Honestly? It's kind of been a boring week.

I'm sorry. I have very little in the way of adventures to write about today. The only thing I did other than go to class this week was go kayaking to San Marcos on Saturday morning, and that was pretty uneventful. I feel like I just talked about it in great detail, really, just telling you that there was a kayak and some water involved. I'm sunburned, despite my sunscreen.

What I do have to share, however, is some fantastically good news. I got my work placement for Cuernavaca! YAYYYYYYYYYYYY! I'll be working at La Estación Kinder and Community Center as well as Casa Tatic. Five mornings a week I'll be at La Estación, starting with the breakfast program at the Community Center. Three mornings a week, I'll work in the Kinder program, most likely teaching English in all the classes, but possibly also working on reading skills one-on-one. The other two mornings I'll remain in the Community Center with the mothers who work to keep the center running. The work in this part will vary greatly.

Each week I'll eat my lunches with a family involved in the La Estación programs. I'm especially excited about this part, since it will really provide me with time to get to know the people of the neighborhood. Two afternoons a week I will return to La Estactión and offer workshops. I have a lot of flexibility as far as this is concerned, including having the option to offer them myself or find presenters to come in to the center. During this time I might be working with kids or adults.

The remaining three afternoons each week will be at Casa Tatic. The details here are also fairly open, but Casa Tatic has a special focus on teaching computer skills to the children that are involved in their programs. I could also be working one-on-one reading skills here, or as a teaching assistant. One day a week I should be able to work with the mothers, who are provided with time and space to practice handicrafts they can sell to support their families.

Welp, that's pretty much all I've got. Hope you're having a great week.

Hey, if I'm gonna puke, which way do you think I should aim?

This past weekend, I went on my first excursion with the language school. Kanopy. AKA Ziplines. It was... interesting.

I've seen pictures and heard stories about some of my friends doing this before when they visited places with really intense mountains and/or rainforests. It was one of those things that always kind of terrified me, but I also kind of always wanted to do--or at least be able to say that I had done. 150Q seemed like an entirely reasonable price for putting my life in danger, so I decided, what the heck. There's no time like the present.

We left the school Saturday morning at 7am. While I am usually up by 6:30am here (San Pedro, while it seems to be a sleepy little town, does not have much respect for people who actually sleep during the night), 7am is much earlier than I ever have to be anywhere. I was not super psyched about this part. But I made it, and my fellow students and I stood around comparing sleepiness for a little while before Mynor told us it was time to go get in the car.

Perhaps I should take a moment to talk about transportation in San Pedro. Cars and drivers licenses are very expensive here. Most Guatemaltecas I've talked to have never driven a car, and don't even really like riding in cars. Therefore, the people who do have/can drive cars are in a great position of power. Most people in San Pedro walk most of the places they need to go. If they happen to have a lot of stuff to carry or they're in a very big hurry, they have two options. The most commonly used is the tuk-tuk I wrote about in my last post. If you can imagine that a moped and a go-cart had a baby, you might have a good idea of what these look like: one front wheel, centrally positioned driver, cramped backseat with a low ceiling, and generally covered in whatever stickers and decals the driver/owner could get his hands on. The second, less common but more durable option is the pick-up. It's a very complicated Spanish word that roughly translates to pick-up in English. That's right. Pick-up trucks with a metal frame around the bed and flashing blue lights cruise around and take people in between towns, up and down the mountain, to the campo, etc. It was this second option that was our "car" to the zipline.

So all 11 of us pile in to the bed of this pick-up and hang on for dear life since we immediately start driving up one of the biggest hills in San Pedro. We rode up the mountain in the back of this thing for about an hour and a half, excepting the 15 minutes when we had to get out and walk up an especially steep hill because there were too many of us for the truck (which seemed to be surprisingly low on horsepower considering its vocation) to handle carrying. By the time we got to the zipline, I was feeling pretty ill.

We get out, admire the view of the lake for a little bit--which, I must confess, was really incredible--and then head up to the office. We get on our gear and start hiking. It takes about fifteen minutes to get to the first line. Essentially, they hook you up to this wheeling contraption that glides over a cable and you step off the face of the rock. The first line was really awesome. My feet almost touched the tops of the trees the whole way across, and I felt like I was flying... for about 25 seconds. After a terrifying stop by a guy with tire rubber wrapped around the cable, I laughed like a maniac for about three whole minutes. Luckily, everyone seemed to have the same reaction.

Another hike, since the second line is higher up, takes about 25 minutes (at least for me, because 3,000meters is really high elevation for an east coast girl who's badly out of shape). I'm severly nervous about this next line, because I can tell just by the hill we walked up that we have to be much much further from the other end of the cable. I elect to be the last to go. I get hooked up and I think the operator had to tell me three times to step down onto the platform before I actually did it because I was thinking don'tletmediedon'tletmediedon'tletmedie so loudly in my own head that I didn't know he was talking to me. The second line, I am told, takes just under a minute to cross. It seemed like much longer. The platform is well in the trees, although you can see that the trees eventually drop off, but when you reach the .7second point and the trees around you actually do suddenly go away, it's quite unexpected. For the next 55 seconds, there is nothing between you and the tree tops but hundreds and hundreds of feet of air. I will confess that it was really exciting, and a beautiful view. But it was also terrifying.

I'm barely unhooked from the line, and still shaking like a leaf when the guide from the other platform comes zipping across himself, casually breaking and gliding to a stop like it's no big deal at all to fly across a valley. We take an insanely quick group picture. Hike back over to the lodge. Return our gear. Get in the truck. Head back down.

If I thought I was feeling ill on the way up the mountain, I was mistaken. Maybe I had waited too long before eating the breakfast my host mom so kindly packed for me. Maybe the adrenaline did gross things to my stomach. Maybe standing in the back of a pickup truck flying down a mountain in neutral is a dangerous and barf-producing way to travel. But I barely made it back to San Pedro without losing it all over myself and my friends in the back of a pickup truck. I went back to bed.

well... that was exciting...

I haven't talked to my parents about this yet. Hopefully they won't be too mad to read it before they hear my voice and know I'm okay. I AM OKAY. I tried to call you guys, but you didn't pick up. Totally not my fault.

I got sick.

I'm not sure how.

I spent most of Saturday afternoon walking around with Teagan and Oli, enjoying the nice weather that had been avoiding us for so long. We ate out lunch, but it was a restaurant I had been to before, and I ate all the same things as before. Saturday night I had planned to meet Teags and Oli, as well as some friends from the language school at the pub.

I noticed that I was a little itchy when I lay down for a nap, but there are a lot of bugs around, so I didn't think about it. After about five minutes, I couldn't sit still anymore. I itched. Everywhere. I had broken out in hives like never ever before. Even my eyelids were swolen and itchy. I figured I got bit by something a little more irritating, ditched my plan to go out, took a benadryl and went to bed. Around 1am, I woke up, itchy again, and unable to use my hands. They were so swolen I couldn't touch any of my fingers to my thumb. I could feel that my eyes were more swolen than before, as well, and my lips felt like they were going to pop right open. Somehow I managed to take another benadryl and went back to sleep.

When I get up in the morning (around 8am), the swelling had spread to my feet as well. I freakout, but luckily Dan, the guy who was living in the room next to mine, comes over to say hey. He gets Doña Rosa for me. She asks me what I ate or did the day before to cause this and I tell her I didn't know. I think she is just going to shrug and walk away, because Sunday is the day they're all supposed to have off, both in the school and in the host families. Dan tries to tell me that everybody gets sick when they travel and this isn't a big deal. He says he'll go get breakfast if I want, or go with to the doctor. After a while, Doña Rosa comes back to my room and says she couldn't get anyone from the school on the phone, but to get ready to go to the doctor. She, Dan, & I pile in a tuk-tuk, the tiny tricycle-style taxis that zip around the city. The doctor at the health department confirms that I am having an alergic reaction, and not, as I feared, a recurrence of rheumatic fever, but since we don't know the cause she would just get me a shot to take care of everything, and hopefully it won't happen again. At least the visit is free.

So, Doña Rosa, Dan, & I pile back into a tuk-tuk and go to the pharmacia, where a guy not wearing gloves tries to give me a shot from across the counter until Doña Rosa insists that I be allowed to sit down. Back in the tuk-tuk again, and I go straight to bed as soon as we get home. After about an hour, Doña Rosa comes to my door with soup (even though she isn't supposed to cook for me on Sunday) saying I need to get better. When I wake up four hours later, I don't itch anymore, but my hands and feet are still swolen. I'm sick of being in bed. I spend less than an hour sitting on my front stoop, in which time pretty much every member of Doña Rosa's family comes by to check on me. They all ask if I went swimming, or drank water from the tap, or bought drugs in the street. I think this illness has solidified my position in the family.

A few more hours pass, and Dan takes me back up to the pharmacia for the second shot, even though he moved out of the house and has no obligation to help me. He translates, haggles a cheaper price for the tuk-tuk we decide to take because of the rain, confirms for the millionth time that the needle, at least, is a new and clean one, gets me a receipt for the sketchiest medical care I've ever received, jokes with the pharmacist, and is just generally the nicest person I think I've ever met. I thank him, but not enough times.

This morning, the visible swelling is gone, but I can still feel the stiffness when I try to make a fist or walk. I thank Doña Rosa again (and again not enough) for going to the doctor with me, and for the soup. She asks (for the fifth time) if I ate all the soup. She says, gesturing between herself and Domingo, that while I am living here, they are my parents, and most important to her is that her children are healthy and happy. She asks if I want more coffee.

First week in San Pedro la Laguna

I made it to Guatemala! I had a little bit of a hassle with delayed and cancelled flights, but I arrived in San Pedro la Laguna in one piece, if a little tired.

I am taking 6 hours of Spanish courses a day. My teacher uses a very conversational style of instruction, which I really like because it gives me a lot of practice. Vocabulary is coming slowly, but my grammar has improved vastly already. I look forward to the next five weeks. The grounds of the school are absolutely incredible. We have a great view of the lake from the office area, and instruction takes place in little thatch roofed huts in the garden. I'm surrounded by flowers and cacti and coffee trees.

I'm living with a family in San Pedro. Rosa is the mother, who spends all day cooking and cleaning and generally caring for us and her children. She and Domingo have three sons living at home, ranging in age from 16 to 22. Their two daughters don't live at home right now. One is studying nursing in Xela, and the other lives in San Pedro with her husband and 1 year old daughter. My room opens up on to the garden, which is full of avocado trees; we eat fresh guacamole almost every day. Beyond the street in front is an awesome view of the mountains to the east. When I walk out into the street, the hill slopes down to the lake. It's beautiful. I'm in heaven. That is, I would be if it would stop raining. The mornings are usually somewhat cloudy--sunny but cold if we're lucky--but in the afternoons it rains without exception.

I would love to write a more in-depth entry today, but I don't have the time. Teagan, one of my roommates from Border Servant Corps, is in town, and I have lunch plans with her and her boyfriend. Maybe I will make it back down tomorrow, but if not, until next week know that I am safe and having fun and learning MUCHO!

100 thing challenge, pt. 3

Ready for the packing list?

I should go on and say, I haven't put things in suitcases yet. I'm having trouble--a lot of trouble--looking at eight pairs of shoes and thinking they'll be enough. But I'm getting closer. This list is what I have decided I will need. It's possible that my suitcase will have slightly different contents, but hopefully not to the point of having more... things.
I also want to note that this is the packing list for the year in Mexico. In Guatemala, I'm a lot less concerned with looking like a tourist and/or a bum. I will most definitely be taking more casual clothes (and less of them!) and hardly any accessories.

1. socks
2. undies
3. casual skirt
4. casual skirt
5. dressy dress
6. dressy dress
7. 1 pair shorts
   
8. jeans
9. jeans
10. jeans
11. 1 pair khakis
12. 1 pair capris
    
13. 1 nice pant/skirt
14. 1 nice top
15. tank top
16. tank top
17. long sleeve tee
18. long sleeve tee
19. 1 sweatshirt
20. 1 sweater
21. nice tee
22. nice tee
23. nice tee
24. nice tee
25. light jacket
26. light jacket
27. 1 pair sweatpants
28. 1 lounge pant
29. pj shirt
30. pj shirt
    
31. workout top
32. workout top
33. workout pant
34. workout pant
35. bummin around shirt
36. rain jacket
37. bathing suit
38. 1 backpack
39. 1 nice purse
40. casual purse (small)
    
41. casual purse (large)
42. 1 tote bag
43. 1 light scarf
44. 1 medium scarf
45. 1 warm scarf
46. 1 belt
47. wallet
48. watch
49. umbrella
    
50. mascara (1)
    
51. eyeliner (1)
52. concealer
    
53. lipstick
54. lipstick
55. chap stick (1)
56. eyeshadow (1)
57. hand salve
    
58. sunscreen
59. lotion
60. brush
61. comb
62. hair elastics
63. bobby pins
64. shampoo
65. face wash
66. deodorant
67. tweezers
68. hiking boots
69. running shoes
70. casual shoes
    
71. casual shoes
72. nice sandals
73. casual sandals
74. dress shoes
75. house shoes
    
76. iPod
77. stationery (1 set)
78. photos of home
79. jewelry (1 box)
80. sunglasses
81. füller
82. pen
83. pencil
84. sharpie
85. knitting needles
86. crochet hooks
87. yarn (1 small tote)
88. camera
89. computer
90. external hard drive
91. journal
92. cell phone (to be purchased in Mexico)
93. books (2 for fun, Span/Eng dictionary, Mexico guidebook, Bible)
    
94. sleeping bag
95. pocket knife
96. alarm clock
97. dvds (1 zip up case - 12 disks)
98. day planner
99. measuring cups
100. reusable water bottle
     

The Essentials & Incidentals List:

1. toothbrush & toothpaste
2. contact lenses, case, & solution
3. glasses
4. prescriptions
5. soap
6. hand sanitizer
7. small first aid kit (anti-histamine, motion sickness prevention, & ibuprofen)
   
8. suitcase
9. ticket & passport
   

100 thing challenge, pt. 2

So, here's the list of "rules" I've developed for myself so far. A lot of this, honestly, looks just like Guy Named Dave's. What can I say? The man knew what he was doing. Final packing list comes on Wednesday at the latest.

Philosophical Goal: to reduce my need to keep impractical items, and my impulse to acquire new things.
Tangible Goal: to live with only 100 personal items for a year. "Personal items" are things that are entirely or mostly mine and cannot be defined as "absolute essentials."
• I will be honest with myself about what "absolute essentials" are. This list will be small, and fixed. It includes my toothbrush, contact lenses and glasses, and soap. "Absolute essentials" is not synonymous with "personal hygiene items." In short, "absolute essentials" are those items which would impair my bodily well-being if I didn't have access to them on any given day. For example, this category does not include a razor, makeup, or any clothing, although the general category of "clothing" is, in my opinion, essential; if I could go three days without it, it's not essential. It does not include anything that has emotional value.
• I will count some things as groups. In order to be eligible for grouping, the members of that group must be interchangeable. For example, underwear and socks are okay, but not shirts that need to be matched.

My library counts as one item out of necessity (it would be out of control to count them all), but I will sort through the books I've been hanging on to and get rid of those I have actually read all the way through, but haven't re-read. I will allow myself access to the books I already own (my parents have agreed to ship me books throughout the year), but I can only have access to five at a time, while the others should be given away or put back in storage. 

Jewelry will also be included in this category initially, but I will try to be honest with myself about why it is I am still keeping the jewelry I have--because I actually wear it, because it has sentimental value, or just because--and gradually weed that collection out.
• I will not acquire new things, except as replacements for something old or broken. I will think carefully about purchases before I make them. If I get new things, I have to throw something away before I can have/use it.

BUT THERE'S MORE! The real danger I face every time I move somewhere is not even the things I take with me. Worse still are all the things I've left in storage for years and years. So, I'm working on leaving fewer things here. Helping with that is that my parents are redecorating the room I usually leave my things in. So here are the plans for what I'll leave behind:
• I can keep one bin of clothes that still fit, but I won't be taking to Mexico.
• I can keep one bin of clothes that don't fit. If these clothes don't fit when I return in August, I will give them away. If I don't wear them by six months from then, I will give them away.
• I cannot keep any toiletries or cosmetics in storage. If I don't need it for a year, I don't want it ever.
• I can keep one bin of books. Yes: This is going to be hard. Yes: It will be a big bin.
• I can keep one bin of items with emotional value.
• I can keep three bins of craft supplies.
• I can keep two bins of housewares (dishes, bedding, towels, etc).
• I can keep one bin of miscellaneous items/kitsch/decroations.

Okay, so these were awesome goals, until I realized that there was a black hole in my parents' closet where my stuff was stored. The rules above do apply to the things that are in my apartment currently, but if I don't have time to sort everything that is already in storage bins, it's okay. Or rather, I would prefer to put it in storage and spend my time with the people I love instead of looking at things that I'll probably end up throwing out, so I'm not going to be as strict with myself as I might've hoped to be.
I have already done a marvelous job, imho, of putting things in the "get rid of it" pile, however. It's possible that I won't have a lot more than this, even if I'm not trashing the things that were at my parents' house. The biggest thing is the box of junk I kept from high school, and I have a sneaking suspicion I'm not emotionally ready to sort through that box anyway.

100 thing challenge

I think I may have posted about the 100 Thing Challenge on here before, but I hope you'll forgive me for repeating myself. If you haven't heard about it, here's a summary from the Guy Named Dave website:

The goal of the 100 Thing Challenge is to break free from the confining habits of American-style consumerism. A lot people around the world feel "stuck in stuff." They feel like their closets and garages are too full of things that don't really make their lives much better. But how to get unstuck?
Reduce (get rid of some of your stuff)
Refuse (to get more new stuff)
Rejigger (your priorities)
I totally believe that living without abundance of personal possessions for an extended period of time is the first step we ought to take in order to realize that we don't need ever-more stuff. If you do this -- if you will give up your stuff for a while -- I am sure you'll never go back. You'll spend the rest of your life creating a more valuable life, instead of wasting your money and time on stuff. You will be glad. And best of all, the people around you will be blessed by your efforts to prioritize more meaningful pursuits.
Goal: I will live with only 100 personal things for one full year.
Rules: Remember, this is my 100 Thing Challenge. I get to set the rules and decide when a rule can be stretched or outright broken. Basically I'm going by the spirit of the challenge not the letter of the challenge.

My preoccupation with keeping things has become somewhat of a joke among my family members--although one look at my grandmother's house or my mother's "sewing room" proves I come by it honestly. And while I do struggle every day to throw even the least important things away (movie tickets from first dates of ill-fated relationships, receipts from groceries long ago consumed, class notes from courses dropped mid-semester, and the list goes on), I also realize how much having these things hinders my ability to live my life the way I'd like to.

I move a lot. I usually end up moving back to Clemson. And every time I come back to Clemson, I pull all of my things out of the closet and out of the boxes and I look at all those things that I haven't looked at in a long time. I can't throw them away. I usually either put them back in a different box, or they sit on the shelf and I still don't use them. It's pointless. So, I'm going to use this year to force myself to change. This move isn't like moving to Las Cruces. I've got to fly internationally and I've got to move in with a complete family I don't know. So, I'm going to pare down.

I just got my recommended packing list from GM this morning. I'm taking today to continue packing things I know I won't be taking to Mexico. In the remainder of the week I'm going to compare their packing list with the "1ooTC" list I had developed for myself, and figure out what parts of my rules are realistic and where I need to give a little. This weekend I'm going to actually put things into suitcases to see how they fit, and at that point I will be posting another post with my rules and my list, if you're interested.