Mis Amigas

Time continues to fly by with my grip on it loose. I am continually pleasantly surprised by how well things are going. There is little that has got me down and much that has blessed my spirit. I am rounding out five weeks here already. My Spanish is at a decent somewhat conversational level and I am able to navigate the bus system, remind the ayudante on the bus that he owes me a Q or more in change, that it is not my first time on the bus and am feeling more comfortable in my new environment. My family is beginning to feel more like family everyday as we continue to laugh with each other and as they continue to teach me about the chapin culture. They call me “Amarilla”, yellow, and “munyeca”, baby doll because of my hair. The kids run out of the dining room when they hear the door close to see if it’s me. The other night when I arrived late for dinner, Irma told me that Stephani would not sleep until she saw me. Stefani greets me with squeals and swinging arms. She inspects my earrings every day and plays peek-a-boo at the table every night.
The days are full; Spanish classes, technical training, weeding the garden and checking on the worms, working with the students the school and visiting other towns. Weeks are bookended by trips to Antigua or other destinations for a change of sight and to get a good cup of coffee. This weekend will include a trip to some ruins for a picnic in the park for another volunteer’s birthday and Monday starts a week of field based training in another department. Today we did formal presentations at the school, two presentations each and I found that with the second presentation I didn’t have to think much about what I was saying. This evening was Edwin and Lupe’s first English lesson over café and sweet bread and a trip to the Marimba school and museum for a personal concert.
I do look forward to my site when I can be more self-sufficient. As of now I have yet to cook a meal (aside from the curry I made for my family a few weeks ago), wash my clothes or even do the dishes. My family prepares the temascal, the sauna where I bathe and pack my lunches when I travel. My schedule is given to me and I have to be in before dark. It feels a bit like being fifteen all over again.
More than a few days visiting the bathroom frequently lead me to talk to the medical team here. A lab test confirmed that I am in fact the first volunteer in my class to carry amebas. “A significant amount” of amebas, according to the nurse and to be exact. I think I’ve tracked in back to some street food I had with my family last weekend while visiting Xenacoj for the beauty pageant. PC staff warned us about street food, but I’ve always been one to learn the hard way. “Tengo amebas”(I have amebas), I told my mom. “No Katarin. Tienes amigas” (No, you have friends). When my mom laughs, which is often, her belly jumps under her colorful half-apron and her mouth opens wide in a toothy smile. Amebas are nothing that 25 days of antibiotics won’t take care of.
Life is pretty good.

Thanks for Nic for stepping in with the camera when mine failed me. These shots are me in the traditional traje of the pueblo I’m living in. And it was just my luck that day that my guatemadre’s madre was in casa for a visit. The family tree goes like this, from left to right. Isaias with his wife, my sister, Irma, my Guatemadre Marta, me, my niece Stefani, 80-year-old Lorenza, Marta’s mom, Lupe who is Edwin’s (my brother) wife and their son Danny.