First Person Foreign

Hi-Lo 7: Period y Pyjamada

January 9, 2019January 9, 2019 First Person ForeignAbuelita

I woke up at… err… 9:45am with the ganas to use the bathroom and before you know it I thought I was gonna keel over and die. OK I can be pretty dramatic (God Bless[…]

Hi-Lo Seís: About Place

December 22, 2018December 22, 2018 First Person ForeignBeauty

It’s Christmastime in Santa Clara. That means that not much has changed from normal life. The main differences are: the church carries the Baby Jesus around in a procession to raise money, it’s sunny (the[…]

Hi-Lo 5: Pascuas

December 22, 2018December 22, 2018 First Person ForeignAbuelita

This morning I woke up, for some reason, at 8. In Guatemala there is a thing called Madrugada. It means the hour you wake up in the morning. We don’t have a word for this[…]

You Think You Know a Place..

December 15, 2018December 16, 2018 First Person ForeignGuatemala

Vegas Blue at the Evangelical Church Coming up on my second year anniversary in site, I walked with the school group to church. Let me explain, October is Clausura Season (Graduation). October is the US’s[…]

The Double Graduation Day

December 9, 2018December 10, 2018 First Person ForeignHard Thing

I write this post to recount an especially long day. Some days do feel very long in Peace Corps, and as boring as it feels sometimes to be in the pueblo, a lot can happen[…]

Fin de Semana with My Golden Ladies

November 6, 2018November 7, 2018 First Person ForeignAbuelita

My host family and I can kick it with K’iche’ slang. Do not get me wrong, they are respectful, dignified and hard-working women, but from time to time we like to say things that elicit[…]

Hi-Lo Cuatro: Sequins & Orange Drink

November 1, 2018 First Person ForeignBeauty

I walked down to the market at 11. I had hand washed all of my clothes, my wrists hurt, and I hoped the sun would stick around long enough so I could have clean sheets[…]

Hi-Lo 3: Holding Hands and Africa

October 26, 2018October 26, 2018 First Person ForeignCompany

The weekend was ending. I was excited to get back to Santa Clara, to my bed, to my home. We bid Ryan goodbye, Sabrina and I, and got on a bus. The first of many.[…]

Hi-Lo 2: Screaming Babies and Crying Grandmas

October 19, 2018October 19, 2018 First Person ForeignAbuelita

I ran past the place where I fell and I didn’t fall. There was no chucha to scare me off the road and onto the sidewalk which is why the whole thing happened. To be[…]

My Weekend with Brócoli

October 17, 2018October 17, 2018 First Person ForeignBlank Slate

On this quiet Sunday afternoon, I was sandwiched squarely between an older, sleeping man and a younger woman in bright coral and pink traje with plastic beading shouting across the neckline. I don’t love this[…]