Tuesday, September 29, 2009

FBT

MONDAY:

Yesterday, I had the best roadtrip of my life. Music makes everything wonderful, and I LOVE these people. We sang and danced to old school hip hop almost the entire six hours it took to get to Coban. We stopped at Pollo Campero in Guate City and I ate way too much ridiculously bad-for-you food. LOVE GRAPE SODA, even though it tastes like Dimetapp and Robitussin.

As we drove and sang and danced I reflected inside how lucky I am. To drive through the immaculate beauty of Guatemala with such wonderful people on the way to live out my fantasies was unreal. We got there and I let my better judgment appease my initial intimidation of Gualberto Pop, who is the spitting visual image of Machismo. And good that I did. We drove 10 or 15 minutes to his spot of heaven upon his hill. Steep, but SO WORTH the climb after parking the car a 10-minute walk away. Indescribable beauty to live in such a kingdom of beautiful perfection. At the base of his hill is a ravine, with a creek separating us from a forest—the likes of whose thick, luscious beauty I have so often dreamt of. I hear there is also a cave, but woe to me that there is not enough time this week to explore (plus, women aren’t allowed in caves for superstitious reasons—not so uncommon here).

I woke up this morning to fabulous Keq-Chi Marimba music and the angelic face of Inés—the one-year-seven-month-old baby girl/granddaughter who loves to call out my name, “Mana.” Last night I made my first tortilla and it got burnt, but, estuvo bienya era fea. :)

Anyway, DELICIOUS homemade tortillas to start the day off saw me and Gualberto off to the Chirrepec Tea Coop. Today we learned the history of how the Germans bought this land which the government stole from the Keq-Chi in the 1880’s. They introduced teas and exotic fruits, built a mansion (WAY COOL RUINS), a tea factory, and as pass came to pass, eventually the Germans were shipped off and the cooperative was handed back over to the Keq-Chi with the government’s hands still involved. As the government’s term faded out at the Coop, the Keq-Chi took it and ran with it. Since 1970-something it has been growing, and now each of the members affords to send their kids through high school, and some even through college. But, no fear of corruption or pocketing of money thanks to the consejo vigilancia’s system of checks and balances. Pretty neat.

Then we went to Coban to buy way too much chocolate and eat at a fabulous comedor, and returned to the coop to work on our charlas for tomorrow. We each met individually with our APCD to talk about site expectations and I got to say that, actually, the most important thing to me was that the people were really excited to have me there and to work with me. And, that I was flexible with everything regarding place as long as I could bathe every day. And that I was vegetarian. But, it ended with him telling me that he believes my flexibility will make me one of the excellent ones in whichever site I end up in. I don’t know if I could’ve asked for a better vote of confidence.

TUESDAY:

So the charlas happened, and I loved it. I learned a few words in Keq-Chi (na-chiin, oah-chiin, for hello women and men, bantiox for thank you, ma sa le ch’ol for ¿qué tal?, qwalak-chik for adios) from the Pop family and gave an excellent performance. We did the corn dance (words translated into Keq-Chi: utzuuj (flower), hal (fruit/corn), xxaq (leaf), rutzahil (stem), xxel (roots)) and then played hot potato so they would have to answer my questions if they were holding the “potato.” They all and we all had a great time—thank you to my trainers and fellow trainees for doing the corn dance with me.
(Embarassment)

WEDNESDAY:

Happy Birthday, Tricia! We celebrated with cake after a day’s worth of information about a group called Forestrade and also MAGA (Ministry of Agriculture, Ganaderia and Alimentación), BanRural, and FINCA. I ended the day (of not feeling so hot) by going to the lab to find out that I have amoebas!!! WOOT! Medicine tomorrow.

THURSDAY:

We started the day at Intecap (An institute for the capacitation of individuals in trade skills). It’s a great program that I’m eager to look more into. We, as volunteers, even have the opportunity to get capacitated by them to teach our skills in a more effective manner to adults. We then went to ANACAFE to learn how they cup coffee and what the difficulties for many producers are in getting a quality product, and then, if they have quality, in getting it off the ground. After a trip to another excellent comedor, we drove to ANACAFE’s finca, where they grow coffee (imagine that!). We took a walk up a tremendously steep hill, climbing the numerous (to say the least) terraces of coffee plants, only to be rewarded by the most breathtaking, spectacular view of my life. All around us there were beautifully patterned rows of coffee, rolling hills, valleys, and forests atop the highest parts. Clouds, mist, and sun peaking through it all made it indescribably amazing. The pictures I took do it no justice. One must be there to breathe it all in.

At the end of the day, I got home to my Pop family and talked of my bliss for awhile. We then took a family photo as a token to remember them by, and they dressed me up in their traje de Coban. Due to my being at least 10 inches taller, and sizably bigger than each of them, I felt like a giant ball of cloth. But they told me I looked very elegant. Because of me being dressed up, Inés insisted that she put on her traje, too. Eventually, Doña Marta, Ruty, Blanca, and Inés and I were all dressed up in Traje. Walter, Edgar, and Don Gualberto joined us in their western clothing and we posed for a photo. I took several in my photo shoot, and was totally validated (if it was needed at all is debatable) when Doña Marta grabbed and clasped my hand over her shoulder for one of the poses. I felt so loved.

FRIDAY:

I packed up and said goodbye, sent off with woes of how sad it was that I had to leave. They wanted me to stay!!! Sadly, I had to say “diosh,” (that’s how Inés says adios), and take my last trip down the hill from heaven. We said our gracious thanks to the men of the Coop for sharing their families and tremendous hospitality and went to Coban for a nice piece of chocolate cake and some coffee at a restaurant owned by an RPCV who served in Guate in the 3rd group (in the sixties) and married a Guatemalan. Her restaurant is also an exotic orchid garden that exhibits pieces of work from local artists. As I shared my pictures over coffee and cake, the volunteer who’s been working at the Coop for the last two years and had hosted us all week told me I had managed to gain “mad confianza.” He let me know it was a big deal to be so taken in by them so quickly, and to be dressed up in their Traje. I was bursting with excitement, to say the least.

We visited a Cardamom processing plant and got to breathe in the intoxicatingly fabulous aroma of cardamom for about two hours, while one of the other volunteers who was hosting us that week talked the ear off of the tour guide about futures and yada yada and some blah blah blah about cardamom. If I had understood half of what they were saying in Spanish, I would’ve been able to keep my interest up. But, I don’t think I would’ve even understood them if there were talking in English. It’s all good, it was sweet to breathe it all in.

We checked into our hostel for our last night in Coban, rested, checked facebook, and then met the fraternity that is the hoard of male Volunteers in or around Coban (as well as a few visiting from other parts of Guate) for dinner at a garage-turned-exquisite Cuban restaurant, owned by a Cuban ex-pat. Again, the food put me in a state of ecstasy. So Happy I AM.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Un día muy bueno.

I’ve been feeling better lately, since I started doing my Yoga AND Pilates regularly. And this morning, I was feeling really good about things when I finished, until… until I dropped the big glass lid that covers the bread plate and broke it… until I kicked mango dog poop while I was wearing FLIP FLOPS (!!!)… until I almost dropped my fork full of incredible macadamia nut pancakes with blueberry jelly on my lap… But really? What can I complain about? I’m buying a new lid, there were wet ones to wipe off my toes, and I saved the forkful of deliciousness. All is well. And I mean, nothing could be that bad on a day when you have the world’s best macadamia nut pancakes with macadamia nut butter and blueberry jam smothered all over the top of them. I’m talking about heaven. Heaven in my mouth. AND the 1 lb. bag of white chocolate bells filled with chopped macadamia nuts; those didn’t last very long (don’t talk smack; I shared… a little).

We had feedback today, and it was very reassuring. I think I’m getting more and more excited each time. It’s becoming so much more real. We leave Sunday 9/20 to go to FBT (Field Based Training) and I’m pretty excited to see what it will be like. We’ll be experiencing the lifestyle of a current volunteer and giving charlas to his assigned organization of a 50-Keq’Chi-women Coffee Cooperative. There will be translators to tell them what we’re saying in Spanish into their Mayan language – so cool. We also get to visit organizations such as ANACAFE and INTECAP to see just how the nonprofit world fits into development here in Guatemala. I wish I could tell you more about them, but at this point I’m still trying to figure things out myself.

The day is fast approaching that we find out our site-assignments. October 8th will read our fate for the next two years, and I’m pretty much really looking forward to it. We meet with our APCD (Assistant Peace Corps Director) sometime during our FBT to discuss what we want most out of a site. I will say something like, “I want to unite people, I want to organize, I want to make people smile, and I want weather that permits taking a warm bucket bath every day without freezing my butt off once the water runs off.” No big deal. J We’ve been told that many of the assignments will be in locations higher up in the mountains where it gets mighty chilly.

I’m sure I’ll have much more to report in the next two weeks.

Some things making me happy right now:
- Torrential downpour right this moment
- 20-minute relaxation soundtracks
- Reading The Shack
- A tummy full of heaven

I miss each of you more and more every day.

To Uncle Noodles, I would like to say thank you for being who you’ve been in my life and for encouraging my dream so enthusiastically. I couldn’t be more satisfied with the way things add up, and appreciate you heartily. I think of you and the family often and am sending you healing thoughts.

*I'm attempting to post an album to facebook right now. <3

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Every little ting is gonna be alright.

Couldn't pick which one I liked best... a dusk shoot with a little bit of humo.

A hillside finca.

...
Today we had our first meeting with the group of Artisans we’ll be working with. I was nervous, but I think that’s just habitual (maybe it was little bit because I had to give my first presentation in Spanish to people who only understand Spanish, EVER). When I got up to talk in Spanish in front of the group of 8-12 Guatemalans we were meeting with, I shone proud—even with my runny nose, dry, itchy throat, and dizziness. I felt so much more at ease after we played our “rompehielo” and learned everyone’s name and the product they made. I’m pretty excited to do more of these presentations and to have the time to get to know the people we’re working with personally—it makes working with them so rewarding. So lucky I am to be doing a job where I have to draw from my desire to connect with people.

So, I’m trying to make a point of remembering that I need not worry.

There is a lot of time for reflection; reflection on how lucky I am, the quality people and things I’ve available to me to rely on, and the perfection of the situation I’ve allowed myself to be in. Each day I am excited for the next, and for the endless opportunities that lie ahead to live.



Doña Ana has been taking good care of me with my gripe, making me vegetable soup and hot bucket baths. I really enjoy spending time with this family, reflecting collectively on how lucky we are to get home just before the downpour hits, and then enjoying the sound of it on the lamina just the same. We ate at Pollo Campero yesterday after church and enjoyed eating almost the entire two bottles of ketchup with “papaya” (=corn syrup) on the table (well, they did anyway). There’s nothin’ like you’re “all-Guatemalan” fast food chicken (until I can cook for myself, I’m a vegetarian who eats chicken occasionally). **The cookies were a HUGE success - everyone loved them, especially me.**

This is Mariana (my little niece) and me. :)



Last Thursday, Shaila taught us and her Doña a few different steps to salsa and Eduardo, our maestro, was quite the T.A. I feel like, with just two or more days of practice, being led by the two of them, we will be experts. But, really, I am glad she did. You know how there’s someone who thinks some hobby of theirs is just the cat’s meow, and you don’t? And they want to convince you, in any manner possible, that it really is? And, once they finally get you to do it, you realize it’s not so bad, and yes, you actually do like to dance? Well, thank you, Shaila, for helping me to remember that it’s okay to be comfortable in my skin at all times.

The people I’m spending my time with are calidad.



I suppose that’s all for now. But, one last thing: in case you’re wondering, the music I’m listening to at the moment that’s making me feel some kind of wonderful is a little bit of Taj Mahal and Frank Sinatra, mixed in with some Save Ferris and Harry Connick, Jr. Just watched When Harry Met Sally, and couldn’t be in a better mood here with my runny nose, dry, itchy throat, and dizziness. Buenas noches, que descansa.