what exactly do you do then?” I couldn’t believe despite being in site for over 8 months, my own
father who I talk to at least once a week still was oblivious to what the heck I’m doing here.
Therefore, I decided to start writing down a little summary of what I did each day in order to give my
friends and family a better inkling of my daily routine and what I’m trying to accomplish.
Weekly Activities
Saturday: Clothes, Clothes, and more Clothes
-Walked to the ‘community pila’ where I hand-washed clothes for 3 hours
-Studied for the GRE
-Watched ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and ‘90210’
Meals:
Breakfast: Packet of ham on the way to the pila
Lunch: Eggs and beans
Dinner: Rice and Eggs
Sunday: Getting to Know Your Neighbors over Rotten Beans
-Visited the market in the aldea I work in for about 2 hours in an attempt to promote the ‘Health Promoter Group’
-Washed more clothes and dishes
-Went to pay rent and ended up picking through a pile of beans for 2 hours removing all the rotten ones. Ended up getting to know the landowners much better than before. Then drank coffee and ate bread with the owners.
-Put a pot in the shower in order to collect water to boil in order to drink. I haven’t had running water from the faucet in months but yet still have shower water, so this is easily the best option. Yet quite funny at the same time when I sit back and realize I have a pot in the shower in which I plan to drink later.
Meals:
Breakfast: Rice and eggs
Lunch: Rice and eggs
Dinner: Scrambled eggs and pasta
Monday: Back to Work
-Visited one of the communities and vaccinated cats and dogs (9-12pm)
-Enjoyed a nice plate of rice and beans with fresco for only Q5 at our local comedor (Jacob got sick later...Luckily, I was in the clear)
-Sat in line in the Salon for about an hour during my lunch break to talk to the Alcalde (mayor) with no success. Only moved up about 5 people before having to return to the health center
-Our PCVL (Peace Corps Volunteer Leader) came to SPJ (San Pedro Jocopilas) to figure out some details regarding our Inter Service Training where we’ll be learning how to build latrines, cement floors, and improved stoves
-Attended Jacobs’ spin class in Quiche
-After spin, Jacob, Kim, and I met up for Coronas with Patty (our Guatemalan friend) and two new friends from the Netherlands who are here studying for 2 months
-Came home after dark thus meaning due to the current lack of electricity in my bathroom, I had to shower by light of a jumper cable box and pee with a headlamp.
Meals:
Breakfast: Pasta from night before
Lunch: Rice, Beans, and Tortillas
Dinner: Strawberry ice cream and a can of beans
Tuesday: Fijese counterpart, you are no longer my counterpart
-Attempted 2nd first Health Promoter group, but only 2 people came instead of 1.
-My original counterpart was not informed I was now assigned a new counterpart and thus have been going to the health center in the Muni for the past month. His boss who made the change had told me not to discuss the matter with my counterpart and that he would deal with sharing the new changes. Welp, big surprise – his boss had not told him anything. Therefore, I was faced with the awkwardness of informing him I now have a new counterpart because he failed, MISERBLY as a counterpart. Actually, I didn’t say that much but honestly, I really wanted to now that I know what it’s like to have a super amazing counterpart who I see almost every day, who knows what projects I’m working on, and who is more than willing to go out to the communities with me.
-Had our first big rain storm since November and I ended up putting a pot on the roof to try to catch rain water
Meals:
Breakfast: Beans
Lunch: Scrambled eggs and cornflakes
Dinner: Beans and tortillas
Wednesday: Success with the Alcalde!
-Waited in line for ½ hour to talk to the Alcalde (Mayor) until one of his cronies saw me in line and told me to come back at 3pm because the line wouldn’t be as long then
-Visited the library with Jacob to discuss with them the organization “Computers for Hope” that offers computers 50% off. We’re hoping to work with them in getting a computer or two for their library
-Visited Alcalde’s office again at 4:30, was told to come back at 6pm
-Came back at 6pm, was told to come back at 6:30pm
-Came back at 6:30pm and waited until a little after 7pm when I finally met with the Alcalde
-After giving him my solicitud for a donation of paint and such materials for a World Map Project 10 days prior, I began to explain the project again. Within 10 seconds he cut me off and said, “Ohhh, yes just a little bit of paint right? Just around Q400? No problem. Get a receipt and bring it to my secretary Monday!” So after 30 seconds of finally talking with the Alcalde, he had very warmly welcomed the project. A few days later, Jacob and I received an invitation to attend a meeting with several other organizations on the 28th. Now, this is VERY exciting news because it finally means the Alcalde is recognizing our presence in the community which will make things much easier later on when trying to do the infrastructure projects
-Finished the book “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” by Anna Fadiman (Definitely recommend this for anyone who plans on working in the medical field or is currently working in underserved areas or with immigrants where cultural barriers can conflict with treatment.)
Meals:
Breakfast: Tortillas with salsa
Lunch: Chicken noodle soup
Dinner: Oatmeal
Thursday: Trash Collection System, Lack of Child Labor Laws
-Went to a new community with my counterpart to meet with the leaders to see if they were interested in working with Peace Corps. Response was not as well as we were hoping. Apparently, there was a foreigner who was working with a local Guatemalan organization who promised a latrine project, took Q250 from over 100 families, and then fled the country. Therefore, it is evident this community does not have ‘confianza’ with foreigners and probably will not welcome Peace Corps with open arms. Either way, next week we’re going to have an assembly with the community members to see their willingness and excitement, or lack thereof.
-In the same community I saw a friend who works for an NGO called “Verde&Azul”. It was great catching up with him over the howling and barking and slapping away of fleas from the dogs they were vaccinating.
-Received good news from the Alcalde that our Survey regarding the trash problem in our community is a ‘Go’. Next week Jacob and I will start visiting each house in the Urban Area (not really so urban, just the name), to start collecting information we can easily use to show the Municipality that a ‘tren de aseo’ or trash collection system, is greatly needed. If we can start trash collection in our town, it will probably be our greatest contribution to the community.
-Went to Primavera (the aldea) to tell the director of the school the great news about the World Map Project
-Played soccer with some of the girls from my girls’ group and their siblings. We were supposed to have a meeting about leadership but both the Catholic Church and the evangelicals were having celebrations from 2-10pm. Apparently, it was “The day of Seeds” and is to be honored greatly.
-One of the boys who was playing soccer wore gloves and when I went to slap him ‘High Five’ he pulled his hand away as fast as he could. I asked him what was wrong, and he showed me his two fingers where the upper 1/3 of both phalanges was missing. Instead, there was a neat little knot of skin sitting on top of both fingers. And this, my friends, is what happens when 8 year olds are forced to work on the farm and deal with heavy machinery just because they are male and food needs to be on the table come dinnertime. Clearly, America was onto something when they created Child Labor Laws.
Meals:
Breakfast: Coffee
Lunch: Eggs with tomato and onion
Dinner: Rice with tomato, onion and carrots
Friday: Snickers, Lemonade and Roses, Oh my!
-Health Center and Ferreteria to get price quotes on materials needed for our Inter Service Training
-Called every hotel in Monterrico looking for vacancy for Semana Santa
-Jacob and I took the afternoon off from the Health Center and instead decided to walk around our town in search of Snickers. (Success!) However I’m not so sure if it’s a good thing that I now know our town sells Snickers.
-Venoni (my boyfriend) surprised me by coming to town this weekend. And, he even brought roses!
-Made lemonade and watched Stuart Little
Meals:
Breakfast: Coffee and Oatmeal
Lunch: Beans and eggs with tomato and onion with tortillas
Dinner: Eggs with hotdogs, beans, and tortillas
Summary:
Work Accomplishments of the week- Vaccinations, Meeting with the new community, Trash Survey Approval, World Map Project Approval, Computers for the library, and finished a powerful reading about the Hmong culture and the barriers both immigrants and American doctors can face when trying to treat an illness of a patient or loved one that is constantly challenged by opposing beliefs.
Cultural Accomplishments: Picking through beans and being comfortable with squashing bugs between my fingers, peeing in the dark or by use of a headlamp, showering in the dark (or lights from a jumper cable box) with only 90 seconds of water, seeing first-hand the result of not having Child Labor Laws, ‘showing off’ my K’iche to my new counterpart (look, I can say beans, eggs, tomato, moon, how are you, good, and bye in your language!)
Food Accomplishments: Well, I’m pretty sure there are no ‘accomplishments’ in this category but I wanted to include my diet so that y’all can understand why I die over Pinterest food or have cravings for American Food all the time. Clearly, I mainly eat eggs, beans, and rice or any combination of the three. I don’t own a refrigerator and I live in a relatively warm site (got up to 80 degrees this week!) so keeping vegetables or meat can be hard. (I do take a daily vitamin every morning though-thanks mem and pep!) Also, it’s easier just to go with eggs when you’re on a tight budget and a pound of meat costs Q13 or Q14 and you think wow, that’s 13 or 14 eggs!
Anyway, to my friends and family, I hope this helps clear up a little bit of the confusion of what actually do here. And, if anyone wants to come visit and be part of the fun, you are always welcome! J
