I have a few final adventures from Guatelandia for you all. These are two things that I always knew occurred, but had never witnessed it with my own eyes.
A trip to the ruins at Mixco Viejo:
Earlier this month, I made a very quick trip to with my Guatemalan friend Marilyn to the ruins at Mixco Viejo before I made my debut in USA attire at the Peace Corps 4th of July party. A longer than expected bus ride plus oversleeping left us only 20 minutes in the ruins, but it was still beautiful.
To return, we warmed up our thumbs and hiked up our shorts. The first truck that passed seemed willing, except its bed was full of pigs. Dang. Next, an ambulance -- grabbing my ankle didn't make it stop. Then another pick up rolled around the corner, shiny and new. Before Marilyn was able to say, "they're probably narcos," my thumb was in position.
It stopped and the young driver invited us into the cab with his female friend (otherwise we would've ridden in the bed).
Nearing the end of the journey (and mind you, in a hurry), a cop ushered us over to the shoulder. Our new friend hadn't done anything wrong, but the looks of his ride prompted the cops to ask him if he had any firearms and their respective permits. Why yes officer, he did.
He reached into the glove compartment, took out the gun, unloaded it, and passed it to the officer. Due to a license that had expired only two days prior, the officers detained us (rather than issuing a warning or a ticket) until the driver gave in and offered them money (I believe Q100/$12). It was done covertly, with the hands in the bed of the truck, then with a rejoiceful handshake/hug like men do and we were on our way.
Drinking and driving a chicken bus
While most bus drivers in Guatemala drive like they've been drinking, I had never had proof, until now. My driver from Santa Lucia to Antigua (a mountainous windy road) whipped out a Gallo (the national beer) and wrapped it in a towel. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised, but I still can't believe someone would be so obvious about it!
When I get a chance, I'll update you all about my current travels through El Salvador, Honduras and Belize. Hold tight!
28 July 2010
Bottle Classroom Funding!!
The bottle school has been funded. Thank you to HUG IT FORWARD for helping us finish our project in La Cereza. My replacement, Amber, will be directing the final steps... and she'll be updating me so that I can update you all. Thanks again to all those who supported us; this has been an important pilot project for San Carlos Sija. We expect to see more soon.
28 June 2010
Handing off the bottle school
You may be wondering, "now that you're done with your Peace Corps service, what will happen to the bottle project?" Well, have no fear. The PCV who replaced me, Amber, will take charge of finishing it. There is a US-based NGO looking to fund the remainder of the project. Cross your fingers! She will keep us updated on the progress of it.
Here are some pictures of the despedida (farewell) that the school did for me. The preschool kids were so excited to eat the steak that the teachers were preparing! Then we've got Amber and I. The directora giving me a diploma for my work. The whole school thanking YOU for your support. And finally, the teachers and the PCVs.
Here are some pictures of the despedida (farewell) that the school did for me. The preschool kids were so excited to eat the steak that the teachers were preparing! Then we've got Amber and I. The directora giving me a diploma for my work. The whole school thanking YOU for your support. And finally, the teachers and the PCVs.
Fun Final Projects
I am officially an RPCV! (Returned Peace Corps Volunteer) I finished on Tuesday June 22nd and rushed home for my brother's wedding. Tomorrow I'm heading back for some post-PC travels through Central and South America. But before that (which I'll try to write about), here are two final things that I did in Sija: a field day activity with the other PCV and the local school in our park; and painting a mural at Agua Caliente with my painter friend from Guate, Marilyn Boror.
19 June 2010
So I built a sanitary landfill...
Okay, well technically I didn't build it, but with my community, Agua Caliente, we did.
In these photos you can see the progression of digging out the trench; the almost finished landfill with its view of the beautiful Agua Caliente forest; me throwing myself into it before it was ready for trash; the landfill with its tank for dangerous runoff; with community members getting the trash cans ready; a trash pick-up site; the committee putting the first trip of trash into the plastic-lined landfill; and the main group of people I worked with after we inaugurated the landfill with trash (along with the PCVs replacing me).
The history of me working with Agua Caliente is quite interesting. It is a village of Sija, thus I only visited it from time to time; I didn't get to LIVE and work with these people, just work with them, which makes it much more difficult. I first arrived in March 2009 to help them with their tourism project (hot springs). However, all they seemed to want was money.
I stopped working with them for a few months, until my Peace Corps boss told me to go back. Then I learned that they were just skeptical of outside organizations because they also promise and never follow through. Thus, in September 2009 our relationship solidified when I showed that I was committed to them and they showed that they wanted projects, not just money.
We did a diagnostic of the community and identified that the community wanted to confront their trash problem. Thus I presented the idea of building a sanitary landfill, placing trash cans around town, and implementing a collection system. They liked it, and so did Peace Corps/USAID, because they gave us the $3300 necessary to build it.
The project took more time than I expected to complete it, but in the end, it allowed me to stay a little bit longer. It wasn't that the community didn't want to work, it was just that we had to wait on unforeseen elements that slowed us down and that the community members, for example, had to plant their corn.
On Wednesday, they finished the landfill and on Thursday, we inaugurated it with the first bags of trash. They had saved their trash up for 3 months so as not to throw it in a ravine, thus the load was pretty big, but from now on they will be sorting it, recycling and composting what they can, and taking the rest up every 2 weeks. Ideally, this landfill will last them 10-15 years. To keep smells and flies away, they will pack dirt and a bit of limestone on top every couple months.
This project has been a huge success thanks to the determination, the unity and the positive attitude of the community members of Agua Caliente. As I told them, this was not my project, but theirs.
In these photos you can see the progression of digging out the trench; the almost finished landfill with its view of the beautiful Agua Caliente forest; me throwing myself into it before it was ready for trash; the landfill with its tank for dangerous runoff; with community members getting the trash cans ready; a trash pick-up site; the committee putting the first trip of trash into the plastic-lined landfill; and the main group of people I worked with after we inaugurated the landfill with trash (along with the PCVs replacing me).
The history of me working with Agua Caliente is quite interesting. It is a village of Sija, thus I only visited it from time to time; I didn't get to LIVE and work with these people, just work with them, which makes it much more difficult. I first arrived in March 2009 to help them with their tourism project (hot springs). However, all they seemed to want was money.
I stopped working with them for a few months, until my Peace Corps boss told me to go back. Then I learned that they were just skeptical of outside organizations because they also promise and never follow through. Thus, in September 2009 our relationship solidified when I showed that I was committed to them and they showed that they wanted projects, not just money.
We did a diagnostic of the community and identified that the community wanted to confront their trash problem. Thus I presented the idea of building a sanitary landfill, placing trash cans around town, and implementing a collection system. They liked it, and so did Peace Corps/USAID, because they gave us the $3300 necessary to build it.
The project took more time than I expected to complete it, but in the end, it allowed me to stay a little bit longer. It wasn't that the community didn't want to work, it was just that we had to wait on unforeseen elements that slowed us down and that the community members, for example, had to plant their corn.
On Wednesday, they finished the landfill and on Thursday, we inaugurated it with the first bags of trash. They had saved their trash up for 3 months so as not to throw it in a ravine, thus the load was pretty big, but from now on they will be sorting it, recycling and composting what they can, and taking the rest up every 2 weeks. Ideally, this landfill will last them 10-15 years. To keep smells and flies away, they will pack dirt and a bit of limestone on top every couple months.
This project has been a huge success thanks to the determination, the unity and the positive attitude of the community members of Agua Caliente. As I told them, this was not my project, but theirs.
14 June 2010
Volcan Pacaya
Here are some fotos of the area where the volcano went off taken by the volunteers that live in that municipality.
http://picasaweb.google.com/jmfesta/May27EruptionOfVolcanPacaya
http://picasaweb.google.com/jmfesta/May27EruptionOfVolcanPacaya
06 June 2010
Another photo update so that I don't have to write much!
Below, this is the river in Sija. It had grown a lot more than this during tropical storm Agatha. It's always ugly, but she made it worse. Sija wasn't hit too bad, though. Not like other places.
Coban Half Marathon in May. My goal was 1:40 and top ten, but as sports go, you don't always achieve your goals. I ran 1:50:45 and was 23rd out of perhaps 500 women. The photos below are of me and some other PCVs, and the winner from Kenya. Everyone always talks about how fast los Kenianos are!
These photos are from the basketball tournament that I played in in Sija. My team took third place due to our pink and purple uniforms, obviously. The photo with four people in it is of my friends here in Sija - they are 4 hermanos that all brought home the gold. Fred, Alan and Jeramias' team won the men's, and Leslie's team won the women's.
Here we've got a guide-training hike (7 hours from Sija to Agua Caliente) that I did with my Agua Caliente village. Working with them has been my favorite project by far.
Coban Half Marathon in May. My goal was 1:40 and top ten, but as sports go, you don't always achieve your goals. I ran 1:50:45 and was 23rd out of perhaps 500 women. The photos below are of me and some other PCVs, and the winner from Kenya. Everyone always talks about how fast los Kenianos are!
These photos are from the basketball tournament that I played in in Sija. My team took third place due to our pink and purple uniforms, obviously. The photo with four people in it is of my friends here in Sija - they are 4 hermanos that all brought home the gold. Fred, Alan and Jeramias' team won the men's, and Leslie's team won the women's.
Here we've got a guide-training hike (7 hours from Sija to Agua Caliente) that I did with my Agua Caliente village. Working with them has been my favorite project by far.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
