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 office on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

First Cry. First Sick Day. Fever retreated. Back to Normal.

Not a lot of time to think, not a lot of time to sleep.

Exercising for the first time on the busy streets of Ciudad Vieja. A long, long run.
Friendship blooming with Amanda.

Reuniting with the PCTs (all 28) and remembering which ones I really like. Learning I like even more of them.

Feeling like I’m on a short leash because I can’t leave the house after 6pm, I’ve barely been anywhere alone. So I haven’t seen much, but okay with it. There is still so much to learn.

Talked with each brother in my house, I feel more comfortable with them now. My mom told me more about her sons, each of their situations. I like that she shares with me.

I gave my mom a small gift at the beginning of the week- a 2017 Alaska Calendar. Turns out she, her son Javier and I ALL have the same birthday. June 21, June 21, June 21.

Highlights: 

Our language group- Clint, Amanda, Tanya and I- successfully took the camioneta by ourselves to Antigua.

I drank my first horchata

I heard my mom practicing English, also I adore her

I like the other volunteers (I must remind myself of this during training)

I had a fabulous Dirty Chai Latte at the coffee shop in Parque Central. Flori is our new barista friend who never has change

Tanya, Amanda and I went running and it felt powerful to run along the street as The Three Amigas, entrancing the locals just because we look unusual. And I was listening to Taylor Swift #iaintmad

Dar a Luz means “to give birth” in Spanish, literally translated means “to give a light.” Pretty beautiful. I found that out at lunch one day with my mom and Fernando (the one getting married).

Here is the long:

Week Two Feels Like Two Weeks in One.
I’ve been at my host family house for two weeks exactly. I’ve been in Guatemala a little over two weeks. I don’t know if that’s why it feels like I’ve been here a century, but it does.

My language ‘Profe’ did a check-up interview with me on Monday. He wanted to know if I was comfortable in Ciudad Vieja. He told me that I have a personality that is easy to communicate with and that I have gained ‘confianza’ in my Spanish. Both of these things made me feel so encouraged.

Another morning, we reviewed the policy handbook with the acting country director. I ate a big breakfast that morning (I eat one every morning, let’s be real) and I was frumpy and tired. There will be an open book test later.

On Monday, we spent part of the morning exploring the swimming pools of Santa Catarina Aguas Calientes. It felt like the first time we actually went out exploring Guatemala. It was a really beautiful walk.

On Tuesday, someone came in to speak about Guatemalan history. It upset some of my partners, after reflecting I think they were right for being upset. We had to address the situation on Saturday during lunch and let everyone speak. I learned a lot about conflict resolution..

I saw my first Community Pila: It’s a large set of sinks where the women go to wash the clothes.

On Thursday: We went to our first site visit (3.5 hours from our city). We got to see a real live PC volunteer, at her site, in action. I ate five tortillas on accident. We went to her school, met her students and observed/participated as she facilitated activities.

On Friday, we did a PACA tool session with our YID group (are you as put-off by the acronyms as I am?) Because I am. At some point, there are too dang many.We learned the Bridge Model. We learned the Skills for Healthy Living (Actividades para la vida saludable) I think is what those were called.. We got new homework assignments. We were all dead to the world from 7 hours in the microbus the day before.

On Saturday, we had ToT (Training of Trainers) bootcamp. We learned how to give a charla on training other teachers, essentially. The day was exceedingly long but they fed us from a great restaurant and we were all happy and full and hopped-up on caffeine.

At one point, I felt this way (on Wednesday October 12): 

Today I saw two new rooms in my own house: One, a sewing studio where my Mom Rosa Maria works.

Two: the kitchen that’s being renovated for Fernando and Caroline (they will live in their own unit of the house after they marry).

For a moment in my bedroom, I felt that cozy feeling that you have when you are in your home, you are ready for sleep, and all your organs and bones are aligned in your body in excellent working order. You know where your gut is, and it guides you. And you feel good.

I saw so many beautiful things today that I hadn’t seen yet. We walked up to see the pools in Santa Catarina. We met the other professor (who will be our new teacher in a few weeks). We had class at Ben’s house. I met a cute little cat. My Spanish is ticking along like a truck with two and a half wheels (that’s good by my estimation).

I eat tortillas and I laugh with my host mom. My whole family laughs about my Frijol iPhone.

Amanda and I are officially good friends. I’ve leaned into the friendship but can’t set my shoes anywhere yet. I am moving and everything is changing in a matter of 7 weeks.

Onward.