Trying to make a call

We were asked the other day what has been the most surprising thing for us during this time of transition. My answer was, obtaining a Honduran phone number.

My first trip to Honduras in 2023, I bought a physical sim card in the airport and added data and minutes as needed. Super easy, no hassle. When we returned in 2024, I tried to use that same sim card, but for some reason, maybe even user-error it did not work. So the plan was to start fresh with a new Honduran e-sim, while importing my US number to google voice.

I will spare the details, but that definitely did not go as planned...on multiple different levels. After a fair amount of research, we had decided on the cell-service provider and even the plan we wanted. During a trip into La Ceiba we stopped by the store. I grabbed a number and waited for my turn, only for them to respond to my request with no. No we can not sell you an e-sim. Only a Honduran national can open a new cell line. So I took my US passport and left still without my Honduran phone number. Fast forward. We returned to the store with Michael (a hospital employee, and friend who lives in La Ceiba) to attempt the purchase once again. I had to almost laugh when they again responded to Michael that no they could not sell him an e-sim. The rules had recently just changed again, and they weren't sure if Michael could be a stand in for me, willing as he was to take responsibility for this new cell number. It had been multiple months now trying to get a Honduran phone number, with multiple trips to the store and hours on line researching. I wasn't sure what Honduras was expecting us to do next. And for this I found the whole situation so nonsensical it was humorous. Thankfully Michael did as well and was able to reason enough with the employees that they went ahead with the process. And it was a process...

After approximately an hour of them going through paper work they finally had a contract for Michael to sign. In the picture above, he is in the process of signing AND finger-printing every sheet of the five page contract for this new cell line. When they pulled out the ink pad for him to finger-print the pages I whispered to Jake he had to get a picture... just to commemorate the moment.

So after two months I finally have an e-sim and a Honduran phone number. Although technically the account is under Michael's name. At least until our residency goes through, at which point we can make yet another trip to the store for them to switch owner of the account. Yes, we are very much looking forward to spending more time in the Claro store.

To add even further hilarity to the above, Jake and I made an unplanned trip into La Ceiba early Thursday morning to apply for an RTN number for Jake. Lord willing, we will be making a trip to San Pedro Sula this coming week to finalize the import of the Exploder 2.0 (our temporary import expires next month). In order to import the vehicle, we will need to pay import tax, and in order to do that we need a tax number, which is the RTN. So we gathered what documents we were told we would need, then asked around for what additional documents we were need. And then of course made triple copies of all documents. We arrived early in order to wait in line for the Income office to open in La Ceiba Thursday morning. We dutifully took our number #003 and waited for it to be called. I challenged Jake to go up by himself when the number was called, which he did. Begrudgingly, but he did it! And in about 5 minutes he stood up from the little window he was at with RTN in hand.

The requirement of what seems to be your first-born as payment for a new cell line; yet a government ID number is handed out like candy. The contrast is so extreme and unexpected to our perspective. I'm sure it won't be the last cultural transition bump we hit. What an interesting ride.

Much Love.