Beards, Computer Centers and Freaky Ziki.

So I am growing a beard. Si estoy creciendo una barba Mama. And I am very proud of it. Sometimes I make myself laugh out loud because it has become my new project. But wait... the Peace Corps Says we are supposed to maintain a proffesional appearance at all times and if we decide to grow facial hair it must be kept and trimmed, Am I a bad person!!??? ...... Naw I dont think so. I have actually come to really like my scruffy look, the locals don´t seem to mind, plus it goes well with my new house. OH, By the way I also have a new crib. yes, a new crib! I lucked out being this house used to be the towns former computer center, so that means the house is very very secure. It has metal doors and a big front roll over garage gate. Inside is a front open patio that can fit up to 2 small cars and to its left is a garden. The house is owned by a man who lives in the US and his brother who lives in my town looks after the place. He is now my new landlord and has left me the place for 300 Quetzalez which is roughly 40 bucks a month. I occupy two rooms in the house, the first room houses the kitchen, dining area guest room, and the second my room.


Books read so far: Bitter fruit: The story of the American Coup in Guatemala by Stephen Kinszer, Testimony: Death of a Guatemalan Village by Stephen Montejo, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

Currently reading: I Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala, by Rigoberta menchu and Elisabeth Burgos-Debray.




¨El Centro De Computacion¨ aka the computer center is now what I call my new home, literally!! Either that or the fortress because it looks like one.
This is the front of the Computer center.




I also have a dog. His name is Ziki Ziki, hes a black dog, (dont know what breed, don´t ask). Hes really sweet, he keeps me company and guards the house. He was given to me by my previous host family to guard and keep me company. I´ve renamed him ¨Freaky Ziki¨ after the rapper from the Diplomats with the same name. He´s a chill ass dog. He just lays around all day and sleeps. Sort of like me. Ha ha! Guess thats why we get along so well.



I have to say I was freaked out when I first moved into the new home. I was all paranoid. it is hard to live on your own first after living with hosts families for over five months. Second, just living alone in a nother country is frightening in its own. but i am handling well and I have settled.



Sorry for the moment i have no new pics because of my broken camera but here are some pics I had saved on my USB. The first is SanVicente Buenabaj, the second is me fooling around. The thisrd is of some kids at a parade. Enjoy.

Parades, queens, torches and K´iche.

First off. Congratulations to me , from me. I have made it exactly another month in my site today, and I happen to be very proud of myself. I now only have 22 more months to go (not that Im counting). Things have been smoother as

well, as oppose to the first month. I have also been keeping busy with all the festivities this month of september. On Sept 15th was Guatemala´s independence and a party it was all over the country, including school bands, beauty contests and lots of patriotism. I participated as a judge to several beauty peagents and also atttended several parades with my schools including one in Huitan and another in San Jose Ch. In addition I attended a day trip with one of my Schools ¨paloma¨to the west coast to pick up the independence torch. I have also been very excited beacause I finally began my K´iche´ classes.

So, xbeq´ij, alak, Utz wach la.

On another note I have also began to work with a social worker from the local health center. We are planing to work together to form a summer camp for the local children being their vacation starts in Mid October.

I will try to keep up my up my blog, the only bad news is I broke my camera.

love u all.

F. G