SPA Fund Update

Yay my SPA grant has been fully approved! Money should be coming in the next two weeks, the project is a go for early March!
SUCCESS!

The last long haul

The last six months of service are here.

Wow, I’ve been living in Guatemala since April 2009, and here I am on my last long haul. With all the thinking I’ve been doing about my life after Peace Corps, it has been really hard focusing on my work here. Between scholarship applications and FAFSA reports etc. I feel as though my work here has been put on the back burner.

I hope to be changing that now as I’ve had a full couple weeks working in Chihuitan, Pasac and Xemuj with workshops, charlas and meetings. I’ve also been working with my counterpart organizing HIV workshops in the new schools in towns and working in training my health center staff on giving the workshops themselves.

Tomorrow is THE BIG DAY, it’s the SPA meeting (Small Project Assistance) and they will announce whether or not the money is coming through from the US government to fund my project, fingers crossed!

I will keep you updated on the progress of the project and all that jazz, hope all is well and that 2011 is going well.

Christmas and New Years Family Trip!

Happy 2011! I can't believe I've been in Guatemala since April 2009 -

This Christmas and New Years I was blessed with the best present ever: a visit from my family! Even though the trip was threatened by various weather conditions - after rescheduling and flying through Amsterdam, the family made it on time!

Here are some photos of the trip's highlights!

A temple in the old Mayan city of Tikal.

Happy New Year from San Jose! (looking glam!)

Meeting the woman' in my Woman's group in Chihuitan, San Vicente

At the top of Pacaya Volcano (it just exploded this past May, thus the 'v' at the top)

We went zip-lining through the monkey infested jungle in Panajachel, with GREAT views of the lake.

At a restaurant in Chichicastenango, El Quiche.
(Alex is looking particularly excited about this!)

Christmas Dinner at Casa del Mundo at Lake Atitlan

Our first night all together in Antigua, Guatemala.

For more photos click here, or look at Nicola's facebook profile! Happy 2011!