The Richest Poorest Country in the World

By Kimberley Player
It wasn’t love at first sight, not by any means. When I arrived in Copán Ruinas with the overly ambitious goal of learning Spanish in two months, I thought the place was “cute” with a certain authentic charm. But really, I told myself, if I wasn’t trying my damnest to conjugate a bazillion verbs in nine different tenses, Copán would be worth at the most a couple days of my time. But fast forward three weeks... and I couldn’t imagine leaving. Copán grew on me. Copán started to feel like home to this small town Canadian girl who (for some perspective) spent the last ten years in San Francisco, California. You might wonder how someone could go so easily from one of the world’s most dynamic, cosmopolitan cities to this relatively tiny place; one with limited amenities and an infrastructure (or lack thereof) best summed up by my very first Spanish phrase, “La luz se fue”.

... as Honduras gets skewered for its murder rate, its drug trafficking, its corrupt police force or any number of other depressing statistics, a very different side of the country is too often ignored. One that is worth seeing and worth celebrating.

So was it the Ruins for which Copán is so famous that captured my heart? No, although they are certainly worth a visit. Was it the world-class canopy tour; the appeal of a bird park that combines education, entertainment and conservation in a lush environment; or the dramatic setting of Agua Caliente’s natural hot springs pools, which can induce everything from relaxation to romance? Again no, despite the obvious draw of all of the above.

It was, quite simply, the people I met in Copán who made it so special to me. It was the generous locals who were always willing to listen to what must have been my cringe-worthy attempts at espaňol. The expats who were pouring heart and soul into the creation of their dreams (and in turn, successful businesses and jobs) in a town they clearly cared for deeply. And the volunteers of which there were so many, working to make Copán a better place for kids, locals and tourists alike.

These people made me feel welcome. They opened their homes to me, taught me just how much I couldn’t learn about the world from a little North American bubble, and even chimed in for a bar-wide rendition of Feliz Cumpleaňos when I hit a major birthday milestone. These people are the reason I fell for Copán.

It breaks my heart to watch all the negative Honduran news and it’s even more painful to see international articles splashed all over the internet with dire headlines ranging from “How People in Honduras Cope with Crime”, to “Honduras Becomes Cocaine Hub for the Western Hemisphere”, to “Paradise and Violence in Honduras”. Are they accurate reflections of an increasingly troubled country? No doubt.

But as Honduras gets skewered for its murder rate, its drug trafficking, its corrupt police force or any number of other depressing statistics, a very different side of the country is too often ignored. One that is worth seeing and worth celebrating.

So don’t discount what was once referred to me as the “richest poorest country in the world” because of a State Department warning or media-generated fear. Be aware; be careful; but also recognize that a country that is home to people such as those in Copán Ruinas is rich -- in culture, character and natural beauty. And deserves much more than being relegated to a negative statistic in a world caught up in measuring the bad vs. highlighting the good. (11/16/11) (street in Copán Ruinas courtesy Internet)

Note: The author was a student at Guacayama Spanish School and plans to return to Copán Ruinas as soon and as often as she can.