Highways and Homestays

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This morning started at a bright and early 6am, I had tossed and turned throughout the night –especially because I could hear everything going on the streets outside our hotel even with the window closed, so I was still half sleeping when I went into the washroom to get ready. Today was the first day in a couple days that I got to brush my teeth; I still have to buy my own toothpaste because I forgot that also, but my roommate gave me some of hers. I have never felt happier brushing my teeth! I felt like a whole new woman. After I got ready my roommates got ready and we headed downstairs for breakfast. Breakfast was so good; it was done buffet style which offered scrambled eggs, hard boiled eggs, an array of fruit, two fresh juices, plantains, beans, bread, and tomato sauce. I stuck to fresh fruit, a small spoon of beans and of course, what is a meal without plantains?! Also, the papaya juice was pretty darn good as well. We had to be ready for orientation by 8 o’clock and we had to get all of our stuff from our rooms, so we headed back upstairs to sort it all out and drag it down. When we first got to the hotel yesterday there was an elevator which made carrying multiple heavy bags easier. However, trying to come back down was not so easy. I guess the man that worked the elevator was not on when we were trying to go down? To the stairs it was! I almost tumbled down the stairs on multiple occasions until I got to the last flight of stairs and someone saw me and ever so graciously helped take my stuff to the room. Once that was taken care of we started our orientation. During the first hours of orientation we learned about the different symptoms and diseases and about the new part of the program VIDA is introducing this year. We took a break at noon to have lunch; first was a soup, it looked like there was onions in it, and it tasted like there was cream and cheese possibly. It was delicious. Then there was chicken with vegetables, rice, avocado, and tortillas. I started with the vegetables and avocado and slowly worked my way up to the chicken and rice. I don’t know what it is but so far I feel like I’m getting full significantly faster than usual, which I’m not complaining about. I had to force myself to eat some of the chicken –it was delicious, but I was full, and I passed on dessert again, though it did look delicious. We started up orientation again and learned more of the basics for a few more hours. As we were going to take another break Danny came in with a cake and we sang Happy Birthday to one of the volunteers who had her birthday yesterday. The cake was really good but I’m so happy that there were 40 of us so they had to cut super small pieces; it was a vanilla cake with Nutella fudge in the middle and marshmallow icing –nobody needs a big slice of that. After learning to take the vital signs we took inventory of medical supplies and then began loading up the vans with our stuff and the supplies. It took a while but it got done! The next 2 hours were spent on the bus traveling to our next destination: Parramos. During the bus ride we got to see some pretty awesome views, but I couldn’t wait to get to Parramos because my butt was hurting a lot from all this sitting. I swear as I write this right now I have a bruise from sitting so long. We rode into Parramos and met up with the homestay coordinator who was waiting with the families that we would be staying with. One by one we got our luggage and crammed everyone into the area the families were in, they even made and hung a Welcome to Parramos Homestay for us. It was too cute and I was so tired, I was about to cry. One of our VIDA leaders called out our names and then called out the name of the family we would be staying with. I already knew which family I would be staying with so I was already pretty sure I could spot them because they were the only ones with a baby (yay!). Eventually my name and two other girls in the group were called, and I was right! I was so excited to meet the family. We took our bags to the fathers car but unfortunately the bags plus us were not all going to fit; the mother said that she could walk and we could go but I said if she was walking so were we. They agreed to let the dad take the bags home and we would walk, but because it was a little ways away –not far by any means- the dad would come back for us. The mom guided us through the town; it was so neat walking through the streets and she would say hi to everyone and everyone would say hi to her. She explained that everyone knew everyone in the neighbourhood. A few minutes after the dad was back to pick us up; the mom had guessed we had walked about half of the way. Once we got to the home we got to meet her two other children: Alejandro, 12, and Isabel, 10. They were so excited and it was too cute! They showed us to our rooms and on the doors Isabel had made signs with glitter glue and stickers saying Bienvenida (insert volunteer name). I’ll be taking mine home with me for sure! They showed us around the house and told us to make ourselves comfortable. Mama began making dinner and us three put our stuff into the rooms and then hung out in the living room. Naturally I gravitated towards the baby so I was super content pushing him in his little hammock that hung directly in the middle of the living room. Mama needed Alejandro to pick up plantains and tortillas for the dinner so Isabel, Alejandro, the two other volunteers (Megan and Brandy) and I went out to grab what was needed. I guess it was obvious that I was already in love with the baby because Mama said I could take the baby with me, and as most know, I do not pass on an offer to carry a baby. So all 6 of us went out to the store; the first store didn’t have any plantains left so we headed back home empty handed, then Mama said there was another store around the corner that should have some so we headed over there. Alejandro ran to get the tortillas and we went to get the plantains, thankfully this place had a bunch left. When we got back to the house Megan and Brandy studied some of their questions for clinic days and Isabel showed me a bunch of pictures they had taken over the past few months. We were called for dinner and got to talk with the family a bit. Dinner was tortillas, plantains, beans, bread, sauce and tortillas with cheese in them, and avocado. Mama had also made cinnamon tea which was out of this world amazing; I wish I had been helping her when she did it so I could make it myself. During dinner we learned that the family can speak Kakchiquel as well, even the children. Kakchiquel is one of the 26 or so native languages they have here in Guatemala. The two older children are also learning English so I told them they should teach us some Kakchiquel and we’d help them with English. It’s a pretty done deal and if not, I can sucker them into it with candy. I took a shower after we cleared the table and at first it was really nice because it was so warm, but all of a sudden it got really freaking hot and then so hot that it felt cold. The only thing Xinia (another VIDA coordinator) had told us was that most families will have a little water heater directly attached to the shower head to heat the water, but do not touch it to try and change the temperature because 99% of these heaters were not installed by an electrician and she didn’t want us getting hurt. She also said the showers were going to be cold, lukewarm at best; she lied. I showered as fast as I could but I know I’m clean now because with or without soap, the water burnt off any dirt that I had on me. Once I showered it was time to say goodnight and get into bed, Megan and Brandy showered –which they said was freezing cold –and also went to bed, as did the rest of the family. Right now my roommate Megan and I (Brandy is in a different room) are still up listening to all of the different sounds; a few minutes ago it sounded like a group of roosters and a pack of dogs were battling it out to see who could be the loudest and before that we heard a strange sound coming from the roof, the sound of a goat choking or something really weird… trying not to freak ourselves out… Goodnight!

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