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.
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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.
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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.
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With much love and gratitude for you all (without whom it would be mighty difficult to feel at home, anywhere), Happy New Week.