Publish Date: December 11, 2010

Last week was our last of Summer Camp, so the patojos (kids) are done until January. That left this week for teacher training. Safe Passage brought in a trainer from Brazil to do a training with all of the teachers and program heads. The training was on a methodology called Change the Game. We spent a week together doing activities and learning from each other, discussing it how to apply it to our own classrooms.

The core of the methodology is that in a productive learning environment one should undergo a constant process of planning, execution and evaluation, which leads to more planning and so on. The trainer, Onu, drove home... Read more...

This past week I went back to the States to attend the weddings of some very dear friends. I have been thinking a lot in recent weeks about the impending closure of my time in Guatemala. I have less than three months left. It is a bit daunting and scary to think that my time here is already starting to wrap up. I, being the consummate overachiever that I am, haven’t nearly completed everything I set out to... Read more...

This week the Art Program hosted a Noche de Gala (Gala Night) – an art and music exhibition. The event was held at El Sitio, an art gallery and performance space in Antigua. El Sitio is itself both a venue and an association aimed at advancing cultural diversity and sustainable development. Founded in 1993, it seeks to promote cultural, artistic and social development in Guatemala. Its goal is to be an organizing hub... Read more...

Those that work in care giving professions – educators, health workers and the like – give a lot of their energy. Most are so invested that they continually go above and beyond the call of duty. If it comes to picking up one more case, or letting someone go without a needed service, the answer is to pick up the extra case. There is rarely a choice in this... Read more...

Educators don’t play favorites. At least, we’re not supposed to. But, we’re also human and we connect with our students in vastly different ways. These children have all become like my own family, but there is one particular student, Santiago, who I can’t help but absolutely adore. He and I got off to a bit of a rough start, but, after sitting him down for a conversation about respect, we have developed a very close relationship.... Read more...

We’re back at work, and the building feels so lonely and empty without the students. They are the life and energy of this place. It’s eerie and echoey without them.

The Social Development Department does an acercamiento, or visit, with each one of the families at this time of the year. It’s an opportunity to get the kids and families excited about another school year, as well as ensure that they... Read more...

January 15, 2011

“Home” is a relative term. The concept of home can change dramatically throughout the course of a lifetime, particularly for someone with nomadic tendencies like myself.

It’s tough living in another country long-term. Eventually the newness and excitement wear off and you’re left with the reality that you have no idea what’s going on. The language barrier alone is enough to make my blood pressure rise at... Read more...

This is my final week of winter vacation before heading back to Guatemala. It’s been a whirlwind few weeks with a lot of charged emotions.

I felt an overwhelming sense of both excitement and being settled. It was absolutely fantastic being back. On the plane ride, I couldn’t contain myself. “I’m going home!” I couldn’t wait to jump in and see my friends, my favorite places and eat my favorite foods.... Read more...

Publish date: January 1, 2011

So, this week I went “home.”  In Guatemala I never know how to answer the question when someone asks where I’m from. It really shouldn’t be a complicated question, but it is for me. I end up retracing my steps for the past 28 years instead of giving a simple locale. I don’t quite feel like a Minnesotan anymore. But then, there are certain Minnesotaisms that will always feel... Read more...

December 25,2010

Culture shock is all but inevitable when traveling between two vastly different worlds. I wrote on the subject in the airport in Dallas. I was stunned, confused and had processing time waiting for my flight to Denver. Here are my reflections of my first few moments back in the States after 7 months... Read more...

December 18, 2010

The holiday season is a special time of year. I’ve always absolutely loved the holidays. It’s not about the presents for me. I’ve never been big on that, even as a kid. What I love most about the holidays are white lights glittering everywhere and excuses to have festive gatherings with all of your favorite people. Ugly holiday sweaters are a bonus.

It’s a bit difficult to be so far away... Read more...

During the month of November, Safe Passage always does a Summer Camp with our youth. Summer Camp is usually organized by the Sports Department. The activities are broken up by week: one week at martial arts, one at science, etc. The entire camp is organized around a unifying theme. This year’s theme was picked in order... Read more...

November first is Día de Todos Santos or All Saints Day, which is widely celebrated in Latin America (many Americans are familiar with the Mexican commemoration of this feast day, Día de los Muertos). This Catholic celebration holds special significance in Guatemala, and it is given as a national holiday. I took the opportunity to attend the kite festival in Sumpango. Along with Santiago,... Read more...

The Guatemalan school year is from February to October. So, not only is it coming to the end of the calendar year, we have also reached the end of the academic year. In addition to our youth, Safe Passage also supports the learning of about 80 parents in our Adult Literacy program.

The Adult Literacy program began in 2005. The parents come to... Read more...

Guatemala’s 36-year civil war created the neighborhood that I now work in. The conflict raged through the countryside, particularly in the highlands where indigenous people worked the land. The commonly accepted estimate is that 200,000 civilians died and/or disappeared (who are presumed dead, but their bodies were never found) n the civil war. It is impossible to know actual numbers, and this doesn’t include the number of military personnel... Read more...

For anyone who knows anything about Latin American culture, you know the quinceañera is a big deal. The quinceañera is a girl’s coming out party, signifying her transition into womanhood. She puts on makeup, has her hair done, wears heels and dances her first dance. Quinceañeras are elaborate affairs, and can be as big of a... Read more...

October 23, 2010
August 12, 2010 marked the beginning of the International Year of Youth (IYY). IYY is sponsored by the UN, particularly as a way to put more focus toward youth development and the Millenium Development Goals having to do with youth. UN bodies whose work is relevant to youth have a representative on the UN Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development in order to... Read more...

There is a storied tradition of elaborate going-away parties, despedidas, in Guatemala. This is certainly the case at Camino Seguro. Unfortunately, we’ve had several despedidas in the past few months, as the Executive Director, Volunteer Coordinator and Adult Literacy Coordinator have decided that after a number of years of service from each, it was time to move on to the next challenge. These despedidas were all... Read more...

Every year, Guatemala celebrates Día de Niños, or Kids’ Day. This day is devoted to making children happy. There are celebrations across Guatemala. Businesses have fundraisers for children’s hospitals. More affluent Guatemalans donate toys and games to less moneyed families. In a place where there often isn’t enough for small treats, Kids Day is a day where youth get to experience that bit of indulgence.

Safe Passage had... Read more...

I am living with a host family. The parents, Luky and José, are two of the most wonderful people I have ever met. They are so warm and friendly and genuinely care about all seven (yes, seven!) people living in their home at any given time. “Nuestros estudiantes” as they call us, are treated like part of the family. I can ask Luky and José anything and have gotten... Read more...

For the past few years, Camino Seguro has been running a 5k race in the States every year. It is our big yearly fundraiser. This year, it became a global event, with races also held in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Guatemala. In the U.S., 10 races took place in eight states. A large... Read more...

September 15 is Independence Day in Guatemala. The whole country is a buzz of light blue and white. The national flag can be seen flitting from windows, in the tops of buildings and flowing from cars. Men don blue and white striped shirts. Styrofoam models of the six national symbols even hung from the rafters in the local grocery store. A pervasive fervor of national pride fills the air.

The sense of patriotism was certainly... Read more...

Yes I do!

Once upon a time, I managed an AmeriCorps*VISTA program. It was my responsibility to recruit people to accept a stipend that was below the poverty line to work in tiny little towns in California that no one had ever heard of. Now I’m managing a volunteer teaching program, and recruiting English speakers from all over the world to teach in Guatemala for six months. The really cool thing about this position is it is direct service. And it’s getting out of dodge when the going in most English-speaking locales is decidedly tough. It should be easier to recruit people, right? Wrong. Recruiting English teachers for Camino Seguro is decidedly more difficult. Just like... Read more...

For 6 weeks I lived in a house where our cleaning lady couldn’t read or do basic arithmetic. One morning I was sitting at the table, with my nice, big, academic book on Guatemalan culture and history spread out before me, and she was going about her work around me. As I picked up my book for her to wipe the tables, I realized that she could never read it. At that moment, I realized how truly privileged I am in a very... Read more...

Houses of local residents at Lake Atitlán.

I’ve been ruminating a lot on globalization. I don’t know much about the political and economic forces at play, although I’m learning more every day. But, I’ve been thinking about globalization and its effect on communities, and I can certainly see some of... Read more...

There once was a girl with worn out shoes
It gave some volunteers the blues
They wanted for her more
They went to the store
And gave a new pair to their muse

She wiggled and screamed in glee
Never dreaming of what was to be
They didn’t expect
Their “good” deed’s effect
The girl’s momma was not so happy

When the girl came home with her gift
Her mom was really quite miffed
“They must have been taken”
Though she was mistaken
Mom hit girl hard and swift

Once per week, I go over to spend time visiting our English classes in the Guardería, our early childhood center. This past week, I... Read more...

The thing that everyone warns you about when you come to Guatemala is safety. This week, I’m feeling really lucky for those warnings and the training I received in how to respond when things go awry.

Antigua is surrounded by three breathtaking volcanoes. If they’re beautiful from down here, I couldn’t stop imagining what they must be like from the top. Plus, I love to hike and be outdoors. So, I jumped at the chance to climb Volcán de Agua with some friends. There were six of us set to climb it on Saturday – a mix of men and women, one man was Guatemalan, all pretty fit and not small by any means (I haven’t been the shortest in a group in a long while). We even... Read more...

Lately, I’ve been having that squished-in feeling of being abroad. I miss home. I miss my people. I miss food that doesn’t make me sick (I have had all the dreaded traveler’s stomach maladies), or at least food that makes me feel better when I am sick. I miss the beach, bridges and BART. I get a little smile at the thought of San Francisco’s familiar breed of zany.

Culture shock can be a real drag. I’m finding myself frustrated with a lot of things these days. Of course, the language barrier often leaves me confounded. I get what’s going on around me, but I don’t really get it. The words I know, but it’s hard to understand all of the sentiment. I... Read more...

This week was Semana Di No a las Drogas (Say No to Drugs Week) in the project. The students spent the week doing a variety of activities relating to the theme of staying away from drugs.

The Health Department focused their classes for the week on drug resistance education. One of our health educators asked the kids about what the theme of the week was. The kids responded that they shouldn’t smoke, drink or do drugs.... Read more...

The conversations I have with students, parents and coworkers are all really important. Antigua is, as I call it, Gringolandia. It is a place where foreigners congregate and one could easily live for months without ever interacting with a Guatemalan in a meaningful way. You have to really seek out that side of Antigua. Most foreigners won’t end up making those... Read more...

This week I had the treat of spending a glorious day in the Guardería, our early childhood center. The Guardería houses programs for students age 1-6, and is aimed at school readiness. The kids get two healthy snacks and a meal, plus vitamins. In the classroom, they get all of the things you would expect out of an early childhood program in the States. In fact, walking into one of the classrooms feels just like walking into any such... Read more...

Gathering to watch World Cup in my living room

Football (depending on your accent, you might be used to it being pronounced “soccer”) is awesome. Being in a football-loving country during the World Cup is even more awesome.

I have loosely followed the past few World Cups, watching games whenever I was around... Read more...

I have been writing a logical framework, or marco lógico in Spanish, for the English Department. This has been, at once, one of the most overwhelming and rewarding experiences I have ever had.

Let me nerd out for a second – I LOVE strategic planning. It is one of the most fun work-related things I can think of. I love imagining all of the moving parts, how they all fit together and brainstorming what I... Read more...

I went to El Salvador this weekend. It was good to finally get out of Antigua and experience something a bit more “real” in Central America. Granted, I have a fair bit of experience in these parts – I’ve studied and traveled in Costa Rica, Mexico and Puerto Rico. I also got a minor in Latin American Studies in college, so I certainly am grounded in the history of the political and economic forces... Read more...

Camino Seguro has Support Teams that come in often, especially over the summer as schools and other groups take advantage of summer vacation. These teams (www.safepassage.org/teams) come in for a week at a time to give extra support to Camino Seguro programs. The English department is often a grateful benefactor of the extra support, as these volunteers are able to lend a level of... Read more...

Another tropical depression came through on Tuesday. This one seemed like barely a few raindrops compared to Agatha. However, we received word on Tuesday night that the project would be closed Wednesday morning because something in the water system at the project went awry, causing the dirty water to mix with the clean water.

To make matters worse,... Read more...

I’ve been having an incredibly hard time trying to get myself to start writing this article. I don’t know how I can possibly do justice to what’s going on around me. But, I have to try. It’s too important not to.

Even having seen it, I still can’t believe it. On my 8^th day in Guatemala, the world exploded. Quite literally – Pacaya volcano, located on the very southern edge of Guatemala... Read more...

May 16th – 22nd

I taught a yoga class to a half dozen of the moms on Wednesday. It was one of the most eye opening and energizing experiences of my life.

I love yoga. I do it as often as possible. I’m no expert, but it’s definitely something that’s important to me. So important, in fact, that I recorded a few... Read more...