All Saints Day

November 1st was an important holiday here in Guatemala. Dia de los Santos, or All Saints Day, brings people all over latin america to the cemeteries to reunite with their lost loved ones. The interesting thing about this day is the attitude associated with death... no one is crying or upset. In fact, the cemetery is practically converted into a carnival with food vendors, kite flying, and music. Here in San Andres Itzapa, the village next to mine, I saw a huge kite festival in the cemetery. People flew kites that were up to 10 feet tall and intricately decorated. Many of the kites were decorated to illustrate political or social statements...it was truly amazing. I went with my friend Christy, who is Guatemalan, and helped her decorate her grandmother´s grave with candles and flowers.

The Market in Chichicastenango and the Mayas

In the end of November, I went on a weekend trip to the market in Chichicastenango. Chichi is world-famous for it's endless Sunday market, one of the oldest and biggest in Central America. I arrived there by bus on Saturday afternoon, and had time to wander around and explore a Mayan museum and tour a local temple. One notable thing about Chichi is that the Mayan culture is very strong- to the point that the majority of people do not speak Spanish in the street, rather a local indigenous language called Quiche.

I haven't really mentioned the Mayas in my blog thus far, but you really can't come to Guatemala without noticing them. The Mayas, described in most history books as being "conquered", are very much alive here. Everywhere in the streets, most people are still wearing their traditional dress and have strong ties to their past.

Some Mayas in Guatemala have adopted Catholicism as their religion, but some blend their faith with that of their ancestors, making for some fascinating temples. The Mayas here have been very much discriminated against since the war in the 1980's, leading some people (such as my friend Yulisa at work), to refrain from wearing their traditional dress in professional settings. The marginalization of this culture here in Guatemala have left many Mayan men, women, and children in extreme poverty. In spite of this, however, the Mayan people are a crucial part of Guatemalan society and add a special spice to the culture. Their are over 20 indigenous languages spoken here in addition to Spanish, and the Mayas where I live (including many of my kids at the house) speak Kachikel.

On Sunday in Chichi, I woke up and walked outside my hotel to find that the streets that had existed the day before were now just a plethora of stores and booths and vendors yelling out prices. I hardly knew where I was! I bartered for masks and gifts and clothes all day... the rule here is generally that the price the vendor initially gives you is at least double what the item is actually worth. I think I made out pretty well in the end. :)

My kids

I am at the 5-month mark since my arrival in Guatemala, and I can honestly say that it is starting to feel like home. I have forged an unforgettable relationship with my kids, and every day with them is an adventure! It's amazing how, after just a few months of living with them, I feel personally responsible for the children who live at NPH and being a part of their lives.
I know I have said alot about the kids I work with, so I thought I would take this opportunity to share some things about the other 300 kids who live at the home! Most of the kids who live at the home do not have a mother, and have 2 or more siblings who also live at NPH. Every kid's story is different, but the most common situation is that the mother passed away and the father could no longer financially nor physically care for the children. A large percentage come from abusive households, or have drug/alcohol dependent parents.

The kids all live in dormitory style buildings with rows of bunk beds and lockers- just like in the movie "Annie". They wake up in the morning at 4am to begin chores, eat breakfast at 6:30, start school at 7:30. Then, lunch is served at 1:30, after which the vast majority of the kids engage in workshops to teach them vocational skills. This could be carpintery, beauty salon, farmwork, or a slew of other things...all offered right on-site for them at the home. At 5pm there is a 1-hour break, followed by dinner at 6pm. Afterwords, more chores and homework take them until bedtime, which is usually around 8pm. The kids work very hard, which keeps them out of trouble and keeps the orphanage running- we have no cleaning staff because the kids clean EVERYTHING in the entire facility.

Speaking of trouble, I would say that the biggest behavioral concern we have overall is robbery. Every volunteer and staff member has had at least one personal item stolen. I think it has to do with the past of these particular children, and the fact that everything at the house is provided for free. Also, with such a closed facility, the children are constantly searching for ways to "entertain" themselves and their friends. Consequences are difficult to enforce at times, so our precious little kleptomaniacs are usually let off the hook. We're working on it.
The kids live in very close quarters and sometimes get into fights and arguments due to their proximity (and just being kids!). The house provides them many benefits that they would never receive outside, but also many challenges that they need to deal with.

Here are some pictures!

Lake Atitlan and general life udate!

Wow its definately time for an update... first off, my camera battery is no longer functioning, so until I find a new one, I will be sharing pictures with other people whenever possible. Bear with me!

I went on another vacation to Lago de Atitlan (wikipedia it), which is a really famous lake here and I went swimming and just hung out. We were are this village called Jibalito, which is tiny and mostly indigenous, so we got to see how the local Mayan population lives which was really neat. I did some hiking, swam in the lake, and just rested with the other volunteers...very sweet!



This weekend was independence day for Guatemala so there was a torch run which the orphanage did for about 10 miles! I didn't run the whole way because the altitude is super high here and its hard to run sometimes, but I ran a good chunk. There was also a parade, but I was down with the flu that day so I didn't get to attend. However, I will post pictures from other people soon.

Work has been...intense. The more I work with my kids, the more I discover the hidden problems with the administration here, the reality of my students' capabilities, and the attitudes of other people in the Guatemalan society towards disability. The people here have two main attitudes towards people with disabilities: 1) They believe that disabled individuals can't achieve anything so they refuse to assist with medical care, education, or advocacy, 2) They freely hand out money and gifts to disabled people without training them in any way. Both attitudes are harmful to the kids. I struggle to find a balance between work and daily life, as my kids require an INFINITE amount of therapies every day. However, in spite of it all, I LOVE my kids very much and enjoy spending so much time with them.

Pictures soon....not only of the lake, but also more of my kids and the house.

Monterrico!

Last weekend, I took my first vacation to Monterrico, right on the Pacific coast! It was a black sand beach...absolutely beautiful. I stayed in a quaint hotel called Hotel Delfin, with the ocean right outside my back door. The town of Monterrico itself has only 2000-3000 residents, and it seemed like every single one had a hammock in their house. The town also boasts a wildlife sanctuary and turtle preservation museum. After the last two months of changes and stress here in Guatemala, it was such a relief to just lie out by the beach. Here are pictures of the beach and the wildlife sanctuary....

It began with a dream...

Big news this week... my classroom is finally ready for use! When I got to the house a month ago, I was shown a small room filled with insects, old tables, and benches. I couldn't even walk in because of all the "stuff" that was randomly being stored there! After weeks of hauling out the junk, finding donations, cleaning profusely and moving new furniture, my students started their individual classes this week. I am so proud of this space, because it is my own creation! Here are some pictures....

Interesting pictures

My students at horseback riding, my permanent room at the house, a couple shots of my kids, and the rodeo!