account hovers over most of the time. We often think of the importance of jade in Chinese culture, but Guatemala is the world’s leading producer of jade. And since I’m totally a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl, I can thank Guatemala for coming up with blue denim. Chocolate, jeans, and jade? I believe this is my kind of country.

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