Lempira, Honduras Briefing Report

The 2007 Lempira project has begun in earnest! Following hours of travel, the Volunteers landed on July 2^nd in San Pedro Sula, where the entire project spent the night. Our Volunteers and Project Staff had the opportunity to begin getting to know one another. Early the following morning, we left by bus to Gracias, Lempira and proceeded to our Briefing site.

Although we traveled all morning, the Volunteers jumped into the activities that Project Staff had planned. These included a Jeopardy game on Honduran culture and history, technical training on working with youth groups to develop lesson plans, learning about the history of AMIGOS in Honduras and our host agency Plan Honduras, and specific health and safety information for our area. Later in the day, the group had time to relax while Project Staff interviewed Volunteers one by one to determine partnerships and community placements. The day ended with a game to reveal the routes, partnerships, and placements.

Day three of Briefing began with more get-to-know-you activities in partnerships and a review of the host families and communities with Volunteers. In a very special collaboration with Plan Honduras, the highlight of the day was the arrival of youth counterparts from each of our 25 communities. We switched to Spanish and began our activities. The Volunteers had the chance to meet their youth counterparts and talk more in-depth about project ideas as well as life in the communities. The entire group ate meals together, and after dinner we ended the day with an amazing Honduran folk dance performance.

The next morning, the Volunteers, Project Supervisors, and youth counterparts traveled to communities to drop off the Volunteers and introduce them to their new host families. Back in Gracias, Project Staff began receiving calls from host families letting us know that Volunteers had arrived safely. Overall, our Briefing was a great success, and we were thrilled that the project began on such a high note.