Guatemalan Time

Things seem to run on their own schedule down here, mas tranquilo, and apparently this has affected my blogging. I've lost complete track of time...


I believe I'm about 3 weeks into the project. I'm falling in love with these kids more and more each day. I'm also taking on more teaching. The biggest challenge is my Spanish level. Detailed explaination is much more difficult with a restricted vocabulary, as is discipline. My discipline right now consists of simple commands such as "no, don't push" or the questions "What are you doing? What happened?" But the Mini-English lessons have developed into a 45 min or hour long daily class. I've also begun working with small groups in math and reading. My happiest days volunteering at the project are the days where I know I taught something, or atleast one kid had an ah-ha moment. Yesterday I taught the times 9 finger trick. Profe seemed impressed and he asks me to assist in more and more each day.

I've also begun tutoring the principal. He's been taking English classes at the University. It's such a contrast teaching someone at his level, at his language awareness, and at his reading level compared to teaching 8-12 year olds with very little background knowledge. It's a refreshing challenge. We try to get together daily.

Other things about the project. In addition to the classroom, I've handed out food to the Mother's Club on Fridays. It's all donations and all fresh vegetables from local farms and co-ops. I also went with some of the workers to collect food one day. I also went on a social work visit. The concept of the project is to work with the whole families to ensure that the children are getting the support they need at home to facilitate their education and ensure they stay in school. I went with the social worker to visit 3 homes to surprise check-in on families. During the first visit, I observed as the social worker questioned the mom about why the daughter had not come to school for three weeks. I felt incredibley awkward being the big fly on the wall observing a very intense conversation leading to tears from multiple generations (the mom and the daughter). I was happy to see the daughter at school the next day. The other two families were children who were receiving scholarships from The God's Child Project to attend other schools in the area. .

My life outside the project has been a whirlwind. I had a friend come visit last week for a week and was able to travel with her for a few days and do a volcano hike. I visited Pacaya, the volcano that errupted almost a month ago. We weren't able to climb and had to enter the area through a private farm. It was a rich green contrasting with heavy black lava. The area was diserted and erie. It looked like the end of the world. This week I'm travelling again, leaving Sunday, coming back Tuesday to go with a friend to his house set out in the forest. I'm excited to get out of the city and into nature!

Day 7: Earthquakes and booty shakes

Last Friday morning I felt my first quake. I sleeply thought to myself, "Was that an earthquake? Awesome!" and rolled over and fell back asleep. Apparently it was a 4.6 and 30 km from the coast of Nicaragua- in other words in the grand scale it wasn't very close or very strong, but the fact that everyone here felt it really demonstrates the capability of a closer and stronger one...

My back has recovered from dumping buckets of mud. On Wednesday, I began my volunteering in a second grade classroom in the Dreamer Center, one of the many organizations within the God's Child Project. So far it's been a sweet experience. Both the teacher and the students are very welcoming. I've been doing mini-English lessons with the class which are highly encouraged by the teacher. The highlight of the week was the 20 minutes of dance time. Jose, el profesor, has taught the students some choreography to the music of Fergie and Beyonce, and I mean, these kids can dance. I jumped right in and Jose and I even did a Bachata for all of them. I think this is where I really won their hearts.

This week I'm going to continue volunteering with this classroom and I'm going to start tutoring in English and being tutored in Spanish. I'm recognizing my need for a little refresher course!

Day 2: First class to third world, pass it on.

Sunday night I was packed and ready to get to Guatemala. At 10 pm, checking email in Atlanta, my departure city, I learned that my Spirit flight had been cancelled. The frustration that followed for the preceding two hours became a faint memory when I boarded a Delta flight at 9:30 the next morning with straight confusion that my seat number put me in first class. Thanks to my constant savior, Mama Lake, and her delta points I was able to not only reach my destination, but get spoiled while doing it. Mimosa, please. After boarding I looked at my jean cut offs and tank top and at the business man next to me and felt very underdressed.

Guatmala. It feels so good to be back and not just good but almost normal. Everything has just been so easy this time around compared to my first time arriving in this country a year and a half ago and so much of that is thanks to Corinne. When we arrived together the first time I can honestly say it was mainly her fault and her self proclaimed organization that lead us to wander around Guate like lost foreign souls. But this time, she really did it right.

Today I went into the field with the God's Child project to a small town that was flooded by the recent tropical storms. The water or mud lines on the walls of the home where we worked were well above my head. A lot of it has been cleared over the past few weeks, but it is still far from livable. For 3 hours I shoveled mud and passed buckets down a line, buckets full of mud. It was hard work and I felt like a wimp when I left the local families and workers, exhausted, after three hours.

Tomorrow I start volunteering in the classroom. The school and all facilities with the organization are like an oasis in a city of loud motorcycles and smog. It has beautiful gardens and colorful buildings. I'm so happy that it is my place of work for the next 5 weeks.

I love being here. Love it.

3 Days to Go: this one's serious and maybe a little dark

This morning I listened to a phone message from my father about four decapitated heads on sticks strategically placed around the capital in Guate. Guatemala has had its share of news coverage recently due to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tropical storms, and sink holes... and now this. I constantly have to remind myself why I feel so attached to this country. Although this news makes me a little anxious, this is what compels me to want to be there. It's a country with so much need, and I want to help in whatever way I can.

So this blog is for me to share about Guatemala and my experience. My last experience in Guatemala was simply an amazing introduction to a beautiful country. My purpose was to study Spanish and learn about the culture. This time around I'll be volunteering with my friend's organization, the God's Child Project. I'll be assisting in a classroom, tutoring English as a Foreign Language, and getting a little preview of all the volunteering positions in the organization. Corinne is hooking me up with everything- including a house :)

To see a little bit about the organization and to see the relief efforts from the natural disaster, click on the link below (Corinne is la rubia):

The God's Child Project