The craziness of life in Guatemala is all but lost on me these days. I remember at the beginning of the year, when everything seemed new and different and worthy of a blog post or a long email home. Now, even though I'm well aware that life here is different than home, it's normalized. Just in time for me to go back to the States and readjust to crazy life there. Yay.
Tonight I drove past the dead-dog-walking that lives outside our colonia (I'm going to try to take a picture and post it one of these days, but for now think boxer mutt with almost no hair, blood red eyes and a lot of weird pink growths and spots decorating his body. He's truly the ugliest dog I've ever seen, but there's definitely a spot in my heart for him) and headed to Jo and Victor's for a game of Settlers of Catan.
When my parents came to visit last weekend (it was lovely, I'm so glad they came) they served a dual purpose: visitors and mailmen. There was a whole checked suitcase devoted to my requests and treats, including dried apple rings from Friskes and Reeses. Tucked among the snacks were some long-ovedue wedding presents for Jo and Victor, mostly games that would be hard or impossible to get here. Settlers was among them, and it's been a hit so far (we've played it two nights in a row. I love it when I find people who love board games as much as I do). I was the only one of the group who had played the game before, but it only took two games until someone beat me handily. This is not the way games usually go for me; I'm going to have to try harder.
I'm excited about the weekend ahead. It's "Dia de los Muertos" on Sunday. If you don't know what that is, ask anyone who has ever taken a Spanish class and I guarantee they can tell you. I'm excited to experience it firsthand. Recap and some pictures coming soon.
10.30.2009
10.28.2009
Fireworks!!!
After a lovely evening of reading the New Yorker in my favorite bookstore, eating my favorite salad, seeing a movie (cheap movie night! $2.50!) and dropping Alex off on at his house, David and I were heading home on the mostly deserted streets of Zone 1 in Roscoe when we saw fireworks in the sky ahead of us.
At first I thought they were in celebration of a birthday -- a tradition here -- but since it wasn't 5:00 a.m. and the fireworks were making big red-and-green flowers in the sky instead of a lot of unbearable noise, that theory didn't fit.
I still don't know why they were being shot off, but I'm thankful for them and for our good timing -- we drove up the street just as the show was starting and pulled over to a sketchy gas station to watch.
Red and green and blue and gold. The show made me appreciate the randomness of Guatemala City and fall a little more in love with it. (I only spent 20 percent of the time worrying that someone was going to steal David's camera as he leaned out the window to get some footage.)
At first I thought they were in celebration of a birthday -- a tradition here -- but since it wasn't 5:00 a.m. and the fireworks were making big red-and-green flowers in the sky instead of a lot of unbearable noise, that theory didn't fit.
I still don't know why they were being shot off, but I'm thankful for them and for our good timing -- we drove up the street just as the show was starting and pulled over to a sketchy gas station to watch.
Red and green and blue and gold. The show made me appreciate the randomness of Guatemala City and fall a little more in love with it. (I only spent 20 percent of the time worrying that someone was going to steal David's camera as he leaned out the window to get some footage.)
10.18.2009
nostalgia
It's a peaceful Sunday afternoon here in Guatemala. I woke to the sound of my curtains flapping in the wind and had one of those moments where, even after all these months, I wasn't quite sure where I was.
Now I'm here, sitting on the floor with my computer and the comforting sounds of one of my old favorite albums, Transatlanticism, remembering. Remembering yesterday, when the marimba at a neighbor's birthday party was too loud to hear my movie over, remembering the beginning of this year when I was filled with wonder and confusion about this country I live in, remembering the Death Cab for Cutie concert my freshman year of college and how very, very far I've come since then.
Only a month left here. I can't believe it.
A whole month left here. So much to do.
Being assistant at another trial this week, climbing Pacaya for the third time (we're good friends now), a visit from my parents, project upon project, wedding showers, retreats, game nights and goodbye parties. Processing leaving this place I've known and loved for the past 9 months. Processing going home to the people I know and love there. Breathing.
Now I'm here, sitting on the floor with my computer and the comforting sounds of one of my old favorite albums, Transatlanticism, remembering. Remembering yesterday, when the marimba at a neighbor's birthday party was too loud to hear my movie over, remembering the beginning of this year when I was filled with wonder and confusion about this country I live in, remembering the Death Cab for Cutie concert my freshman year of college and how very, very far I've come since then.
Only a month left here. I can't believe it.
A whole month left here. So much to do.
Being assistant at another trial this week, climbing Pacaya for the third time (we're good friends now), a visit from my parents, project upon project, wedding showers, retreats, game nights and goodbye parties. Processing leaving this place I've known and loved for the past 9 months. Processing going home to the people I know and love there. Breathing.
10.08.2009
Scaredy-Cat
I'm just about the jumpiest person I know.
As much as I'd like to be calm and collected, my heart starts going a mile a minute far more frequently than I care to admit. I know that there are legitimate reasons why my body tenses up when it's too dark to see the path in front of me (the possibility of clowns lying in wait with knives is strong) but I still feel wimpy when I'm "watching" a movie curled into a squirming ball in the movie theater (District 9, anyone?).
Unfortunately, once most people make this discovery they choose to use it for their own amusement. Apparently my screams (and occasional tears) are pretty funny. As a note, "most people" includes Colin, who spent most of our time together last summer hiding behind doors and laughing at (and then comforting) me when I freaked out at the scary man jumping out at me.
Before I go on, I know that the majority of people aren't going to smile when they're suddenly scared. It's natural for the adrenaline to flow in those situations. Although my predicament isn't unique, I do think that I suffer a little more than average, and on top of that, I never catch on. You could stand in the same corner every day, jump out at me and I would still claw at you in total fear every single time.
It didn't take long for Guatemala to discover this fact about Lerae. Alex and Jenny stumbled upon it back when Mer and Grant were still here and we were spending the night in their house. While I was innocently washing my face and brushing my teeth, Alex was climbing into the top bunk bed where I would be sleeping and Jenny was turning the lights out and getting into her bed below. I came back into the room, I said goodnight to Jenny and started to climb up into bed, a little confused about how she got ready for bed so quickly, when Alex snarled toward me from the corner of the bed.
I screamed, fell backwards off the ladder and curled into a little trembling pod like rolypoly bugs do when the big scary humans pick them up and hold them in their hands. After checking to make sure that I was still breathing, Al and Jenny started laughing, quite loudly.
And this began an ongoing game which has included everything from Al sabotaging my attempt at payback for the previous incident (he ended up scaring me instead of me scaring him - seriously) to running up behind me with with claw hands in the mall to a mysterious hand reaching in my window from the back of a pickup while driving through El Salvador.
All this to say that when Al called me over to sit at one of our coworker's desk right before we left work one day last week I should have known to be on guard, especially considering that this particular coworker is a) known for being a jokester and b) had also discovered how easily I am scared when he ran up being him on the street and I almost clawed his eyes out.
I sat down, however, and this coworker asked me to take a kind of test online where you had to click on a red dot as it moved around pictures that flashed on the screen. I believe I asked before I started, "is this going to scare me?" to which this coworker replied with a straight face, "I wouldn't do that." I had strong suspicions that it was one of those awful email screamy face things (believe me, guys, you're not the first to try this on me) but by this point a crowd had gathered so I didn't have much of a choice but to click on the start button.
I diligently clicked away at the red dots and was beginning to enjoy it when, sure enough, the horrifying grey and white face filled my screen with a shriek (almost louder than mine) and I immediately folded over in the desk chair, "muy asustada."
After a few seconds I'm laughing almost as much as I'm crying, but not as much as the spectators were. Glad I could be of entertainment.
As much as I'd like to be calm and collected, my heart starts going a mile a minute far more frequently than I care to admit. I know that there are legitimate reasons why my body tenses up when it's too dark to see the path in front of me (the possibility of clowns lying in wait with knives is strong) but I still feel wimpy when I'm "watching" a movie curled into a squirming ball in the movie theater (District 9, anyone?).
Unfortunately, once most people make this discovery they choose to use it for their own amusement. Apparently my screams (and occasional tears) are pretty funny. As a note, "most people" includes Colin, who spent most of our time together last summer hiding behind doors and laughing at (and then comforting) me when I freaked out at the scary man jumping out at me.
Before I go on, I know that the majority of people aren't going to smile when they're suddenly scared. It's natural for the adrenaline to flow in those situations. Although my predicament isn't unique, I do think that I suffer a little more than average, and on top of that, I never catch on. You could stand in the same corner every day, jump out at me and I would still claw at you in total fear every single time.
It didn't take long for Guatemala to discover this fact about Lerae. Alex and Jenny stumbled upon it back when Mer and Grant were still here and we were spending the night in their house. While I was innocently washing my face and brushing my teeth, Alex was climbing into the top bunk bed where I would be sleeping and Jenny was turning the lights out and getting into her bed below. I came back into the room, I said goodnight to Jenny and started to climb up into bed, a little confused about how she got ready for bed so quickly, when Alex snarled toward me from the corner of the bed.
I screamed, fell backwards off the ladder and curled into a little trembling pod like rolypoly bugs do when the big scary humans pick them up and hold them in their hands. After checking to make sure that I was still breathing, Al and Jenny started laughing, quite loudly.
And this began an ongoing game which has included everything from Al sabotaging my attempt at payback for the previous incident (he ended up scaring me instead of me scaring him - seriously) to running up behind me with with claw hands in the mall to a mysterious hand reaching in my window from the back of a pickup while driving through El Salvador.
All this to say that when Al called me over to sit at one of our coworker's desk right before we left work one day last week I should have known to be on guard, especially considering that this particular coworker is a) known for being a jokester and b) had also discovered how easily I am scared when he ran up being him on the street and I almost clawed his eyes out.
I sat down, however, and this coworker asked me to take a kind of test online where you had to click on a red dot as it moved around pictures that flashed on the screen. I believe I asked before I started, "is this going to scare me?" to which this coworker replied with a straight face, "I wouldn't do that." I had strong suspicions that it was one of those awful email screamy face things (believe me, guys, you're not the first to try this on me) but by this point a crowd had gathered so I didn't have much of a choice but to click on the start button.
I diligently clicked away at the red dots and was beginning to enjoy it when, sure enough, the horrifying grey and white face filled my screen with a shriek (almost louder than mine) and I immediately folded over in the desk chair, "muy asustada."
After a few seconds I'm laughing almost as much as I'm crying, but not as much as the spectators were. Glad I could be of entertainment.
10.07.2009
Chocobananas
One of the better inventions to hit the world of food is fruit dipped in chocolate.
I had almost forgotten how strongly I believe in this statement until my return last weekend to Boca del Monte, a neighborhood to the south of Guatemala City where I lived for the first many months of my internship. I'm now living with my former roommate (Jo)'s inlaws which is fun and also means I'm ever so much closer to my favorite Aussie and her hubby, who live about 5 minutes away.
The first weekend in February - already eight months ago, can you believe it? - Jo and Victor picked me up, helped me move into the apartment, and then took me to the magical little restaurant/stand where they know the secret of all things delicious: frozen bananas with a chocolate shell.
I mean, consider the wonder of the chocobanana: it's covered in chocloate, which would make pretty much anything taste good. But it is also a banana, which is good for you and helps justify eating it before dinner, or before lunch, or even for breakfast (I only did that once, don't worry).
Oddly enough, I have yet to return to that store since my return to Boca, which is ridiculous because I now live no more than a block away. I just need to get my new roomie, David, on the chocobanana train. I have no doubt that he'll appreciate them nearly as much as I do after the first bite.
I had almost forgotten how strongly I believe in this statement until my return last weekend to Boca del Monte, a neighborhood to the south of Guatemala City where I lived for the first many months of my internship. I'm now living with my former roommate (Jo)'s inlaws which is fun and also means I'm ever so much closer to my favorite Aussie and her hubby, who live about 5 minutes away.
The first weekend in February - already eight months ago, can you believe it? - Jo and Victor picked me up, helped me move into the apartment, and then took me to the magical little restaurant/stand where they know the secret of all things delicious: frozen bananas with a chocolate shell.
I mean, consider the wonder of the chocobanana: it's covered in chocloate, which would make pretty much anything taste good. But it is also a banana, which is good for you and helps justify eating it before dinner, or before lunch, or even for breakfast (I only did that once, don't worry).
Oddly enough, I have yet to return to that store since my return to Boca, which is ridiculous because I now live no more than a block away. I just need to get my new roomie, David, on the chocobanana train. I have no doubt that he'll appreciate them nearly as much as I do after the first bite.
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