The Post Office

Today I went to the Post Office to mail 3 letters (in envelopes) and 3 postcards (not in envelopes). Thanks to my sister in Australia and my trip to Antigua with my Dad, I now have nice stationery and postcards of Guatemala (neither of which can be found in Tactic). I had to plan my day so I arrived during business hours. The Post Office is open 3:30-5:30 Monday to Friday. It's a good thing I don't teach high school every afternoon. I told the guy working there that 5 of the 6 were going to Canada and one was going to Italy. After looking the prices up on his chart, he tells me that I need to put the postcards in envelopes. It was a long, complicated discussion trying to figure out exactly why. Here is why:
          The postcards cost Q6.50 each.
          The only stamps he has are for Q0.50, Q1.00, and Q8.00 (Q8=$1).
          The Q1 stamps are large (he showed me) and 6 of them would not fit on the postcard, and he wasn't going to cover up the whole picture on the front (at least that makes sense).
          I could not pay Q8 (Q1.50 extra which is the equivalent of $0.19 CDN) because the Post Office officials are very strict and they have to have exact postage, it cannot be more.

Therefore, it would be better to put the postcards in envelopes so as not to cover up the picture, writing, or address on the postcard with the many large stamps necessary. But, the Post Office does not have envelopes (what Post Office does not sell envelopes???). So, I had to walk down the street and buy 3 envelopes from a school supplies store. While I was there I also got the photocopies done that I needed for school. I returned to the Post Office. I wrote the addresses again, this time on the envelopes. I went to seal the envelopes and realized they weren't the lickable-sealing kind. But thankfully the guy working there said he could seal them for me. Phew! At least they have that! He told me the total, I went to pay, and he asked if I had change. I didn't have enough smaller change because I had just spent it on my envelopes and photocopies. Well, he didn't have any change either. So he took my Q100 bill and went down the street to a corner store to get change, leaving me standing alone in the Post Office. He returned, gave me my change, and I left, still trying to figure out if I'd gotten the right change, since of course there was no receipt.

At least this time he didn't ask me to write my phone number on a scrap piece of paper, so that in case the letters don't arrive at their destination, they can call me. That's what the return address is for, correct? Needless to say, I was a little skeptical about him asking for my phone number. Later that week Ruth reassured me that leaving a phone number is normal, and he's not doing it to be creepy.

So, I had heard stories about the postal service in Guatemala. But this still makes me laugh. Envelopes for postcards, but no envelopes, and no change. Wow. Just a little reminder that this is not Canada.

The Post Office in Tactic

Half Way!

This is the half way point. I am five months into my 10 months here in Guatemala, and I am finished 2 of 4 school semesters. Yes, I made it through another crazy couple weeks of giving and marking exams. Looking back on the past 5 months makes me smile. It's been good in so many ways. I've learned a lot. I am convinced I still learn more Spanish every day. My teaching has improved, both in planning, testing, and in the classroom. I also feel a lot closer to God with devotions every morning and through the book I have been reading: "Drawing Near" by John Bevere. And as I look ahead to the next 5 months, I am excited. I want to do, try, and learn even more than in the past 5 months. I want to make the most of every opportunity.
I also want to thank all of you who are reading this for keeping up with my adventure. It means a lot to me to have your support, prayers, and encouragement back home. Thank you.

Library Update 3

Some books have finally started arriving! Les returned to Tactic a couple weeks ago and brought with him 14 books that I had ordered and sent to Kamloops. There is a suitcase full in Kamloops that will be brought down in August with a group. For now, the ones that have arrived have now been catalogued and are in the school library at Chamche waiting to be lent out.

The problem is, these teachers are not used to having a library, not used to taking books out, and not used to using books in their classrooms. The library is also only at 1 of 5 campuses. So this Tuesday, at the all-teachers meeting, I am giving a presentation to about 90 teachers, secretaries, and prinicipals, to motivate them to use the books that are in the library and that will be coming over the next few months. I am hoping to spark ideas and heighten awareness of the importance of reading and using books in the classroom.

I'm excited. This is actually happening! I'm nervous for Tuesday too, though. It's not every day I give a presentation in Spanish in front of 90 of my colleagues. So the next step for the library is to make class sets of some of the books, as well as continue to order more books. Here are the books that have arrived so far.

Los Mecanicos

This past week I have spent all my spare time with the Mechanics: my Dad and his friend, Howard Giesbrecht. Team Mecanicos came with the sole purpose of repairing the Impact Ministries' vehicles. I hung out with them, helping translate, read directions, pass tools and parts, and do random other things like scrub paint off lights and hold the oil funnel. Now the teachers, short term teams, and others in the Ministry can ride in peace, without fear of vehicle breakdown. Ignorance is bliss, though, and I have the same peace as I did before, only that before there were lots of things wrong (breaks, shocks, plugged filters, etc) and I was totally unaware of any of it. Now I have peace because I know that the battery connections have been cleaned, the oil has been changed, the filters have been replaced, and all the major problems have been attended to. Thank you Dad and Howie! They also serviced the 2 big school buses that they had brought down last February (2010). They have been sitting, unused, in the Peters' yard because the Ministry has been unable to get license plates for them. Last week we received the final paper that is necessary to get plates, and within a couple weeks we should have the buses up and running! It has been a crazy week, juggling vehicles around so they can all be serviced in one week by Los Mecanicos. Here are some pictures from the Mechanic Shop.

Team Mecanicos: Howard Giesbrecht, Gord Wiens, and Juan Garcia

Dad pressure washing the underside of the Land Cruiser while Howie inspects the batteries

Teamwork, loosening a tight filter (or something like that)

Working on Carry 4 (My nickname has become Carry 5)

Juan Garcia was so helpful and learned a lot...about repairing and maintaining vehicles, as well as a lot of English

Julie learning about all the things wrong with her car. Oh that's why it makes this noise!

Julie and Tim hanging out, watching the mechanics at work

Referring to the online manual. Instructions do help, right Dad?

"Coffee" break (that's a coffee plant in the Peters' backyard)

Dad and Howie bought a pressure washer in Guatemala City. It came in so handy.

When they asked for ramps to put the buses up on, this is what they got: piles of gravel. Okay, we'll make it work.

Fixing the door...with specific door-fixing tools (plank and hammer)

The STOP signs on the Peters' driveway

Dad making friends with the guard before stealing the STOP signs

Les, trying to figure out if it's worth it to take the STOP signs off the gate to put them back where they belong.

Dad, more than excited about the electrical work getting the lights and signs working again

The lights were painted over with black to drive the buses for non-school purposes getting them down here. Now that they will be used as school buses again, the paint can be wiped off.

Me being translator for Howie and Juan in town

Me being as much help as I can without my own coveralls

Hungry mechanics need to do their share of the dishes too

   

Sunscreen and Umbrellas

At home, it rains in spring, is hot in summer, and rains in the fall. Rarely are there both rain and hot in the same season, let alone in the same day. Here, it rains 10-11 months of the year. I'm sad to say our "summer" was just over a month long and the rains have already returned. There is a pattern though. The mornings get hot by midday, then the clouds roll in and it pours, and it's clear by night. Here, if a white person like me does not have sunscreen on in the morning, they're burnt by noon. And if a person does not have an umbrella when the rain hits after lunch, they're soaked. Unfortunately a raincoat is not good enough to keep a person dry. It merely lets the water run off their top and soak their pants. Plus it's too hot even in the rain to wear a jacket. And you should see the rivers that run down the street - they are incredible! The rain comes fast, too. So if you feel a few fat drops, run for cover...or else.

Walking from Chicoy to Mocohan with my trusty friend...my umbrella

There are some benefits to the rain though. Here, when it's sunny, things burn easier. So in summer, people burn their garbage piles, their fields, and firecrackers. In BC, we slash burn in the wet season (winter/spring) for fear of forest fires getting away on us. Here, they burn in dry season because things just don't burn when they're soaked. There have been times when I have been overwhelmed by firesmoke or firecracker smoke sitting in my bedroom. Tactic becomes so hazy and smokey that you can't see the other side of town. Now that the rains have come again, there is blue sky again (even if only in the morning) and I can breathe easier. I'm thankful it is not the same kind of rain we had in February, where it would rain for days on end and we'd be running out of clothes before another chance came to do laundry (can't dry clothes on the line in 100% humidity with no sun).  

Laundry day at our house, doing our best to dry clothes in cloudy weather.

Other benefits of this time of year here in Tactic are that the fireflies are in season, as are leaf bugs (catydids) which just look really neat (I don't have a picture yet for you, sorry). Unfortunately it's also fly season and mouse season, both of which are in our house. Rain also keeps the dust down when you're walking along dirt roads beside traffic. There are also some pretty intense thunder storms. I don't think I've ever heard thunder that loud echo for that long down the valley. The rain also cools things down to help everyone sleep better at night. So if you're travelling to a tropical country and don't want to get rained out on your vacation, don't be upset. Rain is not all that bad (coming from someone from Kamloops who loves the sun). Just know that by the time August rolls around, I might be ready to come home for a visit to escape the rain and enjoy some Kamloops sun.   

The Mocohan Well

Until last week, the school in Mocohan has been without water. Students have been bringing in jugs of water from elsewhere to be used in the kitchen and bathrooms. This has definitely made it challenging for washing dishes, cooking, flushing toilets, and washing hands. And the whole while we have been watching the men working slow and steady on digging a well. I didn't realize how much work it is to dig a well. Dirty and laborous work. Here are some pictures from the well-digging process.

All of us were wondering how all those tubes were going to fit in the well. (Mar. 28/11)

Two of the workers at the top of the well

The third worker down at the bottom working by hand to load the bucket with mud, and form the sides

Hauling up the heavy clay

The well looks promising as they haul up muddy water (Apr. 4/11)

9 meters deep (9 cement tubes) and you can't see the bottom

More mud, longer rope, and more effort to get the bucket up

Even longer rope. Glad I'm not the guy down the hole. (Apr. 11/11)

Big helpers

Look down, waaaay down

The water is getting clearer, but not there yet

All done. 12 meters deep, with the possibility of going to 14 meters if it runs dry (Apr. 25/11)

Clean water in the taps! Over a month of hard work, but it was definitely worth it.

Semuc Champey

Semuc Champey is a day trip location for tourists and local alike. By bus and 4x4 pick up truck it's about 2 hours from Coban. It is a natural wonder where the river drops underground. Above ground there are pools formed by water from the steep jungle mountains on either side. In summer the water is a beautiful blue. There is a steep climb to a lookout that is much easier to climb in dry season. I visited Semuc Champey 5 years ago, and since then it has become much more well known. One thing I found interesting was being a tourist alongside Guatemalans. Many of them had never been there either and were in for as much an adventure as us. This time Steve and I went with Hope and Marshall, who are also from Kamloops. Here are some pictures from the day.

Crammed in a van so full that the driver's assistant rode hanging on the ladder outside or on the roof

Hope and Marshall Chupa

The last part of the drive we had to ride in the back of a 4x4 truck, about a dozen of us, standing up

We knew we were close when we had to cross a river

A sign explaining the pools, rivers, cave, etc.

Where the river drops underground

Me and Steve

Where the river enters the cave, looking from the other angle

Steve having fun taking pictures

Swimming in the pools, ontop of where the river is flowing

Me and Hope under the water

Hope and Marshall diving from one pool to another

Part of the steep climb to the lookout had stairs, thankfully

Steve and I at the lookout

Semuc Champey

On the far left the river goes underground, ontop are the pools, and on the far right the river comes out again.