New Digs and Discoveries

I arrived at my site in San Andrés Semetabaj Monday night around 6 pm. Crystal, the volunteer who I’m replacing, greeted me and told me some basics about my new home. Since she had moved several times throughout her service in attempts to live with families, her last home was more of a make-do situation. It’s half of a little house with a plywood wall divider in a family compound (pictures below). A bit basic but hey, it’s Peace Corps!

The following two days, Crystal and her brother who was visiting, Jeff, showed me around town and introduced me to all of her friends, shopkeepers, and special places to get photocopies. As she was saying tearful goodbyes, I was presenting myself. It was intimidating yet comforting to see the strong bonds that Crystal had forged over the past two years. Unlike me, she had no one to introduce her or bequeath their basic belongings. In short, she’s saved me weeks of introductions and thousands of Quetzales by passing on her things.

On Thursday I met Crystal and Jeff in Panajachel, the tourist city on the lake. Crystal showed me the bank, the lake up-close, the market, and other possible necessities. We went to Crossroads, a coffee shop owned by an ex-pat, Mike. He treated us to delicious coffee and pastries free of charge. As he continued to refill our glasses, conversation spun from the education system in the U.S. to different ways of traveling the world. At one point when the caffeine was audibly buzzing all around us, Mike asked us if we wanted to see the secret room: UH YES. He moved a bookshelf only to uncover a hidden door, taking Jeff and me to his coffee roasting room. To paraphrase, the conversation went a bit like this: “Do you like to create? You know that feeling you get when you share what you‘ve created with other people? That’s the point of life! …Self-doubt is the most dangerous thing because it paralyzes you from action…Find like-minded people--not people doing the same thing, but a similar mentality and just go with it. Follow your inspiration.” Intense but awesome.

To revert back to the housing topic, in all fairness, I will not actually be staying in my initial abode though I really do like the family. The 16 year-old son is especially friendly and tries practicing his English with me. Instead, I’m moving to a house on the compound of another family, the director of one of the elementary school’s I’ll be working with. This house is a bit larger, has a yard, my own pila (large outdoor sink for washing dishes and clothes), and a bathroom that should have hot water when I get there (we’ll see!). I’ll also be paying them a bit extra so that I can share dinner and Sunday lunch with them. I’m especially excited about being able to start my own garden. Apparently avocado trees can grow within two years…!

Other interesting happenings/discoveries:
--Powered milk is pretty great.
--I bought a pressure cooker as an impulse buy in the street the other day. Beans for dinner!
--Riding in the back of a pick-up will be my main mode of transportation for the next two years (sorry Aunt Meg).
--I have great access to tempeh and tofu.
--There’s nothing like eating beans that you spent several hours making as you tried figuring out your pressure cooker.