Making Music - A look at the NPH Guatemala orquestina (concert band) and their upcoming tour to the United States.
Tío Enmanual - Hermano Mayor and Tío (Caretaker)
Friday, August 13, 2010
If You're Feeling Generous
Well, this is embarrassing.
Through this lovely blogosphere, I'm sending all you loyal readers a request for a little bit of help.
For several years, the NPH Guatemala International Volunteer Team has attended a Volunteer Workshop every October. For three days, all the volunteers come together to discuss the NPH Guatemala volunteer experience.
We talk about what we like, what we don't like, what works, what doesn't, and what we -- as outsiders bringing a different perspective -- think the house could do better. Some of the most fundamental programs in the house today have sprung from conversations during these yearly workshops. The idea for an NPHG student leadership group started this way, and so did the twice-monthly family projects we all complete. It's not time for us to whine about the food or the crappy internet; it's an opportunity to really sit down and discuss how we can keep NPH Guatemala moving forward as the world outside of our walls does too.
So, the request. Gracias to the continuing economic situation, we're poor, and the U.S. offices affiliated with NPH can no longer pay for American volunteers to attend this once-a-year workshop. Since American volunteers currently account for 15 of the 23 of us here in Guatemala, that means we're short some money.
So, if you're reading this and feeling generous, family, friends, and supporters of NPH volunteers can call a U.S. Friends of the Orphans office to donate money and guarantee the workshop happens again this year. Remember, Guatemala is cheap, so even $15 or $25 will make a big difference. You'll need to tell them you want to donate to NPH Guatemala's Project P-GUA-10048, Yearly Workshop for Volunteers.
My regional office is:
Friends of the Orphans
Southeast Region
Miami, FL
(305) 663-6211
Or the national office can be reached at:
Friends of the Orphans
National Office
Chicago, IL
(312) 386-7499
Muchísimas gracias to all who help out -- I'll buy ya a drink when I get back Stateside. :)
Through this lovely blogosphere, I'm sending all you loyal readers a request for a little bit of help.
For several years, the NPH Guatemala International Volunteer Team has attended a Volunteer Workshop every October. For three days, all the volunteers come together to discuss the NPH Guatemala volunteer experience.
We talk about what we like, what we don't like, what works, what doesn't, and what we -- as outsiders bringing a different perspective -- think the house could do better. Some of the most fundamental programs in the house today have sprung from conversations during these yearly workshops. The idea for an NPHG student leadership group started this way, and so did the twice-monthly family projects we all complete. It's not time for us to whine about the food or the crappy internet; it's an opportunity to really sit down and discuss how we can keep NPH Guatemala moving forward as the world outside of our walls does too.
So, the request. Gracias to the continuing economic situation, we're poor, and the U.S. offices affiliated with NPH can no longer pay for American volunteers to attend this once-a-year workshop. Since American volunteers currently account for 15 of the 23 of us here in Guatemala, that means we're short some money.
So, if you're reading this and feeling generous, family, friends, and supporters of NPH volunteers can call a U.S. Friends of the Orphans office to donate money and guarantee the workshop happens again this year. Remember, Guatemala is cheap, so even $15 or $25 will make a big difference. You'll need to tell them you want to donate to NPH Guatemala's Project P-GUA-10048, Yearly Workshop for Volunteers.
My regional office is:
Friends of the Orphans
Southeast Region
Miami, FL
(305) 663-6211
Or the national office can be reached at:
Friends of the Orphans
National Office
Chicago, IL
(312) 386-7499
Muchísimas gracias to all who help out -- I'll buy ya a drink when I get back Stateside. :)
Due and Overdue
This morning for her English class homework, Pati was having to translate all kinds of payment letters and sales notices from English into Spanish, so we kept running into phrases like "your payment is due" or "your payment is overdue" or "your payment is 8 weeks overdue."
After being confused that the dictionary didn't have any exact translations, I kept trying to explain to her: "You know, when you are supposed to pay something by a certain date? Or you're supposed to return something by a certain date and then you don't? And then it's a problem because you were supposed to pay or return the thing earlier? You're late and it's bad? Because there was an important deadline that you didn't follow? You know?"
Pati just gave me a blank look and said, "I don't think we have a word for that in Guatemala."
And come to think of it, that really shouldn't surprise me.
After being confused that the dictionary didn't have any exact translations, I kept trying to explain to her: "You know, when you are supposed to pay something by a certain date? Or you're supposed to return something by a certain date and then you don't? And then it's a problem because you were supposed to pay or return the thing earlier? You're late and it's bad? Because there was an important deadline that you didn't follow? You know?"
Pati just gave me a blank look and said, "I don't think we have a word for that in Guatemala."
And come to think of it, that really shouldn't surprise me.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Elise is Visiting!
Hey people! GUESS WHAT.
ELISE IS VISITING GUATEMALA!
Elise, best study abroad friend from those four utopian months we spent in Athens, Greece, is making a trip to Guatemala in September!
I repeat, Elise, fellow lover of all things Greek, giant beans fanatic, weekly Melissouzer dinner hostess, Ciao chocolate croissants at all hours of the day enthusiast, “We might get deported for this” trip to Istanbul risk-taker, Prague soda explosion witness, Pink Palace survivor who lived to tell about it, and general travel buddy for life, is making a trip to Guatemala in September!!!!!
As I told her, I can’t wait to share my second big abroad experience with my closest friend from my first, so needless to say, I’m pumped! :D
ELISE IS VISITING GUATEMALA!
Elise, best study abroad friend from those four utopian months we spent in Athens, Greece, is making a trip to Guatemala in September!
I repeat, Elise, fellow lover of all things Greek, giant beans fanatic, weekly Melissouzer dinner hostess, Ciao chocolate croissants at all hours of the day enthusiast, “We might get deported for this” trip to Istanbul risk-taker, Prague soda explosion witness, Pink Palace survivor who lived to tell about it, and general travel buddy for life, is making a trip to Guatemala in September!!!!!
As I told her, I can’t wait to share my second big abroad experience with my closest friend from my first, so needless to say, I’m pumped! :D
Athens -- before seeing Mamma Mia!
Budapest! You know you've found a good travel buddy when she'll agree to get her face painted with you.
Istanbul! Where we fell in love with apple tea and avoided deportation. :)
Belize!
Ok, I'm back! Vacation in Belize was super beautiful, super relaxing, and super...well, super perfect. I really don't even want to risk ruining it by making you read too much. Here's the deal:
After an exhausting 36 hours of getting ourselves there (bus, bus, cab, bus, a night in Puerto Barrios, boat, bus, boat) on less than top-shape transportation in Guatemala (bus broke down at one point – but the one that came to save us ended up being a double-decker with A/C and reclining leather seats?!?!?!?!), less than efficient transportation in Belize (every bus or boat that arrives in that country arrives about 15 minutes too late to catch the next one a.k.a. Sam and I did a lot waiting around at bus stations and ports), and one scary boat ride during a tropical storm (bad decision), we finally ARRIVED on Tobacco Caye! Granted, we were completely drenched from the crazy boat ride over, but WE MADE IT!
So, after a rainy first night and first early morning thanks to this…
Belize Welcomes Us from Carrie Daut on Vimeo.
…We spent the next 3 full days in PARADISE! Our stressful daily agenda consisted of: laying out, swimming, reading on the breezy front porch of our seaside cabana, eating when our hostel rang the bell to signal mealtime, laying out, swimming, and reading some more, attending Happy Hour on the beach, more meals, early bed. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Jealous? :)
So anyway, here are the gorgeous photos! Who’s up for a return trip with me?
After an exhausting 36 hours of getting ourselves there (bus, bus, cab, bus, a night in Puerto Barrios, boat, bus, boat) on less than top-shape transportation in Guatemala (bus broke down at one point – but the one that came to save us ended up being a double-decker with A/C and reclining leather seats?!?!?!?!), less than efficient transportation in Belize (every bus or boat that arrives in that country arrives about 15 minutes too late to catch the next one a.k.a. Sam and I did a lot waiting around at bus stations and ports), and one scary boat ride during a tropical storm (bad decision), we finally ARRIVED on Tobacco Caye! Granted, we were completely drenched from the crazy boat ride over, but WE MADE IT!
So, after a rainy first night and first early morning thanks to this…
Belize Welcomes Us from Carrie Daut on Vimeo.
…We spent the next 3 full days in PARADISE! Our stressful daily agenda consisted of: laying out, swimming, reading on the breezy front porch of our seaside cabana, eating when our hostel rang the bell to signal mealtime, laying out, swimming, and reading some more, attending Happy Hour on the beach, more meals, early bed. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Jealous? :)
So anyway, here are the gorgeous photos! Who’s up for a return trip with me?
Welcome to Tobacco Caye!
We got the most expensive cabana they have for the price of the cheapest room. They must have felt sorry for us when we stepped off the boat drenched in tropical storm.
My reading spot for the weekend.
Sunset
Sam and me with our daring boat driver!
Piles and piles of shells everywhere.
So many conch shells on the island.
William & Mary chairs!
Yep, this is what the water looked like.
Did I mention the island is tiny -- only 5 acres big? You can walk the perimeter in 5 minutes.
Our new friend, 4 year-old Copeland.
Daily Snickers fix. Come on, it was vacation.
Getting tan and NOT burned!
SUCH amazing water!
I told Sam these underwater swimming shots would look awesome! :)
Super cute.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Story Update 18
Pequeños Play in First-Ever Disney Cup in Guatemala - The most important youth soccer tournament in Latin America comes to Guatemala.
Pedro Pablo - A long-time pequeño with great potential.
Leeah Kohley - (USA) Academic Tutor, Volunteer Testimonial
Pedro Pablo - A long-time pequeño with great potential.
Leeah Kohley - (USA) Academic Tutor, Volunteer Testimonial
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