We live, we die, and the wheels on the bus go round and round.

As I sit looking in my 13x14 sq. ft. room and ponder on my day. I see my blue bucket in the corner that I have bathed from, done laundry in, washed fruit in and ate fruit out of, all in a days work. I think to myself about the reasons I am here and what I want out of my service. I am here to grow, be fulfilled and enjoy life by giving to others. I have always been a planner and had lists for everything, so I thought it was fitting to compile a bucket list for Guate!

• Improve my spanish 
• Learn to cook healthy, inexpensive food from scratch 
• Cook Guatemalan food
• Learn to sew or knit 
• I don't have the patience to knit. I can sew minor repairs to my clothes. 
• Grow something in a tire garden
• Build a bottle project 
• Start a girls group
• The group started with 6 girls and ended up be a kids club of about 15 on my door steps. 
• Climb a volcano or two
• I climbed Tajumulco for New Years 2012. One down, one to go. 
• Go to a soccer game
•  There are soccer games for just about every holiday in Guatemala. 
• Zip line through the jungle
• Take a salsa class
• Read lots of books at least 5 or 6 in Spanish
• I'm making my way up there. None is Spanish yet. 
• Make tortillas (from beginning to end)
• From Nix Tamal to tortillas, this girl has got it down. 
• Find out what I want to do when I grow up
• Ride a feria ride
• Rode a feris wheel for the first time. Never again. 
• Simplify my life 
• Learn to ride a moto
• This will have to wait post Peace Corps. Non-negotiable. 
• Judge a beauty pageant
• Go to Belize
• Sailed the Cayes of Belize and ate amazing fresh seafood. 
• Paint something ( a wall, a bookshelf, a picture)
• Go sky diving
• Make friends (Guatemalan or not)
• Dar palabras like a chapina (public speaking)
• If standing in front of a class of 30 14 year olds counts. check. 
• Build a better relationship with God
• Maintain a journal 
• I tried, its just as hard as keeping up a blog. Will give this another shot. 
• Exercise and stay in shape
• If walking to school (cardio) and camioneta rides (strength training) count, I am definitely exercising and in shape. 

Some things on this list are more important than others, but none the less the most important thing for me to do is appreciate everyday. I may add to this list in the future, but I am ready to start throwing things from this list in the bucket. 

*updated 6/2012

- nos vemos

Nothing Comes Easy.

Life in the Peace Corps will not be easy. There will be no salary, and allowances will be at a level sufficient only to maintain health and meet basic needs. Men and women will be expected to work and live along side the nationals of the country in which the are stationed-doing the same work, eating the same food, talking the same language.

But if the life will not be easy, it will be rich and satisfying. For every young American who participates in the PC-who works in a foreign land-will know that he or she is sharing in the great common task of bringing to man that decent way of life which is the foundation of freedom and a condition of peace.” 

President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 1961

I have spent the last three months in intensive language, cultural, technical-Peace Corps Guatemala training.  All I can say is I am glad it is over, not that I did not enjoy the plethora of information and  wonderful experiences that come along with training, During one of the first sessions we were told the three characteristics to become a successful volunteer: Patience, Flexibility and Enthusiasm. I need to work a little bit on the patience part but I have two years, right? The best parts of training were hands on, visiting schools, interacting with students and giving a shot at teaching. My favorite experience by far was visiting a middle schools in one of the training towns and having a cultural exchange with the students. They shared their national anthem and a folk dance with us and we shared our national anthem and an 'American Dance', it took us a little while to think of a dance but we all naturally agreed on the Electric Slide.  After visiting volunteers sites and finally receiving my site assignment I was ready to move forward and become a volunteer...and that is just what happened. As of July 14, 2011 I am an official Peace Corps Volunteer! I will be serving in a small town in Quiché, working in three middle schools, working with students, teachers and parents. I will also be working in the Municipalidad (City Hall) with the Commission for Youth and Adolescence. My work will include implementing a life skills program into each school, giving parent and teacher workshops to improve relations with the teenagers and develop out of school activities. I really liked my site when I went to visit and my new host family is very sweet, I cant wait to move in and get to work. 

Down Time in Antigua 

Receiving blessings at a Mayan Ceremony 

Celebrating Dia de Maestros with a little soccer (teachers vs. students)

My host family 

Swear-In Ceremony with Youth Development APCD and PS