Well, I think this will be my official last posting on this blog. Since I last wrote I made the journey to Florida where I spent 4 wonderful day soaking in the wisdom and good cooking of my spritely grandmother. It was a perfect buffer between the old and new lives-- providing me a few extra days of the trilled sounds of Spanish and of warmth on my skin.
I now find myself bundled up in fleece and wool by the rotund potbelly stove that provides heat to my parent's house in Warren, New Hampshire. The Baker River and the kaleidoscope leaves are a perfect backdrop for all of the thinking and sorting-through that I'm doing. Two years of memories and images are dancing about in my head. People like to ask "so, how was it?" I wish I had some sort of concise answer. Peace Corps told us to memorize a 3 sentence answer to that question, but every time I try to, I come up with too much, or too little. So mostly I respond with something like, "It was great! Two years is a long time...how long have you got to hear about it?"
I'm expecting an eventual wave of emotion once I realize that I won't be returning to San Sebastián anytime soon, but for now I'm thankful to be among those that I love and am reveling in the autumn colors and the comforts of home. I thought that I'd have pages to write reflecting on all that I learned and gained in Peace Corps, but in the end I think I'd rather let the stories contained in these pages speak of my journey. It's been a wild one, with more twists and turns than I'd imagined, but I've made it to the other side and am happier and (hopefully) wiser for it. Peace Corps was one hell of an adventure; here's to the next one!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
On My Way
I'm sitting in the airport, sipping Guatemalan coffee and thinking about what the past two years have shown and meant to me. It's been totally wild. Like almost any worthwhile experience, my Peace Corps life has been an adventure and a struggle. I've learned about myself, about others and about the way the world works and where I fit into the big picture. The next few weeks will find me in Florida, Massachusetts and New Hampshire soaking up family and reintegrating into America. It will hopefully provide me some time to process and people to process with, so I'll be sure to post some post-Peace Corps thoughts and pictures. Thanks for sharing this adventure with me, for your emails and comments. I'm so glad to have been able to show you a little bit of this wonderful place that's been my home!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Adios Pueblito Querido
A view I will miss My bags are packed. The house is cleaned and I removed my key from its spot on my keychain. In exactly 9.5 hours I'll load my enormous bags into my friend's car and say goodbye to SanSe for the forseen future. I don't have words to explain what I am feeling, it's something akin to heartbreak, that kind of feeling you get when something difficult and amazing is ending-- incredible nostalgia and sadness mixed with hope and a face pointed toward the road ahead.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
5 Days and Counting
I'm down to five days left in San Sebastián. Five days to spend with friends, to get in all the hugs and chats and tamales I can fit into my memory and stomach. I honestly never thought about making it here. I've dreamt about the coveted "Returned Peace Corps Volunteer" title and about life after my service, but the last week and the goodbyes were absent from those thoughts. Now that I'm here and staring down my last week, I'm nervous and sad and totally bewildered. This place, this strange and different land that I've been living in for 24 months has become my home and it's nearly impossible for me to imagine life outside of it.
I'm used to the honking of camionetas being my alarm, Saturday nights always providing a tamale and piping hot cup of coffee, holidays meaning firecrackers and late nights. I've learned the way certain neighbors ring my doorbell, I've grown accustomed to the scream of "carrrrllllooootaaaa" from the street meaning that kids want to read books; I am a part of a family, of several families, and the idea of going away and unlearning all of those things is starting to break my heart. I love this place. I love my life. And even though I know it's time to move on, to live close to my blood-family and put down some semblance of roots, I'm having trouble saying goodbye. So I'll say "see you in a year" or "see you at so-and-so's wedding," because that makes it easier.
I'm used to the honking of camionetas being my alarm, Saturday nights always providing a tamale and piping hot cup of coffee, holidays meaning firecrackers and late nights. I've learned the way certain neighbors ring my doorbell, I've grown accustomed to the scream of "carrrrllllooootaaaa" from the street meaning that kids want to read books; I am a part of a family, of several families, and the idea of going away and unlearning all of those things is starting to break my heart. I love this place. I love my life. And even though I know it's time to move on, to live close to my blood-family and put down some semblance of roots, I'm having trouble saying goodbye. So I'll say "see you in a year" or "see you at so-and-so's wedding," because that makes it easier.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Promoting Multiculturalism
One of the things that I've enjoyed most about being a PC volunteer, and also one of the values that I hold most dear is the idea that culture is important and worth sharing. Technology and increased travel to far-flung places are both great things; I've benefitted from both. However, one of the pitfalls of those things is an increased homogeneity that has us seeing African kids wearing Tupac shirts and Guatemalan girls playing with Barbies (oh the lovely things that seem to spread most rapidly from our culture).
One of my goals as a volunteer has been to share my culture and others that I'm familiar with in a way that's authentic and engaging- and also that doesn't include pop music, crappy processed foods or English swear words. The world is filled with rich cultures that are worth studying and sharing, foods that are worth tasting, and music that no one can resist the urge to tap their toes or dance to. When we learn to embrace differences and appreciate what we don't understand, we learn empathy and the value of individuality. We also end up absorbing and learning a whole lot of really cool things. As such, I shared the secrets of Sushi with my Guatemalan friends a few weeks ago and loved watching them learn to make rolls and use chopsticks. So they ate it with tortillas...maybe that'll be the newest fashionable fusion food.
One of my goals as a volunteer has been to share my culture and others that I'm familiar with in a way that's authentic and engaging- and also that doesn't include pop music, crappy processed foods or English swear words. The world is filled with rich cultures that are worth studying and sharing, foods that are worth tasting, and music that no one can resist the urge to tap their toes or dance to. When we learn to embrace differences and appreciate what we don't understand, we learn empathy and the value of individuality. We also end up absorbing and learning a whole lot of really cool things. As such, I shared the secrets of Sushi with my Guatemalan friends a few weeks ago and loved watching them learn to make rolls and use chopsticks. So they ate it with tortillas...maybe that'll be the newest fashionable fusion food.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Saying Goodbye to the Ladies
I have had the amazing privilege of working with incredible women during my time here. My job in the Municipal Women’s Office has included organizing and legalizing groups of women in each village and then getting them together on a monthly basis to train them in topics ranging from self-esteem to voting. They are women who are chosen for their leadership and their desire to improve the situation of women in their communities.
When I first started working with them they were incredibly shy, none of them wanted to talk in front of the rest of the group, and giggling was all I got from them when I asked questions. Now that we’ve been meeting semi-frequently for two years, the women trust me and each other and share stories of their lives and ideas for the future without fear. I have loved watching that transition and sharing in lots of great moments with them—my personal favorite being a game we played where we had to pop balloons with our bodies without using our feet or hands (try it, it’s hilarious).
I recently had my last meeting with them. They gave me hugs and asked me to come back next year. I’m going to miss these ladies but leave them knowing that they’ll continue meeting and that they have the confidence and creativity to make their communities and their own lives better.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Baby Carlota!
I returned from my recent trip to the U.S. to find a very special surprise. My friend Doña Dora had given birth to a baby girl and she named her Carlota, the translation of my name into Spanish. When I arrived to Dora's house to meet the new baby she put her in my arms and said to me "when you leave we want to always remember you, so we named her Carlota." It was truly one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Here in Guatemala when someone names a baby after you, they are called your tocayo, or namesake. Here are a few photos of Carlota and her older siblings- Vilma, Dorothy, Froylan and Viviana.
On Coffee
Admission: I LOVE coffee. If you’ve spent more than 8 hours with me, you already know that. Naturally, I was thrilled when I heard I was going to be living in Huehuetenango, famous for its coffee. There has been no shortage of coffee drinking and learning in the last two years, so I wanted to share a few of the things that I’ve learned.
Lesson #1- Huehuetenango coffee really is unparalleled. It’s smooth and rich and wonderful. My uncle actually claims that the coffee I brought him for Christmas last year is the only coffee that doesn’t leave him with heartburn!
Lesson #2- The coffee process is incredibly labor and knowledge intensive. I’ve gotten to watch and participate in all of the stages of coffee production: growing, picking, de-pulping, drying, shelling, toasting, milling and brewing. In that process, there will typically be at least 4 people involved- a grower, who also depulps and dries, the businessman who buys it and shells it, the toaster, and the barista who makes the drink. Each of those knowledge sets is unique and requires time and patience to learn. Which brings me to lesson 3…
Lesson #3- The coffee industry is broken. The coffee farmers who live in my town and the surrounding areas are lucky if they receive $1 per pound of coffee (the price is based on international standards set in NY and is the price that farmers worldwide receive). The buyer then typically sells it to a buyer in the US for a 200% markup where it is toasted, packaged and sold again for another 200% markup- effectively keeping the producers in poverty and the middle men wealthy and powerful.
I have a friend here who is the son of a coffee farmer who grew up and decided to try and change the system. He owns a coffee shop here in Huehuetenango and also trains farmers in organic techniques and fair trade regulations.
I recently sat down with him and he explained that even “fair trade” labeled coffee in the U.S. isn’t usually fair trade, the extra $2 that we spend on the bag in a grocery store ends up somewhere in the pockets of the toasters and the “fair trade” certifying organization. He advised me that the best way to ensure that the farmer is getting a fair wage for his work is to buy direct- to buy from a toaster who has a relationship with the farmers growing his coffee.
Living here and having friends who farm coffee has made me much more aware of where my money goes. It’s easy to drink coffee detached from the system, we don’t grow coffee in the U.S. (except in Hawaii) so we don’t see farmers toiling for poverty wages. Now that I’ve seen it I’m committed to doing all that I can to buy direct and make sure that my enjoyment of coffee doesn’t come at someone else’s expense.
If you’re interested in learning more about direct buy, check out these websites/articles:
https://www.larrysbeans.com/
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/coffeecity/2012795613_direct_trade_seeks_integrity_f.html?syndication=rss
http://www.directtradecoffee.com/
Also, watch the film "Black Gold." It takes place in Ethiopia, but applies everywhere coffee is grown.
Lesson #1- Huehuetenango coffee really is unparalleled. It’s smooth and rich and wonderful. My uncle actually claims that the coffee I brought him for Christmas last year is the only coffee that doesn’t leave him with heartburn!
Lesson #2- The coffee process is incredibly labor and knowledge intensive. I’ve gotten to watch and participate in all of the stages of coffee production: growing, picking, de-pulping, drying, shelling, toasting, milling and brewing. In that process, there will typically be at least 4 people involved- a grower, who also depulps and dries, the businessman who buys it and shells it, the toaster, and the barista who makes the drink. Each of those knowledge sets is unique and requires time and patience to learn. Which brings me to lesson 3…
Lesson #3- The coffee industry is broken. The coffee farmers who live in my town and the surrounding areas are lucky if they receive $1 per pound of coffee (the price is based on international standards set in NY and is the price that farmers worldwide receive). The buyer then typically sells it to a buyer in the US for a 200% markup where it is toasted, packaged and sold again for another 200% markup- effectively keeping the producers in poverty and the middle men wealthy and powerful.
I have a friend here who is the son of a coffee farmer who grew up and decided to try and change the system. He owns a coffee shop here in Huehuetenango and also trains farmers in organic techniques and fair trade regulations.
I recently sat down with him and he explained that even “fair trade” labeled coffee in the U.S. isn’t usually fair trade, the extra $2 that we spend on the bag in a grocery store ends up somewhere in the pockets of the toasters and the “fair trade” certifying organization. He advised me that the best way to ensure that the farmer is getting a fair wage for his work is to buy direct- to buy from a toaster who has a relationship with the farmers growing his coffee.
Living here and having friends who farm coffee has made me much more aware of where my money goes. It’s easy to drink coffee detached from the system, we don’t grow coffee in the U.S. (except in Hawaii) so we don’t see farmers toiling for poverty wages. Now that I’ve seen it I’m committed to doing all that I can to buy direct and make sure that my enjoyment of coffee doesn’t come at someone else’s expense.
If you’re interested in learning more about direct buy, check out these websites/articles:
https://www.larrysbeans.com/
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/coffeecity/2012795613_direct_trade_seeks_integrity_f.html?syndication=rss
http://www.directtradecoffee.com/
Also, watch the film "Black Gold." It takes place in Ethiopia, but applies everywhere coffee is grown.
My Third Independence Day
For the third time in my Peace Corps service I celebrated Independence Day with Guatemalan friends. Traditions here, much like in the U.S, revolve around parties, parades and food. The celebrating began on the 13th with events in the town center-- teenagers on stilts, soccer games, marimba music and then continuing at the elementary school with skits by the kids- including a full reenactment of Shrek done by the second graders!
The 14th brought antorchas in which traditionally schools drive hundreds of Kilometers away and run back to town, the various children taking turns running and riding the highly decorated school bus. They arrive the evening before independence day to the awaiting public of the town who cheers and sets off fireworks .This year, because of the landslides, the ministry of education prohibited the antorchas. Instead of being deterred, however, the kids hiked up into the mountains surrounding town and ran down!
And finally, the official independence day- 15th of September came and the whole town took to the street to watch the parade and fill themselves with candy apples, tostadas and cheveres. A good last Independence day—I spent time with friends who I love, saw my neighbors dressed up in their best traditional clothing and even heard Shakira’s latest hit styled by the school marching band.
The 14th brought antorchas in which traditionally schools drive hundreds of Kilometers away and run back to town, the various children taking turns running and riding the highly decorated school bus. They arrive the evening before independence day to the awaiting public of the town who cheers and sets off fireworks .This year, because of the landslides, the ministry of education prohibited the antorchas. Instead of being deterred, however, the kids hiked up into the mountains surrounding town and ran down!
And finally, the official independence day- 15th of September came and the whole town took to the street to watch the parade and fill themselves with candy apples, tostadas and cheveres. A good last Independence day—I spent time with friends who I love, saw my neighbors dressed up in their best traditional clothing and even heard Shakira’s latest hit styled by the school marching band.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Landslide
I've become a delinquent blogger. Not because I don't have things to write about, but because as my time here quickly draws to a close I find myself becoming embarrassingly sentimental. So, you've been warned, the posts I'll be putting up between now and October 17th when I board a plane headed north will probably be filled with reflections and nostalgia. But before I get carried away with that I wanted to provide a little update on the madness of Guatemalan weather of late.
If you read/listen to the news you've probably heard about the crazy weather we've had lately in Guatemala. This year has been the rainiest and most unpredictable in 60 years, according to the Free Press of Guatemala and as such my plans for a normal home stretch have been thwarted at every turn. Two weeks ago I headed to the capitol city for some doctor's appointments (which went well, no tuberculosis!) and on my way home found myself trapped between two large landslides- both of them covering public buses and their passengers. The whole country went into a state of emergency as towns were flooded, bridges washed away and more than 100km. of landslides covered the Inter-American highway which bisects the country. I was thankful to be safe and found refuge at the house of a Peace Corps volunteer nearby. We bunkered down and were battered by 4 days of crazy storms. Eventually the skies stilled and the roads cleared enough to allow my passage back through the mountains and to Huehuetenango.
I've got exactly a month left in my site during which time I'll participate in my third Guatemalan independence day, bookending my time here. I'm looking forward to lots of time with friends and teary going away parties. Tales and pictures to come.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Wedding in NH!
I've been a delinquent blogger these last few weeks, but not without good reason I assure you! Two of my most beloved friends got married last week in New Hampshire and I traveled home for the festivities. The ceremony was lovely and they couldn't have picked a more inspiring backdrop for their vows.
It's always a strange experience jumping right back into life in the states- with schedules running on time, warm water running from the tap and hugs from people I haven't seen in a long time, this trip was the same, surprising me occasionally with luxuries and oddities about American life that I'd forgotten. I think it was a good introduction to the life I'll soon be re-entering. This time, as I return to "normalcy" in Guatemala, it will be for a few short months and then I'll be saying my goodbyes. I've already begun with the teary moments and nostalgia...but that's for another post. I'm attaching a few photos of the wedding festivities, the rest are on Facebook, and I promise I'll be back to my regular tales of misadventure soon!
It's always a strange experience jumping right back into life in the states- with schedules running on time, warm water running from the tap and hugs from people I haven't seen in a long time, this trip was the same, surprising me occasionally with luxuries and oddities about American life that I'd forgotten. I think it was a good introduction to the life I'll soon be re-entering. This time, as I return to "normalcy" in Guatemala, it will be for a few short months and then I'll be saying my goodbyes. I've already begun with the teary moments and nostalgia...but that's for another post. I'm attaching a few photos of the wedding festivities, the rest are on Facebook, and I promise I'll be back to my regular tales of misadventure soon!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Fiestas Julias!
Huehuetenango, the city near where I live, is famous for their two week July party. Last year the festivities were canceled because of the looming threat of Swine Flu, making this year's fair doubly anticipated. My friend Greg has been in town for the week and my neighbors were thrilled to have two fiesta newbies to show around. We walked the fairgrounds, towering above everyone, ate everything in site and rode the rides. The lasting impression: Guatemalans know how to party!
Pictures compliments of Greg Bish!
Pictures compliments of Greg Bish!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Kids Corner: Open for Business
Inside the library building we hung balloons and laid out snacks, sweat beading on our foreheads from the Guatemalan heat. Outside, dozens of excited kids waited for the door to be opened so they could see the kids corner they'd been watching come to life over the previous months. The mural on the wall was painted, the shelves and child-sized cushions placed on the carefully polished floor and finally the shelves were stocked with colorful books. The kids corner was complete!
At 2:30pm, we opened the door and let the flood of little bodies pour in, most of them having arrived punctually for the first time in their lives- spurred on by the promise of a gifted book for the on-time arrivers. New books in-hand the kids sat anxiously as we welcomed them to their new space, cutting the giant red ribbon and finally allowing them to go inside and check it out. Each kid left with a crisp new book and the promise of a weekly story-time. The kids corner, I'm happy to announce, is open for business.
At 2:30pm, we opened the door and let the flood of little bodies pour in, most of them having arrived punctually for the first time in their lives- spurred on by the promise of a gifted book for the on-time arrivers. New books in-hand the kids sat anxiously as we welcomed them to their new space, cutting the giant red ribbon and finally allowing them to go inside and check it out. Each kid left with a crisp new book and the promise of a weekly story-time. The kids corner, I'm happy to announce, is open for business.
The Latrines are Finished!
Driving down into the valley Tuisquimak occupies one catches glints of light reflecting off of the tops of tin roofs, the latrines recently completed. 41 tiny tin huts poke out from their surroundings, symbolizing a significant improvement in quality of life and hygiene of this small village of 300 people. This week was the celebration for the completion of the project. The women rose at 3am to begin cooking lunch and by the time we arrived at 10, the elementary school which also serves as a common meeting area was filled with the mixed smell of cooking fires and handmade pine decorations; our ears were met with the sounds of school children and the lively plom-plom of the marimba. As we walked up to the greet them, fireworks were set off and huge smiles were flashed our way. It was quite a day- truly one of my most joyful since living in Guatemala. I wanted to experience every moment, to make memories to carry home with me.
Don Mario, Don Juan (Mayor), my dad (who came as representative of my parents' church who donated half of the funds), myself, Doña Micaela (president of the womens' group) and her daughter Vidalia in front of a completed latrine
Doña Maria's gift to me was a "cinta" for my hair, which she helped me to put on
A little boy standing in front of pine decorations; women cooking in the background
The Marimba, a must-have at every Guatemalan party
Seated with the women of the Tuisquimak Womens' Group
Don Mario, Don Juan (Mayor), my dad (who came as representative of my parents' church who donated half of the funds), myself, Doña Micaela (president of the womens' group) and her daughter Vidalia in front of a completed latrine
Doña Maria's gift to me was a "cinta" for my hair, which she helped me to put on
A little boy standing in front of pine decorations; women cooking in the background
The Marimba, a must-have at every Guatemalan party
Seated with the women of the Tuisquimak Womens' Group
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Dad's Visit
The long-awaited visit from my dad has finally arrived. He flew in to Guatemala City on Sunday afternoon and our whirlwind week of activity began. We spent a night in Antigua, tasting the delicious coffee and getting a tour of some amazing colonial houses. The 6 hour drive to Huehue on Monday scared him into trying to convince me to come home, but after meeting my friends and neighbors he changed his mind and concedes that I live a good life, despite the apparent travel dangers.
So far we have participated in two project inagurations, 3 meals with friends, rides on bumpy village roads and world cup fever! There's more fun to come but for now, here are a few pictures of what we've been up to. Full explanations of the project inagurations coming soon!
On my porch- dad's new favorite hang-out
Creepy stuffed squirrel for sale on the side of the road. You can buy them live too.
Lake Atitlan
Antigua! In front of Volcán Agua
So far we have participated in two project inagurations, 3 meals with friends, rides on bumpy village roads and world cup fever! There's more fun to come but for now, here are a few pictures of what we've been up to. Full explanations of the project inagurations coming soon!
On my porch- dad's new favorite hang-out
Creepy stuffed squirrel for sale on the side of the road. You can buy them live too.
Lake Atitlan
Antigua! In front of Volcán Agua
Friday, June 4, 2010
A Slight Change of Plans
My plan for this week involved a visit from my dad and celebrating the successful finish of the latrines in Tuisquimak. Instead, I watched a volcano cover Guatemala in ash, ran for shelter from a tropical storm, and as a result spent 8 extra days in Antigua, all without my dad. Needless to say, sometimes things don't go as planned.
On Friday of last week I arrived in Antigua to say goodbye to a friend who was leaving for the US, however, the eruption of Volcán Pacaya covered the capitol city and airport in ash, grounding her for an extra day. Then hot on one disaster's heels, came another- Tropical Storm Agatha. Though she was much less powerful than meteorologists predicted, Agatha damaged something like 50,000 homes and left a death toll nearing 200 in her wake.
There were about twenty Peace Corps volunteers stuck in Antigua when we were put on "Standfast" meaning basically that we can't move from our current locations. Initially, we really had no idea what was going on outside of Antigua. The rain had stopped and all seemed okay. It took a while for the local news service to catch up on the story and by the time they did tales of giant sinkholes, whole towns covered in water and bridges out all over the country poured in. After a few days of sitting around feeling slightly helpless, we finally got an opportunity to help out with the clean-up effort.
We were brought to one of the Peace Corps staff people's houses to see how bad the damage actually was. Eduardo's house two story house was literally covered in mud up to the second story. As he explained to us the damage and the fear that his family faced when the landslide of mud poured down from off a nearby volcano he struggled to fight back tears. He then walked us through his neighborhood and showed us that many houses were in the same condition. The day was spent shoveling out hundreds of buckets of dirt from people's homes, working alongside people from all the surrounding towns who had come to help out their neighbors. The whole thing, really, was overwhelming. It's hard to know what to say to people who have lost everything. So we grabbed shovels and dug in.
Shoveling knee-deep mud out of a local business
A family whose home was flooded but who have been able to move back
Eduardo's house
On Friday of last week I arrived in Antigua to say goodbye to a friend who was leaving for the US, however, the eruption of Volcán Pacaya covered the capitol city and airport in ash, grounding her for an extra day. Then hot on one disaster's heels, came another- Tropical Storm Agatha. Though she was much less powerful than meteorologists predicted, Agatha damaged something like 50,000 homes and left a death toll nearing 200 in her wake.
There were about twenty Peace Corps volunteers stuck in Antigua when we were put on "Standfast" meaning basically that we can't move from our current locations. Initially, we really had no idea what was going on outside of Antigua. The rain had stopped and all seemed okay. It took a while for the local news service to catch up on the story and by the time they did tales of giant sinkholes, whole towns covered in water and bridges out all over the country poured in. After a few days of sitting around feeling slightly helpless, we finally got an opportunity to help out with the clean-up effort.
We were brought to one of the Peace Corps staff people's houses to see how bad the damage actually was. Eduardo's house two story house was literally covered in mud up to the second story. As he explained to us the damage and the fear that his family faced when the landslide of mud poured down from off a nearby volcano he struggled to fight back tears. He then walked us through his neighborhood and showed us that many houses were in the same condition. The day was spent shoveling out hundreds of buckets of dirt from people's homes, working alongside people from all the surrounding towns who had come to help out their neighbors. The whole thing, really, was overwhelming. It's hard to know what to say to people who have lost everything. So we grabbed shovels and dug in.
Shoveling knee-deep mud out of a local business
A family whose home was flooded but who have been able to move back
Eduardo's house
Saturday, May 22, 2010
We Went Shopping!
The money is in, the holes are dug and the community of Tuisquimak is chomping at the bit to get their latrines built and ready for use. Purchasing materials is trickier than it sounds though, especially in Guatemala where any variable invariably makes for an adventure.
Our adventure started at 7am when I met the president and treasurer and 9 men from the community in front of the municipal building to go to the city to buy supplies. We bussed into the city and found our first hardware store closed (all materials must be purchased at pre-determined supply stores that are proven to be the least expensive by way of price listing which we did a month earlier). When it opened, the corrugated tin that we were purchasing from them wasn't cut to size so we spent our first 2 hours cutting them with scissors. We then moved onto our next hardware store only to find that almost none of the supplies that they promised us were always in their storeroom were available. However, a few frantic phone calls to my Peace Corps boss and my friend, Jaime the Architect, fixed the issue- we changed the design of the latrines and bought different supplies that were available (new skill to put on my resume: Adaptability)!
Next we arrived at my neighbor's house. He's our cement man and has been working 'round the clock for the last 2 weeks to pour and mold 41 latrine seats and 41 latrine floors. He finished the night before and all 82 pieces were waiting for us. Those things are HEAVY. The poor guys that came from Tuisquimak to help were dripping sweat in the 85 degree heat, but still smiling and joking, excited to get their latrines.
Finally (and I'll admit, I was stressed at this point...we were 5 hours behind schedule and my brain was seriously overworked) we were on our way up the dirt mountain road to Tuisquimak. We moved along at a snail's pace, being careful on the washed-out areas so as not to break the cement floors. As we crested the mountain and arrived in the outskirts of Tuisquimak the truck driver began to blow the air horn, signaling to the community members to gather. By the time we arrived at the school there was quite a crowd- I'm pretty sure literally the whole turned out to see the stuff arriving. Grandmas, mamas with babies strapped to their backs, old men puffing on cigarettes, little kids in galoshes..everyone came to see the action.
It was an incredible feeling to hear the womens' names called one by one and see the family members who will be the beneficiaries of the project come to collect the pieces. Rural Guatemalans have seen a lot of disappointment in their lifetimes, many have experienced the civil war and nearly all have been unable to attend secondary school because of lack of resources. I don't think they believed that this project was actually going to happen until they saw the truck pulling up. The next few weeks will hold a lot of busyness as we begin the process of building these babies. Keep checking back for updates!
Loading the 300 pieces of corrugated tin that will make up the walls of the latrines (first we had to cut them all to size!)
Doña Honoria (treasurer) and Doña Micaela (president) of the women's group from Tuisquimak. The trip to pick up the supplies was a fun field-trip for us and also a great opportunity for them to learn how to manage the group's new checking account.
These are the cement form toilet seats. They're actually pretty comfy, albeit a bit cold. They also weigh about 60 pounds.
Carrying their supplies to her house. Seriously, these women ROCK!
We're pretty excited about these guys
Our adventure started at 7am when I met the president and treasurer and 9 men from the community in front of the municipal building to go to the city to buy supplies. We bussed into the city and found our first hardware store closed (all materials must be purchased at pre-determined supply stores that are proven to be the least expensive by way of price listing which we did a month earlier). When it opened, the corrugated tin that we were purchasing from them wasn't cut to size so we spent our first 2 hours cutting them with scissors. We then moved onto our next hardware store only to find that almost none of the supplies that they promised us were always in their storeroom were available. However, a few frantic phone calls to my Peace Corps boss and my friend, Jaime the Architect, fixed the issue- we changed the design of the latrines and bought different supplies that were available (new skill to put on my resume: Adaptability)!
Next we arrived at my neighbor's house. He's our cement man and has been working 'round the clock for the last 2 weeks to pour and mold 41 latrine seats and 41 latrine floors. He finished the night before and all 82 pieces were waiting for us. Those things are HEAVY. The poor guys that came from Tuisquimak to help were dripping sweat in the 85 degree heat, but still smiling and joking, excited to get their latrines.
Finally (and I'll admit, I was stressed at this point...we were 5 hours behind schedule and my brain was seriously overworked) we were on our way up the dirt mountain road to Tuisquimak. We moved along at a snail's pace, being careful on the washed-out areas so as not to break the cement floors. As we crested the mountain and arrived in the outskirts of Tuisquimak the truck driver began to blow the air horn, signaling to the community members to gather. By the time we arrived at the school there was quite a crowd- I'm pretty sure literally the whole turned out to see the stuff arriving. Grandmas, mamas with babies strapped to their backs, old men puffing on cigarettes, little kids in galoshes..everyone came to see the action.
It was an incredible feeling to hear the womens' names called one by one and see the family members who will be the beneficiaries of the project come to collect the pieces. Rural Guatemalans have seen a lot of disappointment in their lifetimes, many have experienced the civil war and nearly all have been unable to attend secondary school because of lack of resources. I don't think they believed that this project was actually going to happen until they saw the truck pulling up. The next few weeks will hold a lot of busyness as we begin the process of building these babies. Keep checking back for updates!
Loading the 300 pieces of corrugated tin that will make up the walls of the latrines (first we had to cut them all to size!)
Doña Honoria (treasurer) and Doña Micaela (president) of the women's group from Tuisquimak. The trip to pick up the supplies was a fun field-trip for us and also a great opportunity for them to learn how to manage the group's new checking account.
These are the cement form toilet seats. They're actually pretty comfy, albeit a bit cold. They also weigh about 60 pounds.
Carrying their supplies to her house. Seriously, these women ROCK!
We're pretty excited about these guys
The Latrines are Coming Along...
Thanks a bunch to Jaime and Emily for coming to help us with the construction trainings! Things are shaping up quite nicely...
Laying down the cement floor
Don't want a crooked outhouse!
Doña Honoria checking out the progress of her latrine
Doña Pascuala made us some yummy chamborote beans and tortillas for lunch
Doña Pascuala's son, Miguel, inside their brand-new latrine!
Laying down the cement floor
Don't want a crooked outhouse!
Doña Honoria checking out the progress of her latrine
Doña Pascuala made us some yummy chamborote beans and tortillas for lunch
Doña Pascuala's son, Miguel, inside their brand-new latrine!
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