Early morning in my site.

Hopefully this picture (below) will leave a smile on your face as we are in full swing with holiday activities here in Guatemala.  It is crazy to think that it has been now three Christmases since I have been here in Guatemala. Time is a funny concept to think of in the past, the present and the future. I think there are ghosts like that in the some famous carol? Not the one below though, I can assure you that. 

Merry Christmas!

I have been getting emails from people asking what I will be doing for the holidays, for the New Year, if I am ok to spend it here, will it be tough etc. To shed some light on the situation there was an article written by a fellow PCV in Botswana. One of my favorite quote from the article is as follows: ‘Those images tend to be different in the reality of Peace Corps service. I am close to South Africa and can find a turkey, but I don't have an oven that can cook it within a day! The sounds of wrapping paper are replaced by 2 donkeys mating, 3 roosters crowing, 4 dogs a barking and 5 sc-a-ry buuuuggggs. Deep sleeping becomes a little harder with the African summer heat, but the smiles are universal.

The main park in front of my house

Addressing the questions about how I feel spending the holidays in Guatemala. I feel great, I am happy, excited and ready to celebrate. I am going to be spending a night in Malacatancito with some friends, then going to spend Christmas Eve with my host family where I stayed during training, and then to Belize for a few days for some sun and fun. I can remember being in the states and always wishing I was somewhere tropical, somewhere different, and now I have that opportunity to do so. I am going to be with good friends, enjoying different traditions and enjoying my time and seeing what there is to do.  Sure it might be tough, but how many people can say they can eat all the tamales and paches the want?  I can.  I do miss family and friend in the states, the traditions, the food, the Ellisons the NYE traditions etc.  If I spend my time thinking about them, what I am missing, I will be missing the traditions and the good times I could have here.  While not too far off in thoughts and heart, I will be enjoying the time here in Guatemala wishing that everyone could be experiencing what I am, and how lucky I truly am!

Well I can tell you that in my current site, located at about 7,700 feet above sea level is DAMN IT GETS COLD HERE! It has fallen to 26F a few times. When I was in Malacatancito, my old site, I had grown accustomed to sleeping with a sheet and a little blanket.  Here in my current site, there is a sheet, a comforter, 2 blankets, socks, sweatpants, shirt, sweatshirt and a winter hat. There are even times I can see my breath at times. Just like the holiday’s right? Most mornings a nice frost freezes to the ground making me remember early mornings in the states growing up and walking through the crunchy grassy fields leaving little footprints.   

Cold, eh?

On the school front, we are almost done. We are planning for a January 15^th inauguration date which is 10000% flexible obviously but the end is near. We just have to finish with the pouring of the floors, a paint job and then any last minute fixes. 

The school in October.  Now we have the roof up, and the walls with their cement covering.

I hope that everyone has a great holiday season and New Year!  I wish I could be there and here and with everyone at the same time but that technology is still not here.  I hope that everyone is well and in good health, surrounded by their loved ones with good times to be had!

And please excuse my attmpt to be festive with the color scheme.  

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!   

We Have Broken Gound

I can officially say that we have started construction on the bottle school project in Guacachipol.  I have not posted since then due to the fact that there were still some hiccups along the way and only wanted to post about good news and not have to explain again why we were being delayed.  But we've started!

Ground Broken!

On Tuesday, I went to the community of Guacachipol with the Mayor, the engineer, foreman, and two workers from the municipal planning office.  It was a big thing for the Mayor to come because it was the first time a mayor from the municipality had ever been to the community, also it gave him the ability to tangibly see the who, what, why, where instead of numbers and designs on paper.  Also we took advantage and had a community meeting to discuss anything and everything about the project.

The engineer, myself, foreman, mayor and community leader.

I know that there is still a long list of things to do but it is satisfying for the time being to know after all this wait and time that finally we have broken ground.  There were numerous obstacles and there will be more to come.  With that being said, the community of Guacachipol and its members are truly resilient and I am proud of their hard work and patience.   

Everyone helping out!

I will be visiting the site about every two weeks to see how things are progressing.  I will update the blog with pictures and news!

Thanks for all the support!

Construction Time!

Yes it has been sometime since I have written.  I can report that I am alive and things are going well.   My new site is different, and I told myself I wasn’t going to compare them but there are new things that are nice here and others that are, well, different.    

Let’s start with some updates! Being in a new site I am learning a whole new system; a new counterpart, a new municipality and dynamic within, town, people, where certain things are in terms of best bread, tortillas and good prices for produce meanwhile still trying to tie things up with the school process in Huehuetenango.  Things are good, my new town is nice and safe but it is considerably bigger then my old site.  I can talk about this later but the big news…

I am happy to announce that we have gotten our first payment from the NGO Hug It Forward and on Monday I will be going up to my old site to help deliver the first transfer of materials to the site of Guacachipol.  This has been a long time waiting, and something we can finally get going.  I am so proud of the community where we have been working tirelessly together.  Through this whole process, their patience, hope and faith in a foreigner with terrible Spanish is heartwarming and motivating.  To have this first big step in place, not having to wonder any more about the when and how along with other logistics, we can now focus on building and doing it right!  Within the next 3-4 months, hopefully, a school will be built out of recycled materials giving the community of Guacachipol a school they can call their own.  I will be updating the progress of the build and more successes and frustrations along the road with pictures, stories and videos (hopefully).  I just want to thank everyone so far that has contributed in any way they have already.  Thank you!!!

Students in Guacachipol

Things in my new site are different.  I live in an adobe house so things are a little dustier and it takes a little more sweeping to maintain it well.  Another thing, it is considerable colder in my new site and it actually hailed, and accumulated considerable amounts the first day I got there.  My house has a big garden space and I have done some planting of flowers and some herbs to relax a little.  It’s been fun and now birds including two different types of hummingbirds are coming around to investigate the new smells and colors.  The bad news, the rainy season has started and the gutter system need to be rerigged so that all the water that falls on the roof does not go into the garden.  So little domestic chores here and there but its fun when I can make pesto with the basil I’ve planted.  In a few weeks, I hope that my spinach, lettuce, radishes, carrots and cilantro will be edible and not to waterlogged. 

Snow and tropical fruit?

I am doing well.  I am feeling productive and as of now I only have 5 months left in Peace Corps.  It is amazing how time has gone by, how quickly and slowly at the same time.  I do need to start thinking about post Peace Corps and what is now out there.  Don’t be surprised if you get an email from me in the not too distant future asking for some advice. 

I hope all is well with everyone everywhere. 

Much love!

Next few months!

Sorry I left everyone hanging with the last post.  I have decided to stay here in Guatemala and continue my journey as a volunteer.  I might not be able to continue exactly what I was doing in terms of projects and being in the same community, but I will be able to continue gaining valuable experience and working alongside great people here in Guatemala.  It might not be the most ideal of situations but the idea of service and doing your best with what you have is what I came here to do. Even though I will be in a new community for a short amount of time, I need to look at that time frame and do what I can, trying my best.

I will be moving about an hour and a half south of where I am currently located.  I will be moving to another municipality where there are a few other volunteers currently located.  With the new changes there will be more towns with a greater concentration of volunteers.  I have about another month here in my current site trying to arrange everything, leaving projects in good hands, organizing everything with the bottle school and get everything organized to move to a new site.  I have been very fortunate to talk with Peace Corps administration and have had meetings and conversations about my situation. They have granted me the ability to supervise my project and take a few trips back and forth to get it done. That was a big factor in my decision making.  I couldn’t leave the community where we were going to do the school. I made it clear to the local municipality where I work, the community of Guacachipol and to Peace Corps that my goal was to finish the school whether I was a volunteer or not.  Thankfully, together, we have worked out a plan to allow me to finish this project while remaining a volunteer. 

As for life here, my two site mates have left last week as they completed their service.  A big congrats to them for doing a job well done, finishing with a bunch of projects, and leaving a great impact here in town and surrounding communities. I was honored and humbled to work and take part in daily life alongside them for 16 months.  Hopefully we will be able to meet up once we are all back stateside.

In the month of March, things will be hectic.  We will be starting the bottle school construction (FINALLY!), I will have to move and get to know people in a new town and work environment, try to pitch some new ideas there all while keeping tabs on the construction here in my original site.  When it rains it pours right?  This will be a busy time but definitely welcome as progress has been made and now we will be able to put everything to action.  I finally have a lot of support from the new mayor and things couldn’t be better in site.  I will do my best to really soak up everything in the last few weeks I have here with great friends and look forward to making new friends in a new town. 

Decisions to be made!

Detailed in my last blog, there are numerous changes affecting Guatemala right now.  Within PC Guatemala, the Regional Director Carlos Torres has advised that the administration take the following steps:

1.)Relocate volunteers that are deemed to be living in ‘Unsafe areas.’ These unsafe areas are the departments of Huehuetenango (where my site is), San Marcos, Alta and Baja Verapaz, the Oriente (everything east of Guatemala City) and the coast.  Basically half of all volunteers are being evacuated from their sites and have the choice to relocate within Guatemala or go back to the states.

2.) Offer early COS to any and all volunteers regardless of time spent in country.  This measure is to decrease numbers of overall volunteer size.

3.) Have a transportation system to help with security and volunteer well being.  This means no more camionetas or renovated old discarded school busses.  Now PC Guatemala will have to provide us with private transportation to and from our destination on major highways and roads.

So where does this leave me?  I have until February 10^th to let PC know if I decide to come home or try to move sites and start again.  Going home is a very easy option.  I can return to the states, start the application to graduate schools and begin to plan what the next move career wise will be and how best I can give myself the opportunity to do so.  Or, I can stay here and explore the unexpected all over again.  The benefit of this unexpected is knowing what I know now.  With my Spanish being understandable, I will avoid most of the normal growing/learning pains of the new language.  I know where most things are, how the culture operates and have a little more confidence in what I am doing.  The downsides will be moving, doing the whole readjustment thing all over again, and meeting new people.  Do not get me wrong on the meeting new people.  I thoroughly enjoy meeting new people.  The fact is, meeting someone versus getting to know someone in a professional development aspect takes time, patience and certain situations to give you that crucial insight on how people react and what their tendencies are.  I have all these comforts here currently in Malacatancito.  I know who to go to for certain things and who to talk to about certain subjects or help.  I will have to take about 2-3 months in a new site before bearings are really set and the ability to working comfortable and confidently will set in.  This is the dilemma. 

Thomas, Nic, Justin and myself on top of Volcano Santa Maria.
This photo was taken just before a 6.1 earthquake hit!

On going home, it seems daunting right now because I do not have anything planned.  I still have goals for myself here within Guatemala.  One of those priorities is becoming fluent in Spanish, and accomplishing a few projects, something that is tangible and visible.  With more time being here in Guatemala can only help build on these experiences.  Either way, be it staying here in Guatemala or coming back home to the states both represent the unknown and both represent endless possibilities to whatever can happen. 

I am just distraught over the simple fact that I have made these connections here in my current town of Malacatancito.  I am just getting everything set to finish up my time in site with the culmination of projects that will show for all the hard work we have done.  What scares me is knowing the first 6 months in site here were tough, the toughest time in site as everything was new and the foundation was being set.  Back then, I knew I had time on my side and knew everything would pan out because I had two years ahead of me.  Now, in a new site, with new people, starting all over, what will I be able to do, telling people I only have 6 months to work with them?  This is where my conscience and thought process are analyzing and challenging my continuing.  The simple question is - in the 6 or so months I have remaining here in Guatemala, will I be able to accomplish substantial things such as projects that are designed and managed by the Guatemalans in such a short time period?  Or in those six months, can I find a job in the states or wherever and get more accomplished in that time period as I still set my sights on the future?  Timing is everything right?  Argggg…..

Visiting with Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams

I hope to be able to visit potential sites in the upcoming days that will grant me a little view into the workings of new sites and the people in them.  With that information I can only hope to make a decision and the go into it with all my heart, 110%. 

A recent moon rise in my town of Malacatancito

Changes in Guatemala

As of late, Peace Corps Guatemala and Peace Corps programs in Honduras and El Salvador have undergone some serious changes.  These changes have led PC Guatemala to ‘implement specific initiatives to ensure, to the maximum extent possible, that volunteers serving in Guatemala will do as safely as possible.’  But the question I have been asking myself lately is: At what point does the priority of safety and security for PCVs trump the overall effectiveness and purpose of our service?  As listed below are some of the new measures that will be implemented.

-- Decreasing the overall volunteer population by having certain programs close their service (COS) early.

--Clustering of volunteers which means to close certain regions of the country and relocated volunteers closer together in other sites deemed ‘safe’ by PC Washington and PC Guatemala.

      --Granted any volunteer regardless of time spent in Guatemala an early COS or chance to go back to the states with the benefits of completing the full two years.

Over the past week, I have gone through a whirlwind of emotions.   Measure two will take me out of my site here in Malacatancito Huehuetenango, where I have spent the last 16 months working and living.  Needless to say there have been struggles, successes, ups and downs, but all of these challenges and breakthroughs have shaped what I know to be Malacatancito.  I am just upset and extremely disappointed to know that I have to change sites and face the remaining 8 months working in a new community (that is if I choose to do so).  My immediate concerns were - I am expected to break ground in mid February for my bottle school - I have promised a community the hope of a better future -There are countless donors in the states that have donated their money and time and that I have other communities looking to develop and gain experience with project proposals and applications.  What now?  Am I supposed to abandon my friendships and my work that I have poured myself into these past 16 months?

I am upset and just worried about what will happen, what I will be allowed to do and what I can hopefully finish.  An All Volunteer Conference will be taking place tomorrow until Thursday.   Hopefully, we will receive more information about plans as a team from PC Washington and the regional director will be meeting with us over the course of the next three days to explain the current conundrum we are in. 

I have 8 months left according to my Peace Corps commitment and contract that we signed before we were sworn in as official Peace Corps Volunteers.  We are at the time of entering the country given a PC Handbook stating expectations and guidelines for all PCVs.  On the first page of the handbook is a famous quote about the Peace Corps by JFK immediately followed by the 10 core expectations for PCVs. Here are two that I seem to be thinking about as of late.

#4 Recognize that your successful and sustainable development work is based on the local trust and confidence you build by living in, and respectfully integrating yourself into, your host community and culture.

 #9 Recognize that you will be perceived, in your host country and community, as a representative of the people, cultures, values, and traditions of the United States of America. 

Since being in site, I have fully devoted myself to integration and doing my best to be respectful to all people by having conversations, offering a hand in whatever it may be, and most importantly, by being an active member of the community.  By abruptly leaving right now, with all the ground work for projects done, with the fruits of our labor and hard work almost attainable, I am leaving communities at their most hopeful and vulnerable times.  This then brings me back to expectations #4 and #9.  How by removing myself, will that trust and confidence be affected?  Forget the success, but that then leads right up to being how I will be perceived, or how Americans will be perceived for that matter in my town. 

The municipal development program has had a tough time so far.  We have had to face the end of an administration where works and plans are wrapping up, an election/campaign season and then lame duck municipalities that were not reelected and just waiting out their terms.  Now, finally, as we are working with newly elected administrations with no fear of looming elections, work gearing up, projects starting, support for us is strong, now, at this most ideal sought after chance, where we pinned our hopes during our most frustrating times, we have to leave and abandon that opportunity that we had waited so patiently for.  

So I am left with a lot of unanswered questions and what to do next.  Hopefully by the end of the week, after the meetings I will have a better understanding of the situation.  Until then...