As the Seasons Change…

I´ll admit, it´s been a while. So much has happened for the better and the worse. Let´s see…in April I took a half day off to be a ¨tourist for a day¨ with my friend Fabiola. We ate yummie veggie food and traditional Guatemalan sweets then went to Las Capuchinas, the ruin of an old 18th century convent. Then we went to the paca which is behind the market and filled with great second hand clothing from the states (lots from Target with the tags still on!). To end our crazy long day we did some relaxing (not really) yoga. Then, I went to my first Guatemalan wedding! Sisi from the office tied the knot and invited me to share this lovely experience with her family and friends. It was a great night with lots of fun and dancing! I also had my first visitors Kristin and Stephanie who graduated Gettysburg a year before me. They were planning a long weekend vacation to Guate and decided to get my advice on it since I´ve traveled so much. Then they realized I´m living here! It was perfect and I finally got to be a tour guide in Antigua, go dancing, and just have some fun.
Then the last two weeks of April I went to Nebaj, Quiche to help Agua para la Salud and learn how to build a hand washing station that we will be constructing in a school in Momostenango in which a friend and Peace Corps Volunteer volunteers. Once again, I had a great time with Lynn and the Engineers without Borders group that came and supported the projects. I also had a nice time in Nebaj. It´s a small town but a bit bigger than Momos and it´s generally not a tourist location except for those who really want to get off the beaten path and do some highland hiking. There was also a great restaurant we ate at every night that makes their own soy milk, soy ice cream, tofu, flour tortillas, etc. Yummmm and much better than eggs, beans, and tortillas. There was also two photo journalist with us for the week taking pictures of the project. Here are some of the photos shot. Check them out they are AMAZING! http://www.flickr.com/photos/tristanmoss/sets/72157623886072560/?page=2

For some bigger news and to make a long story short I have decided to refocus my time here and work for Lynn. It was not an easy decision but one that CasaSito supports and understands. One of my main projects with Lynn is helping a group of Peace Corps Volunteers apply for grants to obtain hand washing stations at their respective schools. More of my job description is to be worked out when I get back from the States.
What´s that?! Yes, I´m coming home this Sunday, May 16th. Visitors welcome! Unfortunately, it´s not a happy reason for my surprise visit as Dottie has gotten very ill and my family and I think it´s best for me to see her now when she´s still more or less coherent. It will be a sad and hard visit I´m sure. My computer has also broken and need some TLC from the states so I´m hoping for it to be a very productive visit.
Enjoy some pictures from the last month!
J


Five flush bathrooms and a hand washing station going up in a village outside of Nebaj.
Sisi´s wedding! Danielle, me, and Amanda!

Kristin and me at Santo Domingo---Antigua´s 5 star hotel located in beautiful ruins.

Faby and me at Las Capuchinas.