Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Some Pics

Too lazy to write, but here are some pics =)
PC Headquarters
Our Patron Saint, San Luis
My sitemates at our Feria for San Luis
Standing in the doorway of my room looking at my courtyard/house
my bed =)

Saturday, August 28, 2010

D Day, and other amusing Guatemalan moments

There has been way, way too much going on this week to try to write about it all, so it's going to have to be a Best Of list instead:

-First off, tuesday at common session it was D Day- meaning medical session on Diarrhea. This included singing the diarrhea song (when your sliding in to first, and your stomach's gonna burst, diarrhea, diarrhea...) and a "Fart Chart" which included fun facts such as that farts come out of you at a speed of 7 mph. Let's just say there was a lot of bathroom humor...

-Wednesday was the big fair day in our town- starting at 2 am with fireworks and a discoteque bus driving through the town blasting music. Later that day, San Luis was returned to our house after being paraded throughout the town, welcomed with more fireworks and a shrine in the dining room. My family made chuchitos- dumpling type things cooked in corn leaves- and ponche, which consisted of basically every fruit you could imagine simmered over the stove into a juice with cloves and cinnamon. It was probably drink I've ever had, and would have been even better with some whiskey ;) That night there was a concert on the soccer field and the band played "listen to the rhythm of the falling rain", only in spanish, mariachi style.

-Thursday we travelled to Pachalum to visit a muni volunteer, and we got to be on her radio show. Celebrity status in guatemalaaa.

-The other day we were walking our usual route, up Cerro Nino (which means "child hill", but let me tell you this hill is no baby!) and we passed a school with the global visionaries logo on it, which is the group i came to Guatemala with the first time I was here! I asked my host mom about it and she said indeed some gringos had come to help build the school. It was so weird to see that familiar logo in this tiny little town that seems so far away from my life then!

Other than that, we have been doing tons of spanish classes (I can also now identify all 22 departments of guatemala and their captials, thank youuu) and hanging out with the fam. Wilson and I are pretty much hooked at the hip, and apparently he says my name in his sleep even. The family calls him "El Nene Feo" (Ugly baby) and if you ask him who El Nene Feo is he responds enthusiastically "Yo!". It reminds me so much of my grandma (although her favored term of affection was "stupid little baby"). This week is filled with a lot of school type stuff- group paper on our community due tuesday, a group presentation on organizational development on thursday... So, here we are in Antigua doing "work" (obviously) on it. I also finally found good coffee at, of all places, the Bagel Barn.

Anddd, that's about it. So... The end. (more pictures soon!)

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

This week....

me in my first house in santa lucia (not the one I'm living in now)
The cemetery in Pastores- so pretty!
Antigua McDonalds- no joke.
The view standing in the doorway of my room now!

Where to start?? Well, tomorrow officially marks two weeks in Guatemala- it feels like about 20 times that, but in a good way. It seems like ages since I was living the life of wireless internet and Cheesecake Factory’s. But, I figure that just means I’m settling into my new reality of camionetas, avocado trees, and the rainy season.

The past week has been filled with mostly Spanish classes- using the term “class” in the loosest sense, as it usually consists of having at length conversations about things like Jack Johnson or macaroni and cheese, or taking field trips into Antigua or Pastores to see the sights.

Saturday we went to the Mercado in Antigua for class, and also went to the parque and the Jade factory. We had our “lesson” in the McDonalds which was legit like a palace- fountains, gardens, free internet, and all. We also went to a little coffee shop our teacher likes that had amazing cookies- it will most definitely be a frequent stop on Antigua trips from now on.

We had our first technical training last week, which was just a lot of information that left me just as clueless about exactly what I’ll be doing with my life for the next two years as I was before- I think. But, I do know that for training we will be working with the Municipality of Pastores with the Municipal Women’s Office and some community women’s groups. We’re also going to get a mentor that is currently serving who will help us with projects and probably be a lot more informative, who we meet tomorrow. Thursday we also take a trip to visit a current volunteer in Tecpan for the day.

Most days after class my group of 4 go for a walk around town (a whopping one dirt street with a church, community center, soccer field…and that’s about it) for a little exercise and for something to do. Yesterday when we walked out of my house (where we have classes) there were three teenagers, one of which replied with a “good afternoon” when we said the usual “buenas tardes” to them. That got us started having a double language lesson- English for them, Spanish for us- that they were completely tickled by. We also started sharing tongue twisters (or trabalenguas) and the Guatemaltecos have some pretty good ones (something about “mirame sin mira, Miryam”…).

Being a part of a big family has been quite the adjustment- there’s always noise, someone leaving, someone coming, something going on. But it’s only in the best way, and Sundays we all have breakfast and lunch together and there’s just a big mosh of conversation and laughing the whole day. (Side note: here, mosh means oatmeal, which I think is a much more appropriate name for the food). I always thought big families were completely overwhelming but the Guatemaltecos make it seem effortless and natural. My Spanish teacher was telling me yesterday about a family he knows that has 25 children! I pointed out to him that the family could play a soccer game just between themselves- with subs to spare. While that’s a bit excessive for my tastes, my 10 person household has so far been much more comforting than I ever would have expected.

Now, it’s back to common session and then the camioneta ride home, which is usually so crowded it’s a great workout just trying to get home. Wish me luck!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Me Llamo "No"

Almost one week survived! My Las Carretas family is super nice- and BIG. There's my Madre y Padre, and 5 kids- Brenda (26), Toni(21), Roni(19), Luis and Mauricio (both 14). Also Brenda's bebe Wilson who is about 3, and a Tia but she is out of town. Wilson is super shy, but he is warming up to me. Everyone in the family has been trying to get him to say my name, and all he says is "No". Last night at dinner, though, he just looked at me out of the blue and said "Ale" (that's what the call me here- I told them in the states I go by Lexi, and my madre just said "for us, that's very hard. You can be Ale). Wilson and I are gonna be buddies I think- we have that whole only child thing going.

Also, I think my casa is basically the center of the tiny (one street) pueblo- the police eat lunch here and they keep the patron saint of the town (San Luis) in the dining room. Speaking of, this week is the Festival for San Luis, so el santo was taken to the church yesterday (after Dona Susanna changed his clothes- they had to dress him up!). Then, next wednesday, they'll carry him throughout the town back to our house where there will be a big party. We started spanish "class" yesterday, which consisted of chatting/conversation, meeting everyone's host families (who all told us that their house is our house and to come visit whenever we want), and a field trip into Antigua to buy our celulares! Today is training at the center, and tomorrow we will start technical training and more with the Municipal Development program. From now on, every Tuesday will be common session at the center, and other than that it is spanish class in our pueblo and technical training. Plus, quality time with the family and, apparently, Santo Luis =)

Friday, August 13, 2010

La Gringa!

So, here I am! We arrived on wednesday, and have been staying with a host famiy near Peace Corps Headquarters. My family has been amazing- hay Mimi y Orlando, and their 4 children; Benjamin, Kimberly, Esteban, y Gabriel. Mimi could not believe that I was an only child ("are your parents sad?")or how tall I am ("it's because you are an only child- you got all the food!"). The family lives on a compound with all of Mimi's siblings and their families, and relatives often pass by each others' houses to say hello. Some of the other trainees are living in one of the other houses, and they stopped by one night with their host mother, who introduced herself as "Tia Nora" porque "Just like Mimi is your mother for now, I am your aunt". The Guatemalan people are friendly, patient, and generous. They also have a quick and happy sense of humor that I adore already.

Today I found out my site assignment for training- San Luis Las Carretas, which is about an hour from Peace Corps Headquarters. I will go there tomorrow and meet my host family for the next three months! I will live with them alone, but three other trainees will be in the same pueblo. From tomorrow on, we will only come to headquarters on tuesdays, and all of our other training will happen in San Luis. I am excited to be able to get settled for a while- it's funny to think that three months is about how long I spent abroad in Brussels, and this will only be training!

When we went home for lunch today, Esteban (my four year old host brother, who has been so very shy until now) was waiting outside, and upon seeing us yelled "Las Gringas estan aqui!" And ran to say hello. It was adorable, and the first time I could understand him in his toddler-espanol!

I am already learning a lot about everything possible- but for the most part have simply learned how easy the Guatemaltecos are going to make this for me. They are so understanding, and so very patient, and (although there has been the requisite awkwardness of living with complete strangers who speak a different language) they and the Peace Corps Staff have left little doubt in my mind that I am cared for. And really, what more could I need?

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Staging

PEACE CORPS EXPECTATIONS (A Haiku)
Corps Volunteers Are
Idealistic/Pragmatic
Confused Already.

You know you're in for a wild two years when the mission statement of the 50 year old program you're about to join includes (in the same sentence) the expectation of volunteers to be both idealistic and pragmatic. Yes, I get where they're going with it. Still, that's like a win-win situation; lovely to wish for but... maybe a little more on the idealistic side? True to the family genes, I have always been much more of a pragmatist than an idealist (which is maybe why I take such issue with the combination of those words), but I don't think that has ever stopped me from having big ideas or goals...just from having stupid ones. (Just kidding- sort of.)

Idealist or pragmatist, we are all on our way to our new homes bright and early tomorrow (yes, Mr. Hotel Front Desk Man, I DID say 3 a.m. for our wake up call, thank youu) and I'm actually starting to get super excited. This morning before orientation the nerves kicked in major (my hands were shaking! I've never had that happen!) but I'm just ready to get this show on the road (or in the air, as the case may be) and start this thing already.

DC was a nice little middle step- I got to see two wonderful friends and a sister, which is always nice =) quite the lovely way to wrap up my time in the states. It was nice to have some familiar, loving faces here to calm the nerves a bit. Nothing beats a hug from a dear one when you aren't feeling completely sure of yourself. Well, except maybe pulling out a random crossword puzzle your aunt packed you to find it is all about your lucky number 8 (which also happened- I'm taking it as a good sign!). Sooooo, I've packed up all my junk, secured my new Government Official Passport (impressed? I know.), and hugged the last loved ones to head off to Guatemala (via Miami) at the crack of dawn tomorrow! Hasta Luego~

Monday, August 9, 2010

Eeek!

So, here I am in Arlington getting ready for bed the night before staging. Still can't believe it's here. I don't think I've quite processed just how soon I will be in another country... more later =)