Back in Guate!

Well, many of you probably heard that I’ve made it back from a quick trip to the states. Thanks so much for your prayers and words of encouragement as I was able to go home and be with my family as we buried my grandpa. It was a tough week with a wide range of emotions, but I was blessed to be able to be among friends and family as we both mourned our loss and rejoiced at his homecoming. We would all covet your continued prayers as we adjust to life without him.

I was excited to come back to a bunch of kids excited to see me! They had covered my desk with letters and the marker board with the following messages:

I didn't even have to bribe them! They did that all on their own- they like me!

See you at the Pole!

Question: How does a school hold a "See You At the Pole" when there is no one international flag that all the kids hold allegaince to?

Answer: Put up all of the flags and pray for other countries!

These kids are really amazing. First, they organized the event. Then, the put up flags from the U.S., Guatemala, and Korea (our top three represented schools). Next, we sang and then prayed for not only our own countries, but also for the top persecuted countries around the world. Then, for lunch, there was an international hot lunch in which there was food served from the various countries: China, India, and the Phillipines. My elementary kids loved it!

Guatemalan Independance Day

This past Monday we had a day off (when you live in Guatemala, you get to celebrate Guatemalan Independence Day). My roommate and I went to Antigua, a town about half an hour from here. While there, we were able to spend some time at a hospital. It really stuck with me because I have never seen anything like it before. The conditions can't be described with anything I've ever seen back home before. There was the waiting room for people just wanting to see a doctor, and then wards of disabled men, women, and children who have spent most of their lives there. It was truly heartbreaking to see the way that these people lived, especially the children. There were just so many of them and it was so understaffed. There were two boys in particular with the biggest, most mischievous smiles whose faces are burned in my memory. They were so charming and it's just really been plaguing me to think about them living their whole lives there. Granted, there has been a lot in the way of improvements just in the last couple of years. My roommate says that donations are way up and they are actually able to get the kids motor wheelchairs, but it's no Spectrum Health. Not to mention, many of these kids were abandoned because the Indians here believe that they are possessed by evil spirits. All that to say, if you could just say a prayer for those people as well as those seeking to run the hospital. There are some truly amazing people there, but there's so much to do!

A tour of the house

Okay, what you've all been waiting for (drumroll please): Where do I live. No, it's not a mud hut, I was very relieved, in fact, it is quite beautiful. As far as location goes, we are about 5 minutes from school. We (my roommate Trisha and I, she's a highschool English teacher) live in a gated, barbed wired, armed guarded, walled... subdivision thing. To give you an idea of the size, it takes me roughly 20 minutes to run up and down all of the streets in it. I'll have to post pictures of it and the incredible gorge on one side. So, back to our house, within our subdivision, our small "yard" is also gated and walled. We live in it with another couple who also teaches at the school. It's very nice as he takes care of all the things we gals just don't even care to think about. (And comes and gets us when we lock our keys in our car.) And now pictures. To the left is walking up to our door. Below is when you first walk in. My room is the one on the left.

Our kitchen is as soon as you walk in on the left. It's quite cozy. It I'm just pleased by the fact that I have sucessfully figured out how to light it. I have yet to bake anything. It's a little tricky since there's no controlling the temperature, not to mention the whole change in altitude thing. (But don't worry, I never used the oven at home, so I don't miss it!)

Here's walking into my room. I have a fun Guatemalan desk and I just learned that everything here is stained with shoe polish, whether is indoors or outdoors.

Here's my room facing towards the door. I'm hoping to repaint soon to make the mint green walls a little less toothpasty. (Hey, it's going to be home for a while, so I'm going to make it homey.)

And that is it in a nutshell. I hope you've enjoyed this tour. I know it's not exactly like Parade of Homes, but at least it gives you an idea!

Checking out some sweet ruins of a monastery. Yes we are on the send level, and no, there are no railings! But that's Guatemala... Side note, there were beautiful gardens and look who caught a butterfly!

The whole, hungry gang, waiting for our meal. The family down the right is actually from West Michigan as well. Don't tell me it's a small world either. God knew I needed someone to compare potholes with. Are they truly worse here or in Guatemala?!?! It's a toss up.

You really can't beat this for restaurant ambiance. We ate at Las Palmas in Antigua today, truly some of the best food I've had since arriving. Not to mention we did it Guatemalan style, relaxing until we were done relaxing!

Some of my students enjoying "Back to School Night" last night.

My roomate Trisha and I are enjoying the ambiance at the director's house. A bunch of teachers came and we ate a delicious dinner of hamburgers on the grill (yeah for beef!) and played games!

Okay, I'm officially into blogging and I will do my best not to neglect for so long again! I'm going to jump right into life now because there's just no way I can go back and recount all I've done so far, not to mention there are few who would want to read it...

All that to say, I'm here, I'm feeling pretty settled, and WOW God is so good! I am living in a very cute house about 5 minutes from school (depending on traffic, which tends to be a nightmare, the only rule is that there are no rules!) My students are delightful, a bit of a handful, but very fun. There are 14 all together, about a third MKs, a third Guatemalan, and a third Korean (a dynamic I had not anticipated).

I was able to do my first bit of sightseeing today. I went to Antigua, a town about 1/2 an hour from here. It was very sweet, complete with cobblestone paths and ancient ruins. Another big selling point is that it is at the base of a volcano (active no less). Talk about reinactment of Mount Vesuvius if that thing ever decides to go. There's another volcano close to school that is usually putting off a good amount of steam, but everyone says that's a good sign. It means it's not accumualting and getting ready to blow.

As for life here, it's much different than I anticipated, not that I had a lot of anticipations, but nonetheless. It's an amazing mix of rich and poor, Americanized and distinctly Guatemalan, even green and city. But, I am enjoying discovering the quirks and learning how to navigate my way.

Well, I shall work on posting regularly and keeping you all up to date. I am also working on the whole picture thing, but they are to come. Thanks so much for your prayers and support, they get me through, day by day!

All my bags are packed...

Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but my bags have at least made it to my room, as for the packing part, well, all things in their time (scenario: what do you mean I'm leaving tomorrow morning, well, everything that's clean comes with me, that makes it so much easier to determine what stays and what goes...). But really, how do you pack for two years? I'm at a bit of a loss. I mentioned my shoes in church last Sunday, you know it's time to cut back when you have enough shoes to fill an entire suitcase. Some people have suggested that I get one of those little vacuum cleaner gizmos, but that will really only help if it also sucks pounds out while it flattens.

Packing aside, I am getting very close to leaving. My parents threw a big good-bye party on Saturday and I think the number one question was, "So, when exactly are you leaving?" And that is a question to which I wish I knew the answer. Once I have all of my support pledged I can leave, however, I am very close. On Wednesday I should find out more and I am hoping I might be able to leave yet this weekend. School starts August 18 and it's hard for me to do any planning here because I don't have the curriculum right in front of me or know exactly what kinds of supplies I have. So the teachers out there will understand the urgency of me wanting to be there as soon as possible, I find it's best to simply not think about it!

So, in summary, I hope to be leaving shortly, I should have a better idea on Wednesday, new teacher orientation starts Friday and regular teacher inservice starts the following Monday. I have a house I will be renting with another teacher (high school English, it should be fun to see how my Dr. Suess and her Romeo and Juliet styles mesh :) and our house is about 5 minutes from the school. We have a wash machine for those who have been wondering, we also have three bedrooms and two bathrooms, but that's secondary to a wash machine of course! As to everything else, I probably don't know, but I will tell you when I get there.

Well, that wasn't so bad. I think I can actually do this whole blogging thing. Whether or not you'll want to read it is up to you. Maybe I'll try to get fancy with pictures or something to lure you back, stay tuned for more...