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!

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!

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!

I´m a ROCK STAR...almost

When you first start training they talk a lot about what your life if going to be like. The conditions, the loneliness, the frustrations and the idea that you are going to be a rock star for the next two years. What they mean by this is that you are going to be that person that everyone wants to know, talk to, shake hands with and you will inevitably have groupies (a.k.a the kids)!

This week I went out to two new communities. These communities were way, way, way out there…I am talking an hour and a half truck ride out there! When we showed up and I got out of the car I was mobbed, I imagine that is what celebrities feel like but on a daily basis! I was a little overwhelmed and quite frankly a little scared! But things died down and we went on to give our presentation (which went quite well)! We got to use the new computer that Caterpillar donated (thanks!) and the projector that we recently purchased for such uses! The people were really impressed, it looked like we had our stuff together, and little do they know what really goes on…lol!

After our presentation they served us lunch, tamales, which are good but not my favorite! I had one but that was not enough for them. They kept shoving more and more on to my plate. I was trying to tell them that I could not eat that much but they were not going to have it because as one older man put it, “Gringa, you are from America, everyone is fat and eats a lot there.” You have laugh sometimes because honestly they are kinda right!

Anyway back to the whole “rock star” thing! After lunch we went to look at the coffee of various families. Normally this would consist of dirt paths and a little bit of trekking through the fields but this community did it a little differently. We were hiking through who knows what kind of forest of coffee, banana, pacya, corn, beans and who knows what else to see these fields! I was jumping over barbwire fencing, over flowing rivers and well of course, cow, horse and chicken pooh! I have to say that being a “rock star” in Guatemala is really different, you have the fame yes, but not the fortune and on a daily basis you are not being pampered but instead you are covered in dirt and cow pooh! Like I said I am ALMOST a ROCK STAR!

The 4th of July minus fireworks...

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays…I don’t know why, all the patriotism or something like that! Surprisingly spending the 4th of July in a foreign country was a lot of fun! I had one of the best 4th’s in recent history, even though it was missing my favorite thing, fireworks!

The Peace Corps put on a 4th of July party which was a blast! We had hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad, pasta salad, fruit, and brownies to eat, which for the first time in Guatemala my eyes were bigger than my stomach, YAY for good food! We also had, of course, lots of beer, drinking games and a raffle for free stuff to our favorite places (we poor people need a luxury here and there)! There was also a lot of good ole’ American music and for my LFC friends, an APC style dance, minus the drunken hook ups! I even had an LFC friend there!

Funny story…I was sitting in a bar with some friends the night before the 4th and this guy walked in that looked really familiar but I thought nothing of it until he turned around and said “Mackenzie?” I was a little spooked but it turned out to be a guy that I knew from little ole’ LFC! It is really funny how small the world really is because what is the chance of both us being in the same bar at the same time, really people, come on!

I have finally gotten back into the work thing again! But I have to say I remember why I was ready for a break! The disorganization of everything here is getting to the point that it might send me over the edge! We are starting to do inspections for the organic certification process, oh my gosh, I have never been in a situation where people didn’t care to be more organized! Every time I suggest something that might make a little bit more work right now but in the end will make things easier they say, “bastante” or “its ok, this is enough!” I want to pull my hair out!

On the bright side my women’s group is going really well! I planted seed with one group which will hopefully turn out well but I do not have the greenest thumb! My other group is super “pilas” or “go getters!” They are so incredible! They constantly want to know about what they can do to make things better for their families! I am looking into a stove project for them where they have to pay Q100 of the cost and provide the labor! Stoves are really important here because all of my women cook over open fires without ventilation! Translation, the smoke fills the kitchen, their lungs and eyes, along with the baby’s lungs on their back! Also there are a lot of burn injuries here due to the unsafe cooking conditions! So that is exciting…

Well that is it for now….

Mixing my two lives...

Hi everyone, its been a while but I am still alive and kickin’…

I have had a busy month, my parents visiting, starting a new project with my women’s group and turning 24, wow! It was wonderful having my parents here! Visitors are amazing because you finally get to connect your old life with your new life (and now my parents understand when I complain about things)! They also help you remember all the things you thought about when you first arrived! I had become conditioned to the beauty that I woke up to everyday (well if it isn’t raining)! My dad especially could not get over that I got to wake up and walk out on my patio and see two volcanoes extending over the horizon. He helped me remember what I had forgotten, that I live in the most beautiful place in the world! Although I live in a place full of beauty I also live as my mom said, “It is (a lot) like camping.” At first I was kind of insulted because I thought I had made my house pretty nice compared to a lot of other volunteers but the more I thought about it the more I realized how accustomed I had become to the way of life down here!

My mom was a trooper for the three weeks she was here! I started her off early on her grand adventure by picking her up at the airport and immediately putting her on a chicken bus! But the chicken bus was the least of her experiences the first day! We arrived at my house and immediately started making dinner when the rain arrived. It was a crazy storm that knocked the power out in my whole entire town, needless to say we had a candle lit dinner and a candle lit unpacking session! We visited the beach, hot springs, had meetings, a lunch with my women’s group, painted two rooms and even had a round of strep throat all in two weeks, not bad!

My dad arrived for the last week of my mom’s trip and I have to admit I was a little nervous about him coming. He had never been out of the country and there was no Mt. Dew here so who knew what kind of affect that might have on him! It actually was a blessing that he came later because by the time he arrived my mom knew the ends and outs of getting around. She knew how to get off the chicken bus quickly so that it wouldn’t leave her and she knew how to function in a world where she couldn’t communicate! That just left me to take care of my dad which honestly he really didn’t need. He assimilated very quickly to my daily routines right down to greeting people on the street with a “buenas días,” who knows maybe he will even greet you with a “buenas días!” (side note: the day after my dad returned home he was at the grocery and almost said “gracias” to the meat counter guy…thought it was funny)

My dad’s visit started off with a trip to the lake. Although it is rainy season we had pretty good days for visiting the lake! It was a great time shopping and explaining the culture to him! It was also nice to get to shop with my mom again. They were mesmerized by all of the vendors selling the same thing…my brother also commented on how they could make any money when they all sell the same thing and the answer is a giant “saber” or who knows! After the lake we headed back to my house where my dad was quickly put to work! He went with my site mates and me to collect a bunch of furniture from another volunteer who is leaving! It ended up being quite a day, a truck ride for an hour, packing the truck as full as possible, squeezing into tiny spaces left between furniture and heading home while admiring some of the most amazing views in San Martin!

The next day we decided to head to Antigua for a day of sightseeing. It turned out to be a bigger adventure than intended! The day before my muni told the chicken bus drivers they needed to pay Q5000 ($700) per bus to run. Well this did not sit well with the drivers so they tried to lynch a man (not sure who or why). Thank goodness this was broken up before anything could happen but the next day, market day, the busses were not running! Needless to say I put my parents in the back of a pick up and headed out of town only to be greeted by a swarm of angry drivers who were regulated who could pass. I was a little nervous about the situation but what was I going to do (insert another “saber”)! This was not the first uneasy experience they had had, our bus the week before broke down on an incline that was well pretty straight up, and so with good reason my parents were becoming leery of the transport situation! But things turned out ok and we had a great day!

My parents got to see me in action too! I had a meeting with the guys I work with so they got to see how inefficient things are! They also had lunch with them and saw how alcohol is involved in everything they do! After the meeting I had a meeting with my women’s group where we were cutting and flipping tires to make gardens! This is actually very hard work but my dad was amazing, working hard to help the women who were having a little trouble but came around and were doing it by themselves by the end! HUGE THANKS to my dad and my who photographed the whole event (amazing pictures I have to say)! This is not the end of the day; we came home to 7 slabs of wood that we needed to turn into a bed! My dad was amazing and got straight to work (side note: while my dad and I were doing this my mom was making GRE flashcards for me because she knows that I wouldn’t)!

Our last few days were spent in Antigua! My dad and I hike Volcano Pacaya, which up until the point of heading home was a pretty fun experience! We hiked up the side of the volcano for about an hour and then the lava appeared! It was still as amazing the second time around! The downhill was interesting because it was pouring rain, dark and my dad glasses were so foggy he couldn’t see anything so I was leading him by the arm down a very rugged path, needless to say we were ready to go home when we got to the bottom but there was a surprise in store for us! Our bus’ clutch went out and so we were stuck for 2 hours in a little town in the middle of nowhere Guatemala! We had no idea what was going on or what was going to happen, while this was all transpiring my mom was anxiously waiting in the hotel room thinking we were dead! Finally they got the bus into first gear and we coasted down the side of a mountain, on a dirt road to the highway where another bus was waiting for us, thank the lord everything turned out ok because it was a terrifying experience! This experience solidified my parent’s thoughts on the transportation situation here!

The next day was my birthday and we spent the day hanging out, shopping, people watching, etc.! That night my parents were gracious enough to take me and some of my friends out to a wonderful restaurant where we got to indulge ourselves in good food and wine! Thanks! Having them here made it an extremely special birthday!

It was hard to say good bye to them the next day but I knew they were ready to head home to “real life,” a hot shower and a good nights sleep, without fireworks, roosters or dogs! Although they are gone and I am sad, I am glad that I had the chance to share with them the place that I call home (for now) and the reasons why I am here! I am happy they got to see my work and where I live because now it is a real experience not only for me but for them too!

Brother time...

The rainy season is in full swing, blah! I had forgotten how much I hate rain. Everything get so wet, things mold over night, you are stuck in doors every afternoon, your laundry never dries and most of all there is no sun, depressing!

My brother, Brandon was here for the last 12 days. It was sooo much fun (most of the time)! We have not gotten to spend that much time together, I think, since I went to college and it was the first time that it was just the two of us! I had a blast with him! It was interesting to see the things he thought were cool, different, and interesting. I don’t know if it is just things that I have forgotten that I thought or if it is the difference between male and female or age difference! For example the traditional clothing, I think, is one of the most beautiful things about Guatemala and my brother could have cared less but he thought the machetes all the men carried were cool, and he thought it was fun that I had to burn my trash, were I see that as a hassle.

We did a lot of hanging out at my house doing nothing. We helped with the cooking and did a lot of cleaning for me! He built me a water drainage tunnel so that I would not get so much mud on my porch, all while I sat around and read! I am going to miss having someone to do stuff like that for me! He even helped with the laundry, couldn’t believe it!

We did a lot of traveling too. We went to this amazing beach in Sipacate! The first night we were there, we were the only ones on the whole beach! The beach is a black sand beach with great waves for splashing in, which we did a lot! We also find completely whole sand dollars, which for as many years as I have been going to the beach in Florida have never found. The lodging was a little rustic, think bungalows and mosquito netting! But all in all a great, relaxing weekend away!

We also hiked Volcano Pacaya, which is amazing! You hike up for about 45 minutes to this massive cooled lava “mountain” and then you hike to where the lava is flowing on the over side! I was so incredible; I cannot believe I was 10 feet from flowing lava, wow! It was so hot up there is actually melted the shoes of one of the guys we were with! Brandon was scared that his pants were gonna burn!

Brandon also got to go to one of my meetings with my women’s group. We made corn bread, which is one of his favorite foods so he was happy but bored because he could not talk with the women. The fact that Brandon could not speak Spanish did not stop the women from talking to him! He thought they were laughing at him the whole time but they were just talking about how cute and tall he was! They just thought he was the most adorable thing ever!

For his last weekend here I took Brandon to Panajachel on the lake! Normally it is incredibly beautiful but unfortunately tropical storm Alma brought rain, rain and more rain so it wasn’t as cool as normal! Plus we were stuck with each other in a hotel room for two afternoons straight, which by the end we wanted to kill each other!

I was sad for Brandon to leave but I was also ready to get back to my normal routine and I know that he was anxious to get back to start summer baseball! All in all it was amazing to finally see my brother and get to hang out with him so much, without family or friends around! It was great bonding time and we are both alive to tell about!