After having spent two years living and working in San Martin Jilotepeque, Chimaltenango, Guatemala, I now call it home. It has been a tremendous two years, many things, good and bad, have happened! I have experienced numerous things I never thought I would get to do but I have also experienced difficulties. Through it all I have been extremely content with my life, it has been full of friendship, love, laughter, heartache and pain but realizing that my life can be full and rich with no more than a cinder block house, a cement floor, running water for an hour a day and less than $300 a month was the ultimate experience.
As I say good bye to the place and the people that have become my home and family, I am reflecting on what I have learned, how I have changed and what I have experienced. The following are some of things I have learned…
Patience
Humility
Genuine Generosity
Loneliness
Happiness
Needs vs. Wants
Coffee grows on a tree
Friendships transcend cultural differences
I love doing laundry by hand
Cooking
A love of fresh fruits and vegetables
Nothing is ever as it seems
To relax (most of the time)
Spanish
I am not always right (hehe)
Some things I have done…
Hiked a volcano and felt the heat of flowing lava
Ran a marathon
Picked, processed, roasted and ground coffee
Hike for three days in the mountains of Guatemala
Went to Panama and Honduras
Scaled ancient Mayan temples at Tikal
Burned my feet on the black volcanic sand of the Guatemalan beaches
Pooped my pants
Built 15 improved wood burning stoves (with the help of family and friends)
Formed some amazing friendship (with both volunteers and Guatemalans)
How have I changed:
This may come as a surprise but I have become much more laid back…I can go with the flow more often than not! I have realized that you live one life and you should do the things you want to do. Family and friends are the most important thing in life and nothing should stand in the way of that! Simplicity has given me a rare gift, the gift of being content. Over the last two years there have been very few things that I have desired or lusted after. Although my shower wasn’t always hot, at least I had a shower. Although my toilet didn’t always flush at least it wasn’t a latrine. Although my clothes were always damp and musty during the rainy season at least they were clean. There are a lot more “althoughs” so I guess what I am trying to say is that I have learned the difference between a want and a need. I want a hot shower or I want a flushable toilet but I need other things more. I am a different person than when I came but I wonder how this different person will fit into life in the States!
There are a number of things I am going to miss:
Tortillas – the intoxicating sound of women making tortillas
Beans
The kids I have watched learn to walk and talk
Drunk guy on the corner by my house
Market days
Fijase que – expression used to prefaces something bad
Saber – Who knows
Puliki (sp?) – the best food in the world
My brother, sisters, and my host mom and dad- they are amazing, loving and generous people
Someone driving me everywhere – aka the bus drivers
My volunteer friends who remain, Candy, Rachel and Kate – you have been amazing friends Thank you
All of the women who became my friends and confidants- to you I am truly grateful
The parties everyone throws for anything and everything
Running on the dirt roads outside of town
What I have to learn again:
How to use utensils – a tortilla is not longer going to be my fork, spoon and knife
Chu chu is not an except able form of communication
I cannot wag my finger at someone to tell them NO
No longer can I go three days without a shower
To throw toliet paper in the toliet
I must wear clothes that do not have holes in them
I can no longer speak Spanglish
I cannot talk in circles until someone understands my point
I can no longer be an hour late and still be early
No longer is reading a book in my hammock an expectable form of work
The lists can go on and on but this gives you some idea of what has happened over the last two years. Thank you to all who have read my blog, written me emails, facebooked me or have kept me in your thoughts, it means more to me than I can express.
I hope that you all have learned something about Guatemala and Peace Corps through my blogs. Although many of my entries have been uninspired I hope that each of you find your own way to contribute to the great global good, through service within your own community or in other communities across the nation and world.
I remember people telling me that when you leave you will feel like you have gained more than you have done…I always wondered if that was going to be true for me but it is! I have received more kindness, love, friendship and knowledge than I could have ever hoped to give. It is truly amazing how someplace so different can become so right, a place to call home.
As I board the plane tomorrow I know I will be excited but right now it feels like I am leaving my home, San Martin Jilotepeque, Guatemala.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Running, Running, Running
I completed one of my life goals two weeks ago…I ran a marathon. I really ran it, no walking, not say I didn’t want to! The marathon was in Panama City, Panama. It was hot and humid even at the 5 am start. It was not a very big marathon but it was a great first marathon. There were a lot of international runners, including some Peace Corps volunteers from Costa Rica. My friend Rachel, who convinced me to run in the first place, started out together but got separated for most of the race which was a bummer. The first 30 km or 18 miles were ok, I felt good and kept a pretty good pace. Mile 19 I hit what they call the Wall, it was about 9 am and the temperature was rising, the roads were not blocked off that well so I was dodging cars, buses, all the rush hour traffic you would expect in a big city. There were few people along the last 6 miles so it was hard to keep going. Even though there were water stops every km I was so dehydrated that my joints started to hurt. I have never been so glad to finish anything in my life….but I have to say I cannot wait to do it again. It is addicting, wanting to know if you can beat your time, what is another course like, etc.!
There was a surprise waiting my friend and I at the end of the race…we placed 9th for international women! YAY! Now that will be hard to beat!
Panama City, is like no other place in Central America. It has the feeling of a major city in the United States, high rises, lots of cars, major shopping malls, and you can drink water from the tap along with flushing your toilet paper, weird!
I trained for 4 months, running almost everyday! I am known in my town as the gringa that runs. I have numerous people who come up to me and ask me if I am going to run today or why I run. It is one of the most difficult things to explain to Guatemalans, that I like to run for fun because most of think I am nuts! It is funny though because I feel like I know the people along my running routes even though we only exchange good mornings or adios!
The last couple of months have been crazy…my cooperative final became legal, I went to the Bay Islands Honduras, my parents visited and I am down to about two months left, WOW, time flies! I am going to try to update my blog as best as I can from the last few months.
There was a surprise waiting my friend and I at the end of the race…we placed 9th for international women! YAY! Now that will be hard to beat!
Panama City, is like no other place in Central America. It has the feeling of a major city in the United States, high rises, lots of cars, major shopping malls, and you can drink water from the tap along with flushing your toilet paper, weird!
I trained for 4 months, running almost everyday! I am known in my town as the gringa that runs. I have numerous people who come up to me and ask me if I am going to run today or why I run. It is one of the most difficult things to explain to Guatemalans, that I like to run for fun because most of think I am nuts! It is funny though because I feel like I know the people along my running routes even though we only exchange good mornings or adios!
The last couple of months have been crazy…my cooperative final became legal, I went to the Bay Islands Honduras, my parents visited and I am down to about two months left, WOW, time flies! I am going to try to update my blog as best as I can from the last few months.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Carolyn's Visit
Last week I welcomed one of my best friends, Carolyn, to Guatemala! It is amazing what friendships can endure. We had not seen each other for almost 22 months but once she got here it seemed like we had never been apart or that our lives had not dramatically changed over the last two years.
We did the normal tour of Guatemala, the lake, Antigua, my site…but it never ceases to amaze me how each person sees the same things so differently. Each person has things that fascinate them or are more perceptive of certain things. I felt at times like a bad host because things seem so normal to me that I forget to explain to my guest what is going on or what to do. For example I just assume everyone knows how a chicken bus works. You get on, sit down and wait for the guy to pass by so you can pay him. Or how do you know which buses to take. But I rationalize that it is just like moving to a new city, you figure it out and that is that, the only difference is the language.
We had a great time sightseeing, hanging out and catching up. Although I have loved my time in the Peace Corps and would never change my decision for anything, I am ready to get back to the United States so that I am able to have my family and friends back in my life on a regular basis. Thanks for coming Carolyn, it meant a lot to be able to share my experience with you!
We did the normal tour of Guatemala, the lake, Antigua, my site…but it never ceases to amaze me how each person sees the same things so differently. Each person has things that fascinate them or are more perceptive of certain things. I felt at times like a bad host because things seem so normal to me that I forget to explain to my guest what is going on or what to do. For example I just assume everyone knows how a chicken bus works. You get on, sit down and wait for the guy to pass by so you can pay him. Or how do you know which buses to take. But I rationalize that it is just like moving to a new city, you figure it out and that is that, the only difference is the language.
We had a great time sightseeing, hanging out and catching up. Although I have loved my time in the Peace Corps and would never change my decision for anything, I am ready to get back to the United States so that I am able to have my family and friends back in my life on a regular basis. Thanks for coming Carolyn, it meant a lot to be able to share my experience with you!
Cheese
One of the many advantages of serving in Guatemala is the amazing opportunities that we have to see so much of this amazing country. Recently a group of us set out on one of the most amazing hikes I have ever done. We hike the 25 miles between Todo Santos, Huehuetenango and Nebaj, Quiche. The hike took two days and took us through some very remote parts of northwestern Guatemala. We began our hike in an area called the Cumbre, or the peak. It looks like Ireland, or at least what the pictures of Ireland look like. Gently rolling green hills, stone walls, and roaming sheep stretch for as far as the eye can see. The difference is that there is no running water here so you see women carrying loads of water on their heads while their children trail behind with buckets in each hand.
As we wander along the path we came upon little kids who scammered away with looks of terror on their faces and herds of sheep grazing from green patch to green patch. It continues to amazing that in this tiny country, no bigger than Tennessee there can be such a wide variety of landscape and culture. The first day hike entails hiking down one side of a mountain and up the other side. I am not exaggerating when I say mountain, it was a two and half hour hike straight up and by the end I did not think my legs would take me any farther. At the top of the mountain we encountered the weirdest landscape I have ever seen. I would imagine this to be what the world would look like in a sci-fi movie where the world has been deserted for hundreds of years. It was covered with odd rock formations and sporadic trees, giving it an eerie feeling. We hiked for about three hours without passing another human. Knowing you are all alone is a strange feeling, one I don’t think I have ever experienced before!
We spent our first night in a tiny village which consisted of about 10 houses. The nearest road or form of transport was a four hour walk away. The thoughts that kept running through my head were; what if something happens how do they get medical attention, how do they get food all the way out here, I can barely carry my basket of food a half a mile from the market to my house and what do you do for fun. I have to say that I have been in some pretty poor homes but the house where we ate dinner has to the poorest I have ever seen. Even after almost two years of working and living here it still amazes me how people endure.
The second day began with breakfast atop a beautiful lookout over the mountains and valleys that surrounded us. As we descended from our beautiful out look the landscape and environment changed dramatically. No longer were we in the barren waste land but surrounded by lush vegetation and wildlife. As came to the bottom and observed where we had come from I felt an amazing sense of accomplishment. For me this has been a rare feeling over the last year. Although I know I have accomplished something here the fact that the work is never done makes it hard to feel like you have accomplished something. I hope that in the end I can look back say that I feel like I did something!
At the end of the hike there is a wonderful little hotel that makes its own cheese so we settled in for a lovely leisure lunch. As you know I had to buy a pound of this amazing cheese because if there is one thing I truly miss is great cheese!
As we wander along the path we came upon little kids who scammered away with looks of terror on their faces and herds of sheep grazing from green patch to green patch. It continues to amazing that in this tiny country, no bigger than Tennessee there can be such a wide variety of landscape and culture. The first day hike entails hiking down one side of a mountain and up the other side. I am not exaggerating when I say mountain, it was a two and half hour hike straight up and by the end I did not think my legs would take me any farther. At the top of the mountain we encountered the weirdest landscape I have ever seen. I would imagine this to be what the world would look like in a sci-fi movie where the world has been deserted for hundreds of years. It was covered with odd rock formations and sporadic trees, giving it an eerie feeling. We hiked for about three hours without passing another human. Knowing you are all alone is a strange feeling, one I don’t think I have ever experienced before!
We spent our first night in a tiny village which consisted of about 10 houses. The nearest road or form of transport was a four hour walk away. The thoughts that kept running through my head were; what if something happens how do they get medical attention, how do they get food all the way out here, I can barely carry my basket of food a half a mile from the market to my house and what do you do for fun. I have to say that I have been in some pretty poor homes but the house where we ate dinner has to the poorest I have ever seen. Even after almost two years of working and living here it still amazes me how people endure.
The second day began with breakfast atop a beautiful lookout over the mountains and valleys that surrounded us. As we descended from our beautiful out look the landscape and environment changed dramatically. No longer were we in the barren waste land but surrounded by lush vegetation and wildlife. As came to the bottom and observed where we had come from I felt an amazing sense of accomplishment. For me this has been a rare feeling over the last year. Although I know I have accomplished something here the fact that the work is never done makes it hard to feel like you have accomplished something. I hope that in the end I can look back say that I feel like I did something!
At the end of the hike there is a wonderful little hotel that makes its own cheese so we settled in for a lovely leisure lunch. As you know I had to buy a pound of this amazing cheese because if there is one thing I truly miss is great cheese!
What you could miss....
I think last month was the first time in 22 months that I have been here that I did not make a post. I want to think that I have good reason but in all honesty I don’t. So here is the update…
Winter is in full swing here. Yes, you geography buffs don´t start to question your knowledge, Guatemala is in the northern hemisphere but we only have two seasons, rainy and dry, instead of the glorious four you find in most of the United States. The rainy season, or winter, came about a month early this year. To relate this to terms most might understand it is like it snowing in early October in the Midwest, ahhh. I normally do not like the rainy season but this last dry season was so dry that by the end I was suffocating on the dust.
This past month was rather busy with work and pleasure. I finished more stoves, went on a 25 mile hike through the mountains of Huehuetenango and Quiche, had the first General Assembly of the cooperative and had one of my best friends visit from the States. Throughout the next few blogs I will catch you up with all of my activities.
Finishing the stoves was a great feeling. All the women who I am close with now have brand new, smoke free kitchens which leaves me feeling elated. I came here thinking I was going to help change the world but soon realized that it was impossible to change the world but it was possible to make a difference in a few lives Through these stoves, with the help you, my family and friends, I have been able to make a difference in a few families lives. I believe that the helping of another person brings one of the purest forms of happiness known in this world. Learning to give myself for the benefit of another is something that has truly had an impact on the way I view the world and myself. Realizing that no matter how much education one has or how much knowledge one has acquired the experience of putting yourself in another shoes is more valuable than anything a book or classroom can teach you. Open yourself up to what the world has to offer because if you don’t you might just miss something that can change your life!
Winter is in full swing here. Yes, you geography buffs don´t start to question your knowledge, Guatemala is in the northern hemisphere but we only have two seasons, rainy and dry, instead of the glorious four you find in most of the United States. The rainy season, or winter, came about a month early this year. To relate this to terms most might understand it is like it snowing in early October in the Midwest, ahhh. I normally do not like the rainy season but this last dry season was so dry that by the end I was suffocating on the dust.
This past month was rather busy with work and pleasure. I finished more stoves, went on a 25 mile hike through the mountains of Huehuetenango and Quiche, had the first General Assembly of the cooperative and had one of my best friends visit from the States. Throughout the next few blogs I will catch you up with all of my activities.
Finishing the stoves was a great feeling. All the women who I am close with now have brand new, smoke free kitchens which leaves me feeling elated. I came here thinking I was going to help change the world but soon realized that it was impossible to change the world but it was possible to make a difference in a few lives Through these stoves, with the help you, my family and friends, I have been able to make a difference in a few families lives. I believe that the helping of another person brings one of the purest forms of happiness known in this world. Learning to give myself for the benefit of another is something that has truly had an impact on the way I view the world and myself. Realizing that no matter how much education one has or how much knowledge one has acquired the experience of putting yourself in another shoes is more valuable than anything a book or classroom can teach you. Open yourself up to what the world has to offer because if you don’t you might just miss something that can change your life!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
This is life...
It seems to be getting harder and harder to find something to talk about in my blog. I have a few theories on this, first my life is utterly non-interesting and I have nothing to talk about. Second, my life feels normal so I cannot distinguish the things that I think my family and friends would find interest. And third, I don’t think that people would be interested in my realizations about life. Of course that is exactly what I am going to talk about, kind of!
All in all life has been good. The board of directors I have been working with are really starting to come around. They are starting to understand the ideas and concepts that are going to make them successful. And they have finally realized that I do know what I am talking about and not just pulling ideas out of thin air. For example, we had a meeting with the NGO that is helping us legalize the cooperative and half way through the meeting one the guys raised his hand and told the dude giving the presentation that they already had covered this and discussed it with me and that they would like to move on to something else. It almost keeled over I was in such shock.
I have started two more stoves which is always fun because it means I actually have a full days work, I am a 9 to 5er now! Honestly it is the best thing I ever decided to do because you really get to know the women and their families in a way that you never can with a two hour meeting. When you are there all day you begin to see all of the petty things that make life, life. For example, the brother and sister who cannot be in the same room together without fighting, or the supportive husband who is always working during the meetings or how the young daughter’s husband ran off to the States never to be heard from again. It is amazing the conversations that while you are working. It is incredible, but things come up that are also hard to take.
I realized that they really enjoy working with me and like me but they also just see me as someone who can get things for them. I explained to the women that the stoves were only available for the women who attended the meetings on a regular basis and no one else. At lunch yesterday one of my women’s cousin had come to help, great, but then she proceeded to plead a case why he needed a stove too. I wanted to scream because I really thought we were over that stage of our relationship but obviously we never will be. It disheartens me to realize that as much as I think of them as friends we really aren’t and probably won’t be. That sucks, but life goes on….
All in all life has been good. The board of directors I have been working with are really starting to come around. They are starting to understand the ideas and concepts that are going to make them successful. And they have finally realized that I do know what I am talking about and not just pulling ideas out of thin air. For example, we had a meeting with the NGO that is helping us legalize the cooperative and half way through the meeting one the guys raised his hand and told the dude giving the presentation that they already had covered this and discussed it with me and that they would like to move on to something else. It almost keeled over I was in such shock.
I have started two more stoves which is always fun because it means I actually have a full days work, I am a 9 to 5er now! Honestly it is the best thing I ever decided to do because you really get to know the women and their families in a way that you never can with a two hour meeting. When you are there all day you begin to see all of the petty things that make life, life. For example, the brother and sister who cannot be in the same room together without fighting, or the supportive husband who is always working during the meetings or how the young daughter’s husband ran off to the States never to be heard from again. It is amazing the conversations that while you are working. It is incredible, but things come up that are also hard to take.
I realized that they really enjoy working with me and like me but they also just see me as someone who can get things for them. I explained to the women that the stoves were only available for the women who attended the meetings on a regular basis and no one else. At lunch yesterday one of my women’s cousin had come to help, great, but then she proceeded to plead a case why he needed a stove too. I wanted to scream because I really thought we were over that stage of our relationship but obviously we never will be. It disheartens me to realize that as much as I think of them as friends we really aren’t and probably won’t be. That sucks, but life goes on….
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
I cannot believe it...
It has been awhile since I updated my blog but it has been pretty boring here lately. Work has been slow and uneventful and well we all know my social life is non existent. But there has been a couple of “I cannot believe it” moments recently.
I have said it before but I cannot get over the wealth disparity here. I know it exists everywhere but it is just amazing clear here. For example, last week I was working in a new community and the women who showed up to the meeting were not wearing shoes. I mean I am not sure if they just didn’t wear shoes or they didn’t have any shoes to wear (I have learned to stop asking these sorts of questions because the answer is normally who knows or saber, as we say here). A couple of days later I am in Antigua at a procession where I see these 14 or 15 year old girls wearing $200 plus jeans standing next to people who have holes in their clothes. It blows me away that one day I am working with people who cannot even afford shoes and the next I am watching as the two worlds collide. CRAZY!
I have come a conclusion about development work, it is going to continue to be a long struggle until the education systems improve. In Guatemala the students are in school for only five hours a day, two of which is probably spent actually doing school work. The other three hours they are either having recess, cleaning, working on things for the big party they are having that month or just sitting in the classroom doing nothing while the teachers have meetings or talk on their cell phones (yes, the teachers here will answer their cell phones in the middle of teaching)! I love the work that I am doing but I have to say that the most frustrating thing is the lack of critical thinking skills. Many times unless I spell out exactly what I want to get across then it is lost on people. For example, I am currently trying to facilitate the development of the Cooperative that we are forming. I have been working on the procedure manual, when the meetings will be conducted, how long a president serves, what are the rights and obligations of the members and so forth. During these meetings I try to ask open ended questions to get them thinking about things but many times this does not work. They can’t seem to grasp the question unless it is a direct one with a clear answer so this has lead me to my conclusion that so much development work could be improved if the education systems were improved.
Another example is with my English class that I have started to teach. For homework I assigned five sentences in Spanish that they had to translate to English. They had all the information in their lessons, all the verb conjugations, the vocab and the articles that were needed to complete the homework. I got to class yesterday and none of them had done it because they couldn’t find the answers in the lesson. I explained to them that the sentences where not in the homework but that they had to use the knowledge and information in the lessons to translate the sentences. You would have thought I was speaking French because they just stared at me and told me they didn’t know how to do that. I almost fell out of my chair. Maybe I am being a little harsh but I really believe that until the education system improves it is going to be very hard for the development work to achieve its goal!
This past Sunday, Domingo de Ramas or Palm Sunday, marked the beginning of Semana Santa or Holy Week. This means that no one works, the kids do not have school and I have nothing to do. It also means that there are beautiful processions and delicious food. This past Sunday San Martin hosted a massive Youth festival for kids all over Chimaltenango and Solola, 10,000 people to be exact. All I have to say is that I was up at 5 am because of all the noise, I could barely get out of my house to go to the market and I have never felt so out of place in my life. My sitemante, Candy, and I decided to check out this massive festival which was held at the soccer stadium and let’s just say I never want to experience that again. Most people in San Martin have seen us and are use to us but the other 9,000 people gawked at us like we were aliens from another planet who showed up for the party! But what are you going to do but stare at the tall girl with curly hair and the blond, blue eyed chick, we are aliens!
I have said it before but I cannot get over the wealth disparity here. I know it exists everywhere but it is just amazing clear here. For example, last week I was working in a new community and the women who showed up to the meeting were not wearing shoes. I mean I am not sure if they just didn’t wear shoes or they didn’t have any shoes to wear (I have learned to stop asking these sorts of questions because the answer is normally who knows or saber, as we say here). A couple of days later I am in Antigua at a procession where I see these 14 or 15 year old girls wearing $200 plus jeans standing next to people who have holes in their clothes. It blows me away that one day I am working with people who cannot even afford shoes and the next I am watching as the two worlds collide. CRAZY!
I have come a conclusion about development work, it is going to continue to be a long struggle until the education systems improve. In Guatemala the students are in school for only five hours a day, two of which is probably spent actually doing school work. The other three hours they are either having recess, cleaning, working on things for the big party they are having that month or just sitting in the classroom doing nothing while the teachers have meetings or talk on their cell phones (yes, the teachers here will answer their cell phones in the middle of teaching)! I love the work that I am doing but I have to say that the most frustrating thing is the lack of critical thinking skills. Many times unless I spell out exactly what I want to get across then it is lost on people. For example, I am currently trying to facilitate the development of the Cooperative that we are forming. I have been working on the procedure manual, when the meetings will be conducted, how long a president serves, what are the rights and obligations of the members and so forth. During these meetings I try to ask open ended questions to get them thinking about things but many times this does not work. They can’t seem to grasp the question unless it is a direct one with a clear answer so this has lead me to my conclusion that so much development work could be improved if the education systems were improved.
Another example is with my English class that I have started to teach. For homework I assigned five sentences in Spanish that they had to translate to English. They had all the information in their lessons, all the verb conjugations, the vocab and the articles that were needed to complete the homework. I got to class yesterday and none of them had done it because they couldn’t find the answers in the lesson. I explained to them that the sentences where not in the homework but that they had to use the knowledge and information in the lessons to translate the sentences. You would have thought I was speaking French because they just stared at me and told me they didn’t know how to do that. I almost fell out of my chair. Maybe I am being a little harsh but I really believe that until the education system improves it is going to be very hard for the development work to achieve its goal!
This past Sunday, Domingo de Ramas or Palm Sunday, marked the beginning of Semana Santa or Holy Week. This means that no one works, the kids do not have school and I have nothing to do. It also means that there are beautiful processions and delicious food. This past Sunday San Martin hosted a massive Youth festival for kids all over Chimaltenango and Solola, 10,000 people to be exact. All I have to say is that I was up at 5 am because of all the noise, I could barely get out of my house to go to the market and I have never felt so out of place in my life. My sitemante, Candy, and I decided to check out this massive festival which was held at the soccer stadium and let’s just say I never want to experience that again. Most people in San Martin have seen us and are use to us but the other 9,000 people gawked at us like we were aliens from another planet who showed up for the party! But what are you going to do but stare at the tall girl with curly hair and the blond, blue eyed chick, we are aliens!
Friday, February 20, 2009
Yummy
We are approaching my favorite time of year in Guatemala…mango and avocado season! I heart mangos! I really have no idea what I will do when I cannot eat a fresh mango for breakfast, again for lunch and as dessert for dinner. I had never tried a mango before coming to Guatemala. Even if I had I don’t think that buying one in a grocery store in Indiana would have prepared me for the deliciousness of the mangos in Guatemala. I will admit I have become incredibly spoiled with the fresh fruit that is readily available everyday in the market. I have honestly asked myself if the fruit will be as good if it has to travel thousands of miles and days to reach my kitchen, will I ever enjoy fruit like this again!?
Avocados…I think I could end my paragraph with that one word. I do not know one Peace Corps volunteer who does not wait for this time of year. Guacamole galore! Avocados are so cheap here sometimes I feel bad paying so little for them…just for a moment! Today I bought six for Q3 which is roughly, $0.36. Now for those of you who buy avocados in the states you know that getting one for a dollar is a pretty good deal (at least in Chicago/Indiana), this is the reason I feel bad (a little I said) for only paying $0.36 for six! But for how bad I feel, I still haggle for the cheapest price I can get (where is the fun if you don’t haggle!).
If you couldn’t tell my life revolves around the seasons of food. Along with mango and avocado season it is lettuce season followed by apple and jocote (a fruit here in Guatemala)! But really my life is divided into two parts, rainy season and dry season! It is funny because I think that right now, the next month or so, is my favorite weather while, June and July are the prettiest times. Right now, the weather is just starting to get really warm (as in my clothes dry in two hours). The cloudless sky and is an amazing color of light blue that when you look at long enough begins to look almost fake. It is that time of year when you plan your day around sun because if you go anywhere midday you will be smelly when you get to where you are going, so that means market, work or errands first thing in the morning, with the rest of the day for what nots around the house or office. The only draw back of this time of year is that everything is turning brown because we are coming into the last few month of the dry season. It is ugly, dusty and downright blah! But I have got to say, I still love it!
Work has been interesting lately. I have been focusing this month on working with the Board of Directors for the new cooperative that is forming. This week I gave a talk on how to set goals, how to achieve those goals, and why planning is important. When they first wanted me to give this talk I thought they were joking, really you need someone how to teach you to make a goal and a plan, but in reality, yea they needed my guidance. The setting of the goals for the first year was quick but deciding on the actions needed to reach those goals was another thing. They had a hard time understanding why setting a goal wasn’t good enough, why the needed objectives stating how they would achieve the goals. I had a hard time explaining this because I never realized how I automatically make goals along with objectives on how to reach those goals. It was one of those experiences where I could look at the education system in the United States and say, thanks, you did a great job!
Avocados…I think I could end my paragraph with that one word. I do not know one Peace Corps volunteer who does not wait for this time of year. Guacamole galore! Avocados are so cheap here sometimes I feel bad paying so little for them…just for a moment! Today I bought six for Q3 which is roughly, $0.36. Now for those of you who buy avocados in the states you know that getting one for a dollar is a pretty good deal (at least in Chicago/Indiana), this is the reason I feel bad (a little I said) for only paying $0.36 for six! But for how bad I feel, I still haggle for the cheapest price I can get (where is the fun if you don’t haggle!).
If you couldn’t tell my life revolves around the seasons of food. Along with mango and avocado season it is lettuce season followed by apple and jocote (a fruit here in Guatemala)! But really my life is divided into two parts, rainy season and dry season! It is funny because I think that right now, the next month or so, is my favorite weather while, June and July are the prettiest times. Right now, the weather is just starting to get really warm (as in my clothes dry in two hours). The cloudless sky and is an amazing color of light blue that when you look at long enough begins to look almost fake. It is that time of year when you plan your day around sun because if you go anywhere midday you will be smelly when you get to where you are going, so that means market, work or errands first thing in the morning, with the rest of the day for what nots around the house or office. The only draw back of this time of year is that everything is turning brown because we are coming into the last few month of the dry season. It is ugly, dusty and downright blah! But I have got to say, I still love it!
Work has been interesting lately. I have been focusing this month on working with the Board of Directors for the new cooperative that is forming. This week I gave a talk on how to set goals, how to achieve those goals, and why planning is important. When they first wanted me to give this talk I thought they were joking, really you need someone how to teach you to make a goal and a plan, but in reality, yea they needed my guidance. The setting of the goals for the first year was quick but deciding on the actions needed to reach those goals was another thing. They had a hard time understanding why setting a goal wasn’t good enough, why the needed objectives stating how they would achieve the goals. I had a hard time explaining this because I never realized how I automatically make goals along with objectives on how to reach those goals. It was one of those experiences where I could look at the education system in the United States and say, thanks, you did a great job!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Home, Sweet, Home
I have finally settled in after my long Christmas break. I have to say it feels amazing to be back! The following is going to make my mom cringe but honestly this feels like home now, surprising right! The smells, the noise, the food, the people, everything felt like I was coming home. I never thought, even six months ago, that I would ever think about San Martin as “home” but honestly I was ready to come back. I was ready to see my friends again, slept in my bed again, go to the market and to get to hangout with my women’s group!
As most of you know I was (I still am) raising money for a stove project. I am happy to announce that out of the first eight, we have completed three. It was an amazing project to take part in. Everyone in the family got involved, the kids would help carry the supplies, the women would mix the cement and help lay the brick while the men would help teach the women how to use a level or how to wet the brick before so it doesn’t soak up all the water. It was amazing to watch the women go from timid and unbelieving in their abilities to taking charge and helping each other while we stood by and watched. If I have achieved nothing before this and achieve nothing after this I would still think that my Peace Corps service was a success for the sheer fact that those women, even if for a day, felt they were equal to the task of men!
It is incredible how fast word travels in a small town (much like rumors fly in high school). By the second week of the project 10 other people from the community had inquired about how to get a stove. This is one of the hard things about Peace Corps, limited funding. I had to tell them that I only had enough for these women but that I could provide a materials list along with instructions but also that three masons had learned how to build them so they could inquire with them. As much as I would like to give everyone who needs one a stove I feel that teaching the women and men how to build them is more sustainable than continually giving the stoves away. The more active part someone takes in building a better future for themselves and their family the more of sense of pride and achievement they feel.
This project has also brought me closer with the women I have been working with. When you spend a whole day 8 am to 6 pm with a family you begin to see who they are. I learned that most of the women, contrary to popular belief, want to know more about birth control and that many of the women watched their brothers, parents, and friends slaughtered in front of them during the war and I also learned that they have a long list of suitors lined up for me to meet (because I have to marry a Guatemalan so that I will stay here with them)! The generosity of Guatemalans is extraordinary. They would make my friends and me huge lunches that probably stretched the family budget for the week. In one instance, the program director of my friends came to visit to check out the project and they would not let him leave without having lunch. The “amable” or kindness that they show towards strangers has made me re-evaluate the kind of person I thought I was and the kind of person I want to be. I hope that one day I can invite people into my home and share with them the way that the Guatemalan women have shared with me.
As I enter into my final nine months of service, I realize the things I am going to miss the most are the things that I was the most scared of in the beginning. I was scared to live life without, now I am scared to live in a society of continuous wanting. I was scared that I would not be accepted, now I am scared I will never be accepted for just being me. I was scared I would never be able to survive without my family and friends, now I am scared I will forget how lucky I am to have those friends and family. I was scared that I would not feel content with life without the constant go, go, go, now I am scared that I will never feel this kind of contentment with my life again.
As most of you know I was (I still am) raising money for a stove project. I am happy to announce that out of the first eight, we have completed three. It was an amazing project to take part in. Everyone in the family got involved, the kids would help carry the supplies, the women would mix the cement and help lay the brick while the men would help teach the women how to use a level or how to wet the brick before so it doesn’t soak up all the water. It was amazing to watch the women go from timid and unbelieving in their abilities to taking charge and helping each other while we stood by and watched. If I have achieved nothing before this and achieve nothing after this I would still think that my Peace Corps service was a success for the sheer fact that those women, even if for a day, felt they were equal to the task of men!
It is incredible how fast word travels in a small town (much like rumors fly in high school). By the second week of the project 10 other people from the community had inquired about how to get a stove. This is one of the hard things about Peace Corps, limited funding. I had to tell them that I only had enough for these women but that I could provide a materials list along with instructions but also that three masons had learned how to build them so they could inquire with them. As much as I would like to give everyone who needs one a stove I feel that teaching the women and men how to build them is more sustainable than continually giving the stoves away. The more active part someone takes in building a better future for themselves and their family the more of sense of pride and achievement they feel.
This project has also brought me closer with the women I have been working with. When you spend a whole day 8 am to 6 pm with a family you begin to see who they are. I learned that most of the women, contrary to popular belief, want to know more about birth control and that many of the women watched their brothers, parents, and friends slaughtered in front of them during the war and I also learned that they have a long list of suitors lined up for me to meet (because I have to marry a Guatemalan so that I will stay here with them)! The generosity of Guatemalans is extraordinary. They would make my friends and me huge lunches that probably stretched the family budget for the week. In one instance, the program director of my friends came to visit to check out the project and they would not let him leave without having lunch. The “amable” or kindness that they show towards strangers has made me re-evaluate the kind of person I thought I was and the kind of person I want to be. I hope that one day I can invite people into my home and share with them the way that the Guatemalan women have shared with me.
As I enter into my final nine months of service, I realize the things I am going to miss the most are the things that I was the most scared of in the beginning. I was scared to live life without, now I am scared to live in a society of continuous wanting. I was scared that I would not be accepted, now I am scared I will never be accepted for just being me. I was scared I would never be able to survive without my family and friends, now I am scared I will forget how lucky I am to have those friends and family. I was scared that I would not feel content with life without the constant go, go, go, now I am scared that I will never feel this kind of contentment with my life again.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
New Years
I am sitting with three best friends right now waiting to celebrate the New Year! We are sharing stories and catching up!!! As much as I love Guatemala I miss my best friends! they are soooo incredible, they make me feel like me! WOW I have the best friends!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Thanksgiving
I cannot believe Thanksgiving has already come and gone, WOW! Sometimes time flies while other times it snails by!
I had an exceptionally great Thanksgiving (for being away from my family). Some of us decided to head down to the beach for some rest and relaxation! I actually felt like I was on vacation, far, far away from Guatemala! The beach was beautiful, clear skies, warm weather, and great people, what more could a girl ask for!
For Thanksgiving dinner, we did really well for being in Guatemala. We had mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, stuffing, pasta salad, broccoli salad, pumpkin cookies, carrot cake, and cranberry muffins, wow, and for the entrée we had grilled Maui Maui, what a way to top off a beach Thanksgiving!
We just lounged and hungout for two days. Played some beach volleyball, watched some baby turtles be released into the ocean and over all a great time hanging out and chatting! I was seriously depressed when I got back to site but life goes on and I am looking forward to December 17, when I get to come home and have another great vacation, only I hope that this one includes SNOW!
Yesterday I went out to my site mates aldea to help with a kids camp that she was putting on. There were about 16 kids who she divided into two groups to do art and sports. I was helping out with the sports end of it, which was fun but hard because there is a whole other set of Spanish words that go with the playground! But we jumped rope and did relay races and then finished up with some basketball! It was great to see the kids just enjoying themselves, with no worries or cares in the world! You don’t see that very often here in Guatemala. Most of the time kids are working with their parents in the fields or girls are taking care of younger brothers and sisters or helping with things around the house. The girls were feisty, they all wore their shorts instead of the corte and you actually can see the difference between personalities when the corte comes off! The girls are much more aggressive without it, so good to see! I hope that they can learn to mix the two personalities, that would make a world of difference one day!
I had an exceptionally great Thanksgiving (for being away from my family). Some of us decided to head down to the beach for some rest and relaxation! I actually felt like I was on vacation, far, far away from Guatemala! The beach was beautiful, clear skies, warm weather, and great people, what more could a girl ask for!
For Thanksgiving dinner, we did really well for being in Guatemala. We had mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, stuffing, pasta salad, broccoli salad, pumpkin cookies, carrot cake, and cranberry muffins, wow, and for the entrée we had grilled Maui Maui, what a way to top off a beach Thanksgiving!
We just lounged and hungout for two days. Played some beach volleyball, watched some baby turtles be released into the ocean and over all a great time hanging out and chatting! I was seriously depressed when I got back to site but life goes on and I am looking forward to December 17, when I get to come home and have another great vacation, only I hope that this one includes SNOW!
Yesterday I went out to my site mates aldea to help with a kids camp that she was putting on. There were about 16 kids who she divided into two groups to do art and sports. I was helping out with the sports end of it, which was fun but hard because there is a whole other set of Spanish words that go with the playground! But we jumped rope and did relay races and then finished up with some basketball! It was great to see the kids just enjoying themselves, with no worries or cares in the world! You don’t see that very often here in Guatemala. Most of the time kids are working with their parents in the fields or girls are taking care of younger brothers and sisters or helping with things around the house. The girls were feisty, they all wore their shorts instead of the corte and you actually can see the difference between personalities when the corte comes off! The girls are much more aggressive without it, so good to see! I hope that they can learn to mix the two personalities, that would make a world of difference one day!
More visitors!
Part 3: A little late but better than nothing!
My crazy month ended with my best friend, Juliane and her mom visiting! It was incredible to see Juliane again, she is the first friend to visit me here and it was exciting to get to share Guatemala with her and her mom, Marlies!
We hit up the normal “hot spots” the lake, Antigua, my site and the volcano. At the lake we took a boat tour, but the wind god was not on our side that day. The waves in the lake were huge. Our boat kept getting air and our butts hurt a lot the next morning! But we got to take in an incredible sunset and great food! Actually the whole trip centered around great food, what a surprise right! While Juliane and Marlies hit up the ruins at Tikal where in true Guatemalan fashion they had a drunken tour guide who continued to get more drunk it seemed as the tour went on, smile and nod moment!
While Jules and her mom were at Tikal, I had more Spanish classes. Now I have to admit something, I am perplexed by Spanish. It is the first time in my life that I cannot just get even the jist (sp?) of something. Normally if someone explains something I might not really understand but I will have a general idea what is suppose to happen but Spanish just really gets me, AH!
We finished off the trip by a visit to my site and a little time in Antigua. It was funny though because Marlies described my house and living situation the same way my mom did, camping. They think it is a lot like camping which in a way it is but come on people it is not as bad as camping, camping is uncomfortable, and dirty but I am comfortable and clean (well most of the time)! But really we checked out the market and had a meeting with one of my women’s groups. The kids were fascinated with Marlies’ camera which resulted in a ton of great photos!
We we got back to Antigua we hike volcano Pacaya, which is one of the active volcanoes here is Guatemala. This was my fourth time up so I felt like a pro but because the lava had shifted positions on the volcano we had to hike a different way, a crazy way, a I cannot believe I am doing this way! But all ended well, after our trek through the volcanic Sahara desert sand and made our way up the moon rocks we got to the lava! Juliane and I thought it was hysterical our ridiculous it was so we had a photo shoot at the top, Theta kites were involved to give you an idea!
All good things must come to an end but I had a great time with them, so a huge Thanks to Juliane and Marlies for making the trek down here to see me!
My crazy month ended with my best friend, Juliane and her mom visiting! It was incredible to see Juliane again, she is the first friend to visit me here and it was exciting to get to share Guatemala with her and her mom, Marlies!
We hit up the normal “hot spots” the lake, Antigua, my site and the volcano. At the lake we took a boat tour, but the wind god was not on our side that day. The waves in the lake were huge. Our boat kept getting air and our butts hurt a lot the next morning! But we got to take in an incredible sunset and great food! Actually the whole trip centered around great food, what a surprise right! While Juliane and Marlies hit up the ruins at Tikal where in true Guatemalan fashion they had a drunken tour guide who continued to get more drunk it seemed as the tour went on, smile and nod moment!
While Jules and her mom were at Tikal, I had more Spanish classes. Now I have to admit something, I am perplexed by Spanish. It is the first time in my life that I cannot just get even the jist (sp?) of something. Normally if someone explains something I might not really understand but I will have a general idea what is suppose to happen but Spanish just really gets me, AH!
We finished off the trip by a visit to my site and a little time in Antigua. It was funny though because Marlies described my house and living situation the same way my mom did, camping. They think it is a lot like camping which in a way it is but come on people it is not as bad as camping, camping is uncomfortable, and dirty but I am comfortable and clean (well most of the time)! But really we checked out the market and had a meeting with one of my women’s groups. The kids were fascinated with Marlies’ camera which resulted in a ton of great photos!
We we got back to Antigua we hike volcano Pacaya, which is one of the active volcanoes here is Guatemala. This was my fourth time up so I felt like a pro but because the lava had shifted positions on the volcano we had to hike a different way, a crazy way, a I cannot believe I am doing this way! But all ended well, after our trek through the volcanic Sahara desert sand and made our way up the moon rocks we got to the lava! Juliane and I thought it was hysterical our ridiculous it was so we had a photo shoot at the top, Theta kites were involved to give you an idea!
All good things must come to an end but I had a great time with them, so a huge Thanks to Juliane and Marlies for making the trek down here to see me!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Feria...
Novermber 11 was the day of Saint Martin, the saint that my town is named after. Feria is a big deal here. Food vendors, arcade like places, bumper cars and ferris wheels, which they call the wheel of Chicago, all set up about two weeks before the actual day of the feria. I have to say that it was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I actually liked having all the food vendors because it spiced up my meals and I got to have churros whenever I wanted them! There were also a bazillion vendors from out of town selling different things. It is funny because I could tell right away if they were from out of town or not because of how the treated me and the price that they gave me, ugh for out of towners!
So the weekend before is when feria actually starts. There are lots of things going on, processions, dances, concerts, lots of things! There was also a Expo-Feria this year where stores and organizations could display their products and organizations. My organization SID and the new cooperative had a booth. I have to say that it was not organized like I would have liked it to be but it got the job done. We sold about a 100 lbs of coffee and made a great profit, which was good for the guys to see that there is a local demand and market for our product!
**If anyone is interested in ordering some of our coffee it is Q 25 ($3.50)/lb. plus shipping which varies depending on weight! Just let me know!**
The actual day of feria is crazy. Everyone comes into town for varies things, church, processions, the market or the dance! My site mate and I attended the processions and wandered throughout the market during the day and then we took the plunge and rode the ferris wheel that night. The ferris wheels here are somewhat old, rusted and rattle a bit but it was feria so we thought what the heck! We also enjoyed all the great food that feria has to offer… street food baby! Well this was my first and last feria, tear!
Just a funny thing that I have realized in the last month or so…they are obsessed with fantasmas (ghost) here. They keep telling me that there is an old woman who haunts our office. Every time the guys stay over night there they have another story about this women and what she does to them during the night. I remember learning about how Guatemalan culture is full of tall tales but to actually hear my guys talking about it and totally believing in it is a whole other thing. I mean no disrespect here but growing up in a culture that finds these kind of things ridiculous it is hard not to chuckle a little. But seriously I cannot get over how serious they are about this women and what they need to do to get rid of her!
Few side notes…Chula is getting so big! She is now three months old and becoming very independent and rambunctious. I am going to be sad to leave her for Christmas vacation. On that note, I will be home Dec. 17th – Jan. 7th, YAY!
So the weekend before is when feria actually starts. There are lots of things going on, processions, dances, concerts, lots of things! There was also a Expo-Feria this year where stores and organizations could display their products and organizations. My organization SID and the new cooperative had a booth. I have to say that it was not organized like I would have liked it to be but it got the job done. We sold about a 100 lbs of coffee and made a great profit, which was good for the guys to see that there is a local demand and market for our product!
**If anyone is interested in ordering some of our coffee it is Q 25 ($3.50)/lb. plus shipping which varies depending on weight! Just let me know!**
The actual day of feria is crazy. Everyone comes into town for varies things, church, processions, the market or the dance! My site mate and I attended the processions and wandered throughout the market during the day and then we took the plunge and rode the ferris wheel that night. The ferris wheels here are somewhat old, rusted and rattle a bit but it was feria so we thought what the heck! We also enjoyed all the great food that feria has to offer… street food baby! Well this was my first and last feria, tear!
Just a funny thing that I have realized in the last month or so…they are obsessed with fantasmas (ghost) here. They keep telling me that there is an old woman who haunts our office. Every time the guys stay over night there they have another story about this women and what she does to them during the night. I remember learning about how Guatemalan culture is full of tall tales but to actually hear my guys talking about it and totally believing in it is a whole other thing. I mean no disrespect here but growing up in a culture that finds these kind of things ridiculous it is hard not to chuckle a little. But seriously I cannot get over how serious they are about this women and what they need to do to get rid of her!
Few side notes…Chula is getting so big! She is now three months old and becoming very independent and rambunctious. I am going to be sad to leave her for Christmas vacation. On that note, I will be home Dec. 17th – Jan. 7th, YAY!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Todo Santos
I have not written in a long while so this is going to be a three part post…
TODO SANTOS…wow, it was a great weekend. For those of you who don’t know Todo Santos is all saints day here in Guatemala which means it is a day of remembrance for all of the people who have pasted away. They visit the cemetery and decorate with flowers and other what nots. I spent the weekend in the town of Todo Santos, which means it was feria, yay! Each town is named after a saint so on that saints birthday it is called feria (more about that later)! Back to Todo Santos, there were about 40 volunteers there which as so much fun but the best part is the town. It is totally indigenous, everyone wears the traditional traje even the men and young boys. It was cute because the teenage boys really rocked the outfit, they popped their collars and wore John Cena t-shirts under the jacket, it was funny to see the traditional culture mixed with the culture from today!
So they whole reason to go to Todo Santos is that they have this horse race…well kind of a horse race, there is no winner except those who do not die! So the men and for the first time this year the woman, ride back and forth along this dirt road but they are also drunk as drunk can be. They try to stay on their horses as long as they can before they have to be replaced! This goes on from 8 am to about 7 pm and it continues to get funnier as the day goes on! They also wear these amazing outfits that just complete the whole festive atmosphere… I would recommend this to anyone looking to really experience Guatemalan culture!
A couple of funny stories…first, I was out in a community that was about 25 km outside of my town giving a charla about cost of production a few weeks ago that gave me some laughs. The charla went great, everyone seemed to understand everything but instead of asking questions about the charla they started to grill my about the US, our lives, our children, etc. This is totally normal behavior if it is the first time the group meets me but not during the charla. At lunch they launch into this crazy interrogation. First it is the obvious question but then they start asking me about birth control, men that is, and what I think about it, how it works, if I could tell them all the different forms, etc. all I have to say is awkward! This is not the end of it, at the end of lunch I am chatting with this grandma and her grandchildren when the father comes up and tells me he wants to regalo, or gift me, his daughter to take back to the states with me so she can have a better life, Whoo, buddy, I am 24 and do not plan on having kids anytime soon! I politely tell him that I cannot do that, after a look of disappointment he agrees and asks me if I can help him find someone to do educational charlas on family planning! At least it ended up a good situation!
TODO SANTOS…wow, it was a great weekend. For those of you who don’t know Todo Santos is all saints day here in Guatemala which means it is a day of remembrance for all of the people who have pasted away. They visit the cemetery and decorate with flowers and other what nots. I spent the weekend in the town of Todo Santos, which means it was feria, yay! Each town is named after a saint so on that saints birthday it is called feria (more about that later)! Back to Todo Santos, there were about 40 volunteers there which as so much fun but the best part is the town. It is totally indigenous, everyone wears the traditional traje even the men and young boys. It was cute because the teenage boys really rocked the outfit, they popped their collars and wore John Cena t-shirts under the jacket, it was funny to see the traditional culture mixed with the culture from today!
So they whole reason to go to Todo Santos is that they have this horse race…well kind of a horse race, there is no winner except those who do not die! So the men and for the first time this year the woman, ride back and forth along this dirt road but they are also drunk as drunk can be. They try to stay on their horses as long as they can before they have to be replaced! This goes on from 8 am to about 7 pm and it continues to get funnier as the day goes on! They also wear these amazing outfits that just complete the whole festive atmosphere… I would recommend this to anyone looking to really experience Guatemalan culture!
A couple of funny stories…first, I was out in a community that was about 25 km outside of my town giving a charla about cost of production a few weeks ago that gave me some laughs. The charla went great, everyone seemed to understand everything but instead of asking questions about the charla they started to grill my about the US, our lives, our children, etc. This is totally normal behavior if it is the first time the group meets me but not during the charla. At lunch they launch into this crazy interrogation. First it is the obvious question but then they start asking me about birth control, men that is, and what I think about it, how it works, if I could tell them all the different forms, etc. all I have to say is awkward! This is not the end of it, at the end of lunch I am chatting with this grandma and her grandchildren when the father comes up and tells me he wants to regalo, or gift me, his daughter to take back to the states with me so she can have a better life, Whoo, buddy, I am 24 and do not plan on having kids anytime soon! I politely tell him that I cannot do that, after a look of disappointment he agrees and asks me if I can help him find someone to do educational charlas on family planning! At least it ended up a good situation!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The joys of life...
One really nice thing about my Peace Corps experience so far has been the joy that I get out of the little things! One little thing can make my day or even my week sometimes. For example last week I went to the store to buy milk and got overly excited because my milk carton had starting putting the plastic opening tab back on the cartons. It was exciting because they had been missing for a couple of months! I know it sounds ridiculous but really it made my day.
Another example, I was in the market looking for blackberries to make jam when I happened upon this women selling what looked like zucchinis, mind you not that exciting but I have never seen them and have craved them so much since I got here. So I asked her what they were just to double check and sure enough they were zucchini. At this point I was willing to pay almost any price for these but when she told me they were Q1 per large zucchini I bought five…I think she thought I was incredibly weird! Now for those of you who don’t know the conversion rate, one quetzal is equal to 13 cents. It was a glorious day!
I wonder what it is going to be like to come home…and not get excited when they change my milk carton.
Now where there is joy there is almost things that can totally ruin a day. Traveling is the most common thing that will ruin a day. There are many things surrounding traveling that can achieve down right nervous breakdown status. These include, a packed bus and having to stand, getting suck next to a puking child, sitting in the seat where the window is broken and it is either raining (or more like down pouring) or it is so incredibly hot, they bus breaks down and you have to wait or either cram on another already packed bus with all the people from your crammed bus and the for me the worst waiting for a bus at the bus stop in Chimal and being told that you want to go somewhere because obviously because you are white you have no idea what you are doing, PEOPLE I am have been living here for 14 months I know where I am going and how to get there. More than once I have had some harsh words for the ayudantes (helpers/money collectors on the buses) who grab me and/or my things. The thing that is hardest to accept is that no matter how long I live here I will always be a tourist because I am a white, blah!
Chula, my kitty, is getting so big. I cannot believe how fast she is growing and how mischievous she can be. I know that when she does something or gets scared by something she comes bolting across the patio and into my bedroom or in the morning if I have slept to late she starts out by patting my cheeks with her paws and then if that doesn’t work she nips at my nose. The cutest thing she does is when I am reading before I go to bed is she will sit in between my arms and put her paws up on the book next to my thumbs like she is reading with me!
Another example, I was in the market looking for blackberries to make jam when I happened upon this women selling what looked like zucchinis, mind you not that exciting but I have never seen them and have craved them so much since I got here. So I asked her what they were just to double check and sure enough they were zucchini. At this point I was willing to pay almost any price for these but when she told me they were Q1 per large zucchini I bought five…I think she thought I was incredibly weird! Now for those of you who don’t know the conversion rate, one quetzal is equal to 13 cents. It was a glorious day!
I wonder what it is going to be like to come home…and not get excited when they change my milk carton.
Now where there is joy there is almost things that can totally ruin a day. Traveling is the most common thing that will ruin a day. There are many things surrounding traveling that can achieve down right nervous breakdown status. These include, a packed bus and having to stand, getting suck next to a puking child, sitting in the seat where the window is broken and it is either raining (or more like down pouring) or it is so incredibly hot, they bus breaks down and you have to wait or either cram on another already packed bus with all the people from your crammed bus and the for me the worst waiting for a bus at the bus stop in Chimal and being told that you want to go somewhere because obviously because you are white you have no idea what you are doing, PEOPLE I am have been living here for 14 months I know where I am going and how to get there. More than once I have had some harsh words for the ayudantes (helpers/money collectors on the buses) who grab me and/or my things. The thing that is hardest to accept is that no matter how long I live here I will always be a tourist because I am a white, blah!
Chula, my kitty, is getting so big. I cannot believe how fast she is growing and how mischievous she can be. I know that when she does something or gets scared by something she comes bolting across the patio and into my bedroom or in the morning if I have slept to late she starts out by patting my cheeks with her paws and then if that doesn’t work she nips at my nose. The cutest thing she does is when I am reading before I go to bed is she will sit in between my arms and put her paws up on the book next to my thumbs like she is reading with me!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
My Stove Project!!!
Hola and Greetings from Guatemala!
As I start my second year here in Guatemala I have been reflecting on the things that I have done and learned over the last year. I set out on this journey to help change the world but instead of me changing the world, it has been the Guatemalans that have changed the world for me.
When I first arrived in Guatemala I had many aspirations, to many to count. I stayed up nights thinking about how I was going to help change people’s lives. It soon became apparent that very few of these ideas would ever materialize. In my ten months in San Martin Jilotepeque, I have received more than I have been able to give. The women who I work with on a weekly basis have shown me it is not what you have but it is how you use what you have that makes your life what it is! They have never asked me for anything other than knowledge and understanding but I have asked for so much more, I have asked them for their trust.
It is because they have never asked for anything that I want to give them something that would transform their lives…STOVES!
Stoves, something we all take for granted that everyone has, but in Guatemala that is not the case. I would like to share with you my story of fire, flames and cooking!
Five months ago in my small Guatemala town of San Martin Jilotepeque, Chimaltenango, I was a lost and down Peace Corps volunteer who was sick of being a secretary. So I talked to some women about coming out and working individually with them. My first meeting was about Peace Corps and what a volunteer does. Being the custom in Guatemala, there was of course a snack at the end of meeting for the women and children. I had brought banana bread. It was such a hit that I told them I could show them how to make it at our next meeting. Born was an extraordinarily rewarding and fun experience.
Now, the twenty women that I work with, are no ordinary women. First, they are indigenous, most do not have more than a 6th grade education, if that, all of them have 3 to 10 children and have more desire and motivation than most people I know. The idea of learning something new is so exciting to them that they take time out of their busy day to come and learn.
The women desire to be able to provide a better life for their children and themselves but many of them lack the knowledge or resources. I have showed them with a small investment in some key ingredients how they can make more nutritious food for their family. I started by only teaching them how to bake but then I began to teach about the different vitamins that each dish contained. Recently I have begun to teach them how to do a cost of production for each dish and we will soon start a market survey to see if there is a desire or niche for baked goods in our community.
Cooking with indigenous women has been interesting. I was naïve enough to think that all of these women would have stoves (of some kind). To my surprise all of the women cook over open fires. I am sure you all at one time or another have sat around a camp fire. Remember all the smoke, how hot it gets and most of all how dangerous it is, now imagine cooking over that everyday of your life, for me it seemed impossible. But that is what these women do. The fire normally sits on a shelf made of adobe, which is in a kitchen like room with no ventilation. Starting to sound pretty miserable, that’s not all, most women cook with a small child swaddled on their back, who inhale the smoke all day long.
The smoke that is created has no where to go except, their eyes and lungs which has lead to horrible health conditions not only for the women but the children too. One of the leading causes of death among young children after malnutrition is lung disease. There are also a high number of burn victims both young and old from these open fire stoves.
Insert the “aha” moment here.
I decided these women deserved better and easier life and so I want to build them stoves or a plancha. A plancha is still a wood burning stove but is completely cover on all sides with a metal plate on top for cooking. There is also a chimney connected to route all of the smoke out of the house. To us these planchas are inexpensive about $120 (Q900) for each one but when a family only has a monthly income of Q1000-Q1500 ($133- $200) a month it is a lot. So in order to make this project a reality I am looking to my loving family and friends for help.
You can make this project a reality by donating whatever you are able to give. I have asked the women to contribute a Q100 ($15) which can be paid upfront or in Q20 ($3) installments. So for a $105 you can give a family a new stove and a new leash on life but all donations, large and small, are greatly appreciated.
Donations can be sent to: Friends of Guatemala
P.O. Box 33018
Washington, D.C. 20033
Memo: Mackenzie Knowling (Please don’t forget this)
All donations are tax deductible. Friends of Guatemala will send you the necessary papers.
Please feel free to share this with anyone you think would be interesting in donating to this project.
Thank you for allowing me to share with you my experience and passion. Feel free to contact me with any questions.
As I start my second year here in Guatemala I have been reflecting on the things that I have done and learned over the last year. I set out on this journey to help change the world but instead of me changing the world, it has been the Guatemalans that have changed the world for me.
When I first arrived in Guatemala I had many aspirations, to many to count. I stayed up nights thinking about how I was going to help change people’s lives. It soon became apparent that very few of these ideas would ever materialize. In my ten months in San Martin Jilotepeque, I have received more than I have been able to give. The women who I work with on a weekly basis have shown me it is not what you have but it is how you use what you have that makes your life what it is! They have never asked me for anything other than knowledge and understanding but I have asked for so much more, I have asked them for their trust.
It is because they have never asked for anything that I want to give them something that would transform their lives…STOVES!
Stoves, something we all take for granted that everyone has, but in Guatemala that is not the case. I would like to share with you my story of fire, flames and cooking!
Five months ago in my small Guatemala town of San Martin Jilotepeque, Chimaltenango, I was a lost and down Peace Corps volunteer who was sick of being a secretary. So I talked to some women about coming out and working individually with them. My first meeting was about Peace Corps and what a volunteer does. Being the custom in Guatemala, there was of course a snack at the end of meeting for the women and children. I had brought banana bread. It was such a hit that I told them I could show them how to make it at our next meeting. Born was an extraordinarily rewarding and fun experience.
Now, the twenty women that I work with, are no ordinary women. First, they are indigenous, most do not have more than a 6th grade education, if that, all of them have 3 to 10 children and have more desire and motivation than most people I know. The idea of learning something new is so exciting to them that they take time out of their busy day to come and learn.
The women desire to be able to provide a better life for their children and themselves but many of them lack the knowledge or resources. I have showed them with a small investment in some key ingredients how they can make more nutritious food for their family. I started by only teaching them how to bake but then I began to teach about the different vitamins that each dish contained. Recently I have begun to teach them how to do a cost of production for each dish and we will soon start a market survey to see if there is a desire or niche for baked goods in our community.
Cooking with indigenous women has been interesting. I was naïve enough to think that all of these women would have stoves (of some kind). To my surprise all of the women cook over open fires. I am sure you all at one time or another have sat around a camp fire. Remember all the smoke, how hot it gets and most of all how dangerous it is, now imagine cooking over that everyday of your life, for me it seemed impossible. But that is what these women do. The fire normally sits on a shelf made of adobe, which is in a kitchen like room with no ventilation. Starting to sound pretty miserable, that’s not all, most women cook with a small child swaddled on their back, who inhale the smoke all day long.
The smoke that is created has no where to go except, their eyes and lungs which has lead to horrible health conditions not only for the women but the children too. One of the leading causes of death among young children after malnutrition is lung disease. There are also a high number of burn victims both young and old from these open fire stoves.
Insert the “aha” moment here.
I decided these women deserved better and easier life and so I want to build them stoves or a plancha. A plancha is still a wood burning stove but is completely cover on all sides with a metal plate on top for cooking. There is also a chimney connected to route all of the smoke out of the house. To us these planchas are inexpensive about $120 (Q900) for each one but when a family only has a monthly income of Q1000-Q1500 ($133- $200) a month it is a lot. So in order to make this project a reality I am looking to my loving family and friends for help.
You can make this project a reality by donating whatever you are able to give. I have asked the women to contribute a Q100 ($15) which can be paid upfront or in Q20 ($3) installments. So for a $105 you can give a family a new stove and a new leash on life but all donations, large and small, are greatly appreciated.
Donations can be sent to: Friends of Guatemala
P.O. Box 33018
Washington, D.C. 20033
Memo: Mackenzie Knowling (Please don’t forget this)
All donations are tax deductible. Friends of Guatemala will send you the necessary papers.
Please feel free to share this with anyone you think would be interesting in donating to this project.
Thank you for allowing me to share with you my experience and passion. Feel free to contact me with any questions.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
I am a mommy...to a cat!
Wow….I have a lot to tell you guys!!! So to start off with I got a kitty…YAY! I have been wanting one since I got here and finally found one I liked! Her whole name (the guys in my office told me she could not have just one name since she was Guatemalan)…so her name is Ch
ula B’alam. B’alam is tiger in Kaqchikel and Chula is a term of endearment…she is sooo cute! Although she is super cute she is not so cute when she wakes me up at 5:30 am and won’t let me go back to sleep! It is nice to have someone to talk to instead of just sounding like a crazy person who talks to themselves all the time!
Last week was Independence Day here in Guatemala and it was such a great time. Two days before Independence Day I went with my sitemate and the school she works in to get the torch from another muni about 2 hours away. The torch…as the story goes (or how I was told and understood it)…was sent to all the towns across Guatemala so when people woke up on September 15 they would see the light of freedom. It is also tradition for people to line the street and throw water at the kids (and the gringa in this case). So I was soaking wet by the end of this event, but it was still a blast! The day before Independence Day all of the aldea schools come to San Martin to get the torch for their schools so the kids and I sat outside the house all afternoon throwing water on the other people running! It was one of those moments that you know really is only for kids but you cannot resist joining in and feeling like a 10 year old again! On Independence Day I got up really early and watched the four hour parade which my host brother and
sisters participated in, which kind of was boring but fun was hanging out with my family! Later that afternoon I headed to the main plaza to watch more bands and the greased pole contest but we ended up just watching the Tigo guys play all of these funny games with the kids! Later we went and got street food for dinner and then had to walk the 10 minutes home in the rain…yay for not having to take a shower…haha kidding, kinda!!!
I have to say that Guatemalans have an extreme amount of pride in their country. Everyone participates in Independence Day activities, everyone watches the parades and everyone has the flag flying outside of their homes. I might get in trouble or offend people by saying this but here it goes…If we as Americans had half as much pride in our country we would be a much better country! When we were hanging out in plaza they took down the flag and played the almost five minute long national anthem. Everyone stopped, took of their hats, place their hand over their heart and sang, even small children, it was incredible! After the national anthem they then pledge allegiance to Guatemala until the day they die. It was a pretty incredible and moving experience.
So work is good, busy but great! We are moving along in the process of forming the co-op, tons of work and they are starting to listen to me and ask me for advice, soooooo cool!
Well that is all from me…hope all is well back in the States!
ula B’alam. B’alam is tiger in Kaqchikel and Chula is a term of endearment…she is sooo cute! Although she is super cute she is not so cute when she wakes me up at 5:30 am and won’t let me go back to sleep! It is nice to have someone to talk to instead of just sounding like a crazy person who talks to themselves all the time!Last week was Independence Day here in Guatemala and it was such a great time. Two days before Independence Day I went with my sitemate and the school she works in to get the torch from another muni about 2 hours away. The torch…as the story goes (or how I was told and understood it)…was sent to all the towns across Guatemala so when people woke up on September 15 they would see the light of freedom. It is also tradition for people to line the street and throw water at the kids (and the gringa in this case). So I was soaking wet by the end of this event, but it was still a blast! The day before Independence Day all of the aldea schools come to San Martin to get the torch for their schools so the kids and I sat outside the house all afternoon throwing water on the other people running! It was one of those moments that you know really is only for kids but you cannot resist joining in and feeling like a 10 year old again! On Independence Day I got up really early and watched the four hour parade which my host brother and
sisters participated in, which kind of was boring but fun was hanging out with my family! Later that afternoon I headed to the main plaza to watch more bands and the greased pole contest but we ended up just watching the Tigo guys play all of these funny games with the kids! Later we went and got street food for dinner and then had to walk the 10 minutes home in the rain…yay for not having to take a shower…haha kidding, kinda!!!I have to say that Guatemalans have an extreme amount of pride in their country. Everyone participates in Independence Day activities, everyone watches the parades and everyone has the flag flying outside of their homes. I might get in trouble or offend people by saying this but here it goes…If we as Americans had half as much pride in our country we would be a much better country! When we were hanging out in plaza they took down the flag and played the almost five minute long national anthem. Everyone stopped, took of their hats, place their hand over their heart and sang, even small children, it was incredible! After the national anthem they then pledge allegiance to Guatemala until the day they die. It was a pretty incredible and moving experience.
So work is good, busy but great! We are moving along in the process of forming the co-op, tons of work and they are starting to listen to me and ask me for advice, soooooo cool!
Well that is all from me…hope all is well back in the States!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
busy, busy, busy....
So it has been a while since I last wrote…many reasons, one being the internet has been faulty lately and the other being I am actually really busy, crazy I know!
I have been working, traveling and getting things organized. Work has been great! We are finally starting to organize our group which has been exciting but stressful because they want to do it as fast as they can and I am trying to tell them they need to slow down and make sure everything is organized and ready to legalize. Organization is not something that is appreciated or seen as necessary down here. I mention things that go into organizing such as…defining the jobs of each person on the Board of Directors or that they need to put all the harvest information in the computer so that it is easier to access and pass on, I get a nod of the head and a moving right along. Ahhh, so frustrating but so exciting!
I have done a good amount of traveling since getting back from the States. I had this amazing hike from my friend’s site to the lake. I have to say that afterwards I felt like I was about 100 years old, neither of us could walk properly. I have seen a lot of beautiful things in Guatemala but I have to say some of the views on this hike were right up there with the most beautiful if not the best. I also went to these mini hot springs right on the lake. It was really fun to be able to swim in the lake. You forget how much you miss doing simple things like that. This past weekend was our “One year” celebration! Wow, I have been here for a year that is incredible to believe! We went to these wonderful hot springs outside of Xela. We spent the night up there so we got to hangout all night in the water…by the end of the night I thought that my skin was falling off my feet because they were so wrinkled! It was great to get to catch up with everyone and just get to hangout with no worries!
Independence Day is on Monday so there has been a lot of activities going on throughout town. They celebrate all the major holidays for weeks in advance! I have to say though I am going to be glad when it is over because my host kids love to practice their drums before school at 6:30 am….as many of you know I am not a morning person, ah!
All in all, things are good, busy and moving right along!
I have been working, traveling and getting things organized. Work has been great! We are finally starting to organize our group which has been exciting but stressful because they want to do it as fast as they can and I am trying to tell them they need to slow down and make sure everything is organized and ready to legalize. Organization is not something that is appreciated or seen as necessary down here. I mention things that go into organizing such as…defining the jobs of each person on the Board of Directors or that they need to put all the harvest information in the computer so that it is easier to access and pass on, I get a nod of the head and a moving right along. Ahhh, so frustrating but so exciting!
I have done a good amount of traveling since getting back from the States. I had this amazing hike from my friend’s site to the lake. I have to say that afterwards I felt like I was about 100 years old, neither of us could walk properly. I have seen a lot of beautiful things in Guatemala but I have to say some of the views on this hike were right up there with the most beautiful if not the best. I also went to these mini hot springs right on the lake. It was really fun to be able to swim in the lake. You forget how much you miss doing simple things like that. This past weekend was our “One year” celebration! Wow, I have been here for a year that is incredible to believe! We went to these wonderful hot springs outside of Xela. We spent the night up there so we got to hangout all night in the water…by the end of the night I thought that my skin was falling off my feet because they were so wrinkled! It was great to get to catch up with everyone and just get to hangout with no worries!
Independence Day is on Monday so there has been a lot of activities going on throughout town. They celebrate all the major holidays for weeks in advance! I have to say though I am going to be glad when it is over because my host kids love to practice their drums before school at 6:30 am….as many of you know I am not a morning person, ah!
All in all, things are good, busy and moving right along!
Friday, August 15, 2008
Fun times...
As I am writing this entry I am sitting here waiting for our pizza bread to rise. Nancy, my host sister, is doing a puzzle and Rigo and I are playing “trompo” which is pretty much a spinning top that you wrap with a rope and throw (see picture, if that helps)!
This week has been a lot better than last week. Last week I was really sad to be back because I had such a wonderful visit to the States and I didn’t have a lot of work to do. I forgot how much time I had on my hands and what I did to fill it! But thank goodness this week got better. I had a great meeting with one of my women’s groups, it reminded me why I am here! We made apple pie which the women loved. It was really cute because one of the little girls asked her mom if she would make it for her birthday in two weeks! In addition to this adorable thing, the leader of the group told me that she had gone out to her sisters aldea, or smaller village and taught them how to make zucchini bread. The big surprise was that not only did she make zucchini bread, she did a cost of production with them too. (We do a cost of production for everything we make so that they get use to and know how to make one for their coffee.) I almost fell out of my chair when she told me this, wow they are actually learning something!
Not only am I the pastry chef, I am the fashion icon for the little girls. One of the little girls was arguing her mom about wearing tennis shoes with a skirt when I showed her that I had tennis shoes on with a skirt (no laughing, I have to in order to make it through the mud.) It is funny because most of the outfits I put together here I would almost never wear it in the States but here I am the fashionable one (yes, all my friends are laughing because I don’t think fashion and Mackenzie are ever used in the same sentence.)!
I have also been spending a lot of time with my host brother and sister. Rigo and Nancy taught me how to use the “tromop” and Rigo has been trying to run with me too. We have also been playing a lot of soccer and kickball in the street. It reminds me of playing basketball in the street and having to move every time a car came by. It has been amazing how much work has picked up in the last month or so, I have hardly any day with nothing to do which is anomaly for me. Lets hope it lasts!
This week has been a lot better than last week. Last week I was really sad to be back because I had such a wonderful visit to the States and I didn’t have a lot of work to do. I forgot how much time I had on my hands and what I did to fill it! But thank goodness this week got better. I had a great meeting with one of my women’s groups, it reminded me why I am here! We made apple pie which the women loved. It was really cute because one of the little girls asked her mom if she would make it for her birthday in two weeks! In addition to this adorable thing, the leader of the group told me that she had gone out to her sisters aldea, or smaller village and taught them how to make zucchini bread. The big surprise was that not only did she make zucchini bread, she did a cost of production with them too. (We do a cost of production for everything we make so that they get use to and know how to make one for their coffee.) I almost fell out of my chair when she told me this, wow they are actually learning something!
Not only am I the pastry chef, I am the fashion icon for the little girls. One of the little girls was arguing her mom about wearing tennis shoes with a skirt when I showed her that I had tennis shoes on with a skirt (no laughing, I have to in order to make it through the mud.) It is funny because most of the outfits I put together here I would almost never wear it in the States but here I am the fashionable one (yes, all my friends are laughing because I don’t think fashion and Mackenzie are ever used in the same sentence.)!
I have also been spending a lot of time with my host brother and sister. Rigo and Nancy taught me how to use the “tromop” and Rigo has been trying to run with me too. We have also been playing a lot of soccer and kickball in the street. It reminds me of playing basketball in the street and having to move every time a car came by. It has been amazing how much work has picked up in the last month or so, I have hardly any day with nothing to do which is anomaly for me. Lets hope it lasts!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Where I come from....
I don’t even know where to begin to describe my recent trip to the States….overwhelming, wonderful, scary, exciting, overloaded, relaxing and well quite frankly, fun! I got to see everyone that I wanted to see and more! I flew into Chicago to spend the weekend with my best friend Shep and a bunch of friends from college! It was a little overwhelming coming from San Martin to downtown Chicago. To make matters worse, Shep lives right behind the left field line of Wrigley field and Friday my first full day in the States there was a Cubs game and let me tell you when I stepped out of the apartment I was consumed by Americanness (sp?)! There were too many people, things, colors, and activities going on that my brain forgot how to take them in and interrupt them! I have never felt so out of place, even here, than I did at that moment!
But things got better. I quickly adjusted and life went on as normal, well as normal as possible! I spent the day eating and shopping, taking in the enormous amount of choice that I had! At the restaurant I could not decide what I wanted because for the last year I have either had no choice or had about three choices when I went out to eat. The shopping came back much easier than decision making. I think that I might have seemed to the average shopper like a crazed woman who had just been let out of the mental hospital. I have to say that it is tough to shop when you know that you cannot or more so should not buy most of the things in the store. I spent the rest of the weekend with friends, barbequing, bar hopping and hanging out!
Finally I made my way back to Lafayette to surprise my grandma, Grammy, who had no idea that I was coming home! It was really fun to surprise her! Of course she starting crying which then turned to anger because she was the only one that did not know that I was coming home, but then gave way to happiness, I think!
I went on a food tour of Lafayette, eating, socializing, and shopping til my heart was content! While I was home I got to see my two best friends from high school! I got to help Krystal work in her first classroom! And I got to have dinner with Shaina and her parents which is always a pleasure! I also went to the bar with my brother for the first time, which was a surreal experience! I guess I still think of him as a little boy (sorry Bubba)! As it worked out my cousin was passing through on his way to his new job in Denver so I got to hang out with him and my other cousin and his family, which was an extra bonus!
All in all I had a great trip home. Some things that I forgot how much I missed: one stop shopping, the social life and clean air. Some things that I have realized I can do without: air-conditioning (I was freezing the whole time), all the choices at restaurants and excessiveness.
I did have one surprise waiting for me in Guatemala when I got home…I had a dead bird in my kitchen…eww…but you know what, you have to laugh because where else would that happen!
But things got better. I quickly adjusted and life went on as normal, well as normal as possible! I spent the day eating and shopping, taking in the enormous amount of choice that I had! At the restaurant I could not decide what I wanted because for the last year I have either had no choice or had about three choices when I went out to eat. The shopping came back much easier than decision making. I think that I might have seemed to the average shopper like a crazed woman who had just been let out of the mental hospital. I have to say that it is tough to shop when you know that you cannot or more so should not buy most of the things in the store. I spent the rest of the weekend with friends, barbequing, bar hopping and hanging out!
Finally I made my way back to Lafayette to surprise my grandma, Grammy, who had no idea that I was coming home! It was really fun to surprise her! Of course she starting crying which then turned to anger because she was the only one that did not know that I was coming home, but then gave way to happiness, I think!
I went on a food tour of Lafayette, eating, socializing, and shopping til my heart was content! While I was home I got to see my two best friends from high school! I got to help Krystal work in her first classroom! And I got to have dinner with Shaina and her parents which is always a pleasure! I also went to the bar with my brother for the first time, which was a surreal experience! I guess I still think of him as a little boy (sorry Bubba)! As it worked out my cousin was passing through on his way to his new job in Denver so I got to hang out with him and my other cousin and his family, which was an extra bonus!
All in all I had a great trip home. Some things that I forgot how much I missed: one stop shopping, the social life and clean air. Some things that I have realized I can do without: air-conditioning (I was freezing the whole time), all the choices at restaurants and excessiveness.
I did have one surprise waiting for me in Guatemala when I got home…I had a dead bird in my kitchen…eww…but you know what, you have to laugh because where else would that happen!
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