Thanks Mom!

This past week it has been wonderful to have my mom here visiting. It has been great showing her around the town, bringing her to my schools (she even sat through my high school classes!), and worshiping with her in church. Some special moments for me were shopping for a traditional shirt together and then wearing our outfits to church; eating meals together at the Mexican taco restaurant, Churrasic Park, or at my place; translating for you on house visits; going out for ice cream; chatting over Jamaican Rose tea; knitting on the roof; riding the school bus together; seeing people's reactions when I introduced my mom as "Bonita" which means pretty; and visiting our previous and current sponsor children and blessing them with gifts.  

Mom, there are just a couple things I want to make sure are very clear. 1) I just want you to know that if you weren't pretty, I probably would have gone with your middle name. 2) I ate the avacados today- well actually I opened them and threw them out - but I'm glad you were successful in buying them by yourself in the market. 3) Most of the teachers asked why you weren't getting on the bus with me this morning - I guess they didn't realize you were leaving or they would've said goodbye. 4) I love you a lot and am so glad you came to visit. See you in 2 months!

My mom and I wearing traditional Guatemala outfits

Sleepover

Last night the grade 7 class from Chicoy celebrated the end of elementary school. So all the grade 6 and 7 students (there are only 9 grade 7 students) and the teachers from that school spent the afternoon and night at the school. Unfortunately I missed the piñata because I arrived late after teaching high school. But I did not miss churrascos (typical beef dinner), movie (Yogi Bear, in Spanish without subtitles of course), and a whole lot of soccer. We also had a fun time of games, marshmallows, and advice for the grads around the campfire. After all that fun, we eventually decided to go to sleep, with our blankets on the cold hard cement floor of the classrooms, at 3am. I knew it would be a late night. I surprised myself by staying awake. But what I did not expect was the students getting up at 5:30am. We girls talked about waking the boys up at 4:30. That didn't happen. But I guess I just assumed they were planning on going back to bed and getting up at 7, maybe breakfast at 8, and leave at 9. Nope! All the students had eaten breakfast and cleaned up and were out the door by 7am. I left with the teachers a short while later and as we pulled onto the highway, we passed one of the students, Allan, herding 3 cows along the highway. I guess grade 7 students in Guatemala have work to do, on Saturdays, even after a sleepover. It shouldn't surprise me, but it did, because that is not what would have happened in my Grade 7 class in Canada.

I'm proud of these students, though, for graduating from elementary school. That is not the norm here. I am reminded of my trip to Guatemala in grade 10 when we visited the village of Pombach. I was told that the drop out rate in the public school there was 50% between grade 1 and 2. I will never forget that. These students from Chicoy told us all last night what they want to be when they grow up: doctors, teachers, architect and engineer. The difference between a grade 1 drop out and a grade 7 graduate with dreams of becoming a doctor so they can help people is the work God has done in their life through being a part of Impact Ministries' schools and the sponsorship program. For those of you who have donated to Impact Ministires, sponsored a child, or come here on a missions trip, I hope you know that you are making a difference - a difference in the lives of these children, their futures, and the lives of the people these doctors, teachers, architects, and engineers will touch. On behalf of these students, who at their young age have already lived through a lot, thank you.        

Chicoy students and staff around the campfire

Back in Guatemala

Unlike short-term teams that come to Guatemala, I hardly did any preparation before coming. I bought gifts for my friends here, put stuff in my suitcase, and did some lesson planning for the last semester. I spoke no Spanish for the 2 weeks prior to leaving, I did no research on the country, and I did not prepare myself for any sort of culture shock. Besides, what could really change in the 2 weeks I was away?

First thing that changed was the weather. I have traded hot, dry sun for cloudy, humid rain. No, it has not been rainig constantly. But this afternoon, just as I decided I should go grocery shopping before it gets dark, I heard the rain...and changed my mind. I can go tomorrow.

Second thing that changed was that Marvin passed away Friday. After 3 weeks of a tough battle, he is in a much better place. Those still here, however, are in a state of pain and grieving. Not having heard anything sooner, I assumed I would be walking into a situation similar to what I had left 2 weeks earlier. As I greeted Julie, Marvin's Dad, and Julio, a wave of sadness and the reality of the situation hit me. Please pray for the family.

Third thing that changed was that the fair is in town. That is actually why I scheduled my trip home when I did, because I got some days off work. In Canada I like going to the fair. It's fun getting together with friends, eating some greasy fair food, and going on some rides. But I can always go home afterwards and leave the fair behind. Here I am living in the middle of the fair. 360 degrees around our house. With an entrance to the fair on one side, booths in behind, a dance floor/club on the other side, and all the pedestrian and vehicle traffic in front, I am actually living on the fair grounds. That does mean that pizza is not far away, which is great since I have no groceries after being away 2 weeks. It also means that the darker it gets, the louder it gets. Standing barefoot in the kitchen I can feel the floor shaking from the bass next door. I decided, however, that strolling through the fair might give me the cultural experience I needed to get back into Guatemalan life.

Here is a taste of the culture shock which I had not prepared for. Entering the fair I have to watch my step, choosing gravel over mud or garbage. Vendors have booths set up selling everything from traditional shirts to tupperware, music to budgies, and the usual candied apples and cotton candy. There are games for rolling, shooting, or tossing things. At one booth people were attempting to toss coins onto plastic plates floating in a wading pool. But instead of bright coloured stuffed animals of different sizes hanging around as the anticipated prizes, there were bottles of pop, up to 3L to win. Of course there is the ferris wheel and carousel. And, being Central America, there are 2 whole sections of nothing but foosball tables. All in all the fair, regardless where, is a place for people of all ages to come and have fun. And fun they will have, apparently until 2am. So let's hope I manage to get some sleep before work starts early tomorrow morning.      

On our roof overlooking the sea of tarps

Cotton candy being made and sold in front of the blue house across the street

(you can see the yellow house in the background)

The "dance hall" next door

Oh...Canada. Thanks for being you.

Coming home to Canada after being in Guatemala for 7 months is exactly what I expected. It's home. I know what to expect. It hasn't changed much. There are some things, though, that stand out to me. One of the biggest differences is simply going from a rural farming town to a city of 90, 000. In this city things are big, fast, new, expensive, and clean (for example, the cars, streets, houses, stores, and lifestyle). That is definitely not what I am used to, yet from previous experience, I know to expect this. Many times, however, I catch myself saying, "Wow, that's brilliant!" or "I can't decide, there are too many options!" For example: dishwashers. What a great idea! Crosswalks, and the right of way, and people who obey the written rules = a great combination. Door nobs and ceiling fans. Whoever invented those are geniuses. Seriously. In the grocery store here I need to allow myself twice as much time as in Tactic. For one, the stores here are much larger. But even trying to decide what kind of milk to get is so much more complicated. In Tactic there is powdered whole milk or 1L shelf life whole milk. There are also a few cartons of skim or partially skimmed. But here, there are at least 1L, 2L, 4L options, as well as carton or plastic jugs. Not to mention level of skimness/wholeness, and flavours. Not only choosing milk takes a long time, but bread. Tactic has white Bimbo, brown Bimbo, buttered Bimbo, or already-toasted Bimbo...or sweet buns to dip in your coffee. Here there's bread with seeds and fruit, and French baguettes, and pizza buns or cheese buns or whatever-you-can-think-of buns. I've realized that variety is a luxury for the rich. One more example: At the beginning of the school year in Tactic, I bought a 3-ring binder. I went to the biggest school supplies store in town, and asked for a binder. There was one option. No choice for size, colour, quality, or price. If you want a binder, this is what you get. On the flip side, this week I bought a bunch of school supplies as gifts for the teachers. I went on a Staples and Walmart shopping spree and I definitely took a very long time deciding, with the huge selection of options, prices, sizes, and colours. 

$2 for a single avacado?!

Despite the minor culture shock, I have been enjoying my vacation. 1) It's a vacation. I'm not working = guaranteed enjoyment. 2) Visiting friends and family. It has been such an encouragement having people ask how things are going in Guatemala. You mean, you remember that I was gone and am now back and that I was in Gautemala of all places? It means a lot to me, especially when you say, "I really love reading your blog!" 3) The Kamloops weather. 1 thunder storm and a few raindrops the next day is so much more manageable than rain at some point every single day. I can't get enough of this blue sky and sun :) 4) The night sky. I had forgotten how much I love looking at the stars. It's awefully hard to star-gaze when it's clouded over, or raining. Plus I don't spend a lot of time outside after dark for safety reasons. The only problem here is it stays light out so late that time gets away on me and I end up staying up late every night. 5) The fresh fruit. Sure there is a huge variety of fresh fruit in Tactic. But there are no raspberries, cherries, blueberries, or apricots. Mmmmmm, I've been getting my fill. 6) Weddings. I managed to make it to 2 weddings in 2 weeks (in one of which I was a bridesmaid) and they were both fun-filled, God-glorifying celebrations of life, love, and unity. 7) Mom's cooking. There are more things on the menu than opportunities to eat. Thankfully Mom will be coming to Guatemala to visit me less than a week after I arrive back there. It's her first time and she's been having a hard time picturing where and how I'm living. I'm excited to show her around my Guatemalan home, take her to my schools and the market, and introduce her to my friends and coworkers. And although Guatemala has become normal to me, I expect she will experience a fair amount of culture shock, both in going to Guatemala and returning to Canada afterward. So it would be good if you could remember to pray for her and her upcoming trip.  

As I head back to Guatemala, part of me is sad. I love Canada, and I hate goodbyes. But I know my mom is coming soon. And, I will be home for good in 2 and a half months. I look forward to seeing you all then!

Will and Hannah Iblings listening to speeches at their reception

Jodi Rhebergen (now Enns) ready to be married

Home

After building anticipation and a couple long days of travelling, I am home for a vacation. I've never gone home for vacation, but rather I tend to leave my home to go on vacation. But I am really looking forward to my time here. The closer I got to home, the more excited I got. Why? Because it just felt and looked like home.

I knew I was home when...
- when the stewardess greeted me in French
- when I saw the brown, snow-capped mountains
- when I stepped into the Vancouver airport
- when I could flush toilet paper (but I always have to think twice)
- when there was warm water in the taps
- when I didn't need my passport to board my last flight
- when the majority of people around me had light hair and pale skin (the rest were Asians)
- when I saw the Tim Hortons sign
- when I used Canadian money...to buy a doughnut
- when instead of converting the price to Canadian dollars, I converted it to Quetzales
- when Spanish comes out of my mouth, and I realize something's wrong with that, and I just have to laugh
- when jeans or shorts, T-shirt, and flips flops are our traditional clothing
- when I saw the Canada flag and British Columbia flag flying outside (not just on a pin or a T-shirt)
- when I started to get emotional

Snow - in summer

Mmmmmm

Lots of fresh fruit in Tactic, but not cherries!

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