new pics

so there are new pics up... some are on the prior addresses... if anyone has any problems let me know...

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2347192&l=1754e&id=3314158

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2341039&l=72703&id=3314158

hope everyone is well... this past wednesday the group here in Santo Domingo Xenacoj finally went to visit our site in San Antonio..a little aldea about an hour hike from our town. There are a total of 33 students ranging from 1st grade to 6th grade, with only one teacher...how he does it, is an awesome thing to see. We are just volunteers and we will be going to our own sites in late March but it is his 4th year teaching these students...and mind you he is only 22... The children are awesome very outgoing although there are some timid ones in the bunch..and who wouldnt be when 4 gringos show up out of nowhere. We will be working with the teacher hand in hand to improve so many things in the school. Although, the school is lacking in so many things, running water is one of them, the kids spirits are very lifted and warm. Makes you appreciate things more back home... hope all is well with everyone...

new pics

here are some new pics of the volcano PACAYA

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2346079&l=25bae&id=3314158

The heart of the people...

To answer most of your questions about wondering how things are going here and how the people of Guatemalan are...

The people here are very warm with big hearts. Which is very surprising once you get to know the history of Guatemala, and its people. The people of the Aldeas, which make up of 95% of Mayan, have been living in an hierarchal society since the arrival of the conquistadors. With about 500 years of suffrage they still continue to be a people of good faith in strangers. The only way I can explain and in order for you all to get an idea of what they have endured and what I see everyday since most of their brutal history finally came to a peace 10-12 years ago. There is a movie that we watched today, more of a documentary you can call it, Precarious War: God and Guatemala. I definitely recommend it for everyone who wants to know what we see and experience on a daily basis. I know most will take this with a grain a salt, but there is a handful of you that will actually look into this movie, and you will understand the culture and people that I am living with, since I am staying with a Mayan family in Santo Domingo Xenacoj which is an aldea, and 10 miles south of Chimaltenango.

update on illness

so thinking that i was cool from being sick... that was just the calm before the storm... haha these passed two nights have been bad... not being able to sleep due to pains in my stomach.. this morning, i got over being stubborn and finally took advantage of the health care i will ever have in my life.. from what we are told, which so far has been awesome. called the peace corps nurses, they had me go to antigua to the lab, and lo and behold... have a bacteria!!! WOO!! first infection of 27 months!! and trust me its painful and not pleasant at all. but hey things can be a lot worst... got some antibiotics, and i should be back to normal by monday... so dont worry, that means you MOM.. haha (just kidding ya sabes que te amo!! i know its normal for you) stay tuned for pictures of the volcano tomorrow!!

later

2 weeks

So yesterday marked our 2 week anniversary of being in country. It feels more like 2 months with all the people that we have met, and all the things that have been happening. So many things, such as, making new friends, becoming part of a new family, and seeing different parts of Guatemala, have happened. It kind of seems surreal. Our project, Healthy Schools, has not started yet since Guatemalan schools dont start until next week and go til the middle of October.

Yesterday, I actually got initiated living in Guatemala. Yup i got sick. It was horrible feeling. The chills, the vomitting... yeah you know it... not a good time. My family actually took very good care of me...and this morning I woke up like a champ.

The transportation here is awesome. There are mini vans that only hold up to 10 people but that doesnt stop them... Tuesday night i counted 24 of us packed in the van... speeding across crazy turns... its nuts. And then the buses... wow... they are old school elementary school buses... cant even imagine how many people can squeeze into one of them.

Next week, schools start so we will finally be doing stuff rather than training..finally some hands on stuff... hope all is well back at home!

address and phone number

PCT Jon Doe
Cuerpo de Paz
Apartado Postal 66
Antigua Guatemala
Sacatepequez 03001
Guatemala
Central America

phone number

011-502-4620-9792

More info..

Whats going on everyone? So things here in Guatemala are becoming less and less hectic day by day. I have started to becoming a little accustomed to things here. At first, of course, there was some culture shock... going from where I was a bit average in height to where I am the tallest one for miles is quite a shock. Towering over everyone is some thing I am not used to. The food is awesome!! Last night, I had for the first time spaghetti with homemade corn tortillas. Talk about cultural exchange. I, also, helped my host grandmother peel cobs of corn, pick kernels out one by one, and putting them in a basket so they can cook them and then later "molarlos" a maiz to make the tortillas.... talk about everything from scratch. Today we had to go to another neighboring village to meet with the rest of the healthy school group to talk about the education system of Guatemala. It is completely different than the US, naturally i know, but still. You would be shocked.

My group and I here in our town had to go visit the bomberos y la policia to introduce ourselves. Los bomberos eran mas amable de las placas.. haha Today we also went to go visit the Mayor to introduce ourselves but he was not in his office... so tomorrow we have an appt. at 8 am. Speaking of the mayor... this morning at 2 am they set off some fireworks... those loud ass ones... thought there was a bomb of some sort...but it was to celebrate his 1 year anniversary as mayor... what the hell...

hope to hear from you guys soon

There are pictures up!!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2340204&l=4232c&id=3314158

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2341039&l=72703&id=3314158

here are the websites for some pìctures that i have taken. connection is not so good like the states so i have to put them up slowly but surely. be patient... i have had to learn patience so i am going to pass it down to all of you...

Livin' it up! slowly...

We are back at our Peace Corps HQ... after spending the weekend with our host families. We arrived there on Saturday, this is where we will be spending the rest of the 3 months. In this small en los cerros de Guatemala, the mountainous terrains of Guatemala, 30 minutes from the HQ, there are 3 other volunteers with me- Sarah, Amanda, and Travis. Coincidentally enough we are all staying at different houses but part of the same family. I am fortunate to be staying with the parents, while the others are staying with their kids.. all over than 30. My host parents are exactly, or less, the same age as my own parents. Yesterday, Amanda's host dad took us up on a hike to the "aldeas" and up there we ran into this older couple, mind you this it was cold... cloudy and raining. The man asked us for a light, thinking he wanted it for a cigarrette, which he didn't. He wanted to build a fire for his and him. Since, like i said it was COLD. We told them we didn't have anything so we continued down the mountain... about 1 km down, do the conversion...haha Travis realized he did have a lighter, so we hiked up the mountain and tried our best to build a fire for him. It was awesome... we all sprung into Peace Corps volunteers haha... Travis and Amanda went to look for wood while Sarah and I starting to build the proper shape so the fire can catch. At first, all the wood was too wet so it seemed we were going to fail. Then we realized we had some paper in our bags, so we tore out some sheets rolled them up and stuck them under the wood. Sure enough we got it going...thanks to Sarah blocking the wind. Then we realized that the older couple was practically standing on the fire because they had no shoes... all in all we hiked down with a small sense of making someone's day a little bit better. As they say one day at a time. I have some pictures which are on my computer and ill put them up later. Today, more classes on health, on sanitation, so we know what to with food once we get sworn in and live alone. oh yeah, started my pre- exposure vaccinations for rabies today...woo!! The country itself is awesome. Forests, volcanos everywhere you look, and the people are so welcoming to foreigners. Stay tuned for pictures and more info....

Finally at Post!

so after a whole week of being in DC, flying to Miami and flying to Guatemala City, and spending 3 days in Santa Lucia Milpa Altas, where the peace corps hq is located i am finally at the site where i will be spending three months. The city is called Santo Domingo Xenacoj. I am here with 3 other volunteers, and believe it or not, our hosts families are related. So in a weird sense, us 4 will be related at the end of the 3 months. they are great people. We are going to be having a lot of fun, and a lot of work also. I will be posting up pictures as soon as i can. Tomorrow our host families are taking us up to the nearby "serros" to have a better view of the valley and the surrounding volcanos. Pictures will be coming. Actually most of the pictures will go on facebook so the rest of the peace corps trainees can check them out. Hope all is well back home... and keep in touch everyone...