Saturday, April 24, 2004
Living in the Dust Bowl
If anyone has study recent American history, then you will have studied about the Dust Bowl in the Midwest of the 1920's. Currently this is where I live. As everyone knows, if it doesn't rain for a week or two everything gets really dry, the ground cracks...etc. Now imagine if it has only rained 4 times since January. Folks, I am not exagerating. It is dry here...really dry.
The streets around the school I work are all dirt and because of the lack of ran, any grass that was around is now dead and everything is just dust. Thursday the temp changed all of a sudden and the barametric pressure dropped. If you have studied weather you will know that this means the wind starts blowing and blowing really hard. It was probably at least 20 mph because it was pulling the "lamina" (I don't know the word in English) off the roof. School ended and we began our treck to the bus stop. The wind is whipping all around as we are walking down this dusty street. It is so dusty that we couldn't really see the bus stop (minus the fact you couldn't look up or you get a bunch of stuff in your eyes.) It was really out of countrol.
Long story short, I will be very happy for the rainy season to come...one more month.
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If anyone has study recent American history, then you will have studied about the Dust Bowl in the Midwest of the 1920's. Currently this is where I live. As everyone knows, if it doesn't rain for a week or two everything gets really dry, the ground cracks...etc. Now imagine if it has only rained 4 times since January. Folks, I am not exagerating. It is dry here...really dry.
The streets around the school I work are all dirt and because of the lack of ran, any grass that was around is now dead and everything is just dust. Thursday the temp changed all of a sudden and the barametric pressure dropped. If you have studied weather you will know that this means the wind starts blowing and blowing really hard. It was probably at least 20 mph because it was pulling the "lamina" (I don't know the word in English) off the roof. School ended and we began our treck to the bus stop. The wind is whipping all around as we are walking down this dusty street. It is so dusty that we couldn't really see the bus stop (minus the fact you couldn't look up or you get a bunch of stuff in your eyes.) It was really out of countrol.
Long story short, I will be very happy for the rainy season to come...one more month.
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Sunday, April 18, 2004
I Want a Smoothie
I have been studying all weekend (Spanish and GRE). This morning I got up early to come to the internet and research graduate schools and send them some emails. After about two hours I decided that my eyes couldn't handle the computer screen anymore and I needed to go study. I decided I would go study in the park. This was all at about at 11am. I had already had breakfast and didn't want to get lunch because I knew we would have it in the house around 1. I thought a smoothie would be great while I study. But NOOOOO, I'm in Guatemala. We don't have smoothies. We have something called a Licuado which is kinda like a smothie, but you can't get them in those "environmentally friendly" styrofoam cups to go. I thought and thought and thought...you know when you get a craving for something it is really hard to let it go. I thought well, I could go to a cafe and get an imitation smoothie, but I wanted to sit outside....AHHHHHH. Finally I decided it would be better just to go home and give up the whole studying thing for the morning. I still have a craving for a smoothie, but it is going to be awhile before I get one. So out of lack of hope and a desire to help myself cope with my food cravings, I have now planned out my first day back in the U.S. in November.
8am -Eat Frosted Shredded Wheat (You would never think you would miss this, but fiber is important)
10-Get smoothie from Planet Smoothie and lay in the grass of the Court of Carolinas at NCSU
11-Watch Price is Right
12-Eat Mellow Mushroom Pizza
2-Take a Nap (Way Important)
4-Watch Young and the Restless
6-Begin Will and Grace Marathon
7-Eat Wings While Watching a Football Game
Everyone is welcome to join me for this day. Food is on me. How strange that I am homesick for very few things, but the majority of them that I am homesick for is food.
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I have been studying all weekend (Spanish and GRE). This morning I got up early to come to the internet and research graduate schools and send them some emails. After about two hours I decided that my eyes couldn't handle the computer screen anymore and I needed to go study. I decided I would go study in the park. This was all at about at 11am. I had already had breakfast and didn't want to get lunch because I knew we would have it in the house around 1. I thought a smoothie would be great while I study. But NOOOOO, I'm in Guatemala. We don't have smoothies. We have something called a Licuado which is kinda like a smothie, but you can't get them in those "environmentally friendly" styrofoam cups to go. I thought and thought and thought...you know when you get a craving for something it is really hard to let it go. I thought well, I could go to a cafe and get an imitation smoothie, but I wanted to sit outside....AHHHHHH. Finally I decided it would be better just to go home and give up the whole studying thing for the morning. I still have a craving for a smoothie, but it is going to be awhile before I get one. So out of lack of hope and a desire to help myself cope with my food cravings, I have now planned out my first day back in the U.S. in November.
8am -Eat Frosted Shredded Wheat (You would never think you would miss this, but fiber is important)
10-Get smoothie from Planet Smoothie and lay in the grass of the Court of Carolinas at NCSU
11-Watch Price is Right
12-Eat Mellow Mushroom Pizza
2-Take a Nap (Way Important)
4-Watch Young and the Restless
6-Begin Will and Grace Marathon
7-Eat Wings While Watching a Football Game
Everyone is welcome to join me for this day. Food is on me. How strange that I am homesick for very few things, but the majority of them that I am homesick for is food.
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Friday, April 16, 2004
The Other Side of Antigua
I was going to write about La Semana Santa and all the beautiful precessions, good food, blah blah blah...but then I saw the other side of Antigua that I hadn't paid much attention to in the last few months and felt it would be worth more to write
Tuesday I was walking through the park of El Tanque de La Union near my house. I walked by four indiginous children (all girls) digging through the trash. The oldest could not have been more than 7 and had a baby on her back. She was the one digging. As I walked by I heard the 7-year-old say, if I get it, it's mine. The younger one (5, I am guessing) said, "no, I get some too, I haven't eaten all day either". I just looked at them and kept walking. I honestly couldn't figure out what to do. I thought, do I help them get the food out of the trash, take them out for ice cream or a sandwhich...but instead I did absolutely nothing.
That night I could not stop thinking about these girls. Why could I not stop and help them...why was I so apathetic to their situation. You see so many poor people in Guatemala but this is the first time I had seen children digging through the trash in Antigua. I was absolutely dumb-founded and at a complete loss as to what to do.
So I found a solution. Last night I fed the homeless of Antigua. Every Thursday a group of young adults gets together and and makes sandwhiches and then distributes them to the homeless people of Antigua. There was probably about 10 of us last night. We made 70 sandwhiches in 30 minutes and then walked to the market where the people sleep. It was absolutely the best two hours I have spent since I've been back. I took Jose Manuel with me (my little 7-year-old brother in the house). He helped make the sandwhiches and passed out the coffee to the people. Needless to say it was a very sobering and humbling experience of poverty in this country. Even in one of the richest cities in Guatemala, you can still find the real poverty that so many people live with here.
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I was going to write about La Semana Santa and all the beautiful precessions, good food, blah blah blah...but then I saw the other side of Antigua that I hadn't paid much attention to in the last few months and felt it would be worth more to write
Tuesday I was walking through the park of El Tanque de La Union near my house. I walked by four indiginous children (all girls) digging through the trash. The oldest could not have been more than 7 and had a baby on her back. She was the one digging. As I walked by I heard the 7-year-old say, if I get it, it's mine. The younger one (5, I am guessing) said, "no, I get some too, I haven't eaten all day either". I just looked at them and kept walking. I honestly couldn't figure out what to do. I thought, do I help them get the food out of the trash, take them out for ice cream or a sandwhich...but instead I did absolutely nothing.
That night I could not stop thinking about these girls. Why could I not stop and help them...why was I so apathetic to their situation. You see so many poor people in Guatemala but this is the first time I had seen children digging through the trash in Antigua. I was absolutely dumb-founded and at a complete loss as to what to do.
So I found a solution. Last night I fed the homeless of Antigua. Every Thursday a group of young adults gets together and and makes sandwhiches and then distributes them to the homeless people of Antigua. There was probably about 10 of us last night. We made 70 sandwhiches in 30 minutes and then walked to the market where the people sleep. It was absolutely the best two hours I have spent since I've been back. I took Jose Manuel with me (my little 7-year-old brother in the house). He helped make the sandwhiches and passed out the coffee to the people. Needless to say it was a very sobering and humbling experience of poverty in this country. Even in one of the richest cities in Guatemala, you can still find the real poverty that so many people live with here.
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Thursday, April 08, 2004
The Rest of El Salvador
My vacation in El Salvador flew by. I absolutely love San Salvador. The city actually really reminds me of Washington DC as far as restaraunts, architecture and even the way the roads are set up.
Monday we just toured around the city and saw down town. Their national hospital is really cool. The older buildings came from Paris from when the Eifel tower debued. There were all these metal buildings and pavileons. So three of the original buildings were sent over to El Salvador and they built the national hospital.
Monday night we went to the El Mirador (a look out point) to eat Pupusas (the national dish) and to see the city at night. The view was absolutely fabulous. The pupusas were great too. A pupusa is a tortilla filled with cheese and then grilled so the cheese melts inside. Then you put repollo on it that is somewhat like saurkraut. I could eat these things everyday. They are so good. They have them in Antigua, but they're just not the same.
Tuesday we spent the day at the pool sunbathing and doing flips and tricks on the diving board. It was hysterical. We had biggest and smallest splash contest, craziest dive...all kinds of stuff.
It really was a much needed vacation. We got back to Antigua yesterday afternoon. La Semana Santa in Antigua is crazy. There are people from all over the world here and the city is packed. It is really cool because today started 5 days of processions. The people make these beautiful "rugs" on the streets from flower petels, pine needles, fruit, anything that you can imagine that has color to it.
I am making a website for my photos from the last few months, so I am hoping that will be up for everyone by the end of next week. Then everyone can finally see what I am talking about.
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My vacation in El Salvador flew by. I absolutely love San Salvador. The city actually really reminds me of Washington DC as far as restaraunts, architecture and even the way the roads are set up.
Monday we just toured around the city and saw down town. Their national hospital is really cool. The older buildings came from Paris from when the Eifel tower debued. There were all these metal buildings and pavileons. So three of the original buildings were sent over to El Salvador and they built the national hospital.
Monday night we went to the El Mirador (a look out point) to eat Pupusas (the national dish) and to see the city at night. The view was absolutely fabulous. The pupusas were great too. A pupusa is a tortilla filled with cheese and then grilled so the cheese melts inside. Then you put repollo on it that is somewhat like saurkraut. I could eat these things everyday. They are so good. They have them in Antigua, but they're just not the same.
Tuesday we spent the day at the pool sunbathing and doing flips and tricks on the diving board. It was hysterical. We had biggest and smallest splash contest, craziest dive...all kinds of stuff.
It really was a much needed vacation. We got back to Antigua yesterday afternoon. La Semana Santa in Antigua is crazy. There are people from all over the world here and the city is packed. It is really cool because today started 5 days of processions. The people make these beautiful "rugs" on the streets from flower petels, pine needles, fruit, anything that you can imagine that has color to it.
I am making a website for my photos from the last few months, so I am hoping that will be up for everyone by the end of next week. Then everyone can finally see what I am talking about.
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Sunday, April 04, 2004
I Found Paradise.
Because we had to leave Guatemala after 90 days (visa expires after 90 days), our friend Claudia from El Salvador invited us to come to her parents house. We arrived yesterday afternoon and it has just been heaven since the minute we arrived.
We (Sabine, Matt, Reinder, Hemerson and Lori and I) left Antigua at 8am on a bus for the city. Then, we took a bus from Guatemala City to la frontera (the border). Then from there we took another bus to San Salvador. The bus dropped us off right by the mall by her house. The border crossing was really easy and they didn't make me pay even though my visa was expired. The whole trip was about 8 hours, but it wasn't really boring because we were going through parts of Guatemala that we had never seen.
San Salvador is an awesome city. It has everything you love about living in America, but with the Latin culture that I have grown to love so much. Last night we went out to a restaraunt for dinner that was awesome. The area that she lives in actually really reminds me of Glenwood South. It really is so different from life in Guatemala.
Today her parents took us to their club at the beach. This club has a private black sand beach. We arrived at around 10 am and spent the entire day there. It was absolutely gorgeous. There are no words to describe it. It honestly is the most beautiful beach I have ever been to in my life. The water was so warm it was like bath water.
Something that is interesting to know though is that El Salvador finished a 12 year civil war about 10 years ago (more or less). In that time they have really rebuilt the country a lot with U.S. help. They use the dollar here and everything in the part of the city we are in is very U.S. like. What I found out from Claudia is that El Salvador has troops in Iraq. I really would like to know how many Americans knew that. I bet very few if not any who are not related to someone from El Salvador. It is amazing how little we pay attention to the Central American countries outside of "The War on Drugs", but they do things everyday day that really have an effect on the U.S.
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Because we had to leave Guatemala after 90 days (visa expires after 90 days), our friend Claudia from El Salvador invited us to come to her parents house. We arrived yesterday afternoon and it has just been heaven since the minute we arrived.
We (Sabine, Matt, Reinder, Hemerson and Lori and I) left Antigua at 8am on a bus for the city. Then, we took a bus from Guatemala City to la frontera (the border). Then from there we took another bus to San Salvador. The bus dropped us off right by the mall by her house. The border crossing was really easy and they didn't make me pay even though my visa was expired. The whole trip was about 8 hours, but it wasn't really boring because we were going through parts of Guatemala that we had never seen.
San Salvador is an awesome city. It has everything you love about living in America, but with the Latin culture that I have grown to love so much. Last night we went out to a restaraunt for dinner that was awesome. The area that she lives in actually really reminds me of Glenwood South. It really is so different from life in Guatemala.
Today her parents took us to their club at the beach. This club has a private black sand beach. We arrived at around 10 am and spent the entire day there. It was absolutely gorgeous. There are no words to describe it. It honestly is the most beautiful beach I have ever been to in my life. The water was so warm it was like bath water.
Something that is interesting to know though is that El Salvador finished a 12 year civil war about 10 years ago (more or less). In that time they have really rebuilt the country a lot with U.S. help. They use the dollar here and everything in the part of the city we are in is very U.S. like. What I found out from Claudia is that El Salvador has troops in Iraq. I really would like to know how many Americans knew that. I bet very few if not any who are not related to someone from El Salvador. It is amazing how little we pay attention to the Central American countries outside of "The War on Drugs", but they do things everyday day that really have an effect on the U.S.
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