Reflections on Vulnerability

As this trip is coming to a close, I can’t help but think about the challenges that have been faced, and the impact of our time here. A major thing that I have learned during this experience is the value of vulnerability. Although I have travelled quite a bit, I have never been on a service trip before, which has been a totally different experience for me. From the moment I have gotten here, I have felt vulnerable but in different ways. It isn’t the kind of vulnerability you feel when you’re a tourist in a new place, figuring out the ways of transportation and pushing yourself to speak the language, but rather the feeling you get when you’re standing in front of a huge audience waiting to give a speech. Here I feel vulnerable when I try to speak Spanish because I’m afraid I won’t seem to know what I’m talking about. I feel vulnerable that I can’t know exactly what the community is thinking about me. I feel vulnerable because I hate any kind of public speaking and teaching classes gives me a little anxiety. I feel vulnerable because I can’t relate to their culture, and have no idea how my presence will affect a community. Finally, I feel vulnerable because I don’t have all of the answers. When we leave here there is no telling what will happen to Chaquijyá, how it will develop and what its people will become. We leave here not really knowing if we did harm or good, and there’s really nothing that we can do about that. We can look back, like we did today, and come up with ways to create more sustainable and effective (successful) programs, but right now we are living in the present. What good can we do if we are just leaving like the rest of them?

 I think we challenged the people of Chaquijyá to be vulnerable too, which I hope was a good thing. When we came here they went out on a limb to introduce us to their communities, their schools, and their children. I might have felt vulnerable walking into a community that was foreign to me, but how vulnerable did they feel when they tried to communicate with me and let me teach their classes? They didn’t have to welcome us, but they did. We took a chance to come here and they to a chance to welcome us into their lives. Had the vulnerability not been reciprocated, Manna would have never been able to accomplish what it has in Chaquijyá. Being vulnerable and proceeding anyway is what makes service and development work and I’m glad to have pushed myself out of that comfort zone.

- Nicole, Visage student 

Ideas about Identities

Invariably, one of the most rewarding and challenging elements of traveling is interacting with those around you. Sometimes they are locals, sometimes they are just passing through, sometimes they are lost souls, sometimes they're a version of you. Regardless, they offer a different perspective-- and there is always a lesson.

In one of my most recent interactions in Guatemala, I had the chance to talk to a Bolivian man, living in Guatemala, who attended university in Germany. Certainly, we had some similarities in our relatively cosmopolitan lives.... I also am living in Guatemala, but have been schooled in Hong Kong, and am, by nationality, American. But it was at this point, when he asked how I identify myself, that I realized just how malleable identity might be. he urged me to answer if I believed the future of America will be to align itself with Latin America, or if we might continue to align ourselves with Europe. I tried my best to explain that the concept of America is beyond that of who we align ourselves with; America is made up of different people, with different ethnicities, and different goals for the future. And that is what makes an American-- that is our identity.

Unbeknownst to him, this complete stranger elucidated one of the most magical elements of this experience. Here we are, ten women from across the U.S., with different backgrounds, with different ideas, with different homes, with different identities. And yet, we have come together on the premise of ideals. That our identities are so varied doesn't change the commonality that is most relevant during our time here-- a commitment to cooperation and a commitment to service. And so long as we continue to identify ourselves like this, the rest really doesn't matter.

- Alli, MPIG Summer Intern Supervisor

Reflecting on Cultural Constructs of Childhood

We have now spent our first week in Guatemala. I am not sure what I expected my experience to be like, but being exposed to some of the effects of extreme poverty has greatly impacted me. Throughout the spring semester, we Visage students studied the history and culture of Guatemala, however no readings in the classroom can make quite the same impact as observing the consequences of centuries of oppression and racism in the field. As we have traveled further from Guatemala City, the quality of life has become lesser and lesser as the population become increasingly Mayan.

What has been most shocking to me thus far is the number of seemingly young children that work. The other day I was approached in a restaurant by 3 children, ages 7, 9, and 12, selling bracelets – “2 para 5 quetzales.” The young girls were dressed in traditional traje, and their youngest brother wore blue jeans and a t-shirt. The three had traveled to Panajachel from a neighboring community with their father to sell their goods. These three are just a few of the many children that I have observed working. At the market in Sololá, many young girls sit with their mothers selling fruits, fabrics, an assortment of consumer goods, etc. Adolescent boys serve as ayudantes on the chicken buses and microbuses, calling out stops, packing people into vehicles, and collecting travel fare. In Chaquiyá, I observed young boys assisting adult men in building projects and on milpa plots.

Although children in Guatemala are required to attend school through the 6th grade, many do not complete their primary education. Additionally, children are released from school midday, giving them the opportunity to work in the afternoons. The number of children that I have seen working in Guatemala has made such an impression on me because it is so different from what one sees in America. While children in America are generally not expected to work, children in Guatemala, it seems, work out of necessity. All of the children I have encountered thus far, even those who are working, have been truly special. Each of communities we have visited have been so colorful and so many of the people we have had the pleasure of speaking with have had such a light. I cannot wait to continue to learn about the culture of this beautiful country and hopefully make a positive and lasting impact on the communities in which I will serve.

Our new friends were full of smiles and laughter 

- Becca, Visage Student

San Marcos Retreat!

We just returned from our 2nd retreat, and this time we went to the tranquil little town of San Marcos right on the beautiful Lake Atitlan! It had such a calm and relaxing effect on me & I loved every minute of it. We arrived Tuesday noon, just in time for lunch. After getting settled into our hotel  Bosque Encantado (Enchanted Forest, which it really was), we had lunch followed by development and program discussions. From the looks of it, the next quarter will have a lot of good things in store. There are many new programs we are discussing and I can't wait to return in January to start working on them! Some of these new initiatives include sexual and reproductive classes, an overall health class (nutrition, self-esteem, hygiene), new partnerships with women's cooperatives, a new Teacher's English program, etc. There are a lot new things to be excited about this next quarter and I know our team is very enthusiastic about them :)

Interesting wheel of all of the Mayan nahuals, at our hotel

At nighttime, we got to experience being in a Tamascal! Tamascal is basically a sauna, heated by firewood outside. There is water in the room and people sometimes bathe themselves with it. I have heard that tamascals are very common around here for people to bath in. After hearing about it so much, it was really interesting to actually partake in this cultural experience.

Yes, the lake is really this beautiful :)

The next day, we worked on group-dynamic activities, which got us thinking about how more efficiently we can work as a team. Afterwards, we took in the sights of the lake from a park and some of us braver ones actually got in the freezing water! Which, sadly, I have to say I could not make myself once I felt how cold it was.

All in all, it was a great time and a perfect balance of work and relaxation. Now, off to the States to recharge my batteries during these next 3 weeks and come back to tackle these new programs!

Nicole, Me, Jess, Sarah at the park

Happy early Holidays from MPI-G!


-Ja

Sunday Snapshot: We Want YOU!

Except instead of the US Army, we want you to join our non-governmental organization that serves Latin American communities. 

...Close enough?

In all seriousness, Program Director applications are currently being accepted for the 2013-2014 year! If you are looking for the opportunity of a lifetime, you should definitely consider becoming a PD in Guatemala (the best site...), Ecuador, or Nicaragua. When else can you adopt a completely new culture, play with the cutest kids in the world, learn a new language (or two, if you come to Guate!), and gain non-profit experience, all while making a real impact in a Latin American community?

Let me let you in a little secret, this experience is hard to find anywhere else. Sure, there are a cornucopia of different orgs that will allow you to teach English in some far away country. (And yeah, they may even pay you.) But the experience I've had here in less than 3 months is worth so much more than any amount of money I could gain by teaching a language I already know.

While I do teach English here, that's not where my work ends. We are encouraged to build relationships with people in the community, attend extremely interesting cultural events like parades and celebrations, and make new programs/modify existing ones.

To me, that last part is the most exciting. I came here in July with the intention of creating new programs. While that is definitely in the process, it has also been very rewarding to be asked to assess the work that has already been done here. At training we discussed a little bit about what it means to be in international development/community development, and since then I have been observing how our work here fits in with that definition. We are all continually discussing what we can do better, what can change, what should remain the same. We are excited to create our own community survey to ask Chaquijyá what they see as their biggest needs we can/should address. We are talking with other local organizations about how we can partner with them and therefore make a bigger impact in the area.

This experience has certainly been challenging, but in a truly beautiful way. I am being challenged and in turn challenging our approach to the way we do things. I feel empowered to make a difference, and therefore I will be empowering others in various ways-- whether through teaching them how to better take care of their children, filter their water, how to respect the environment, how to start or run a business, etc. I can't think of anything more beautiful :) And I cannot wait to see where we all stand when my time here is through in August 2013.

Won't you help us continue the great work we're doing?

I hope you do. :)

-Nicole

Guatemala does Amurica

Like any self respecting Southerner, the Fourth of July is my favorite holiday. Yup. I went there. Not the traditional fan favorites of Thanksgiving with the mountains of casseroles, or Christmas with its secret santa exchanges but the Heartland’s birthday. That being said, you can understand why I was more than a tad crestfallen upon the realization that I would not in fact be in the Land of the Free for the holiday.

Luckily, nearby Panajachel is home of the infamous Palapa, an ex-pat hot spot, who was hosting a Fourth of July cookout/pot luck! With spirits rejuvinated, I quickly occupied myself with constructing the perfect patriotic get-up with the limited resources at my disposal. Additionally, and nearly equally as important, was my contribution to the pot luck. After a cursory perusal of Pintrest, I stumbled upon what seemed the only doable option considering there isn’t exactly a Sololá Whole Foods. Andrea, a fellow Manna vol, and I agreed upon these adorable strawberries you dip in white chocolate and then blue sugar, creating a nice layering effect while incorporating the three colors of the day into a healthy(ish) dessert! While I soon realized that white chocolate was out of the question, we managed to throw together some blue sugar and white icing dipped strawberries which, while not exactly pin-worthy, were still delicious.

Well, the big day arrived and I blasted my “Cuatro de Julio” country playlist throughout the Manna manor. We readied ourselves (3 out of 5 wearing red, white, and blue plaid) for an Independence Day extravaganza at a local high school where we were to serve as the token Americans and thus guests of honor. Seated front and center, the children delighted us in their “English Day's” (the apostrophe is not a typo) shows depicting their thoughts on America. These lovely vingettes tackled controversial issues such as racism, abortion, domestic violence, teen pregnancy, cheating, bullying, etc. All clearly communicating their positive opinions of their friends to the North. All in all, despite (or perhaps due to) the unsettling content, it was positively hilarious.

Super spirited!

As far as the party outfit quandary, anyone who knows me knows that at twenty years of age I still shamelessly sport bows on the daily. So, with bows on the mind I stopped in an amazing ribbon shop and purchased 9 yards of bright red, navy blue, and shimmery silver ribbons only for 12Q (about $1.50). Anyways, after a group nail painting sesh, bow making, and primping, we were decked out and ready to take Pana by storm. After an initially awkward arrival (no one else dressed up), the night took off with many a sing along to “American Pie” and the like. While I was quite nostalgic for my classic Fourth of July festivities, the night was fantastic and singin’ the classics with other gringos felt, for a moment, like I was right back home in the US of A.

God Bless Los Estados Unidos,

Christina

Adios for Now

Well, it looks like my time in Guatemala is coming to an end.  I can’t believe it - I don’t think any of us can.  Cliché as it may sound, it seems like just yesterday that we were wandering around the airport with no clue what to expect and piling into a van with five strangers (Emily too!), nonetheless. In less than a week, something strange happened: everything started to seem normal.  The nine strangers we were living with were no longer strangers but rather our temporary family.  Hopping on a chicken bus to find that it was more crowded than anything we had ever seen was no longer an ordeal, but rather a way of life. The kids in Central and Cooperativa (the schools we work in) were no longer meaningless faces on the street, but rather real people who we quickly began to care about and whose lives we thought we might actually be able to improve.

We have had the opportunity to do a bunch of cool things since we’ve been here: hike to the top of Tajumulco (the highest point in Central America), travel to Monterrico to enjoy Guatemala’s finest beaches, and even explore ancient Mayan ruins at Tikal.  As awesome as each of these experiences have been, I have to say that interacting with our students has undoubtedly been the COOLEST part of this trip. Whether they are giggling as we introduce ourselves with our Gringo names, running to hug us and screaming our names as we arrive at Cooperativa, focusing as they try to contort their mouths so they can pronounce a new English word, or challenging us to a game of basketball, these kids never fail to make life interesting and exciting.  More importantly, they never fail to teach me something new (and here I was thinking that I came to Guatemala to teach them).  Sometimes they were literally teaching me, as in how to say dog (Tze) in Kaqchikel, their native language, for example.  But most of the time, I just learned by watching.  I watched kids fall down or take a blow to the head from a soccer ball without shedding a tear, time and time again.  Surely, if we were in America, they would have been bawling.  I watched others screw around with their friends during school, seemingly as if they lacked any ability to focus, but managed to get down to business and work for their families when they got home.  Their culture is just so different from ours, and over the past month, I have found myself feeling surprised time and time again.

Considering the difference in our lifestyles, nothing has been more significant to me than the moments when we were able to put smiles on the childrens' faces.  Sometimes it was by letting them play with our cameras or letting them listen to our iPods.  At other times, kids were legitimately excited about what we were doing in class. Personally, my favorite was the time that we taught them Old McDonald while they were learning the animals--our students were ecstatic as they held up their animal mask and screamed out its name.  During mini camp, everyone was enthusiastic as Karianne and Grace led a group sing-along to Justin Bieber’s Baby and as they had the opportunity to bust a move to the Cha Cha Slide. 

I really do believe that we have made a difference here and, more importantly, that Manna will continue to do so in the future.  I feel great leaving MPI Guatemala in the hands of Dana, Lorena, and Christina (and the new interns who will be arriving on Sunday), and I can’t wait to hear about the great things that this organization does in the future.

--Michelle Weinman

Mayas: Past and Present

Saturday marks my three month Manna-versary in Guatemala. It’s easy to say that the time here has flown, but what’s not easy to say is what I’ve experienced over the course of the past twelve weeks. One thing that continues to intrigue me each day is the indigenous culture here. Only second to Bolivia, Guatemala has the highest indigenous population of any other Latin American country (over 60%). Indigenous culture in Guatemala is rich in Mayan tradition, which includes over 20 spoken ancient Mayan languages, the traditional dress called “traje” and other important areas of culture like religion and art, particularly weaving and textiles.

What appears to be a beautiful and raw form of culture is unfortunately often discriminated against within Guatemala. The Guatemalan Civil War lasted over 30 years, and although a Peace Treaty was signed in 1996, the affects from the war have continued to present day. The Guatemalan Army destroyed 400 villages, killed nearly 200,000 civilians, and committed countless human rights violations. Although the “Accord for a Firm and Lasting Peace” was signed, sealed, and delivered by the Guatemalan Government, many of the mentioned reforms failed to be implemented. Although The Accords may have helped to prevent another Civil War from breaking out, there is still widespread fear of violence, government corruption, and discrimination.

Rebecca Tran, a Research Associate for the Council on Hemispheric Affairs shares, “Guatemala will persist as a country that longs to move forward, but cannot resist the violent legacies of its past.” MPIG works to partner with and support our local Chaquijyá community members, but unfortunately we cannot erase the scars from their past. We remain optimistic that through our work, loyalty and dedication, we can be figures of security and help motivate them to make sustainable changes within their community.

--Lorena

Work vs. Play

Valentine's Day soul train!

The month of February has been incredible. We started off with a bang exploring bat caves in Semuc Champey (see pictures in last post), followed it up with a lively boat cruise, Valentine's Day dance-off, hike to a Mayan altar, and confetti-filled Carnaval celebration. Dream vacation, no? Try, dream job. Let me paint you a little picture:
We're all invited to the Valentine's Day celebration in El Basico (high school) in Caserio Central. We come bearing varied mugs and candy for the friendship gift swap. Cam is put in charge of the kids' dance contest. However, it's not surprising that these shy, angsty teenagers are repulsed by the idea of dancing in front of their peers. (Let's take a moment and reflect back to our own awkward teenage years and then compound that by a large factor due to the fact that we are in a small indigenous village.) Cam's brilliant solution? The PDs will have a dance battle instead. Well, I can tell you that we are great at making fools of ourselves, and that I may have done "the lawnmower" a few times too many. The day continued with a more familiar teenage dance scene where boys and girls occupy different sides of the room and walking across to the opposite territory is like committing treason. Emily confessed that she herself was an 8 out of 10 on the uncomfortable scale.

Tomas explaining the significance of the four altars

One of the most interesting things about living in Guatemala is the Maya influence. It's a religion, lifestyle, and culture--all three unique to this region, so we're always eager to learn more about it. On Tuesday we hiked up to a Mayan ceremonial altar with Celso, the principal of La Primaría (elementary school) in Caserio Cooperativa, and Tomas, the local mayor. Tomas is a spiritual Maya priest and helped build the altar himself.

After a short hike up, we listened to his impressive knowledge about the Mayan calendar and rituals. The next day happened to be the start of the new year! We descended through Cooperativa talking about MPI, Chaquijyá, all we've done together, and what more could be done in the future.

Carnaval is Halloween, a circus, tag, and a dance party all rolled up into a ball... and then rolled in confetti and flour. Immediately upon passing through the front doors we were assaulted with bits of paper, glitter, and unidentifiable powders. Confetti-filled eggs were smashed on our heads and kids of all ages used us as jungle gyms. The costumes were incredible, the laughter unceasing.

What's funny about life here is that all these events, and many others, are mandatory. I'm sorry, but you must participate in the dance off, you must attend the costume party, and you must hike up to see a beautiful view of Chaquijyá...

It seems a bit odd, but these community events are where our best relationships are made, with teachers and kids alike. And we count on these relationships. These relationships are the foundation of all our programs, current and future.

The best and hardest part about the PD position is that the line between work and play is blurry at best.

Mama D

Learn Spanish or Bust

One of the hardest, most daunting parts of this job is the language barrier. I'd consider myself an advanced Spanish speaker now, but when I first got here I was terrified to open my mouth. Terrified. Proper communication is all about timing, so when I had to first sing a song in my head to pinpoint the correct past tense ending, I often ended up contributing an anecdote to an old topic (Q: Isn't the weather beautiful today? A: Yes, my food was very good...) My coping mechanism? Keeping my mouth shut.

Thanks for your impeccable Spanish skills, Maddie!

One day too soon, my feasibility trip partners left and I was still in Guatemala charged with the task of creating MPI's newest international volunteer site--cementing local partnerships, attending meetings, convincing people that I wasn't a mute American with no personality. And as you've probably already guessed, all of that required Spanish. What was MPI thinking right? Well, when I first broke my promise to myself and opened my mouth to a foreign tongue, it was not pretty. I butchered even the simplest of statements, if not grammatically, absolutely in pronunciation. But out of the need to speak, I spoke. You know the drill--hurdle, jump; water, swim; fire, stop, drop and roll.. or run? I'm still unclear on that.

The point being, trying to speak a foreign language does make you feel stupid, embarrassed, and the butt of many a joke (and trust me, I was. I once blurted out some unintelligible question at a restaurant and when prodded to repeat I just froze like a deer in headlights, didn't say another word, turned around, and made my friend take over). It's like doing anything as a novice in front of seasoned professionals: singing, dancing, cooking, anything. So why should we try? There are a lot of Guatemalan English speakers that would love to accept your money in return for relaying meeting notes to you. Aaron Ausland of Staying for Tea offers this poignant response,

"Because language is a bit like food. People just love it when you make an effort to eat their food...I was talking with some community volunteers who were recalling the last time they had an American visit their village from World Vision. "Hey, do you know so-n-so?" they asked me, a bit naïve to the size of my organization. But, in fact I did know this person. "He's such a great guy!" they exuded. "Why do you say that?" I asked, curious. "He ate everything we gave him," one exclaimed. And the rest all nodded vigorously and happily at this. "Do you know who this man was?" I asked, pressing the point a bit. They recalled that he was an American and from World Vision and again applauded his culinary enthusiasm. What they didn't recall about this person was that he was the International President of World Vision.

What left a lasting impression on these folks was not the man’s position, but his willingness to lift his fork and dive into their culture. He embraced part of what defined them without hesitation or judgment. He received from them without turning up his nose at what they had to offer. Language is a bit like this. A willingness to learn and use even a few words demonstrates a willingness to be vulnerable and to make an effort to accept and use what is local. It recognizes that you are the visitor and honors your host."

Olga & Jose are learning their third language!

The two terrifying things that I take away from this short excerpt are 1) I need to start eating more corn tortillas and atoll loaded with sugar. 2) If the goal is simple communication, Spanish will suffice, but if ultimate goal is honoring your host, shouldn't the PDs and I be learning Kaqchikel?

The good news? Learning a new language can stave off alzheimers!

Till next time,

Dana

190 Years and Counting: Día de la Independencía

          Two weeks ago we were invited to celebrate Día de la Independencía with our school in Chaquijyá. Celebrating in Guatemala often means dancing and Día de la Independencía was no exception. Each grade put on one or more dances and we were invited to dance as well. Since Kelsey was visiting home, it was just Dana, Cameron and me performing. Being rhythmically challenged, I have a few rules when it comes to mandatory group dances: practice a lot and get a place in the back. However, much to my dismay, we began learning the dance at 9PM the night before and with three people there was nowhere to hide. We had a great musical mash-up created by Dana and thanks to several YouTube videos we also had most of our dance moves. I really nailed the chicken dance and YMCA sections, however, Souja Boy was another story. If you think that dance is just jumping from side to side wiggling your arms, like I did, you would be wrong. So we enlisted the help of a YouTube instructor to teach us the real Souja Boy dance. Dana and Cameron caught on pretty fast, but with his clothing engulfing his body I found it impossible to see the moves that the guy on the video was doing. Maybe he just lost several hundred pounds and if that’s the case, congratulations sir! 

 The day of the performance rolled around very quickly, probably because we learned it the night before. We threw on our matching outfits in the color of the Guatemalan flag. We also stuck a paper flag on Cameron’s shirt to really drive home the patriotic reference. The performances began with the 6^th grade boys displaying amazing endurance in their 20-minute dance, which included the worm and some impressive break-dancing moves. I was glad to see that they had only learned their dance the night before as well. The third grade class performed a traditional dance that showed the girls and boys taking on some traditional female and male roles: the girls making tortillas and the boys working in the fields. 

Then Cameron performed a unique mime scene with his 5^th graders. All the kids, including Cameron, wore black clothing and painted their faces and hands white. I believe it was about the voting process, but it involved a lot of sulfur-smelling smoke bombs that made it hard to see. Cameron opened the performance, carrying the smoking sticks; his painted-white face contorted into what looked like the Zoolander expression. Apparently the sticks were actively burning his hands, but at the time I found it hilarious. Finally, it was our turn. As soon as we got on the stage, I lost my composure. We were about to “dougie” in front of a bunch of traditionally dressed Maya parents and grandparents.  I was laughing so hard that I could barely hear Cameron yelling the cues to me. Somehow our performance went off without a hitch. Well, obviously, I had to fake the Souja Boy dance, but we all knew that was coming. As we took our bows and surveyed the crowd there were definitely mixed expressions. Some people loved it and gave us compliments afterwards. Others were not so sure. My 4^th graders told me I was a great dancer; however, video evidence suggests otherwise.

After the performances we had a traditional Guatemalan lunch and got to enjoy several exciting soccer games before heading home. It had been a great day. We danced, laughed and played. I’m fairly certain I have never had that much fun on a 4^th of July in the US. There’s nothing like a little public humiliation to really make a great celebration and I can’t wait until the next Guatemalan holiday… we’re going to teach the kids how to do the Chicken Dance!

-Emily

Bottles on the Brain

The term "Central American time" gets thrown around a lot. The usual context involves arriving at a meeting on time, only to wait two hours until your counterpart arrives unapologetic but ready to begin. So, you learn to bring a book and chalk it up to cultural differences, right? Well, in the past few weeks this concept has been thrown on its head.

As you may or may not know, we've been in phase 1 of our bottle school project for months, over 6 to be exact. I could rattle off a long list of why this is, but I will spare you the details. Instead, let's talk progress and speedy progress at that.

At the beginning of last week, I walked into the La Primaría Central on a normal day, ready to teach some 4th graders English. As I walked down the row of classrooms, I saw that each was putting together an ode to the environment on a large poster board. My brow furrowed a bit, confused at the sudden adoration until I was finally introduced to the man responsible. Emerson was invited by our principal to more clearly show the relationship between our bottle project and the environment to the school's 275 students. The short version in case you’re interested—when all is said and done, our bottle school will remove about 13,000 pounds of trash from Guatemala's streets, rivers, and mountains. Emerson works for AMSCLAE, the Atitlan area's foremost authority on everything environmental, and now MPI Guatemala's newest partner organization!

In the next two weeks, Emerson and I put together a presentation on our bottle project and gave it to over 450 people in 3 different assemblies reaching children, parents and community leaders. On top of that, we also had an architect in to draw the plans for the new second story, four-room addition. The kicker? I was taken to see the local kindergarten, and again, quite confused about the purpose of the visit. The director unlocked the first classroom and as the door swung open, stuffed bottles jumped out of the way. The room was entirely devoted to bottles, plastic, and bottle stuffing. Apparently for months now if you were a kindergartener, you participated in "stuffing time," requiring you to stuff plastic for 20 minutes at the end of recess each day. As if this weren’t enough, they also convinced Big Cola, one of Guatemala's largest soft drink producers, to donate their used plastic shrink wrap and discarded bottles to the cause.

I still carry a book just in case, but is it possible that Chaquijyá just reinvented "Central American time?"

I hope so,

Dana