July- Happy ONE YEAR in Site

ONE YEAR?! How time flies.  July was a great month!!

The Peace Corps Volunteer Advisory Committee hosted a super fun Fourth of July weekend celebration.  I played with my department, Chimaltenango, in a three-on-three basketball tournament.  The next day we played soccer- volunteers verses employees, including the Ambassador.

This is the majority of the Youth Development volunteers, from my training group, that were at the BBQ, talent show, yard games, part of the Fourth celebration.

Anacleto and I hosted a celebratory lunch for the Amigos de Patzun scholarship students who completed a "Life Book" regarding their past, present and future goals.  The students did an excellent job with the big project!!

Our team was invited to play in a basketball tournament in a near-by town, San Martin.  We lost, but had a great time! Mary and I with our diplomas.  It was a GREAT weekend. The next day....

Laura and I ran "Las Rosas" half marathon in Antigua, Guatemala. It was INCREDIBLE!!  The views, the comradery, cheering support (especially Abby)....It was wonderful!!  One challenge was running on cobble stones.  I never got an exact time, but I think I ran in about two hours and four minutes...and loved every second of it.

We celebrated Cesar, Laura's host father's, birthday.  Look how big the baby is! Also, Colin, my old site mate who was here for my first three months, came back to Guatemala for a visit!

Raquel and Hector's niece, Karla, celebrated her 15th Birthday!! Doesn't she look like a princess??

The supervisor, who is in charge of the schools that I work with, asked if I could do a teacher training.  We had at least five meetings about the topic and who we were going to invite.  We decided on participatory education and 20 middle school teachers. Yeah...we ended up with 40 teachers from preschool to middle school.  I really don't think it was a miscommunication/lack of Spanish; more so a cultural difference (for lack of better words).  So I invited Lydia, my site mate, to help out.  It was very successful and really enjoyed doing it.

One week in July the Health Center's around Guatemala promoted free HIV/AIDS testing. I had the opportunity to go with the social worker, Alicia, whom I've been collaborating with, to one of the villages.  A group called, Proyecto Payaso= Clown Project, from Sololá  did an amazing dramatization with catchy songs about HIV/AIDS.  AND THEN the Health Center did NINE HIV tests, which is double the number of voluntary tests that were done last year (not including pregnant women).

A group of female students from Colegio Renacimiento competed for "Miss Independence" by giving a speech about either women in politics, personal values or peer pressure.

Quick background of the Youth Development project- The Ministry of Education wrote a curriculum for all middle school students. Then PC created a Youth Development Life Skills curriculum based off of the Ministry of Education's curriculum. Before I got to Patzún none of my schools had even read the curriculum. The students had hardly received any sex education. Two out of three of my schools agreed to collaborate with me to do a four hour presentation about reproductive health/sex education with seventh and eighth grade students to catch them up to speed. Another small success story.



Looking back, July was a great month!!

June 2011

Wow! I am so sorry. I did not realize how far behind I am. My bad. Let's see what I can remember.

My teacher/friend, Brenda, got married!

Look at all of this food!! Typical food served at festivities are chuchitos. It's like dough made from corn, with some spicy tomato sauce and surprise meat inside.  It's wrapped in a corn husk.  Then you can top it with hot sauce.  Ok...it's hard to describe how delicious it really is.

The US Ambassador came to Patzun with his family for Corpus Cristi!!  He invited us to spend the day with him.  It definitely helped build rapport in the community and was enjoyable getting to know more about his job.

CORPUS CRISTI!  This is the most famous holiday in Patzun.  Everyone fills the streets with rugs created from dyed saw dust and other objects, such as paper, fruits, etc.  We had card board cut out designs.  Then the Catholic Church passed with a procession.  Patzun is beautiful during this time.  A lot of Raquel and Hector's family members came in town for the celebration.  I have tons of photos of incredible rugs from this celebration.

We celebrated Dia del Maestro...I know most of you are fluent in Spanish, but those of you who are not- Day of the Teacher.  Two of my friends from town finished in the top three!

I went to visit my friend Michi. She has this amazing hike really close to her house.  The culturally sacred lagoon is called Chicabal.  It was a great experience.

May

The Alumni Association from the University of Kansas generously donated 12 KU basketball jerseys! As well as tatoos, table tents and stickers.  Immediately, we went to put our names and numbers on the back.  Rock Chalk!!

We completed our season undefeated, winning the championship basketball game by one point with three seconds left!!  For the trophy acceptance speech, our team captain, Mary, gave a wonderful speech recognizing the oppression of women and the importance of physical activity.

Dad and Jane came to visit for ONE WEEK!! It was super nice. We spent a day in a half in Patzun, visiting friends, family, students, market, etc.  Then we went to Antigua.  We spent most of our time eating delicious meals, relaxing by the pool, reading, and exploring the architecture and history of Antigua. 

The mayor invited Lydia, Laura and I to participate in the parade.  Mary let me borrow her typical Patzun wear!! It is very formal and used for special occassions.  We walked a couple of hours in the parade, then went to the inaguration of the soccer fields, and then had lunch with the mayor and soccer players at the town hall building. 

Lo and I at the fair!!  I ate an ear of corn every single day of the fair (for eight days) yummy!!  Guatemalans eat it with mayonaise, mustard and picante sauce. I prefer lemon and salt.

 Estela and I at the fair!!  Look at the ferris wheel.  They go unsafely fast and in the opposite direction.  Nearly every one of my students asked if I was going to ride the ferris wheel.  Super scary.

One afternoon I went with Raquel and Hector to their other house (where Hector grew up) to help cut coffee.  Their other house is amazing. They have corn, beans, lemon trees, orange trees, coffee plants, rose bushes, etc.  It's beautiful.  We found lots of snails while cutting the coffee.

Mum's best friend of over fourty years and a dear friend to our family, Cherylanne Maria Baker Sweany Taylor, 53 suddenly passed away on Friday, April 29th.  Thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated it. It is hard coping with death in Guatemala and not being there for my mum and family.

April

At the last minute we decided to take a day trip to the beach! Very exciting.  My friend, Jackie, lives and works in Antigua. She has a car, which helped expedite the process, rather than taking the chicken buses. We swam in the ocean, read in the hammock, ate shrimp poolside, and enjoyed some quality girl time.

MUMMY'S VISIT!!  Mum returned for her second short visit to Guatemala.  We had a wonderful time together.  We ate delicous meals with Anacleto and family and with Raquel and Hector.  Hector took us on a really nice walk around Patzun. I saw things that I had never seen before.  The photo is us with Anacleto, Mary and the kids, waiting to watch a procession for Holy Week.

Anderson turned three years-old and Dani turned nine. I like to tease Dani and say that he is going to marry Maura, which would make him my brother-in-law...haha.  It was a fun birthday party!

Anacleto and family invited me to help plant corn and beans!  Mary and I worked as a team: one person digging up the spot for the other person to drop three evenly spread corn seeds with two bean seeds.  It was harder than chucking the corn, but I sincerely enjoyed the company and conversation.  I definitely lack the agricultural vocabulary, but I think you get the idea.

SEMANA SANTA= HOLY WEEK! 
This is a huge cultural celebration where people from around the world come to visit. I opted to stay in my site to enjoy the experience with my community.  I could write a book about this week, but I will spare you and sum up my holy week experience in a few words (expressed through photos):

1. BREAD!  Patzuneros traditionally eat bread with honey.  Bread is frequently gifted between friends, family and neighbors.  The bread usually has special shapes and/or flavors. Mary and Anacleto gave me bread in the shape of a doll!!  The photo is taken at Mary's brother's house, where they make the bread.  They work super hard the days leading up to holy week, then rest during the week. Dried fish with white beans is another important dish during this week.

2. FAMILY!  Every business is closed, so familes are able to spend time together.  For the entire week I had every single meal with a family- beakfast, lunch and dinner.  I thought I might have time to catch up on work and plan ahead, but not at all. I really enjoyed being in the family environment.

3. PROCESSION (and church)!  Every day of Holy Week Patzun had at least two processions.   One of the biggest images required 80 people carrying it.  I went to see nearly every procession with Hector.

April 27th marked my one year in country!  Here are a couple of self-assessment adjustments I've noted:

• My once crusty even more dirty after being cleaned laundry is now soft, smooth, good smelling, and neatly folded.


• The once force fed/attempt not to be culturally insensitive food is now craved. Yes, I crave chuchitos.

• The polluted smell of smog from buses and burning trash is now masked by fresh pine needles and delicious smelling tortillas.

• I can more efficiently wash my dishes.

• The first day of school nerves are comforted by meaningfully built relationships with students, teachers and directors.

• The once very obnoxious and bothersome attempts to speak English “hell-o! Good morning” greetings are now appreciated and responded to in English.

• I am more accustomed to the cold. And by accustomed I mean my mum brought me a heating blanket.

• I used to be annoyed by the 5: 24 am “leche de vaca” announcements, but am able to laugh about them and enjoy them (thanks to Mary).

• The once stressful, overwhelming, nerve wrecking camioneta journeys are now replaced by a more comfortable routine, book reading, mind wandering trip.

• My nightmares about murdering roosters are now replaced adopting them as my pets- petting them and feeding them.

• My alien tummy is settled, most of the time.

• Spanish has improved!

March: Time is FLYING!!

US Update: 

• Maura turned 9 years old! 
• Jimmy celebrated his birthday with Maura. 
• Kelly's had a successfully St. Patrick's Day without me (unbelievable). 
• Daddio celebrated his 60th birthday.
• Molly turned 28.

Equals= Maggie being extra homesick this month.  Thank goodness I have lots of support here and have been super busy.

Fortunately, BEVAN came to visit! It was a prefectly balanced trip. 

We spent a couple of days in Patzun. We went to the market, taught class, played basketball, went to an HIV/AIDS meeting, made tortillas, met close family and friends, etc.



We spent some time at the Lake...relaxing, eating, reading in the hammock, kayaking- my favorite!  She got to experience the chicken buses.  She was a great traveler.

We hiked PACAYA!! If you religiuos blog followers remember, I hiked Pacaya about a month ago; however, this trek was much more difficult!!  Maybe the wind or the route?! 

PC celebrated it's 50 year anniversary!  PC has been in Guatemala for 48 years.  We had a nice, formal ceremony at the ambassador's house in Guatemala City.  A new group of 52 volunteers swore in.  The photo is some friends from my training group.  My friend in the middle, Dirk, returned from seven months of medical leave.

The youth development group had an excellent training with the supervisor and directors from each school, explaining the Life Skills program in relation to the cirriculum.  It was a very successful training.  My supervisor and directors have a much better understanding of the program and my role.

Short Month, Lots of Actividties

A PCV from 48 years ago was in the second group of volunteers to come to Guatemala.  He served as an agriculture volunteer in Patzun. The co-op that he started nearly 50 years ago with about eight people is still functionig!  He pointed out a lot of things that did not exist while he was here.  He informed us that PC used to issue volunteers cars!

Students of Chuchuca doing a team building activity.

I worked with the teachers of Telesecundaria Felipe Lopez to organize Valentine's Day activities for the students.  Their original plan was to cancel school this day. Instead, about three different groups from each grade prepared a song and/or dance. We also did a gift exchange and, of course, had a snack.

BEST IDEA EVER!  Mary, Estella and I made heart shapped tortillas in honor of heart day.  I stopped by to drop off Estella's birthday present and ended up staying about four hours.  I really enjoy spending time with them...such a wonderful family!



We threw a surprise water themed birthday party for Lydia!!




Another unforgettable moment with Mary and family.  We celebrated Mary's birthday.  It was very nice being around such a big, loving family.  Not pictured:  the birthday cake I attempted to make for Mary. haha.  The basketball team came over after the game to enjoy the cake that tasted a lot better than it looked.



One of my teachers invited me to go to the pools in Patzicia to participate in a Valentine's Day activity with youth from the Catholic Church.  It was super fun!  We played basketball and soccer for 6 hours! Then ate a delicious picnic meal.  I got a terrible sun burn.

Hiked Pacaya with a group of Guatemalan friends.  It was a super fun experience.

Another memorable moment with Mary, Anacleto and family!  At the pools in Patzicia, enjoying the sun.

Peace Corps hosted a three day training about behavior change related to HIV/AIDS.  The social worker from the health center, Alicia, went with me.  It was a great training.  And I have a lot of faith that Alicia and I will follow up with the project!

January

This month was filled with family fun activities!! The first weekend we had a welcome back dinner, celebrated Reyna’s birthday, went to my first quincinera, had a Baby Shower for Reyna, baptized Giovanni and Lillian’s baby boy (who was born two days after Addy), and celebrated Noehmi’s 6^th birthday with a piñata.   I got to play Santa Claus upon my return from the US.  The Patzuneros are doing some serious advertising for Kelly's.  So when do I have time for work?  My director, Dr. Ball, came to Patzún and we presented the Youth Development project to the teachers and directors.  Not to mention, school started, which means lots of work.



Meet my host family!  This is the first photo they let me take.  Now you can put a face with a name and all of the wonderful things I say about them.  Since I’ve returned from the states I’ve enjoyed our ritual evening conversations, trips to the market, and learning how to cook.  I am lucky to have them in my life. 

 

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My cousin, Parker Phillip Reed was born on January 24 at 1:04; 7 lbs 11 oz. I want to hold him!!



Madelin Laura Corina was born on January 29; 8 healthy pounds.  She is named after my site mate, Laura and returned PC volunteer, Colin (Corina is the feminine form of Colin).  Laura and I played babysitter with the four other children while her host mother was giving birth to the newest.



Karla at her 15^th birthday celebration with her sister.  Karla looks like a princess.  It was a three hour Evangelical church service about adolescence, then the delivery of presents, a delicious meal and even better cake!

Noehmi's 6th birthday celebration

Reyna's Baby Shower!!