Sunday, July 31, 2011
For several of us, the final day
Saturday was the last day in Guuatemala that our entire group would be together. Andrea, Betsy and Ashley will move on to more fun throughout Guatemala and then Belize, but for Mitch, Steph, Sammie and I, yesterday was our final day to enjoy the beauty of this great country.
I'll keep things brief because our work at Common Hope had finished on Friday, and yesterday was just a day for fun and adventure. And fun it was.
We left the city around 6 o clock and journeyed by van to the Pacaya Volcano. Will, our guide, then led us up the volcano where we enjoyed beautiful views, closeup glimpses of a steaming volcano and lava flows that happened during the last decade, and even a marshmallow roast in a crevace that remains heated to temperatures hot enough to...well...roast a marshmallow. It was a rigorous climb but well worth it. We snacked on stuffed sandwiches and chips before heading back down and then back to Antigua.
After showering and reorganizing a bit, it was time to go back into Antigua. Mitch, Steph, Sammie and I first hit the very wild central market where we bought some final gifts and just soaked up the experience of a scene we don't see back home. We then walked around the city, stopped for some nachos and Gallos, and finally settled in the central plaza.
I got my traditional shoe shine from my pal Gregorio while Sammie had a woman braid a woven "thing" in her hair. Sammie and I then enjoyed one final father daughter moment at the Cafe Barrista. We chatted about the trip and about how glad we both are that we did this together. She's an awesome girl and I'm so proud to be her dad. Tears... The night ended with the four of us enjoying a pizza and some wine and coffee, then one final ride back to Common Hope from our new friend Chicki.
I won't make an effort to sum up the trip in a tidy couple of sentences, but I do want to say that this has been just another fantastic experience thanks to the efforts of EPS Global Connect. My hope is that trips like this will continue well into the future. If you ever have a chance to join us, and I hope you will, please do it. You won't ever regret it!!!
I'll keep things brief because our work at Common Hope had finished on Friday, and yesterday was just a day for fun and adventure. And fun it was.
We left the city around 6 o clock and journeyed by van to the Pacaya Volcano. Will, our guide, then led us up the volcano where we enjoyed beautiful views, closeup glimpses of a steaming volcano and lava flows that happened during the last decade, and even a marshmallow roast in a crevace that remains heated to temperatures hot enough to...well...roast a marshmallow. It was a rigorous climb but well worth it. We snacked on stuffed sandwiches and chips before heading back down and then back to Antigua.After showering and reorganizing a bit, it was time to go back into Antigua. Mitch, Steph, Sammie and I first hit the very wild central market where we bought some final gifts and just soaked up the experience of a scene we don't see back home. We then walked around the city, stopped for some nachos and Gallos, and finally settled in the central plaza.
I got my traditional shoe shine from my pal Gregorio while Sammie had a woman braid a woven "thing" in her hair. Sammie and I then enjoyed one final father daughter moment at the Cafe Barrista. We chatted about the trip and about how glad we both are that we did this together. She's an awesome girl and I'm so proud to be her dad. Tears... The night ended with the four of us enjoying a pizza and some wine and coffee, then one final ride back to Common Hope from our new friend Chicki.
I won't make an effort to sum up the trip in a tidy couple of sentences, but I do want to say that this has been just another fantastic experience thanks to the efforts of EPS Global Connect. My hope is that trips like this will continue well into the future. If you ever have a chance to join us, and I hope you will, please do it. You won't ever regret it!!!
Friday, July 29, 2011
A remarkable day!
This morning Sammie and I were very touched, as was the rest of our group I'm sure, by Sylvia, a member of a Common Hope affiliated family who has been receiving help from Common Hope since 1998. At that time she was a single mother who was struggling to provide for her family. She applied to become affiliated and quickly worked the 300 hours of sweat equity necessary to receive health care and eventually a small home. Because she proved herself to be a very hard worker, eventually Common Hope hired her on as part of the cleaning staff. Now she is thriving, able to care for her children and her grandparents, and looking forward to seeing her children graduate from high school. She has persevered through very difficult circumstances and has come through on the other side of it a very strong woman. She was more than impressive.
Later, Sammie, Betsy, Ashley and Steph helped out at the preschool/day care while Andrea, Mitch and I worked with Pablito and Miles doing some construction prep. We put together probably a dozen or so wall panels and helped the large work crew unload what seemed like tens of thousands of concrete pavers from a very long flatbed truck. The physical work was fun and quite rewarding. I love pounding a hammer. Some day I may even become good at it!
The afternoon brought two very special events. One was the blessing of the home that we had helped to construct during our time at Common Hope. We said some words to the family, took some pictures, ate cake and horchata, and visited with the children. Mitch said a prayer, Steph spoke eloquently on our behalf, and Betsy led us in a song. Sammie and I presented a gift from all of us to the family. Sammie got very emotional, as did I. The most rewarding part for her was the connection she made with the little four-year-old daughter of the family, Alejandra. When it came time to say goodbye, Alejandra gave Sammie and big hug and whispered to her "adios." It really touched Sammie's heart.
The other event this afternoon, the one I'd been waiting all week for and the one that was worth the price of the entire trip, was our meeting with Jackeline, our sponsor daughter. During the past year she and I have been exchanging letters. She has been on my mind a lot because I met her during a social work visit on our trip to Guatemala last year. I couldn't wait to see her and the visit did not disappoint. She is such a smily, happy, positive girl and it was a true joy just to spend even a short amount of time with her. We talked about her school, her favorite music, soccer, her family, Minnesota, and much more. Her mother, Rosa, was also there along with her younger brothers Jose and Eswin. We laughed a lot and even ate fruit from a pomegranate tree they have in their courtyard. Their house is simple, just three bedrooms and they have a difficult life - Jackeline's mother works six days a week, about twelve hours a day, leaving the children home alone for much of the day. I feel so fortunate to help out with Jackeline and her family. My only wish is that the visit could have lasted longer. I can't wait to come back. 
The day ended with a terrific little closing ceremony where we were all thanked and given small, woven tapestries with our names woven in them. After that we did a final reflection with Lys and headed into Antigua for a very cool dinner where we danced, listened to marimba, and watched some dancers perform a Mayan ritual dance. Quite a finish to a completely remarkable day!!!Check us out online!!!
... which I guess you are already doing. Haha
We are on Common Hopes website in the photo gallery as their most recent vision team.
http://www.commonhope.org/get-involved/join-a-vision-team/vision-team-diary/
We are on Common Hopes website in the photo gallery as their most recent vision team.
http://www.commonhope.org/get-involved/join-a-vision-team/vision-team-diary/
Donations
Thanks to so many of you out there who helped us collect money and materials for our trip. Yesterday we unloaded the supplies and presented them to Common Hope. Of course they were very thankful. Our largest category of donations was school supplies which will go out to affiliated families and also to the several schools with which Common Hope has a relationship. It was all much needed stuff and we can't say how much we appreciate it. THANK YOU!Thursday, July 28, 2011
A big day
We knew it was going to be a big day...social work visits and putting the house together on-site...and it was.
Betsy, Andrea, Ashley and I met the social workers and headed out to visit some families. While Chris, Sammie, and Mitch headed out to build the house.
This was a day that I had really been looking forward to. Even though I would have to have much of what was said during the visit translated later, I knew that I would still gain much from the experience. As we entered the first house, we were greeted by Ima and Rolando, age 5 and 3 respectively. Their smiles truly warmed my heart. This family had 3 cinder block rooms for sleeping and had their kitchen outside under a tin roof. As we went inside to sit down, their mother was very excited about a new bed and the kids could not stop rolling around on it. I kept thinking, my kids would do the same thing!!
As we settled in, I really started to observe my surroundings. The dirt floor, the animals, the flies, the smoke...I don't have words to describe my emotions as this all become more real to me. All that I have, all my possessions, my complaints, seemed ridiculous compared to how this family lived every day. My heart was heavy as we left but I did feel some hope because of what CommonHope can offer this family.
I arrived at the house site with curiosity to see what had been accomplished so far. Most of the walls were up!! The energy was contagious...the family was excited, we were excited...so cool. We had a goal of finishing the house by noon. Soon all the walls were up, the trusses, and then it started to drizzle. It could not stop our momentum. The CommonHope workers, Felix and Pablo, were amazing to watch and had buckets of patience working with us as volunteers. The family was so gracious and made us homemade toritilla's and eggs for a snack. Everyone gobbled it up and we had energy to complete the job. 
As the last peice of ceiling went up the rain began in earnest and it was as if someone knew that the house was complete. It was a day filled with emotion and we were blessed to have experienced it all.
Adios, Steph
Betsy, Andrea, Ashley and I met the social workers and headed out to visit some families. While Chris, Sammie, and Mitch headed out to build the house.
This was a day that I had really been looking forward to. Even though I would have to have much of what was said during the visit translated later, I knew that I would still gain much from the experience. As we entered the first house, we were greeted by Ima and Rolando, age 5 and 3 respectively. Their smiles truly warmed my heart. This family had 3 cinder block rooms for sleeping and had their kitchen outside under a tin roof. As we went inside to sit down, their mother was very excited about a new bed and the kids could not stop rolling around on it. I kept thinking, my kids would do the same thing!!
As we settled in, I really started to observe my surroundings. The dirt floor, the animals, the flies, the smoke...I don't have words to describe my emotions as this all become more real to me. All that I have, all my possessions, my complaints, seemed ridiculous compared to how this family lived every day. My heart was heavy as we left but I did feel some hope because of what CommonHope can offer this family.
I arrived at the house site with curiosity to see what had been accomplished so far. Most of the walls were up!! The energy was contagious...the family was excited, we were excited...so cool. We had a goal of finishing the house by noon. Soon all the walls were up, the trusses, and then it started to drizzle. It could not stop our momentum. The CommonHope workers, Felix and Pablo, were amazing to watch and had buckets of patience working with us as volunteers. The family was so gracious and made us homemade toritilla's and eggs for a snack. Everyone gobbled it up and we had energy to complete the job. 
As the last peice of ceiling went up the rain began in earnest and it was as if someone knew that the house was complete. It was a day filled with emotion and we were blessed to have experienced it all.
Adios, Steph
Our second day at San Miguel Escobar school
We spent another great day at San Miguel Escobar. Wish we could keep going back!
Construction!
These videos give you a glimpse into Common Hope's process for helping families acquire a small house. Much of the work happens at Common Hope then the materials are transported to the site. It all happens very quickly.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
"Buenos dias, Profe."
Another beautiful day in Guatemala! For the past few days, the skies have been hinting at rain with darkening clouds and rumbles of thunder over the nearby volcanoes. Last night we did get a bit of rain and it was nice to hear it pattering on the red tiled roof. But today we awoke to another beautiful day in Guatemala.
Today was similar to yesterday with our teams splitting, some of us going to schools in the morning and the others working construction and reversing roles after lunch. We woke up early, as we have been each morning. The sounds of the city coming alive as cars, trucks, and "Chicken busses" passing by on the road outside the complex walls has become the norm. Birds sing and we begin to hear the din of construction and children laughing as La Familia Esperanza (Common Hope) awakens to another busy day.
We (Betsy, Steph, and I) taught another round of lessons to the fourth and sixth graders. These kids are amazing with thier bright eyes, laughter, and welcoming grins and greetings of "Buenos Dias Profe'". Yesterday the kids worked on some pages for an A-Z book, and this morning we were able to present the completed book to the class. This was accepted with thank you's and a hearty round of applause. We, Betsy really, led a typical morning meeting with the class which
really isn't typical here in Guatemala. After the meeting we read a book about popcorn as the students munched on some popcorn we brought for them as a little engaging snack.... popcorn book, popcorn to eat.... you get the idea. Following this, the kids worked in small groups on a "Waterfall" activity. On this they worked off the lesson from the day before, writing short eight word poems accompanied by rhythm and movement which was shared for the whole class. The kids were excited, though a bit nervous, to do such an activity. 
It seems that these types of lessons that involve group work and/or movement are rare and it seemed to be a fun way for these kids to play with language and learn. We see that our role here is to teach the teachers as much as it is to teach the kids. We are hopeful that sharing these and other simple strategies might have a lasting impact on the teachers and the system as a whole. Much of what we have done over the last couple of days has been way outside of the Guatemalan teachers' boxes.
Teaching in these classrooms has been an amazing blessing. The rooms are sparse and lack
pretty much everything we have grown accustomed to each day back home. What they aren't missing are kids who are excited about learning and welcoming visitors. So much like home in so many ways. But, this does give one room to pause and appreciate all that we have been given. For thse who have been given much, much is to be expected.
After teaching our two lessons we returned to Common Hope for lunch and then got ready for an afternoon of construction work. Today we did a finish troweling job on the cement floor tiles the other group made earlier this morning. This was pretty new for most of us. It was fun to learn a new skill and pick up our first Guatemalan blisters in the process. After finishing the tiles we worked on building a few wall panels for an upcoming house that will be assembled. Steph and Betsy really enjoyed the cahnce to swing some hammers and use a power drill! The houses Common Hope builds are totally prefabricated and assembled on site. They are sturdy and provide a much cleaner and safer living condition than these families currently live in. Our construction hefe (leader) Pablo (aka, Pablito) is excellent at his trade and very kind the the gringos who don't know what they are doing. We have really enjoyed the diversity in work experiences while here. A little teaching in the morning and construction in the afternon. Tomorrow we will assemble a house and go on some social work visits. On Friday we will give a house blessing and spend some time with the preschoolers here at Common Hope. It is sure to be an great ending to an already fantastic week.
We rounded out the day with a little reflection with Jeff from Common Hope, and Lys who has been our coordinator and friend throughout the week. She has an amazing gift of hositality and has done so much for us this week. After this we ate another delicious dinner and chilled. Some read books and relaxed while the rest of us played some fooseball and ping-pong. Just a typical evening beneath the volcanoes in Antigua, Guatemala.
Peace,
Today was similar to yesterday with our teams splitting, some of us going to schools in the morning and the others working construction and reversing roles after lunch. We woke up early, as we have been each morning. The sounds of the city coming alive as cars, trucks, and "Chicken busses" passing by on the road outside the complex walls has become the norm. Birds sing and we begin to hear the din of construction and children laughing as La Familia Esperanza (Common Hope) awakens to another busy day.
We (Betsy, Steph, and I) taught another round of lessons to the fourth and sixth graders. These kids are amazing with thier bright eyes, laughter, and welcoming grins and greetings of "Buenos Dias Profe'". Yesterday the kids worked on some pages for an A-Z book, and this morning we were able to present the completed book to the class. This was accepted with thank you's and a hearty round of applause. We, Betsy really, led a typical morning meeting with the class which
really isn't typical here in Guatemala. After the meeting we read a book about popcorn as the students munched on some popcorn we brought for them as a little engaging snack.... popcorn book, popcorn to eat.... you get the idea. Following this, the kids worked in small groups on a "Waterfall" activity. On this they worked off the lesson from the day before, writing short eight word poems accompanied by rhythm and movement which was shared for the whole class. The kids were excited, though a bit nervous, to do such an activity. 
It seems that these types of lessons that involve group work and/or movement are rare and it seemed to be a fun way for these kids to play with language and learn. We see that our role here is to teach the teachers as much as it is to teach the kids. We are hopeful that sharing these and other simple strategies might have a lasting impact on the teachers and the system as a whole. Much of what we have done over the last couple of days has been way outside of the Guatemalan teachers' boxes.Teaching in these classrooms has been an amazing blessing. The rooms are sparse and lack
pretty much everything we have grown accustomed to each day back home. What they aren't missing are kids who are excited about learning and welcoming visitors. So much like home in so many ways. But, this does give one room to pause and appreciate all that we have been given. For thse who have been given much, much is to be expected.
After teaching our two lessons we returned to Common Hope for lunch and then got ready for an afternoon of construction work. Today we did a finish troweling job on the cement floor tiles the other group made earlier this morning. This was pretty new for most of us. It was fun to learn a new skill and pick up our first Guatemalan blisters in the process. After finishing the tiles we worked on building a few wall panels for an upcoming house that will be assembled. Steph and Betsy really enjoyed the cahnce to swing some hammers and use a power drill! The houses Common Hope builds are totally prefabricated and assembled on site. They are sturdy and provide a much cleaner and safer living condition than these families currently live in. Our construction hefe (leader) Pablo (aka, Pablito) is excellent at his trade and very kind the the gringos who don't know what they are doing. We have really enjoyed the diversity in work experiences while here. A little teaching in the morning and construction in the afternon. Tomorrow we will assemble a house and go on some social work visits. On Friday we will give a house blessing and spend some time with the preschoolers here at Common Hope. It is sure to be an great ending to an already fantastic week.
We rounded out the day with a little reflection with Jeff from Common Hope, and Lys who has been our coordinator and friend throughout the week. She has an amazing gift of hositality and has done so much for us this week. After this we ate another delicious dinner and chilled. Some read books and relaxed while the rest of us played some fooseball and ping-pong. Just a typical evening beneath the volcanoes in Antigua, Guatemala.
Peace,
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
I chose the right profession.
Day 4. The day has arrived. We are about to start the activities that we came here to do. Teach and build a house. For this we had to split into two groups. Group 1 started in the construction and Group 2 started in the schools. Group 1 consisted of myself (Andrea), Chris, Ashley and Sammie. Group two will write about their day, I will continue with ours as they were similar but different.
So... after filling our bellies we met with Lyz to begin our construction adventure. We headed over to the construction site where they put us right to work! Our plan was to bring part of the supplies with us to a home where they had already started laying the floor. This was an "affiliated" familiy who has been working with Common Hope for some time as they had already done the sweat equity hours for their first one bedroom home that was up and running and had now finished "paying" off their second. This family does not own their land so the homes they have are constructed of portable (although super heavy) cement blocks and portable walls so that if/when the times comes that they need to move they will be able to take their home with them.
We were immediately given the job of filling a few bags with sand and a few bags with rock for mixing some cement on site. Pretty simple task right?? We sunscreened up, drank some water and got our working gloves on. Ashley jumped right into the rocks and started shoveling rocks into the bag I was holding. We were told to fill the bags a little over half full. Good idea since they were quite large bags. So we did just that, soon realizing that the fuller they got, the heavier they got and the more impossible to lift. We were able to find a wheelbarrow to help carry the load only to struggle immensely and eventually needing help from the men giggling at us from the side in lifting the bags. How these men do this everyday, I do not know. We did make it through the all of this with minor scrapes and bruises. Needless to say, I chose the right profession and am not cut out for daily construction. (My large muscles may make you think otherwise ;-)
Once loaded up we headed to the home where the floor was just about set. We pounded a few metal rods, dug some trenches, made cement, and poured and leveled the cement around the flooring. Tomorrow and Thursday we will work on getting walls up and hopefully see a finished project.
Dirty, hot, sweaty and tired we made it up the stairs to shower before lunch where we were able to meet up with the rest of the group and hear how successful their time at the school was, making us feel all the more excited to jump into our own classroom of students to do a similar lesson.
We packed our backpacks and were off to school. Renato, Common Hope's educational coordinator, drove us the 5 or so minutes to a nearby school in San Miguel Escobar where we worked with two 4th grade classrooms for about an hour a piece. The students were amazing and the entire experience went beyond my expectations of a Guatemalan school. Renato explained that they have around a 10 year program with the schools, working towards the schools feeling independenct and with all the tools that they need to run a successful building. They were in about year 2 with this particular school and the effects of their integration and training were immediately obvious particularily in the area of classroom management. From classroom rules to a daily agenda, there were some good things happening at these schools so that students could be getting the most out of their day.
We continued with a reading of a book about a market teaching the students the strategy of Taxonomy which is used to organize ideas and vocabulary in alphabetical order which led into our creating a class book about the Guatemalan market. The students did an excellent job thinking about foods found in the market and an even more amazing job making their individual page. They were so creative, and really impressed me with their neat writing and wonderful sentences. In many ways they were showing work equivelent if not more impressive then my own 4th graders last year, which really is quite amazing considering they do not have a library, textbooks, college educated teachers, etc... It was so wonderful to see such good work being done with so little.
I could go one, but to sum it up, today was just another day that helped me remember why I went into teaching. Smiling eager faces just ready and yearning to learn something new. These children are the future of Guatemala and they are off to a great start.
In short, I chose the right profession.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Wow, what a full day! We just arrived back at Common Hope after spending the entire day on the go. Our group split into two smaller groups for the majority of the day, Sammie and I going to “New Hope” and the rest of the gang going to the weaving cooperative.Sammie and I started our day at 7:00 as Lys and her driver, Julio, picked us up in their van and got us going on our journey to New Hope. New Hope, or Nueva Esperanza, is a school/clinic/library and more all wrapped into one. It’s north of Guatemala City and it is Common Hope’s second largest site (next to their main site in Antigua). They started this site after Hurricane Mitch in 1998(?) when many people near Guatemala City lost their homes due to mudslides. Since then Common Hope has developed this awesome site including a school that could rival those in many parts of the states.
Our trip to New Hope involved very heavy traffic through Guatemala City, a stop at the Auto Mac (McDonald’s drive thru for those of you who have never been to Central America), and a very precarious mountain road – no pavement, lots of twists and turns, honks around corners to make sure the other drivers knew you were coming, and more. It was great fun and all part of the adventure!
After arriving at New Hope Lys gave us a general tour of the New Hope facilities and introduced us to many of her friends. We got lots of welcomes and hugs from both the children and the staff. Right away we could tell that this was a very special place. The crown jewel of the day was the project we did with the 2nd grade class. It was a simple arts and crafts project involving paper plates and foam sheets, but the kids loved it. Sammie and I dug right in doing our own fish and helping the kids. The children were great. It was obvious that they are smart and well cared for. All of them wanted to know how to say their name in English. It was cute. I wish we could’ve stayed longer or come back multiple days.
Unfortunately our time at New Hope ended too quickly and we were back on our way to Common Hope. Sammie and I both got a little shut eye before meeting the rest of the gang of a super lunch in the back garden of this nice little restaurant. Sammie ordered a mixed meat, cheese and veggie tray while I ordered some typical kind of chicken in a cheesy, creamy sauce. It rocked. For dessert Sammie and I shared a piece of chocolate cake, plum ice cream and a café con leche. As the Wiggles say, Yummy Yummy!
To wrap up a super fun day, we enjoyed a tour back at Common Hope, did some planning for our educational experiences, and chilled out. Sammie and I played some soccer – of course she beat me. The night ended with another terrific meal in Antigua followed by some strolling in the plaza. There was a salsa band playing and many people milling slowly around the plaza. Sammie and I both agree that we could spend a part of each day just sitting in the plaza and watching the city of Antigua pass in front of our eyes.
Weaver at the Loom
Hello there! This is Betsy writing on my first full day and everyone else's second day in Antigua. We had a wonderful day off due to a holiday celebrated here in town. Throughout the whole day fireworks could be heard all through town and in the main plaza there was plenty of activities to partake in like a book fair and music.
We split into two groups today. Chris and Sammie left early and drove out the Nueva Esperanza, one of Common Hope's other schools. You will be hearing about their experience a little later.
Ashley, Andrea, Stephanie, Mitch, and I went to the weaving cooperative in Santiago Zamora, a small pueblo about 30 minutes from Antigua. A Common Hope volunteer, Shelly, who happens to be a Minnesota native, picked us up at around 9am to bring us out there. Our driver, Jose, dropped us off at an unmarked door on a small street at the top of a hill and Shelley knocked on the door. We had no idea we were about the enter an incredible place with incredible women inside.
We entered a home made of stone and covered with an aluminum roof. Throughout the whole living area there were tapestries and woven materials scattered and hanging all around. All the women in the room were dressed in traditional clothing like los cortes and los guipiles. The first woman scattered flower petals and lit candles on the floor while she told us an interesting legend/story about the town and the Mayan people.
She told us that a long time ago on today's date, the men in town made alcohol to celebrate the patron saint's day that is celebrated today. Everyone was very happy and fell asleep at the end of the day. In the middle of the night a home caught fire and since their homes were made of corn stalk the whole town burnt down. The people were so sad their homes were destroyed they started to get headaches and nose bleeds. In order to cure the sickness, the people had to give over the deed to their land to the rich man in town to pay for medicine to cure the sickness. The people were cured but since he had the deed to their land he wouldn't let them plant their harvest there anymore. Eventually he allowed them to plant but the people were indebted to work for him for the rest of their lives. Still today the people of Santiago Zamora help the man with his coffee harvest every year.
The coop was started by 35 women 17 years ago in order to send their children to school. The women faught against their disapproving husbands by weaving products to sell in the market. Now the women keep part of the funds for their materials and give part to the community to keep their children in school.
We had such a great time! It felt like we were really getting to know the culture of this people. They showed us all four steps of weaving by hand the traditional shirts, skirts, purses, tablecloths, etc that they sell. Everything was incredibly intricate. We also saw a traditional dance done today on the last day of the festival complete with music and incense. We also all had the chance to try grinding coffee beans by hand grown from the mountain outside. They are ground with a large stone plate and a stone "rolling pin." The stone is from the mountain and was bought by her grandmother a long time ago. Each woman has four different stones. One for grinding coffee beans, black beans, corn for tortillas, and herbal plants.
They made us a delicious meal called pepian which consists of rice with vegetables, a special sauce, and chicken raised right in their home instead of bought at the market. Accompaning the pepian was a juice made of pineapple, canteloupe, honey, and water. Que rico! Another very interesting part was watching the women made tortillas. They had a wood burning stove with a flat top. An older woman, who only spoke Maya, was sitting next to the stove and made perfect torillas. Receiving the ball of dough in her hand, flattening it by throwing it between her hands, and stopping at the perfect consistency, size, and smoothness. Later on we found out this woman was blind and making tortillas by memory and experience! We definitely struggled making them ourselves. We ended up making volcanos, maps, and Mitch was even told that he wasn't allowed to leave until he learned how to make a proper tortilla.
It was an incredible visit where we learned so much about the people, the detailed process of weaving, and the food. Finally we ended our visit by purchasing their beautiful woven goods of so many colors. Ashley and I definitely had a hard time controlling our pocketbooks and bought all our gifts for family and friends in one visit! Totally worth it.
We ate lunch at a beautiful restaurant named Saberico that is made of complete open air gardens. We walked through an incredibly old building with 2 foot thick stone walls into the beautiful garden. On the patio there were pomegranite trees, lime trees, guanava trees, and love birds in cages. We had our own secluded space surrounded by flowers and had incredible food. One part of the garden we discovered had a hammock you could rest in after a large lunch. We ordered a range of food from Guatemalan enchiladas (with cabbage, beets, and chicken), to tacos and bruschetta. For drinks we ordered various mango, strawberry, and wheat grass smoothies. It was great!
After lunch we began planning for our first day of work tomorrow at the schools, got a tour of the Common Hope compound from our guide Lys, and got picked up by our favorite driver, Cheeky, to go to dinner. Dinner was at a great place named La Peña de Sol Latino where we ate incredible food and listened to live music being played in front of us. It is agreed that every place we have eaten at has been very romantic, small, and with great food.
We ended the evening by listening to a full piece band in the main plaza (dressed in white tuxedos) play music and watched a couple dance salsa infront of a large croud. It was a great way to end a full day celebrating the patron saint holiday with the people.
Thank you for reading this whole post to the end! Tomorrow we officially begin our work with contruction and teaching at the two schools, Santa Catarina and San Miguel Escobar.
Gracias!
We split into two groups today. Chris and Sammie left early and drove out the Nueva Esperanza, one of Common Hope's other schools. You will be hearing about their experience a little later.
Ashley, Andrea, Stephanie, Mitch, and I went to the weaving cooperative in Santiago Zamora, a small pueblo about 30 minutes from Antigua. A Common Hope volunteer, Shelly, who happens to be a Minnesota native, picked us up at around 9am to bring us out there. Our driver, Jose, dropped us off at an unmarked door on a small street at the top of a hill and Shelley knocked on the door. We had no idea we were about the enter an incredible place with incredible women inside.
We entered a home made of stone and covered with an aluminum roof. Throughout the whole living area there were tapestries and woven materials scattered and hanging all around. All the women in the room were dressed in traditional clothing like los cortes and los guipiles. The first woman scattered flower petals and lit candles on the floor while she told us an interesting legend/story about the town and the Mayan people.She told us that a long time ago on today's date, the men in town made alcohol to celebrate the patron saint's day that is celebrated today. Everyone was very happy and fell asleep at the end of the day. In the middle of the night a home caught fire and since their homes were made of corn stalk the whole town burnt down. The people were so sad their homes were destroyed they started to get headaches and nose bleeds. In order to cure the sickness, the people had to give over the deed to their land to the rich man in town to pay for medicine to cure the sickness. The people were cured but since he had the deed to their land he wouldn't let them plant their harvest there anymore. Eventually he allowed them to plant but the people were indebted to work for him for the rest of their lives. Still today the people of Santiago Zamora help the man with his coffee harvest every year.
The coop was started by 35 women 17 years ago in order to send their children to school. The women faught against their disapproving husbands by weaving products to sell in the market. Now the women keep part of the funds for their materials and give part to the community to keep their children in school.
We had such a great time! It felt like we were really getting to know the culture of this people. They showed us all four steps of weaving by hand the traditional shirts, skirts, purses, tablecloths, etc that they sell. Everything was incredibly intricate. We also saw a traditional dance done today on the last day of the festival complete with music and incense. We also all had the chance to try grinding coffee beans by hand grown from the mountain outside. They are ground with a large stone plate and a stone "rolling pin." The stone is from the mountain and was bought by her grandmother a long time ago. Each woman has four different stones. One for grinding coffee beans, black beans, corn for tortillas, and herbal plants.They made us a delicious meal called pepian which consists of rice with vegetables, a special sauce, and chicken raised right in their home instead of bought at the market. Accompaning the pepian was a juice made of pineapple, canteloupe, honey, and water. Que rico! Another very interesting part was watching the women made tortillas. They had a wood burning stove with a flat top. An older woman, who only spoke Maya, was sitting next to the stove and made perfect torillas. Receiving the ball of dough in her hand, flattening it by throwing it between her hands, and stopping at the perfect consistency, size, and smoothness. Later on we found out this woman was blind and making tortillas by memory and experience! We definitely struggled making them ourselves. We ended up making volcanos, maps, and Mitch was even told that he wasn't allowed to leave until he learned how to make a proper tortilla.
It was an incredible visit where we learned so much about the people, the detailed process of weaving, and the food. Finally we ended our visit by purchasing their beautiful woven goods of so many colors. Ashley and I definitely had a hard time controlling our pocketbooks and bought all our gifts for family and friends in one visit! Totally worth it.
We ate lunch at a beautiful restaurant named Saberico that is made of complete open air gardens. We walked through an incredibly old building with 2 foot thick stone walls into the beautiful garden. On the patio there were pomegranite trees, lime trees, guanava trees, and love birds in cages. We had our own secluded space surrounded by flowers and had incredible food. One part of the garden we discovered had a hammock you could rest in after a large lunch. We ordered a range of food from Guatemalan enchiladas (with cabbage, beets, and chicken), to tacos and bruschetta. For drinks we ordered various mango, strawberry, and wheat grass smoothies. It was great!
After lunch we began planning for our first day of work tomorrow at the schools, got a tour of the Common Hope compound from our guide Lys, and got picked up by our favorite driver, Cheeky, to go to dinner. Dinner was at a great place named La Peña de Sol Latino where we ate incredible food and listened to live music being played in front of us. It is agreed that every place we have eaten at has been very romantic, small, and with great food.
We ended the evening by listening to a full piece band in the main plaza (dressed in white tuxedos) play music and watched a couple dance salsa infront of a large croud. It was a great way to end a full day celebrating the patron saint holiday with the people.
Thank you for reading this whole post to the end! Tomorrow we officially begin our work with contruction and teaching at the two schools, Santa Catarina and San Miguel Escobar.
Gracias!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
"I"ve never actually seen a sacrifice"
Said our guide Marian as we traveled through the country side of Guatemala on our way to Iximche, but I'll get back to that later...
Our second day in Guatemala began cool and peaceful with much anticipation of touring some Mayan ruins. We met up with our Common Hope host Lys and learned more history from Marian on the drive. We asked about politics, education, and religion and enjoyed hearing one native Guatemalan's opinion.
The drive to Iximche was eye-opening for me. Seeing more of the rural areas and observing the harsh living conditions made it hard not to think of all I have at home in Minnesota. The beautiful country side and volcanic mountains were somewhat shrouded in sadness for me, as I could not imagine living as many Guatemalans do.
Arriving at the ruins brought me to another place of wonder about what this amazing culture must have been like more than a thousand years ago. Marian was so knowledgable and shared information on the Mayan number system and some of the symbolism found on the Guatemalan currency, "Quetzales". We wandered through the plaza's and imagined what a market day might look like, a "ball game", and just what day to day life must have been like in a "city" such as this.
So about that sacrifice...
Marian shared with us that because it was Sunday we may see a Mayan ceremony going on at the ruins. We walked a short trail and started to smell smoke and saw some fires on the ground. Sure enough there were about 3 families conducting rituals which we could sit and observe. It was intriguing to watch them place an egg in the fire, pour sand, sugar and then...
pull a chicken out of a bag. We looked at one another and I think all had similar thoughts...we are going to see a sacrifice today. It's hard to put into words what watching someone else's spiritual practice is like, especially when it's so different from your own. I"ll just say it was fascinating.
We left the ruins and had an amazing lunch at a popular roadside restaraunt. The ride home to Antigua was quiet and sleepy. We picked up our last team member, Betsy in Antigua and ventured out on our own to do some people watching and shopping before dinner back at Common Hope. Looking forward to another memorable day tomorrow!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Quick first day recap from Chris
Well, we made it to Antigua (Common Hope) alive and well. It was a very easy travel day, if I can speak for the group. Yes, it was a long day, but everything went off without a hitch. Two flights, a short layover, and a 1-hour shuttle ride and we arrived in Antigua. Lys, our guide from Common Hope, met us at the airport then treated us to a nice, refreshing lunch in Antigua. Most enjoyed the smoothies and guacamole. I, myself, went with the cappuccino instead of a smoothie and was not disappointed.
As I'm writing, Mitch, Andrea and I are sitting in the open air common area adjacent to our dorm rooms. The facility is amazing Ð very relaxing and comfortable. WeÕre just chillin' out tonight getting ourselves rested and ready for what should be a busy day tomorrow.
I've totally enjoyed seeing how my daughter Sammie is reacting to everything. She has had a smile plastered to her face most of the day. I can tell that she is feeling this experience in a deep way. And it's only day one! It was funny to see her point out things she's never seen before Ð a banana tree, an avocado tree, a gecko on the side of our building. She loves the mountains, too and the volcanoes nearby. It's been a little cloudy since we arrived so we haven't yet had a chance to see the very tops of the volcanoes.Well, tomorrow should be a great day. We're visiting a Mayan ruins site, I think we'll be taking in a Sunday market in a small village, then we'll be exploring the city of Antigua in the afternoon. We'll put on our walking shoes and experience it all!
We arrived here at the Common Hope complex around 5:00 where we have settled into our space. The accomodations here are wonderful and we have a whole area to ourselves including a common room, bathrooms, and kitchen and laundry facilities. We have all that we need. We spent some time organizing our donations and just hanging out talking and reading.
The weather is exceptional. Sunny and warm about 78 F or so and cooling down as night has fallen. This is a great escape from the past week in Minnesota and the 116 degree heat index! I might even have to put on a sweatshirt soon!
Tomorrow we will travel to Iximche, a Mayan ruins, and spend some time in Antugua. It is sure to be a great day and we are all excited to take in some history and culture.
Please continue to check in on us as we blog each day about our adventures.
Peace,
Mitch Hegland
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Time to Go Back to Guatemala!
Once again a group of Eden Prairie Schools staff members and their families are preparing to embark on an adventure to Central America. This time the trip is to Guatemala - specifically to the organization Common Hope outside of Antigua, Guatemala.Our mission will be to support one or more schools in the area by helping to facilitate some literacy instruction strategies that are new to the most of the teachers in those schools. Those strategies will include elements of Responsive Classroom and NUA. We will model strategies by instructing students in their native language, and we will also meet with teachers to help them begin to understand some cutting edge ways to help their students become more proficient readers, writers and thinkers. Of course our contribution while in the country will just be a start to what will be an ongoing relationship between Eden Prairie Schools and the schools of Common Hope.
Along with the educational portion of our trip, we will be working with children and families in Guatemala in other ways as well. We will be involved in a portion of the construction of a home for a Common Hope affiliated family, we will get a glimpse into family social work visits that are integral to the work of Common Hope, and we will have time to enjoy the culture of the area. It is shaping up to be another wonderful experience for Global Connect!
The trip will take place from July 23rd through July 31st. Take a look at the members of this year's group below, visit our blog daily while we're away, and please keep us in your thoughts during our journey. Thanks, as always, for your support!
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