Alright everyone, I have officially been in country ONE YEAR!!! Which means…one year down, one more (más o menos) to go…not that I am counting or anything…!
Anyway, what else does this mean, you ask? Well, it means that after a year in country, I have learned many valuable lessons here, not just about Guatemala—its people, culture, etc.,—but also about life in general…and as I am about a month away from my second birthday (the big 2-7…GASP) that I will be celebrating in this beautiful, although sometimes trying country, I like to think that I am a little bit older and wiser…
So, I would like to share some lessons I have learned with you all, in no particular order.
Here goes:
- A huge bucket of water will not kill a Tarantula, or any other tarantula-sized spider or bug. You have to squish those MoFos to death.
- Don’t let any bugs around your house go free…because they will come back to bite you on the butt…literally.
- When a Guatemalteco says they are only “five minutes away” this actually means they are 15-30 minutes away.
- When a meeting is set for anytime, add an hour to said time, because that is when the meeting will actually start…unless it is rainy season…then people might just not show up.
- Always keep a book or some other form of entertainment on you…you never know how long you will be waiting for something to start…
- When anyone says the phrase “fijese que”…expect bad news…don’t let the smile on their face fool you.
- When a guatemalteco says “yes”…don’t get excited…this probably means “no”…and said guatemalteco just doesn’t want to hurt your feelings by being too direct or honest…
- 5-second rule…psssshhaaa….as long as it is not covered in dirt, mud, feces or some other type of human/animal waste, it’s still good…!
- During rainy season always keep your rain jacket or an umbrella on you…even if it is super sunny out…
- If a random (and by random, I mean SKETCHY) Guatemalteco starts chatting you up (most usually on a bus), just say you are married and that your spouse is in the States…you just felt the need to serve your country…haha.
Ok, I have probably learned waaaaaaaay more than this, but at the moment, these are the most salient lessons that have come to mind.
Who knows what else I will learn in this upcoming year…? Vamos a ver…
What I do know is that I have survived the first half of peace corps, and met some wonderful people along the way, including Guatemalans and other PCVs, and despite the challenges (and believe me, there have been many and I know there will be even more to come) I still feel incredibly lucky to be here in Guatemala serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer, and I feel lucky to have amazing family and friends supporting me every step of the way, even when I call home crying hysterically because I have dysentery or freaking out because I just killed a scorpion.
I hope that in this next year I can accomplish a few of my goals, both personal and professional…Keeping my fingers crossed…
great list - i like how you numbered them twice for emphasis. though i must say that i was surprised to see that none of your lessons involved dealing with sickness! i suppose you are still in the learning process with that one.
ReplyDeletealso, it seems like "fijese que" is the guatemalteco equivalent to "chotto..." haha
keep up the great work and may your light continue to shine brightly
Now I want to be there as well .... bless you :)
ReplyDeleteWell written.