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.