Diciembre

December 6, 2008

Firstly as I set out to write my first blog entry in about a month, and first one certainly in December, I apologize if you have checked the blog more than once.   You should have better hobbies.  No really i'm sorry.  Because I know everyone working gets bored and runs out of internet sites to check out during the typical work day.  Here’s to a better Monday. 

It’s not exactly that i've been super busy that I haven’t written.  It’s been more the fact that living is so time consuming here and it encourages a slower pace.  The fact that I have caught up on a few TV shows, and can’t ever stop thinking about how to reverse the fortunes of my farmers, doesn’t help my cause.   Neither, and probably does not help the cause more so, I clean, cook, I clean up my cooking mess, wash my clothes, walk everywhere, etc.  It’s a hard knock life.  I need a wife I suppose.  Bad humor.  If Peace Corp were reading my blog they may call me in for a talk.  But really it’s just a joke.  Id have a little butler do it.  Truth be told, I can’t afford a wife or a butler.  And really, i'm starting a women’s micro business class hopefully through my association, I think that balances that wife comment.  And I think we all know I don’t want a wife yet either. 

I don’t know how I'm going to approach the following tale, but I had a very third world (developing world to be pc (politically correct, not peace corp)) moment a few days ago.  My association here in __________ , ____________ has a nice big bathroom, lights, plenty of stalls, and the typical 4/48 hours running water (no exaggeration), so you don’t flush and you certainly don’t wash your hands.  Although there is soap, so I don’t know.  But there is a big water basin to throw water into the toilet to make it flush, so no poop doesn’t pile up.  Any way, I picked out the cleanest, most user friendly toilet in the place, after dipping into the emergency tp roll, and realized that it didn’t have a trash can.  Of course this is a problem because you have to throw away toilet paper, not flush it because it will clog the sanitation system.  So because i'm not going to wash my hands and I def want to use the toilet I picked out, I had to soccer ball handle a wastebasket full of used toilet paper out of a stall and down two doors and into the stall I wanted… all in limited space.  As I was half kicking, half balancing this basket through the bathroom I had this moment where I was like “shit, this could only happen in a place like this.”  I would like to mention that this is no way is a negative story.  I have a little poop paper bin in my bathroom, and I take bucket baths. 

Other house news, typical Chapin style, the shelves I contracted a fellow to make, were finally finished and now my house (level) is complete.  My clothes and books and what have you are no longer on the ground.  I have finally ending the spending spree and have settled in for the ride. 

Many are probably wondering how my Thanksgiving was.  If you weren’t, you are now.  No, they do not celebrate thanksgiving here; especially seeing as 70 percent of them would be considered indigenous and would have been on the shit end of the thanksgiving, land conquering stick.  I try to explain the holiday and I always have to say a couple things.  One, yes we had a lot of Indians and now we have nearly none.  Two, yeah I don’t believe in any part of it but the food.  I’m thankful for the food.  And for sharing the land, which we shared… yeah….

Anyway myself and a large portion of my training group went to an awesome little inaccessible town on lake Atitlan, the largest lake in Guatemala, for a couple days over the Thanksgiving holiday.  We had an amazingly large thanksgiving feast.  I drank a bottle of wine.  We kayaked, swam, friended it up, and generally had a very good holiday.  The lake is one of the more beautiful places I have spent time. 

Big work news.  I met a female volunteer coming to work for 8 months starting in January from Guatemala City.  She is 23 years old, pretty, and used to big cities, which mine is not.  I’m always excited to have a friend I can relate to more generally.  We also are receiving a female volunteer from Spain in January as well.  Lots to potentially look forward to. 

I have been out in the communities where I am working with farmers meeting the groups and organizing time and doing analyses.  The views from up and down in the mountains where the small outlying communities are amazing.  And two, spending time out there with the farmers is really heartwarming.  They are overly accepting.  I find a smile goes a long way. 

Interesting bit about the culture here, long winded speeches are a must if you are one of the top 8 most attention pulling people in the meeting.  And seeing how i'm usually number two, behind my counterpart, I usually have to speak quite a bit.  Which I like, i'm a talker.  I especially had to give impromptu 10 minutes speeches when I was introduced about who I was, why I was there, goals for them, and other pretty words.  I have had good meetings with the community leaders and have formed decent to great bonds with all of them.  There are two I especially get a long with.  Soon I will be starting to go out to the communities a bit by myself.  Probably after new years. 

One thing that has really been helping me gain trust with the farmers, and other locals, is Kaqckikel, a local Mayan language that I am learning.  The last two communities I have been introduced to I started out with: xka’ij, rix utz iwach, yin nu’bi Colin, yin USA yipe wi.  Meaning, good afternoon, how are you all doing, my name is Colin and Im from the US.  And they like it a lot.  I like it a lot.  I will be taking a total of 160 hours, and possibly more, when it is all said and done.  There is a decent percentage that doesn’t speak much Spanish, so it is imperative I try to bridge the gap.  

I like some Guatemalan music.   Guatemalans also feel, and they must be right, that they have an innate right to make all the noise they want.  With those two things said, I don’t like the chipmunk Christmas music blasting so loud at 7 am that I feel that its coming in from all angles at me, drowning out all thoughts I have.  The volume is up so high that I cant even understand if it is English or Spanish, or something else.  The kicker, I cant even tell where it comes from. 

I have started running again.  It feels good.  I ran for a solid 1 hr 10mins the other day.  The views are worth the run.  Up 2200 meters looking down into crucial valleys on a sunny day. 

Beyond taking pride in my work here, I have become really good at making soup.  It’s easy.  I may post a picture. 

Without much further to say, I look forward to seeing my guests, aka family, in the upcoming month. 

 

 

Early November

Sunday November 9^th – Weekend reflection

All right, life is different.  I just spent an entire weekend…doing nothing of significance.  “Nothing” defined as cooking several slow meals (a stir fry, large big breakfasts, a stew, and elaborate hot dogs w french fries), reading a book and a magazine in Spanish, watching TV in Spanish, running, and going to the market.  I also cleaned my house to the maximum.  And washed the laundry…by hand.

Ok I get water here in _______________ every other day for 3 hours (530-830am).  Unfortunately the last two days it was turned off at 7 am.  And this may not be such a big problem, if only my pila (a large water basin for all intents and purposes) was large enough to last a week.  Instead my pila is perfect for about 2 days worth of cleaning, washing, and boiling water.  I usually (1 weeks worth of habit) let the downstairs pila fill up first, then attach a hose and fill mine.  The first day when the water went out (accompanied by a power outage) after 2 inches of water I chalked it up as shit luck.  Today, I was laying in bed, thinking man it would suck if I went to fill the pila up again and the water went out, ha-ha.  And then, I get up (its 650), go outside, make the attachment, let it start flowing… and sayonara 10 minutes later.  Not funny when it happens 2 times.  It was like the f**in Anti-Secret (Secret, the book). 

But beyond that, I talked to my parents this weekend, which was nice.  They still love me. 

Interesting side plot in the unsaid volunteer in Guatemala penthouse saga: my bathroom door also doubles as the door to close off that part of the house.  Which wouldn’t be too bad, except for the fact its predominantly glass.  So basically people, if per chance there were any in my house, would be able to see me or whomever were in the bathroom, going to the bathroom.  So I went ahead and nipped that issue in the bud by plastering various magazine covers of Newsweek (john McCain and Sarah Paulin), Maxim (I don’t know names, but well worth the bathroom time), The economist, the Map of my Department (___________________), and some various photos of my late heroes (Chavez, Bhutto’s Coffin, Kid playing with Cobra in India).  It’s an entertaining bathroom now.  It also allows for Peace Corp budget crunching-reflection, as our monthly allowance is detailed there as well. 

I upgraded the penthouse to B… w/ A status coming soon.  Don’t tell Peace Corps or my neighbors…. Shhhhhhhh… I got a TV and a little fridge.  A tiny bit over budget.  But I pride myself in comfort for those really rough times when they (Peace Corp) say everyone gets depressed.  Ill just watch TV and eat leftovers.  I mean, I got ranch dressing now hhuuhhh uhhh!!!   I also have several basic pieces of wood furniture on the way…shelves (which I can never get a straight answer for what they are called, and they don’t call them what my dictionary says, so I always sound like a tool talking about how I need shelves…you know the things you put books on?), a bedside table with a lock drawer, two lounge chairs, and a couch that I can then put a mattress pad on (like a futon) and all for a very low reasonable price….1500…quetzals.  ($180).   So once that gets all wrapped up on approximately the 20^th, ill be living comfortably…with bucket baths and occasional water.  No big deal. 

Funny story…left my cell phone in the truck of the guy I contracted outside of the Maxi Bodega (walmartish grocery/random house appliance store) to take me, my fridge and TV home.  I didn’t realize until late in the day, when I had a friend in town and couldn’t let them know I couldn’t answer the phone and had to meet them in good faith, in the dark, in front of the Municipal building in a town they had never been to.  Yeah, about to be bad news.  I luckily had written their number down earlier when I go it offline and then used a pay phone…and all was saved…except my phone.  So I call the guy, and luckily he answers.  I talked to him for about 30 mins straight on the ride home and I think the good feelings were mutual…also combined with the fact the cell phone is $20 he didn’t mind giving it back.  I met him the next day for it.  All saved. 

I hope I made one of the more lame weekends of my life sound exciting?  No and Yes...  But seriously its nice to take breaks…think…and read a lot…   That sounds lame.  And it is.  I’m still enjoying my life here.  Which is good because I have a little less than 24 months to go. 

I met the Norwegian volunteers.  They are in a program that does cultural exchange between Guatemala and Norway.  I don’t know.  But I agree that’s about as exchange as it gets unless you want to start exchanging young Iraqis for US students. 

 

Friday November 7^th - __________________, _____________________, Guatemala - My Site

Yes, I do live in a site with no name…as far as blog-life is concerned.  But I can tell you the name (___________,  ______________) personally out of the potential public eye if you so inquire in order to check it out online.  You could even download a song titled ________________ de mis recuerdos.  I live there.  Anyway, its Friday, end of week 1 in site, working and arranging my house were priorities 2 and 1 this week.  I have visited the market 2 times now, where I consistently get overcharged for things due to my pretty white face.  I barter a bit, but I figure ill build a little more credit before I demand anything.  One lady though lowered the price of eggs for me because I was very nice.  Which I am, so it makes sense doesn’t it?  I did pay 6 Qs for a peeler, only to go to the grocery store and find a set of 3 for 4 Qs.  So that guy poached me.  I’m mentally tallying who treats me well so I can return to them in the future.  I will go back to the women with eggs. 

Other than market experiences, I have done a fine job of arranging my upper level of the house that I rent.  I bought a nice big bed, table and chairs, portable stove, and have 3 pieces of furniture under construction.  Currently my room is somewhat disorganized due to the lack of storage space (shelves) so I have clothes and books bordering the edges, but I’ve seen far worse in some of my friends rooms.  The room that I have, after reflecting last night on my long history, is perhaps the biggest I have had area-wise.  In fact if there is one room that may be equivalent or close in size it would be my palace I had in high school in my parents house, which is empty now.  I also may have had a slightly smaller room on Ohio St. where I lived when I was a sophomore at South Carolina.  Yes, for those of you who didn’t know, I lived on Ohio St. which is also Ohio State and being from Ohio I thought it was very cool at the time.  In fact I still do and I forget that little coincidental story usually, but its good…I still have the sign to prove it somewhere…Thank you Phil DaVanzo.

I have put on the integration smoosh mode while I’ve been here in order to meet people and start on the right foot.  I thoroughly enjoy the little bonds that I have been creating through 5-15 min. conversations with the everyday people near my house and the town center, as well as in work.  Over the last few days I have had great conversations with the local meat guy and local tortilla maker.  Also, I went to have lunch with the original family I stayed with during my site visit here.  They were happy to see me as I banged a coin on the glass counter to summon them to the front of the store.  They are charming.  After only a total of perhaps 10 days here, counting this week and my site visit, I have met perhaps 100 people.  Out of 45,000 I have quite a few to go.  But at this rate ill meet a majority.  I had one group of women say my name…and I didn’t even recognize them.  I thought I was one of only 2 Gringos in town, the other being another PC volunteer.  But yesterday I saw a gringa in Traje, which is the local indigenous dress, look it up online.  The local traje is perhaps the favorite I have seen, very dark subtle reds with dark yellow, blues, reds on the collar.  I also saw that Gringa from a distance talking to another gringa.  And then to my shock and pleasure, my association received 2 Norwegian female volunteers.  Yes, I was perhaps more surprised than anyone at that.  Not only does Norway seem a million miles away from here (more accurately maybe 5000) but why would they end up here.  They have trouble with Spanish, so i've heard through the chisme (top 10 Guatemalan Spanish verb meaning gossip, past time numero 1).  They were only in the building for a moment yesterday, and my office is upstairs on the far side of the building with my counterparts, so I was unable to meet them.  But needless to say I am excited to meet them eventually, maybe today.  They wont be hard to pick out of a crowd.  They will be here for 3 months.  Which made me think, since ill be here for 2 years, i'm basically the elder volunteer, which automatically gives me some pull.  Judging by the fact that when I was here visiting originally there was a Spanish volunteer here, and that now there are two new ones, I will probably see around 10 more international volunteers in my association alone.  Very cool. 

Further more, on November the 4^th I felt fortunate to make my way to a TV in a Democrat-American stronghold where I watched the election.  And WOW, 348 to 134 or something close.  America did “speak strongly” in the words of McCain.  I empathize with him because I believe he is more liberal than he was pigeonholed into for the election and because he was done amazing things for the country.  But its time for a change and Republicans needed to hand over the reigns to the Democrats, its only fair in a two party system.  When one fucks it up, let the other have a go at it.  Concerning international policy, which is probably what I agree most strongly with Obama on… The reaction in the world was overwhelmingly positive.  It has showed all countries that we aren’t necessarily the same empirical dominant America that we always have been.  We have shown we are more open minded and evolving as a nation.  Which the world hasn’t seen for quite some time.  The world opens the potential new stances on international affairs and hopefully a decreased emphasis on influencing where we see fit.  Countries from France, Spain, and England to Venezuela, Bolivia, and Iran have expressed congratulations to Obama and have already mentioned going back to the meeting room and rethinking relations with the USA for the better.  Plus combined with the fact Democrats take more interest in the Peace Corps and an open, friendlier international relations policy, my personal interest lay with Obama.  I don’t have any money, so anyone can tax me.  But we have too many environmental, international relations, financial, and public mindset problems as it is, and I think its time to re-evaluate.  I understand the fears of the wealthy that do not feel they should pay more taxes, especially those right at the 200-250 thou cut-off.  But our nation is creating more debt, by creating more money, at an alarming rate.  And no wonder our economy crashed. 

But if you disagree with paying more taxes in general, then please, I refer you to our government budget, which is free online.  I crunched out some of the numbers recently…and if you agree with paying 20-25% for national security/warfare, somewhere near 50 for social security and Medicare (which are 2 things not doing anything for you NOW) then rethink your argument.  Push for paying less in those areas.  Because face it, you wont have social security anyway.  Also, we pay an alarmingly low 1.5% on education (less than a large number of countries), slightly more (2.5%) on infrastructure, less than 1% on community and local development, about 1% on general research and development, 1.5% on the environment, and less than that on energy…For a country who flaunts its support of the rest of the world…1.2% of the budget goes to international AID, which seems generous enough, until you realize that budget includes money going to support embassies, (a USA service primarily), assistance to counter drug trade, IRAQ aid (which cycles back to us engineering companies), AND the largest part of that budget goes to FOREIGN MILITARY FINANCING GRANTS AND LOANS!!!  I have the budget if anyone is interested. 

More research and development, education, infrastructure, environment, and AID and business investments are necessary to strengthen international aid and relationships and are expenditures that benefit everyone. 

I don’t mean to do that often… But check out Zeitgeistmovie.com.  Two movies for free that will change your life. 

When I was watching the election I started talking to 2 English blokes, and guess what…one of them studied at USC for a year and was actually wearing his USC Gamecocks shirt ha-ha.  We knew a couple of the same people and he was my age.  Very cool, very coincidental. 

 

November 2^nd – Post Swearing-in

Muy buenos dias a ustedes.  I find myself in November already?  I do a lot of re-counting memories and stressing the fact that every time I take a look around and think about the last few stressful and anxious days in Ohio, SC, and DC before I left for Guatemala, It seems so far away.  Training is over. 

Never during training, the 3 months of it, did I really think that it was going fast.  No training session or Spanish class could go fast enough.  Training was measured in months, and I kept track to the hour, my long-term vision was in days/weeks, but now from the official volunteer side of training it feels like it rocketed by.  I’ve changed a good bit via new experience.  And that makes me feel like I’ve been here for longer than 3 months.  24 to go.  I’m in no rush to finish.

On October 31, yes Halloween, 29 of us went to the Ambassador (USA) to Guatemala’s house.  We heard some good words from our project directors, the PC Guatemala director, training director, volunteer speaker, the Ambassador…It was another graduation.  Just had one in May.  This one felt pretty similar though.  I couldn’t be more proud of my decision.  A graduate from school is just a graduate, not yet defined by whatever he/she decides to do.  I go out to my permanent site tomorrow to start my job.  I’m excited.  I’m ready, bien prepared.  There are some unfortunate aspects to swearing in.  I will see my friends less frequently.  And the training staff wont be around all the time.  We got incredible support. 

The weekend after swearing in we all, minus a couple unfortunate ones that were sick, spent the weekend in Antigua.  Good weekend.

 

A duly timed blog

Month 3 Day 8

Washington DC is a long memory back.  Now I’m looking forward to new challenges and big events, mainly swearing-in and the election (Obama has it nearly wrapped up thank ______ or God).  I have almost made it all the way through training.  There are lots of good memories, a couple not so great ones, but one awesome experience.  It’s hard to believe I am 1/9 of the way through my experience here.  I know that still doesn’t sound like much, but its flying. 

In less than 2 weeks we will be swearing in at the ambassadors house here in Guatemala.  We swear in coincidentally Friday the 31 of October, Halloween for those of you who aren’t making the connection.  Needless to say everyone is ready for our wings to be unclipped and celebrate the weekend with a couple Quetzalteca bottles and tequila shots in Antigua…and not have to return home.  Quetzalteca is a $5 a liter bottle of unidentified liquid that is awesome, mostly due to price.  We have a hostel booked up and I have no doubt we celebrate to the most properly deserved level.  

Before we get to swearing-in we have 12 more days of general class and Spanish. 

After all of the slow build-up of where our sight assignments were, time is flying now.  I visited my future site this week, which I am not allowed to actually say due to Peace Corps Washington restrictions.  But it’s pleasant and much more than I imagined for a site in the Peace Corps.  I have 3 banks, 2 grocery stores, several Internet cafes, pool halls, cantinas, tons of great restaurants (in Guatemalan standards), including Chinese and pizza, awesome town center, and much more.  Its way better than my hometown of Ostrander, OH…although I appreciate you Ostrander for everything you are…I would be a different person without your influence.  The association I will be working for is a large national association focusing on health, education, youth development, family planning, and agriculture development.  The lineup is especially typical of efforts to support Guatemala.  There are 36 employees there along with myself, and a Spanish volunteer.  The agriculture program is relatively new and consists of only a 20-year old female accountant, who was basically assigned to be my guide for the week, and a 3? Year-old agronomist.  I have been assigned to support them (mostly the agronomist).  The agriculture program works with 120 farmers in 7 surrounding communities that primarily grow broccoli (30,000 lbs a week) and snow peas (10,000 lbs a week).  I will be working with them to expand their markets, figure out how to bring in funds to perhaps start irrigation, packaging, do transport, analyze markets and costs of production, try to see if there are any other viable crops, etc.  They have a micro-credit program as well.  There is plenty to do over the course of 2 years.

They association accepted me quickly and openly.  They talk of “Confianza” (confidence/trust) all the time here.  At first I thought it was an overused Peace Corps phrase, its not.  My two counterparts have already said I have it and are excited to work with me.  The association celebrated my birthday the second day of my trip and gave me a nice binder.  They have made me feel more than comfortable and have a lot of respect for my experience and work.  I am truly a knowledgeable professional to them, which I am in many ways…but I like that I am forced to fulfill that roll now.   There is one young kid, 19, who speaks really good English, and I imagine ill spend some time with him.  Already I have a line of people in the city waiting to meet me.  I will have no shortage of activities.   There is a story of a volunteer there that left 5 years ago who married a local…so there a little of that expectation too…I’ll ask them to bring me the best ha-ha.  The thing is they probably would.  I will be joining the basketball, futbol and running team for my organization.  For those of you who know my basketball skills, you know they are marginal in the US, but here due to my size, speed and decent shooting…I am a star. 

I found a pimp house to live in while I am in my unable to be said site.  There is a rule that volunteers have to live with a family or in a family complex during their first 3 months…which I am not overly fond of but understand the reasoning completely.  I made the best of the requirement though, finding a two-story house near the director of the association.  I will be renting the upper half of an open-air style house, which is really like its own house.  It has a staircase going up on the main side from the bottom area.  The bottom area is like an aged resort, with a covered tiled area with two rooms, a bathroom and a kitchen all coming off of one side, and an abundance of vegetation in the yard and along the edge.  The staircase is on the yard side of the covered tiled area and leads up to a covered terrace that is approximately 35x10 feet (huge), tiled, and surrounded by vegetation around the outer edge on the other side of the balcony.   The terrace ends and shares a wall with a small living room that will now be a half living room and half bathroom after they install a brand new bathroom for me in half of the room.  The other half of the upstairs is my room (which is the same length of the terrace but about 10 feet wider).  You may think this is a big room, especially for GT standards…and it is.  I will be dividing it somewhat into a half living room because its way to big to be just a bedroom.  The other corner of the house, which is equivalent size to the living room/bathroom space is a kitchen.  I have to provide the majority of furniture, but I will build most of it.  I will buy a bed, stovetop, wood, a fridge, and possibly a tv (which would get cable, yaya).   Anyway, it fits the Peace Corps rules because a family lives downstairs in one room and I share an entrance with them.  Side note, the owners of the house (a small family) are moving out to rent it to me.  And I will be paying 115 dollars a month for it.  There is space for a garden, which I never thought I would have and I have criticized over the course of my life, which I will grow all sorts of vegetation.  If you ever come check it out ill let you try it all if it’s in season. 

Another birthday note, beyond the celebration in my new site, which I keep wanting to write but have to erase because I cant say it, I celebrated with another volunteer that had a birthday a few days ahead of me on Saturday the 11^th.  Peace Corps reads these blogs over at times and they don’t approve of drinking profusely, but I did accept a “few” birthday shots and helped myself to a few birthday rum and cokes.  It was definitely a good celebration.   I enjoy my people here. 

Also, thank you for those of you who called me on my birthday.  I appreciate it and love you people.  I am excited to start getting visitors here soon and show you around a fuckin cool country.  I invite anyone and everyone who likes me enough to spend at least a week here with me, or is traveling through. 

Interesting story, of which I have been waiting to happen to someone here due to pure statistical chance, my neighbor volunteer best amiga came home from her site visit to a massive funeral in her house for her 83 year-old great grandmother of the house.  Unfortunately for her funerals/mournings (which is a lot more like an excuse to celebrate) last from the day of death, through the night, through the next day until they bury the body, and then for the next 2 days!!!  So I’m glad I’m not in that house. 

Mentionable notes: my head hurt like hell after speaking straight Spanish for 5 days on the site visit, combined with meeting and smooshing with most of the town, including the mayor. 

A drunken guy called me an idiot today.  I said I bet I was smarter than him.  My common response to those people, like him, that don’t want foreigners here would be “its unfortunate that you need us here because you and your country can’t take care of itself.”  I have much more empathy than that statement suggests.  It really bothers me that some people can have the audacity to be so simpleminded that they really would be mad people are here volunteering to make their lives better.  I look past it due to the fact that the USA has fucked up several times in foreign relations here (along with a famished families laundry list of other countries) through CIA inspired coups and self-serving activity, giving them a legitimate reason to disgust us.  Speaking of this, there is a great book called “The confessions of an economic hitman” that documents one specific economists experience working for a large consulting firm tied closely to the US government in the 60’s and 70’s, during which he was involved in large foreign loans from the US to countries like Indonesia, Panama, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, etc. that recycled the money directly back to the US because the countries lacked the ability to invest the money in their own infrastructure and development companies. Due to this, thousands of US companies would come in at inflated costs and construct superfluous and massively expensive projects.  The kicker is that the money being loaned would end up right back in the pockets of US companies.  Not only that, but the consulting companies were encouraged to make unrealistic growth expectations, convincing them their growth would be sufficient to pay back the loans, when in reality it trapped them in a never ending debt cycle that made them a pawn of the US government.  It’s a grimy example of our government and its foreign policy during the 60’s and 70’s in an effort to limit communism and push the American interest empire.  The USA has a disgusting list of CIA meddling in marginal countries over the last 50 years. 

Beyond that, I apologize for not writing habitually for the last few weeks for those big fans of the site.  I have been pretty busy traveling around the country and checking stuff out…and finishing training.

 

 

Bring on Month 3

My 3^rd month in country is just beginning.  Thinking back to what I was doing last year at this time is unreal.  I was about to celebrate my 22 birthday, in the middle of football season and having way to much fun.  Two years ago I was about to celebrate my 21^st birthday in the mountains of Tennessee.  I think anyone reading this who was there remembers that, that was fun.  Now I'm in Guatemala, two more birthdays to go until I'm done. 

I received my site assignment finally yesterday.  Everyone was really excited after the first 2 months of buildup to finally receive his or her sites.  For some people it’s awesome, and for some people it’s disappointing.  For me, I would say I’m stoically in the middle.  I didn’t have a whole lot of expectations for the sites since none of them were nearly a perfect package and none were full shit.  The things I am happy about include: the larger size, it’s a municipal capitol with 43,000 people living in it, it has all the amenities; housing to rent, internet, post office (a real sign of size), restaurants, stores, and solid transportation, it is close (within 3 hours) to several major cities and the airport, its literally miles away from the massive lake Atitlan and several cool hippie towns, there are 30 other volunteers in the area (including my best friend in the group and 5 others), close to amazing ruins and volcanoes, I will have the space to have my own gardens (I know who would have thought), and I will be working with a new group to peace corp, which I wanted.  All good for visitors though. 

Things I am not excited about: I wanted to be further away in a random far flung part of the country, although that may have meant losing many of the previous stated things, I do not have a strong international agency supporting my work, meaning I will be probably working uphill a lot, and I am in a 96% indigenous area, meaning its time to learn kakchikel. 

All in all, I’m content.  I haven’t even been there yet so I am still waiting to see the end result.    

I wanted to mention that I watched the presidential debate on the 6^th; Peace Corp had a shout out from Barack Obama when talking about the sacrifices citizens may have to make in the future. 

Walking through the streets of my town recently, where the kids often yell to me to get some kind of response, I encountered a small group of kids led by one specifically loud child down a large side street.  The one kids started yelling “gringo” to which I was answering, “where do you see a gringo…no way…I don’t see a gringo…there’s a Guatemalan.”  They just laughed and kept saying gringo and hi until the one kid started running sideways away from us laughing…all the way until he ran into the back of a truck.  I couldn’t help but to start laughing pretty hard…  The poor kid had that half distressed half I don’t want to cry in front a stranger, and half still laughing look on his face.  His friends were laughing though. 

A week ago I went on a site visit to a town in, Quiche Guatemala.  It’s a site high in the mountains where I group of volunteers live.  I got a good vibe from them.  They are pretty far away (6-8 hours from the center) and may be kind of forgotten, but I think they like that freedom.  Which I wont get being so close (2 hours) to the center.  The area was hard hit by the 40-year civil war.  Thousands of Indigenous people died there.  I stood in front a mural that cited foreigners as part of the major timeline of violence initiated there…needless to say I did not take a picture.  The town has about 30,000 but seemed much larger.  They have a lot of international tourists to see mountains and such there.  We even met a group of 3 (Israeli, English, American) while hiking. 

I only have 21 days left until its time to swear in as an official volunteer and continue this adventure in another place.  Next week I am going to my site to check it out and try and find a place and meet my agency.  I am excited needless to say and still comfortable here. 

 

Going on 2...

Month 2, Day 4…pueblo (15^th of September)

Today is just another day in the world of most everywhere in the world, except for here in little old Central America, where 5 countries celebrated their independence from Spain in 1821. I spent all morning from about 9-1 to be exact in a packed town of 30,000 watching all ages of kids march through the streets. Some of them performed at the level of drumline the move, seriously. I was particularly impressed with a group of red and black dressed boys being lead by 3 trumpet players who danced and bobbed to a fast paced retro hip-hop beat. The parade was extremely hopeful and culturally sensitive, recognizing all 4 of the major ethnic groups in Guatemala; ladinos, Mayas, Xinca (who are apparently a lot like cowboys), and Garifunas (a Caribbean culture on the eastern coast). I found it enlightening and interesting that in the primarily Mayan town the ladinos (prominent ethnic group financially and politically in Guatemala) were represented in formal attire of suits and ball gowns.

I also finally saw the mayor, who is Dr. Mayor. He is currently renting a municipal building because the town burned the municipal building in a fit of civilian justice because he supposedly let two terrorizing El Salvadorian gang members out of police custody. He did just start an ecotourism office here in town though, although I would suggest a trash service and river purge first. He didn’t ask me though. Unfortunately from what I gather the town voted for him via credentials, not platform, and now are largely unhappy with his ineffectiveness. The typical mayor here in Guatemala makes a sizable salary, supplemented by 9 times that salary in annual kickbacks. I may run for mayor.

I still have a sinus infection.

I am deep into my coffee project with my family and it has sparked an interest in not only how to solve the problem of the small farmer being taken advantage of in one of the best coffee growing regions of the world and also the involvement of private investment in the solution.

I know I have officially formed solid bonds with my family as they have now openly told me how much they will miss me, that I must return, and that I am a very nice and handsome man. I like them a lot too.

Random fact of the day: the vast majority of pirating still going on in the world is off the coast of Somalia, where pirates take over large vessels carrying loads of valuable stuff, sale them into harbor, and then sell/use the items and hold the ship hostage. Read about it. Maybe if they only had a government.

Other big news? Not on the top of my head. I heard the stock market crashed a bit, not too excited for that, but not all that surprised.

On an unrelated but highly charged political note: Please vote for Barack Obama.

Month 2, Day 3…Losing count of days

I have officially moved into a new phase of training. It’s much harder for me to recall how long I have been in country. Suddenly, I don’t think of every day in the context of how long I have been here out of a 27 long month commitment. I am now more at the point where calmly reflect on everything going on around me with the quiet sense of awareness I am typically accustomed to. I cant say a ton of really exciting stuff has occurred in the last week since I have written. Hopefully the pictures were a good indication of what’s going on, and were sufficient for a solid entry.

Currently I am kind of salty because after bragging for weeks about having a stomach of iron because I use suspect pila water to brush my teeth (large sink/pool/bath in a house filled with water when there is water, and then used to supply houses with no running water), I eat the street food that we are told causes diarrhea (which has a 95.5% occurrence rate…and im pretty sure there are some shy people who don’t report), and I eat everything put in front of me, (by now the sentence is so long you forgot the point) I have a cold that may or may not be bronchitis. Hopefully it’s just a minor cold that I picked up from my 10-year-old sister. Not much you can do here besides take your vitamins. Although I have a pretty thorough med kit. Including a 300 page medical manual called “where there is no doctor” describing in detailed English how to treat everything from shingles to bullet wounds to the head, to amputation, and baby delivery.

Anyway, not feeling the best. Also I went in to Antigua to watch the OSU-USC game, in which I was yet again left wanting and sulking…I did enjoy the day though. I woke up not feeling well but had to go through Antigua anyway to go to a Mayan ceremony at the training center in Santa. I sat through an intriguing and long ceremony involving a lot of flowers, candles, and incense symbolizing a number of things natural. I felt like it had about as much legitimacy as literal translations of the bible. But it had a good karmatic feel to it.

Fast forward to Antigua, where I have taken a break from for a couple weeks. Me and 3 companeros went to an American owned bar where we posted up watching the Notre Dame-Michigan game on one TV (kudos ND 2-0), and the USCarolina-Georgia game on the other. I was impressed with ND, and unsurprised by the gamecocks game. Just throwing it out there, I was sitting next to Vanderbilt Alum who is in my group during the game. He was proud to say it was the biggest win he witnessed during his tenure at the SEC’s worst football school. Surprisingly enough the bar was filled with ND, Michigan and Georgia fans. One Georgia fan even had a little brother in ATO at USC. Maybe he can talk to a friend of mine Kenny Wright. Who still owes me money, but because im in Guatemala thinks its alright to do nothing. Karma hurts. Small world. Anyway I wont address the OSU game, not the USC game due to typically disappointing results. I had a long conversation with the 73-year-old man who is in our training group. It was nice to see him out enjoying himself. I respect him for what he is doing more so than most people my age. Although there exists massive respect for everyone. Many people say they will fulfill dreams later in life, or put things off in a self-rationalization/self bullshitting manner, but don’t fulfill. Well this guy is a father of 3 girls, left his wife home after teaching her the finances, and is here. We had a good hour-long talk over a couple beers; I have my first 73-year-old friend.

Other than that, in a world where I get giggles from every girl in the country (yeah I turned conceited) I was denied sitting in the front of the bus with two of them on the way to the school the other day. My mejor amiga thought it was funny, and just that I guess not every girl thinks I am a stud. My self-esteem is alive.

I also want to throw a fist pump to my parents who co-teamed a package to me, for which I will have to pay Q208 in taxes eventually. For now I sweet-talked the receptionist into giving me my own stuff on loan, it helped being the trainee that was victimized my identity theft during week 3.

One day this week we witnessed a speech from an interesting quirky professor looking type of journalist/research/development fellow who spoke/argued the effectiveness of international aid and NGOs. So basically the validity of Peace Corps. He explained Guatemala’s situation, which seems complicatingly discouraging in many ways (please call for hours of explanation), and then went into the politics of Aid, citing that its mostly political bullshit, governments are self-bullshitting, and that the procedures of international aid are malfunctioning. I agree with him. He also attempted to define the difference between charity and solidarity. Charity doesn’t do anything to teach or incentivize people, while solidarity creates a mutually beneficial relationship. I butted heads with him openly on the fact that charity (or unilateral aid) is necessary in the most destitute areas as a first step due to the lack of anything that certain places have, but agreed with him that the ideal situation for aid would be a beneficial relationship between two countries. Which lead me back to a firm belief that has been reaffirmed here, that a marriage between private investment and aid is necessary to create growth at the very bottom of the social ladder. Anyway, cool guy, going to have a beer with him soon.

Also, I have been concentrating on a lot of work this week. I had my first charla (educational session) in which I talked about ways to create advantages in interactions between café farmers and the powerful intermediaries. Working on my project for my cafe family is also a big issue. Speaking of the big intermediary I will be touring one this week, as an unassuming gringo teacher, after meeting a worker from there this past week. Two things I wanted to do here as tangent goals to learning about international development, meet interesting people and mull business ideas, have started happening.

Don’t have a whole lot more to say currently, besides I still have a few fleas.

I had to do it, one time one time

Me on Mt. Pacaya

Lava at the top of a Volcano, it burnt my shoes off, and we roasted marshmallows

The Gringo with his girls

The men of the family

Bonding

We get to have fun on the weekend (sparingly)

View from house (2 of the 3 volcanoes, the one on the right i see on fire every once in a while and it is appropriately names fuego)

View 1 of my palace (the photo on the wall is of the GSE)

Group outside Santa Lucia at a Directors Pad

11-22

Day 21-22 The first shit day of Guatemala
I would like to start out by saying that the title does not quite sum of the last few days. Ill Start with the good stuff. Saturday a group of the Food Security people came over to my house in Alo to practice a charla (brief educational session) that they would be giving over the next few days. The topic: how to make gardens from junk, specifically old tires, which there is an abundance of in Guatemala, along with many other useless items to be 180ed into treasures. But we spent the morning cutting up tires, turning them inside out to make more surface space, and then planting items; chiltepes (ridiculously hot peppers I crush all day), radishes, onions, yerbas, etc. There were 11 trainees, a few adults, 2 Spanish teachers, and my family around. We listened to some Americano music (citizen cope, Michael frantic, tom petty, nas) and passed an awesome morning together.
Later in the day several (9) of us reunited in Antigua for a couple come down drinks and some COLLEGE FOOTBALL opening Saturday. Sadly the only game I watched wholly was Michigan get downed by Utah. But I saw several highlights and a good halftime show. A couple sporting comments, OSUs Beanie Wells will be ok to crush USC on the 13th, Clemson sucks…what the fuck, and well-done South Carolina for looking solid…bench Beecher, he sucks. Listening old Ball Coach?
Anyway, after that I returned home alone, making a couple interesting excursions along the way. One to a street stand, after being encouraged to NEVER eat street food by the medical staff due to contagions I ate my 3rd street sandwich (which again I had no issue with). After returning home I watched a bit of a pirates DVD, Ironman, and passed out, normal for myself during any movie.
Welcome to Sunday (Day 22)
I awoke initially to a massive thunder sound at 130 am. At this point im used to odd noises all night, but this one shook my room a bit. After 15 solid seconds of groggy thought I realized it was Volcano Fuego in my backyard. So I jumped out to the garden and caught a glimpse of lava flowing down the volcano, followed by about 10 minutes of fiery gurgle. In all it was brief.
Volcanoes seemed to be a theme of the day in review. I reawoke at 5:00 due to a call from my major amiga and neighbor Rachel/Raquel (don’t really put to much stock in the Spanish versions) who I had informed last night I WOULD NOT be climbing volcano Pecaya, two hours away, that morning. But after realizing I had already slept 8 hours (yes if you are doing math I went to sleep at 9ish) and I wasn’t all that tired…and I felt like I may have been missing something I joined her on the excursion. Little did I know then, I would have been missing out. We met up with 13 other trainees in Antigua, where we waited for them a solid 30 minutes. Which luckily was enough time to buy some more suspect street food that I am still not diarreahing out and coffee. I did have to explain away bums (bolos) the entire time. I do emphasize with them though. I have had long night where ive been hungry and somewhat lost at 6 am on a Sunday morning. But I had to kindly explain in Spanish that I didn’t want to be bothered eating breakfast, that I only get 26 quetzals a day (I had spent 17 at that point) volunteering for them, and that I didn’t have any end of cigarettes either. I earned a smile. They were probably happy to get an explanation versus an outright fuck off.
Anyway, the climb to Volcano Pacaya was incredible. We spent the first half going through thick forest before coming to a steep mountainside of pure volcanic ash and pumice rock. On the top we were able to stand next to flowing lava, which has a thick consistency. I stuck my walking stick in it. We also cooked marshmallows and had smores, even though im not sure how sulfuric fumes affect the body. I have some sick pictures to post though, it was amazing.
Fast-forward 3 hours to Antigua again. Rachel and I ate at a little bagel joint, and then went to the internet café. There we did the normal routine, espn, gmail, facebook (thanks Kelly for the good story and nice Peruvian update); bank accounts…and herein lay the big issue of the weekend. I noticed under my pending transactions I had 3 $135 withdrawals. A brief calculation, 135 X the 7.41 Quetzal per dollar exchange rate = 1000 quetzals on the nose, lead me to believe I was a victim of identity fraud, thick sarcastic yay. Never having left my card out of my site, and still having it in my possession I am verily confused. Some happy Guatemalan is out there that I would like to punch in the face. I don’t know how they did it. BUT, after returning home and discussing with my father, I got a hold of National City, a much better and helpful bank than Wachovia, I discussed the situation. I had only made 2 small withdrawals over the weekend in Antigua, nothing near 135 dollars. I good solid day costs 20, that goes as far as transport, 6 beers, lunch, and maybe even a 1 quetzal donation to a street hoodlum. Anyway, I have to call Tuesday after the transactions clear to see what has actually occurred and where. But I better get that money back. I don’t have a whole lot right now. Anyway, retelling that tale pissed me off again, so im going to bed.

Day 19…Not my historically typical Thursday night
I just recalled that I failed to mention a major event in my life that occurred last Sunday with my host padre, host bro, and site mate Escott. Ready for it…I farmed. I have done a number of related outdoors activities that would be defined wholly as manual labor, but never have I truly planted something for the benefit of the family. The 4 of us traveled to a small field where my host padre and his father (A slightly senile 78 year old that talks unintelligibly, nicknamed the Comandante, whom I heard a rumor involving him trying to run for mayor in the last few years of the town I am living in) jointly own a coffee field. There I spent a good couple hours planting coffee trees. I enjoyed it. The combination of an inundation of agriculture information, and daily markets full of fresh fruits, vegetables and freshly killed meat excite me for the future prospect of daily life here.
A second topic I would like to mention is how much I like the staff we are working with here in Guatemala (I hope they read this ha-ha). My Spanish teacher is a great guy, funny and enthusiastic to guide us through the language and cultural barriers. The directors are passionate about what they do, and they display it all the time. They make it necessarily difficult while providing all the necessary support. Yesterday I had a long conversation with the Director of Guatemala and the Program Director. They were doing routine interviews. I dont know if it is typical or not, but for the Country Director we are her first full group and she was excited to get to know us. I didn’t know what quite to expect when I walked in as far as questions. She told me that this was a get to know the trainees type of interview and that they would be asking some open ended questions to learn a bit more about us. After a brief pause I realized that that was the open-ended question in itself. Mentioning that this was the most open ended question I may have ever received I delved into my personal journey through the mental and physical tribulations of joining the Peace Corps. Mostly it was positive for me to hear me meaningfully say how I felt and what I went through after adding another chapter to the journey, and knowing its all coming to fruition.
As I write this USC is playing NC State in Thursday night football. Foremost I would like to express my jealousy of not being there and enjoying the beginning of the school year atmosphere. Second though, some of my colleagues here are watching it due to the fact basic cable here includes ESPN, which bodes well for the futurrrr.
I also had some good notes online from people back home keeping in touch. One long account of some recent events had me rolling in an internet cafe, it hardly makes me feel like im this far away. Another interesting side note that’s not so interesting for me, I have a few fleas I think I sleep with in the evenings.

Day 11 a 17…Still in Guatemala
I apologize due to the lapse in time since I have informed anyone of my activities here in the great little country of Guatemala; I have been busy in a very informal and relaxed way. First, I want to send a shout to my amigos CJ and Tim, whom I had brief phone conversations with this week and I enjoyed catching up very much. You guys both have clearance to visit now. I am slow to get around to making calls due to being busy and also cost of calls. I am earning a whopping 26 Quetzals a day here while in training, is basically walk around money to spend. It costs 6 for an hour of Internet, 1-3 for a snack and a drink, 10 for a pack of cigarettes, and 15 for a beer. So it actually goes fairly far. I am not buying all of the things I listed, only references J. But that translates into 3.5 bucks per day. I will be paid much more handsomely in Quetzals when I am sworn in on October 31.
This past weekend I had to opportunity and good health, not all of us have it here, to make it into Antigua and have a little day drinking sport. On Saturday approximately 20/30 volunteers made it there. We had all bonded before on smaller scale levels, but Saturday was truly a milestone. Many of us shared tequila shots, good stories, intense conversation, and saw one of our elders come out of his shell in an extremely comical way, telling a long joke starring a pianist, a monkey, its balls, and a cigarette prop. We spent the afternoon at Café Skye, a bar that has an amazing patio/roof top bar that overlooks Antigua in the middle of the 3 volcanoes I have referred to before. The weather was amazing, and I think we all came away better friends and happier with our lot in Guatemala.
Apparently we had so much fun that about 18/30 of us were there on Sunday ha-ha. We went to a local American bar where we celebrated the birthday of one of the girls. I sponsored her a tequila shot upon arrival. After that we spent all afternoon watching US channel sports and having a couple well-deserved beers. It was nice to see the trainees that were unable to make it there on Saturday, which included my first roommate David.
Quick follow up to Antigua, I discovered a McDonalds there on Tuesday and stuffed a 33 Q big Mac and fries down, not because I was hungry, but because I missed me some McDonalds. I’m good for another few weeks now on tortillas and such local specialties.