Yesterday was Thanksgiving. I’m still feeling the repercussions for eating as if my stomach had no bottom… it was almost entirely too painful to move, and even to BREATHE after the feast we had yesterday.
We did it up real good. Bought two live turkeys which the boys and Jose’s familia anfitriona drugged up with whiskey to make more relaxed/the meat more tender, and then killed and de-feathered and all that good (?) stuff. Of course, I did not watch the killing, but did get to pet them while they calmed themselves just prior (sorry veg(an) friends). I guess you know you’re in Peace Corps when this becomes the most cost-effective method of arranging your meal. I did not eat the poor chumpipe, but heard rave reviews of its juicy tenderness. Whiskey, apparently, was the key.
Let’s see. Among the montón de comida we had, there was (made by yours truly) Gran’s stuffing, which will definitely be done better next time but nonetheless fulfilled just the right nostalgic need, cranberry sauce, sweet potato pie, and mom’s pumpkin pie. There was also green bean casserole, mashed potatoes with turnips, candied carrots, asparagus… and sweet rolls. OMG it was so much deliciousness. Like I said, I’m still in pain today. But OH-SO-WORTH IT. We also watched It’s a Wonderful Life afterwards to stay true to Jose’s yearly family tradition. Such a great movie.
I must say, as much as I missed being with my fabulous family this Thanksgiving, I was in a rather grateful mood. There were six of us volunteers at the warm and loving house of a Guatemalan family here, and I couldn’t have felt more at home. We spent two days cooking for this feast, all the while being treated like family, feeling like we were with our real families. The volunteers around become people you just inherently love, since you are all going through this experience in the same manner, and are, in general, really fantastic people. As luck would have it we got acquainted with one of the most open-hearted, open-armed families here and I really feel like the hija they say I am, even though I don’t live with them.
…
So, todavía I’m adjusting, poco a poco, to the new life situation I find myself in. I can tell it’s not such smooth sailing because I’m quite out of balance, proof being the week I just had. Monday morning, as I was just starting to jog to the fútbol cancha on the cobblestone streets, I tripped over a stone that jutted out and ate it REAL hard. I skinned the palms of both my hands (which, after putting superglue on yesterday to close them up feel a tiny bit better – but being in the crease of the palm of your hand does not permit quick/easy healing), my right elbow, and my right knee (which is still a tiny bit tweaked). Needless to say, I haven’t run all week, and cooking for two days in a row with bandaids on the palms of my hands was a new and not-so-easily-overcome challenge—thus, the superglue.
Then, Tuesday, as I was using my brand new, cheap blender to make a smoothie, the bottom twisted out and spilled smoothie EVERYWHERE. As if not having a sink in my room to clean up the mess wasn’t challenging enough, I had to also clean up the broken base after it decided to fall off the edge of my table. Thus, no more brand new blender.
Wednesday, before I got to escape into the world of cooking, I had lunch with my counterparts and found myself the only gringo at the table. It’s very nice that they always provide lunch after meetings, or at the very least a snack, but man—if I keep eating like this, I’ll forever have a swollen face! Not appealing. Also, being the only gringo at the table is a bit daunting. Everyone talks in their Guatemalan manner and makes their Guatemalan jokes and I understand less than half of it. So while they all sit there laughing and enjoying their lunch, I get to sit there and eat a little mindless and out of touch with what’s going on around me.
I’ve been reminded by a few of my friends that, no matter how much time you spend here and get comfortable with the people around you, you will still be a foreigner. So, at the very least, I can look forward to understanding what people say and how it is perceived by the others. This will be such a weight off my shoulders when it finally happens.
…
Though, despite all this, I still really do like being here. I like that I have been living here for almost four months now and still don’t want to go home. I like that I get to open myself up to what’s happening around me, even if it’s not all that comfortable at times, and I like that I know it’s making me grow a little inside each time I do this. I like that I’ve been able to feel like I have family here, both Guatemalan and American. I like that I no longer wake up feeling like I am not in my own room. I like that I have fresh fruits and vegetables available to me at my every whim and have everything I need to live the lifestyle I want to live. I like that I have so much time to BE with myself and get comfortable with being without so many of those things I’d have found outside of myself in the U.S. I like that I’m aware that time is the key, and I have plenty of it here in Guatemala. I like that, in all this time, I get to spend my moments in the immaculate beauty of this mountain town with the immaculately beautifully-souled individuals that make up its population. I like that, despite being different, I am still greeted with warm hugs and kisses on the cheek to assure me that I really am welcome here.
…
So it’s now two days later… I’ve been in bed all day with that nasty, not-well-enough-prepared food sickness/fever of 100.2/etc. It was a really terrible day, actually. But, all’s well that ends well. My host family came in to check on me several times, made me tea to make my nausea go away, made me something to eat, and it was lovely. My site mate brought me Gatorade after work and came back later with his host family to bring me tea and toasted bread. It was lovely. M&M called me to wish me well and, alas, I am better. At the end of a day feeling crappier than I can remember feeling in a LONG time, I am reminded so kindly that I really am welcome here. And I feel loved.
…
To all of you back at home, I miss you ever so much and regret that I don’t have the ability to just come stop by to see you. But I’m comforted to know you are there, living real lives and being a part of mine. I love you very much, and thank the powers that be to have had your influence in my making.
Have a beautiful day.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Do you remember when you used to go camping when you were little at the Carson River Valley? And you had to cross rivers in your old 4x4 Jeep Cherokee because it was shallow enough (though rocky) to do that? And do you remember driving down miles of dirt/rocky roads to get to that point in the river where you had to cross? No? Well, I do. Reliving that memory is probably one of the most exciting things that’s happened in site, as of yet. Yesterday I crossed a river in the Director of ADICTA’s old 1994 Toyota Pick-up because the only bridge had its single lane blocked by a semi carrying a bunch of boulders who decided to stop ON THE BRIDGE. We then drove down a couple more miles of bumpety, washed out decomposed granite roads to get to the town where I got to give my first (not-so-successful) charla to the women’s group that processes and dehydrates fruits and vegetables.
So at ADICTA, I am to focus on commercialization of those products and planification of their production. We did a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) workshop so they would be able to come up with these things on their own, as a group – to get them thinking about their group and its future without relying on someone on the outside to come and fix it all for them. The reason I say it was not-so-successful is because I hardly know the women, and had a hard time getting them to feel comfortable taking action. Some of them did step up, but the success of the charla was due largely to the fact that the Director, Don Victor, who is also my counterpart, chimed in with some well-rounded points on how they need to reach towards each other to find these answers, because it’s up to them to form the future success of the group, and no one else.
That’s not to say, though, that things won’t work out with this group of women. In fact, I’m inclined to believe that the more time I spend with them, and the more times I repeat that I’m 24, single, and not planning to get married until I go back home (or probably not even for quite some time thereafter, esp. since, by Guatemalan standards, I’ll be way too viejita at the ripe old age of 26 and it will be difficult to find a husband), they will warm to me and we will be able to contribute a lot to one another’s tables. It’s also great that they all think I will change my mind and get married here in Guate, since that’s precisely what my predecessor/current site mate did. Well, vamos a ver… we’ll just have to see about that. Anyway, I think working with these women who are oh-so-chistosa will be a bright highlight of my time here.
…
So I’m adjusting, slowly but surely, to my new little space in the world. I can’t say that it’s easy, though it hasn’t been particularly difficult. I do have a rather nicely finished house to live in with ceramic tile floors and all, and a view that’s (as I’ve mentioned various times) to die for from my bedroom window, and a steaming hot shower… it’s just a rather strange adjustment not having to get up and go ten different places Saturday morning. If I were at home today, I would’ve had to rush out of the house to drive to at least three different places by the end of the day. Instead, I slept a lot, talked about how people are “made of corn” with my host mom, drew ositos (little bears) for them, ate with them, wrote A LOT in my journal, and contemplated why I didn’t go to town with all my fellow volunteers.
I believe this is a great opportunity for me to finally settle down completely into the moments of my days, instead of rushing from one to the next, all day long. I look forward to this comfort I’ll achieve with just simply being with myself.
…
On another note, all the time I’ve spent daydreaming doesn’t really contribute to that “living in the moment” philosophy I’d like to master. It does, however, present many opportunities to fantasize about the grandiose things I’m GOING to do in the future… like live and work in Europe, or travel all over the world and do Graduate research, or just research in general, amongst the places I visit. Ahh, le sigh; for another time.
I would like to replace this daydreaming with reading or writing letters… so if you’d like a letter from me, please email me your address and I’ll be sure to get on that. For those of you that’ve emailed me I’m working on those responses right now.
…
With much love and gratitude for you all (without whom it would be mighty difficult to feel at home, anywhere), Happy New Week.
So at ADICTA, I am to focus on commercialization of those products and planification of their production. We did a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) workshop so they would be able to come up with these things on their own, as a group – to get them thinking about their group and its future without relying on someone on the outside to come and fix it all for them. The reason I say it was not-so-successful is because I hardly know the women, and had a hard time getting them to feel comfortable taking action. Some of them did step up, but the success of the charla was due largely to the fact that the Director, Don Victor, who is also my counterpart, chimed in with some well-rounded points on how they need to reach towards each other to find these answers, because it’s up to them to form the future success of the group, and no one else.
That’s not to say, though, that things won’t work out with this group of women. In fact, I’m inclined to believe that the more time I spend with them, and the more times I repeat that I’m 24, single, and not planning to get married until I go back home (or probably not even for quite some time thereafter, esp. since, by Guatemalan standards, I’ll be way too viejita at the ripe old age of 26 and it will be difficult to find a husband), they will warm to me and we will be able to contribute a lot to one another’s tables. It’s also great that they all think I will change my mind and get married here in Guate, since that’s precisely what my predecessor/current site mate did. Well, vamos a ver… we’ll just have to see about that. Anyway, I think working with these women who are oh-so-chistosa will be a bright highlight of my time here.
…
So I’m adjusting, slowly but surely, to my new little space in the world. I can’t say that it’s easy, though it hasn’t been particularly difficult. I do have a rather nicely finished house to live in with ceramic tile floors and all, and a view that’s (as I’ve mentioned various times) to die for from my bedroom window, and a steaming hot shower… it’s just a rather strange adjustment not having to get up and go ten different places Saturday morning. If I were at home today, I would’ve had to rush out of the house to drive to at least three different places by the end of the day. Instead, I slept a lot, talked about how people are “made of corn” with my host mom, drew ositos (little bears) for them, ate with them, wrote A LOT in my journal, and contemplated why I didn’t go to town with all my fellow volunteers.
I believe this is a great opportunity for me to finally settle down completely into the moments of my days, instead of rushing from one to the next, all day long. I look forward to this comfort I’ll achieve with just simply being with myself.
…
On another note, all the time I’ve spent daydreaming doesn’t really contribute to that “living in the moment” philosophy I’d like to master. It does, however, present many opportunities to fantasize about the grandiose things I’m GOING to do in the future… like live and work in Europe, or travel all over the world and do Graduate research, or just research in general, amongst the places I visit. Ahh, le sigh; for another time.
I would like to replace this daydreaming with reading or writing letters… so if you’d like a letter from me, please email me your address and I’ll be sure to get on that. For those of you that’ve emailed me I’m working on those responses right now.
…
With much love and gratitude for you all (without whom it would be mighty difficult to feel at home, anywhere), Happy New Week.
Monday, November 9, 2009
:)
Today I washed my clothes by hand for the very first time. I don’t know that I did such a good job in my two-and-a-half hour stint, but I did it. We shall judge the results when my clothes finally dry probably two or three days from now.
I stood at the pila on the roof underneath the little awning of lamina rubbing my hands raw with detergent, looking amongst the mountainous glory lined with silver-lined clouds and sun, listening to the pitter-patter of light rain on that lamina awning, and gasping at the splendor of a perfectly glistening rainbow seemingly just a football field away. This rainbow, with its start shooting out the depths of the ravine and end going over the other side of the mountain, was the most beautifully brilliant I’ve ever seen. Then, as I turned to gather the surrounding view, I saw the volcano I now live in the vicinity of and, again, had my breath taken away.
Is life really hard? I don’t think so. I see beautiful things daily that make it worthwhile to stop and appreciate all those things that there are to appreciate in this world. I may be sick now and then, lose my voice because of it, rub my hands raw with detergent, cook and sleep both in one room, sleep with numb toes, and be thoroughly challenged by ever-new surroundings, but I still have those beautiful things to bring me back to that knowledge that life really is, well, beautiful.
…
The holidays are coming and I heard my first Christmas song (in Spanish) on the radio Friday morning. My initial reaction, being reminded that I am without those I most love this holiday season, was “BAH!” (Plus, it’s only the beginning of November) But, that same evening, as I began to bake with my sitemate for a potluck we were going to on Saturday, I couldn’t help but let him drag me into the spirit of it. We put on Christmas music (I know, bah – but we do what we can to make ourselves feel at home here) and made REALLY YUMMY oatmeal/craisin cookies AND orange vegan cake with fresh-, home-squeezed orange juice and strawberry jelly/powdered sugar icing. They were both a hit (yes, even the vegan cake – a few people even requested the recipe).
This afternoon, after washing my clothes, the sitemates all got together at M&M’s house for dinner. M&M made us some amazing quiche, and I made No Bakes. Have you ever had them? If you have, you’d know how INCREDIBLE they taste. It was fabulous. We also watched When Harry Met Sally (yes, again – it never gets old to me) and, once again, it put me in a state of bliss.
...
Enjoy your day, I love you.
I stood at the pila on the roof underneath the little awning of lamina rubbing my hands raw with detergent, looking amongst the mountainous glory lined with silver-lined clouds and sun, listening to the pitter-patter of light rain on that lamina awning, and gasping at the splendor of a perfectly glistening rainbow seemingly just a football field away. This rainbow, with its start shooting out the depths of the ravine and end going over the other side of the mountain, was the most beautifully brilliant I’ve ever seen. Then, as I turned to gather the surrounding view, I saw the volcano I now live in the vicinity of and, again, had my breath taken away.
Is life really hard? I don’t think so. I see beautiful things daily that make it worthwhile to stop and appreciate all those things that there are to appreciate in this world. I may be sick now and then, lose my voice because of it, rub my hands raw with detergent, cook and sleep both in one room, sleep with numb toes, and be thoroughly challenged by ever-new surroundings, but I still have those beautiful things to bring me back to that knowledge that life really is, well, beautiful.
…
The holidays are coming and I heard my first Christmas song (in Spanish) on the radio Friday morning. My initial reaction, being reminded that I am without those I most love this holiday season, was “BAH!” (Plus, it’s only the beginning of November) But, that same evening, as I began to bake with my sitemate for a potluck we were going to on Saturday, I couldn’t help but let him drag me into the spirit of it. We put on Christmas music (I know, bah – but we do what we can to make ourselves feel at home here) and made REALLY YUMMY oatmeal/craisin cookies AND orange vegan cake with fresh-, home-squeezed orange juice and strawberry jelly/powdered sugar icing. They were both a hit (yes, even the vegan cake – a few people even requested the recipe).
This afternoon, after washing my clothes, the sitemates all got together at M&M’s house for dinner. M&M made us some amazing quiche, and I made No Bakes. Have you ever had them? If you have, you’d know how INCREDIBLE they taste. It was fabulous. We also watched When Harry Met Sally (yes, again – it never gets old to me) and, once again, it put me in a state of bliss.
...
Enjoy your day, I love you.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
A little bit of each of my days...
It seems I am floating at the top of my dreams. I sat at the table last night with my family here last night trying to explain how strange it feels to be doing what I’ve been dreaming about for two years now. Can you imagine? I can’t. I just have to live it. I don’t even know what to say anymore, except that it feels incredible to be soaring into the future I’ve been waiting for. Does that paint a picture clear enough?
…
So this morning I’d like to say a few words regarding the camionetas, or “chicken buses”. They are called “chicken buses” because occasionally you’ll hear a bunch of peeping coming from a basket, and every once in awhile you’ll actually see a chicken, or two turkeys tied down into another basket. It’s worth mentioning that you’re never at a loss for a seat, even when there are none. These second-hand school buses have long enough seats to fit three, even when the third is one cheek on, one cheek off in the aisle. No matter, the third person in the other seat serves to hold you upright as you squish together.
This morning, I had the most mentionable of bus rides. It was totally full, except not too full to keep cramming people on. It’s NEVER too full to keep cramming people on. Tricia and I got shoved all the way to the back, and she was lucky enough to get one of those third-spot seats, while I got to stand right between two seats, holding the people on the edges (including Tricia) up with my hips. As people tried to shove past so they could bajar, I hit Tricia right between the eyes with my FULL Nalgene bottle. We’re waiting for the black eye to pop up. Later on, as I enjoyed the tight fit of people pressing up against me, I tried to adjust my arms (which were holding onto the railing in the ceiling for dear life) and elbowed Tricia on the top of the head.
You can imagine how entertaining it was. Tricia may not be too excited, but I think she’s a good sport. We laughed. A lot.
…
Just a little bit of my day here in Guate. Have a good one, loved ones.
…
So this morning I’d like to say a few words regarding the camionetas, or “chicken buses”. They are called “chicken buses” because occasionally you’ll hear a bunch of peeping coming from a basket, and every once in awhile you’ll actually see a chicken, or two turkeys tied down into another basket. It’s worth mentioning that you’re never at a loss for a seat, even when there are none. These second-hand school buses have long enough seats to fit three, even when the third is one cheek on, one cheek off in the aisle. No matter, the third person in the other seat serves to hold you upright as you squish together.
This morning, I had the most mentionable of bus rides. It was totally full, except not too full to keep cramming people on. It’s NEVER too full to keep cramming people on. Tricia and I got shoved all the way to the back, and she was lucky enough to get one of those third-spot seats, while I got to stand right between two seats, holding the people on the edges (including Tricia) up with my hips. As people tried to shove past so they could bajar, I hit Tricia right between the eyes with my FULL Nalgene bottle. We’re waiting for the black eye to pop up. Later on, as I enjoyed the tight fit of people pressing up against me, I tried to adjust my arms (which were holding onto the railing in the ceiling for dear life) and elbowed Tricia on the top of the head.
You can imagine how entertaining it was. Tricia may not be too excited, but I think she’s a good sport. We laughed. A lot.
…
Just a little bit of my day here in Guate. Have a good one, loved ones.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
So, it’s been awhile since I’ve written you. Fíjese que I’ve been pretty busy lately. There has been quite a stir of emotions. Through it all, I haven’t lost my conviction that this is definitely what I want to be doing with my life right now. Our time as trainees is quickly winding away and we are all pretty ready to get going with our lives—especially since we’ve gotten a taste of just how our lives will be these next two years, starting October 31st.
A word on my site…
You would never imagine the greatness of what I get to look at every day. Hills, mountains, valleys, trees, crisp, cool air, and the best part: my office. It’s an old hacienda-style house with a courtyard out back that’s as rustically quaint as you could ever imagine. I get to go there every day. And when I don’t stay at the office all day, I’m traveling through the mountains and valleys and over the rivers into the surrounding aldeas where I get to breath it all in up close. All the belleza and glory…
If you couldn’t guess, I’m happy.
I’ll be working at an organization that’s organized itself for the organizational purposes of the community’s wellbeing. :) I’ll primarily be working with a women’s group that processes and dehydrates fruits and vegetables, and sometimes honey to sell to various markets. It will partly be my job to help them search for other commercialization channels, as well as establish that they’ve taken into account all of their costs in a cost-of-production workshop (taller) and capacitation series, and make a production and commercialization plan for the future. I’ve got my work cut out for me, but am way excited to tackle this.
Today we had our last and final feedback session and, again, I got: “Your happiness, amazing flexibility, and hard work has made it very easy for us to find a great place for you and proves to us that you will be one of the excellently successful volunteers.”
So at my site, there is another volunteer going into his third year who recently married an awesome Guatemalan girl, and they have baby bunnies that like to run around and slide on their tile floors. They’re super nice and I’m fortunate to have the next year living around them. I also have a site mate from my same training class that is fabulous to have nearby. We live about a two+ hour walk away from another three volunteers, one of which is also from my training class. My site mate and I took the walk on Saturday to the others’ town and, though long (~6 miles over hills in high altitude), it was so worth the beautiful view and air and river and all that sweet stuff. We’re planning to switch Saturdays doing the walk and have brunch ready for whoever makes the trip.
I’m pretty excited for the crowd I get to spend my time with, the place I get to work, the people I work with and the community I will be living in for the next two years. I’m pretty excited that I still feel like I perfectly belong just right where I am and that I’m continuing to live this dream. I’m pretty excited that the next two years will assuredly be so fulfilling and will teach me so much more than most things I could be doing in the States right now.
…
OH!! I almost forgot to talk about my trip to Pacaya. We hiked to the crater of an active volcano and saw RUNNING LAVA. SUPER hot, super exciting. It sounds like crackling glass as it flows. We roasted marshmallows and made smores over the heat of it. Wish I could say more about it, but words escape me. Enjoy the photos on facebook... the uploader isn't working for this blog right now.
I'm sitting here listening to the Help album, courtesy of my dad, and couldn’t be happier. I have yet to cease being amazed and graciously reminded that I have so much love in my life. Sorry to those of you who may get sick of hearing this, but it’s what keeps me going here. And I feel lucky to be so ever-aware and reminded of it.
Send me some “you” music and I’ll sit here listening to it, thinking of you the whole time. But don’t send it until I get my new address in two weeks. If you do, it may be months before I get it.
My love goes to each of you every day.
Loverpants, you are amazing. Don’t you forget it.
A word on my site…
You would never imagine the greatness of what I get to look at every day. Hills, mountains, valleys, trees, crisp, cool air, and the best part: my office. It’s an old hacienda-style house with a courtyard out back that’s as rustically quaint as you could ever imagine. I get to go there every day. And when I don’t stay at the office all day, I’m traveling through the mountains and valleys and over the rivers into the surrounding aldeas where I get to breath it all in up close. All the belleza and glory…
If you couldn’t guess, I’m happy.
I’ll be working at an organization that’s organized itself for the organizational purposes of the community’s wellbeing. :) I’ll primarily be working with a women’s group that processes and dehydrates fruits and vegetables, and sometimes honey to sell to various markets. It will partly be my job to help them search for other commercialization channels, as well as establish that they’ve taken into account all of their costs in a cost-of-production workshop (taller) and capacitation series, and make a production and commercialization plan for the future. I’ve got my work cut out for me, but am way excited to tackle this.
Today we had our last and final feedback session and, again, I got: “Your happiness, amazing flexibility, and hard work has made it very easy for us to find a great place for you and proves to us that you will be one of the excellently successful volunteers.”
So at my site, there is another volunteer going into his third year who recently married an awesome Guatemalan girl, and they have baby bunnies that like to run around and slide on their tile floors. They’re super nice and I’m fortunate to have the next year living around them. I also have a site mate from my same training class that is fabulous to have nearby. We live about a two+ hour walk away from another three volunteers, one of which is also from my training class. My site mate and I took the walk on Saturday to the others’ town and, though long (~6 miles over hills in high altitude), it was so worth the beautiful view and air and river and all that sweet stuff. We’re planning to switch Saturdays doing the walk and have brunch ready for whoever makes the trip.
I’m pretty excited for the crowd I get to spend my time with, the place I get to work, the people I work with and the community I will be living in for the next two years. I’m pretty excited that I still feel like I perfectly belong just right where I am and that I’m continuing to live this dream. I’m pretty excited that the next two years will assuredly be so fulfilling and will teach me so much more than most things I could be doing in the States right now.
…
OH!! I almost forgot to talk about my trip to Pacaya. We hiked to the crater of an active volcano and saw RUNNING LAVA. SUPER hot, super exciting. It sounds like crackling glass as it flows. We roasted marshmallows and made smores over the heat of it. Wish I could say more about it, but words escape me. Enjoy the photos on facebook... the uploader isn't working for this blog right now.
I'm sitting here listening to the Help album, courtesy of my dad, and couldn’t be happier. I have yet to cease being amazed and graciously reminded that I have so much love in my life. Sorry to those of you who may get sick of hearing this, but it’s what keeps me going here. And I feel lucky to be so ever-aware and reminded of it.
Send me some “you” music and I’ll sit here listening to it, thinking of you the whole time. But don’t send it until I get my new address in two weeks. If you do, it may be months before I get it.
My love goes to each of you every day.
Loverpants, you are amazing. Don’t you forget it.
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 bien—ya 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.
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 bien—ya 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.
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
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
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