December in Patzun

I almost forgot how super busy December was! It was such a great month.

I had my first off road bike experience. Thomas, Luis and I rode our bikes about 20K to the Ixchimche ruins. We actually didn't get to go in and see the ruins, but enjoyed the trip.



My amazing basketball team threw a big surprise going away (for the holidays) party for me! Everyone brought something to share with the team. We ate lots of delicious food. Traditionally, everyone "dar-ed palabras" or shared words with me. This was definitely the highlight for me. My teammates and coach commented on my sportsmanship and team spirit. They mentioned how Patzun and Guatemala are not used to this type of comradery. More than winning two championships, I am proud that I was able to share sportsmanship and team spirit with my team. I guess the awkwardness of being the only one shaking hands before and after games, and encouraging my teammates to cheer paid off!


Birthday Festivities! Daddio was happy to remind me that I am now on the other side...closer to 30! Hector enjoyed this and continues to remind me.

 

Again, my amazing basketball team threw me a surprise birthday party! I got to play a game on my birthday, which we won. Unfortunate, minor injury- sprained ankle. And then the team came over with cake, drinks, and flowers!!



Hector's brother, Julio, organized a huge birthday lunch for me.  He brought delicious meat and tons of other food from Guatemala City. They all sang me happy birthday in English and in Spanish! And we ate another cake.



My site mates organized a delicious birthday dinner!  Laura made me hilarious t-shirts. Lyd gave me a cute shirt. Lhess got me the Glee Concert DVD! WUU!



Estela graduated from Nursing School in Antigua! After the ceremony, we went to her home in a village of Patun to celebrate with her family. It was touching how proud they were.

World AIDS Day!!  As I mentioned months ago, I have been working with the Social Worker from the Health Center.  Wtih funding from PEPFAR we organized a walk and forum for approximately 200 youth and 30 adults. 

 It was one of the most successful experiences I have had in my service.  I especially enjoyed the awareness walk through town. Everything was broadcasted on the local radio station. The students got involved, wearing matching t-shirts and preparing posters with messages. We handed out fliers to Patzuneros that were on the streets outside of their homes.

Lyd and I planned a surprise scavenger hunt for Lo's birthday!  It was a blast! Everyone got really into and were creative with their roles.

Thanksgiving in Guatemala

In Patzun...

Lyd and Lhess prepared a delicious Thanksgiving Feast.

And then I prepared food for Anacleto and family. Last year, they prepared a lovely Thanksgiving feast for me. Surprisingly the kids did a wonderful job eating rare foods.

Molly brought some key ingredients when she came to visit so that I was able to make a true American Thanksgiving feast!

In Livingston and Rio Dulce...

Peace Corps awarded us some free vacation days. Without hesitation, I took advantage and traveled to the coast...

We took a twenty minute motorized boat ride along the silent, clean, breath-taking river to get off the boat and slilp and slide along a thirty minute hike to these amazing waterfalls! We hiked up, exploring the different bodies of wa

The view from our room in Livingston!!

 The girls- Susan, Christina, Linnea, Hannah, Elizabeth, and myself. *Brittany, not pictured. We enjoyed girl time- braiding hair, chatting, laughing, sipping wine, etc.

We made it the PC holiday hang out- the beach! It was perfect- no waves, not deep. From here we went on a hike to the seven alters, which were like waterfalls or smaller bodies of water, rocks, and

The girls on the bridge, heading to the beach. In Rio Dulce we went kayaking, swam in the hot springs, ate candel-lit dinners, floated in the river, played games, and enjoyed each other's company.

Unfortunately, after an amazingly perfect vacation, the very last leg of the trip six of the girls were assaulted at gun point on a Pullman bus from Guate to San Lucas. I must have the best guardian angel because I had been with them the entire weekend; the incident happened less than five minutes after I left them to take my direct Patzun bus. I wish there was something I could do to take away the pain they must feel. 

November 2011

I forgot to mention in the last blog- GLOW= Girls Leading Our World. It is an organization created by a PC volunteer in Romania in 1995. With the GLOW funds my basketball team helped do a basketball/leadership "Balon-azgo"camp for a group of females from Chuchuca and the orphans who attended the other part of the GLOW camp. *Photograph thanks to Dani, 9 yr. old

The girls enjoying their snack at the camp!

An amazing group from the United States, The Healing Hands Foundation, visited Patzun for a week.  It was an amazing experience for me. I was able to enter the operating room while the doctors and nurses were working diligently on patients. It was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. I also enjoyed the American culture in Patzun- big dinners, working hard, watching movies, listening to music, etc.  Here is their website if you are interested in learning more about their work or supporting the foundation:  http://www.thhfoundation.org/

November 1st is "Kite Day"= the happiest day in Guatemala.  The families make kites and go to the cemetery to pay respects to their diseased family members.  Anacleto, the kids and I went after the crowds had died down. Mary and the kids made me a special kite with my name on it!

Still playing basketball. Karina took this awesome picture of Lyida and I playing against each other.

I'm going to include Anacleto's origional words because he does a beautiful job expressing the importance of this event  

Mynor Yovani es uno de esos alumnos, que por cuestiones del destino, no tiene papá y este año le tocó graduarse.  Unos días antes me pidió en forma tímida que le hiciera el favor de ser su papá en los actos de graduación.  Ese día yo lo acompañe.  Me dio mucho gusto estar con él y ver el fruto del esfuerzo de él y de ADP de entregar a otro profesional a la patria Guatemala.  Mynor se graduó con los más altos honores en Chimaltenango, por eso el tiene una banda hecha con la bandera de Guatemala.  Para llegar a la meta  el tuvo que trabajar los fines de semanas y días festivos en una carpintería para mantenerse a el mismo y a mamá.  Fue un duro trabajo que él realizó, pero nunca hubiera sido posible sin la ayuda que muchas amables y bondadosas personas que aportan y apuestan  a  ADP.

Translation: Mynor Yovani is one student, for questions of destiny; he does not have a father. This year he graduated from high school.  A couple of days before the event, in a timid manner, Mynor asked Anacleto to stand in as his father for the graduation ceremony.  Anacleto accepted this honor and accompanied Mynor on this special day.  It made him very proud to be with Mynor on this special day and experience the fruit of his hard work as director of Amigos de Patzun.  He was happy to present another professional to Guatemala.  Mynor graduated in Chimaltenango with the highest honors (that is why he has a blue band across his chest).  To achieve this goal Mynor had to work hard during weekends and vacations as a carpenter to help maintain a life for himself and his mother.  Mynor worked very hard, but it would not have been possible without the friendships and support from the donors of Amigos de Patzún.

At the pools in Patzicia with Laura and her host family, teaching them how to swim. The water was FREEZING cold! Reyna's food was delicious.

Christina, the sexpert, came to help me out with a sex education presentation.

I ran the half marathon in Xela. My life goal is to complete a half in under two hours. I timed myself at 1.58:26. However, my official time was 2.01:22. I was super bummed when my neighbor informed me of this, two days after the race. Either way, it was a very fun, enjoyable half!! Now I'm resting from training.

October 2011

Chuchuca girls graduating from middle school!

GLOW Camp about Healthy Relationships with a group of nine females and Mother Norma from the orphanage.

Not only did we talk about the physical , social, emotional, and spiritual aspects of a healthy relationship; we also made time to play soccer, swim, and play basketball!

We celebrated Halloween in Antigua. Hector helped sew my dress. Raquel helped dye my clothes.  Two weeks later Christina and I were in the local newspaper.

GuateMMMMOOOOOLLLLLLLYYYYYYY

21 days after Mum, Maura and Jimmy left, which was super sad, Molly came!! Yes, she left her 14 month old baby at home with Mums. I am the luckiest sister, daughter and step-daughter. It means so much to me that my family came to visit!!

At the fountain in the central park of Antigua

Not the best photo, but this is Molly and I semi-close to the infamous arch of Antigua. We spent less than 12 hours in Antigua. We were rushing to catch our shuttle to Panajachel.

After an adventurous boat ride (where an American male saved an indigenous woman with a baby on her back, but suffered a fall into the lake between the boat and the dock) Molly and I arrived safely at our beautiful room at Casa del Mundo.

Yes, we had a hammock IN our room! It was awesome. This photo is especially for Daddio. Molly and I enjoyed catching up, LAUGHING, wine, swimming, lots of good food, and relaxing together.

THE Leisurely Kayak (Arran)

Molly was super excited to ride in a Tuk-Tuk

This is a photo with some of the children at the orphanage when we went to visit. Molly’s favorite part of the trip was when we read a bilingual book to a small group of children at the Teacher Resource Center.

Where’s Anderson?! (haha, sorry Bee…and Anacleto and Mary)

I don’t know how she did it, but she left her precious daughter! Addison is walking!!

Love you BSF!

Family Visit!!

This entry deserves a page of its own. Mum, Maura and Jimmy came to visit me! It was the best visit ever. It was so wonderful being able to share my life with them. It meant so much to me that they were able to meet important people in my life here, see where I work, and know how I live. Mum came a few days early. We were able to get some quality one-on-one time in, catching up, laughing on chicken buses, eating delicious home-made food, and enjoying each other’s company.

When Maura arrived she was probably the first, young, All-American, blonde-hair, blue-eyed little girl to visit Patzún. Some people just wanted to listen to her speak English, others touched her hair, the female students just wanted to play with her, and EVERYONE starred. Oh, Raquel and Hector spoiled her rotten! Maura simply stated her "favorite part of her trip" as, "Raquel and Hector".
It was such a special visit. I almost forgot how affectionate my family is and how non-affectionate this culture is (i.e. the Guatemalan side arm greet verses the American six second bear hug). It was so nice just spending time with my family- Jimmy answering my silly questions, singing with Maura, laughing with Mums. I wish I would have done a better job capturing the visit; the photos hardly do justice to the amazing experience we had together.

Mum finally got to see all three of my schools! This photo is her with a group of sixth grade students from the private school I work in.

All three grade levels in Chuchucá, the village I work in, prepared a “Welcoming” for Mum. It was very sweet. They each decorated their classroom.

Mum and I in Chuchuca. This was her favorite part of her visit.

I love this photo of Maura and Hector. It's my current backdrop for my computer.

Jimmy’s favorite part was our hike around Patzún. This is the sacred tree of Patzún.

Maura loved washing her hands in the pila.

Her favorite was swinging in the hammock.  She laughed really hard when Raquel and Hector pushed her. Her extensive Spanish consisted of, “Hector, hamaca por favor”.

Maura was mesmerized by the chickens.

The first morning in Patzún Maura and I got up early for my routinely walk with Raquel to school. When we got back to my house to get dressed for the day she asked if she could wear Guatemalan clothes. Unfortunately, I do not have traje in her size. However, when we went to visit Anacleto and family she was able to borrow some. She loved it! She also enjoyed playing with the kids.  It was neat watching how they communicated and played together even though they didn’t speak the same language.

My eyes filled with tears once I finally realized what the students of Telesecundaria (the public school) had prepared to welcome my family to Patzún. This same afternoon we enjoyed fresh ears of corn with these students!

Mum, Maura, and Jimmy (not pictured) learned how to make tortillas with Doña Anastasia. 

We attempted to play a basketball game, but only got about 10 minutes with all of the rain. An adorable picture of Maura and Anderson at the game!

Maura and my neighbor, Lizzy (4) playing with hair accessories.

My favorite photo- shopping in the market! I love the colors of the vegetables and Don Justo’s cheerful face. He got tears in his eyes when I gifted him this photo the following week.

My family’s visit made me love Patzún even more. It helped me realize how fortunate I am to be here, surrounded by so many wonderful, loving people. The community is super friendly and welcoming. It took us triple the time to get anywhere because we were greeted or greeted everyone. Everyone wanted to know my family.  SO many people showered my family with gifts- typical napkins, dolls, hair accessories, FOOD, purses, welcome signs, balloons, cologne, etc. I am so blessed to be here!

If you’re still reading…funny notes: in every photo that Maura is not wearing a typical Guatemalan blouse, she is borrowing my clothes. Ah! She is so big! Our family has a tradition during our last meal at the end of a vacation we all share our “favorite part”. Did you pick out everyone’s favorite part throughout the entry? Mine’s not included, so I have to share now. Maggie’s favorite part was all four of us laying in my bed watching Glee!