Field Based Training, etc

We stopped in Chimaltenango to visit a Korean-funded research-based organic medicinal plant farm. Large gardens full of hundreds of medicinal plants, huge bins of worms and piles of compost. The few employees managed the gardens, the seed bank and are working on publishing a medicinal plant guide.
Next it was off to the city of Solola in the department of Solola. We stayed in a hotel near the park and traveled each day to a different site. We worked with two current volunteers in their communities with their groups of women. We immunized over 200 chickens one morning, hand ground corn, beans, eggshells and bones to make chicken feed one afternoon, we made a natural cold remedy for animals another and a vitamin-rich feed for chickens another. One morning we gave formal presentations. I talked about making a balanced meal to a group of 20 Kakchiquel women who barley spoke Spanish. They filed into the naturally-lit room, dressed in their vibrant clothes with their children wrapped around their backs. I used a translator throughout my presentation and a lot of activities and skits to assist my message.
Solola is a medium-sized city near Lake Atitlan. It is set up on the hills with a view of the lake and surrounding volcanoes. The large park hosts the market on Fridays. I have never seen a market quite like this one. The vibrancy of the place, even under dreary skies was really impressive. Every fruit or vegetable you would need, food vendors, and any other necessity you may desire. It was like an outdoor Super Wal-Mart on a day when everything is half-off. The men in Solola wear the traditional traje as well, adding to the richness of the scene. Brightly colored red and pink patterned pants with a matching button shirt. Around the waist is a thick piece of brown plaid to act as an apron. Some men just wear the brown fabric as a skirt.
Friday night we traveled to Panajachel, a tourist destination on the shores of the lake. Pana has an immense artisan market that we had hopes of exploring when the rain started. We decided to keep walking with thoughts we could find a restaurant to wait out the rain in. By the time we figured out we were a bit lost, the streets were flowing with up to 6 inches of water. Totally soaked, we finally found the rest of our group in time for the presidential debates to begin. I sipped hot chocolate with kalua, attempting to dry off and watched the candidates on a projector screen while drunk Americans yelled at the screen.
Upon returning to my home in Sta. Maria Cauque the next morning, I realized I forgot my key. No one was home in my house so I joined Nic in his house for a few hours. His Guatemadre Anacleta made us a lunch of fish tacos and limeade while we played Go Fish with his 9-year-old host sister. When Don Francisco arrived home for lunch he said he had a big problem. His potatoes were in bad shape. It sounded like a fungus to Nic and I. After lunch Nic and Francisco journeyed to Francisco’s land and I tried my house again, this time greeted by my family. I was happy to see them and as a surprise they had moved all my things to anther room in the house that is a bit nicer. They had arranged everything in the new room including stacking my books, lining up in order of bottle size my vitamins and folding my underwear.
Today we celebrated Jessica’s birthday. Jessica is Nic’s host sister, she just turned 9. There were two piñatas and a delicious strawberries and cream cake. All her family came to celebrate with her and each took a turn swinging a broken broom handle in the small courtyard blindfolded. Don Francisco is maybe one of the goofiest men in Guatemala, with a girlish giggle to boot. He had us rolling with his antics and his laugh.
Once home again, I taught Irma how to make lasagna, and made a tasty kale soup. I have to say, for a stove-top oven (one big pot covering a smaller pot on a burner), the lasagna was maybe one of the tastiest I’ve made yet.