L-i-v-i-n' Guat.

Thesis (missing graphs/charts)

2008-12-17T11:01:00.002-06:00

Jóvenes: El Futuro de Guatemala17 de diciembre de 2008Kira PetersonIntroducción Guatemala es un país con demasiada gente viviendo en pobreza o extrema pobreza. Pero también es un país con una tasa de natalidad mas alta que la mayoría de los otros países en Centro América. La pobreza es un gran problema, pero una tasa de natalidad tan grande también nos muestra que la gente esta teniendo el sexo

The End

2008-12-17T08:25:00.002-06:00

Things are winding down here...on Saturday night there was a going away party for us...families came and there was a band and food. Then we went out to La Rumba for the last time dancing. Sunday was interesting...Greg and I decided to go back to the waterpark cause it was so fun and there was no reason not to, so we only told the school mom and left at like 1:30 under the assumption that it

You should be proud.

2008-12-11T18:08:00.003-06:00

He escrito 11 paginas de mi tesis. Incluyendo el caratula y las referencias bibliograficas y no estoy terminado. Me estas orgullosos?!

In 2 weeks, I'm back in the homeland.

2008-12-08T13:06:00.002-06:00

So I figured out what I'm going to write about...it was my original topic. The reason I abandoned it was because 2 other girls were doing family planning too but I realized my topic is more specific and will be juuuuuuust fine to do; besides I already had 8 sources on it. SO, that's all settled, now I have to bust ass to write it all. This weekend was great! Saturday we just hung around and

I don't want to

2008-12-04T16:18:00.002-06:00

So we're supposed to be doing research for our 12 page (can and will be much shorter) thesis in Spanish...the one reason I feel like I have to do it is because if I don't, I would be the only one who doesn't. I really could give a fuck if I wrote anything at all. I hate doing research, especially if I don't want to and on a topic I have to pretend to care about and then do a god damn speech on

Santa Maria

2008-11-30T18:22:00.002-06:00

Today we hiked up Santa Maria, the volcano right next to Xela...took a total of 8 hours. Nice, long, steep hike, the view was amazing. Pictures to come soon. Got up at 5:40 to meet at 6 to get up there, had some car complications, didn't start hiking until 7am. It was a beautiful day. It doesn't rain here anymore so the whole way up it was clear and sunny but still cool. Most of the way we were

Thanksgivvvvvvvving!

2008-11-27T15:39:00.003-06:00

So we're here today cooking for turkey day! We're having a potluck style thanksgiving, since there are like over 20 people going to be here. They don't have sweet potaotes here, they have something that resembles them though, camotes, that I'm using to cook sweet potaotes! So excited, already done half of it and with enough sugar and nuts, tastes like home. We're making everything including

Life

2008-11-25T14:32:00.002-06:00

I got tricked. So I thought you could just go to the baptism...but we went to the whole mass..2 hours long! Then like 15 minutes later there was the baptism...so I could've gone just to the baptism. It was all interesting though since I've never been to a baptism and not to church since I was really young with a friend's family. It was fun. That evening we got to meet the founders of Somos

Baptism

2008-11-23T10:26:00.002-06:00

Today there is the baptism of the 1 year old here, Sophie...they're going all out. I guess I've never been to a baptism in the states so I don't know how to compare but it's a huge deal here. After the baptism at 12, there is a party all day in the backyard...they've got tons of balloons set up all over, tables, tents, loud Disney music in Spanish, cakes, and other decorations. Lunch is supposed

Semuc Pics

2008-11-22T20:49:00.001-06:00

Check out also in Amy's Picassa album pics from Semuc Champey! And, if you want to read better writing about things that have happened here, check out Greg's blog: myguat.blogspot.com.

El Salvador

2008-11-22T13:17:00.004-06:00

El SalvadorEl Salvador was great and exhausting. Each day we had like 3 different meetings for 9 days. We learned a lot about the war there, heard the two different political parties speak (ARENA and FMLN), USAID meeting in the US Embassy, went to Romero, La Loma, Cinquera, Comasaguas all really poor communities where we stayed the night at Comasagua (no water or electricity) and Cinquera, heard

ALive

2008-11-14T08:12:00.002-06:00

Made it to San Salvador, El Salvador...were really busy so far, tell you about it tomorrow maybe...but Im alive! Love you!

Off We Go...Again

2008-11-11T19:19:00.002-06:00

So the fam doesn't worry, we're leaving tomorrow at 4am for El Salvador so I don't know when I'll be able to go online. We'll be there for 10 days...then back to Xela for full-time classes, 4 hours a day, 5 days a week, along with writing a thesis 12 pages long and in spanish...boo! I'm doing mine on adolescent pregnancy. Did I ever mention that McDonalds here is amazing. I think it's because

Semuc Champey

2008-11-10T16:37:00.002-06:00

So, we left Wednesday for Semuc Champey and stayed there 3 day, leaving Sunday...from Xela to Semuc it's 10 hours...in bus. To say the least I'm sick to all hell of traveling by bus, but it was worth it. Semuc Champey is the coolest place I think I've ever been. On the way there we took an Alamo bus to Guatemala City, then switched to a different company to Coban. Stayed Wednesday night in Coban,

New Pics...

2008-11-03T23:28:00.003-06:00

Go to my picassa and then to Gregs and Amy's to see new pics from Mexico and the volcano and whatever else you haven't seen! Preview:

Mexico

2008-11-03T19:42:00.006-06:00

4 hours to the border in a chicken bus, 12 hours in a nice, new big charter bus, though halfway through the A/C cut out and we were miserable and hot. Then it came back on and we slept...for a sec. At the border we got off the chicken bus at the wrong stop, were harrassed to all hell for rides to the border...they convinced our director to takes all of us 12, 2 by 2 on bicycles with a big seat in

alive

2008-11-02T14:09:00.002-06:00

just wanted to let you all know i'm alive and back in Xela, it was a great week, tell you all about it later! How was halloween?!

Old post I didn't post (Sor): To Oaxaca We Go

2008-10-24T17:18:00.003-06:00

Well, tomorrow we leave at 9am for Oaxaca, Mexico...4 hours in a chicken bus to the boarder, always fun, then we switch buses to a nicer bus, "pullman," more like a really old fashioned gray hound with windows that open, and a bathroom, luckily, since we'll be in that bus for 12 miserable, hot hours. What the hell are we going to do with ourselves for that time. Most of us have ipods, but those

Kira

2008-10-22T23:58:00.001-06:00

Mom and Dad, I'm glad you named me after the Kira in We The Living. I would also die to live and love. You were spot on and you didn't even know it, or maybe you did :)

2008-10-20T14:43:00.002-06:00

yes it rains a lot, no i'm not staying away from things that will make my heart stop, and what the fuck is a jewish cat?

Hike to waterfall at Nueva Alianza

2008-10-19T22:52:00.001-06:00

Kids at Tilapita

2008-10-19T22:26:00.000-06:00

Huehuetenango

2008-10-19T21:55:00.000-06:00

coolest week ever

2008-10-19T20:56:00.003-06:00

Last week might be the coolest week ever. I didn't blog about the coffee farm, cause the pics explain what was important really. So last week was the usual week, volunteering, not volunteering, class, missing class...BUT, Thursday at volunteering they taught us how to draw blood! So, Jill drew from Amy, Amy drew from Jill, Greg drew from a patient, I drew from Greg! We all got in the vain well,

What happens when a chicken bus stops

2008-10-19T20:38:00.002-06:00

VIDEOS

2008-10-14T19:12:00.001-06:00

I've tried to upload videos on this thing many times, but it always screws up...got lucky once and have been trying ever since and still not working. I have a bunch of videos. AND Lindsay, I haven't lost my mind, damnit! I LOVE MY LIFE.

2008-10-14T13:13:00.002-06:00

Things I've lost

2008-10-14T13:07:00.003-06:00

I don't know what Guatemala has done to me but here is a list of the things I've lost so far:-probably at least 5/6 umbrellas-military knife-rain jacket-dress-flipflop-hat-headlamp-I'll add more if I remember...

PICS!

2008-10-12T19:24:00.001-06:00

Alianza Coffee Farm & Others

Coffee Farm

2008-10-10T18:09:00.002-06:00

Today...I ran 3 miles straight. I could've kept running too, I wasn't tired, and had plenty on my mind...but I decided, nahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I could've ran until I passed out. It was great! I hate running, it's such a mind game. Yesterday I could hardly run a mile, I was dieing...mostly due to being estar de goma to all hell (hungover). I didn't go to volunteering or class cause it was so

ok

2008-10-09T18:39:00.001-06:00

Not going to South America...

Something I've Realized

2008-10-07T18:29:00.002-06:00

First of all...do you people read my blog anymore or what? Where's the comments? I realize my life is utterly boring to you all right now but, come on, I love the comments. By the way, Dylan and Mom, finding wooden vases is way harder than I thought...it's not a common find and the ones I've found are really expensive even in $ terms. So, today we did a little hike up a near hill to this place

Running out of Titles

2008-10-06T19:14:00.002-06:00

Well this weekend was pretty tranquilo...Friday night we went to this new bar called Ojala where Amy's future husband and his band played some covers, mostly bluegrass type stuff...roughly. It was great, I felt like I was home. Saturday I went and bought some shoes...let me tell you that I'm a giant here. You don't really know that until you go to buy running shoes and first of all they don't

Nothing new

2008-10-03T14:30:00.002-06:00

Hi friends and fam! Well I haven't blogged all week cause nothing, absolutely nothing interesting has happened. It's begun to rain everyday; you can wake up and it'll be beautiful, but by 2pm it's pouring and thundering and cold as hell. It's only going to get colder too but supposedly the rain should stop sometime soon. I think we were very lucky the first three months cause it was supposed to

Earth Lodge Pics

2008-09-30T15:50:00.001-06:00

Check out Amy's pics on Picassa from Earth Lodge!

other things

2008-09-28T20:33:00.002-06:00

This picture to the right...describes my everyday waking. About gifts...I'm getting you all gifts from here, but I remember people requesting other items...please let me know if these are wrong, if you want to change them, or add to them:Mom: wooden vasesDylan: linen pants/guatemala shirts?Darcy: rug?

Earth Lodge and the week prior to

2008-09-28T18:28:00.004-06:00

Answers: Dylan, no I'm not scared of putting my mask on in front of them anymoreMom, yes, it's important to my readership.SO, during the inhalation of millions of particles of infectious tuberculosis this week, aka volunteering, Jill and I bought/brought 2 manicure sets! Of course most all of them had no idea what we were talking about when we said manicure so we had to explain that we were going

Por la primera vez

2008-09-24T22:02:00.003-06:00

You all shouldn't get too spoiled for having 3 posts in one day!Today while I was getting TB, aka working, I got to give an injection in a woman's ass! Not just into the IV, into the butt, it was grrrreat! This is going to help me get into PA school big time. Tomorrow we're giving the women manicures! I love it there, they missed me while I was on vacation. I will quarantine myself for the sake

In my head...at the moment

2008-09-24T20:35:00.002-06:00

So, at this point in my life, there are so many roads I could travel down, I'm just standing at the intersection, looking around, wondering which one to take. I didn't really think about this until I saw Emilee in Belize. It was so sad to hear her and Michelle talk so much about their great apartment in downtown denver, the rockies games, getting excited for the snow to come, fall is beautiful

More Belize

2008-09-23T11:45:00.003-06:00

I got bored writing that blog last night, so here I am, going to try to finish it. And yes mom, that is what a Garifuna is!Well the only problem with San Pedro is that if you don't stay in town, you have to take the island ferry, which costs $26 roundtrip...that's like 175Q! So expensive in Belize, more than USA, and we had to stop ourselves from calculating from dollars to quetzales cause it was

The Belize Blog

2008-09-22T21:15:00.003-06:00

Well, here I go:The trip didn't go as planned on the way there or back, but here I am, living to write about it, so it ended up just dandy. So left Xela for Antigua early Thursday by chicken bus, got to our hostel in Antigua, which was blaring with American music, filled with drunks on hammocks...no wonder we couldn't find the place to check in right away cause the bar was the lobby. Got checked

2008-09-22T12:58:00.001-06:00

View Larger Map

Belize it or not!

2008-09-21T21:53:00.001-06:00

Alive and kickin'

2008-09-21T10:53:00.002-06:00

So, we're sitting in Guatemala City...we made it back, alive and kickin'. Were supposed to catch the 1030am bus direct to Xela but there werent any seats left, duh, you can't get there 10 minutes before a bus leaves and expect seats! So, we're waiting at Wendy's until the next one at 12:30. The Belize trip was awesome, I'll blog it all later tonight...For the record, winging it traveling requires

Great Day Volunteering!

2008-09-10T18:29:00.002-06:00

Today was the best day of volunteering though I'm thinking my folks are going to quarantine me when I get back to the US cause I'm not stopping working at the TB place...Got to Rodolfo today, knowing I'd have to feed the crazy again. So, I did, and so this is how it goes, she just sits there looking around, mumbling shit I can't understand, looking at me crazy, I ask her if she wants eggs and no

Borrrrrring

2008-09-07T18:00:00.002-06:00

Either your comments are boring or my blogs aren't worth commenting on. Things haven't changed much these days, I suppose less partying, I guess we went a little wild a few weeks ago. So, this week I only have 8 hours of class, nothing tomorrow. Another student came into town to study, but requested Gladis, my teacher, so we worked it out that I will not have class tomorrow, 4 hours tuesday and

New Volunteering Stuff

2008-09-03T17:59:00.003-06:00

So yesterday I went to Rodolfo Robles to volunteer for my first time. I got there and they took me to the nurses station for the women. Amy, Jill, and Greg work in the men's side. Only Jill and Amy were there with me, kinda, today. So I get there, change into my scrubs, and the nurse shows me how she gets all the pills together, then I go with her to give them out. Next, breakfast for the ladies.

Answers

2008-09-02T21:45:00.002-06:00

Dylan, Jill still had my shorts to wear so that was fine, I just walked around the town naked. WHAT! No, of course not, my bottoms didn't get lost, so I had my bathing suit and one flip flop of mine and one of Andrews, I think. Darcy, tranquilo means tranquil. And no, we don't eat healthy meals much. The lunches are filled with carbs most of the time, sometimes not, sometimes a soup filled with

The weekend again

2008-09-01T12:32:00.002-06:00

Weeks really fly by here, it always feels like Thursday. Today I got 2 letters in the mail!!! So exciting! One from my seester and one from a friend from CU, what a surprise! Letters are always welcome, they increase my happiness here by like 100 fold. Today it's breezy, chilly, cloudy, and probably will end up raining all afternoon. Once again I don't have to go to the clinic cause she's not in.

Dylan's Request

2008-08-28T11:09:00.002-06:00

Ok, so Dylan wants to hear more about my daily life...it's not interesting. Here's a day in my life now:I wake up to my alarm at approximately 7:30am, used to be earlier when I cared if I was on time for breakfast but now I just wait until my mom knocks on my door and says, "kira, vas a desayunar," which means "kira, come eat breakfast." So I roll out of bed and put on some clothes and head to

May be the longest blog ever

2008-08-26T20:51:00.003-06:00

I hate it when I dont blog for a long time and then I start forgetting stuff and have to work backwards. But that is what I have to do. LINDSAY PREGGERS AND I'M SOOOO EXCITED! I can't wait for the little snots! Hopefully I will know enough spanish to be able to only speak spanish to them so they learn. Wow great! Ok, so my life. Today is tuesday, which I did nothing but sleep in and run errands

finally a blog

2008-08-21T14:45:00.002-06:00

so sorry i havent blogged in a while...sometimes its hard to find the time and other times when i have time, i dont feel like blogging. but now im just waiting for the time to pass until i need to go to my volunteering project at 330 so i figured, why not. I think i wrote about my teacher taking me to a clinic to see if i could volunteer there, well, it worked! the original doc who she knew

Volunteering

2008-08-14T14:42:00.002-06:00

So I havent yet bitched about how unorganized the volunteering is here. So in the pamphlet we have like 6 options for volunteering but only 2 dealing with hospitals or medicine. We were told to pick our top 3 options last week so they could set up the schedule, yet last week they had only showed us 1 place, the TB place, which no way in hell am I working there. There was another one I was

Sensor

2008-08-13T08:10:00.002-06:00

Ive decided to stop writing about things that may scare you all...so this will now be a semiclean blog...dont want anyone to worry, Ill write my scary things in my written journal. Today I go to a clinic to see about volunteering there, its nearby so thats great and only I would get to do it. My teacher set it up for me, shes my favorite teacher yet. She would do anything for me! Anyway, have a

Lazy Weekend

2008-08-12T18:54:00.002-06:00

This weekend was worthless! Saturday we stayed at Baviera, the coffee shop for like 7 hours, 5 of us, iming eachother...not talking although we were sitting next to eachother. But it was great! We needed the relaxation time. Then that night we came back to the school and watched 21, an entertaining but not the best movie. Then sunday Jill, Amy, Alexis, Crystal and I went to play vball at the

The week of booze

2008-08-09T12:50:00.006-06:00

So, right now we are sitting in Baviera reminising about last night. My head hurts and I want to watch the olympics. So, last night was the most fun yet. It's pretty blurry to me now so Ill give snippets. We started out at the school cause it was this guy, Andrew's 20th birhtday so there was a little fiesta. The english guys brought a bottle of rum so we started there. Actually, we started at

Jills Bday weekend aka la playa

2008-08-07T20:50:00.004-06:00

It's been too long since we were at the beach to remember all the details but I'll try. Here goes it:The few days before we left I ran around looking for things for Jill's 23rd bday, and bought a 25 shot firework, bottle of wine, candles, a ton of stuff from the store like a crown, magic wand, candy of course, glow earrings and necklace...and wrapping paper so I could wrap each gift individually

Answers to Qs

2008-08-05T14:27:00.003-06:00

From Dylan: Did you feel the presence of any lithium in the water or anything? There are some hot springs up here that make me feel a little drugged afterwards beyond the normal relaxation that comes with hot water. A: NO, felt nothing of the sort...after many beers and rum, I felt drunk though...haha.From Dylan:Do you still only drink bottled water? Do you have to watch out where you get your

Lots of Pics for you all!

2008-08-05T12:52:00.001-06:00

3Las Fuentes y Masla playa and others

Como se dice "sketchy"

2008-07-31T08:16:00.003-06:00

So, we didn't end up going out cause it was raining and cold and I forgot I had turned in all my clothes, including pants, to laundry...so. Also, a group of us went to play vball and my papas team was there but he wasn't! So we waited until they were done to play, but they took the net with them! What kind of sports complex makes you bring your own net?! So we screwed around a little and it was

Stuff

2008-07-30T14:34:00.002-06:00

Hi all, not so sure what to tell ya, nothing new since last time I blogged. New pics up soon from Las Fuentes. I have been getting a little braver with telling my host mom what I want...for example I asked to have less food a few times...just too much fucking carbs here. Though some stuff is great and I want to learn to cook it and write a little cook book to take home. Jill gained 10lbs already,

DIPLOMA!

2008-07-28T19:37:00.000-06:00

Not So Sure

2008-07-28T19:05:00.001-06:00

I'm kinda doubting I'll be fluent in Spanish by the end of 6 months.

Potential Week Off Map

2008-07-28T18:54:00.002-06:00

http://maps.google.es/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=es&msa=0&msid=110851477483061420351.0004531d5e5705ea935ac&ll=16.240606,-89.740448&spn=4.576799,9.580078&z=7

Las Georginas!

2008-07-27T13:15:00.002-06:00

The hot springs were great and it was such a fun time! 7 of us went, jill, amy, ruchi, nicci, greg, jake, and myself. The rest of the group came too but they left around 430 back to Xela. So, you take a chicken bus (old US school bus) to Zunil, ~30minutes, 5Q, then you get to Zunil and hop into a pickup truck which takes you up to the springs. That was an interesting ride, the roads are super

Week in Review

2008-07-25T14:12:00.000-06:00

This week sucked, obviously from my other post you can tell...the only time I cried, but I teard up the next couple days too...today I was fine, solely because I gave up on asking why why why. But, class was cut short today because there is a bake shop that is only open on tuesdays and fridays so all of us and our teachers went there after the break so then there wasnt anymore class today! Then,

Happy Birthday Dylan!

2008-07-23T08:18:00.002-06:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR DYLANNNNNN HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUUUU! BIG 30!!!Hope your day is fantastic!Anyway, Ive got into this routine of going to yoga MWF and afterwards buying fresh squeezed orange juice from the lady on the corner for 5Q, and its delicious. Shes there every morning, squeezing away at her little station. Its great! Anyway, nothing new

Skype

2008-07-22T17:45:00.003-06:00

So, just so you all know, if you download the program skype, you can call my cellphone for like $.10 min from your computer...and if we set a time together, then it costs nothing and we can use webcam and everything for free...and there is a headset here for me to talk into and webcam. So, if youre interested, email me or call me so we can set up something to chat! My phone number is

Today

2008-07-21T14:52:00.002-06:00

I met with my new maestra today, and shes awesome. Way smarter than the other one and knows more english so i spend less time looking through my dictionary. Its great. And whereas the other teacher only gave me 2 reasons where to use imperfect, this one gave me 11 and we only did imperfect today and some preterite. Yipee finally. Though I could barely think today because I had serious allergies (

Mas fotos!

2008-07-20T17:28:00.001-06:00

Mas

Olivido

2008-07-20T16:43:00.002-06:00

I realized I didnt say anything about the soccer game...it was great, though we lost. I didnt end up wearing my socks over my skinny jeans though because that with a scarf I looked like a bull fighter. So we all met at the school at 7 and walked to the stadium where we all kinda split because some were waiting for others some wanted to get seats, and Jill, Amy, this other guy, and I wanted beers.

The weekend

2008-07-20T16:09:00.002-06:00

So I realized I havent blogged since wednesday so now that I have almost forgotten what happened, Ill write backwards.Today we met in the parque central at 8am to go to Momostenango...took a nicer bus than usual that actually fit us (you can see in the new pics what we sometimes ride like in what are called microbuses which the driver and his helper seriously try to cram as many people in as

Futbol!

2008-07-18T11:14:00.002-06:00

So last night we went out...nothing special, just some drinks at Saloon Tecun and another place. Then the girl who knows the least spanish tried to convince the security guard at mcdonalds that we just wanted fries...it was hilarious. This morning yoga, hard, and this afternoon we go to check out the clinic we will be shadowing doctors in and may be doing volunteering there with this thing past

Sin Cables

2008-07-16T21:28:00.000-06:00

So, I'm sitting at my kitchen table in my casa...I have wireless! And my great new bud Rucci, lent me her computer cause no one else has wireless (yet). This kicks ass, though may give me reason to stay up past 930pm, oh my so late! So, do you guys have any questions for me?!? I guess I've told you all just about everything that has happened to me and others, in detail. Though I don't know much

Lo Cien (Sor)

2008-07-16T14:35:00.002-06:00

Well not much has gone on since I wrote last...Jill and I tanned for an hour this afternoon on my roof...in like 10 minutes were going to a museum about the Mayas (boring...Jill contemplated drinking before hand). Had my first test today, I kicked as cause it was over shit Ive always known and just reviewed the past week and a half...I guess it just takes that, reviewing and practicing, I need

Mas fotos!

2008-07-14T12:59:00.001-06:00

The First Week

MAP

2008-07-14T08:12:00.003-06:00

How come no comments on the map...especially you dylan, you told me about it! Today I will add pictures of my own since I got a charger...exciting! Yoga this morning was great, except for cracking up because there is this pose called the happy baby, and its hilarious, i couldnt handle it. you lay on your back with your legs in the air and spread apart holding your big toe...wtf. anyway, look at

First Weekend

2008-07-13T17:35:00.002-06:00

So what did I do this weekend...lets work backwards. Now im at the school doing random stuff on the computer. Earlier I took a nap and played with Camila, the 4 year old, and ate lunch. Before that Jill, Amy, Jake and I were at the big mall getting me a camera charger and to fix my phone since it wouldnt send messages to the states. its so gay, so when you buy 100Q of minutes, you can get up to

2008-07-12T14:16:00.000-06:00

Some pics from Amy's camera...since mine is dead...Guatemala

map

2008-07-11T18:36:00.000-06:00

check this out: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&ll=14.835189,-91.517808&spn=0.00238,0.003256&t=h&z=18&msid=112777167195532044529.000451c8a2302e94aef96

Huele Mal (it smells bad)

2008-07-11T11:21:00.004-06:00

So, this morning Jill, Rucci (girl), and I went to our first yoga class! It begins at 650am and apparently thats when everyone is driving into the city because when I turned the corner off my street, there was a cloud of exhaust for as far down the road as I could see and it sucked. It smelled so bad, like I had my nose stuck in an exhaust pipe of an old school bus. NOT what I was hoping for at

no title

2008-07-10T12:41:00.002-06:00

today i feel like hell. my stomach hurts pretty bad (guatemala combined with drinking liters of cervaza). ill give it a couple days...they gave us little tubs to poo in if were sick for long, then they take it to a lab to find out what we have and tell a doctor and get you medicine...i dont want to poo in a tiny ass cup, can you imagine how hard and nasty and awkward that would be? one guys

Finger it Out

2008-07-09T11:06:00.002-06:00

So, before I left for here I sliced my finger with a cerrated knife while cutting flower stems...I was afraid it would get infected here, and it did, and is. Awesome. So tonight Im going to reopen the wound, clean the hell out of it, and hope it gets better. I really dont want to go to the doctor here...who knows what theyd do. Im sure the directors know someone to trust but id rather try it

1st lesson

2008-07-08T13:13:00.002-06:00

my first lesson was LAME...went over regular verb endings in present tense...thats the shit I know and havent nor wont forget ever. also went through the alphabet letter by letter saying as many words as I could for each...4 hours of this...borrrrrinnggggg. lunch time.

Mas

2008-07-08T08:09:00.003-06:00

So my first full day yesterday was great! For breakfast I had soupy as hell oatmeal with banana...pretty bland but still good, though not really filling. Then for lunch FISH soup! I thought it was chicken soup until I called it chicken soup and they said, no pescado...fish. But it still tasted like chicken. Though I didn't really want to eat the fish, I did, because that's what you do. This must

Xela

2008-07-07T12:07:00.003-06:00

Hi Everyone! i have so much to write but i dont have time since were in an internet cafe and need to go back to the family for lunch at 130...then back to school at 230 to tour the zona 1. things are great! my family is great, more people than i thought. mom, rosa, dad, anibal, daughter, amelia, daughter, lucia, granddaughter, camila, son, forgot name, and family friend, yomadorr or something.

Bienvenidos a Guatemala!

2008-07-05T17:51:00.002-06:00

Im here and the keyboard is already screwing with me. It took me 5 minutes to figure out how to put the ´at` symbol to log into this blog...and now I struggle making caps cause there is the < key where the shift key should be! Im sitting in the atrium of the Hosteles Las Volcanes in Guatemala City...its raining but i love it. im not capitalizing anything anymore. slows my roll. ha. i am also

Last Night

2008-07-04T22:48:00.002-06:00

I LEAVE TOMORROW! I am excited, nervous, sad, ready, anxious, and can't believe I will be in a hostel in Guatemala City tomorrow afternoon and then my host family's the night after. NUTS. Fuckin' awesome. That's all I have to say for now...adios.

More Stuff!

2008-06-27T12:01:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I went to Academy and REI and bought some more fun stuff for the trip:carabeaners (sp?)emergency blanket for extra warmth beneath my sleeping bagrain jacketlaundry bagglovestravel alarm clockwaterproof camera casepants, shorts, shirtmaybe other things I don't remember...OH, and I found out what my new family is made up of:Mom, Rosa Pisquiy, and father26 year old daughter18 year old son4

10 day countdown

2008-06-25T10:14:00.003-06:00

I now have 10 days, counting today, until I'm out of this country I've called home for pretty much my whole life. I've traveled yes, but not lived anywhere else but the US of A. I'm stoked. I've had a few dreams about it. Last night I dreamt I was in my family's house, and I tried to speak Spanish to them and they laughed and spoke English back...they cooked this weird fruit that kind of

2008-06-10T13:36:00.006-06:00

HI ALL! So, I'm hoping you received an email saying that I posted a new blog...that is what it is supposed to do anyway. This is where I will be writing to you all and for myself while I'm in Guatemala. Who knows if I will be able to write every day but I will write down everything when I'm not with my computer and then type it up later. I hope you read it and enjoy! The address for it is: http:/