As I had feared, my reflections have gotten far too few and far between since i stopped working and dont have constant access to a computer!
But, I do what I can to get out a few more in the...5 days and counting that I have in this country.
Know what I was reflecting on today??¿
The fact that I have..whats the word..molded¿? Meshed¿ into this culture, and its going to be difficult to take up some of the Us culture habits again.
Will I start greeting everybody on the streets? Good morning, good afternoon, and goodnight to random strangers? (is that normal?!)
Will I get offended by people who whiz by me on the streets, on a mission, and dont glance up and nod buenas tardes?
Will I expect every man, boy, and elderly man to stare and make eye contact everytime they pass? (Some, of course, are more polite than others,) It will actually be nice to be able to walk down the streets in shorts and not hear whistles or shouts or under the breath comments. Actually, it will be nice to just wear shorts! I have adapted a much more conservative dress style here, if I go out in shorts in my neighborhood, I feel much too indecent. It will be so great to wear shorts without feeling indecent.. so Excited!!
What else. I feel like the LOUDNess of the American culture will shock me. Everything here is so quiet and nobody complains. Nobody complains if the bus to Xela is waaay too hot and the driver has not opened the windows yet, people just wait, sweating, until he does it. They are just a very polite people.
Another thing. Will I have naturally more-alert instincts? Or however you say that in english? Here, I dont walk alone ANYWHERE after 9pm. EVER. I remember last time, coming home, and walking in the streets of St. Joe coming home from Sals, it was like, WHAT!? We can actually do this!? We dont need to call a taxi!?
Being here has hightened my senses to potential danger, and has made me a lot more careful. I never ever open the door to my house without looking out the window first. Is that normal?
I cant keep my door open during the day. My windows have metal bars on the outsides.
It all feels so normal.
But I really think Ivè just adjusted.
It will be very interesting to see what cultural aspects I retain from Guatemala, and which ones about the states seem SO WEIRD to me.
That will make for some interesting reflection later, I think.
See you in 5 days.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Reflection #4
I have learned how to cut fruit.
Hahahaha.
But seriously. I have.
I am now an expert at cutting tropical fruit. You know how in Minnesota, on those rare occasiones that one buys a pineapple or mango, its like, ¨wow, this is kind of a struggle, how do I do this again?¨ or ¨What is the best way to go about it this time?¨
(Well, at least to me that happened, cause I rarely cut watermelon, pineapple, or mango!)
But now? I cut fruit like a regular Guatemalan fruit vendor.
I am an expert at cutting papaya. I even know that the secret to making it REAL good is to puncture the skin with knife slices as soon as you buy it, to make sure the acid can escape and the fruit is not too bitter by the time you want to cut it.
(Yes, I know. Professional, right?)
I mean, how many people can say they cut papaya on the regular?
Also, piña and mangos are now my specialties. I can cut a mean mango. Lets see. Papaya, mango, watermelon, pineapple, those are the basics.
Never cut up so much tropical fruit before in my LIFE!
And then of course, there´s the ¨Guatemalan¨ fruit. Jocotes, nisparos, etc. And then those weird red spiky looking fruits. Fruits that I´m pretty sure don´t even have a NAME in English! They are just too plain tropical! I mean, seriously. Nisparo? I had never even heard of that! Just one of those things that doesn´t exist in the states. Or, Minnesota at least.
Wow. Can´t wait to get back to the states and eat apples, bananas and oranges.
(Sarcasm)
I am going to miss my cheap, fresh, tropical fruit WAAY TOO MUCH.
But, that is my reflection for the day. I cut fruit like you could never imagine.
Thank you.
:)
Hahahaha.
But seriously. I have.
I am now an expert at cutting tropical fruit. You know how in Minnesota, on those rare occasiones that one buys a pineapple or mango, its like, ¨wow, this is kind of a struggle, how do I do this again?¨ or ¨What is the best way to go about it this time?¨
(Well, at least to me that happened, cause I rarely cut watermelon, pineapple, or mango!)
But now? I cut fruit like a regular Guatemalan fruit vendor.
I am an expert at cutting papaya. I even know that the secret to making it REAL good is to puncture the skin with knife slices as soon as you buy it, to make sure the acid can escape and the fruit is not too bitter by the time you want to cut it.
(Yes, I know. Professional, right?)
I mean, how many people can say they cut papaya on the regular?
Also, piña and mangos are now my specialties. I can cut a mean mango. Lets see. Papaya, mango, watermelon, pineapple, those are the basics.
Never cut up so much tropical fruit before in my LIFE!
And then of course, there´s the ¨Guatemalan¨ fruit. Jocotes, nisparos, etc. And then those weird red spiky looking fruits. Fruits that I´m pretty sure don´t even have a NAME in English! They are just too plain tropical! I mean, seriously. Nisparo? I had never even heard of that! Just one of those things that doesn´t exist in the states. Or, Minnesota at least.
Wow. Can´t wait to get back to the states and eat apples, bananas and oranges.
(Sarcasm)
I am going to miss my cheap, fresh, tropical fruit WAAY TOO MUCH.
But, that is my reflection for the day. I cut fruit like you could never imagine.
Thank you.
:)
Reflection # 3
Living simply.
I really do.
When I first moved into my Santa Ana apartment, (un-furnished, which contained literally a bed, a fridge, a Coleman stove, a small table, and 2 plastic chairs,) the first thing I did was make a long list of things I needed to buy.
I no longer remember exactly what was on that list, but let me tell you, it was long. Area rugs, lamps, pictures, art for the walls, pillows, plastic cabinets, plastic storage, chairs, furniture, shoe rack, cooking utensils, etc.
Know what I bought from that list?
A pillow and two small pictures to hang on the walls.
That´s it.
Hahaha. I told myself that each month, I would treat myself to buying something new and exciting for the house. (Lamps, chairs, etc.) And then as the months passed, I realized how much I really didn´t need any of those things.
Yes, they are things that we have and demand in our U.S. homes and lives, but somehow, one does just fine without all these things! (Stange how that is..)
Yes, my living room is bare, (to the point where a couple of people have asked, ¨oh, do you teach salsa lessons here!?¨, because my living room literally is a bare tile floor with a mirror) HAHA. No, I do not, thank you very much. I just don´t have a lot of furniture. To the point where my living room resembles a dance studio :)
But I haven´t felt at all uncomfortable in my simple house and living style.
Granted, there are a few sacrifices.
I would really love an oven sometimes! But, like anything else, I have adapted. I have searched Betty Crocker online for endless ¨stovetop¨ and ¨skillet¨ recipes, and have made a lot of soups and etc. Haha.
You do what you gotta do, right??
A lot of people also ask, ¨WHAT?! YOU DON´T HAVE A TV! DON´T YOU GET BORED!?!?!¨
Nope. Not me.
Perhaps it is thanks to my lax upbringing (and when I say lax I am definitely joking) of watching one TV show a week.
Or, perhaps it was my adjusting to not having TV (other than the local Brainerd channel) whatsoever during my high school years...
Or watching only one show, Grey´s Anatomy, all through college...(oh, and can´t forget those Twins games)
But whatever it was, I am totally not accustomed to having Tv, so it was never a big deal. The best part is that I still was able to watch Grey´s Anatomy, (Monday nights at 8!) At Shelly´s house :)
I also am accustomed to not having a dish washer. Or a washer and dryer. Or a microwave. Or a toaster. Or an oven. Or a freezer that works. All of these things, folks, they really aren´t necessities. They are luxuries. (I have discovered the beauty of the double boiler, for example, for reheating foods!)
And I really don´t feel like I have been living ¨the simple life¨--I just feel like normal old me, just doing things a little more old-fashioned! (Handwashing clothes on a ridged washboard sink, etc.) Its been really good for me to realize that even without all these luxury appliances that we have in the states, I still have so much more than a lot of people who live in Guatemala.
But we--(those of us who live on less, and those in the world who live on a LOT less) aren´t different people--we just work a lot harder to obtain the same results.
Below: A picture of my pila, the sink with the ridged washboard, where I wash some clothes. Here, we have a kitchen towel in mid-wash. hahaha.
I really do.
When I first moved into my Santa Ana apartment, (un-furnished, which contained literally a bed, a fridge, a Coleman stove, a small table, and 2 plastic chairs,) the first thing I did was make a long list of things I needed to buy.
I no longer remember exactly what was on that list, but let me tell you, it was long. Area rugs, lamps, pictures, art for the walls, pillows, plastic cabinets, plastic storage, chairs, furniture, shoe rack, cooking utensils, etc.
Know what I bought from that list?
A pillow and two small pictures to hang on the walls.
That´s it.
Hahaha. I told myself that each month, I would treat myself to buying something new and exciting for the house. (Lamps, chairs, etc.) And then as the months passed, I realized how much I really didn´t need any of those things.
Yes, they are things that we have and demand in our U.S. homes and lives, but somehow, one does just fine without all these things! (Stange how that is..)
Yes, my living room is bare, (to the point where a couple of people have asked, ¨oh, do you teach salsa lessons here!?¨, because my living room literally is a bare tile floor with a mirror) HAHA. No, I do not, thank you very much. I just don´t have a lot of furniture. To the point where my living room resembles a dance studio :)
But I haven´t felt at all uncomfortable in my simple house and living style.
Granted, there are a few sacrifices.
I would really love an oven sometimes! But, like anything else, I have adapted. I have searched Betty Crocker online for endless ¨stovetop¨ and ¨skillet¨ recipes, and have made a lot of soups and etc. Haha.
You do what you gotta do, right??
A lot of people also ask, ¨WHAT?! YOU DON´T HAVE A TV! DON´T YOU GET BORED!?!?!¨
Nope. Not me.
Perhaps it is thanks to my lax upbringing (and when I say lax I am definitely joking) of watching one TV show a week.
Or, perhaps it was my adjusting to not having TV (other than the local Brainerd channel) whatsoever during my high school years...
Or watching only one show, Grey´s Anatomy, all through college...(oh, and can´t forget those Twins games)
But whatever it was, I am totally not accustomed to having Tv, so it was never a big deal. The best part is that I still was able to watch Grey´s Anatomy, (Monday nights at 8!) At Shelly´s house :)
I also am accustomed to not having a dish washer. Or a washer and dryer. Or a microwave. Or a toaster. Or an oven. Or a freezer that works. All of these things, folks, they really aren´t necessities. They are luxuries. (I have discovered the beauty of the double boiler, for example, for reheating foods!)
And I really don´t feel like I have been living ¨the simple life¨--I just feel like normal old me, just doing things a little more old-fashioned! (Handwashing clothes on a ridged washboard sink, etc.) Its been really good for me to realize that even without all these luxury appliances that we have in the states, I still have so much more than a lot of people who live in Guatemala.
But we--(those of us who live on less, and those in the world who live on a LOT less) aren´t different people--we just work a lot harder to obtain the same results.
Below: A picture of my pila, the sink with the ridged washboard, where I wash some clothes. Here, we have a kitchen towel in mid-wash. hahaha.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Reflection #2
We´re doing good! Two days in a row so far! (We´ll see how this keeps up haha)
Going off of my first reflection--which really wasn´t all that long or reflection-y--
Being here for a whole year has changed me in many ways. The biggest change?
I´ve grown up. A lot. In just one years time.
I imagine this happens to a lot of people when they graduate from college and join the ¨real-people¨ world; growing-up generally happens pretty quickly.
Down here, however, not only have I joined the ¨real-people¨ world, with a Monday-Friday 8-5 job, but I have done so in a third-world country. That makes for real quick maturing, let me tell you that much!
I have learned how to have a full-time job--how to interact with a boss, coworkers, have departmental bi-monthly meetings, how to be tactful when other coworkers´opinions are not the same as mine, (so, in other words, when they´re wrong) and of course how to lead my teams.
I have developed as a leader--I enjoyed being a leader before I came, but I think being the ¨mother¨ of a bunch of adults in Guatemala, sometimes twice my age if not more, really solidified that role and that part of my personality. (Eat this, don´t eat this, drink lots of water, but not from the faucet, you go here, you go there, LISTEN UP, don´t throw your toilet paper in the toilet unless on CH grounds, do what I say at all times, etc.)
It is fun, really!
So anyways, I have developed professionally.
How else have I matured?
Well, I have my own house. I am responsible for cleaning my own house, buying my own groceries, paying my own rent, etc. Instead of waking up on Saturday mornings and heading straight out to the deck like I do in Brainerd, I first wake up and start sweeping the floors and washing the sink. Washing clothes in the pila. Cleaning the bathroom. (Then, of course, after all that, I make time to go up to the terrace and tan!) But, I usually wake up Saturday mornings ready to clean. And it doesnt bother me! Weird, I know. But I think its because its my own house, my own mess, and when I keep it clean, its never too much work.
So how do I know I have matured? I wake up on Saturday mornings (sometimes at 7:30, 8, whenever I wake up,) and clean. Hahaha I am an old lady.
Besides that how do I know?
I make lentil soup on Saturday nights with classical music blaring. ( I literally did this last week; I am turning into my mother!) Which is not a bad thing! Like mother, like daugheter :) Or however the saying goes. But Mom I seriously didn´t realize how much I was acting like you, and then all of a sudden it hit me, (mid-Mozart symphony,) and I burst out laughing, because I am turning into YOU! (It was quite a lovely Saturday night, by the way, and the soup turned out great, despite the fact that I had to use fresh EVERYTHING, including make my own broth, because they dont have canned tomatoes or canned chicken broth here.)
Anyways.
I cook more. I water my plants. I pay bills. I live on a BUDGET. (This is a first for me, and has taught me important skills!) I buy expensive groceries only when I have ¨a little extra¨ that month. I don´t go shopping all the time. (This, folks, is saying a lot.) I have probably bought about... 4 items of clothing for myself in the past year. Seriously. Not exaggerating. (Wow. How is that possible??) Which brings me to a good stopping place for my rambling and a good next reflection topic...how I have learned to live simply.
Love to all! See you in 17 days :(
Going off of my first reflection--which really wasn´t all that long or reflection-y--
Being here for a whole year has changed me in many ways. The biggest change?
I´ve grown up. A lot. In just one years time.
I imagine this happens to a lot of people when they graduate from college and join the ¨real-people¨ world; growing-up generally happens pretty quickly.
Down here, however, not only have I joined the ¨real-people¨ world, with a Monday-Friday 8-5 job, but I have done so in a third-world country. That makes for real quick maturing, let me tell you that much!
I have learned how to have a full-time job--how to interact with a boss, coworkers, have departmental bi-monthly meetings, how to be tactful when other coworkers´opinions are not the same as mine, (so, in other words, when they´re wrong) and of course how to lead my teams.
I have developed as a leader--I enjoyed being a leader before I came, but I think being the ¨mother¨ of a bunch of adults in Guatemala, sometimes twice my age if not more, really solidified that role and that part of my personality. (Eat this, don´t eat this, drink lots of water, but not from the faucet, you go here, you go there, LISTEN UP, don´t throw your toilet paper in the toilet unless on CH grounds, do what I say at all times, etc.)
It is fun, really!
So anyways, I have developed professionally.
How else have I matured?
Well, I have my own house. I am responsible for cleaning my own house, buying my own groceries, paying my own rent, etc. Instead of waking up on Saturday mornings and heading straight out to the deck like I do in Brainerd, I first wake up and start sweeping the floors and washing the sink. Washing clothes in the pila. Cleaning the bathroom. (Then, of course, after all that, I make time to go up to the terrace and tan!) But, I usually wake up Saturday mornings ready to clean. And it doesnt bother me! Weird, I know. But I think its because its my own house, my own mess, and when I keep it clean, its never too much work.
So how do I know I have matured? I wake up on Saturday mornings (sometimes at 7:30, 8, whenever I wake up,) and clean. Hahaha I am an old lady.
Besides that how do I know?
I make lentil soup on Saturday nights with classical music blaring. ( I literally did this last week; I am turning into my mother!) Which is not a bad thing! Like mother, like daugheter :) Or however the saying goes. But Mom I seriously didn´t realize how much I was acting like you, and then all of a sudden it hit me, (mid-Mozart symphony,) and I burst out laughing, because I am turning into YOU! (It was quite a lovely Saturday night, by the way, and the soup turned out great, despite the fact that I had to use fresh EVERYTHING, including make my own broth, because they dont have canned tomatoes or canned chicken broth here.)
Anyways.
I cook more. I water my plants. I pay bills. I live on a BUDGET. (This is a first for me, and has taught me important skills!) I buy expensive groceries only when I have ¨a little extra¨ that month. I don´t go shopping all the time. (This, folks, is saying a lot.) I have probably bought about... 4 items of clothing for myself in the past year. Seriously. Not exaggerating. (Wow. How is that possible??) Which brings me to a good stopping place for my rambling and a good next reflection topic...how I have learned to live simply.
Love to all! See you in 17 days :(
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Reflection #1
When one´s time winds down in a country in which they´ve lived for a year, a lot of reflection takes place. Also, when one doesn´t have a boyfriend who´s around all the time, a lot more SELF-reflection takes place. Haha. Which is wonderful! I love it. I really do enjoy my alone time.
(Sidenote. One also loses 15 pounds when said boyfriend is no longer around all the time! I think because there´s no man shoving food in one´s face!)
But anyways! I´ve decided that I need to start getting some of these reflections that just randomly come to my mind down on paper. And then, while I was doing that, I figured, why don´t I share some of these self-reflections with my friends and family? And instead of scribbling them all down at once, I am going to try to do one a day, from now until the time I leave. (Which is, sadly, 20 days from today.)
Which brings me to my first reflective topic. I have 20 days left in this country. (When I wrote this. Now, publishing it, its actually 18 days)
Last week was my one-year anniversary in Guatemala. 365 days ago, May 24th, 2010, (two weeks after college graduation,) I came to Guatemala.
I knew what I was getting into, I knew the language, the culture, the country, the bus system, the politics, the violence, the amoebas, etc. I knew it all.
What I wasn´t prepared for was how time would fly. How much I would literally became a part of this culture. How I would change as a person throughout a years time. A year is a long time, folks. It´s not only an entire SCHOOL year, (September to May,) it´s an entire YEAR. A year. That is a long time. Especially when I think of it in light of my college years--a college year seemed SO LONG. But a whole entire YEAR year? I hardly ever measured my life in year years before, because it was always measured in school years. Now, for the first time ever, I am measuring my life in year years.
And I cannot believe how fast this one flew by. When I think about the version of myself who arrived in Guatemala a year ago--with my too-short hair-cut, my college-girl tendencies, (which were quickly forced to disappear,with a lack of 6 Blarneystone roomates and Joe-town) and my good-but-not-great Spanish, I really can´t believe how much I´ve changed. And I don´t know if trying to explain it here will even do it justice. I guess that is the purpose of all these reflections I want to get out, to describe my personal journey little by little.
So, for now, I´ll leave you with the first of reflections--a year has passed. A whole year. I have matured in more ways than you know. Beyond my years. Which, actually, I think will be my next reflection.
Peace and love from Guatemala. ¡Que disfruten la vida!, porque todo se puede cambiar en cualquier momento.
(Sidenote. One also loses 15 pounds when said boyfriend is no longer around all the time! I think because there´s no man shoving food in one´s face!)
But anyways! I´ve decided that I need to start getting some of these reflections that just randomly come to my mind down on paper. And then, while I was doing that, I figured, why don´t I share some of these self-reflections with my friends and family? And instead of scribbling them all down at once, I am going to try to do one a day, from now until the time I leave. (Which is, sadly, 20 days from today.)
Which brings me to my first reflective topic. I have 20 days left in this country. (When I wrote this. Now, publishing it, its actually 18 days)
Last week was my one-year anniversary in Guatemala. 365 days ago, May 24th, 2010, (two weeks after college graduation,) I came to Guatemala.
I knew what I was getting into, I knew the language, the culture, the country, the bus system, the politics, the violence, the amoebas, etc. I knew it all.
What I wasn´t prepared for was how time would fly. How much I would literally became a part of this culture. How I would change as a person throughout a years time. A year is a long time, folks. It´s not only an entire SCHOOL year, (September to May,) it´s an entire YEAR. A year. That is a long time. Especially when I think of it in light of my college years--a college year seemed SO LONG. But a whole entire YEAR year? I hardly ever measured my life in year years before, because it was always measured in school years. Now, for the first time ever, I am measuring my life in year years.
And I cannot believe how fast this one flew by. When I think about the version of myself who arrived in Guatemala a year ago--with my too-short hair-cut, my college-girl tendencies, (which were quickly forced to disappear,with a lack of 6 Blarneystone roomates and Joe-town) and my good-but-not-great Spanish, I really can´t believe how much I´ve changed. And I don´t know if trying to explain it here will even do it justice. I guess that is the purpose of all these reflections I want to get out, to describe my personal journey little by little.
So, for now, I´ll leave you with the first of reflections--a year has passed. A whole year. I have matured in more ways than you know. Beyond my years. Which, actually, I think will be my next reflection.
Peace and love from Guatemala. ¡Que disfruten la vida!, porque todo se puede cambiar en cualquier momento.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Semana Santa--Holy Week Pictures
Here are just a few pictures to capture the wonder of Holy Week in Antigua, Guatemala. These were taken on Good Friday, between 7-10p.m. when there were tons of people out in the streets, waiting to see processions.They literally had every station of the cross--and then some. It was way cool.
There were some points when you actually felt like you were witnessing the reenactment of Jesus dying on the cross.
The pictures don´t nearly do justice.
You can see the incense in the air....and the thousands of people outside the Cathedral in Central Park, waiting for the processions to pass by.
An alfombra, or carpet, that is set out deliberately for the procession to walk through. It is a great honor to make a carpet, and to have the procession walk through it. They are so beautiful.
Update
Finally catching up on blogging.
Nothing like being sick at home, stuck in bed, to make you catch up on blogging! Haha. I wish I was kidding, but unfortunately I am not. But on the bright side, being sick at home finally gives me some time to breath. (Along with time to run to the toilet every half an hour!) Thank you, Guatemala. Not sure what it was that made me sick this time, I think I just got lazy and didn’t wash my cilantro in purified water. (I mean, it just gets picked from a plant, right? How could it be THAT dirty?) (My thought process while quickly rinsing my cilantro)
DANG. Note to self (and readers): WASH YOUR HERBS.
(Well, at least I learned something, right.) Luckily, my stomach IS accustomed enough that I wasn’t actually vomiting with food poisioning, just cleansing out my system pretty well through uh, other forms. Also the cilantro deposited some sort of bug in my stomach that has made me bloated and bubbly and gas-y. Wonderful. Bugs in my stomach.
Haha but never fear, I am already doing better (day 2) and hopefully tomorrow (Friday) I’ll be able to go to work! I’m sure ready to get out of bed, that’s for sure. It has given me WAAY too much time to reflect on the fact that I only have 1 month left in Guatemala.
I mean, reflecting time is good, but too much of it is just sad. I don’t want to leave Guatemala! (What, I have already started the bittersweet sadness?)
I think seeing Jenna go on Monday really hit home, as she had to say good-bye to all of our favorite people and places in Xela. And she was only here for a couple months. How am I ever going to say good-bye to a people and country that I have lived with for the past YEAR? That I have established a life in? Right now, home for me is Antigua. Coming back from Xela, it was like, sigh of relief, I am home. I know my way around the whole town, little as it is, and I can walk blindfolded to my neighborhood to my house. Truth be told, Antigua is as much “home” right now as any other place. I have a home here, I pay rent on my apartment, electricity, buy groceries, have a Monday through Friday job, etc.
There have been some months that I was ready to go home, ready to adjust back to my life in MN, but now, with the end in sight, it seems like there’s just no win-win. The grass will always be greener on the other side of the hill. (Or fence, as people like to pretend the saying is, GIRLS) I know that the second I arrive back to MN, I will be missing so many things about Guatemala. I guess that’s the price I pay for having two countries and cultures that I am so attached to.
There are so many things that I love about the Guatemalan culture. One, their enormous love for each other. Families are so united and caring in Guatemala. (I have never seen so much spectacle for Mother’s Day, EVER. Flowers everywhere. People don’t go to work. You wish a happy mothers day to anyone who appears to be over the age of 40, because its just assumed they have children. So people walk down the street, wishing strangers happy mothers day. You also have to call everyone in your family who is a mother, whether it be YOUR mother, or not. It is quite beautiful to see the care these people have). Also I quite enjoy the Guatemalan custom of greeting everybody you know when you walk into a room, and despedir-ing them before you leave. And when you are walking with a Guatemalan on the street, and they run into someone they know, you are expected to give said person a kiss on the cheek like you are best friends and so pleased to meet. It sounds ridiculous, but there’s this large sense of respect and politeness in their culture that I just love.
But I will stop ranting about Guatemalan manners for now, as I am sure it is much more interesting to me than to my readers. More later!
Nothing like being sick at home, stuck in bed, to make you catch up on blogging! Haha. I wish I was kidding, but unfortunately I am not. But on the bright side, being sick at home finally gives me some time to breath. (Along with time to run to the toilet every half an hour!) Thank you, Guatemala. Not sure what it was that made me sick this time, I think I just got lazy and didn’t wash my cilantro in purified water. (I mean, it just gets picked from a plant, right? How could it be THAT dirty?) (My thought process while quickly rinsing my cilantro)
DANG. Note to self (and readers): WASH YOUR HERBS.
(Well, at least I learned something, right.) Luckily, my stomach IS accustomed enough that I wasn’t actually vomiting with food poisioning, just cleansing out my system pretty well through uh, other forms. Also the cilantro deposited some sort of bug in my stomach that has made me bloated and bubbly and gas-y. Wonderful. Bugs in my stomach.
Haha but never fear, I am already doing better (day 2) and hopefully tomorrow (Friday) I’ll be able to go to work! I’m sure ready to get out of bed, that’s for sure. It has given me WAAY too much time to reflect on the fact that I only have 1 month left in Guatemala.
I mean, reflecting time is good, but too much of it is just sad. I don’t want to leave Guatemala! (What, I have already started the bittersweet sadness?)
I think seeing Jenna go on Monday really hit home, as she had to say good-bye to all of our favorite people and places in Xela. And she was only here for a couple months. How am I ever going to say good-bye to a people and country that I have lived with for the past YEAR? That I have established a life in? Right now, home for me is Antigua. Coming back from Xela, it was like, sigh of relief, I am home. I know my way around the whole town, little as it is, and I can walk blindfolded to my neighborhood to my house. Truth be told, Antigua is as much “home” right now as any other place. I have a home here, I pay rent on my apartment, electricity, buy groceries, have a Monday through Friday job, etc.
There have been some months that I was ready to go home, ready to adjust back to my life in MN, but now, with the end in sight, it seems like there’s just no win-win. The grass will always be greener on the other side of the hill. (Or fence, as people like to pretend the saying is, GIRLS) I know that the second I arrive back to MN, I will be missing so many things about Guatemala. I guess that’s the price I pay for having two countries and cultures that I am so attached to.
There are so many things that I love about the Guatemalan culture. One, their enormous love for each other. Families are so united and caring in Guatemala. (I have never seen so much spectacle for Mother’s Day, EVER. Flowers everywhere. People don’t go to work. You wish a happy mothers day to anyone who appears to be over the age of 40, because its just assumed they have children. So people walk down the street, wishing strangers happy mothers day. You also have to call everyone in your family who is a mother, whether it be YOUR mother, or not. It is quite beautiful to see the care these people have). Also I quite enjoy the Guatemalan custom of greeting everybody you know when you walk into a room, and despedir-ing them before you leave. And when you are walking with a Guatemalan on the street, and they run into someone they know, you are expected to give said person a kiss on the cheek like you are best friends and so pleased to meet. It sounds ridiculous, but there’s this large sense of respect and politeness in their culture that I just love.
But I will stop ranting about Guatemalan manners for now, as I am sure it is much more interesting to me than to my readers. More later!
Common Hope- 25 Years
As you all probably know, 2011 is our 25th year anniversary. Buck and Patty did an absolutely WONDERFUL job of making a video that represents what Common Hope has achieved over the past 25 years and what we stand for.
Please check it out!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYY-5oWCvZg&NR=1
Please check it out!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYY-5oWCvZg&NR=1
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Yes, I do realize its been almost 2 months since I´ve blogged....
...Which can only be an attest to one thing: BUSY. AT. WORK!!
The months of March and April were so crazily insane that I literally did not notice April go by. All of a sudden, its MAY!? How did that happen?
Maybe it was my 10 day vision team who came April 26th and just kind of slipped into May without my noticing. Maybe its the Vision Teams we´ve been attending every week since March that make us forget where the time goes.
To sum it all up, Shelly and I have had teams almost nonstop since...I got back from MN in March.
I kid you not.
I was able to manage a few long weekends here and there to get out to the beach to celebrate my 23rd birthday, get to Xela (twice!) with Jenna to visit our friends and re-live our wonderful 4 months (that were now 2 years ago,) (wow) and also make it back to Antigua to celebrate Semana Santa, the most beautiful and Catholic time of the year to be here.
Pictures to come, I promise!
For now, I´m off to Xela for the long weekend--I just despedir-ed my last Vision Team this morning. (Yes, my very last own team--from the Guatemalan side at least :))
Whew. Finally time for a deep breath and a little relaxation. And what better place to do it than Xela!?
A few shoutouts before I go--To my lovely mother, HAPPY EARLY MOTHER´S DAY! I will skype with you on Sunday :) Love you lots.
Jenna Miller- THIS IS YOUR LAST WEEKEND IN THE COUNTRY GIRL, LETS DO IT UP XELA STYLE! (Ps please don´t go, I will miss you so much)
Nicole Magedanz: HAPPY BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY! I really dislike the fact that this is the first year of 4 that I have not been able to celebrate with you. Dislike. We need a poncho night. Love you wife.
And for the rest of you, I leave you with my favorite photo of the week. The darling Nataly, with her arm wound around mine. (Grandaughter of one of the taxi driver´s that works for us when we have teams.)
Isn´t she adorable?!?!?!?
The months of March and April were so crazily insane that I literally did not notice April go by. All of a sudden, its MAY!? How did that happen?
Maybe it was my 10 day vision team who came April 26th and just kind of slipped into May without my noticing. Maybe its the Vision Teams we´ve been attending every week since March that make us forget where the time goes.
To sum it all up, Shelly and I have had teams almost nonstop since...I got back from MN in March.
I kid you not.
I was able to manage a few long weekends here and there to get out to the beach to celebrate my 23rd birthday, get to Xela (twice!) with Jenna to visit our friends and re-live our wonderful 4 months (that were now 2 years ago,) (wow) and also make it back to Antigua to celebrate Semana Santa, the most beautiful and Catholic time of the year to be here.
Pictures to come, I promise!
For now, I´m off to Xela for the long weekend--I just despedir-ed my last Vision Team this morning. (Yes, my very last own team--from the Guatemalan side at least :))
Whew. Finally time for a deep breath and a little relaxation. And what better place to do it than Xela!?
A few shoutouts before I go--To my lovely mother, HAPPY EARLY MOTHER´S DAY! I will skype with you on Sunday :) Love you lots.
Jenna Miller- THIS IS YOUR LAST WEEKEND IN THE COUNTRY GIRL, LETS DO IT UP XELA STYLE! (Ps please don´t go, I will miss you so much)
Nicole Magedanz: HAPPY BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY! I really dislike the fact that this is the first year of 4 that I have not been able to celebrate with you. Dislike. We need a poncho night. Love you wife.
And for the rest of you, I leave you with my favorite photo of the week. The darling Nataly, with her arm wound around mine. (Grandaughter of one of the taxi driver´s that works for us when we have teams.)
Isn´t she adorable?!?!?!?
Friday, March 18, 2011
Making Monster Toast!
Yesterday with Shelly´s Vision Team, in the daycare, we had a ¨monster morning¨ :) We read the book ¨Where the Wild Things Are¨, had the kids impersonate monsters, and then made their very own monster--on a piece of toast.
This idea was inspired by the Monster Toast Karsten and I made as kids--you make little cups of milk with food coloring, and then paint the mixture onto a piece of bread with paintbrushes. Upon toasting, the food coloring becomes vibrant, and voolah, you have Monster Toast!
The kids LOVED this activity--so, thanks to my youth, and the Kinder Munchies book, we had a great time yesterday morning.
To the left: Beberlin and Flor painting their Monster Toast.
Right: Moi, eating his Monster Toast creation!
After the activity, we had a little playground fun :) 
With the doll Maryana, who, if she wasn´t one of the social worker´s daughters, I would probably take home.
CUTE CHILDREN ALERT
These are the wonderful children of our Common Hope daycare. Don´t they just make you want to adopt? (Or, rather, since you can´t adopt from Guatemala anymore, sponsor?!?!)
Beberlin
Renee
Maryana pushing Moises :)
Maryana
Maryana
BeberlinRenee
Maryana pushing Moises :)
Maryana
Maryana
The mid-march update
I realize that during the ¨summer¨ season here, I do a lot less blogging! It´s just not quite as cold and rainy and gloomy, so at nights instead of staying huddled in my bed and writing blogs to post the next day, I am out enjoying the beautiful weather.
Still gets dark around 6:30 here, though, despite the fact that we are mid-¨summer¨.
Last weekend, Kevin, Kristin, Mario, and I went to the lake, (Lago Atitlan) and it felt about as close to a MN summer as I am going to get. (At least until June). Here are a few pics:
Is that not about the most beautiful scenery you have seen, in a long time? For me it is :) It was so so great to get away to a beautiful relaxing place, with clean air to breathe! It was only Saturday-Sunday trip, but it felt like a long vacation.
What else is new around here...
My friend Jenna comes tomorrow! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am SO EXCITED to have a visitor. (She will be my first one!) She is going to spend a week in Antigua with me, and then we will head to Xela together for the weekend, and she will stay in Xela and I will come back to Antigua on Sunday evening. It should be a great time, and I am so glad to have her :)
I have also started a scarf ¨business¨ to help fund my plane ticket coming home to Guatemala. I buy scarves from Angelica a local artesan, (and Common Hope affiliate) and then sell them to family and friends in the states. (So let me know if you are interested!) You are simultaneously helping the Guatemalan economy, Angelica´s family, Brianna´s plane ticket home to MN, AND getting a beautiful Guatemalan scarf, all for $20 or $25.
Again, if interested, or if you have friends interested, feel free to contact me :) It´s for a good cause.
I think thats all for now folks, keeping busy with new adventures as always, and preparing for my next team, which comes April 2nd.
Love to all from Guatemala!
Peace.
Monday, March 14, 2011
The First of the Lenten Processions
Yesterday marked the first Sunday of Lent, and along with it the start of the Lenten processions in the streets of Antigua. Every Sunday until Easter there will be different processions, and I absolutely cannot wait to see them. I have seen quite a few processions in Guatemala before, keep in mind, but this one last night was BY FAR the coolest I have seen so far. (And they say they get even better during Holy Week)
First come the Roman soldiers. This is actually quite eery to watch, because from the helmets down to the sandals they look authentic. Even their facial expressions are so stern and serious, seeing them march down the cobblestone streets made me feel like I was in literally in...Rome. Or Jerusalem.
I wish I had a better picture of this...but you can kind of get the idea of how many soldiers and people there were leading in the procession. In the distance you can see the float on its way.
To the average person, it doesn´t sound like a big deal. Even until I saw it yesterday, I was like, ¨oh, yeah, processions, that will be cool¨ but I didn´t know just HOW cool it was going to be.
These processions are elaborate. Very very elaborate. And they are done at night, and in such a serious manner, that you actually kind of feel like you are witnessing Roman soldiers march by as they lead in the procession.
These processions are elaborate. Very very elaborate. And they are done at night, and in such a serious manner, that you actually kind of feel like you are witnessing Roman soldiers march by as they lead in the procession.
Here are some pictures from the night:
First come the Roman soldiers. This is actually quite eery to watch, because from the helmets down to the sandals they look authentic. Even their facial expressions are so stern and serious, seeing them march down the cobblestone streets made me feel like I was in literally in...Rome. Or Jerusalem.
I wish I had a better picture of this...but you can kind of get the idea of how many soldiers and people there were leading in the procession. In the distance you can see the float on its way.
This is the second statue on the float...the first is of 2 angels, then followed by this statue of Jesus. I wish I had a clear picture of the front of this one to show his facial expression. The facial expressions on all of the statues are quite powerful. 
The back end of the float. You can see how many people it takes to carry--very heavy. You can also see how ornate it is--I can only imagine how much time and money went in to making such beautiful statues and floats. 
And finally the last part of the procession--the statue of the Virgin Mary. She had her own little float, carried all by women. This picture only does a little bit of justice to the look on her face--I honestly don´t know how they get statues to have such powerful, real-looking faces. 
They also had musicians (think marching band, but a lot more somber music) following the procession.
All in all, it was a very cool experience. Although these pictures can´t describe the atmosphere and the experience entirely, hopefully they give you an idea.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Bad Guatemalan Karma
I don´t even know where to begin. This past week has been the WORST karma that I have ever experienced in my life. (When I say karma I guess I don´t really know exactly if I believe in karma, but this has definitely been the worst train of events to happen seguidos, EVER.)
It all started with our Director of Finances in the St. Paul office, Kathleen, dying of cancer. We knew it was coming, but it was just SO fast and SO sad. This week we had a celebration of her life in Guatemala. Weighing.
Wednesday I translated a sponsorship visit where an un-born baby had died at 7 months, and the funeral procession INTO the house with the tiny white frilly casket happened WHILE we were there for the sponsorship visit. The poor father carrying the casket had tears streaming down his face.
Sunday night, Titus Goodew, a classmate from high school, committed suicide in Brainerd. He was always happy, go-lucky, and succeeding in everything he did. He loved to run, and was a really smart kid with a beautiful girlfriend. He left no reason for his suicide, just a video telling his family and loved ones how much he loved them. He called his girlfriend, told her to call the police, and then shot himself.
The mother of Silvia, one of the operations ladies here at the foundation, also died this week. So between that and Kathleen´s death, the atmosphere at work has been a little down.
On Tuesday, one of the trainers in the gym that I attend was shot and killed. In my neighborhood. At 21 years old. Luckily for us and the safety of Santa Ana, it was an inside job, and he was involved in some stuff, but still. The atmosphere of the gym all week was depressing.
Yesterday Rocio´s uncle died in Mexico. Accident with machinery at work. (Rocio is another compañera/friend at work)
Today, Rui´s dog got hit by a car. Still alive, thank God, but at the vet, condition unsure.
Also today, Caroline´s (and all of ours, really,) friend Carlos got in a car accident. I guess he is ok, but still in the hospital.
And its only 3pm on Friday. What else is going to happen this week? It´s scary. I am usually not a superstitious person, but this is just creepily eery. WHY all these deaths and accidents, and why all in a span of like 10 days??? Everyone please be careful. I know we are all taking extra precautions around here. Really. You can never be too careful.
It all started with our Director of Finances in the St. Paul office, Kathleen, dying of cancer. We knew it was coming, but it was just SO fast and SO sad. This week we had a celebration of her life in Guatemala. Weighing.
Wednesday I translated a sponsorship visit where an un-born baby had died at 7 months, and the funeral procession INTO the house with the tiny white frilly casket happened WHILE we were there for the sponsorship visit. The poor father carrying the casket had tears streaming down his face.
Sunday night, Titus Goodew, a classmate from high school, committed suicide in Brainerd. He was always happy, go-lucky, and succeeding in everything he did. He loved to run, and was a really smart kid with a beautiful girlfriend. He left no reason for his suicide, just a video telling his family and loved ones how much he loved them. He called his girlfriend, told her to call the police, and then shot himself.
The mother of Silvia, one of the operations ladies here at the foundation, also died this week. So between that and Kathleen´s death, the atmosphere at work has been a little down.
On Tuesday, one of the trainers in the gym that I attend was shot and killed. In my neighborhood. At 21 years old. Luckily for us and the safety of Santa Ana, it was an inside job, and he was involved in some stuff, but still. The atmosphere of the gym all week was depressing.
Yesterday Rocio´s uncle died in Mexico. Accident with machinery at work. (Rocio is another compañera/friend at work)
Today, Rui´s dog got hit by a car. Still alive, thank God, but at the vet, condition unsure.
Also today, Caroline´s (and all of ours, really,) friend Carlos got in a car accident. I guess he is ok, but still in the hospital.
And its only 3pm on Friday. What else is going to happen this week? It´s scary. I am usually not a superstitious person, but this is just creepily eery. WHY all these deaths and accidents, and why all in a span of like 10 days??? Everyone please be careful. I know we are all taking extra precautions around here. Really. You can never be too careful.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Advertising!
You may have caught in the below post that I am coming home February 27th. Vhaat, you might ask, vhy iz diis? (Well, ok, really, only KARSTEN might ask that, and the rest of you might ask, *whaat, why is this?*)
Anyways. I am coming home for a week in March for the Marty Haugen concert on March 5th. And I need to think of ways to advertise for it. Maybe I can set up a stand at Culver´s when I am home during the week before the concert.
(Just kidding.) But if anybody has any ideas how to get more publicity for the event, please please speak up. My Dad is in charge of planning and coordinating it, and he has been working very hard. We want lots and lots of people to come!
Just in case you´re wondering what it is, let me enlighten you. Marty Haugen and Mike Joncas, two wonderful (and famous) liturgical musicians are coming to Brainerd to do a joint Catholic-Lutheran liturgical music workshop and concert. For those of you who live in the cities and have had the pleasure of attending a ¨Marty Haugen and friends concert¨ or a ¨David Haas and friends concert¨, this is exactly what that is. Only in Brainerd. It is going to be excellent. So, if you currently live in Brainerd, please tell your friends and parents and church congregations and anyone who would be interested! (This is me publicizing, from Guatemala) Yes, I know, I do what I can.
But in all seriousness, we really want people to come; as it is going to be an excellent event. For more information, contact me. Brianna.jensen7@gmail.com. Or my father Jerry. Or my mother Sandy. Or my sister Karsten.
And, hey, if you ever want classical music for a wedding or special event, check out our website at http://www.grace-notes.us/.
And, if you ever need counseling, psychotherapy, or programs to enhance focus and attention (without medication) please visit my parent´s website at http://www.cedarbrook.us/.
(Just throwing in all the advertising I can fit into one post) (If anyone else needs to advertise something, just let me know, because I am SURE that my blog is the most highly-visited site that you will be able to find).
Anyways. I am coming home for a week in March for the Marty Haugen concert on March 5th. And I need to think of ways to advertise for it. Maybe I can set up a stand at Culver´s when I am home during the week before the concert.
(Just kidding.) But if anybody has any ideas how to get more publicity for the event, please please speak up. My Dad is in charge of planning and coordinating it, and he has been working very hard. We want lots and lots of people to come!
Just in case you´re wondering what it is, let me enlighten you. Marty Haugen and Mike Joncas, two wonderful (and famous) liturgical musicians are coming to Brainerd to do a joint Catholic-Lutheran liturgical music workshop and concert. For those of you who live in the cities and have had the pleasure of attending a ¨Marty Haugen and friends concert¨ or a ¨David Haas and friends concert¨, this is exactly what that is. Only in Brainerd. It is going to be excellent. So, if you currently live in Brainerd, please tell your friends and parents and church congregations and anyone who would be interested! (This is me publicizing, from Guatemala) Yes, I know, I do what I can.
But in all seriousness, we really want people to come; as it is going to be an excellent event. For more information, contact me. Brianna.jensen7@gmail.com. Or my father Jerry. Or my mother Sandy. Or my sister Karsten.
And, hey, if you ever want classical music for a wedding or special event, check out our website at http://www.grace-notes.us/.
And, if you ever need counseling, psychotherapy, or programs to enhance focus and attention (without medication) please visit my parent´s website at http://www.cedarbrook.us/.
(Just throwing in all the advertising I can fit into one post) (If anyone else needs to advertise something, just let me know, because I am SURE that my blog is the most highly-visited site that you will be able to find).
:)
News from the past week (or two)
Last Wednesday: A team of us from Antigua went to our satellite site, San Rafael, which is the indigenous community about 40 minutes away, to hand out school supplies. Although it is only a 4o minute drive, it feels like you´re going back 40 years in time (at least). I have written about San Rafael before, so some of you might be familiar with the level of poverty we witness out there. I absolutely love going to San Rafael, however, because although it is emotionally exhausting, it always reminds me of what we are doing in Guatemala and why it is important to me. 
Above: Part of our San Rafael-school-supply team, on snack break in the school kitchen. (Yes, that is the school kitchen)
Above: Part of our San Rafael-school-supply team, on snack break in the school kitchen. (Yes, that is the school kitchen)Wednesday was one of the happier days in San Rafael; we handed out school supplies to about 500 (estimate) children who attend the public school. Each year, Common Hope hands out bags of school supplies to all affiliated children at the beginning of the school year. (January)
In San Rafael, however, there´s so much need, that ALL of the school children, affiliated or not, get school supplies from Common Hope.
Above: Two students on the streets of San Rafael with their new bags of school supplies
Sunday: Gave a tour of Common Hope to the 20-some study-abroad-ers from CSB/SJU. They are currently on the same program that I was on 2 years ago, (wow has it really been 2 years since I first was in Guatemala? I can´t believe it) anyways, they are stationed in Xela, and toured Antigua for the weekend. It was SO FUN to have them here--as soon as I announced, ¨I am a Bennie, I graduated in May, AND I was on the Xela program in 2009, so I basically am you guys-- just 2 years older¨, they all were so excited. At the end of the tour, I told them: ¨I know there will be at least one of you guys who leave this program in love with Guatemala like I did; so if that person is you, please consider coming back--and definitely check out Common Hope.¨ They were all very impressed with the information and tour of Common Hope, so I can only hope I have created some ambassadors. (They were also excited by the strength of the Bennie/Johnnie-Common Hope connection) It was a great afternoon spent with fellow Bennies and Johnnies, and I can´t wait to go visit them in Xela!
Other news: 1) I now have a team arriving before April! This is a good thing, because if not, I would have made 2 trips home to the states before I even had ONE vision team. (Strange)However, not anymore! Now a team has been handed over to me in February, so I am so excited to be back to my actual job down here. Feb. 19th through the 26th they are here. (Eek, they leave one day before I fly home!) However, it makes the month of February a lot more bearable, at least having something to throw my efforts into besides job hunting. (Which can be quite despairing, knowing that job positions that are open in Minneapolis NOW probably won´t be available in June or July, when I actually need them)
2) Other exciting news: Karsten has announced that I officially will be able to live with her, starting August 1st!! This is EXCELLENT news, for a couple reasons: 1) She´s my sister and I love her, 2) Zee house iz exxxx-cellent, 3) I have a place with extremely cheap rent to live in while I work at said unknown job, and 4) I will officially be living in Minneapolis, close to all my friends and big-city action. Score. I am so very excited about this stable factor in my life--though I have no idea where I´ll be working, or how I´m going to pay off all my loans, or afford a car, or even afford a plane ticket HOME in June, for goodness sakes, at least I have one sure thing in my life: A home in Minneapolis, with cheap rent. Yessss. Now on with the job search!
In San Rafael, however, there´s so much need, that ALL of the school children, affiliated or not, get school supplies from Common Hope.
Above: Two students on the streets of San Rafael with their new bags of school suppliesSunday: Gave a tour of Common Hope to the 20-some study-abroad-ers from CSB/SJU. They are currently on the same program that I was on 2 years ago, (wow has it really been 2 years since I first was in Guatemala? I can´t believe it) anyways, they are stationed in Xela, and toured Antigua for the weekend. It was SO FUN to have them here--as soon as I announced, ¨I am a Bennie, I graduated in May, AND I was on the Xela program in 2009, so I basically am you guys-- just 2 years older¨, they all were so excited. At the end of the tour, I told them: ¨I know there will be at least one of you guys who leave this program in love with Guatemala like I did; so if that person is you, please consider coming back--and definitely check out Common Hope.¨ They were all very impressed with the information and tour of Common Hope, so I can only hope I have created some ambassadors. (They were also excited by the strength of the Bennie/Johnnie-Common Hope connection) It was a great afternoon spent with fellow Bennies and Johnnies, and I can´t wait to go visit them in Xela!
Other news: 1) I now have a team arriving before April! This is a good thing, because if not, I would have made 2 trips home to the states before I even had ONE vision team. (Strange)However, not anymore! Now a team has been handed over to me in February, so I am so excited to be back to my actual job down here. Feb. 19th through the 26th they are here. (Eek, they leave one day before I fly home!) However, it makes the month of February a lot more bearable, at least having something to throw my efforts into besides job hunting. (Which can be quite despairing, knowing that job positions that are open in Minneapolis NOW probably won´t be available in June or July, when I actually need them)
2) Other exciting news: Karsten has announced that I officially will be able to live with her, starting August 1st!! This is EXCELLENT news, for a couple reasons: 1) She´s my sister and I love her, 2) Zee house iz exxxx-cellent, 3) I have a place with extremely cheap rent to live in while I work at said unknown job, and 4) I will officially be living in Minneapolis, close to all my friends and big-city action. Score. I am so very excited about this stable factor in my life--though I have no idea where I´ll be working, or how I´m going to pay off all my loans, or afford a car, or even afford a plane ticket HOME in June, for goodness sakes, at least I have one sure thing in my life: A home in Minneapolis, with cheap rent. Yessss. Now on with the job search!
Photo of the week
I took this photo at the elementary school that we work in in San Rafael, Guatemala. The little girl pictured is sitting at her desk in a pre-school classroom.
How does this classroom differ from U.S. pre-school rooms?
This little girl, Cindy Carolay Hernández, is 4 years old.
Her hard life has made her look like she´s 7.
This is real life.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Freeing baby sea turtles :)
Last weekend in Monterico, (beach) we got to free baby sea turtles. I kid you not. I held a little tiny sea turtle in my hand, and put him down on the sand to run into the ocean!
The only real bummer was finding out that out of the hundreds of turtles we freed into the sea that evening, probably only one would make it to be the big, huge sea turtles that we saw scuba diving in Honduras. But. I have high hopes for my little guy.
I hope I will see him someday, diving in the reefs of Honduras :)
It was exactly like the MN turtle races, only that this was way cooler because we are freeing little babies to the ocean for the rest of their lives. (See the starting line below? SO just like the Guatemalan version of turtle races.)
My little guy up close :) I didn´t have time to name him or give him a ¨good-luck-on-your-life¨ speech, because I was so flabbergasted by the fact that I was holding a baby sea turtle. 
The only real bummer was finding out that out of the hundreds of turtles we freed into the sea that evening, probably only one would make it to be the big, huge sea turtles that we saw scuba diving in Honduras. But. I have high hopes for my little guy.
I hope I will see him someday, diving in the reefs of Honduras :)
Monday, January 17, 2011
Not often you see all this beauty in one day...
...Unless of course you live in Guatemala.
Mountains. (Volcanoes, actually.) The one on the left, Volcan Fuego, is active. I see this beauty view everyday.
Palm trees. Just 1.5 hours from Antigua is the Pacific Ocean.
Pacific. Waves.
Tropical jungle + mountains in the background? Yes I know.
Things Guatemalans Do That They Think Are Normal (but we don´t)
Let me just preface this by saying that I in no way intend to be culturally superior, insensitive, insulting, or negative by the following remarks. They are simply my observations about the people and culture of Guatemala. And although some sound ridiculous, all are true.
Things Guatemalans do that they think are normal (but we don’t)
1) Gel their hair into ridiculous voluminous sculptures. The more creative, (and voluminous,) the better. (read: young men. Ages 12-29)
2) Be direct and blunt. Tell you that you are gaining weight. To your face.
3) Ask you what you ate for lunch--as a normal conversation piece.
4) Greet every single person you pass by on the street with either good morning, good afternoon, or good evening.
5) Wash dishes with cold water
6) Think that they are single when their significant others are out of town.
7) Light fireworks- year round, at all hours of the day--or night.
8) Light fireworks (read: sparklers) indoors.
9) Give fireworks to little children
10) Place small children in front of them on mo-peds- without helmet
11) Carry small children on their laps in the front seat of the car (without seatbelts)
12) Stare at pretty girls FAR past the normal, socially-approved, “stare-at-attractive-person” length
13) Cease all conversation when a girl walks by (to better concentrate on staring, of course) and then resume conversation after said girl has passed.
14) Urinate on any road-side, at any time of day. The outdoors is just like a giant toilet for men.
15) Give pop to children under the age of 2
16) Throw used toilet paper in garbage cans next to the toilet
17) Wear down-parkas when its 50 degrees out
18) Cut a hole in a towel, slide it over the stick of their broom, and mop.
19) Greet every single person in a room when you walk in to a small gathering, with a kiss on the cheek (if a female is involved) (or men do this handshake-type thing with each other)
20) Catcall, whistle, and yell out obscenities, (in English,) to white girls walking on the streets.
21) Barter for EVERYTHING. Including fruits and vegetables. Guatemalans are always trying to get a better, reduced, rate.
22) Wear high-heels when you are going to market.
23) Eat mass quantities of bread (mainly tortillas or pan frances) at every meal.
24) Leave Christmas decorations up until…like…beginning of February
25) Steal the baby Jesus from the manger scene, AFTER Christmas, and then have a big party when the “thief” returns baby Jesus
I guess now I’m getting into holiday traditions, which is not quite fair to include on the list, ‘cause it’s just a cool different part of their culture. BUT. Nevertheless. These other…24 items were brainstormed in one sitting. It did not take me very long to come up with these, ladies and gentlemen. Its probably because like 15 times a day, I shake my head and giggle to myself “only in Guatemala”…
Things Guatemalans do that they think are normal (but we don’t)
1) Gel their hair into ridiculous voluminous sculptures. The more creative, (and voluminous,) the better. (read: young men. Ages 12-29)
2) Be direct and blunt. Tell you that you are gaining weight. To your face.
3) Ask you what you ate for lunch--as a normal conversation piece.
4) Greet every single person you pass by on the street with either good morning, good afternoon, or good evening.
5) Wash dishes with cold water
6) Think that they are single when their significant others are out of town.
7) Light fireworks- year round, at all hours of the day--or night.
8) Light fireworks (read: sparklers) indoors.
9) Give fireworks to little children
10) Place small children in front of them on mo-peds- without helmet
11) Carry small children on their laps in the front seat of the car (without seatbelts)
12) Stare at pretty girls FAR past the normal, socially-approved, “stare-at-attractive-person” length
13) Cease all conversation when a girl walks by (to better concentrate on staring, of course) and then resume conversation after said girl has passed.
14) Urinate on any road-side, at any time of day. The outdoors is just like a giant toilet for men.
15) Give pop to children under the age of 2
16) Throw used toilet paper in garbage cans next to the toilet
17) Wear down-parkas when its 50 degrees out
18) Cut a hole in a towel, slide it over the stick of their broom, and mop.
19) Greet every single person in a room when you walk in to a small gathering, with a kiss on the cheek (if a female is involved) (or men do this handshake-type thing with each other)
20) Catcall, whistle, and yell out obscenities, (in English,) to white girls walking on the streets.
21) Barter for EVERYTHING. Including fruits and vegetables. Guatemalans are always trying to get a better, reduced, rate.
22) Wear high-heels when you are going to market.
23) Eat mass quantities of bread (mainly tortillas or pan frances) at every meal.
24) Leave Christmas decorations up until…like…beginning of February
25) Steal the baby Jesus from the manger scene, AFTER Christmas, and then have a big party when the “thief” returns baby Jesus
I guess now I’m getting into holiday traditions, which is not quite fair to include on the list, ‘cause it’s just a cool different part of their culture. BUT. Nevertheless. These other…24 items were brainstormed in one sitting. It did not take me very long to come up with these, ladies and gentlemen. Its probably because like 15 times a day, I shake my head and giggle to myself “only in Guatemala”…
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
10 things that I missed about Guate while home for the holidays
1) The climate. Absolutely positively the first thing on my list. 80´s and sunshine during the day and breezy and chilly at night? Can´t beat it.
2)My half hour commute to work--on foot. It gives me time to mentally prepare for the workday, and to wind down aferwards. And feels good to move. If only it was possible to walk to work year round in MN without freezing...
3)The relaxed, simple lifestyle. Although when I walked into my Antigua home Saturday and thought ¨wow. This is so LACKING¨, I have already adjusted back and love my little simple lifestyle.
4)The blaring reggaeton/merengue/tropical music that seems to come from everywhere you turn in Guate. Driving back to Antigua on the highway in the sunshine, along the winding mountains, with latin music blaring from, well, everywhere, I got that instant-happy feeling that only sunshine and latin music can produce.
5)The fresh produce! Until you experience going to the open-air market and buying fresh pineapple, mandarins, bananas, mangos, etc, for dirt-cheap, you really have no idea what its like to eat fresh produce.
6)Spanish. Spanish spanish spanish. I love the language. Everyday I pride myself more and more on the fact that my accent and vocabulary are improving (although its little by little)
7) The families we work with. They are so polite, respectful, and working so hard to change their lives. I love the ¨buenos dias Seño!¨ from the little ones who remember me, even after a month of being away. I love to know that we are making an impact in the community and forming relationships with so many families.
8)Uhh Pollo Campero. And Sarita ice cream. And pupusas from the street. These were the three things I just couldn´t WAIT to eat upon coming back to Guate. Seriously guys I know Pollo Campero fried chicken sounds gross, but it is truly the best fried chicken I have ever had. And as for Sarita...well, lets just say that you can´t beat: queso fresa, piña colada, and pistachio (which is my newest fav)
9)La Raiz. My friends-slash-the-best-band-in-Antigua. It is one of the things that makes me genuinely happy in Guatemala. Listening to their chill, reggae, Bob-Marley-esque songs, whether it be chill Sunday nights at Rainbow Café, or Saturday night concerts at El Chaman, is one of my favorite things about Antigua. I am so blessed to have them as my friends.
10) Dancing! Dancing is in my blood. Especially when it comes to Latin music. I can´t wait to hit the discoteca!! :)
Love to all from Guate! You know I am missing you :)
2)My half hour commute to work--on foot. It gives me time to mentally prepare for the workday, and to wind down aferwards. And feels good to move. If only it was possible to walk to work year round in MN without freezing...
3)The relaxed, simple lifestyle. Although when I walked into my Antigua home Saturday and thought ¨wow. This is so LACKING¨, I have already adjusted back and love my little simple lifestyle.
4)The blaring reggaeton/merengue/tropical music that seems to come from everywhere you turn in Guate. Driving back to Antigua on the highway in the sunshine, along the winding mountains, with latin music blaring from, well, everywhere, I got that instant-happy feeling that only sunshine and latin music can produce.
5)The fresh produce! Until you experience going to the open-air market and buying fresh pineapple, mandarins, bananas, mangos, etc, for dirt-cheap, you really have no idea what its like to eat fresh produce.
6)Spanish. Spanish spanish spanish. I love the language. Everyday I pride myself more and more on the fact that my accent and vocabulary are improving (although its little by little)
7) The families we work with. They are so polite, respectful, and working so hard to change their lives. I love the ¨buenos dias Seño!¨ from the little ones who remember me, even after a month of being away. I love to know that we are making an impact in the community and forming relationships with so many families.
8)Uhh Pollo Campero. And Sarita ice cream. And pupusas from the street. These were the three things I just couldn´t WAIT to eat upon coming back to Guate. Seriously guys I know Pollo Campero fried chicken sounds gross, but it is truly the best fried chicken I have ever had. And as for Sarita...well, lets just say that you can´t beat: queso fresa, piña colada, and pistachio (which is my newest fav)
9)La Raiz. My friends-slash-the-best-band-in-Antigua. It is one of the things that makes me genuinely happy in Guatemala. Listening to their chill, reggae, Bob-Marley-esque songs, whether it be chill Sunday nights at Rainbow Café, or Saturday night concerts at El Chaman, is one of my favorite things about Antigua. I am so blessed to have them as my friends.
10) Dancing! Dancing is in my blood. Especially when it comes to Latin music. I can´t wait to hit the discoteca!! :)
Love to all from Guate! You know I am missing you :)
Monday, January 10, 2011
It was a shock...
I never thought in a million years that coming back to Guatemala after only one month of being in the states would be shocking. After all, I am the queen of Guatemala--loving. Since study abroad in 2009, I have come back not only once but twice, and the second time for a substantial amount of time.
However, out of the 4 times that I have landed at the Guatemalan airport, this time was the biggest shock. Perhaps my amount of shock had to do with the fact that I got literally no sleep the night before my flight, and my plane left at 6am, leaving me exhausted from a day of travel and a night of no sleep. (Physically exhausting.)
I think it also had to do with the fact that I had spent the last month (and last night, in particular,) with friends from college, who, like me, moved on with their lives after college, but instead of moving to Guatemala, they moved to Minneapolis and have jobs and lives and apartments and incomes. (Emotionally exhausting.)
Those two factors, combined with a Backstreet Boys song on the radio in the car on the way to Antigua, made me break down and cry! I really have no idea why. Overtired I think. Also I think part of it was the realization what I had discovered about myself over break--Guatemala is a wonderful place to work, temporarily, and make a difference in the world, and it will always be my second home, but no matter how hard I try, the U.S. remains my ¨home¨. Finding this out about myself made me a little sad. And driving through Guatemala city only reaffirmed it.
Then again, when I am in the U.S. consumed in my U.S. materialistic life, the freeness and simplicity of the Guatemalan lifestyle draws me in like a moth to flame.
Know what my favorite phrase is these days? Ask anyone. I´ve been saying it a lot.
¨The grass is always greener on the other side of the hill.¨
(According to my family, the phrase actually says ¨fence¨, but I am partial to ¨hill¨.
And I suppose that is true.
Anyways, right now the grass really IS greener in Guatemala. The sun is out, sky is blue, I already made it to the beach Sunday to cure the leaving-home blues, and I already feel back at home working at the project.
Also, the work that I am doing here is without a doubt more meaningful than any job I would be doing as a recent college grad in Minnesota right now.
I am the luckiest person in the world to be able to have this opportunity.
Thank you to all those who continue to support me.
However, out of the 4 times that I have landed at the Guatemalan airport, this time was the biggest shock. Perhaps my amount of shock had to do with the fact that I got literally no sleep the night before my flight, and my plane left at 6am, leaving me exhausted from a day of travel and a night of no sleep. (Physically exhausting.)
I think it also had to do with the fact that I had spent the last month (and last night, in particular,) with friends from college, who, like me, moved on with their lives after college, but instead of moving to Guatemala, they moved to Minneapolis and have jobs and lives and apartments and incomes. (Emotionally exhausting.)
Those two factors, combined with a Backstreet Boys song on the radio in the car on the way to Antigua, made me break down and cry! I really have no idea why. Overtired I think. Also I think part of it was the realization what I had discovered about myself over break--Guatemala is a wonderful place to work, temporarily, and make a difference in the world, and it will always be my second home, but no matter how hard I try, the U.S. remains my ¨home¨. Finding this out about myself made me a little sad. And driving through Guatemala city only reaffirmed it.
Then again, when I am in the U.S. consumed in my U.S. materialistic life, the freeness and simplicity of the Guatemalan lifestyle draws me in like a moth to flame.
Know what my favorite phrase is these days? Ask anyone. I´ve been saying it a lot.
¨The grass is always greener on the other side of the hill.¨
(According to my family, the phrase actually says ¨fence¨, but I am partial to ¨hill¨.
And I suppose that is true.
Anyways, right now the grass really IS greener in Guatemala. The sun is out, sky is blue, I already made it to the beach Sunday to cure the leaving-home blues, and I already feel back at home working at the project.
Also, the work that I am doing here is without a doubt more meaningful than any job I would be doing as a recent college grad in Minnesota right now.
I am the luckiest person in the world to be able to have this opportunity.
Thank you to all those who continue to support me.
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