crazy weekend

So this weekend Ferney started his TB medication so we went to Xela and met up with lots of friends and went out. It was great fun, and I got to meet Dani, Courtney's boyfriend who's visiting from California, as well as Courtney whom I haven't seen in ONE MONTH! It was really fun, we went to an AMAZING Chinese restaurant where I had some amazing sweet and sour chicken and chow mein. YUMMMMMMMM.

We then went out dancing and crashed at Casa Argentina only to wake up at 7 AM and go to Spinning class, (with the super hot instructor, score). While it was a little bit painful, it was definitely worth it. We then met up with tons of other volunteers at Hyper (the Guatemalan Walmart) went nuts, buying meat, stuff for guac, beer, etc. everything we need for a BBQ, and headed out to our site. There were about 15 people, and we had a great BBQ I made chocolate chip cookies, cheese biscuits and brownies (all things people on TB medication can't eat...they also can't drink for the duration of the medication...which is nine months). We had a Pinata, lot of booze, good music, and great friends. It was a great night, and now we're recovering wonderfully watching (appropriately named) The Hangover, a mindless comedy, and eating yummy beans and salsa with pasta. Now it's after 6 PM, and I have to get ready for work for tomorrow....great, and take a nap...a nap that may last till tomorrow morning.

New Peace Corps Director's Welcome Message

Obama's newly appointed Peace Corps Director's message to the Peace Corps Community

Lactancia Materna Parade, Casero Chipuerta, San Vicente Buenabaj

At the School at Chipuerta

The Pinata

Nina de Deportes (Ms. Sports) de Chipuerta

The Front of the Parade

Some more of our 'artwork'

The Kids with their "intervida" T-shirts, getting ready for the parade.

The Senoritas of Chipuerta

Posters Ferney and I made being held with "pride"

The front of the parade

The Picturesque San Vicente

Ryan and Grant out in Xela

Ash, myself and a bottle of hairspray...all in preparation for a night out in Xela

An exorcise class I'm teaching, for pregnant women in the Salon

Charla giving....with Ziki Ziki there for moral support

Ladies at my Charla

Giving a Charla to a Woman's group

Two San Vicente Flies... having a good time on Ferney's patio

Invaders (champipas or turkeys) getting the "boot" from Ferney's house, with the hose

The Pigeon

I am writing from my own laptop with my new Tigo internet stick which allows me to have (incredibly slow) internet at my house. (It takes about an hour and a half to download a song from itunes....seriously).

But, at least I have internet now as the internet cafe in town (generous words for the small dark, damp room cramped with six computers stuck at odd angles.) has closed.

However, even with the recent closure, San Vicente has not been without action, in fact on Thursday there was the Senorita Indenpendencia pageant in the Centro, and Ferney was a judge. This wasn't just any pageant however, (trust me there are a LOT of pageants here), the girls each had to dress in a different type of traje (traditional dress) and reenact the signing of the peace accords in Guatemala, and they often reenacted some of the violence during the war.

So picture this: three or four women (girls really, no older than 14 or 15 dressed up as older women) in traditional traje on stage pretending to cook/clean/care for babies, the scene is really quite nice. Then all of a sudden, bangs come from the left and guerrillas (or rather male students of the same age dressed in camouflage) storm the stage, pushing over the women, burning the "crops" and stealing the babies. Three seconds later they're signing the peace treaty and I have no idea why. I was still upset about the baby stealing.

But I digress - the peace treaties are signed and what do you think comes next? Let me tell you (at least in rural Guatemalan schools) what is a peace treaty without peace pigeons? - obviously nothing.

Almost all of the reenactments of the signing ended with one of the young girls "releasing" (read: throwing) a "peace pigeon" to fly free (into the rafters of the building and then poop on the audience). One of the reenactments however had three peace pigeons, and as the third one was "released" it flew into the air in a large arc, and then began to plummet, fast, towards my head. What was I to do? A dirty rat with wings - I mean peace pigeon - was flying at my face... Without thinking I take my notebook that is sitting on my lap and swat the pigeon away. It falls to the ground, and begins to shake. Not for long however before a group of about five children dive on top of the quivering mess of what is left of this symbol of freedom, and proceed to "play" (read: torture) it for the rest of the pageant. Right after this incident, I glance over at Ferney, sitting at the judges table, and his face is bright red and in his hands. I thought he was having an episode of some sort, but it turns out he (and the rest of the judges table and the school administrators, and the students) were in fact in hysterical laughter because the crazy new gringa almost killed the peace pigeon - with amazing speed and accuracy (OK, I made that last part up, but my reflexes were pretty good).

All in all, it was a super interesting afternoon, and a wonderful cultural experience - for the town of San Vicente.

A few weeks in

So the most exciting news is the extremity of my flea problem. I look like I have small pox and am afraid of getting skin poisoning with the amount of bug spray I use. Apparently fleas live on the floor, and so this weekend my number one job is to buy some bleach and a mop and to drown the suckers while I also wash all my bedding. Not sure how successful my plan will be but I am reaching a point of desperation.

I am not so worried with how I look, but the itching is so bad I can barely concentrate on anything. I am a hydrocortazone cream maniac and use about half a pound a day...I am not sure if it helps, but am only worried about how bad it would be if I ran out.

On top of that, this week has been quite pleasant. Ferney is in Guatemala for a workshop organized by Peace Corps, so I am dog sitting Ziki Ziki. He is grounded at the moment as he followed me to the mayor´s office, interupted our meeting, and then jumped on me. He also "helped" with my charla about leche materna and HIV-AIDs to a group of women on Tuesday by sitting at my feet the entire time. He is sweet, but has no manners.

I should probably go check on him and give him some brekky before I head to my first charla for the day!

Some Events that have Occured

1. On Sunday I woke up to a chicken in my bedroom...twice.

2. I have fleas, everywhere

3. I got a bacterial infection in my lungs, but am on medication so am feeling much better

4. I got a new bed!

5. I have a chest for my clothes!

6. I had to give a charla on leche materna - lactation - ew, the only thing I find grosser then that is the actual idea of giving birth...did you know that Aug. is Leche Materna awareness month in Guatemala?

7. I hung up a poster in my 2nd room (kitchen-eating-guest room area) for ambiance...it´s a map of Guatemala, feeling a little more civilized.

8. I just bought about 50 pieces of poster board to start preparing more charlas! yay!

9. I have started to boil water every night and pour it into my Nalgene water bottle to put under my covers as a make do hot water bottle so my feet won´t freeze, it´s wonderful, i´m a genius.

10. I am seriously considering getting a kitten. They´re so cute and good for keeping you company and Ferney said he´d cat sit while I was away and I know that they´re expensive but I REALLY want one and I can feel my determination to be responsible crumbling...plus now that my parents have a house in CT...I could bring it there with me when I´m done. Maybe...I don´t know...but I really want one.

11. I´ve stopped using conditioner for my hair, it´s expensive and I never have enought hot water to take the time to use it anyway, regardless I´m obviously looking my best at the moment.