I am aware I have severely neglected my blog lately, my sincerest apologies to those who actually read it. My service started, life happened and here I am a year later, still in Guatemala, its hard to believe I have been in site an entire year, things are so different. Last year around this time I was just a visitor for the 25th anniversary of Pachalum, not knowing anyone and over whelmed by the festivities. This year everyone knows my name and I even participated in a skit for the Paisano Ausente, the people from town that live in America.
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| Roller Coaster |
Since my arrival, a new mayor and president have taken office, Peace Corps Guatemala has made several changes to the organization, my work load has sky rocketed, my parents came to visit and I've been back home. I wont bore you with everything so I will just point out some highlights.
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| Secret Santa with Host Family |
Best moment in site: There are so many amazing things that have happened but many memorable moments involve my host family. From the town fair games with my73 year old host mom, secret santa for Christmas, cooking and baking with my host sisters and local gossip at the pila, they have truly been a big part in my service and I am grateful for it. How else would I have awesome Spanish if it wasn't for these lovely ladies.
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| Tajumulco 2012 |
Worst Moment: Not particularly one bad moment, more like a series of unfortunate events that lead to a hospital visit. I guess you can call it Karma for teasing my dad for his soccer feet. Long story short I went hiking in the wrong shoes and later
got a nasty toe infection on not one but both of my big toes. When I thought things were getting better, it only got worse and I had the pleasure of visiting the hospital here in Guatemala and was prescribed antibiotics and steroids to fix me. Luckily the doctors, both Peace Corps and at the hospital were very professional and helpful although it was scary not knowing what was going on and what was going to happen. But thank God that it was curable and just a few weeks after my experience I was able to climb Tajumulco for new Years eve with a group of friends to see the first sunrise of the new year on top of the tallest volcano in central america.
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| Antigua with Parents |
Happiest Moment: This has been the longest I've been away from family, so when my parents came in January to visit I was super duper excited. It was nice to show them around my site and allow them to experience my daily life here. It was surreal having my dad sitting on my front stoop with me and my neighborhood kids. It was also nice vacationing with them, I am sure they will return.
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| Memories |
Saddest Moment: My biggest fear before starting my service was losing a family member while I was serving and not being able to go home. Unfortunately my fear became a reality in February when my Uncle lost his battle with cancer. I was sad I did not talk to him more or even being able to say good bye, but I was happy to hear that he was at peace the days before he passed. The hardest thing was not being able to be with my family and grieve with them and support them. We all learnt and grew from the experience.
Biggest Accomplishment: In the Peace Corps there are always training and workshops, after two weeks straight of being away from site, I was ready to get home and get back to school even though sometime it feels like the students are more interested in what I am wearing or their minds are wandering with other questions unrelated to what I am talking to them about, very frustrating. One day I was walking through the market and one of my students asked when I was coming back because she missed my classes with them, I asked her if she really missed what I talk about or the games we play. She then recounted every class we have had in the last 4 months, I was shocked, she even told me she has a notebook especially for the lessons that I give. So even when I feel like some of what I am doing is pointless or I am not reaching any of my students I am. This definitely put a smile on my face.
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| Earth Day 2012 |
Biggest Fail: I would like to think of my self as not so bad of a cook. But cooking on a wood stove for my first three months in site was an epic fail. I think I only ate street food and oatmeal because the one time I tried making a real meal it did not quite work. I tried making spaghetti with protemas (dehydrated soy) after 45 minutes in the hot kitchen my food was a salty starchy mush. Come to find out there was not enough fire to cook anything, so I definitely learned a lesson "check the fire before cooking".
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| Cooking on the Plancha |
