Día de Acción de Gracias y las primeras 2 semanas

So my first week in site was filled with all kinds of small stuff. I went to the capital of the department of Jalapa, also called Jalapa, to find out how much things cost and to get some offers on a bed and dresser and table. I also just spent a lot of time trying to find things like the grocery store or the ministry of agriculture or the hospital and orient myself as I will probably need to go here at least every 1 to 2 weeks. I also spent my time trying to clean my room which was really dirty and disinfect everything that I had touched within recent times. I was doing this because after telling a nurse over the phone my symptoms, I was told I had scabies. Scabies, is a lovely parasite similar to lice except these guys spend there time burrowing and living in moist areas in your skin. The result is not pretty --- tons of bumps and rashes and a terrible itch. Thus I used a special soap for bathing and used a special cream on my body. The most difficult part is trying to make sure there is not anything in your clothes or bedding. Normally a dryer would kill these guys, but since that is not an option I either have to put everything in boiling water or in a sealed bag for 2 weeks. Both things are not really options. Luckily the next week, after seeing that the cream or the soap were not working, I would ask the doctors from Spain (see below for information on these doctors) to help me out since I was with them in person. They told me I had a fungus. Thus, I have to wash everything over again and go back to Jalapa to get different medicine, but I would say having a fungus that itches is a lot better than scabies.

Thanksgiving broke up the first week as I travelled to the capital to have a dinner there. While the vast majority of the new volunteers went to the ambassador’s house, I along with my friend Abi went to the house of the director of Peace Corps in Guatemala. The director and his family prepared a delicious meal typical of the US (cranberries, turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie, etc.) After eating beans and tortillas and other Guatemalan foods for so long, it tasted as though I were eating at a 5-star restaurant. Even the Doritos were mouth-watering. I guess I did not realize how much I even missed the little things I was used to. I can only imagine what my Mom’s or Dad’s or family member´s cooking would taste like – hopefully it will only be til May when I find that out.

The second week I was extremely lucky to be able to accompany and help 2 doctors and 2 nurses from Spain who were living in the parish rectory in San Carlos Alzatate and were working in the surrounding aldeas, including mine. I knew I had wanted to do this after meeting them the week before when I had dinner with them at the rectory after helping another Peace Corps volunteer translate during our free time for 2 people who came from the US (These people were visiting the parish since their parish back in the states was supporting this one in San Carlos) (I thought I would note that that meal I had has been the most delicious meal I have had here. It was a dish with tilapia and was made by the assistant of Padre Victor, the priest who is in charge of San Carlos. Her mother also knows how to cook well since with the other 2 American the other volunteer and I also got to eat lunch at her house.)

I was having a bit of trouble getting in contact with them and low and behold when I was searching for a ride to Jalapa while walking on the way to Jalapa (transportation is not that good where I am). I ran into them twice. Not only did I get the ride, but I was able to plan with them how I could accompany them. What luck – or better yet, what a Godincidence as someone I know likes to say.

So Monday and Tuesday I was with the nurses and doctors who were screening patients. I helped with the blood pressure, and the height and weight of the patients. The hardest part was surely writing the names of the patients.

After working and talking with the staff from Spain, I was able to realize that the level of malnutrition in some people is severe. They showed my pictures of people and I saw for myself some that look like they could be ones you would see on TV for a special documentary of Agency asking for money. Padre Victor told me there are 2 kids in my aldea that need to go to the hospital because of severe malnutrition but their parents wont permit it since one of them can’t leave work to accompany them at the hospital (which would be paid for by the parish).

The people from Spain were extremely friendly and really enjoyed seeing medical workers serving others in this type of environment. I couldn’t understand everything they say though, partly because I still can’t understand everything spoken in Spanish but also because they speak with a heavy Spanish accent. They ended their 1-month stay here yesterday. I really look forward to seeing them again in the future as the plan to give up more of the time in the following year to work in the same area.
Here is a picture of the staff from Spain that I had the privelege to accompany along with the other volunteer who came along as well.

Here were are playing some basketball. I have to say that the team I was on, which was at times out numbered 5 to 3, won all three times. The other person to in the picture all the way to the left is Clara, the assistant to Padre Victor.

Here is a picture of Padre Victor.

By the way, I wanted to note that I posted a video of the kite festival that occurred on All Saint´s Day. To see it, you need to go to the previous posts in November.

Fin del Entrenamiento y Juramento

Here is a picture of the posadas that took place in San Bartolomé. Look at a previous entry to remember everything if you have questions. In the picture, we(as in the public) are in a house and the statues of Joseph and Mary , which are in the back left of the picture, have already been carried in by procession.

So I’ll try to start where I left off, which was right after Dia de Todos Los Santos. That following week, I got to visit where I am right now, my current community in which I’ll be working for my 2 years of service. I’ll describe it a little bit, but with time and future entries, a lot more information will come out. The community is a small one, in the department of Jalapa. There are only about 500 families living in it and there’s a school, a Catholic Church without regular masses, and a building for people to come to when the nurse is in the town. For now, I’ll be living with a family with my own room without a door and at the moment without a dresser and a bed in which I fit. There’s no toilet, but only a raised cement structure to sit on with a hole. There also is really a good place to bathe. I just take a bath next to 2 walls of black plastic along side the outside sink, which is the only source of water that the house has. The land here reminds me of Colorado because there are mountains and pines and it is rocky and dry, which proves to be a challenge in growing gardens. The climate here is pretty comfortable and warmer than where I was living before. I would say it gets up to the 70´s just about every day and stays in the 50´s at night. December, January, and February are supposed to be the coolest days, so it looks like the weather only gets better from here. Also, there are lots of tropical fruit plants, including bananas and all the related fruit to bananas, papayas, oranges, lemons, limes, and whole bunch more of different fruits I have never even seen or eaten in the US. There is electricity in the house and there is water coming from pipes, although it still needs to be boiled before using it. They tell me that water does not dry up here, so that also is a good news as this is something that happens in some parts during the dry season.

The meals are very healthy and nutritious, so there is not too much worry about my health. I am going to have to get adjusted though to type of food I am eating. The community basically eats only what they raise. Some of the few things that they buy include salt, sugar, some other seasonings, and maybe some oatmeal. I eat whatever is put in front of me, with the exception of coffee. Meals generally include beans and tortillas with vegetable and the fruit that is in season. Dinner also might include an egg. I have also been served a vegetable soup and a spaghetti type meal too. Since I have been there, I was only served chicken a small portion of chicken twice, once for the first night that I arrived. I have yet to see them buy chicken or beef or another meat. I would imagine, though, that when a special occasion comes, they slaughter their animal that they have or buy the meat. I never leave the table hungry, but I am sure you can imagine why I don’t turn down food.

From what I have been told, the first 3 months at your new community after swearing-in are the hardest. Through this time, I am going to try to hang tough and try to get accustomed as best I can to my new environment.

Before I permanently moved to this community, I had to return back to San Bartolomé to finish up training. We took our Spanish exams (I don’t know my results but I know I passed without a problem), finished up homework, and made our visit to the Peace Corps HQ in the capital where we go to hear from the different government agencies working in Guatemala through the Embassy.

Friday, November 16 was swear-in day. We went to the ambassador’s house in the capital. The house was beautiful and the backyard was huge. The house looked like a huge US house and the yard actually had grass and landscaped grounds. There was even a heated pool, sauna, and tennis court way in back. The best part thought was that I did not even feel like I was in the middle of the city. I couldn’t here the constant roar of diesel buses or the honking nor was I overcome by the horrible pollution that often takes your breathe away, literally.

The ceremony itself was fast and included the ambassador and others giving some speeches, us volunteers taking an oath virtually the same as someone working for the government, and us volunteers receiving our certificates with a professional picture with the ambassador.

To me, it was hard to believe I had just completed training, my first 12-weeks in Guatemala. From now the days count down from 2 years, I start receiving my real living allowance, and start accruing my vacation days and 2 days a month. (I actually get all Guatemalan holidays along with Thanksgiving and 4^th of July for US holidays too but can only use them while in Guatemala).

After the ceremony, the San Bartolomé group treated the host families out to lunch, we all packed, and headed for Antigua for a evening of celebration and a joint dinner.

Here is a picture of all the people I was living with while in San Bartoloé plus Abi and Lauren.

Here is a picture of the swearing-in ceremony. In the picture from the left is the US Ambassador in Guatemala, the director for Peace Corps in Guatemala, and the director of my training for Peace Corps
Here is a picture of all the people in my program (Sustainable Agriculture) while celebrating in the backyard of the ambassador´s house after just having been sworn in as official volunteers. Also in the picture are my 2 bosses, more or less for the program I am doing