Another Day

So today things are going much better. It is amazing how my little cell phone, a good night´s sleep and some delish refried beans can really make me feel better. I spent the morning catching up with some friends and I just feel a lot better about the whole situation. Also the massive amounts of emails and messages of support I have recieved are so wonderful. It´s so nice to hear from loved ones at home and remember that even though I feel alone sometimes, I´m really not alone.

I know that within a matter of weeks things will be better and maybe I´ll even be laughing about how the past week went. Last night I also had a great conversation with my host family and they helped me realize how wonderful Guatemalans can be. I explained to them the three goals of Peace Corps and how important I found the 2nd and 3rd goals to be: ie the exchange of cultural ideals and practices not only with Guatemalans but with my friends and family back home. They thought that was so exciting and interesting. They are so open to new experiences and really are a great support for me here. Today they invited me to a wedding but I really just need some more time to decompress from all that has been going on but next weekend is the Fiesta... they have already advised me about it, so that I can´t make any other plans. It should be fun. It is for someone in the neighborhood so I´m sure it will be a good way to get my face out there, so that next time maybe my Guatemalan neighbor can come to my rescue... or at least cause a little diversion.

As far as animal adventures in my home, today we recieved two new birds. ¨Doves from the Peten¨ Let´s just say Maria is pretty jealous. She also gets jealous of me. Last night she bit my toes... it really hurt. and it´s still hurting. But anyway, between the new doves and all the kittens Maria is very angry. She walks around the house squaking and puffing up her feathers and biting people´s toes. She´s crazy.

Anywho, life is going slowly but surely still and I feel like things can only go up from here. I´m getting ready to head home and eat a delish bowl of cereal and yogurt cause the host fam is out! Then I´ll probably watch a movie... or two and snuggle with Sadie. Thanks again for all the love, it really makes me feel a lot better.

Long Week

Well, I'm sorry for the lack of post and feel that this one may be a bit of a downer but I'm letting out so you guys can help me get over it. Adjusting to life in Tecpan is getting past the fun honey moon stage and starting to get a little hard. I'm really starting to miss the nice things at home and hearing about the good times friends and family are having< makes me a little sad. Although, our job is going well and our CTA is really a great worker and we have a mutual respect level. We have already been to 10 schools!!! That's really exciting and we think within the next month we will really be starting our job and getting down to business. These first few visits are just to show us where we are working and present us to the schools with some authority. Things are just moving slowly and I think that's what I have to get used to.

I really love spending time with my host family, they are really sweet and nice people. I will just be ready to move into the apartment sooner rather than later. Living with a host family has so many benefits and I know I will be really happy in the end with the relationship that forms between us. I'm just at a time where I am sick of being at the mercy of what they want to do or eat. I don't like feeling like I have to respond to them whenever I want to do something. I also think my body is getting sick of all the food I keep stuffing in it. Because even when they say I don't have to eat it, I have to eat it. I have cut tortillas out of my diet and I think that has made me feel a lot better. Also Betty and I joined the local gym... If you can call it that. 100Q a month for a few bikes, some weights, old school ellipticals... But it's something right? We have done a good job of starting a bit of a fitness plan, so that's good. At least I have control over something.

To make matters worse. I got robbed the other day. No need to panic or worry. Everyone says it is a freak accident. It was terrifying but I'm ok and I'm not going to let some gross, jerky, guatemalan masked-man scare me. It was just the cherry on top of my very homesick Tuesday and I don't wish that experience on anyone. But I'm going to learn from it and things will be ok.

I guess all I really want to say at this point is that things are going. Slowly but surely. The first three months are the hardest but I know I can do it. Any postive thoughts or words of advice are welcome. I'm just going to take everything one day at a time and I'm sure before I know it life here will feel so normal and great.

The postive news is that my kitty opened her eyes and she's probably the cutest ever. I've named her Sadie and I can't wait to snuggle in my purple bedroom... All this free time leads to lots of planning.

love and miss you all.

Livin´ The Dream

So I fell off the face of the earth and landed in Tecpan. Things have been so busy but then not at the same time. Betty and I arrived extremely sweaty and sunburnt on Saturday March 27 and we really learned the "best" way to travel on a camioneta.



We spent are first night saying goodbye to the volunteer we are replacing. It was sad because over the short time we have known her we have become friends and we know we have some big shoes to fill. Then we headed over to my host family's house. Don Pedro y Dona Mercedes are probably the cutest people I have ever met. They are an older couple complete with pet bird maria who walks around the house eating tortillas just like the rest of us. So also enjoys an occasional toe so beware! As well as manchas the pregnant cat who just gave birth on Sunday to 4 little cuties... two of which have been claimed by Betty and myself... we're working on names. Any and all suggestions are welcome.

The first week of residence was full of festivities for Semana Santa... The huge Catholic holiday leading up to Easter. Lots of special guests and commotion because DP and DM make alfombras in front of their house. I don't really know how to explain alfombras except that they are really beautiful sand/sawdust things that you put in the street for the Processions of Jesus to walk through. Ours featured a Peacock and it was a really fun all day Good Friday event. Saturday we had a bbq lunch at Betty's host fam's land. We passed the afternoon chatting with them and we met SueEllen's parents. She is the other volunteer of Healthy Schools that lives in Tecpan and will be leaving in 2 weeks. We are sad to see her go but are taking advantage of spending time with her. We went for a hot second to the ruins of Iximiche where we had our Mayan Ceremony back in Feb. Little did Betty and I know we would be living in Tecpan... We came here 2 during training and I never thought I would be living here. Pleasant surprise. Sunday was delicious breakfast day in El Pedregal. This super delish restaurant close by. Linda and Abra met up with us and it was nice to see some familiar faces and learn how everyone was doing. We took our time enjoying breakfast and were thoroughly annoyed when Guatemalans literally sat at the end of our table to get us to leave. And people say Americans are rude. It is so hard sometimes to just bite your tounge and not say anything where as in the states you'd be all over telling those people to give you some space because you are paying customers. Asi es la vida.

Then Monday began offical work. Betty and I showed up at 8am to the Ministry of Education office with little to no expectations. We met with our CTA aka superintendent to actually meet him and plan out what is going to happen with this little job of ours. And he was surprisingly super supportive after some prodding and agreed to take us to all of the schools we will be working with. Then Tuesday we ventured out to 5 of them. Got our faces known, took some names and are ready to do it all again on Thursday. So work wise things are going well thus far.
I think I need to share why DP and DM are so wonderful. After dinner Monday night, we got to chatting and we started talking about home and I mentioned that I had a picture. So I went and got my photo album and we preceeded to look at all the photos for about an hour. They were asking me about who everyone was and trying to remember their names. They also think we have a beautiful house. Silly me wrote in the photo album "our little house" and they were like "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!?!" By American standards we do have a small house and I think the camera adds ten pounds so our house appears bigger than it really is. Also DP and DM have a decent sized house as well but it did really make me think appreciate what you have. Which I do, I love our house so much and miss the homy comfy feeling I get there. I'm hoping I will be able to bring some of that to my Guatemalan apartment. Anywho, back to remembering names. They kept asking me to repeat names. Mom they remember. Mama Linda, Dad you aren't so lucky. They couldn't remember you so they said Papa Lindo! I was peeing my pants laughing. Also Aunt Susan they got you as Tia Susan, Uncle Steve you are now Tio Susan. Isn't that the most precious thing you have ever heard? Clayton they got a little better than Tyler. Also Abuela Yoyce. It was just so sweet. I really adore them and I am so happy to be living with them. Lots of Spanish convos to be had and funny jokes. It's a pretty good time up in here.
As for the rest of the week, we'll see how it goes. Everything is an adjustment. Lots of Love. Miss you all.

Sorry Sorry

Well, time has flown by... It´s already april. So much happened in March I can´t believe it. So here I am in site during semana santa just thinking about the whirlwind of the past few weeks. With site visit and swear in... so many exciting things happened it was hard to keep it all straight. It´s been pretty hot and kinda of sad to say goodbye to all of my trainee friends. We are so far apart. As for life here, things are good. My new host family is a sweet retired couple that I´m already in love with. I have my own room and bathroom and they let me eat with them. Dona Mercedes makes some pretty delicious beans... so I´m pretty happy. They are building a small apartment above their house and I´m hoping to move in there when it is finished. I´m really excited. This week is all about Semana Santa and Easter so there is not much work to be done. It is a strange transition from PCT to PCV but Betty and I are still trucking.

This friday we will be making an alfombra in front of my house and just using the holiday time to really get to know our host families and intergrate into our new Guatemalan community. I promise a better update next time but so far so good. Love you all and miss you too.

CHIMAL

So friends... I'm moving to Chimaltenango... Tecpan! I'm super pumped. We went there during field based training... so what I know thus far is that there are 7 hotels and a really great pizza place. It is a town of about 17,000 but the whole county has like 55,000 people. Betty and I are pretty stoked. The reveal was a bit intense. We had to close our eyes and be placed on a "life-size" map to then receive our folders full of all the hot spots in our new town. This week we will be visiting with our counterpart, ie the superintendent of schools in order to start planning our new jobs. We'll also get to do some exploring in Tecpan and find our new places of residence. It's a pretty exciting time.

So, Have you met Betty?

So yesterday was the big day where we learned our partners and it went pretty well. I am going to work with Betty. She is sweet. She is from Florida, went to Vanderbilt, we are good friends here and super pumped about working together. It was a relief to hear the name of someone I like and feel that I can not only tolerate but work well with for two years. Now it is just the stress of waiting for our site assignments on Friday. How exciting. It is weird to be waiting to hear about my new home! I wonder what it will be like... Betty and I have already decided we will be doing a lot of experimental cooking and perhaps some sewing. We also want to visit everyone from our group in all of their exciting places all over Guatemala! The tension has really been building these past few weeks but it is also good that we are so busy. We have lots of training assignments and last minute things to do before we are sworn in.

What an exciting time... As for now all is well. More news after Friday... wish me luck in my new site!

The Countdown Begins

With the beginning of a new month, it's time to start counting down. Sometimes when I think about all the crazy things that are going to happen in March, I get a little too excited... Let's start big and work our way down.
25 DAYS TIL SWEAR IN!!!! That means on March 25, we will all become volunteers and I'm so excited for that moment I can't hardly wait...

12 DAYS TIL SITE ASSIGNMENT!!! On March 12 I will know where I will be living for the next two years! YAY!

9 DAYS TIL PARTNERS! This one is the most scary because I mean spending two years with someone is a long time... So March 9th is d-day! I hope that I will be pleasantly surprised with my future bff!

2 DAYS TIL VOLUNTEER VISIT! So on Wednesday I will be going on a small viaje to Huehuetenago (way-way-tenango) and you guessed it, it's really far away... It is the department right below Mexico but apparently it is super beautiful and the volunteer I'm visiting used a horse to get around... so needless to say I'm pretty excited!

I think the most you can draw from this is that Marzo is going to be a very exciting and very busy month!