The school year in Guatemala runs from January to October, so today is the very last day of school at NPHG. Can you believe it???
The kids have pure vacation these next few weeks, and then they take Cursos de Verano (summer courses) in November. For kids who need to make up failing grades, they take real classes during this time, and everyone else takes fun classes -- like jewelrymaking. When December arrives, it's the Christmas season, so kids who can go home to their families leave the house for three weeks. Everyone comes back right before New Year's, and classes resume in January.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves. For now, WOOHOO!! NO MORE SCHOOL! :)
Friday, October 8, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
All Good Things Must Come to an End
In case you didn't catch this from the rumor mill, I've spent the last few months really, truly, very confusingly considering staying in my role as NPH Guatemala's Home Correspondent for another year.Yes, a whole 'nother year.
Believe me, if you'd asked me before I came to Guatemala -- or even during my first several months here -- if I ever thought I'd extend my time past 13 months, I would have told you you were crazy. I woke up every day for a long time loving where I was but also being very certain that I'd be ready to go in January.
But things change.
I love this job, and I'd love to keep doing it. I don't think I ever realized quite how much I love writing until I was given the chance to do it every single day, and I'd never paid much attention to the fact that just a few paragraphs written with some heart can actually move people to make a difference. I haven't put a career on hold by coming here. I'm having one right now. And that's actually kind of funny. I became serious about spending a post-graduation year abroad after reading a book called Delaying the Real World (Colleen Kinder), but I guess I didn't really delay it as much as I thought I would.
And I love these kids. I'll be the first one to admit that I didn't think they'd be my strong suit, but this place sort of forces you to become a bigger person than you were when you came. Five more of my girls will celebrate their Quinceañeras next June, and I want to be there and I want to teach them their waltz and I want to see them dressed up looking ten years older. Six of them are graduating from primary school in just a few weeks, and I want to be there next year to see them in middle school, and I want to see them ditch their plaid primary school skirts for the older girls' solid blue uniforms.
And besides, I'm not dying to get back to the States. Yes, I miss people and food and technology, but what dozen-day vacation can't take care of that?
So yeah, for a while, I was really serious about staying. I'd already come up with ways I could do my HC job better the second time around, I'd decided I'd move into Celeste/Katie & Leeah's room, and I'd mapped out when would be the best time for a couple-week visit back to the U.S.
But all good things must come to an end.
There are reasons I shouldn't stay too (money, bureaucracy drama, blah, blah, blah), and as much as I don't want to leave, my gut says it's time I do. (Annoyingly, my gut has changed its mind a lot over the past few months, but this time, it's sure.) Somewhere inside, I know it's time to go come January.
I won't be ready to leave, but I know I won't have a single regret. I will have given this year everything I had -- personally, professionally, as a Home Correspondent and a big sister/mom figure and a waltz teacher and a magazine organizer and an English tutor and a traveler and a friend and a member of this family --, and I don't think I'll wish I did anything differently.
If that's not a sign that it's okay to let go, then I don't know what is.
Believe me, if you'd asked me before I came to Guatemala -- or even during my first several months here -- if I ever thought I'd extend my time past 13 months, I would have told you you were crazy. I woke up every day for a long time loving where I was but also being very certain that I'd be ready to go in January.
But things change.
I love this job, and I'd love to keep doing it. I don't think I ever realized quite how much I love writing until I was given the chance to do it every single day, and I'd never paid much attention to the fact that just a few paragraphs written with some heart can actually move people to make a difference. I haven't put a career on hold by coming here. I'm having one right now. And that's actually kind of funny. I became serious about spending a post-graduation year abroad after reading a book called Delaying the Real World (Colleen Kinder), but I guess I didn't really delay it as much as I thought I would.
And I love these kids. I'll be the first one to admit that I didn't think they'd be my strong suit, but this place sort of forces you to become a bigger person than you were when you came. Five more of my girls will celebrate their Quinceañeras next June, and I want to be there and I want to teach them their waltz and I want to see them dressed up looking ten years older. Six of them are graduating from primary school in just a few weeks, and I want to be there next year to see them in middle school, and I want to see them ditch their plaid primary school skirts for the older girls' solid blue uniforms.
And besides, I'm not dying to get back to the States. Yes, I miss people and food and technology, but what dozen-day vacation can't take care of that?
So yeah, for a while, I was really serious about staying. I'd already come up with ways I could do my HC job better the second time around, I'd decided I'd move into Celeste/Katie & Leeah's room, and I'd mapped out when would be the best time for a couple-week visit back to the U.S.
But all good things must come to an end.
There are reasons I shouldn't stay too (money, bureaucracy drama, blah, blah, blah), and as much as I don't want to leave, my gut says it's time I do. (Annoyingly, my gut has changed its mind a lot over the past few months, but this time, it's sure.) Somewhere inside, I know it's time to go come January.
I won't be ready to leave, but I know I won't have a single regret. I will have given this year everything I had -- personally, professionally, as a Home Correspondent and a big sister/mom figure and a waltz teacher and a magazine organizer and an English tutor and a traveler and a friend and a member of this family --, and I don't think I'll wish I did anything differently.
If that's not a sign that it's okay to let go, then I don't know what is.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Top-Missed Foods
I think, no I know, that the only thing I seriously miss on a daily basis about the United States (besides reliable internet and all you lovely readers) is food. I MISS FOOD SO MUCH.
So, today I'm bringing you my Top 11 Missed Foods. In no particular order, they are:
1. Qdoba chicken burritos queso-style
2. Qdoba chips and queso
3. California Tortilla burritos (especially Honey Lime and Crunchy BBQ)
4. California Tortilla chips and queso
(I have got to remove myself from the California Tortilla email list. It's such torture!)
5. Ernesto's chips and queso
6. Tostito's chips and queso
(Are you seeing a pattern here? You'd think that living in Central America, I could more easily get my fix on Tex-Mex food. False. Tex-Mex is a strictly American thing. And what a great thing it is. Burritos as big as your head and chips and queso just don't exist here, and it's very very sad.)
7. Panera (Broccoli cheddar soup and the Bacon Turkey Bravo sandwich ordered as the You Pick Two menu)
8. Wawa salads (Turkey BLT Salad with Honey Mustard dressing. Yum.)
9. Wawa meatball subs
10. Fall and winter flavored coffee (Pumpkin spice and Peppermint, where are you???)
11. Cheese Shop bread ends and house dressing
Gahhhhh. Can someone please tell me if any of these places deliver to Guatemala??? :)
So, today I'm bringing you my Top 11 Missed Foods. In no particular order, they are:
1. Qdoba chicken burritos queso-style
2. Qdoba chips and queso
3. California Tortilla burritos (especially Honey Lime and Crunchy BBQ)
4. California Tortilla chips and queso
(I have got to remove myself from the California Tortilla email list. It's such torture!)
5. Ernesto's chips and queso
6. Tostito's chips and queso
(Are you seeing a pattern here? You'd think that living in Central America, I could more easily get my fix on Tex-Mex food. False. Tex-Mex is a strictly American thing. And what a great thing it is. Burritos as big as your head and chips and queso just don't exist here, and it's very very sad.)
7. Panera (Broccoli cheddar soup and the Bacon Turkey Bravo sandwich ordered as the You Pick Two menu)
8. Wawa salads (Turkey BLT Salad with Honey Mustard dressing. Yum.)
9. Wawa meatball subs
10. Fall and winter flavored coffee (Pumpkin spice and Peppermint, where are you???)
11. Cheese Shop bread ends and house dressing
Gahhhhh. Can someone please tell me if any of these places deliver to Guatemala??? :)
And They're Off!
Right now as I speak, 30 children are probably sitting on a plane FREAKING OUT.
That's because the NPH Guatemala orquestina (concert band) is on their very first, once-in-a-lifetime, making them go absolutely insane with nervousness and excitement, trip to the United States! Organized by NPH supporters in the States, the kiddos are on a three-week tour of Minnesota and Wisconsin, where they'll be performing at churches and fundraising events, living with a host family, and probably being completely overwhelmed by life in the U.S.
It's an incredible opportunity for them, and they have been absolutely hysterical in preparation for it. Last night I helped Linda, Adela, Irma, and Estela (the four orquestina girls from my section) pack up their suitcases, and I was bombarded with about a thousand questions during the process.
What size suitcase do I bring? What can I bring in my suitcase? Can I bring toothpaste? Can I bring soap? Can I bring a pencil? Does this suitcase weight 50 lbs yet? I can bring a backpack on the plane? What happens when I go through that security thing? Are you sure my suitcase doesn't weight 50 lbs? Will all those metal buttons on my jeans set off the security alarm?? What kinds of questions are they going to ask me at immigration? What do I answer? I can sleep on the plane?! They give us snacks on the plane, right? Will I have to pay for it? Do I have to ask permission to use the bathroom on the plane? What's it feel like on a plane? What happens if I need to throw up?
SO FUNNY.
I tried to reassure them that everything would be fine, their suitcases did NOT, in fact, weigh 50 lbs, that it was really cool to look out the plane window and see the tiny little cars and houses, and that if they did have to throw up, there are conveniently-placed bags in every seatback pocket. Oh man.
Buen viaje, kids! Have fun!
That's because the NPH Guatemala orquestina (concert band) is on their very first, once-in-a-lifetime, making them go absolutely insane with nervousness and excitement, trip to the United States! Organized by NPH supporters in the States, the kiddos are on a three-week tour of Minnesota and Wisconsin, where they'll be performing at churches and fundraising events, living with a host family, and probably being completely overwhelmed by life in the U.S.
It's an incredible opportunity for them, and they have been absolutely hysterical in preparation for it. Last night I helped Linda, Adela, Irma, and Estela (the four orquestina girls from my section) pack up their suitcases, and I was bombarded with about a thousand questions during the process.
What size suitcase do I bring? What can I bring in my suitcase? Can I bring toothpaste? Can I bring soap? Can I bring a pencil? Does this suitcase weight 50 lbs yet? I can bring a backpack on the plane? What happens when I go through that security thing? Are you sure my suitcase doesn't weight 50 lbs? Will all those metal buttons on my jeans set off the security alarm?? What kinds of questions are they going to ask me at immigration? What do I answer? I can sleep on the plane?! They give us snacks on the plane, right? Will I have to pay for it? Do I have to ask permission to use the bathroom on the plane? What's it feel like on a plane? What happens if I need to throw up?
SO FUNNY.
I tried to reassure them that everything would be fine, their suitcases did NOT, in fact, weigh 50 lbs, that it was really cool to look out the plane window and see the tiny little cars and houses, and that if they did have to throw up, there are conveniently-placed bags in every seatback pocket. Oh man.
Buen viaje, kids! Have fun!
September/October Magazine!
Another issue of X-PRES-ARTE -- the magazine by and for the pequeños of NPH Guatemala -- is out! Enjoy!
X-PRES-ARTE, Septiembre - Octubre
X-PRES-ARTE, Septiembre - Octubre
It's Official.
It's official. Flight booked.
January 25, 2011. A Tuesday. Leaving one home for another. Landing in Louisville at 8:58 p.m.
Surreal.
January 25, 2011. A Tuesday. Leaving one home for another. Landing in Louisville at 8:58 p.m.
Surreal.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Aniversario Teams!
I warned you things were going to start getting crazy.
Aniversario teams have been distributed!!!
For the house's 14th anniversary celebration this November, the entire house -- from babies to bachillerato students (high schoolers) to volunteers, tios, employees, and everyone in between -- has been assigned to one of 12 teams of about 30 people each. I'm on team 5, and we're obviously going to win.
This year's aniversario theme is "World Cup," so when we drew for our team mascot and ended up with Naranjito, we weren't too concerned that it was once called the 3rd dumbest World Cup mascot (1982 World Cup). We were mostly just excited that it was Spain's. I think we all know how they fared in this most recent Mundial. Ahem, ahem. We're going to win.
Let the aniversario games begin!
P.S. Stayed tuned for more details on what the heck Aniversario is exactly. Let's just say that cheers, dances, flags, matching outfits, games, and tug-of-war over a giant mud pit might be involved. :)
Aniversario teams have been distributed!!!
For the house's 14th anniversary celebration this November, the entire house -- from babies to bachillerato students (high schoolers) to volunteers, tios, employees, and everyone in between -- has been assigned to one of 12 teams of about 30 people each. I'm on team 5, and we're obviously going to win.
This year's aniversario theme is "World Cup," so when we drew for our team mascot and ended up with Naranjito, we weren't too concerned that it was once called the 3rd dumbest World Cup mascot (1982 World Cup). We were mostly just excited that it was Spain's. I think we all know how they fared in this most recent Mundial. Ahem, ahem. We're going to win.
Let the aniversario games begin!
P.S. Stayed tuned for more details on what the heck Aniversario is exactly. Let's just say that cheers, dances, flags, matching outfits, games, and tug-of-war over a giant mud pit might be involved. :)
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