Quick Facts on Honduras:

Population of Honduras – 7 million

Real GDP of Honduras - $8 billion dollars

Annual Remittances from Honduran emigrants working in EEUU and Spain - $2.2 Billion

Emigrants in EEUU – One million

Percent of Hondurans under the age of 18 – 50%

Exchange Rate 19 Lempiras to one dollar

Minimum Wage – 1,300 Lempiras per month (40 hr work week)

Daily Salary of a waiter in Santa Lucia – 80 Lemps a day

Middle Class Income – 8,000-12,000 lempiras a month

Avg Mortgage Rate – 18% (2005 number quoted by US Embassy charla)

Average Education – 4.7 years

Some prices of items we have encountered so far (mostly in Santa Lucia):

Baleadas (Flour tortilla with beans, eggs, pico de gallo, and cheese) – 7 Lemps

Hamburger with fries – 50 Lemps

Fresh Fish Dinner – 130 Lemps

Cup of coffee – 5 Lemps

News Paper – 6 Lemps

Beers at bar – 15-20 Lemps

Bottle of Rum at Mini Market – 100 Lemps

Hour at internet café – 20 Lemps

3 hour bus ride from Tegucigalpa to Yojoa Lake – 90 Lemps

7 hour bus ride from Tegucigalpa to La Ceiba – 175 Lemps

Bus ride from Santa Lucia to Tegucigalpa (approx 30 mins) – 7 Lemps

Taxi fare in Tegucigalpa - 50 to 80 Lemps

Entry fee to Cataratas at Yohoa Lake – 30 Lemps

Guided Tour of waterfall – 25 Lemps

Night stay for 6 at Yohoa Lake – 750 Lemps

Call to the U.S. – 2 Lemps per minute

Stamp to send letter to U.S. – 25 Lemps

Loaf of freshly baked artisan bread – 25 Lemps

Lunch at a food stall on the street - 25 Lemps

Daily walk around allowance of PC trainee – 55 Lem

Here is another picture from training. This one was a business trip to a local farm here in Santa Lucia. This farmer grew lettuce, cabbage and corn, and we talked about problems and challenges he encountered. (This photo is courtesy of our friend Cliff).