I just got back from the grocery store and had to write about a new first I just experienced.

I was stopped by the police. There are checkpoints with traffic police at various points along the highway. I always pass through them holding my breath and saying a prayer. They are typically just random stops, unless there is something noticable peculiar about your vehicle. But I am always afraid of the communication required, and there are bribes and other things that I hear of happening. So this afternoon I thought I would run to the store (had I known that 3/4th of Comayagua was going to be at the grocery store today I would have skipped it)....

I went on the road behind my house, and for some reason there were some police parked on the road, and had one truck stopped with several Honduan men sitting on the side of the road. And here comes the policeman into the road in front of me waving me over.

He came to my window and said...something I have know idea what! But I do know that your registration to your car is very important and must be with your vehicle at all times, so I reached into my glove box and pulled it out and gave it to him. He then says in his meanest gruffest voice "licensia, licensia"....he wants my license...so I pull it out and tell him and in the best Spanish I can choke out I tell him "I am sorry, I only know a little Spanish".....He looks at my license and asks "Americano?".... "Si"....

He walks around my car, checking my license plates, then comes back and hands me my documents then tells me to put on my seatbelt....

Oh no!!! That could be a problem - my seat belt only works sometimes. So I am praying please God let my seat belt work, because not wearing your seatbelt is a fine....I pulled on it and sure enough the belt came out long enough to buckle....oh yea!!! I put it on, rolled up my window and proceeded down the road.

It isn't that big of a deal....just one of those things you never know what will happen, and the whole language thing makes dealing with officials scarey to me.

But thankfully I survived... and I now have my first traffic stop over with ..... I am sure it won't be the last I ever have, but hopefully I won't have another for a long time!