Oh what wonders a weekend away can do. I was able to get away to the city for a weekend and am relaxing in the internet cafe, listening to one of my favorite types of Latin music, bachata, and am feeling pretty good. If you want to hear from bachata, check out the group Aventura on Itunes. Last night a bunch of us went out dancing and it is so nice to be able to get out and do that and see some other volunteers and see how everyone is doing.
I have been VERY busy for the past 5 weeks. We had a great group of university students studying at my site and taking classes in the afternoon. I coordinated all of their volunteer activities and basically served as their point person with the community for the past 5 weeks, so I have really had no down time since I live at the hotel on site. It has been crazy, but this weekend I had a chance to catch up on some sleep and haven´t had to answer any questions in like 72 hours, so that is great. (Side note on just how great the music is right now, loving it!!)
So, doing lots of projects at site. I am starting an alliance with other rural tourism sites close by and promoting them. Plus, this univesity group worked really well, so am trying to get a new part to the website up advertising this opportunity and going to get in touch with universities and faculty. Plus, we got t shirts made, have been working on bird watching, trail sign building, making contracts, a reservation book, and a whole number of other things. My life is crazy busy and I feel like I hardly have down time.
But when I do have down time, I love watching the World Cup soccer right now, eating these things called Best Bars, which are actually really crappy Guate chocolate bars that take on a whole new wonderful flavor when you dip them in coffee, a la, Tim Tam slam style. Other random notes:
1. I am constantly amazed that there aren´t more bus accidents here. Normal bus time to Xela is like 2 hours from where I am. The bus driver on Friday cut that by an hour, passing like 4 trucks around every blind curve going like 50 mph, yeah, was convinced I might not survive that ride.
2. Ate this fruit called nanci, I think it is spelled this way. Super good til I was told they are known for carrying amoebas. Great, t minus 2 days til the week incubation time is up. Knock on wood this particular batch didn´t have any or I have a nice trip to the Dr. coming up.
3. Experienced a Guate national hospital, don´t worry though, I wasn´t there because of me. I was translating for someone. But you know you aren´t in the US when there are dogs running around the hospital and you have to go to the tienda across the street to buy soap and toilet paper, these things are not supplied at the hospital. That is right, hospital, germs, no soap, saber...
4. New top favorite food, frozen pineapple liquados, soooooo good!
5. Annoying fact - almost every guy that I interact with, even in business situations thinks he has a chance to date me and references that fact about every other sentence. It can be very frusterating to work with some of these people when every other sentence they are asking you to be their wife, saying how beautiful you are, asking you out, asking if you have a boyfriend, etc. etc. etc. Ahhhh, even when I tell them to stop, then I am enojada, which means a lady who is mad, but that doesn´t stop em either. AHHHH, sometimes it can be a little rough.
But for the most part things are going well, it is just that there are things down there that I deal with on a daily basis that definitely are not ok things to say or do in the US and it is a constant battle to keep these things at bay.
I have a 4th of July party coming up so I am excited for that. Only a couple of weeks now and my birthday is coming up too. I think I am going to buy myself a cake. It is really good down here!
Thanks for all of the notes from everyone! I appreciate all of your support!
Cheers!
Tara
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Project Time
Ok, so I am fully recovered from illness, knock on wood, and feeling more positive about things. Alot has happened in just a small week. We are getting started on some projects here, namely bird cataloging and sign making for the trail. We are going out into the jungle once or twice a week and observing birds and cataloging what species we have here, what time we saw them, where, and how many. The worst part is getting up at 4:45 a.m. to get out in the woods in time for them to wake up and start singing and flying around. Once I am out there it is nice and I really enjoy it but waking up early is one thing I definitely am taking awhile to get used to in this country. I now consider waking up at 7 a.m. sleeping in. For those who know me, this is VERY un Tara like behavior. I enjoy my sleep. But, back to bird watching some of the birds in this place are just so beautiful. We have a huge variety here and they are all so colorful. The hard part is identifying them since I am unfamiliar with most of the species and all of the migratory ones that I know are now back up North since it is warmer.
Other fun stuff.... we are making signs out of wood and then using a router to carve out the letters to put out on the trail. There are hundreds of miles of trails around here and nothing is marked, so you can imagine how easy it is to get lost especially since you can´t see above the canopy. So, hopefully this will help the tourists that come to visit.
The rainy season has fully begun here, and the waterfall is cranking. But, you also have to be careful as I saw a whole tree go over the falls yesterday and alot of earth is moving with it too. It has been raining here practically day and night, but I actually kind of like it. It is peaceful and pretty relaxing but I miss going up to the soccer field to play in the afternoons.
I think tomorrow I am going over to another finca with our group to do a canopy tour and can´t wait to check that out. We have a group of University students staying with us for a month and I was asked to talk to their philosophy class on Monday so I am excited to do that. I really enjoy that kind of thing.
Other random notes from the field,
1. Last Sunday our bus got stuck in the mud on the way down and buried itself up to it´s hubs in mud. I got out and walked back, who knows how long it took to get it unstuck.
2. You can buy fresh roasted peanuts in the market here for only Q6, so good!
3. A cold shower at 6 a.m. is still something that I am not used to
That is about it! Thanks for all of the notes and well wishes!
Cheers!
Tara
Other fun stuff.... we are making signs out of wood and then using a router to carve out the letters to put out on the trail. There are hundreds of miles of trails around here and nothing is marked, so you can imagine how easy it is to get lost especially since you can´t see above the canopy. So, hopefully this will help the tourists that come to visit.
The rainy season has fully begun here, and the waterfall is cranking. But, you also have to be careful as I saw a whole tree go over the falls yesterday and alot of earth is moving with it too. It has been raining here practically day and night, but I actually kind of like it. It is peaceful and pretty relaxing but I miss going up to the soccer field to play in the afternoons.
I think tomorrow I am going over to another finca with our group to do a canopy tour and can´t wait to check that out. We have a group of University students staying with us for a month and I was asked to talk to their philosophy class on Monday so I am excited to do that. I really enjoy that kind of thing.
Other random notes from the field,
1. Last Sunday our bus got stuck in the mud on the way down and buried itself up to it´s hubs in mud. I got out and walked back, who knows how long it took to get it unstuck.
2. You can buy fresh roasted peanuts in the market here for only Q6, so good!
3. A cold shower at 6 a.m. is still something that I am not used to
That is about it! Thanks for all of the notes and well wishes!
Cheers!
Tara
Monday, May 24, 2010
Rough Week
So, I knew I would be having some ups and downs while I was down here and I must admit this has been a rough week. I find if I think in the long term, two years is a really long time and it really isnt healthy to think too far in the future. i need to just take one day at a time. i am in town today and it is nice to get out of the community every now and then. we have a big group in town and i think my problems started when they brought in a virus and i came down with the stomach flu on friday. i thought it was from the street tacos i ate the night before but when 12 of the 20 students including me all starting puking and having to use 1 bathroom, that is when the horror really started to set in. So, let me tell ya it was a rough and rather disgusting 24 hours. i am happy to say that after that everyone is now better but wow, what a deal. Esp. when you are sick all you want are a few modern comforts and when those arent available, like cold water or a cold 7 up things can really seem bleak. i really just wanted my Mom to be there to crush up some ice cubes and tell me that I would be better and a nice private bathroom on which to curl up on a clean cold tile floor. but, when you are working with a fairly nasty bathroom, luke warm water and high temps and humidity and sickness, well, let me tell ya things can get depressing fast. then you think of all the laundry you are doing to have to do by hand and where the water is going to come from to do the laundry and who is going to put on the water (it is usually me) and it involves a bit of a hike, and i wonder what i got myself into. well, that was a few days ago and after a few days of feeling sorry for myself, i am feeling almost back to normal, a few pounds lighter and a little weaker, but im coming back around.
sometimes things are just tough here. there are some days my brain is working really well and other days it is like my brain has had way too much and it just shuts down and even processing simple transactions can be difficult. i am constantly trying to guess what my co workers are thinking and how they are reacting to what i say and do and it is still hard to get in the groove of things because they are basing every action on a cultural perspective about exactly the opposite of what we have in the states. So everything can be complicated as i am trying to take care of my own needs and trying to anticipate what those i am working with are going to do esp. when communication is indirect and i basically have to read minds to get the answer. i can ask a very direct question and not really get a response adn then i ask again and get a different response less than 30 sec. later so then i go into the well, lets see what happens mode. for instance, i am was sitting with my counterpart in his truck in town, he points to an ice cream shop and asks if i want to use internet, tehre is no sign for internet, only an ice cream shop. well, ok, so i think maybe we are getting ice cream first, so i go in and suddenly 2 brand new notebook computers and wireless internet it produced from behind the counter out of no where. then my counterpart is like, what ice cream are you going to buy me? okay, so i guess i am buying ice cream....ok and here some two more people, guess i am buying their ice cream too. and now we are having ice cream and i am trying to do internet and help him with his internet too and he is telling me to watch his truck which he left running across the road, for like half an hour at this point, and now he just left in his truck and i dont know where he went or when he is coming back or where we are going to meet him. luckily my friend kevin is here and i have him to hang out with and to try to figure out what the plan is later, but it is stuff like this, where it is constant not knowing what is going on, not getting clear answers, that can be a little difficult at times. in this job, you have to be very ok with ambiguity and not knowing what the hell is going on about 50% of the time if you are lucky.
so dont worry i am still surviving here and i am feeling better and just thankful for my health which hangs in a precarious balance down here, something ready to bring you down the moment you let your guard down.
that is all for now...miss everyone like crazy and cant wait til you all come down to visit.
love you tons!
Tara
sometimes things are just tough here. there are some days my brain is working really well and other days it is like my brain has had way too much and it just shuts down and even processing simple transactions can be difficult. i am constantly trying to guess what my co workers are thinking and how they are reacting to what i say and do and it is still hard to get in the groove of things because they are basing every action on a cultural perspective about exactly the opposite of what we have in the states. So everything can be complicated as i am trying to take care of my own needs and trying to anticipate what those i am working with are going to do esp. when communication is indirect and i basically have to read minds to get the answer. i can ask a very direct question and not really get a response adn then i ask again and get a different response less than 30 sec. later so then i go into the well, lets see what happens mode. for instance, i am was sitting with my counterpart in his truck in town, he points to an ice cream shop and asks if i want to use internet, tehre is no sign for internet, only an ice cream shop. well, ok, so i think maybe we are getting ice cream first, so i go in and suddenly 2 brand new notebook computers and wireless internet it produced from behind the counter out of no where. then my counterpart is like, what ice cream are you going to buy me? okay, so i guess i am buying ice cream....ok and here some two more people, guess i am buying their ice cream too. and now we are having ice cream and i am trying to do internet and help him with his internet too and he is telling me to watch his truck which he left running across the road, for like half an hour at this point, and now he just left in his truck and i dont know where he went or when he is coming back or where we are going to meet him. luckily my friend kevin is here and i have him to hang out with and to try to figure out what the plan is later, but it is stuff like this, where it is constant not knowing what is going on, not getting clear answers, that can be a little difficult at times. in this job, you have to be very ok with ambiguity and not knowing what the hell is going on about 50% of the time if you are lucky.
so dont worry i am still surviving here and i am feeling better and just thankful for my health which hangs in a precarious balance down here, something ready to bring you down the moment you let your guard down.
that is all for now...miss everyone like crazy and cant wait til you all come down to visit.
love you tons!
Tara
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Whats New
First off, sorry for the intermitant blog posts. It is hard to find time here to post with the sketchy electricty, internet that takes 1 hour to open 4 emails, and all the work and everything in between. But, for the most part life is good here and I am feeling more and more comfortable every day here. They weren´t kidding when they said work is slow going here. I have a list of things to get done and if I get one thing accomplished per day, I am feeling pretty good. Nothing here is in a central location or already organized. If you want to do something, you really have to want to do it and spend a lot of energy and time to get it done.
My bosses from the Peace Corps came out for a site visit yesterday and it was great to talk to them. They gave me some good ideas and helped give me direction on a few projects with some ideas on how to start. Some ideas we currently have here are starting a bird watching program here, collecting bottles to make into eco bricks to build something here, starting an environmental education project with the teachers here, and working with the tourism committee that just was reestablished with our first meeting yesterday to work on quality service and continuous improvement in the hotel. So things are rolling and I am still teaching English as well which is actually very fun.
Here are some interesting random thoughts and experiences since the last post,
1. Went to Xocomil this awesome water park here in Guatemala. It was so fun and for a day I felt I was back to my normal life.
2. Went dancing in Xela and got to meet some of the other PC volunteers here. I realize that every now and then I need a break and it is good to get into the city and eat a good meal and get out for some fun.
3. I love the camionetas, as long as they aren´t too packed. I have been having good luck with the music on them too. Recently they have been playing some great tunes. I have also purchased the PC CD entitled, Now, That´s What I Call Camioneta, Volume 1. I will be happy to burn a copy for anyone´s listening pleasure.
4. The volcano went off again this morning. It is pretty cool to have a live volcano just minutes
OK, electircty is off! Have to publish now!
My bosses from the Peace Corps came out for a site visit yesterday and it was great to talk to them. They gave me some good ideas and helped give me direction on a few projects with some ideas on how to start. Some ideas we currently have here are starting a bird watching program here, collecting bottles to make into eco bricks to build something here, starting an environmental education project with the teachers here, and working with the tourism committee that just was reestablished with our first meeting yesterday to work on quality service and continuous improvement in the hotel. So things are rolling and I am still teaching English as well which is actually very fun.
Here are some interesting random thoughts and experiences since the last post,
1. Went to Xocomil this awesome water park here in Guatemala. It was so fun and for a day I felt I was back to my normal life.
2. Went dancing in Xela and got to meet some of the other PC volunteers here. I realize that every now and then I need a break and it is good to get into the city and eat a good meal and get out for some fun.
3. I love the camionetas, as long as they aren´t too packed. I have been having good luck with the music on them too. Recently they have been playing some great tunes. I have also purchased the PC CD entitled, Now, That´s What I Call Camioneta, Volume 1. I will be happy to burn a copy for anyone´s listening pleasure.
4. The volcano went off again this morning. It is pretty cool to have a live volcano just minutes
OK, electircty is off! Have to publish now!
Friday, May 7, 2010
Life is looking up
Ok, so I have gotten over my bit of site envy. I had a great meeting with the Peace Corps crew a few days ago and meeting with these great people always affirms why I am here. We have such a great set of supportive volunteers and staff, I feel very lucky to be a volunteer.
I had a great night in Xela a few nights ago. I got to go out salsa dancing for the first time in 5 months and I realized just how much I missed it. The only difficult part is they dance on one here and I am used to dancing on two. For all non salseros out there, that is basically an opposite count, but I figured it out and it was really fun. I also visited my friend in her site, the plush site, and had a great time with her. We baked oatmeal bars with mocha frosting and had plantains and beans for breakfast. Plus, they make these really good all fruit frozen popsicles and we got them for free after talking with the store owners so long. They also make these really good tortillas there with queso in the center and the tortilla made of flour. This is unusual for my area, but tipico for their area. So, it was fun to hango out with my friend and compare notes and just chill for a night.
I got back to my site yesterday and have started right in again and am feeling more and more at home here. I told my friend here that I need to start concentrating on what I got accomplished here and not what needs to still be accomplished. So today, my list of accomplishments include,
1. Successfully filling the water tank of the hotel
2. Getting tour operator prices done for the hotel
3. Making stawberry syrup out of a pound of fresh strawberries for my morning pancakes
4. Finished my May calendar to send to Peace Corps
5. Checked all of the email for the community
6. Talked to my counterpart and got permission to attend the national tourism fair here
7. Successfully kicked the dog out of the hotel 3 times
8. Shaved my legs (you don.t realize how big of an accomplishment this is taking a Navy shower, read...douse yourself with water, turn water off, shampoo hair, soap up, shave (I bought a small bucket to fill with water to take into the shower and use this for shaving and washing the razor) then, turn water back on and rinse quickly and get out.
9. Successfully scolded 4 children from stealing fruit from the trees in the hotel grounds - you gotta be on them fast or if they learn you are a softie they will definitely aprovechar, meaning take advantage of the situation
So, 9 things accomplished today. Plus, my friend made these wonderful donut like things tonight for dinner. Yes, I am eating donuts for dinner, hey Im in the jungle, I guess I can do what I want, haha! We made them out of pancake batter and wawter and fried them in oil and put honey on them! ooooohhhh sooo good!
Ok, the electricty just went out and this computer screen is successfully attracting some of the most disgusting bugs in the country and one just flew up my nose! Yuck!! And down my shirt! Ok, Im out! Peace!
I had a great night in Xela a few nights ago. I got to go out salsa dancing for the first time in 5 months and I realized just how much I missed it. The only difficult part is they dance on one here and I am used to dancing on two. For all non salseros out there, that is basically an opposite count, but I figured it out and it was really fun. I also visited my friend in her site, the plush site, and had a great time with her. We baked oatmeal bars with mocha frosting and had plantains and beans for breakfast. Plus, they make these really good all fruit frozen popsicles and we got them for free after talking with the store owners so long. They also make these really good tortillas there with queso in the center and the tortilla made of flour. This is unusual for my area, but tipico for their area. So, it was fun to hango out with my friend and compare notes and just chill for a night.
I got back to my site yesterday and have started right in again and am feeling more and more at home here. I told my friend here that I need to start concentrating on what I got accomplished here and not what needs to still be accomplished. So today, my list of accomplishments include,
1. Successfully filling the water tank of the hotel
2. Getting tour operator prices done for the hotel
3. Making stawberry syrup out of a pound of fresh strawberries for my morning pancakes
4. Finished my May calendar to send to Peace Corps
5. Checked all of the email for the community
6. Talked to my counterpart and got permission to attend the national tourism fair here
7. Successfully kicked the dog out of the hotel 3 times
8. Shaved my legs (you don.t realize how big of an accomplishment this is taking a Navy shower, read...douse yourself with water, turn water off, shampoo hair, soap up, shave (I bought a small bucket to fill with water to take into the shower and use this for shaving and washing the razor) then, turn water back on and rinse quickly and get out.
9. Successfully scolded 4 children from stealing fruit from the trees in the hotel grounds - you gotta be on them fast or if they learn you are a softie they will definitely aprovechar, meaning take advantage of the situation
So, 9 things accomplished today. Plus, my friend made these wonderful donut like things tonight for dinner. Yes, I am eating donuts for dinner, hey Im in the jungle, I guess I can do what I want, haha! We made them out of pancake batter and wawter and fried them in oil and put honey on them! ooooohhhh sooo good!
Ok, the electricty just went out and this computer screen is successfully attracting some of the most disgusting bugs in the country and one just flew up my nose! Yuck!! And down my shirt! Ok, Im out! Peace!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Site Envy
Ok, so I know that you aren´t suppossed to compare things and wish to have things, but I am in the site of another volunteer today since I have a meeting tomorrow and am staying overnight with her. Oh, her site is so nice, she has stores and internet cafes and chocobananos and easy transportation access, not to mention electricity and paved roads and water. What a luxury to be able to walk down the street and buy bread or go to a comedor to have lunch. Or have a refrigerator or an oven...ah...this is kind of hard to see. Don´t get me wrong, I like my site and it is very beautiful and will do some good work there, but darn, the living is tough in my site. Everything is difficult and I have none of the modern luxuries of life.
But, don´t worry I will be fine but right now am just having some site envy. Come to come later!
Cheers,
Tara
But, don´t worry I will be fine but right now am just having some site envy. Come to come later!
Cheers,
Tara
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Weekend Off
So, I have my first weekend off from swearing in and it is great! I have been able to meet up with the girls from my training group and it is so nice to catch up with them. WE are all having completely different experiences and it is fun to catch notes. I think of all of the girls I have the most rustic living situation though. You don´t really realize what you miss until you have it again and that is why these trips to the city are bittersweet. I come in and have electicity and access to meat and all the food I could ever want and hot showers and it is all soooooo wonderful. Then, it makes it a little hard to go back. But, once I am back and settled in I don´t really miss the modern conveniences that much. But, I think it will be good to be able to get into the city for a breather every now and then. We went out and did some dancing last night and it is always so fun to have this free time.
They aren´t kidding when they say Peace Corps is a 24 hour job in your site. You can never forget that you are always being watched and judged and you can never do anything without everyone knowing. This is why it is important to always be responsible and respectful at site and work hard. However, this makes for VERY tiring days. My days start at 6 a.m., work for a few hours, most recently painting and doing some work in the hotel and trying to get organized. Breakfast is at 8 and then we work straight through to 230. It is kind of hard because all of the guys I work with have their moms or wives who are cooking during this time and their food is ready, meanwhile, I have to cook in between and after work and clean and wash clothes by hand and it makes for very busy days.
I started teaching English last week and I really think I am going to enjoy this. In regards to our hotel, I am going to make a calendar so that they know who is coming and when and also start working on some long term planning in regards to a business plan. It is kind of hard because I am given no direction in my work and pretty much have to try to figure out what is going on and what needs to be done and create my own jobs and work. It can be a little tough trying to pull all of this constant ambiguity into a concrete work plan and then carry it out. Oh well, little by little, I think I will be able to get some good projects started.
So, I have been eating my way through this weekend off, started the day with a big breakfast burrito, those who know me know my obsession with these, lol, followed it up with a choco banano and then lunch at an Indian restaurant. Plus, I just found a bead store and bought some stuff to make earrings out of the macadamia and coffee seeds. There are other cool needs on the jungle floor too and now I have some stuff to start making some cool jewelry in my spare time, haha spare time...
I am feeling good in my site though, making friends and playing a lot of soccer with the girls. Also, have started running some laps up on the field and doing some skills training with the ball. It is a fun diversion. Sometimes it starts pouring rain while we are up on the field since we are approaching the rainy season, but it feels good since it can get hot at my site.
Oh yeah, wild creature update, saw a moth as big as a dinner plate the other day! I swear the insect and creature sittings get bigger every day. Also, another tip is never wear your headlamp on your head since this big insect population will fly right into your face. Carry the headlamp low and put it far away from where you are, for example, if I am brushing my teeth, I put the headlamp down and stand like 10 ft. away to avoid the huge bugs that come zooming in. YUCK!
That is all for now! THanks for all the natural insect repellent advice. I will try it this week!
Cheers!
They aren´t kidding when they say Peace Corps is a 24 hour job in your site. You can never forget that you are always being watched and judged and you can never do anything without everyone knowing. This is why it is important to always be responsible and respectful at site and work hard. However, this makes for VERY tiring days. My days start at 6 a.m., work for a few hours, most recently painting and doing some work in the hotel and trying to get organized. Breakfast is at 8 and then we work straight through to 230. It is kind of hard because all of the guys I work with have their moms or wives who are cooking during this time and their food is ready, meanwhile, I have to cook in between and after work and clean and wash clothes by hand and it makes for very busy days.
I started teaching English last week and I really think I am going to enjoy this. In regards to our hotel, I am going to make a calendar so that they know who is coming and when and also start working on some long term planning in regards to a business plan. It is kind of hard because I am given no direction in my work and pretty much have to try to figure out what is going on and what needs to be done and create my own jobs and work. It can be a little tough trying to pull all of this constant ambiguity into a concrete work plan and then carry it out. Oh well, little by little, I think I will be able to get some good projects started.
So, I have been eating my way through this weekend off, started the day with a big breakfast burrito, those who know me know my obsession with these, lol, followed it up with a choco banano and then lunch at an Indian restaurant. Plus, I just found a bead store and bought some stuff to make earrings out of the macadamia and coffee seeds. There are other cool needs on the jungle floor too and now I have some stuff to start making some cool jewelry in my spare time, haha spare time...
I am feeling good in my site though, making friends and playing a lot of soccer with the girls. Also, have started running some laps up on the field and doing some skills training with the ball. It is a fun diversion. Sometimes it starts pouring rain while we are up on the field since we are approaching the rainy season, but it feels good since it can get hot at my site.
Oh yeah, wild creature update, saw a moth as big as a dinner plate the other day! I swear the insect and creature sittings get bigger every day. Also, another tip is never wear your headlamp on your head since this big insect population will fly right into your face. Carry the headlamp low and put it far away from where you are, for example, if I am brushing my teeth, I put the headlamp down and stand like 10 ft. away to avoid the huge bugs that come zooming in. YUCK!
That is all for now! THanks for all the natural insect repellent advice. I will try it this week!
Cheers!
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