Air Quality and Environmental Health in Comayagüela: An Illustrator's Sketchbook of Grit

i came here chasing ochre sunsets over tin roofs but ended up drawing exhaust fumes instead. let me tell you-Comayagüela smells like burnt plastic dreams and diesel-flavored hope. this week’s weather? imagine god left a sweaty gym sock over the twin cities (shoutout to Tegucigalpa clinging nearby like a jealous sibling). rent’s dirt-cheap though-$180/month gets you a room where the walls sweat more than a *pupusa vendor at noon.

"they say the Choluteca River runs brown from regret. last month some kids tried fishing there-caught three condoms and a Nokia." - drunk abuelo at Mercado San Isidro

air quality index hit 156 last tuesday (that’s "unhealthy" for normies, "character-building" for locals). data nerds claim industrial zones near Toncontín Airport pump out more drama than telenovelas.

"don’t hang laundry outside unless you want free tie-dye courtesy of La Granja factories" - woman selling tamales wrapped in yesterday’s newspaper

survival tips from my sketchbook: - carry Vicks VapoRub like it’s holy water (snort it when bus fumes hit) - night walks = free exfoliation via airborne grit - want greenery? drive 90 mins to La Tigra National Park or catch fumes to San Pedro Sula if you’re desperate

locals warned me about the zona viva* after dark but honestly, 3am coughs sound creepier. job market’s rough-my hostel mate Pedro sells homemade cough syrup as a side hustle (rave reviews on this sketchy Facebook group). still… sunsets here bruise the sky magenta through smog. worth it? ask my inhaler. /end rant confused? check backpacker horror stories here | where to eat without dying (probably)

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