Happy Thanksgiving & Other

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.