And on a side note...
As I was walking to a mass for the graduating seniors this afternoon after school, I heard a crash shortly after I crossed the street and turned to see a car flipped on its side. The windshield was shattered. A man was writhing on the ground holding his stomach...
And a people in the area immediately swarmed in. One man giving orders about calling the firemen right away. The man on the ground was moved. The car was lifted right-side up again. An older woman in traditional indiginous clothes who looked very shaken was seated in the backseat of the car and given water. I watched for a few minutes and then left, realizing I wasn't needed. But I was impressed with the order. The calm. The way the bystanders immediately took control of the situation.
It was the same last Friday with the floods. The alarm bell rang in our neighborhood because residents had heard traffic couldn't pass in the nearby park. This notified the neighbors to take action to close up their houses, move vehicles if they needed to, and even go outside with poles to clean the drains. The floodwaters came, but by that time manhole covers had been lifted, cars were moved to higher ground, and protective barriers were placed over doors. And when the flood waters receded, the neighborhood also went to work to clean the mud.
In a country where the authorities can not always be trusted to do what is necessary in a given situation, the people have taken it upon themselves to do what needs to be done instead. While there isn't always this level of cooperation, it was good to see it in these two situations.
miércoles, 30 de mayo de 2012
Last Day...
We had our last day of finals today. One final exam. The signing of yearbooks. Then finishing up grades for report cards and organizing my materials for the teacher next year, giving administration the materials they needed from us, and then handing over my keys. Then we were done.
Not done completely, because there is still graduation to get through. But still...
There is something special about those moments when you can look back and see the whole of what was done. It's a perspective that sees so much more than when you are in the minute-by-minute turmoil of activity and sometimes seeming chaos. There has been so much this past year that seemed like chaos. But in working with the students, in the midst of all of that, there were times of pure gold.
There were many trials in this past year, but working with the students was not part of it. I have really enjoyed working with them and am so, so glad I took the opportunity to come back. Not that I want to go back and relive any of those harder moments. And not that I am changing my mind about what is coming and want to turn back.
I am content with my decision. I'm just really thankful for the chance to have perspective. To see pieces of this adventure I didn't notice until the end. Elements that were right under my nose the entire time waiting to be revealed so I could recognize them.
My students were wonderful. And being with them this past year has changed my perspective of myself, my life, and where I see my future. It has been really good to come back and reconnect with them. To see where life has taken them. Begin to see the path of where they might be going. To see a graduating senior, remember them as a fourth grader, and then speculate as to what the future years might hold.
It's amazing...
A hidden blessing.
Not done completely, because there is still graduation to get through. But still...
There is something special about those moments when you can look back and see the whole of what was done. It's a perspective that sees so much more than when you are in the minute-by-minute turmoil of activity and sometimes seeming chaos. There has been so much this past year that seemed like chaos. But in working with the students, in the midst of all of that, there were times of pure gold.
There were many trials in this past year, but working with the students was not part of it. I have really enjoyed working with them and am so, so glad I took the opportunity to come back. Not that I want to go back and relive any of those harder moments. And not that I am changing my mind about what is coming and want to turn back.
I am content with my decision. I'm just really thankful for the chance to have perspective. To see pieces of this adventure I didn't notice until the end. Elements that were right under my nose the entire time waiting to be revealed so I could recognize them.
My students were wonderful. And being with them this past year has changed my perspective of myself, my life, and where I see my future. It has been really good to come back and reconnect with them. To see where life has taken them. Begin to see the path of where they might be going. To see a graduating senior, remember them as a fourth grader, and then speculate as to what the future years might hold.
It's amazing...
A hidden blessing.
martes, 29 de mayo de 2012
Sumergeme
A friend reminded me of this song recently. I have always found its raw emotion refreshing. (There is a rough translation of the lyrics below.)
Submerge me.
Tired from the journey
Thirsty for you
A desert I have crossed
It took all my strength
I come to you
I fought like a soldier
Experienced suffering
Although I've won the battle
My armour is worn out
I come to you
Submerge me
In the river of your Spirit
I need to refresh
This dry heart
Thirsty for you
Submerge me.
Tired from the journey
Thirsty for you
A desert I have crossed
It took all my strength
I come to you
I fought like a soldier
Experienced suffering
Although I've won the battle
My armour is worn out
I come to you
Submerge me
In the river of your Spirit
I need to refresh
This dry heart
Thirsty for you
lunes, 28 de mayo de 2012
Getting close...
Hopefully in a week from now I will already be home.
Things have been a little crazy. A lightning storm Thursday night knocked out the clocks, phone, and internet (as well as the power overnight, though that at least was back on by the time we got to school in the morning). Phones, clocks, and wireless internet are not back yet, though internet though cables is back up and running.
Then, Friday night, our street flooded again, though this time, thankfully, the water didn't rise enough to come inside. Just enough to cover the street in mud, keep cars from being able to come through, and have everybody anxiously watching to see if the house would flood. Some houses did. But this time, our house did not.
We're into finals week. Finals and graduation. Then it will be time to make our way home.
I would appreciate any prayers for safe travel this weekend. With the rains and mountains, I am hoping there won't be landslides and that the visibility and road conditions will be good.
I'm looking forward to coming back to America!
Things have been a little crazy. A lightning storm Thursday night knocked out the clocks, phone, and internet (as well as the power overnight, though that at least was back on by the time we got to school in the morning). Phones, clocks, and wireless internet are not back yet, though internet though cables is back up and running.
Then, Friday night, our street flooded again, though this time, thankfully, the water didn't rise enough to come inside. Just enough to cover the street in mud, keep cars from being able to come through, and have everybody anxiously watching to see if the house would flood. Some houses did. But this time, our house did not.
We're into finals week. Finals and graduation. Then it will be time to make our way home.
I would appreciate any prayers for safe travel this weekend. With the rains and mountains, I am hoping there won't be landslides and that the visibility and road conditions will be good.
I'm looking forward to coming back to America!
sábado, 19 de mayo de 2012
Earthquakes and Volcanoes
I woke up this morning to a major jolt in my bed. Just one. I woke up enough to make sure the roof wasn't caving in and no more tremors were following after it and then fell back asleep again. Usually the tremors are more of a side to side motion, but this was more vertical and all at once. A little scary.
I don't know whether it is related or not, but there is a volcano near Guatemala City (Volcan de Fuego) that began shooting ash and lava today. They have raised the level of alert, closing some sections of the highway, though they haven't evacuated any areas. They have notified the airport, though they are just being alert and monitoring the situation. There have been no changes made to flights at the airport as of yet. (And hopefully there will not be...)
Two years ago a different volcano near the capital became active, and all of the ash shooting up in the air resulted in the airport closing down. Some teachers at the school here at that time had to take a bus into Honduras in order to catch a flight home. To give you some perspective, we live four hours from the capital, and Honduras is (I think) an additional six or eight hours beyond that when traveling by bus. Plus you have to pass through customs at the border, all before reaching the airport to go through all the customs and security procedures all over again...
If I have to take a bus to Honduras (after all that has happened this past year), I think I will cry. It's not that going to Honduras would be the worst possible thing that would happen. It's just that I have moments already when I wonder if I will ever be able to actually get out of here. I realize it's not entirely rational, but there are moments, as I'm getting hit with yet another complication, when returning to America appears to be an impossible dream. I am planning for it, yes, but will it really happen? Or will some other disaster strike that will keep me from doing that, too?
Unless I hear otherwise, I am going to assume my trip home will go smoothly. There is no reason to worry about it now when the airport is still open. And God is still good...even if things seem complicated at the time...
I was thinking about that this morning. How I heard an interview once (I think it was with Billy Graham, but I'm not completely sure) where the reporter asked a Christian if he was afraid to die. And the man responded by saying he was not afraid of death, but rather the way in which he might die. I know God brings good from what happens. That it all works together as part of a greater plan. (Well, okay, most of the time I remember this and believe it whole-heartedly--in the midst of the moment I'm sometimes not sure). But it's not always convenient. It's often downright hard.
And there are times I wish I could be one of those people who plaster a smile on my face and firmly believe with all that is in me that what God wants for my best is what will be painless and convenient. If only I could meander through life on a path that moved so smoothly.
But no. Life happens. And life goes any way but smoothly. It's an uphill climb more often than not. You get through one struggle, finally take a breather, see how far you've come, only to be sideswiped and have to begin the painful struggling again. It's all good, but the good isn't so evident until after the fact...
I was thinking about that the other day...I had to walk to the hospital, and my mind went back to all the other times I walked that path...how, at first, I needed a ride in a car because I was too sick to do it on my own. Then how I could walk it but it left me worn out. Then I could walk, but it felt like there was resistance fighting back, like walking in water. But now, over three months later, I can do it with energy to spare. I am finally feeling back to normal again. Finally, after nearly three and a half months...
I am really glad I didn't know when it started how long the process would be. The string of illnesses. Sometimes there is comfort in at least being able to hope tomorrow will be better.
Rainy season has started again. At least I think it has. We had a false start a few week ago, so perhaps the rains will let up and there will be a reprieve. My host family put in a barrier that they can put in place in front of the garage door in case the heavy rains come again. Many homes in this neighborhood have done the same. Hopefully it will help to keep the houses from flooding again. But the floods are really part of a much bigger problem. The barriers can control the symptoms, but until the layout of the city is arranged to allow for drainage of the water that flows from other parts of town to settle in this area, the streets will continue to flood whenever unusually heavy rainfall occurs. But hopefully the barriers will at least keep the waters and the mud out of homes...that way, at least, it will only be the streets that need the work.
There is a fine line between letting go and keeping hope. Trusting in God's goodness while accepting the way things go...
I finished a Madeleine L'Engle book today, A Ring of Endless Light, in which a character says that prayer isn't about getting what you want.
"Prayer was never meant to be magic," Mother said.
"Then why bother with it?" Suzy scowled.
"Because it's an act of love," Mother said.
So maybe prayer isn't about earthquakes and floods and volcanoes. Maybe that's part of it, and maybe God will act. Maybe it has more to do with finding God...somehow connecting with Him in the midst of it.
I just can't say I know all of the details about how all of that works.
I don't know whether it is related or not, but there is a volcano near Guatemala City (Volcan de Fuego) that began shooting ash and lava today. They have raised the level of alert, closing some sections of the highway, though they haven't evacuated any areas. They have notified the airport, though they are just being alert and monitoring the situation. There have been no changes made to flights at the airport as of yet. (And hopefully there will not be...)
Two years ago a different volcano near the capital became active, and all of the ash shooting up in the air resulted in the airport closing down. Some teachers at the school here at that time had to take a bus into Honduras in order to catch a flight home. To give you some perspective, we live four hours from the capital, and Honduras is (I think) an additional six or eight hours beyond that when traveling by bus. Plus you have to pass through customs at the border, all before reaching the airport to go through all the customs and security procedures all over again...
If I have to take a bus to Honduras (after all that has happened this past year), I think I will cry. It's not that going to Honduras would be the worst possible thing that would happen. It's just that I have moments already when I wonder if I will ever be able to actually get out of here. I realize it's not entirely rational, but there are moments, as I'm getting hit with yet another complication, when returning to America appears to be an impossible dream. I am planning for it, yes, but will it really happen? Or will some other disaster strike that will keep me from doing that, too?
Unless I hear otherwise, I am going to assume my trip home will go smoothly. There is no reason to worry about it now when the airport is still open. And God is still good...even if things seem complicated at the time...
I was thinking about that this morning. How I heard an interview once (I think it was with Billy Graham, but I'm not completely sure) where the reporter asked a Christian if he was afraid to die. And the man responded by saying he was not afraid of death, but rather the way in which he might die. I know God brings good from what happens. That it all works together as part of a greater plan. (Well, okay, most of the time I remember this and believe it whole-heartedly--in the midst of the moment I'm sometimes not sure). But it's not always convenient. It's often downright hard.
And there are times I wish I could be one of those people who plaster a smile on my face and firmly believe with all that is in me that what God wants for my best is what will be painless and convenient. If only I could meander through life on a path that moved so smoothly.
But no. Life happens. And life goes any way but smoothly. It's an uphill climb more often than not. You get through one struggle, finally take a breather, see how far you've come, only to be sideswiped and have to begin the painful struggling again. It's all good, but the good isn't so evident until after the fact...
I was thinking about that the other day...I had to walk to the hospital, and my mind went back to all the other times I walked that path...how, at first, I needed a ride in a car because I was too sick to do it on my own. Then how I could walk it but it left me worn out. Then I could walk, but it felt like there was resistance fighting back, like walking in water. But now, over three months later, I can do it with energy to spare. I am finally feeling back to normal again. Finally, after nearly three and a half months...
I am really glad I didn't know when it started how long the process would be. The string of illnesses. Sometimes there is comfort in at least being able to hope tomorrow will be better.
Rainy season has started again. At least I think it has. We had a false start a few week ago, so perhaps the rains will let up and there will be a reprieve. My host family put in a barrier that they can put in place in front of the garage door in case the heavy rains come again. Many homes in this neighborhood have done the same. Hopefully it will help to keep the houses from flooding again. But the floods are really part of a much bigger problem. The barriers can control the symptoms, but until the layout of the city is arranged to allow for drainage of the water that flows from other parts of town to settle in this area, the streets will continue to flood whenever unusually heavy rainfall occurs. But hopefully the barriers will at least keep the waters and the mud out of homes...that way, at least, it will only be the streets that need the work.
There is a fine line between letting go and keeping hope. Trusting in God's goodness while accepting the way things go...
I finished a Madeleine L'Engle book today, A Ring of Endless Light, in which a character says that prayer isn't about getting what you want.
"Prayer was never meant to be magic," Mother said.
"Then why bother with it?" Suzy scowled.
"Because it's an act of love," Mother said.
So maybe prayer isn't about earthquakes and floods and volcanoes. Maybe that's part of it, and maybe God will act. Maybe it has more to do with finding God...somehow connecting with Him in the midst of it.
I just can't say I know all of the details about how all of that works.
viernes, 18 de mayo de 2012
Turbulence
I found myself telling a friend that I hope my trip home goes smoothly...and I realized that, if it does, it will actually be going contrary to much of the rest of the trip.
Not the entire trip...my travels home and back for Christmas went exceptionally well. So I have at least sufficient reason to hope the remainder of this trip will be the same.
But "smooth sailing" cannot be said for this trip to Guatemala.
I caught myself getting nostalgic about the typhoid earlier today. I know my emotions are going up and down as I'm getting ready to leave, but that's a little ridiculous.
But maybe that's part of the journey of life. We can treasure those moments when they are passed because of what we have gained from having walked through them. For better or for worse, it's one more little piece affecting who we are...
Not the entire trip...my travels home and back for Christmas went exceptionally well. So I have at least sufficient reason to hope the remainder of this trip will be the same.
But "smooth sailing" cannot be said for this trip to Guatemala.
I caught myself getting nostalgic about the typhoid earlier today. I know my emotions are going up and down as I'm getting ready to leave, but that's a little ridiculous.
But maybe that's part of the journey of life. We can treasure those moments when they are passed because of what we have gained from having walked through them. For better or for worse, it's one more little piece affecting who we are...
miércoles, 2 de mayo de 2012
Quiero...
Since I've been posting so much Ricardo Arjona, I thought I would include this video, too. It has a special place in my heart since it is the first of his songs I heard knowing it was him. My only reservation about this one is that I have prayed for Saddam Hussein too much to be able to refer to him as "el idiota mas grande del mundo." Apart from that, I think the song is beautiful. He sings about things he would like to do, all leading up to his desire to forget the one he loves who is not part of his life anymore.
On a side note, I came across this biographical information on Ricardo Arjona on Amazon the other day: It says he gave up a career as a basketball player to pursue his career in music. At first, he moved to Mexico City to record his first CD, but they cast him as a romantic figure and the album failed. He then taught primary school for several years before moving to Buenos Aires to try music again, staying true to his own voice this time. That's when he was successful.
martes, 1 de mayo de 2012
A look at death...
La nena...
This song is a tearjerker. About the abduction of a little girl from the child's point of view. Guatemala is a country with a history of abductions, people taken for ransom. I don't hear about it happening so often anymore, but that doesn't mean it has stopped entirely. There is a reason people have tinted windows in their vehicles in Guatemala City. There is a reason the wealthier families often have bodyguards. And there are reasons some people choose to live in walled neighborhoods with guards at the gate. So I am sharing this song, with a rough translation of the lyrics posted beneath it. And here is a prayer sent out to all those innocent parties caught up in struggles outside their experience or control, to everyone caught up in someone else's dangerous game. May God have mercy on them, may the world's eyes be opened, and may these precious little ones entrapped in the system be set free.
The little girl woke up at 6:42 She wrinkles up her eyes to block out the light She recites her prayer as always to God This is followed on her chest with the sign of the cross Not far from her, a car waiting two blocks to the south Armed with textbooks, she goes to the chauffeur Mom says good-bye at the door, waving her hands The girl is nine years old, how could her mother know that she would spend four months following her tracks... And the car that is waiting two blocks away starts its engine. A bullet in the chauffeur's temple, the little girl goes adrift A tree blocks the car; they have her surrounded Her forehead hits the glass and she is wounded The neighbors are inside; no one has seen anything And the hand that killed her chauffeur now blocks her cries The little girl is as nothing starting today The little girl doesn't wrinkle up her eyes; she has not seen light In the branch office of hell, there are no windows Her luck is fixed on currency from another country Her life is a vulgar barter similar to death The little girl is not going to go this afternoon to her English class... The little girl is a tied-up bundle in a brown Chrysler A shoe presses her back, a handkerchief her mouth The little girl is scared to death and doesn't know why The little girl doesn't know that at times even God makes mistakes The little girl is sleepless, a news item; the little girl isn't there Her planet changed its size; it measures 4 x 3 Her sun is the light that filters beneath the door The little girl already doesn't know the difference between a day and a month The little girl doesn't know if she dreams or is awake The little girl has now spent three months wondering why Six kilos lighter, the little girl has red sores Her father is almost crazy, her mother goes to the hospitals once again They agree to the delivery with a manipulated voice The same that has come offering bodily souvenirs And the fear that laughs at everything and rubs its hands The future will have a surly face if they give him such desire The little girl no longer wrinkles her eyes, she has not seen light In the branch-office of hell there are are no windows Her luck is fixed on currency from another country Her life is a vulgar barter similar to death The little girl has now gone ten months without going to ballet On the indicated day, the money is under the bridge The little girl finally leaves the room where she has been guarded All goes as agreed, there is nothing left waiting Suddenly the chief bursts into the room with face uncovered The little girl recognizes the face of someone she knows Because of that, the plans have had to change...
The little girl woke up at 6:42 She wrinkles up her eyes to block out the light She recites her prayer as always to God This is followed on her chest with the sign of the cross Not far from her, a car waiting two blocks to the south Armed with textbooks, she goes to the chauffeur Mom says good-bye at the door, waving her hands The girl is nine years old, how could her mother know that she would spend four months following her tracks... And the car that is waiting two blocks away starts its engine. A bullet in the chauffeur's temple, the little girl goes adrift A tree blocks the car; they have her surrounded Her forehead hits the glass and she is wounded The neighbors are inside; no one has seen anything And the hand that killed her chauffeur now blocks her cries The little girl is as nothing starting today The little girl doesn't wrinkle up her eyes; she has not seen light In the branch office of hell, there are no windows Her luck is fixed on currency from another country Her life is a vulgar barter similar to death The little girl is not going to go this afternoon to her English class... The little girl is a tied-up bundle in a brown Chrysler A shoe presses her back, a handkerchief her mouth The little girl is scared to death and doesn't know why The little girl doesn't know that at times even God makes mistakes The little girl is sleepless, a news item; the little girl isn't there Her planet changed its size; it measures 4 x 3 Her sun is the light that filters beneath the door The little girl already doesn't know the difference between a day and a month The little girl doesn't know if she dreams or is awake The little girl has now spent three months wondering why Six kilos lighter, the little girl has red sores Her father is almost crazy, her mother goes to the hospitals once again They agree to the delivery with a manipulated voice The same that has come offering bodily souvenirs And the fear that laughs at everything and rubs its hands The future will have a surly face if they give him such desire The little girl no longer wrinkles her eyes, she has not seen light In the branch-office of hell there are are no windows Her luck is fixed on currency from another country Her life is a vulgar barter similar to death The little girl has now gone ten months without going to ballet On the indicated day, the money is under the bridge The little girl finally leaves the room where she has been guarded All goes as agreed, there is nothing left waiting Suddenly the chief bursts into the room with face uncovered The little girl recognizes the face of someone she knows Because of that, the plans have had to change...
martes, 24 de abril de 2012
Thought for the day...
A prayer from a devotional by Charles Spurgeon:
O Lord, if it is not springtime in my chilly heart, I pray You make it so, for I am tired of living at a distance from You. When will You bring this long and dreary winter to an end? Come, Holy Spirit, and renew my soul! Quicken me, restore me, and have mercy on me! This very night I earnestly implore you, Lord, to take pity upon Your servant and send me a happy revival of spiritual life!
O Lord, if it is not springtime in my chilly heart, I pray You make it so, for I am tired of living at a distance from You. When will You bring this long and dreary winter to an end? Come, Holy Spirit, and renew my soul! Quicken me, restore me, and have mercy on me! This very night I earnestly implore you, Lord, to take pity upon Your servant and send me a happy revival of spiritual life!
lunes, 23 de abril de 2012
Cold Feet
Somehow, in the past couple of days, I have gone from listening to American music and counting down the days until I could leave here to listening to Spanish music like it's my security blanket against the upcoming change.
Change scares me. You wouldn't probably know it from my track record, but transitions are hard for me.
So, maybe, in addition to my thankfulness item of the day today I will also post another song to remind me of the country I will miss when I'm not here anymore.
Today I am thankful for the view from the mountainside when I am at school...the sun on the buildings spread out across the valley. I don't stop to enjoy the view so often anymore, but last semester I found them to be nourishment for the soul...so, for the view from the mountainside, I am incredibly grateful.
And now I give you a video I found online for Ayudame Freud by Ricardo Arjona. (I can't vouch for the spelling and grammar--I have only watched it enough to know that there is little use of tildes. Does that sound like it is spoken by a Spanish teacher, or what? :-) Enjoy.
Change scares me. You wouldn't probably know it from my track record, but transitions are hard for me.
So, maybe, in addition to my thankfulness item of the day today I will also post another song to remind me of the country I will miss when I'm not here anymore.
Today I am thankful for the view from the mountainside when I am at school...the sun on the buildings spread out across the valley. I don't stop to enjoy the view so often anymore, but last semester I found them to be nourishment for the soul...so, for the view from the mountainside, I am incredibly grateful.
And now I give you a video I found online for Ayudame Freud by Ricardo Arjona. (I can't vouch for the spelling and grammar--I have only watched it enough to know that there is little use of tildes. Does that sound like it is spoken by a Spanish teacher, or what? :-) Enjoy.
domingo, 22 de abril de 2012
Today...
I am thankful for mass. Perhaps I've listed this one before--I can't really remember. But today, as so many times over the course of the past semester, I am thankful for the opportunity to go to mass...In spite of not being Catholic, it has become my haven.
And to make up for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, I am thankful for rellenitos, a yummy food that consists of platanos wrapped around bean paste--a flavorful, slightly sweet snack.
I am also thankful for arroz con leche or any atol (or drink) made from a variety of ingredients. They are served warm, are usually quite sweet, and are very tasty.
And for the last entry, I will jump on the bandwagon and say I am thankful for Ricardo Arjona. I have enjoyed listening to his music over the course of the year. He is a Guatemalan singer with a poet's ear for lyrics, and I have enjoyed being introduced to some of his many songs. My favorites so far: Ayudame Freud and Quiero. (And Fuiste tu, of course.)
(Please pardon the lack of tildes on my Spanish words--I still haven't figured out exactly how to do them on my keyboard. :-)
And to make up for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, I am thankful for rellenitos, a yummy food that consists of platanos wrapped around bean paste--a flavorful, slightly sweet snack.
I am also thankful for arroz con leche or any atol (or drink) made from a variety of ingredients. They are served warm, are usually quite sweet, and are very tasty.
And for the last entry, I will jump on the bandwagon and say I am thankful for Ricardo Arjona. I have enjoyed listening to his music over the course of the year. He is a Guatemalan singer with a poet's ear for lyrics, and I have enjoyed being introduced to some of his many songs. My favorites so far: Ayudame Freud and Quiero. (And Fuiste tu, of course.)
(Please pardon the lack of tildes on my Spanish words--I still haven't figured out exactly how to do them on my keyboard. :-)
Sounds of Guatemala
I thought I would share a couple of videos for songs that are very popular here right now. The first is a video by a Grammy award winning Guatemalan singer named Ricardo Arjona. The duet is with another Guatemalan named Gaby Moreno, who, from what I heard, was singing in bars in Guatemala City until this duet with Ricardo Arjona brought her to stardom. The video is filmed entirely in Guatemala, so it will give you an idea of some of the major sites around here. I hope you enjoy it. (On a side note, Ricardo Arjona was back in Guatemala about a month ago to do concert in Guatemala City--it was a big event--two nights of concerts in the football--soccer--stadium.) I have also included a video with the lyrics below (for any people out there wanting to practice their Spanish. :-)
This second video is by a duo named Jesse & Joy. I don't know a lot about them, but this song is on the radio A LOT. (Warning: This video has some scenes that are kind of graphic--maybe not best for little ones to watch.)
This second video is by a duo named Jesse & Joy. I don't know a lot about them, but this song is on the radio A LOT. (Warning: This video has some scenes that are kind of graphic--maybe not best for little ones to watch.)
miércoles, 18 de abril de 2012
Thankfulness 2
I'm a little behind on my thankfulness posts, so here we go--four days in one:
1--I am thankful for the shekas con frijoles at Xelapan. It's a round roll of white bread with flour on the outside and black bean paste in the middle. It's yummy.
2--I'm thankful for the random bursts of color with flowers on balconies, roofs, and other fenced-in places. Since landscaping isn't all that common here, except for parks, the flowers in windows and on little decks add a very welcome burst of life and color to the scenery inside the city.
3--Okay, this one isn't specifically something I am thankful for about Guatemala, but it is what I am thankful for today. I am thankful that, when the water goes out upstairs (as it has done a time or two since I came here) we still get water from the tap downstairs. The fact that water is available somewhere in the house, even if that somewhere isn't the upstairs bathroom, is a huge relief, even if it is at a time of day where I wouldn't generally be needing it. I like to know it's there and will be when I need it.
4--I'm thankful for my favorite cafe in town. It's a nice place to go when I want to get out of the house and go somewhere else to read or do work. The servers are friendly, and I can get my fill of 1990s musical hits (with other decades thrown in as well).
1--I am thankful for the shekas con frijoles at Xelapan. It's a round roll of white bread with flour on the outside and black bean paste in the middle. It's yummy.
2--I'm thankful for the random bursts of color with flowers on balconies, roofs, and other fenced-in places. Since landscaping isn't all that common here, except for parks, the flowers in windows and on little decks add a very welcome burst of life and color to the scenery inside the city.
3--Okay, this one isn't specifically something I am thankful for about Guatemala, but it is what I am thankful for today. I am thankful that, when the water goes out upstairs (as it has done a time or two since I came here) we still get water from the tap downstairs. The fact that water is available somewhere in the house, even if that somewhere isn't the upstairs bathroom, is a huge relief, even if it is at a time of day where I wouldn't generally be needing it. I like to know it's there and will be when I need it.
4--I'm thankful for my favorite cafe in town. It's a nice place to go when I want to get out of the house and go somewhere else to read or do work. The servers are friendly, and I can get my fill of 1990s musical hits (with other decades thrown in as well).
sábado, 14 de abril de 2012
Contrasted with unthankfulness...
I probably shouldn't even mention it, but here are some things I'm not so thankful for today:
--Certain side streets that smell of urine--possibly because the walls have been used as urinals for far too long.
--Getting enveloped in a cloud of dust and black exhaust from chicken buses that pass me when I'm walking.
--The sight (and sound) of a young man vomiting in the street when I left my house today--although I was thankful he had a friend with him, so he wasn't in that state alone.
--Creepy men who feel the need to expose themselves to unsuspecting young ladies walking down the street (not me, thankfully, but still...)
And to balance out the list, here are a few things I am thankful for today:
--That no pigeons went to the bathroom on me when I walked beneath a flock of them today.
--For French class
--For already having a job lined up for next year
--And for pepper spray, which helps me feel a lot safer when walking alone, especially when darkness falls...
--And for the number of people I've talked to who have been so friendly and helpful.
--The chance to hang out with friends and...
--The privilege to pray, even when it isn't easy.
--Certain side streets that smell of urine--possibly because the walls have been used as urinals for far too long.
--Getting enveloped in a cloud of dust and black exhaust from chicken buses that pass me when I'm walking.
--The sight (and sound) of a young man vomiting in the street when I left my house today--although I was thankful he had a friend with him, so he wasn't in that state alone.
--Creepy men who feel the need to expose themselves to unsuspecting young ladies walking down the street (not me, thankfully, but still...)
And to balance out the list, here are a few things I am thankful for today:
--That no pigeons went to the bathroom on me when I walked beneath a flock of them today.
--For French class
--For already having a job lined up for next year
--And for pepper spray, which helps me feel a lot safer when walking alone, especially when darkness falls...
--And for the number of people I've talked to who have been so friendly and helpful.
--The chance to hang out with friends and...
--The privilege to pray, even when it isn't easy.
Thankfulness...
As I am heading into a time of transition, down to the last few weeks of the school year, I've decided to start a list of things I am thankful for here in Guatemala--one for each day. Yesterday's item was:
Day 1--I am thankful for the ready availability of ice cream. Almost every city block has either an actual ice cream store or a tienda with a deep freezer filled with Sarita brand ice cream. Cremosas, yogurt, ice cream sandwiches the flavor of cheesecake... The strange thing is, I'm not that big of a fan of ice cream when I'm in the United States, but here now, at this time of year, there is something about it that definitely hits the spot. So helado is my choice for "Thankfulness Item #1."
Day 2--Tamales. Paches de papa or tamales de arroz... We had tamales for dinner tonight. The rice and chicken mixture covered with a brown, slightly spicy sauce and a sliver of red pepper. Served, as always, in a neatly folded banana leaf...and, of course, accompanied by bread in a bag from Xelapan (but thankfulness for Xelapan I'll leave for another day--it is far too deserving of an entry all its own).
Day 1--I am thankful for the ready availability of ice cream. Almost every city block has either an actual ice cream store or a tienda with a deep freezer filled with Sarita brand ice cream. Cremosas, yogurt, ice cream sandwiches the flavor of cheesecake... The strange thing is, I'm not that big of a fan of ice cream when I'm in the United States, but here now, at this time of year, there is something about it that definitely hits the spot. So helado is my choice for "Thankfulness Item #1."
Day 2--Tamales. Paches de papa or tamales de arroz... We had tamales for dinner tonight. The rice and chicken mixture covered with a brown, slightly spicy sauce and a sliver of red pepper. Served, as always, in a neatly folded banana leaf...and, of course, accompanied by bread in a bag from Xelapan (but thankfulness for Xelapan I'll leave for another day--it is far too deserving of an entry all its own).
domingo, 8 de abril de 2012
Easter
Out of all the holidays, it is hardest for me to be outside the country for Easter. Perhaps Christmas would come close to that, but I have yet to be away for that particular holiday.
Easter, for me, involves getting together with relatives and going to a sunrise service at the Lutheran church...(or whatever other church is available). This Sunday, I went to mass. It was nice. The church was so full there were people in the aisles, and the wall behind the altar was draped with yellow fabric, a color of celebration.
It is interesting to see how things are done here, but the closer I get to June, the more I find myself looking forward to home. It's a tug-of-war, this focusing on the now to appreciate each moment and do what needs to be done right here and now while simultaneously becoming more and more anxious to return to the United States. Less than two months to go...
I read an article on culture shock recently, and it spoke about the emotions involved in coming home--pulling away emotionally in preparation for letting go while still having to live and work in that country. The truth of the matter is, I don't dislike Guatemala. It's just that, as much as I love it, there are many times where I would just even more rather be going home. I'm ready. Not completely--there is still a lot that needs to be done before I'll be ready to actually go home, but I'm ready to begin the process of letting this part of my life go. I'm ready to move forward and find out what is coming up ahead.
Easter, for me, involves getting together with relatives and going to a sunrise service at the Lutheran church...(or whatever other church is available). This Sunday, I went to mass. It was nice. The church was so full there were people in the aisles, and the wall behind the altar was draped with yellow fabric, a color of celebration.
It is interesting to see how things are done here, but the closer I get to June, the more I find myself looking forward to home. It's a tug-of-war, this focusing on the now to appreciate each moment and do what needs to be done right here and now while simultaneously becoming more and more anxious to return to the United States. Less than two months to go...
I read an article on culture shock recently, and it spoke about the emotions involved in coming home--pulling away emotionally in preparation for letting go while still having to live and work in that country. The truth of the matter is, I don't dislike Guatemala. It's just that, as much as I love it, there are many times where I would just even more rather be going home. I'm ready. Not completely--there is still a lot that needs to be done before I'll be ready to actually go home, but I'm ready to begin the process of letting this part of my life go. I'm ready to move forward and find out what is coming up ahead.
viernes, 6 de abril de 2012
Another video...
Here is another video from the first procession we saw this morning. The morning's procession was of Jesus carrying the cross, followed by the Virgen de Dolores (Mary) weeping at his death. Then, this afternoon, starting at about 3:00, new alfombras were set up in the park. These were all black and tan with pictures in the center depicting various stages on the path to the crucifixion. Then a number of processions came through the park, depicting the stations of the cross and Jesus in his tomb followed (again) by the weeping virgin, this time clothed in black. Most of these went through the park after dark, and people in the procession lined the streets holding candles as the processions moved through.
I found it helpful to watch the sequence of events today, to be reminded of what this holiday is about...and am excited about Easter Sunday (though the celebration here is very different than in the U.S.--the Catholics tend to emphasize Good Friday here, and the evangelical churches don't quite make it the massive celebration it typically is at home). There will be one more procession that day, depicting the resurrected Jesus, and there will be the opportunity to hear the story read aloud in church. Then we'll be back to life as normal and focusing on finishing out the rest of the year.
I found it helpful to watch the sequence of events today, to be reminded of what this holiday is about...and am excited about Easter Sunday (though the celebration here is very different than in the U.S.--the Catholics tend to emphasize Good Friday here, and the evangelical churches don't quite make it the massive celebration it typically is at home). There will be one more procession that day, depicting the resurrected Jesus, and there will be the opportunity to hear the story read aloud in church. Then we'll be back to life as normal and focusing on finishing out the rest of the year.
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