Today is Thanksgiving, but here it's just another day.
It's my first holiday away from my family. I have spent this time with family for almost 3 decades. The thought of spending this day without them troubled me at first. What would I do? Will I cook? Will I be with new friends? I decided that none of that mattered when I woke up this morning. Here I was a given a day to just remind myself of the things I am thankful for. So in the spirit of the day, here is what I am thankful for:
GOD - for helping me find my way back to HIM
my mom - for raising a strong, independent, young black woman
my grandma - for teaching me the power knowledge holds
my grandpa - for teaching me hard work and the spirit of never quitting
my sister - for showing me just how important family ties need to be
my big brother - for teaching me you can cook with anything
my little brother - for showing me how important your dreams are
my Godmom - for knocking some good sense into me
my Godsis - for showing me sometimes you have to take the road less traveled
my Church Family (Elim Christian Fellowship) - for showing me just how important fellowship is when trying to reach an understanding of GOD
my prayer partner (Nat) - for helping take that step into the Kingdom
my professor (Dr. O) - for proving that no matter how tough someone is on you, you can still achieve greatness
my volunteer family (SAES & Kee-koo-ka-la) - for proving that family doesn't have to be blood
my baby (Coffee) - for showing me that despite being damaged goods, everyone and everything needs love
my best friends - for not taking my crap and always sticking by me
my guy - for loving me depite my brief spells of crazy
Peace Corps Guatemala (all the people who made this possible) - for showing me that frst experiences will not be last experiences, and I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
As you enjoy your Thanksgiving either with family and friends or without, thank God for blessing you wit another day.
HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING!
It's my first holiday away from my family. I have spent this time with family for almost 3 decades. The thought of spending this day without them troubled me at first. What would I do? Will I cook? Will I be with new friends? I decided that none of that mattered when I woke up this morning. Here I was a given a day to just remind myself of the things I am thankful for. So in the spirit of the day, here is what I am thankful for:
GOD - for helping me find my way back to HIM
my mom - for raising a strong, independent, young black woman
my grandma - for teaching me the power knowledge holds
my grandpa - for teaching me hard work and the spirit of never quitting
my sister - for showing me just how important family ties need to be
my big brother - for teaching me you can cook with anything
my little brother - for showing me how important your dreams are
my Godmom - for knocking some good sense into me
my Godsis - for showing me sometimes you have to take the road less traveled
my Church Family (Elim Christian Fellowship) - for showing me just how important fellowship is when trying to reach an understanding of GOD
my prayer partner (Nat) - for helping take that step into the Kingdom
my professor (Dr. O) - for proving that no matter how tough someone is on you, you can still achieve greatness
my volunteer family (SAES & Kee-koo-ka-la) - for proving that family doesn't have to be blood
my baby (Coffee) - for showing me that despite being damaged goods, everyone and everything needs love
my best friends - for not taking my crap and always sticking by me
my guy - for loving me depite my brief spells of crazy
Peace Corps Guatemala (all the people who made this possible) - for showing me that frst experiences will not be last experiences, and I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
As you enjoy your Thanksgiving either with family and friends or without, thank God for blessing you wit another day.
HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING!
SO, we took a couple of camionetas (tricked-out school buses for public transportation)to get there, and stood in amazement when we walked up to the giant size building. It reminded me of walking into a mall a first. To the right of the entrance is a food court. Yes people, this Wal-Mart has a food court with different types of restaurants including my favorite, ice cream shops. We didn't venture over there right away. We were on a mission: to get inside. The entrance was a little crazy....like on Sundays after church hours. There was a super cleaners just before you make your way into the actual store. There was a line of well dressed business people waiting on their clothes. I giggled to myself when I saw an Asian Guatemalan behind the counter. That's something I would normally see in the States. I was not expecting to see it here. (Side note: There's a lot of Asian-decent Guatemalans that were born and raised here. There's even more of them in the capital.)
We finally reached the inside! Of course, we had to check our bags into the baggage area. Apparently, in this country, they trust no one. You can only go in with like a purse, and it better not be a big one. They have baggage claims at like every store, especially the food ones. We get our copies of the sales papers, and were off to shop in Hyper Pais! We start in the eelctronic section because that's what's closest to the door. They have a large electronic section, but what surprised me wass that they were just as expensive as the other stores here in country. I know electronics here are the same or even more expensive than in the States, but Wal-Mart is suppose to be the king of low prices. Where are the low prices?
We continue to look around, and pick up a few items here and there. We were amazed at how huge the baby section was. It's larger than almost any other section in the store. We suppose it's due to the fact that everyone here seems to be pregnant, just was pregnant or knows somebody that's pregnant. This is a country of babies! It was like a baby store inside of Hyper Pais.
We gradually made our way down the isles comparison shopping. We started to realize that we could find some of the same things in different places for cheaper prices. Thank moms for teaching us to be good little shoppers, especially my friend's mom. I hear she's the best shopper in Wisconsin.
As we went down the cereal isle, we stopped in our tracks. An entire isle of Corn Flakes! I dont understand this country's obsession with Corn Flakes. It's a littlle weird. They have some variety, but not much. Nestle brand cereals take up the variety section because they have aplant down here. Which means I can't find my Fruity Pebbles! What was even more strange was that there were shoppers assistants down every isle. I kinda felt like I was at a swap meet. Everyone was pushing us to buy the product they were representing down that isle. It was creepy. When I go shopping for food, I like to go at my own pace, not be harrassed by sales people.
Our trip wasn't a total disaster. I found some Blueberry Eggos, and Pilysbury chocolate chip cookie dough and cinnamon rolls! I almost cried when I saw them. I had been talking about missing them for a bout 2 weeks now, and I find them there. I was so over joyed with my find.
We checked out our grocieries, and went and ate at McDonalds - which like in the States, is in the front of Wal-Mart. Although here, they get made at you if you put up your own tray. They get paid to provide you with the best service possible. It's a wonderful transition to get used to, but I hope I don't forget to take my tray up when I get back to the States.
We made our way back to the bus stop, which means we traveled through the food court. I must say, this was a genius design plan. It's the only entrance for walkers. You have to go through the food court. You catch people either hungry before they go in or hungry after they come out. It's brillant! Those restaurants are making money!
I don't think I will be making frequent trips back, but I will make a cookie dough run every once and a while to treat myself. That's my Guatemalan Wal-Mart (Hyper Pais) adventure!
Yesterday, I finally recieved a package from my department at my university. I was so exited because I had been waiting for like 6 weeks. It was due!
I opened the box, ad there were a whole bunch of the thngs that make me feel so great:
Wise Cheese Doodles
Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Starkist Tuna
Ritz Crackers
Kraft Miracle Whip
Oh the joy of my American Eats! We have the usual suspect of American cuisine here like McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, Wendy's, Pizza Hut, and (my personal favorite) Domino's Pizza, but there's nothing like snack food. Don't get me wrong, though, I definitely eat Guatemalan food, especially this chicken and rice dish with this tomato-like sauce called "pepian". But there's nothing like snacking on my favorites to move to a state of uncontrollable bliss.
Then it dawns me.....I have an addiction. I have been in country almost 4 months now, and I went crazy when I saw my favorite snacks. I wonder if there's some kind of support group for people who are addicted to snacks. You know...like those AA meetings or the ones for people who ar addicted to drugs. Granted, mine is not as serious as those, but I need help (I think).
Well, for right now, I am a happy camper. I can't say I wouldn't be sad if I didn't get my favorite snacks here and there. Maybe after 2 years in country, I will learn to live without my favorites.......maybe not!
I opened the box, ad there were a whole bunch of the thngs that make me feel so great:
Wise Cheese Doodles
Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Starkist Tuna
Ritz Crackers
Kraft Miracle Whip
Oh the joy of my American Eats! We have the usual suspect of American cuisine here like McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, Wendy's, Pizza Hut, and (my personal favorite) Domino's Pizza, but there's nothing like snack food. Don't get me wrong, though, I definitely eat Guatemalan food, especially this chicken and rice dish with this tomato-like sauce called "pepian". But there's nothing like snacking on my favorites to move to a state of uncontrollable bliss.
Then it dawns me.....I have an addiction. I have been in country almost 4 months now, and I went crazy when I saw my favorite snacks. I wonder if there's some kind of support group for people who are addicted to snacks. You know...like those AA meetings or the ones for people who ar addicted to drugs. Granted, mine is not as serious as those, but I need help (I think).
Well, for right now, I am a happy camper. I can't say I wouldn't be sad if I didn't get my favorite snacks here and there. Maybe after 2 years in country, I will learn to live without my favorites.......maybe not!
This week was our feria (fair) in town, and I am completelty amazed! It's like the state fair back at home without the animals, and without all the rides. Pretty much, it's a bunch of people selling stuff like: jewelry, shoes (sneakers too), bowls, cups, belts, shirts, pants, gloves, candy, food (all types). The best part....you have no idea where to begin. They are everywhere in the center of town.
I bought these hand made clay mugs for less than $2 a piece. They are beautiful! I bought a D&G belt for $1, and a pair of NIKE gloves for 50 cents. It was awesome!
I ate so much street food - anything that's actually cooked in the street. It smelt so good, and tasted great too! I had 12 bags of cotton candy in all. It was hard to resist since they were less than 25 cents a bag.
One night, me and my site mate decided to go on the ferris wheel. Now, let me see if I can describe how serious this is here. 1 - They normally do not have amusement park rides here for adults, so the ferris wheel is a big thing. 2 - The ferris wheel is not quite as large as our big ones in the States, but high enough for Guatemalans. 3 - The ferris wheel looks like a 1920's ferris wheel; complete with actual domestic light bulbs between the seats. 4 - These babies go way faster than ours in the States, and they go backwards as well. So all in all - it was soooooo much fun!
Now the main event! This year, my town decided to get a mechanical bull - you know for all the cowboys we have in town. Not surprisingly, everyone was there watching. Men were getting thrown off left and right. Eventually, an old man talked my site mate into getting up there and riding. Now first, she said no because she actually knows most of the people in town, but I explained to her that she only has 5 more months. What does she have to lose? She agreed, the crowd cheered, and it was the funniest crap I had seen in weeks. She had a good time, and I got a great video out of it. Of course you know I was next! They cheered me on screaming "Moreña" meaning "dark girl" or "brown girl". I loved it! It was my first time ever riding a mechanical bull. Funny how it ended up being here in Guatemala.
The next day, my host family said the entire town was talking about how the "gringa" and the "moreña" rode the bull. Yes, great times! I have 2 whole years to live this down here. I wonder if they will bring it again next year, and if they will chant "Moreña" again if I go.
Only time will tell!
I bought these hand made clay mugs for less than $2 a piece. They are beautiful! I bought a D&G belt for $1, and a pair of NIKE gloves for 50 cents. It was awesome!
I ate so much street food - anything that's actually cooked in the street. It smelt so good, and tasted great too! I had 12 bags of cotton candy in all. It was hard to resist since they were less than 25 cents a bag.
One night, me and my site mate decided to go on the ferris wheel. Now, let me see if I can describe how serious this is here. 1 - They normally do not have amusement park rides here for adults, so the ferris wheel is a big thing. 2 - The ferris wheel is not quite as large as our big ones in the States, but high enough for Guatemalans. 3 - The ferris wheel looks like a 1920's ferris wheel; complete with actual domestic light bulbs between the seats. 4 - These babies go way faster than ours in the States, and they go backwards as well. So all in all - it was soooooo much fun!
Now the main event! This year, my town decided to get a mechanical bull - you know for all the cowboys we have in town. Not surprisingly, everyone was there watching. Men were getting thrown off left and right. Eventually, an old man talked my site mate into getting up there and riding. Now first, she said no because she actually knows most of the people in town, but I explained to her that she only has 5 more months. What does she have to lose? She agreed, the crowd cheered, and it was the funniest crap I had seen in weeks. She had a good time, and I got a great video out of it. Of course you know I was next! They cheered me on screaming "Moreña" meaning "dark girl" or "brown girl". I loved it! It was my first time ever riding a mechanical bull. Funny how it ended up being here in Guatemala.
The next day, my host family said the entire town was talking about how the "gringa" and the "moreña" rode the bull. Yes, great times! I have 2 whole years to live this down here. I wonder if they will bring it again next year, and if they will chant "Moreña" again if I go.
Only time will tell!
It's officially been one week since I have been in my new site. The funny thing . . . I'm not sure if I feel like I've been here for much longer or if I feel like I'm just starting out. I must declare, it's been a week of mixed feelings. In training, you're watched like children. Your famly is watching you. The PC staff is watching you, and your program or group mates are watching you. Now, in site, you're on your own. No one is telling you what your schedule is day to day from 8am to 5pm daily. I must say . . . it's a nice change of pace.
My professional life has returned to some state of normalcy this past week. I didn't even feel like a new comer. Despite my inefficient Spanish level, I was able to accomplish a lot. I helped them design a new label for their coffee packets, designed their banner for our feria, add the finishing touches to their brochure, and introduce them to a new area to sell their products next year to get their name more visible. I felt like I accomplished, easily, 3 months of work in one week.
I think I should slow down a little and pace myself. Although, I have never been one to slow down when it comes to work. It's the one area of my life, no matter what, I always seem to excel in! I guess it's in the genes.
Now in my peronal life, I can't say things have been that great. I have accomplished some things, but I feel a little out of touch. I'm finding that there's a big difference in what I want to do and what is realistic for me to do at any given point. I was trully blessed with a place that basically came fully furnished with a sweet setup, but there are some minor flaws I would like to remedy. For example, I don't have a dresser for my clothes. I would like to build my own dresser, but it is proving to be a little more difficult because the materials cost. I know eventually I will be able to build it. Due to the storm here of late, it' been extremely difficult to wash my clothes. Since everything is washed by hand and hung out to dry, the rain has made it near impossible for my clothes to dry. It seems patience is a skill I need to master while I'm here.
Despite this minor flaw, I have accomplished some basic minor tasks:
I built a fire pit in my yard to burn my trash.
I painted two walls in my bedroom wit a nice linear design.
I disenfcted and thoroughly cleaned my kitchen, bathroom and bedroom - in the presence of spiders, which I'm extremely scared of!
All in all, I have finished several preset objectives, and that's with a 6pm curfew.
I wonder if thngs will slow down, or if they continue at this pace. Only time will tell.
My professional life has returned to some state of normalcy this past week. I didn't even feel like a new comer. Despite my inefficient Spanish level, I was able to accomplish a lot. I helped them design a new label for their coffee packets, designed their banner for our feria, add the finishing touches to their brochure, and introduce them to a new area to sell their products next year to get their name more visible. I felt like I accomplished, easily, 3 months of work in one week.
I think I should slow down a little and pace myself. Although, I have never been one to slow down when it comes to work. It's the one area of my life, no matter what, I always seem to excel in! I guess it's in the genes.
Now in my peronal life, I can't say things have been that great. I have accomplished some things, but I feel a little out of touch. I'm finding that there's a big difference in what I want to do and what is realistic for me to do at any given point. I was trully blessed with a place that basically came fully furnished with a sweet setup, but there are some minor flaws I would like to remedy. For example, I don't have a dresser for my clothes. I would like to build my own dresser, but it is proving to be a little more difficult because the materials cost. I know eventually I will be able to build it. Due to the storm here of late, it' been extremely difficult to wash my clothes. Since everything is washed by hand and hung out to dry, the rain has made it near impossible for my clothes to dry. It seems patience is a skill I need to master while I'm here.
Despite this minor flaw, I have accomplished some basic minor tasks:
I built a fire pit in my yard to burn my trash.
I painted two walls in my bedroom wit a nice linear design.
I disenfcted and thoroughly cleaned my kitchen, bathroom and bedroom - in the presence of spiders, which I'm extremely scared of!
All in all, I have finished several preset objectives, and that's with a 6pm curfew.
I wonder if thngs will slow down, or if they continue at this pace. Only time will tell.
My Blog List
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Life Sad Thoughts1 year ago
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The Circus is in Town10 years ago
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Normal to Me, Incredible to Others13 years ago
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Becoming the person who "did that"13 years ago
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Adios13 years ago
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