2012 in Review!
So…I haven’t updated this blog in a looong time! Which brings up the uncomfortable yet inevitable pregunta, “What the hell are you doing over there?!?”
Well, if you must know, I have actually had quite the productive past year. They often tell you that things pick up your second year as a peace corps volunteer and they are very right! The fire was being set all along and then came Kostya and it just took off!!…which unfortunately meant less time to just hang out with him and be lovey dovey lazy, but good things happened, indeed and he got to a part of a lot of it! Here are a few highlights from this past year…
After 6+ months of living out of my suitcase, I decided to ring in 2012 with the building of some spankin’ new wine bottle shelves!! And NO I did not drink ALL (although maybe some) of that wine!!
I also decided to paint mah walls up a lil….
Quote Wall…And although at the beginning of the school year, there is this nice, quiet calm before the storm, the storm of 2012 picked up soon enough! Through the months of Feb-June, I was swept up in youth groups, teacher and parent trainings and school anniversaries…
During one school anniversary, Kostya and I were special judges for one of my school’s Elección de Señorita (Homecoming, basically)
After the pageant, approximately 20+ tweens were packed into this tuctuc, which then shuttled us off to the homes of each contestant for snacks…and where the next 2 month bout of amoebas, giardia and 2 intestinal infections probably originated!
We put on the 2nd annual Career Fair in June!! My ex-nun superwoman directora sprung into motivational action…
Then came 4th of July, where I danced back-up for my lovely friend, Alex, as she sang Adele’s Rolling in the Deep
4th of July was also a great time to reconnect with my Youth Development posse!
Then came Parade Season: Feria Titular de Nebaj (Aug. 15th) & Fiestas Patrias -Independence Day (Sep. 15th)
Los Guerreros Verdes (Green Warriors) seize a moment in the parade to educate about the environment…
In September, we organized a Youth Development day, complete with a soccer tournament and dance contest! An important lesson on the need for good referees was learned that day after a fight nearly broke out between the two final boys teams lol….
The event drew quite a crowd…
We went on a magical journey with the girl’s group from Acul…
…through the 7 layers of the candy cane forest and past the sea of swirly twirly gumdrops!!
But seriously this place is magical!! Vixocom is a small village up high and surrounded everywhere by rocks…so high and cold that they cannot grow corn!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!
Click here for more pictures
In late Fall, my fellow youth promoters and I dabbled in some more YD (Youth Development) love…
Then, came the summer camp extravaganza…
Environmental Ed Camp: Campamento Unq’a Tze (Camp of the Trees), where we did a lot of hikes, trash clean-ups, etc…
Girl’s GLOW Camp: Campamento Unq’a T’xumil (Camp of the Stars)
Last day field trip to one of the waterfalls!
When that was all over, I got to spend a perfect Christmas with my aunt and cousin who decided to visit Guatemala and even come to my site!!!
