R.I.P.

Wowsers.

Ok, so I know I am EXTREMELY behind on updating this thing. But I have good reason for that. Not only am I in a foreign am country…but I also a student who lacks access to internet and an excess amount of homework. And I guess there’s one more thing…I have good news and bad news for all y’all: It seems like whenever I would go to update my life…I would remember some other sort of homework I had to go do and finish. BUT I have been making a list of everything that I need to write about so I don’t forget everything. That’s the good news. Now for the bad news….so this list I made in a word document on my computer. (I know you probably wonder where I am going with this.) And some of the recent tragedy in my life involves my computer. It died.

That’s it. Caput. It tossed its cookies and never lived to tell the tale.

I guess it lived a good life. Unfortunately in its last stand it decided to take all my documents and pictures with it.

Luckily Mateo works at the SI office. Computers bow before him. Well, Mateo performed surgery on my computer…and was able to save some things. Some of my documents and pictures were saved, however a lot were lost. It was a tiring and gruesome battle.

While at the beginning this was tragic news for me. (and I guess it still kind of is) I am deciding to look on the bright side of things.

1. Now I get to exercise my memory and remember all of the things I have to blog about.
2. I get to buy a new computer!
3. I get to take more pictures again and try to revisit old memories.
4. I have a story to tell.
5. I won’t have to worry about hauling my computer home.
6. I can maybe (???) get some new computer money from selling parts of my old one.
7. Hmmmm….i think it’s kinda hard to find the silver lining just yet.

It’ll come though. But until then I will be brainstorming and doing my best to recall all of the wonderful and life changing things that occur in the BEAU-tiful country of Guate.

Insects you have met your match.

Looking at that title I do not mean me…I mean my compe. (my roomie)

She is awesome when it comes to massacring disgusting insects. I have killed my fair share of baby ants (15 to be exact) but she has come to my rescue on two separate occasions when there was a cockroach and giant spider in the bathroom.

Sydney (my compe) has also done a wonderful job of taking care of me while I am sick…but what I do appreciate the most is her quick instinct to kill.

But don’t worry…it only applies to creatures with 4+ legs. I am safe.

The Four P’s: Partido, Pizza, Picnic and Pantalones

WHAT AN AMAZING DAY!!!

Ok, so I may be writing this today…but I am talking about last Sunday. (I hope this doesn’t confuse you all too much.)

Man oh man! So, the past week it has just been stressful, not only with classes at the Mayan school, but with Dr. Zalanga’s lectures and with being sick. I totally needed a day like today. it was great.

Ok, so first off…Sunday is my day to sleep in. Crazy, I know…but would you believe I get to sleep in and still go to church?! Oh the beauty of living in a society that functions more on the tardy side of things….

Anyway, this weekend I didn’t go to church because I went to a PARTIDO DE FUTBOL PROFESIONAL!!! (for the non Spanish speaking…that’s A PROFESSIONAL SOCCER GAME!!)

It was awesome. A group of us (Dan, Chris, Andy, Me, Lauren and Emily) met up and walked the few blocks to the stadium. At the stadium you can pay for the cheap seats in el sol or for the more expensive ones in la sombra. We opted for the sun…who doesn’t need a good dose of Vitamin D anyway?? The ticket was only 15Q….which converts to just under $2. What a great deal!

Antigua’s team won…of course. But what was really cool to see was the loyalty of the fans. There was fireworks, a band, people in masks screaming and yelling, and confetti paper raining down on us…and this was just for when the team came out on the field. When they scored…there was even more of a celebration. And their mascot?? An avocado. Of course they were going to win. How cool is that?!

After the soccer game, we were craving a bit of home-style food. So, we went for pizza. Dan, Lauren and I split one pizza and we took it to go. We ended up having a pizza picnic in the park. It was delicious. Since it was a Sunday, we receive a stipend because our host families don’t feed us on Sundays. Therefore, this pizza picnic in the park was possible. (man, how many “p”s can I get in one sentence?)

Ok, so I’ve gone through three of the four “P”s…what one’s left?? PANTALONES. And more specifically hippie pants. Dan, Lauren, becky and I went to the market and bought some of the best pants known to men. Think Aladdin…but in a typical Guatemalan fabric. I can’t wait for you all to see them. I believe next year we are going to have hippie pants Thursdays or something like that. So when you see those really cool pants in the halls of bethel university, you can know that that’s me!

Now for some more updated parts of life:

            My roommate and I have gone to two free jazz concerts that Antigua has hosted. One group from the US and one group from Italy. It was pretty fun and the setting was sweet. The concerts were at the Spanish Embassy in front of some ruins. It was so cool and kinda eerie to see the ruins lit up from the lights of the stage. Dan came with to the first concert, and it was cool to get a history lesson behind some of the songs. The US group played some that were very influential in the civil rights movement in the states. Super interesting. I feel like I am learning so much while here. It’s almost like I can’t not learn. I don’t have to be in the classroom for learning to take place, I am finding that this is a blessing as much as it is a curse.

the joy of education and parasitic creatures

This past week has been crazy busy. Let me start by explaining a typical day in the life of laura:

7:05 alarm clock goes off

7:10 still in bed

7:14 jumping out of bed, rush to put on clothes and run downstairs

7:15 breakfast with the other housemates

7:30 done with breakfast and grab things to leave for school

7:40 walk to school….which I actually know how to get to now!

7:55 meet in the library, group prayer and announcements before school starts

8-12 class with Guillermo

            A coffee and sweet bread break 10-10:30

1:00 lunch with housemates

Free time for homework, visiting the market, interviewing people, internet access, rest

6:00 supper with housemates

Free time for all the above mentioned activities

10:00 curfew

Also included, is every Tuesday we have a group Bible study from 4-5:30

While this schedule is all fine and dandy for when we have classes….last week the University decided we needed some more education time.

Well, not necessarily so….but last week we were graced with the presence of Dr. Zalanga, a professor at Bethel. All of the students in the group are taking a class of his during our time here. He was here for one week to give us our lectures for the entire semester. We are taking a class on Economic Development with a focus on the development of 3 world countries, not only Guate, but around the world. Although, it does make learning so much more interesting when we can see examples and compare situations to the country we are directly living in. Because of this class, I am seeing the impact that many actions the USA has had on the economies of other countries, and as a consequence the lives of the people living there, especially the poor. I am struggling in understanding my role in this situation…now that I know of all the inequality, what’s my role in changing it? How can I impact this for the good? What is the answer to all the poverty, malnutrition, homelessness and illiteracy caused by some of these decisions?

Dr. Zalanga is one of the smartest people I know, and the great thing is he doesn’t make me feel stupid. Everything he explains, makes complete sense. And while I have never exhibited a burning desire for economics, I found myself at the edge of my seat during his lectures.

(Random thought: I would love to invade his library and documentary collection.)

Although, no matter how awesome someone makes a class, being able to see the sun outside makes sitting for that long a bit rough.

Also, one thing that made it a bit rough was that this past week I was sick. (for your benefit I will not go into details) On and off stomach issues…my program coordinator thought I may have a parasite. Fortunately I am feeling better, so hopefully I am in the clear from that. I would not enjoy a parasite. Eww. Gross.

So….add to the schedule before: class from 3-5:30. And add 6 hours of class all day Saturday, we only got a break for lunch.

All I have to say to that is….

Thank goodness I enjoy learning.

what's your prey?

Ok, so the last blog I promised that I would write about our excursion to Guatemala City that happened the 12^th of February. I apologize that I am so far behind….and I am not going to tell you all of what happened, but this particular event that has stuck with me. As much as I may, or may not want to shake it.

Our group traveled to Guatemala City. It is here that I saw the two ends of a spectrum.

Our first stop was the cemetery, where there were literally mini churches built for their dead. Not going to lie, this was actually a super sweet/eerie set up. It was almost like we were on a movie set where Godzilla was going to come and destroy the city. I kept expecting him to jump out from a corner on cue, and people to run from the “buildings” screaming. But, again…this isn’t the focus of the trip.

We are walking toward the back of the cemetery….and I notice a large black bird that flies above my head…crow maybe? I think nothing of it.

I lag behind taking pictures of various things throughout the cemetery. I didn’t notice that my group had reached their destination. I turned the corner to catch up with them and noticed more of those large black birds, at least 30, all standing on and around the tombs.

They aren’t crows.

They are vultures.

I don’t think I have ever had such an eerie chill pass through my spine.

I made my way around them, giving them the largest arc I could to join my group. The beady eyes of the vultures following me the entire time. So creepy. Just the fact that these guys prey on dead things flashes a warning signal in my head.

I make my way to the group and notice how quiet they are. They are all looking down into the valley below us….it is here that I found a scene that broke my heart. I think my heart literally stopped beating. I stopped dead in my tracks.

In the valley is the city dump…where people were scavenging for food, things to wear/sell/live with. There is a lot of poverty in Guatemala….and then there are these people. This dump is where the poorest of the poor scavenge for a means to live. It is one of the only places where the uneducated and poor can go to find work. It is also one of the most dangerous.

This isn’t the end….

Circling above them were hundreds and hundreds of the large black vultures. The harsh reality is that while these people are scavenging…they themselves are the prey.

Hundreds……and hundreds.

Sides of the mountain were a solid black color, trees and land could not be seen…it was covered with these birds.

Deaths occur at the dump on a frequent basis. The towers of trash are very unstable, and many people are buried alive. It may take up to a week to dig anyone out…and by then it is no use.

Not only is the trash dangerous for the workers, but the families actually live right next to the dump. My teacher Guillermo was telling me today of how sometimes the trash buries the people in their “homes”…if you can even call where they live a home. Not only is the trash dangerous, but the fumes and pollutants are causing many health issues for the children and families.

Right after this experience, we were rushed off to a mall, Mira Flores. Everyone was kind of in shock in the bus….for the 10 minute ride. Here is where we saw the richest people of Guatemala. Literally, some of these kids were wearing stuff worth more than a year’s tuition at Bethel. Our guide gave us each 10Q to buy a can of pop. We were told to sit down and drink it. While we drank it, we were supposed to imagine the hands that would next be digging through the trash to find that can. Risking their lives for it….it was hard to imagine. I just couldn’t shake the image of those vultures from my mind.

I still can’t.