Things Guatemala Has Taught Me

I absolutely can’t relieve it but next week I’ll be celebrating my 6 month anniversary with the country of Guatemala. When I first arrived in country I met a volunteer who was on her way out and I asked her if she had any words of wisdom for a new volunteer. She said to me that the days will crawl, but the months will fly, and she couldn’t have been more right. Some days, when I’m in my office pondering the intricacies of spider solitaire (there hasn’t been a lot of work with the holidays and then our town fair…luckily things are picking up now) it seems like the day will never end. However, now that I’m sitting on the top of 6 months here, I can’t believe how the time has flown. So, as a retrospective on the last half-year of my life, here´s a few of the things Guatemala has taught me:

· Spanish!
· Saturday nights are not complete without Tamales and Sabado Gigante
· That there’s always room for one more, whether in an already jam-packed bus or for lunch at a neighbor’s house
· Soccer is way more exciting when played on a basketball court
· You don’t really need hot (or even warm) water to wash dishes...or your body
· Greeting absolutely everyone you meet on the street is totally normal
· If you are the gringa, little kids will ring your doorbell at all hours of the night, even if you give them your best angry eyes
· Papaya is still gross, even when it’s super fresh
· Fireworks are not only for adults. They make cool toys for 4 year olds too!
· Beans are really really really good
· So are tortillas
· Walk slower. What’s the hurry?