Life with my Guatemalan Host Family!

As part of the SALT program, I get a month of Spanish language training before I start my volunteer placement in El Salvador. For me, this means studying in Guatemala City at CASAS (the Central American Study and Service school), which is a program of SEMILLA, the Latin American Anabaptist Seminary. For the past 2 weeks now (I can't believe how quickly the time has gone!) I have had Spanish classes every morning from 8:30-12:30, which are going very well. CASAS is a great program, but I will save talking about it for another blog post, because right now I want to tell you all about my wonderful Guatemalan host family!

In order that students get a chance to practice their Spanish and be fully immersed in Guatemalan culture, CASAS finds host families for the students to live with, while studying at the school. I was lucky enough to be matched up with the amazing Kaehler Lopez family. You may be wondering why I’m living with a family in Guatemala City, with a German last name like Kaehler! I know I certainly wasn’t expecting that! Turns out my host dad’s father moved to Guatemala from Germany during WWII. But even though their ancestors are German, this family is definitely Guatemalan through and through! My host mother Astrid is a stay-at-home mom and a wonderful cook, and is always making sure I am well fed and comfortable! My host father Gustavo works at a restaurant an hour and a half out of the city, so he’s only home on weekends. I also have 4 wonderful host siblings all living at home (it’s normal for kids to live at home with their parents until they get married, and sometimes even after they get married). Karla is 29, Diego is 26, Carlos is 24, and Carolina is 21. My brother Diego also has an adorable 5 year old son, Josue, who lives with his mom during the week, but with our family on the weekends! Also, Karla’s boyfriend Tono, who also happens to be our neighbour, is over all the time, and is pretty much another member of the family! And last but not least, we have two small dogs that live in the garage/front yard, and bark a lot. Coincidently, one of the dogs is named Nala, and she is a cockapoo, just like my family’s dog back at home, Nellie! (Sorry, I realize most of you didn’t care to know that…but I thought it was a fun fact! haha.) Anyways, that about sums up the Kaehler family! As you can see, it’s a pretty busy household!

They have all been excellent at helping me learn new words and phrases in Spanish and are good at speaking slowly (most of the time, at least!) so I can understand them. They are a loud, outgoing and fun Catholic family and love to joke around and make fun of each other (including me!!) so even though I have only been with them 2 weeks, I already feel really at home with them and like I truly am another sister and daughter in the family. Unfortunately this means it’s going to be really hard to say goodbye to them next month when I leave for El Salvador. But I’m trying not to think about that now!

The house is nice and fairly big, they seem like a middle-class family (although of course not compared to North American standards). I share a room with my youngest sister Carolina, but luckily have my own bed. We have 2 bathrooms in the house, but only 1 shower (with hot water about 75% of the time), so mornings are sometimes a bit chaotic! And on weekends when everyone is home, we don’t quite all fit around the dining room table! Other than that, can’t think of anything else of interest to share!

Some highlights of the past couple weeks with the Kaehler family have been:

-         having “Spanish class” with my little nephew Josue!

-         learning more about soccer or “futbol” – since arriving in Guatemala, I have already watched 4 soccer games on tv and 3 games live, so I am starting to learn the rules of soccer, and am actually enjoying myself!

-         One of the 3 games I watched live, included last weekend when I went with my host dad, brothers and some neighbours and friends to a FIFA World Cup Qualifier game! It was Guatemala vs. St. Vincent/Grenadines, and we won 4-0! Guatemala is in the second round of Qualifiers for North and Central America and the Caribbean, for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil in 2014. Tickets were cheap (only $3!) but the stadium was packed full with people and the fans were insane! We didn’t get there early enough to get a seat, so we stood in the back but we still had a good view of the game and it was a lot of fun! And when I got a bit bored of the game, I would just people watch! Guatemalans love their futbol and really do show their emotions on their sleeves. I imagine it’s kind of like the equivalent of Canadian fans at the Olympic gold medal hockey game in Vancouver!

-         Being woken up last Sunday morning at 9am by my host mom, telling me to get out of bed because our family was going to the park! When we arrived, I found out it was actually a small amusement park! So I got to go on a boat ride where I got soaked, and a few very small, but still fun, roller coasters! There was also a small zoo inside the park – I think I was just as excited to see the animals as my nephew was!

-         Finding out that our neighbours have a litter of 10 (yes TEN!) adorable little puppies!

-         Learning about Guatemalan culture, education and politics (among many other things) from my host family. Guatemala’s 2011 Presidential Elections will be held tomorrow (Sept. 11^th) so it’s been kind of an exciting/interesting time here!

The list of highlights could go on but I think you get the picture: I’m having a really great time here in Guatemala City, learning lots and having lots of fun!!

For those interested, check back next week for a post on the results of the Guatemalan Presidential elections, and some info about Guatemalan politics in general.  

For now, enjoy some pictures!

Cheering for Guatemala at the FIFA World Cup Qualifier game with some family, friends and neighbours!
The 3 guys on the left side of the picture are my brother Diego, dad Gustavo, and neighbour Tono. 

my host brother Carlos and I at the game

with my host family (minus dad and one sister) at the amusement park!
From L-R, Carlos, Karla, me, Astrid, Diego, and Josue in front

my host sister Carolina and I

Photos from the US and Guatemala

SALT/IVEP Orientation in Akron, PA: my small group,
from France, Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, the US, and Canada!

91 SALTers and IVEPers, from 23 different countries, took part in the week-long orientation in Akron 

Attending a worskhop in the MCC Office in Guatemala City

View of the city

We went to Panabaj, in Santiago Atitlan, to drop off a new MCC worker at her placement with
ANADESA, a partner organization of MCC, and spent the afternoon helping out with children's activities.



My adorable little amigo Pedro! When I first got there, he started copying everything I said
and did (a little annoying/random at first!) so then I started making faces at him, and we just made faces at
each other all afternoon. We were both supposed to make funny faces for this picture, but nope, he decided
to look cute instead, and make me look like an idiot all by myself! haha



Pedro y Melissa

Maria and I...a popular name here in Guate!

The 3 new MCC Guatemala/El Salvador volunteers! Roxanne is beginning her 4 months here in Santiago Atitlan as a short-term volunteer, and Aaron is a SALTer, and will also be volunteering here with ANADESA, begining in October. 

Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala



Guatemala - The First Week (and a bit!)

I've been in Guatemala for 12 days now! Time has gone by so fast! Now, how to summarize the last week and a half...
After saying many sad goodbyes at the SALT/IVEP Orientation, I had a good flight (with only a few kinks) to Guatemala City. Aaron (the SALTer serving in Guatemala) and I were greeted at the airport by our MCC Guatemala/El Salavador Representatives: Irma and Antony, who have been living and serving here in Guatemala, along with their 2 daughters, for 8 years now! I actually met them briefly 5 years ago, when I came to Guatemala with a group from my church, on an MCC Work and Learn Team.
It's good to be back in Guatemala again, although the city is much bigger and more Americanized than I had remembered...I lost track of how many McDonald's I had seen already, after the first day. For the first week, I was living in an MCC apartment just a couple blocks away from the biggest & nicest (but maybe too nice) mall I have ever seen (yet not big enough apparently, as it is under construction and they are adding another huge addition!) Not sure what else they need, they seem to have everything already: Payless, Lacoste, and even a few "McCafe's"! Guatemala City is definitely a city of contrasts...there is huge wealth (evident in the malls, cemeteries, and Mega-churches) but it's in the hands of only a very few. Also, did I mention that right beside this gigantic mall, there is another huge mall, with a roller coaster inside?!
Even though I've been struggling with all this consumerism and the inequalities...I have to admit, I've enjoyed a few trips to the mall, where I have discovered a delicious bakery that has (among many other yummy baked goods) dulce de leche pastries, and pan dulce (sweet bread - my new favourite food in Guatemala!), as well as a Cafe, where I've been getting Iced Lattes, that have served as my comfort food during the first week! The Cafe is a chain, but not one that I recognized from Canada or the US at least, so that makes me feel slightly better about myself...
And speaking of food, for those who have been worrying that I would be eating black beans & tortillas for breakfast, lunch, and supper every day…don’t worry any longer! For the most part, I have really enjoyed the food (although I’ve been eating a bit more meat than I am accustomed to). I have been enjoying lots of chicken, beef, rice, yummy vegetable soups, potatoes, delicious fresh fruit, and even (to my surprise!) some pretty tasty black beans & tortillas!
Anyways, enough about food and malls...most importantly, this past week and a half I have met many kind and hospitable people, both from Guatemala and abroad, that have made my transition into Guatemalan life much smoother, and more meaningful. Through more MCC orientation, as well as interesting conversations, tours of the city, cramming into already packed city buses, and a visit to a museum, I have begun to learn about the current Guatemalan context, and the country’s history and people. I am slowly learning of both the strengths and the hardships of the Guatemalan people, and in doing so, am becoming saddened yet also inspired. This past week I have had numerous reminders (from both Canada and Guatemala), that life is short, and that I should take advantage of every opportunity, and live life to the fullest. 
One such reminder was last week, when we took a break from orientation in the MCC office, and travelled to Santiago Atitlan to drop off a short-term MCC volunteer. The magnificent views alone, of the lake and volcanoes, were worth the long trip. But even more important, were the faces and stories of the 24 hours I spent there. When we first arrived, we were warmly greeted by the director of the organization MCC partners with in this area of the country, and given a delicious lunch. After learning a bit more about the organization, we helped out with children's activities. The kids were adorable, and it was a lot of fun, but also a challenge since in this indigenous village, their first language is Tz'utujil, and not all the children (as well as many of the women) speak Spanish.
Later that evening, the director of the organization (who's only 30 years old) told us about the town's experience of the civil war. I won't be able to do his story justice (I got chills listening to him, imagining what it would have been like growing up during this time, and the pain that many people suffered) but I want to tell an overview of the story anyways. In 1980, the day he was born, soldiers (sent by the military government) came to the town, wanting to "protect" the town from guerilla groups. Being a peaceful group, the indigenous people did not want armed men in their community, but of course they couldn't do anything about it. Unfortunately, due to misunderstandings or miscommunications from their different cultures and languages, over the years that the soldiers were staying in the town, innocent civilians were killed, in the name of protecting the people from the guerillas. In 1990, after another such incident, hundreds of people from the community met outside the Catholic Church to discuss what they could do to make the soldiers leave. They gathered more people, and the next night, with lamps, thousands of people from the community and surrounding rural areas walked from the Catholic Church to the downtown area, creating a peaceful protest or march. The soldiers wanted them to leave, but nobody moved, and in the process, soldiers shot and killed 13 unarmed peaceful civilians, including women and children. Devastated and outraged from this tragedy, the civilians sent petitions to the government to shut down the army base in Panabaj (a village in the municipality of Santiago Atitlan) and a couple days later, due to international media attention, the Guatemalan government was forced to shut down the base, and declared the area a "military-free zone", six years before the civil war in the country ended. This is a great story of pacifism and communities coming together. Although the deaths of the 13 men, women and children is a huge tragedy, they did not die in vain - they were buried in a cemetery called the Peace Park, and still today, people gather for mass at this park once every month to remember these victims of war. 
I can't imagine losing a family member or friend this way, or growing up in this context of violence and fear. And often times I forget that even right now, there are children growing up in unjust contexts similar to this one. It is even harder to think about how our lives of comfort and wealth in North America are possibly interconnected, or even a cause, of the unjust suffering in other countries. But that is for another day and another post...
At the same time, it is exciting to see what is coming out of this community, specifically in regards to ANADESA, MCC's partner organization, and the work they are doing with women, children, education, and community and economic development. Despite all the hardships they have faced, including more deaths due to mudslides in 2005 from Hurricane Stan, the people that I met really do live life to the fullest, and I have so much to learn from them. It was a day I will not soon forget, and I hope to visit the town again this year, as this is where the other SALTER's placement will be.
I'm not trying to sound cliche... but to quote the late Jack Layton:
“Love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair.”
There is a lot of anger, fear and despair here in Guatemala (as in many places in the world), but there are also many people living their lives out of love, hope and optimism, as the people of Panabaj have definitely demonstrated. I hope to put these ideas into action this year, and in order to do this, a big part will have to do with living my life in Guatemala (and later on El Salvador) to the fullest, and truly being in the moment, because I think when you are living in the past or thinking about the future, it is easy to become angry, fearful or pesimistic about things.
Although I am very excited to start working with ANADES in El Salvador next month, my goal is to stay focused on the present, and take advantage of the wonderful opportunity I have to study Spanish and learn more about Guatemala, while living in this beautiful and diverse country. On Monday morning, I began my Spanish classes and moved in with my Guatemalan host family. The first two days have been really good, but that is for another blog post!
Check back again soon though - I'm planning on posting some photos, as soon as I figure out how!

SALT Orientation in Akron, PA

It has been such a blessing for me to spend this past week in Akron, Pennsylvania, with 90 other young adults from 23 countries all over the world, for the SALT and IVEP orientations.  It was so much fun making new friends and building relationships, and learning new words, songs, dances, stories, and ideas from everyone's different cultures. I also learned so much from sessions and discussions with other SALTers and IVEPers, and have felt inspired by so many people! It is not often that you are in a setting where everyone is so genuinely interested in listening and asking questions and learning about each other and their cultures...if only life was always like this, our world would be a much better place!!

In the morning, I will be heading to the Philadelphia airport, and by this time tomorrow night (Thursday), I will be in Guatemala City! It turns out that I will be spending the next 6 weeks in Guatemala, before I head to El Salvador. So this year, instead of experiencing life in one country, I get to experience two! I will have more orientation with the Guatemala SALTer, and the Guatemala/El Salvador MCC reps, and then will study spanish at CASAS for a month, while living in a host family.

I wanted to share this poem with everyone, because it has been shared with me twice already this past week, and I think it really sums up a lot of what I have learned this past week, and also what MCC and my upcoming service assignment is all about.
It is a poem written by Oscar Romero, the Archbishop of El Salvador, who was assasinated in 1980, for sticking up for the poor and marginalized people of his country.

A Future Not Our Own
It helps now and then to step back and take a long view.
The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of
saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession
brings perfection, no pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the Church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives include everything.
This is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one
day will grow. We water the seeds already planted
knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects
far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of
liberation in realizing this.
This enables us to do something, and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning,
a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord's
grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the
difference between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not
messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.