Travels – Page 6

Canche | 75 Palabras in Guatemala

October 30, 2016February 19, 2017 First Person Foreign75 Words in Guatemala

Canche means “blonde” but it has expanded its scope to simply mean “white folk.” And don’t confuse canche with cancha, because cancha is “soccer field.” Even though I’m not blonde, I’m a lot closer to a canche[…]

Machista | 75 Palabras in Guatemala

October 26, 2016February 19, 2017 First Person Foreign75 Words in Guatemala

La cultura machista has come up several times, with my host mom and my first Profe Eduardo. Our Training Director doesn’t ever use that term, she only says that there are defined gender roles and[…]

Oops and Ouch | History Lesson Gone Sideways

October 20, 2016October 21, 2016 First Person ForeignChanges

I’m an American woman, a Gen Y-er, a reflective feminist and an Independent. I am in a new country on a different continent. Why are the deeply rooted issues of my own culture intensified now that[…]

“Getting In With The Beans”: Week Two

October 16, 2016February 19, 2017 First Person ForeignChanges

Week Two: Routine, Beans, Learning Spanish Again, Becoming a Part of the Family, Conflict and Resolution, Tortillas. Here is the short: Language Classes by Morning, Community Integration by Afternoon, Dinner and Dishes, Sleep. Repeat. Go to[…]

The Beginning: Week One In Guatemala

October 16, 2016February 19, 2017 First Person ForeignChanges

Genesis 1:1: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. In the beginning (anew), I moved to Guatemala. I remember when I started my big Euroventure and I also had no idea what[…]

WATCHING, WRINKLED | Day One: Staging

September 30, 2016 First Person ForeignChanges

WATCHING AND WRINKLED. 10:32pm That Night: At the end of Day One in the Peace Corps AKA Staging, I ironed my teal shirt. In real life I don’t iron. But It’s my last night in America.[…]

“Alaska, You’re the Best Kind of Breaking My Heart!”

September 28, 2016September 28, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

I’m going to tell you something about Ketchikan that no one knows: the clouds are drippy faucets in clever marshmallow costumes. A few years ago I fell in love with John Green. He writes Youth[…]

Song & Storytelling: The Events Before I Go

September 26, 2016September 26, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

Act One: Five days before I flew away, Laura and I performed The Last Five Years. It took five minutes and a handshake to reserve the Arctic Bar patio. Tom Thompson donated the equipment. Brooke[…]

The Man from Eagle River, Conversations in Alaska | 2 of 50

September 25, 2016September 25, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

On my flight returning from Ketchikan to Alaska on September 19, I am asked: “So where’s home?” A very kind gentleman asked from seat 22C. We had a seat between us, which he commented was[…]

Drumming in Zimbabwe, Conversations in Alaska | 3 of 50

September 23, 2016September 25, 2016 First Person ForeignAlaska

A fella greeted me from behind the counter. He said “I can’t run the register but I can go ahead and make your food. What are you getting?” I don’t eat out much in Ketchikan[…]