peace out.

2012-02-10T14:53:00.000-08:00

sometimes it hits me that i live in guatemala:

-i am now a plumber. well, not really. but i fix toilets. and i know all the lingo. in spanish.

-hairblowdryer? why bother. just jump in the back of a pickup truck

-marriage? easy. the woman who sells me potatos is helping her 18 year-old son pick out my ring (no gracias?)

-no toilet paper? dude, that's what old newspaper is for.

-trash. oh, the battle against the trash.

-fried eggs.

-almolongan coffee- delicious but more like sugar water than coffee. but, it. is. gooooood.

-i bought a traje! yup i did. and it is going to cost me around what i make in a month. totally worth it.

-there is this smell that hits me sometimes in the street, not a foul smell, but not exactly agreeable either. and when i smell it, i know that im home.

and it's all of these things. and all of this still matters.

on a serious note i was thinking this week (shocking right?) about what i want to stand for. my core. my center. because sometimes we spin wildly around and never quite get there.

i want the world to be a better place because i was a part of it.

whatever i do, where ever i go, it has to come back to that.

2012-02-02T07:26:00.000-08:00

whiplash is my curse here. it's like everyday is a thousand days with a billion little moments in each one. this up and down. me beaming. literally like fool with a smile that i can't get rid of. or me just wanting to curl up in bed with a book and forget the world.

the year has had kind of a rough start. just being pulled out of almolonga for meetings ect. and feeling behind in my work. but this week i got things back under control (wait a sec, who am i kidding, well as much control as possible here).

Tuesday and Wednesday I put on a workshop for all of the schools I work with (14 total). The workshop is called 'Project Design and Management', basically it gives the leaders at each school the tools that they need to plan out a small infrastructure project in a systematic way. And the kicker- it went really well!!!!! who woulda thought? Anyway, it was so encouraging to read their evaluations (i think im going to hang them up in my room, nothing like 'we love you samata/samanda/shamata to get me out the door in the morning'). It just made me so pumped for the school year, people are starting to get it, starting to want to make positive changes in their schools.

in other news:

1.) a friend loaned me a guitar and it has drastically improved my quality of life (although the songs ive written of late are a bit 'rage'ish)

2.) earthquakes FREAK ME OUT! just cuz im not used to them... when the cabinets start shaking i get nervous. (but the best is being on the phone with my dad... me 'whoa an earthquake' my dad 'GET OUTSIDE NOW') that's love.

3.) i want a dog. yes. yes, i do.

4.) i visited a school and a little girl shyly opened the door, i asked to come in, she stared at me for a while and slammed the door shut. then i heard 'Seño, Seño, there's a señora out there with blueish green eyes'. priceless.

2012-01-21T14:39:00.000-08:00

i like to make my day planners mine. you know, add some spice. for 2012 my wonderful mom brought me a fancy 'adult' agenda. and i set out to find the perfect quote to set my mind straight everytime i open it.

'another i is beginning'

2012. guatemala.

going back to cleveland for the holidays was amazing. exhausting, but good. i felt so busy, but i wasnt really. shower, drive to meet people, drive to run errands, eat lunch, ect. just a different type of busy i suppose. but it was fun to see everyone and share that time together. i felt like the luckiest girl in the world...

and i did come back to guatemala (i know you had your doubts). just in time to celebrate our one year anniversary in-country. i reread my journals and it's just so incredible how much we can grow in such a short time. we are so adaptable (if we choose to be).

but the year has started out a little rough. some of you may have heard about peace corps making some changes in central america- mainly honduras, el salvador and guatemala mainly related to security concerns. without going into depth about the exact situation here-i had a few anxieties about joining the peace corps and they mostly related to working for a federal agency. go figure, it's a frustrating place to be at times. the end of the totem pole, that is. but i made my choices and i'm here in guatemala. and i'm not going anywhere.

here's to: knowing where home is.

almolonga my friends. almolonga,

quetzaltenango,

guatemala,

centro america.

2012-01-03T06:22:00.000-08:00

All the superlatives come up short as you try to describe the beauty of Lago Attilan. In reality it is a 20 mile wide volcanic crater, but you don’t realize it because within the crater itself rises 3 immense volcans that add a surreal feeling to the place, almost like a painted backdrop. They were described to me by a local ex-pat as pimples on the face of the true volcan, but incredibly unique to those of us who don’t experience volcans in our daily experience. The shoreline is steep, yet dotted with five or six villages. While it should have been a national park, the land has been lapped up by expats who have found their version of paradise and some who build multiple for vacation rentals as extra income. The home we rented came with a challenging climb especially with luggage but with the help of our ever helpful property manager,Ramos, we arrived to an incredible property/incredible views/incredible jardins/incredible birds/incredible shower(enjoyed after several that were not so hot),incredible weather. There is a tension that comes with foreign travel: language issues, security issues, logistical issues, so it was nice to have somewhat of a break from that while basking in all that the area offers : roaming quaint villages, kayaking in the shadows of volcans, swimming in a 900’ deep lake(although they say the water is dirty as it is a catch basin with no outlet so whatever they put in there stays in there). Sam is so engaging with the Guatemalan people and they respond so well to her that we enjoyed regular visits from Ramos and his hija who Sam befriended. We even got regular visits from their perros who would knock on the door and make themselves at home while enjoying a little snack. So Thanksgiving dinner was in my mind a 50/50 proposition. High altitude, propane oven, and then the EXPLOSION!! The burners had igniters but not the burners in the oven, son Donna turns on the gas expecting the oven to light. When it doesn’t, she lights a match, not realizing the gas has built up in the oven. Picture a ball-of-flame leaping out!!The sound was a bit like lighting your gas grill x100. I was glad the door was open or I’m sure I would have been buying a new Guatemalan stove (I can just see me carrying that to the boat) Ramos got us some help in lighting the thing and it all went off without a hitch after that. Pumpkin pie, mashed papas, green beans, pollo breasts, muy bien. A thanksgiving to remember!! I didn’t mention the boats. The only way around the lake is by boat. These are converted fishing boats, well kinda converted for people, but you never know what you might be sharing space with. It is nice that this has been maintained as a small business for the locals with few larger tour boats. This was a special time for us as we all relaxed and good conversation flowed, great sleeping with naps, books were consumed. Guatemala!!!

2011-12-15T13:46:00.000-08:00

Marimba, Marimba!! Welcome to Xela (Quetzaltenango)yea xela is better, but just so you know, the quetzal is a muy bonita long tail bird (somewhat rare now), so the name means place of the quetzal. Anyway marimba (think xylophone, that spelling is not even close, with 3 guys playing it at once) so how do home- made marimba’s become a big thing? Must be a MAYAN thing!! This is what you say when you just don’t understand something about Guatemala. Must be a MAYAN thing! The people of Guatemala are the most concentrated indigenous group I’ve encountered with every area of the country (except guate) speaking a different Mayan language as its 1^st language, Spanish is second fiddle here, but all speak it. I hope the indigenous languages will not be lost on the next generations. Xela is the2nd largest city, but small by comparison. Yet this is where we met Sam’s familia de Guatemala, as it is not far to Sam’s village of Almolonga. We had dinner at the B4 mentioned Fried chicken joint (not the place to be with a queasy stomach). It was loud and crowded with marimba music flowing and they ONLY served fried pollo(chicken) Regardless it was wonderful to meet Jose y Maria y hija Elysa. It must have been a funny sight as we were the only gringos in the place and all 3 of us over a foot taller than any of them, but we had a grand time and it warmed our heart to see Sam so knit together with them. We were to spend more time with them in their home in Almolonga.

Sam of course fought all our battles for us. Bargaining hard for the best price, rejecting taxi’s who tried to take advantage of the gringos, protecting us in crowded markets, on buses, squeezing us into tuktuks, finding us wonderful hotels, helping us with menus (except as a vegan,(she wont like me calling her a vegan) she was lost when it came to cuts of meat. The poor waiter had to point to his body parts…oh you mean ribs?) The greatest joy for us was seeing her embraced by the communities where she lives and works. At 1^st Almolonga was hard for us. Dirty, smelly, congested. But then we started meeting all the people who knew sam. Warm smiles hugs kisses, excited conversation, excited to meet the parents of their Samantha. That’s right, they don’t plan to let her go. The children running by all greet sam, the girls give a hug. Away from the main street Almolonga settles down as it slopes down to the fields for which it is famous. Here there is a beauty and serenity that is hard to describe and you begin to understand, in a small way, what it is the people value. Down the road a ways is another village,Zunil, cleaner but only because they throw the garbage in the river, but a lovely place with lovely people who like all the rest work extremely hard through the course of their day. It was a sight as the women do their laundry by the river in the shadow of yet another volcan with the brightness of their faces reflected in the vibrant colors of the blankets spread out along the river bank. We had a short visit to a Almolongan church, and it is safe to say that the Hand of God is active here and His Church is alive.

Salsa, Salsa!!! Back to music. Sam surprised us with private samba lessons. OH yea we were surprised all right. Private meant one-on-one instruction in front of a room full of folks on exercise equipment. But what can you do? You roll with it!! GUATEMALA !!

2011-12-10T07:20:00.000-08:00

What my Papi has to say about the first part of his trip...

So why in every airport I’ve ever been to do you have to walk a mile to get to customs? My visit to guate began with this great mystery, but our experience with Guatemalan immigration went smoothly despite all the Thanksgiving contraband in our luggage, including a can of pumpkin for what became an incredible pie baked at altitude in a propane oven, but I am getting ahead of myself and that is a story in itself. Like most Latin city airports there is a crowd of folks outside the doors. Its one of the 1^st things that your mind registers as different.

In the throng, we found our hija’s smile and long strong hugs were enjoyed, then into a waiting taxi and the streets of Guate (that’s Guatemala City for you gringos). We know the white lines on the road as lane boundaries, but here and in a lot of places those are motorcycle lanes inbetween the lines of cars, buses, trucks (mostly diesel gag/cough!!!). The city is alive though with people walking, on bikes, babies on back with large loads carried on heads, vendors, shop keepers; throw in a lot of dogs, chickens, goats, horses. The city sights were interrupted by an ambulance that decides to Uturn over the median in front of us. The car next to us was rear ended. Ah, Guatemala!

The ride to Antigua was lovely. Mountains sprang up even before we left the city and our travel for the rest of our stay was up&down and side to side. Hard on queasy stomachs, but what the heck, the food was good (except for the fried chicken place but I’m getting ahead again; can you say” necesito el servicio”). Of course nothing tops a “tuktuk” on the cobblestone streets of Antigua. Now I know how a Christmas tree feels when they put it on the shaker (tuktuk-a 3 wheeled scooter that carries passengers). It was fun though in a “how did I get here” kind of way. Antigua is a lovely Spanish colonial town, in the shadow of volcano Fuego. Shops and restaurants and street markets and of course the centerpiece is the park fountain with 4 bare breasted maidens, the water of life streaming from their breasts! Bonita old churches, young street vendors, candy señor? Flute? Necklace for the pretty lady? Woven bracelets, scarves, blankets. Gracias, no. Lo siento, no. Cuanto cuesta? The bargaining is on! (Sam, I still want the pecking chickens! 10 q only!!) A Buenos dias/tardes/noches from almost every passerby.

Hotel Aurora, muy bien!! Street markets are crowded, lively affairs with tight 2-way traffic in each isle. Tried a new fruit I had never seen before and wanted to buy a sombrero as I can never seem to remember to bring a hat on trips, but came up empty. Street markets are not the tourist markets (I dislike tourists) full of weavings in every form, carvings, bright paintings that all look the same, toys, leather items. I believe there is a large factory somewhere in South America (maybe China) that supplies all the markets around the world. It’s owned by WALMART!!!

Installment 2 next week

2011-12-06T15:02:00.000-08:00

The moment you ve been waiting for... The thoughts of Mrs. Donna Boss on her recent visit to Guatemala!!!!

So, today I reread my journal from our trip to Guatemala and all the memories and images came flooding back. It is nearly impossible to use mere words to describe our experience but I will try(not as eloquently as Sam or Bob!) to share with you my visions of Guatemala...

*The joy of seeing Sam as we exited the airport...it had been 11 months since we embraced!

*Entering Antigua...our first stop...bumpy streets of pieced rocks/stones, people everywhere out and about

*Hotel Aurora...women selling their goods at the entrance...beautiful courtyard, lovely room with flatscreen TV(we don't even have this at home!), yet no toilet paper can be flushed down the toilets

*Antigua central park...breasts of life fountain...children selling candy, jewelry, weavings and all sorts of items...one little boy, a bit disheveled with sad eyes selling woven bracelets

*Many people with disabilities and old men and women with cup for begging...one man with no legs or arms...only able to look up at the sky..so much I take for granted, so much I've been given Lord

*Vibrant colors of woven clothing everywhere

*Warm greetings of "Buenos Dias"!!

*Shops of all kinds...Dona Luisa bakery...giant chocolate crinkle cookies!!

Onto Xela, Almolonga and Zunil... Sams "hood"

*No straight roads...hairpin curves, climbing mountains, decending mountains...no thought of wearing seatbelts!

*Boulders or tree limbs instead of orange barrels

*Meeting the family Sam lives with at Albamar Fried Chicken Restaurant...Jose, Maria and Elysa...Warm, kind and attempting to communicate thru Sam's translation(amazed by her fluency in Spanish)

*Unfortunately stomach issues begin to plague us...Bob is pretty sick but thankfully the worst of it is over in 2 hours

*Taking our first chicken bus to Almolonga(no chickens!)...

*Almolonga...concrete built homes with rusted roofs on the side of mountains...valley filled with vegetables growing, meticulously tended...streets with a foot of dirt, ruts, and more looking like dry river beds than roads

*Children calling out, "Samantha"...she is clearly known and cared about

*Watching Maria make tortillas...such tiny skillful hands

*Seeing the church of Jesus Christ gather to worship...alive and well

Santa Maria...volcano that overlooks Zunil...women side by side washing clothes in the river

*a ferris wheel and rides set up for Feria or Fair

*trash strewn everywhere..in the towns, streets and even in the fields

*Chicken bus nationwide strike...buses parked to block anything but local transportation in the whole country, thankfully only one day!

*Sam's big surprise for us on our last evening in Xela...private salsa lessons with Antonio...private is relative term...dance area is half the room...the other half is full of people on treadmills and other workout equipment...they even took pictures of us!

Loved the lessons and learning some new steps with my hubbie.

Onto Lake Atitlan..."the vacation"

*Arrive into Panajackel...after 4 hour shuttle...steep mountains.. section of one lane road because of rain washout in Oct.

*Incredible views of this huge crater lake with 3 massive volcanos, Atitlan, Toliman and San Pedro

*Bustling little town...get Bob and all our luggage onto a ferry boat to go to Santa Cruz la Laguna, village where our house rental is

*Sam and I take a tuk-tuk(scooter like vehicle that has back passenger seat for max. 3 adults) to grocery store to buy supplies... we even find a can of whipped cream for our Thanksgiving pumpkin pie!!!(I have brought with me stuffing, canned pumpkin and evaporated milk)

*Walk up to our house...actually more of a climb...at least 50 steps but well worth each step...beautiful home...glassed in veranda with striking views..flowers everywhere, hummingbirds and butterflies...all the amenities of home...well, except for the large wall spiders and scorpion living behind the bathroom mirror(which Bob and Sam didn't tell me about until the morning we were leaving!)

*5 wonderful days together...talking, sharing, kayaking, playing cards, reading, praising and praying, resting, eating, visiting other lakeshore villages, shopping, collecting the floating rocks of Lake Atitlan, and having a Thanksgiving day of giving thanks for this time together and His provision for it all

Our time comes to a close as we travel back to Antigua for our final night in Guatemala...we were excited to finish our time by seeing Laura and husband Hugo...we had the priveledge to have Laura stay in our home several years ago when she traveled to Cleveland as a soccer coach with Ambassadors in Sports, conducting a soccer camp at our church...a sweet time of fellowship and encouragement to end our 10 days in Guatemala and an amazing blessing to see them in their homeland!

I am truly thankful to have had this opportunity, first to see Sam and the life she is living and those she is seeking to help in Guatemala as well as those dear people who have befriended her...and experience in a small way the kind people and beautiful country and sights of Guatelmala. May He continue to build His church and kingdom in Guatemala and bless this nation...

-Donna (mamasita as Sam calls me!)

2011-12-01T09:40:00.000-08:00

long time no see...

happy belated thanksgiving!!!

and happy december!!! (decided to listen to christmas music this morning. bad idea, 75 and sunny with nat king cole is no good)

i've had a busy and beautiful past week, my parents came to visit me here in Guatemala and so there we were hacking through the bush, laughing, and making wonderful memories!

but alas, i'm back in almolonga busy as all get out... english classes once again (my pride and joy), getting caught up with friends here and just trying to stay on top of things.

i have a lot to tell you all, but i'm going to leave it to my parents! yes that's right, reflections of their trip from my lovely parents. get excited...

2011-11-07T07:45:00.000-08:00

It's been an exciting week in Guatemala! Tuesday November 1st was Dia de los Santos. My host niece, Rosita, has been staying with us (school vacation! wootwoot). She and I headed out to check the cemetary in Almolonga. Each family buys tons of flowers to adorn the graves of their loved ones, candles, messages, whatever. I've never been one who likes cementaries, but this tradition hit me as beautifully connected. Children learn about their ancestors, and the family line has so many stories, so many secrets, that seem to resurface the first of November.

The market leading up to Nov. 1st was busting with all different types of flowers. Almolongans bought them and took them to other markets to sell... They prefer buying flowers for their own relatives that come from other places (mainly the coast).

And of course, KITE FLYING! It is magical (even on top of tombs). Hundreds and hundreds of kites... Reminded me of the kite festival in DC. (and yes, of course Rosita and I flew our own).

Recycling! smile...

The cementary in Almolonga is up on a hill overlooking the valley. Great view, but made me a little scared during the heavy rains that one day it was all just going to slide down the mountainside.

My host parents set up an alter in the house for their parents too...

This week I also started teaching English to two groups of teachers. It's a six week course, that has two sections that each meet twice a week. It was lots of fun, jumping around, getting to know a different side of people that I've known since I got here. The idea of the class is that teachers feel more comfortable teaching English in their own classrooms. The national curriculum of Guatemala demands English classes for kids in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. But the thing is that the kids LOVE learning English. They pay attention and ask millions of questions. Teachers really want to tap into that to get the kids more interested in other subjects. The teachers already know a ton of vocabulary, the pronouciation is what were going to be working on mostly.

Last Sunday was my host sister, Elisa's, birthday (the big 2-8)! We went to one of the many pools in Almolonga and had a cookout and swam and sprawled out in the sun like lazy cats. It was glorious, and made me feel like summer vacation (sun burn and all)...

Yesterday was the presidential election. Much more calm than the previous election. When they announced the winner (surprisingly early, around 7:15 pm), it was an explosion of fireworks all over Almolonga. The whole family went up to the balcony patio and it was like fourth of july. Bright lights reminding you that there's still hope for happiness in the future...

2011-10-20T09:16:00.000-07:00

the sun has finally graced us with its presence. and it is beautiful. and all of this still matters.

today is Revolution Day. yesterday i got the downlow from my lovely friends at the health center here in Almolonga. it was 1944, the height of a military oligarchy in Guatemala. the gap between the rich and poor was widening. there were few landowners. epitomy of 'working for the man'. enter a group of young soldiers willing to stand up and take on said man for workers' rights, for agrarian reform, for a voice.

the bummer? not much has changed since 1944. but we can dream.

need some inspiration? look no further.

'no one man should have all that power' -kw

2011-10-15T09:07:00.000-07:00

After:

Before:

first off, i want to tell you all that i am well and my family is well. our house is fine. we have food. we have electricity and water.
but almolonga is not so fine.

i was laying in bed. 4am. wide awake. hearing the river that was once my street outside my front door. and i got that feeling. like when you stand too long looking out at the ocean. and you realize just how small you are. i felt so small. i kept thinking about how small i am. how it would be so easy for the house to fall into itself and disappear into a pile of rocks...

i made a cup of coffee and sat with Doña Maria... she was so worried because she didn't have any Maseca (powder to make tortillas when there is no electricity to grind your corn). so i said that i'd venture out to buy some. thank god for those boots! it's 8am and five stores later, there's no Maseca to be found. but i did see the destruction all over Almolonga. and it blew my mind. boulders bigger than me. i have no idea where they came from. pickup trucks smashed like matchbox toys the day after christmas.

four children died. they were inside their house when it fell. Efraín, 5; Lesly Marisol, 9; Glendy Maribel, 11, y Marleny López Maxana, 12. how do you process that? to me, it breaks my heart because it's just so preventable. building codes. drainage. that's what kills me.

here are some professional pics of almolonga...

2011-10-07T13:35:00.000-07:00

it's harder than you think, this blog thing... seriously though, there's this post it note i keep in the back of my brain constantly ready for a good topic to bring up on the blog. but the thing about it is that i'm worried.

this might be the only thing you ever read about Guatemala. that's kind of a lot of pressure, because i've come to love being here and want you to feel the same way even from far away. And because i'm in my 10th month here in Guate, which given my short life, is a long time, it feels so normal being here. Because it's getting harder and harder to think of things that you will find funny or unique, they've become my reality.

so i'm going to start simple. that's right, simple. the things that i should have told you from the getgo but never got around to it.

10 things you should know:

1.) Almolonga and Zunil are the COUNTRY, yeehaw! as in if you don't have a pickup truck you are nothing. the older men wear cowboy hats.

2.) there is nothing that smells as good as a pickup passing by that is full (literally bursting) with onion picked that morning. cilantro is comprable...

3.) most women over the age of 45 are illiterate.

4.) almolonga is pure concrete and fields. they build up to conserve space for growing their veggies. where you don't see block you see green.

5.) they use an ungodly amount of chemical fertilizers on said veggies.

6.) women carry things on their heads. men carry things on their backs.

7.) trash. there is a lot of trash in the streets. but the trash truck comes twice a week and for Q1 will take that nastiness off your hands and burn it for you.

8.) when people ask where you're from, they mean the state. most men have seen more of the us than i have.

9.) hot/cold. people are very concious about temperature when it comes to eating. you never eat avocado at night. it's a cold food. you'll get sick. no joke.

10.) REFA! the best part of the day in my humble opinion, morning snack that applies to everyone... icecream? yup. fruit? yup. candy? yup. whatever, if it's 10 am, you eat!

2011-09-27T08:43:00.000-07:00

dearest people who care about me,

so i have a funny story. it was one of those stories that, as it was unfolding, i wanted to laugh just thinking about retelling it. so here it goes, my experience at the opthamologist:

sunday night i'm watching tv at home alone (the guate rents went to church) and my right eye gets real itchy. so what do i do? i itch it of course. and like it should, my contact lense bobbles out of place. now, as a background note, i have worn contacts since i was 12 years old. and as a rule, when i itch my eyes and my contacts go all crazy they always fall back into their propper place after about an hour at worst.

so there i am two hours later ready for bed with said contact still stuck somewhere in my eye. oh well, i'm not worried. surley it will fall out when i sleep.

monday morning: eye is bloodshot and hurting above my tearduct. shoot. that contact is still in there. slight freak out. this has never happened before. wash out my eye with water (recommendation of mama boss). okay, so i go to work as normal. by noon it's still in there somewhere. alright, suck it up and call Peace Corps medical. 'ummmm yyeeaahh, so this is kind of stupid but my contact is stuck somewhere in my eye'. no problem, appointment at 5:00 in Xela. whew.

5:00 p.m. Torre Professional, Xela: Watching Alice in Wonderland waiting for the doc to see me. and it fits, i feel sort of like alice in this situation.

5:30, Samantha Boss, i get up and am led into an office where i am met by a very young and rather attractive doctor. just my bad luck, im at the doctor for the stupidest thing ever and he has to be. i go to shake his and and my purse hits his desk, knocking off his glass model of the human eye. thank god it didn't break, but there i am, turning super red and apologizing. of course sam.

'so what seems to be the problem?'. oh god. i have a contact lodged in my eyeball somewhere.

'alright, we'll let's see what we can do about that'.

commence exam of him folding up my eyelid and sticking a swab in there. cringe. it was aweful.

after 20 minutes of probing around, no luck. he called in another doctor for a second opinion.

nada.

he tries to make me feel better by saying that this happens all the time and that my eye was so irriated that it felt like the lense was still in there. i'm red again. are you kidding me?

worst of all? i have a follow up appointment in a week.

worst than that? i needed to feel better so i walked over to Wendy's for a frosty. and would you believe there was no chocolate. a vanilla frosty? people, don't waste your money.

moral of the story? too many to count.

love,

sam

2011-09-18T14:07:00.000-07:00

Almolonga`s central park, Independence day festivities...

Zunil traje...

Almolonga traje...

Happy Guatemalan Independence Day! 190 years and going strong...

2011-09-11T08:31:00.000-07:00

Today, September 11th, which holds so much emotion for me as an American, also holds emotion for me as an American living in Guatemala. Today is election day here, it's the culmination of months of campaigning and debate. The mayoral races are the most contentious and in Almolonga passions run high between the three parties vying for power. Peace Corps asked me to leave my site for the weekend as a preemptive precaution, so I'm staying with a fellow PC volunteer about 45 minutes away until Tuesday when all settles down.

Last night I was thinking about how much has (and hasn't) changed in the past ten years. Thought I'd share what was on my mind:

"Tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that forever changed our world. 10 years. Time plays such tricks on us, doesn't it? Saddness passes, but not without its scars. And we're weak after all. Delicate flesh that feels. Or maybe we're delicate because we feel. Whether weak or strong-here we are, all connected. Our passions, no matter how polarized, are what make us human. Our capacity for good and evil, is what makes us human. Our hurt, is what make us human.

But it is our ability to forgive, to be compassionate, to choose to rise above guns, tanks, bombs, planes--that, that is what would make us good.

And that is my hope for our world. That each person, each small human, would choose goodness over hurt. "

2011-08-30T07:48:00.000-07:00

My weekend.

(jealous?)

2011-08-22T16:42:00.000-07:00

my day-

1.decided to wear a dress. mistake. ive never been harassed so much in my life. heeeeyyyy bbbbaaabbbbbyyy
2. had to judge little girls. yes, another nina escolar
3. got blisters on my feet by 11 am
4. rode a super crowded bus and almost fainted.
5. tried to get off said bus in said dress. struggle fest.
6. while walking to bus number 2, a dog emerged from under a truck and barked at me. then 8 more dogs came out from under the same truck. i ran into the street and started screaming, swinging my purse in giant swoops to break through the circle the mad dogs had formed around me and worrying that if they bite me i dont even have jeans to protect my legs. rabies anyone?
7. i realize while my heart was still pounding that a lot of people witnessed the scene of the insane gringa screaming in the street.
8. got home and the electricity was out. not really a big deal, but heck, just thought id add it in here for kicks.

im laughing right now. honestly though? what on earth.
oh peace corps. love it!

2011-08-19T07:42:00.000-07:00

I've already talked about beauty pageants here in Guatemala. They are, for lack of better words, a big deal. Each school has a Niña Escolar who represents the school in district wide events for the entire year. The truth is I'm not a huge fan. These things always tend to end with tears, and it seems to me that it teaches girls at an early age that what is important is how new their traje is. But on the other hand, the girls do have to give a speech so there is some skill involved.

That being said the Niña Escolar presentations are pretty freaking cute. Little girls in their best trajes are adorable. They walk in doing this little sidestep dance to marimba music (the traditional music here in Guate).

These pictures are from the Niña Escolar competition at Chacap in Zunil so the girls are all wearing the Zunil traje. Their top is called a wipil in Spanish (or 'pot' in K'iche'), their skirt is called a corte in Spanish ('uq' in K'iche') and in their hair they use a cinta intricately wrapped through their hair, and heels of course!

It's important for you to know that the girls dress in traje everyday! The only thing they don't really use is the cinta in their hair (older women use the cinta everyday). These girls play basketball in their heels and cortes, I guess when you grow up in them it's comfortable...

2011-08-15T16:34:00.000-07:00

Most of the schools I'm working with are super interested in teaching their students about trash... Strange? Why, yes. In the US we put our glass in one bag, our cans in another bag, our paper in another bag and throw out the rest (or put it in the compost pile). Here in Zunil the trash issue is city wide. They have a trash truck that charges Q2 for each big bag and they take it off your hands, throw it off a cliff and light it with a match. Or if your family doesn't have the Q2 to pay (25 cents) then you burn it yourself or throw it in the river. Yes, trash is an issue.

So as a part of Healthy Schools, the teachers really want to work on trash management so that the next generation won't continue with the status quo. It's hard because you don't want the kids classifying their trash and then having them haul it all to the river in the end. So what do you do with this classified trash when there aren't good industrial recycling options nearby? YOU GET CREATIVE!

Enter the paper brick! This brick is pure paper (newspaper, notebook paper, whatever kind of paper minus cardboard and toilet paper). The paper brick was a peace corps invention back in the day and it's still chugging. You have the kids put all their paper in a bag then once they have enough you tear it up, and let it sit in water for two days. After two days it comes out looking like a strange and not-so-appetizing dough that you throw into a metal mold which pushes the water out (with a bit of elbow grease) and bam. you have a paper brick.

What do you do with said paper brick once it dries? You use it to cook. Most families here still use firewood so by utilizing the paper brick, which lasts up to FOUR HOURS in the fire and releases equivalent or less smoke than firewood, you reduse the number of trees that get chopped down from the mountaintops and you use what would have been trash for something productive.

No, it's not a perfect solution. But it's a start...

The wet paper in a huge bin

Sixth graders in Zunil putting the paper into the mold to make the bricks

Pushing the handles down on the mold to get all the water out

The final product set out to dry! We made around 30 bricks with one week's worth of paper from a school of 500 kids... They are planning on giving to the three schools in the district who still use fire to cook the school snack!

2011-08-04T07:17:00.000-07:00

Some views from my neck of the woods...

This is the view of the volcano Santa Maria from Zunil. The school bus (more commonly known as a chicken bus, is how I get from Almolonga to Zunil in about 20 minutes). Those of you planning to visit, better find your self a a step machine because we'll be hiking up it!)

A nice view of Zunil, on a sunny morning as I head for a school in an aldea of the town center.

The view from my house!

The view from my house in the afternoon when the clouds move in...

2011-07-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

the pila.

so this is how we use water here in guatemala. it's actually a brilliant idea based in the reality that most towns don't have access to water 24/7. For example, in Almolonga we get water from the city faucet everyday from 7-8 am. So you fill up the pila then and have water for the whole day.

We use little plastic buckets (called palanganas) to dish the water out to wash hands, dishes, and clothes...

Special thanks to my mamacita for making these pictures possible and to the best RPCV (and cousin) ever whose music gave me the patience to wait for these to upload!

2011-07-12T13:54:00.000-07:00

Well hello there. Long time, no see...

I've been reading a lot lately about the history of Peace Corps. I even taped a picture of JFK up in my room. Do you think he's handsome? (jury is still out in this neck of the woods) It's just incredible really, how much I absolutely love my work here. And then I think of that multiplied by the 200.000 volunteers who have served since the creation of PC 50 years ago, all over the world. How much good can be done? How many laughs can be shared? And would you look at that, all without A-47s strapped to our backs! I know that you all think that I'm sugarcoating my experience here. My biggest fear about heading back home in 21 months? Will I ever be able to find work as fulfulling as this?

Today I visited Escuela Oficial Rural Mixta Santa Maria de Jesus. The fourth grade teachers there asked me to teach a half hour class on environmental contamination. Here are some pictures:

I made a timeline using chalk outside from 2 weeks to 1,000,000 years and handed out trash to the kids. They had to decide how long that it would take for their item of trash to decompose. I think it was a hit!
Have a great week!

p.s. shout out to my amazing friend Allie who knows her way around just about anywhere, kitchens and hearts included! feliz cumple chica!

2011-06-20T08:17:00.000-07:00

I got caught in the rain. And by rain I mean torrencial downpour. In Xela. So there I was, walking around the city streets barefoot in ice cold water. And the moment seemed right. To start talking outloud to myself. 'You idiot. Buy boots already.'

The proverbial last straw. I went to the Co-op and my Guatemalan brother sold me some fine boots. Black and rubbery. All the men wear them here when they go out to the fields to work, and the women too. And he laughed when I told him my story. I wore the boots home from the store. But little did I know that everyone in Almolonga would think it was the funniest thing ever that this gringa was wearing Almolongan boots. I kid you not, they were pointing at my newly aquired wellies and laughing. And I had to smile, because with every step in my toasty dry boots I was walking a step closer to their hearts...

2011-06-12T09:46:00.000-07:00

So, it's been a while since I've written. It's been on my list of things to do, but for some reason it always seems to take the back burner. I've been trying to think of interesting things to tell you, but the truth is that it's been hard. It seems that I've reached that point in my journey where I've finally come to find some sense of normalcy, what seemed so new and interesting when I first got here has now just become my life.

Work continues to be a challenge in the best of ways. Everyday is a different group of teachers in a different community, each with their own opinions and ways of doing things. I'm starting them off easy, each kid in school needs their own toothbrush and paste, a towel, a palangana (little plastic cup for the pila to get water), and hand soap. So far so good, all of my schools are starting to have their kids brush their teeth after snack ect. Some schools are more proficient than others, but like I said, each group is distinct with varying levels of energy.

I came the realization this weekend that I work a lot. I know what you're thinking, 'Whatever Sam,' but the truth is that even when I'm not at a school I'm in the work mentality. Walking down the street greeting people on my way to buy my egg for dinner, sitting in my house chatting with Doña Maria, going for a run in la labor, the only place that I can really exhale is in my room (which at the moment looks like a craft supply store exploded in there thanks to all the posters I make for my workshops in the schools). Rereading that makes it seem like I'm complaining, but I'm not. It's just a change that I'm still getting used to, all of the attention and this constant need to have my game face on. I'm already starting to love the influence I have here and the respect that I've been able to earn.

On that note, did I tell you my title here? Licenciada Samanta Boss. So official, right? I still feel really uncomfortable everytime people use it's the proper way to address someone who has graduated university, a common title in the states (BA). Also they use official stamps here. Yup, stamps. I haven't gone that far yet, but heck, why not. I do need to work on making my signature look more like a work of art than my name.

Funny stories of the week:

-I almost burnt off my eyebrows trying to light the stove to boil my plantain... Thank god I survived eyebrows intact.

-Yesterday at my art class I thought our teacher said that we need to draw two big hands for our homework, I clarified because it seemed strange. Nope, two mangos.

-People still think I'm Doña Maria's daughter-in-law... I don't mind, perhaps it will help to keep the harassment down.

-Started playing games with the kids at the schools when I finish my work! Friday I split open my toe playing soccer with some fifth graders (was playing barefoot because I couldn't run in my flats). Result: walking a little funny and the teachers got a good laugh. But we won.

-I started K'iche classes! Not really a funny story but rather good news...

2011-05-29T07:06:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well, what a week!

I've been running around like a headless chicken (which is a bit of a sour simile given the circumstances). Friday was one of my best days here in Guate. I visited my favorite school, the place just has an energy that makes me feel so alive (includes 20 minutes of getting kisses from the kids)! The school had an assembly with an 'acto civico' about trees and I got to launch a recycling program there. Side note: Guatemala has a beautiful national anthem, but it's literally 15 minutes long with like six verses. Each classroom now has a container for inorganic trash and next week we're adding cornflakes boxes for paper. The funny thing was that I thought it'd be good to present it as a competition between classes. Good motivation right? WRONG! At snacktime all the kids were buying tons of potato chip-like things so they could add it to their container. The principal and I just laughed it off but it just goes to show that sometimes even the best intentions can do harm.

Then in the afternoon at a different school I was a judge for a beauty paegent. Yikes. The girls were scored in four areas: athletic outfit, traditional outfit, speech and a dance. Lord help me. Yes, there were tears. Each school has one girl that will represent them in a district wide contest. Next Friday the teachers have a beauty paegent (they tried to talk me into participating reassuring me that I'd be a sure win). In other words, Guatemalans love beauty contests and this American cannot stand them.

Yesterday I did the unthinkable and went to Walmart. Evil place. I honestly felt like I was back in the states. What did this PCV buy? Couscous. And Campbells tomato soup. And an organizer for my folders (oh how I love the school supply aisle). And binder clips. And peanut butter (JIF extra crunchy to be exact). In my defense, all of the grocery stores in Xela are owned by Walmart, so much for my boycott.

Saturdays are my cleaning days. I sweep my floor and you would not believe the quantity of dirt that gets in there. It blows my mind. I also have to dust off my desk, so much dirt. Right now I'm doing my weekly load of laundry; crucial to do it early because the rain comes in the afternoon and the clothes will never dry.

No pictures, the cord to connect my camera was unbelievably expensive so my lovely mother is sending it. Working on grant proposals for infrastructure (sinks) at a few of my schools. It is kind of a bummer because the schools that need it most weren't interested in filling out the application, and I don't feel that I'm here to force them to do it if they don't want to. The organization is called 'Agua para la Salud' and they partner with Rotary Intl and PC here in Guate, it's a great opportunity to get more faucets so the kids have room to wash their hands and brush their teeth. Most schools have only one faucet, just a different mentality with construction here and the limit of resources.

Campaign season has officially started here in Almolonga... Just about every night a political party has a parade with tons of people and lots of fireworks. There are three main parties here and local politics is super important (strange considering I have no idea what mayors really do in the US, but here they control a lot of money for projects).

Well that's my life, random and busy for the moment...

2011-05-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

rough week.

lots of miscommunication and lack of communication that involved me trekking out to schools where there was no principal to be found.

and what can i do? get mad? get lazy? get even? laugh. just laugh. and enjoy the views.

because after all, the sun rose this morning.

but you know what helps? tofu. yes, tofu is the food of the gods (preferably in the sandwich form from Artesiano, an awesome bakery in Xela).

so it's a new day, and according to our calendars here, a new week, and it is fresh. and full of possibility.

'For what human ill does not dawn seem to be an alleviation?' -Thornton Wilder

p.s. the chicks died. i buried them out back under the lemon tree with a rose, my bare hands and a machete.

2011-05-16T15:15:00.000-07:00

BIG BIG news!

I am the proud mother hen of two adorable chicks! My host sister and I decided on Saturday at the market that we HAD to get some (Q1 each or around 15 US cents) and botabing, botabang, chickens in my life... The one I picked out is yellow and I named her Luna. My host sister, Elisa, picked out a purple one (that's right folks, purple) and subsecquently named her Violeta. They lived in a cardboard box in my room mostly, but I take them upstairs to soak in the sun on the patio. For those of you who have been fooled before by my chicken tricks, I must assure you that this is 100% for real (confirmation can be provided by request from my family as they heard the chicks via skype)...

Unfortunately I was afraid that Violeta wasn't going to make it when this morning she looked just about dead but was still breathing. I held her over my little burner for about an hour and then had to go work, aka some school visits I had scheduled. And when I got home around 1pm, she really looked dead but alas I've been watching her all afternoon and forcing her to drink water and she seems to have perked up a little. I believe that she's going to pull through-that little purple people eater.

So while I was home nursing my chickens back to health, I made myself a fabulous lunch. This weekend I hit up the supermarket and stocked up on spices and specialty items. I made a lentil stew today with fresh carrots the size of a forearm, onion, tomatoes, cumin, and garlic. Then I got really domestic and decided to finally try making banana bread. I know what you're thinking, well geez that ain't no thang. But, I made it WITHOUT AN OVEN! Now even the expert baker will admit that takes a little bit of skill. Wondering how it works? A Peace Corps Oven: simply take a comal (like a large skillet without the rims, we use it for making tortillas) and put an empty can of tuna filled with water in the middle, over your burner, then place your cake pan with delicious dough on top of the can and cover the whole thing with a big pot put upside down. 50 minutes later you will have a wonderful smelling kitchen and delectible bread to accomany your afternoon cafecito. Honestly though, I'm pretty shocked that it turned out so well. It will definately be my signature dish here in Guatemala for repaying those amazing neighboors for their fresh spinach.

If we always had everything we needed, we'd never get to be creative!

Yesterday I got to conference call skype with my family who is currently displaced all over the world. It was pretty awesome. And come to mention it, they're pretty awesome too.

Speaking of technology: I would formally like to apologize for my butchering of the Queen's English, but my spellcheck here only picks up Spanish... sigh, I am incompetent and hence dependent on technology. But I could start writing this blog in Spanish if that was preferred by my readers

p.s. get excited. I am on the hunt for a cable to connect my camera to the compu this week so pictures are on the way

2011-05-11T18:18:00.000-07:00

Last year I went to see my doctor because I thought I was bipolar. You see, I was having these incredible instances of extreme highs and lows. She sat patiently as I explained how I was feeling, she asked me questions about my sleep patterns, and after a half an hour we determined that I was in fact, not bipolar. But I remember at the end of the appointment expressing my disappointment because I was hoping for some sort of medication that could make my days smooth, not these ridiculous emotional rollarcoasters. She smiled and said, 'But Sam, life's ups and downs are what make it worth living'.

Today was one of those breakthrough kind of days. A day when you just exhale and can't believe life is so good. Like a kid who ate half a cake covered in giant icing flowers. The emotional high of all emotional highs.

First, I finished visiting my last school! Let the real work begin...

Second, I was busy today. I like being busy.

Third, I had an amazing meeting with two of my school principals. They share the same building (one school in the morning and one in the afternoon) but they've never collaborated on anything before (they don't share squat). So I was able to get them together with representatives from their PTA groups to talk about the healthy schools project. They were so into it, then and there we sat down to type up a petition to the mayor's office for the funds to build a handwashing station that would benefit both groups. That's 600 kids total. And just like that, I felt like in such a small way as a coordinator/community organizer, I made a little difference today.

Forth, more spinach.

Fifth, the rainy season started. I like rain.

Dr. Cobb, you were right.

P.S. Happy Belated Mothers Day (it was yesterday here in Guatemala, May 10)... A special shout out to my beautiful mamacita but also to all the wonderful women in my life who have also supported me through said highs and lows.

P.S.S. Happy Birthday to my awesome nephew Gavin! The poor boy probably hasn't gotten my card yet (the epic line: 'but it's in the mail') and I was stuck in meetings all day unable to call him... Feliz Cumple Chico!

2011-05-09T06:52:00.000-07:00

In an effort to become more regular with these blog posts I thought that I might explain for you, as well as for myself, why I am bothering to even have a blog at all. Peace Corps has a list of three goals, one of which is helping promote a better understanding of other peoples (in my case, Guatemalans) to Americans. Thus, the blog. But how do I make you see how generous the people here are, how do I show you what it's like in this beautiful little valley nestled away in the mountains of Central America?

You see, before coming to Guatemala I had these lofty and rather thoreauian ideas of leaving technology and to put it more bluntly, civilization behind. I imagined living in a shack somewhere, boiling my water, killing big bugs, hiking miles up mountains to reach small isolated communities. And it was impossibly archaic for me to think that way. It was ignorant and imperialistic. My ideals of leaving the 'modern' world behind and finding a more simple lifestyle are now laughable. I've been learning, slowly but surely that if anything is important to the development of Guatemala, it's technology.

I am guilty of taking for granted my computer literacy. So many people, and considering my line of work, children, are not equipped with the skill set to look for information. As simple as that. The internet has allowed us to become experts in looking for information. But kids who don't have the opportunity to learn how to utilize that resource are, for lack of a better phrase, left in the dust. It seems so snobbish now that I was so disgusted by technology. Sure there is such a thing as too much, but the reality is, the internet has opened up doors, and windows, some flies may get in but either way people have a right to access all of that info.

With that in mind, I am determined to use this tool to show you this little piece of the world with hopes that you might learn with me all about the customs, traditions, work, economy and life here in Almolonga (and of course my funny stories too)...

Okay, so enough boring you... Here's a run down of the past two weeks:

-One more school to go on my initial visits, I'm up to 15 total! After that, I go back to each one to do a priliminary diagnostic and then start workshops with the teachers on what is a healthy school.
-I went to a women's group meeting hosted by the Office of Women that is a part of our Muni (mayor's office). I thought that we were going to learn to make ham (jamon) but when we started pour loads of sulfuric carbonate into the mix I realized we were making soap (jabon). Classic.
-One of my school principals, Rosa, invited me to her house yesterday. She has four awesome kids and I loved hanging out with all of them (we danced to Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and the Jonas Brothers). Already set to go back next weekend.
-I found and then lost a K'iche teacher. The hunt continues.
-Ate myself sick last Saturday. To the point that I spent all Sunday curled up in bed with bottles of gatorade. Note to self: I do not have the self control to shell peanuts without eating them. STAY AWAY FROM PEANUTS.
-Made a serious scheduling error with an important Peace Corps meeting. I banged my head on a rock a few times and then went to the nearest bookstore to buy a new agenda and avoid any future problems.
-Saturday art class is going well. I got to buy a fancyshmancy pencil for shading, felt pretty special. The other ten year old girls in the class have taken a liking to me, feeling doubly special.
-Went to a slow foods festival with my friend Andrea who works for Art Corps. We ate tofu. score!
-Washed my bedding at Doña Maria's request. Grandma would be proud!
-Doña Cata gave me a bunch of spinach from her land! Delicious
-Taught Chepe, 13 year old son of Doña Cata, how to use email.
-Bought purple lilies at the market on Saturday, while walking home some guy yelled 'You're as beautiful as the flowers you hold' (in Spanish of course). I've started confronting such guys with a firm handshake and explaining that I'm living and working here. But for some reason, I just kept thinking, 'we're only as beautiful as the flowers we hold'. Kind of deep, right? My flowers, I hope, will be my schools and my warmth. So go out there. Find something beautiful and hold onto it and spread it around!

2011-04-25T19:21:00.000-07:00

Whew! Recovering from a wonderful Semana Santa (Holy Week) here in Guatemala...

The strike as officially ended, which is great (especially considering that the teachers were successful in getting the government to follow through on the funding issues)! But last week was semana santa, or in American, spring break for most of the country. The celebrations are very different to what we're used to in the U.S., but still vary a lot based on family. Starting on Thursday the Catholics held processions through Almolonga. Imagine a parade float (or a gigantic coffin) with around forty pall-bearers all carrying a intricate statue of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. It was really amazing, sensory overload, lots of insense and music. But as I said, this is a Catholic event and the Evangelicals celebrate only Resurrection Sunday here in the form of attending their churches.

Poetic Moment of the Week: On Good Friday I went out to take pictures of the alfombras (rugs) that people make in the streets using flower petals (the above is one from Antigua, but here in Almolonga they were more simple but still beautiful). So, it's about to start to storm but I really wanted those pictures so I threw on a blue scarf to cover my head and ran out the door. On the way, two forth grade girls who attend one of my schools stopped me and wanted to accompany me. Their names? Maria and Magdalena. There I was, running through the streets with little Mary and Magdalene holding my hands and my blue scarf blowing as the thunder rumbled and the rain remembered a similar scene some years ago...

My family had a large lunch on holy Thursday: fried fish, mayo salad, pasta, tomale, and hot sause of course! It was such a great feeling to sit all together and share a meal, something that I really value (no matter where in the world I find myself). It was a day of laughing in the kitchen, my amazing culinary skills cause quite a stir (especially lighting the gas stove)! My host family is just so warm and kind, I've never felt such a connection outside of the U.S. before over so sort a time!

Still on the hunt for a K'iche teacher... But I'm more determined than ever. I tend to really resent English and now it's morphing to resenting Spanish too. You see the thing is that I hate that there are so few options for learning languages in general. English, Spanish, French, Mandrin, German? There are thousands of languages out there, and the more we focus on the biggies, the more we lose the amazing diversity of culture on this planet. (I am very thankful that I've had the opportunity to learn Spanish in my life, don't get me wrong, but I'm just beginning to understand how much is out in this world of ours, that's all).

I went to Lake Atiklan for a couple of days this week! Stunning and delightful to get to know a new part of the country... But it was accompanied with lots of internal conflict surrounding the tourism industry. Panajachel is a little tourist trap right on the lake and I just kept thinking about my number one development rule: First, DO NO HARM. It's still up for debate whether the mass influx of tourists is damaging the local culture and creating a dependency both economically and socially. Just thought I'd share what I've had cooking on the back burner in this brain of mine.

p.s. really all, your overwhelming response to the previous entry blew me away... so much for opening a forum for participatory discussion here!

2011-04-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

So, many of you have heard horror stories originating here in Guatemala. From enormous sinkholes, to landslides, to assinations, to narcotrafficking, to the biggie: corruption. Now, I'm not here to tell you that these reports are untrue, but rather to remind you that there is so much more to Guatemala than what the western media portrays. That being said, a fantastic article was just published by The New Yorker on April 4th that peels back the layers of deception that snake around politics here in Guatemala. The piece is called 'A Murder Foretold' by David Grann and I cannot urge you enough to give it a read (and let me know what you think!)... Here's a little teaser: Rodrigo Rosenberg knew that he was about to die. It wasn’t because he was approaching old age—he was only forty-eight. Nor had he been diagnosed with a fatal illness; an avid bike rider, he was in perfect health. Rather, Rosenberg, a highly respected corporate attorney in Guatemala, was certain that he was going to be assassinated.

2011-04-17T10:03:00.000-07:00

some pictures for your enjoyment! Visiting a coffee plantation during training with the lovely Elvira, our Spanish/culture instructor.

The swearing-in ceremony at the Ambassador's residence (I took the same oath as the military, foreign service and more or less the president)

I, Samantha Boss do solemly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, domestic or foreign, that I take this obligation freely. And without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. And that I will well and faithfully discharge my duties in the Peace Corps, so help me God.

Cooking up a storm for our host families at the end of training (pictured: Meredith Burns)

Our swear-in ceremony and celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Peace Corps made it on the front page of Prensa Libre (Guate's leading paper)... no biggie

2011-04-11T13:22:00.000-07:00

¿Qué honda mucho? Things here are going really well. And by ‘really well’, I mean pretty slow. As it turns out, there is a national teachers strike so classes are suspended until further notice (and Semana Santa starts in a week so it might be two weeks with no school). What do the teachers want? Some of them haven’t been paid yet this year (not the case here in Almolonga and Zunil), but in general the government has failed to provide the schools with the resources (aka mula) that it said it would. For example, at public schools each child is supposed to receive a snack, which is a rather important component of the childrens daily nutritional intake considering that Guatemala has an extremely high rate of chronic malnutrition. But the reality is that the government only gives the schools enough money for ten days worth of snack per month (to say the least insuffiecient). Batabing batabang, the teachers went on strike. So any intuitive reader would then ask,’Well what is this PCV (peace corps volunteer) been doing with all her time, especially considering she’s doing it with US tax dollars?’ That is a fine question indeed my dear reader, so here it goes… I’ve been trying my darndest to meet as many people as humanly possible. Walking around with seemingly no where to go has become my new pastime. People here are big greeters, and it’s considered pretty rude not to say good morning/afternoon/evening when walking down the street. I really love this, it makes the community feel very connected and has been a wonderful way for me to meet people. I was able to meet with the Health Centers here (there’s one in Almolonga and another in Zunil), the people who work there are awesome and we’re going to be collaborating in the schools and the community focusing on things such as malnutrition, diarrhea and HIV/AIDS. I also went to visit a womens co-op in Zunil that sells all sorts of beautiful handicrafts. Yesterday I ventured to the swimming pool (owned and operated by the agricultural co-op here in Almolonga), went for a dip and read under the palm trees for the afternoon. Today was an adventure… You see, Almolongueños have an awesome cultural practice of bathing in Los Baños, a little pueblo about 10 minutes down the road. The pueblo has about 8 different buildings that offer prívate romos where for a mere Q15 (a little less than $2) one can enjoy the thermal water and bathe for an hour. Now while you might be imagining a beautiful eddifice with tropical flowers and birds and pristine tile, hahaha do not be fooled! I’m talking rustic (or as my Lonely Planet Travel Guide says, ‘decrepit’), yes in a romanticized way it’s beautiful but really it’s a small room with brown looking tile (that was once white or blue, who knows), a single lightbulb, some nails in the wall to hang your towel and PCV piping to bring in that amazingly hot water. You with me? Everyone here goes at least once a week and most of the houses don’t have showers because it’s not really necessary when people prefer Los Baños to a lousy cold shower in their house. So, I knew that I had to try it out and given my current predicament of excess of time, this morning I decided was the day. And it did not disappoint! The water is amazing, not scalding hot but rather therapudic. My host mom says that the mornings are the best because there aren’t that many people. Sunday is the big day, everyone wants to be squeaky clean for the upcoming week. In other news, on Saturday at the market I bought a mat woven out of some sort of leaves which is serving as a rug in my room. I also got a half hour tutorial as to how to use a washing machine (courtesy of my host dad). Don’t get me wrong, I’m ecstatic to have a washing machine in the house, but having to stand on a plank of wood while iniciating the cycle to ensure my not getting electricuted made me a little less ecstatic. But hey, such is life. Last week I went to a Guatemalan PTA meeting at one of my schools which was entirely in K’iche, so I’m working hard to try and find a teacher to get some formal instruction on the language. I’ve bought a sketchbook and have been writing and drawing more. For some reason the leading guess for my présense in Almolonga is that I apparently married someone here. I get a good laugh out of it each time and it’s a great conversation starter to talk about my work here in the schools. At home my host family affectionally has dubbed me the ‘nuera’ or daughter-in-law, and we love to joke about how I wouldn’t last a minute as a Guatemalan daughter-in-law given the lobsided shapes of my tortillas. I wrote in my journal this week, ‘I just feel so alive here, there’s really no other way to describe it. Alive’. So that’s my word of encouragement to you this week, do something that makes you feel alive…

2011-04-05T08:30:00.000-07:00

Buenos Dias Todos!

So, Im here at an internet place with every intention of filling you in, pardon the bullet point setup but its down to business (although my keyboard is extremely sticky and keys arent exactly where they should be)...

Work: I have 14 schools in Almolonga and Zunil, and as the Healthy Schools Municipal Coordinator (who says Peace Corps doesnt have fancy titles?) Ill be working with the teachers and principals to develop plans that will certify them through the Guatemalan Ministry of Education as Healthy Schools. Right now Im just going to visit them, getting to know the principals, kids and the situations at each school. Most of them dont have water, Almolonga only gets water for a few hours each morning but most people have tanks that fill in that time so they have water all day. The kids are great, some schools are huge but others are really tiny out in villages.

Home: Im living with the most amazing older couple in their 60s, Don Jose and Doña Maria! I rent a room in their house, and cook for myself (did I mention that Almolonga is a vegetarians heaven?). Doña Maria and I ussually chat for a few hours each day, shes been telling me all of her cooking secrets. The house is very comfortable, hot shower, washing machine, stove top! Kind of crazy, right? But dont be fooled, its no palace (dont get me started on my war with the flies)... Im extremely thankful to be with the Xiap family, I havent felt the least bit lonely!

Food: As I already mentioned, Almolonga has a fantastic market! Main market day is Saturday, and a lot of it is bulk (they send the veggies all over Central America). This week I bought beets, radishes, carrots, tomatos, cucumber, spinach, bananas, mangos and daisies (dont you think that they are the friendliest flowers?). Every morning I have my instant coffee and oatmeal with a banana, delish! I have big plans to start making my own tortillas (like Doña Maria) but let me tell you, its no easy task (stay tuned for an update)

So Im trying to get you all caught up on my life here, dont worry, future posts wont be nearly so boring... There are lots of anecdotes to come and hopefully pictures too! Until then...

2011-04-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

Hola from Almolonga, Guatemala!

I´m very excited to start sharing this journey with you as I make my way through the next two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer. There will be lots of ups and down, heartbreak and smiles so prepare yourself for drama, excitement and adventure (sounds just like an Indiana Jones movie, right? I promise that it´s not as imperialistic as that)...

“If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us walk together…”
--- Lila Watson, Australian Aboriginal woman

2009-12-11T07:32:00.000-08:00

coming up for air

beautiful things often happen
when you don't know anymore

2009-12-08T17:46:00.000-08:00

i've never worked for a cause where it's two steps forward, three back...every single time...

until now.

2009-12-05T09:57:00.000-08:00

snow is magical.

2009-12-04T12:05:00.000-08:00

my computer is sick.
with the equivalent of the swine.

2009-12-01T19:32:00.000-08:00

30,000

'i cried myself
to sleep
last night...
for the world' -ss

'i have seen the others and i have discovered
that this fight is not worth fighting' -d

2009-11-30T18:39:00.000-08:00

i love watching my mood change right before my eyes.
i was tired, irritated and sassy before i even stepped out the door this morning.
but my lebanese grandfather made my day.
and so
i'm making big plans
that involve law school.

i have some sort of sick obsession with listening to one song over and over for days, weeks even. i can't explain it and that's what makes it so freeing.

"she was the one to hold me
the night the sky fell down
and what was i thinking when the world didn't end"

thanksgiving was full. of love and food and laughs. just as it should be.

friendsgiving was beautifully cliche and madly us.

december is knocking and i'm running to open the door and twirl in the snowflakes.

sometimes it just feels so right to tell the people that mean something,
that they mean something.

2009-11-15T08:34:00.000-08:00

i cannot tell you how much i loved this film...

2009-11-07T08:42:00.000-08:00

it's the weekend. and it's november. and it's amazing.

i'm well rested and back to normal. and the sun is shining and everything is yellowish. and the leaves are crunchy.

i've had my morning mocha and i've been productive.

i'm working on research on the Iraqi Economic Sanctions and it makes me not believe in our government. they're just people i guess, but it seems to me, that they're pretty incompetent people. confession: i didn't vote. i'm exercising my right to disprove of democracy.

i just caught a glimpse of my goals for 2009 and i've got some work to do before jan. 1st!

2009-10-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

if i ever needed an extra hour in my life,
it's this weekend...

life has a way of being deliciously depressing sometimes

2009-10-28T17:08:00.000-07:00

2009-10-26T17:44:00.000-07:00

beyond the sky

beyond all telling...

with his hand

he'll wipe away the tears

that stain

our eyes...

-fo

2009-10-08T20:25:00.000-07:00

i wonder all the time about all these details that don't matter: the politics of the world. there will always be war and poor and suffering. and so i fill the time with such things while i dodge destiny. and maybe i've been pretty good at hiding for a while now. and maybe it will never find me. but at the end of the day, in my dying breath, it will be there. staring me down, like i'm the deer and it's the headlights.

i cannot think of life using the word 'career'. i don't ever want one of those. ever.

technology has hurt us more than it has helped us.

people should smile more. just a little more.

music is powerful. it does not need translation.
i need translation. sometimes within my own mind.
and that's when you know,
you're crazy

2009-10-03T09:29:00.000-07:00

tonight's the night the world begins again,
and there's hope in every new day...
there's goodness
and bravery
and righteousness
and there's you and me
starting over
all over again...

2009-09-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

ambition was her death.

2009-09-11T21:53:00.000-07:00

i think a lot about the things i want to remember, that are worth remembering.

today i took a cat nap. literally. ella the cat joined me.

i have a newfound obsession with T.I.. Honestly he is talented. plus he named one of his sons Messiah Y'majesty...

right now, the word opportunity keeps resurfacing and bouncing through conversations. and hand in hand with opportunity is the question of equality.

i think that americans have a false sense of opportunity. we fool ourselves into thinking that every person has the chance, of a lifetime, to prove themselves and create something better. we deny the reality, that is our class system. we aren't all middle class. over 80% of americans will classify themselves as middle class. we are confined but just brainwashed into thinking that opportunity is equal.

and trust me. it has hit me hard this week. we aren't equal. we are capitalists. and that's okay i guess. but it's high time we recognize it instead of living in this mirage.

i believe that everything happens for a reason. but because i believe this, i have to come to terms with the fact that the reason might be that i was an idiot.

i pretty much live at this bookstore in nw dc called politics and prose. and everytime i'm there i think about how amazing it is that i can read. i can learn about whatever i want. it's really beautiful to be able to soak in the world, for better or worse.

some people in this world really suffer. and it's too easy for me to forget that when i'm just living. and the ironic part? i want to dedicate my life to those who suffer. and i still put it in the back of my mind lots of times.

but then again, problems are always forgetable with distance and time.

everything is forgetable with distance and time.

2009-09-07T10:10:00.000-07:00

this never gets old...

i had the most amazing week!

i'm offically interning at the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq...
and i'm working for an amazing professor...
and i got to bike ride in the woods...
and my friends are beautiful,
especially in the rain...

and so
from the only socialist you know:
happy labor day

2009-09-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

i was aching for deepness and now that i have attained the conversations that
really matter, i just want my mind to stop hurting and running. life is funny like
that though, we always want what we used to have. simplicity.

as i'm internship shopping, i keep telling myself that it's the small things that
matter. every decision is important. one small thing can change the course of
a life.

indecisiveness will be my death.
or an overdose on cheese.
it's a toss up.

2009-08-30T19:44:00.000-07:00

i am feeling very inspired to be pure of heart...

2009-08-27T14:48:00.000-07:00

i like d.c. far more than i'll ever let on...

i guess it's just one benz too many...

if i were a politician i'd outlaw fancy cars and watches. they're just silly. oh and the politicians too...

2009-08-06T20:45:00.001-07:00

what is it about late night that makes me think? is it the silence or the darkness that tunes out all of the life and lets the real world settle and come into focus?

my plans never work out. long-term, that is. and I’m always disappointed in the end. and I sometimes get nervous that I will die disappointed. and what a terrible state that would be to end in.

I am tired, but I don’t want to sleep. I just want to think, to plan, to find my bearings and set my path once again. but once again, the clouds are protecting the stars and perhaps me, from the dangers of knowing where I am and where I’m going.

2009-08-03T20:56:00.000-07:00

apologies for the neglect of my baby (that is my blog) since getting my act back together in cleveland. it's just been really full. yeah, full is the best adjective, not busy, but full.

so i'm back at the factory, working with fluffies, slickwick, tow motors, palate jacks and poison packs. i know i shouldn't, but i do really like working. i hop on the ten speed, put in my honest eight hours, eat meat and potatos and sleep.

family and friends are wonderful. really really wonderful. it is like nothing has changed but everything has changed. and it's all still wonderful.

in light of my need to start studying for my finals (which i'll take my first week back in dc) and my need for some clearly defined down time, i'll be taking a break from the blog. i need to think about it's direction (was this just a travel thing) to see if i'll continue and add other fascets interest... just need to let that slow cook in the old oven for a little while.

thanks for reading...

2009-07-18T11:44:00.000-07:00

i'm back. and it feels strange. and everything is wider....

2009-07-08T10:37:00.000-07:00

‘it’s like forgetting the words, to your favorite song’ –rs

this week I have been very wrapped up in me. and now, I’m understanding that that was a very bad thing to do. my exams were ‘suspended’ due to the swine flu outbreak here. but instead of taking it as it was, I got angry at the situation. I demanded to change my flight and go home early. but now in retrospect that was a premature decision. and so, I got angry at myself all over again for making a mistake (but this does not make me a child, merely human). and throughout all of this, I forgot the big picture (which may in fact, make me a child).

everyday the lives of six billion people play out. dreams are crushed, love is found, new beginnings start, beautiful things die, but hope survives. I forgot that what happened this week in my small life means more than just ‘I hate this situation and I hate how I handled it’.

but the moon, my dad, and the girls from the ludo reminded me. there is a lot more going on than my stupid exams. so what if I have to take them in septemeber, I’ll do fine. in fact, it will most likely be a blessing in disguise (as most things are, or end up being). we all learn way more outside of the classroom anyway, but in that respect, I can’t help but feeling like I failed my ‘life final’ to this experience.

it’s not easy for me to admit that I was scared by this ‘sickness’. the idea that one small little particle can end a life just made me feel tragically fragile. all I really wanted was to go home, but not because home is safe. home may not be a perfect place, there may be a pandemic there too, or civil unrest or death or uncertainty, but it is home. and it is where my small life, in that small acre on Glenallen Avenue, feels safe.

and so, I apologize for my behavior. but know I never meant to cause you trouble or do you harm. I just forgot that the moon shines and that bad things are going to happen, and how we deal with those things are what defines who we are.

2009-07-02T12:19:00.000-07:00

mate and gripe

It's officially finals season! I'm up at ungodly hours of the night, thinking deep thoughts instead of reading the GIANT MOUNTAIN of paper that I need to conquer in the next week... And along with these deep thoughts, I have my MATE! ahaha, you pronounce it ma tay, not mate. So it's a delicious argentine custom in which you take dry herb and poor it into a special mug that has a straw with a filter at the bottom. Then, you poor in warm water and drink through the straw! To me it tastes a lot like green tea, but much more fun. "Taking mate" is quite a process and there are a lot of rules... Normally you drink it with a group of people and lets just say, it would literally take a lifetime to get every little thing perfect. But, I've become quite the expert, so when i get home (two weeks!) just say the word and I will personally teach you about the rewarding mystical beauty of mate! In other news, "LA GRIPE" aka swine flu has become quite the issue here in BsAs. The city has declared a state of health emergency and everyone is laying low at the moment. To me, people seem to be making a bigger deal out of it than it needs to be (but it might be that I'm in 'that' stage of my life). Just eat your fruits and veggies, take your vitamins and don't take mate after others or greet people with kisses (interesting to look at the cultural variables that play into pandemics)...

2009-06-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

It is cloudy and cold wintery day here in Buenos Aires. Imagine thanksgiving weekend weather…

It has been a beautiful week. Yesterday was my official last day of classes here in Argentina! Which honestly was just happy. It feels like I’ve been going to class forever (aka the longest semester of my life!), but maybe it’s because there weren’t any ‘vacations’ and because I did not miss one single class the entire semester (can you tell I’m way proud of that)… I am completely done with one of my three classes (we had our final exam on Tuesday and I turned in my final paper yesterday). Now I have one week off until my other two exams and then a week to relax before getting on a plane.

So strange to think that my time here is slowly coming to an end. My time here has gone by a lot faster than, say, Nigeria. And I’m trying to figure out why. The possibilities are endless really. Maybe I was better prepared. Maybe I have all the creature comforts here. Maybe living with a family has made the difference. Maybe it’s the good internet connection. Maybe I’ll never know. But in the same way, I don’t really feel like I’m living in a foreign country. It has become normal. I sleep in, I study, I drink lots of coffee and tea, and I’m a homebody. I’m still me, even though I’m here. And that makes me glad. And while sure enough, I’ve changed a little I’ve only become a little bit more like me. A little bit more like the person I’m becoming.

Right now I’m sitting at ‘my’ café on the corner of Villate and Maipu. It’s about a 15 minute walk from my house and it’s on my way to and from class. Every day I sit at the same seat, and sip my coffee and watch the world drive by. Some turn right, or left, or go straight, and some run the reds. Some days the café is bustling with activity and people, other days it’s just me and the baristas at times. Yesterday the Argentine SWAT team was here taking a break from protecting the president’s house. Today I was the innocent bystander who got hit by a packet of sugar aimed from one server to another. I laughed, although I think they were very embarrassed… There are some other regulars. One man, easily in his late 80s who comes in all bundled up, faded red scarf, plaid hat, corduroy pants and loafers. He has a coffee and read Clarin (the news paper) and often dozes off. Sometimes acquaintances come in and he tells them to sit down and they talk for a while. This café has a great vibe of being a place to run into people. It’s nothing fancy. In fact, it’s just the opposite. It reminds me of a really strange Chinese restaurant: fish tank, old posters of food, curtain rods with no curtains, tile floors, milky green walls, Coca-Cola window shades and a plasma for the soccer games of course. There’s something about it that while seemingly ordinary, is unbelievably special. And I guess I just think that life is kind of like that. Some things seem ordinary and plain, but when you take a closer look you realize that those small moments make all the difference, they make the everyday worth living.

For example

The aforementioned man is now playing hide and seek with a little boy (the son of one of the owners of the café). Precious.

Side note: I need your help! There’s an AU study abroad photo contest that I’m thinking about entering… But I am horrible and picking, so I would love to hear what your favorites are from Argentina! http://picasaweb.google.com/samantha.boss

Have a great weekend! For fun: This video is amazing props to NYU talent, one take-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PglfNDepTyQ

2009-06-23T17:18:00.000-07:00

“See how the lilies of the field grow… if that is how god clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you?”

There will always be a special place in my heart for you Lily. I remember the day your mom told me she was pregnant. I was the third person on the planet to know you were coming (first your mom, then dad, then me). I went jumping around my dorm in Nigeria. And now here we are, exactly nine months later, ready to finally meet.

There is something beautiful about babies that I never used to understand. And now that I’m older, I think I get it. A baby is everything untainted. It is innocent in all forms, dependent, it is humanity’s best shot at newness. Babies are sunrises. A beautiful sense of freshness. They are the day, before all of the mistakes. They are life, lived simply. And you Lily? You are about to be the first morning light that touches our faces.

By ‘our’ I am implying the family that you’ve been gifted. You’ll like us. And we’ll like you. (I mean there are a few whackos, but don’t worry, hopefully you’re genes will be alright). Everyone is so excited that you’re here. Especially Ben. I call him my boo. He’s your brother. And then of course there’s Nina and Papa, your grandparents. And then there’s Grami, your great grandmother. She’s really happy about you. I think when you get older (grams in her 80s now) there’s no greater joy than watching your family continue to grow. So just as Grami held your mommy, she’ll hold you. And no doubt, there will be tears. Then maybe, if you’re lucky, she’ll give you five dollars and a coke and double stuff Oreos. I mean, only if you make a good first impression.

It guts me that I won’t be there to see you right away. I’ll be by your side in 25 days. And we can play and cuddle and make funny faces all day long. I promise.

Okay, love. I just wanted to say hi. I just wanted to greet that soft morning light that made me open my eyes and faintly smile. Good morning Lily. I love you.

And I can’t wait to watch you grow….

2009-06-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

happiness is:

free hugs

an old man with a sign saying 'free hugs'

a little old lady in a yellow shirt
with a horrified look on her face...

2009-06-09T20:18:00.000-07:00

monedas and mcdonalds- the epic battle

let me begin by telling you a little story.

main character= me
timing=second day in Buenos Aires
setting=the corner of juramento and cabildo (imagine times square)
conflict=monedas (coins)

to ride the bus here you need coins. alright, not too complicated. or so you would think. but as it turns out there is a shortage. as in, the city of buenos aires does not have enough coins to meet the high demand of coins. so in a classic example of elementary economics, the people hoard their coins and only worsen the situation (note the stock market in the past year). So on my second day here I had no idea and after class I went to the nearest store by the bus stop and asked for change. of course they said they didn't have any. Thirteen shops later, I knew something was up. Finally a cute old man had pity on the poor foreigner.

although this was a dramatic experience for me (visions of being stranded in Belgrano for the night), the battle is epic. the best way to beat the system is going to the bank, however like all banks, they have strange and inconvenient hours here so sometimes that's just not an option (and even so they'll only give you 5 pesos worth of coins at a time).
be prepared for a shocking statement.... mcdonald's here is actually not gross! when my friend came to visit, she really wanted to go. I really wanted some breakfast (not common here to eat out for breakfast or have a 'big breakfast') but leave it to mcdonalds to bring the breakfast sandwich to the world. i was impressed, not as greasy and tasteless as in the US. the 'mccafe' is popular here. as in business people will meet there. shocking. i had a chocolate chip muffin, apple, coffee (straight up), and a egg mcmuffin sandwich. MCNIFICA! oh globalization and capitalism... so appetizing

2009-06-07T15:39:00.000-07:00

my favorite flowers are yellow.

on friday, I went to volunteer at the ludotecas (visit www.potencialidadesweb.com.ar) just like any normal friday afternoon.

but the kids were exceptionally rowdy: wrestling, jumping, wanting endless piggyback rides (I mean the usual). when I left I was feeling particularly drained. after the commute back to olivos, I stuck my hand in my coat pocket to grab my keys when I felt something kind of gushy, something foreign that should not be in the pocket of my clean winter coat....

I found a bouquet of dandelions.

those little cuties left me a surprise
and it made me remember that it's not in vain.

2009-06-02T19:53:00.000-07:00

tango in the streets... oh buenos aires

2009-05-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

I have never been comfortable in cemeteries. I mean, for obvious reasons...

But, there is something to be said for looking at our own mortality. Today I went to the cemetery in Recoleta which is very well known (for unknown reasons). Most people know it as the final resting place of Eva (Evita) Peron, although frankly most people think of Eva and start singing Madonna therefore I tend not to trust the opinions of 'most people'. So, while visiting the cemetery was on my list of things to do here, I wasn't very excited about it.

But, I was delightfully surprised. This cemetery is built right in the city and is a concrete jungle of unique mausoleums and famous names. It is huge and while it is a big tourist attraction, it's big enough to not feel up to your neck in 'extranjeros' (foreigners). We just wandered around with no map, noting beautiful names, abstract designs, and strange coffins. And of course, I picked the one I would like to end up in (not pictured)...

After asking various workers, we found Alfonsin. He died in March and was the first democratic president in 1982 after 60 years of military led governments. Affectionately called 'The Father of Democracy', his presidency was the beginning of a new era of freedom in place of fear. He was well loved and well respected and the fresh flowers I found at his grave were a testament to that.

Here's to:

looking at life and appreciating it

2009-05-20T19:13:00.000-07:00

at the moment, i'm laughing. at myself actually. and at what is to be, this update.

1.) the students at my university all talk with their hands (girls specifically). which, i kind of like. but the girls who do this have very nice hands: thin, boney, long. so today, i caught myself talking with my hands. which was sort of like catching yourself in a bikini, when you know it's not a pretty sight.

2.) people wait in orderly lines for the bus. so on the street, at a stop, you may see five people just lined up. but, near the highways at rushour, there are lines of at least fifty people. the bus won't stop unless you hail it (pointed finger and arm straight out). so the bus comes and the people get on. but if you're in a small line, men always let the women get on first. the front of the bus is for the elderly and children and elderly with children. but if their aren't seats and there aren't elderly, they're fair game. there's not a whole lot of 'seat sacrifice', but on occasion. to get off the bus you have to ring a buzzer so the bus driver knows to stop at the stop (the first time i rode the bus, i freaked out because i couldn't get it to stop and therefore ended up walking like five extra blocks). tons of funny things happen on the bus. i rather enjoy the communte.

3.) by my house there are a lot of security guards. as in, old fat men hired to sit around in a little box at a corner/intersection and listen to soccer games on the radio. on my five block walk to my cafe i pass three. if anything the sheer excess of incompetent security makes me want to steal something. like maybe a cat. or a car. something.

4.) superpanchos. footlong hotdogs for 2.50 pesos (like 70 cents). toasted bun, mustard or mayo (i opt for mustard only) and a nice dog. i think i would like to open a restaurant of street food. all the perks of good eats on the street, but, with a chair. and table.

5.) a friend from cleveland is visiting this week! she gets here on friday and stays until the following saturday. excited to a.) see her b.) speak english and c.) be reminded of home

buenas noches

2009-05-16T12:54:00.000-07:00

happy saturday

yesterday was the most amazing day that i have had in buenos aires. i went with students from a community service group at di tella called accion social to a library/school after school program. we got off the bus, and literally it was another world. now, i'm not saying that these kids are from 'poor' backgrounds, but comparatively speaking, let's just say it was 'imprecionante'. basically i got to play with kids, which is pretty much my forte in life. i had a giddy smile on my face the entire time. One tiny girl named Lulu, with dark brown hair in pigtails and a heart so big i was surprised that it could fit in her little body, stole me from the getgo. why is it that the children that have the least (by worldly standards) are the most happy?

i have been reading a book called 'cold tangerines' by shauna niequist. if you are looking for something deep and life changing, but an easy artistic read, give it a look. you won't be sorry.

what i'm listening to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw88xaU5uLg&NR=1

'if you are what you say you are, have no fear'

i think that if everyone danced for five minutes everyday, the world would be a much happier place... give it a try

2009-05-11T20:15:00.000-07:00

i've been thinking a lot lately, about nigeria actually. about everything that happened there. the other day i was walking down the street and i got a wiff of nigeria. I can't explain what the smell is exactly, but it sent me into a whirlwind of memories in that split second. i got thinking about my friends, about the colors, the kids, the heat, the stars, the bugs, the way it made me feel, the way it changed me. for the better. i think i thought i could put that experience into a nice little box, tucked away on some safe shelf in my mind. honestly, i made an effort to isolate my time there from everything else, to make it easier to transition back to 'my life'. which was wrong. but justified in my situation. so here i am. a box of messy thoughts in my lap and i don't really know what to do with them.

it's kind of like a summer night when you catch a firefly and it's there stuck inbetween your palms and while you want it to be free, you don't want to lose it's beautiful light. so you stand there with your eyelashes tickling your hand as you watch it and wonder.

there are somethings that you just can't ever forget, even if you wanted to. and those small things mean the most.
i think

2009-05-09T11:39:00.000-07:00

Spanish Word of the the Day: Parrilla (pronounced, par e ja)

and guess what it means? that's right. GRILL

Most of you are aware that Argentina is known for it's amazing red meat. And yes, I can firmly say that, it is indeed amazing. And the funny part is that I'm not a huge advocate of meat-eating, but here in Buenos Aires it's just so good. And what will you find on the parrilla? Asado, which is a really chewy rib (pictured above). When you buy meat here at the supermarket, it's really red (which may sound stupid because it is in fact, red meat) but honestly, it just looks more like real meat than what I'm accustomed to. Also, there isn't ground meat here in the stores. And I love that there is no ground meat (I like knowing that the meat came from one single cow, not a mix of god knows what). I asked my host mom about the Argentine secret to good meat. At first she said it's a national security secret, but after begging she told me that the cows here aren't permitted to walk long distances on the ranches because it makes their muscles too tough. And here we thought free range was a good thing.

Beef: it's what's for dinner (and lunch) (and breakfast) (and afternoon snacks)

2009-05-07T21:01:00.000-07:00

Fact: voting in Argentina is obligatory

At first I was pretty much not a fan of the idea, because I believe that voting is a personal decision and responsibility and therefore it is just as much a right to vote as it is a right to choose to abstain from voting. But once I found out that you can vote 'blanca' which means you show up to the polls but just turn in a blank ballot… I couldn’t find fault with the system.

Perhaps people chose not to vote out of sheer laziness. But that makes me wonder, Do we really want everyone to vote? I mean, there are many uninformed people in the world, who could care less about politics. Perhaps it is better that such people aren’t at the polls just randomly picking names…

“Without Participation, There is No Democracy” - a wall on my walk to the bus stop

2009-05-06T20:46:00.000-07:00

congreso. my favorite building in buenos aires. period.

2009-05-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

today I had an 8 am class
afterwards I went walking in the city...
The japanese garden here in
Buenos Aires was beautiful,
lots of giant fish,
and green plants
and unique sculptures,
and wonderful friends
from Japan, Poland and the Czech Repub...

2009-05-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

Jack Johnson says 'who needs keys when we've got clubs'... And I would most definitely agree with him (especially considering doors and locks just don't like me). But I must admit that I love the antique style here in Buenos Aires. So here's to unlocking something special today!

2009-05-03T17:46:00.000-07:00

Hola!

Today I went to a craft market at a local park in Belgrano. Lots of hippie crafts, jewelery, leather, and glass. I love just walking around here, sitting on the grass, thinking my thoughts, listening to the gentle hum of distant tango music and bus engines.

2009-05-01T15:26:00.000-07:00

Is this the classiest Blockbuster you've ever seen?

Well, I thought I'd share with you the benefits (or curses) of globalization. Here in Buenos Aires we have Walmart, Starbucks, and of course McDonalds and Burger King. Now, I'm not telling you this because I think that the expansion of private enterprise is evil. Buenos Aires is among the most modern cities in the world, and therefore has become a prime location for American based companies to spread their 'services'.

In general, Buenos Aires is a city full of immigrants (comparable to NYC) that bring with them their different tastes and cultures. Sunday dinner here consists of very authentic Italian food, Sushi is all the rage momentarily, and Chinatown is quite authentic (and by authentic I mean that everything sold there is not-authentic). In 1900, BsAs was 50% straight off the boat immigrants! And thus, when taking role call in my classes I noticed that literally all the names are European... Bamballi, Vinardi, Brown, Edwards... you name it, it's here. So, there you have it. Come to Buenos Aires and you'll feel right at home, no matter where you're coming from!

2009-04-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

Dear friends:

In effort to compensate for my lack of communication, this is about to be the most amazing post ever!

Okay, so first you need to click on this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4tF8H9LSJ8 to listen to music while reading...

Got it? This song is like everywhere here. the other day i was walking on a busy street and a school bus of elementary kids were all singing it... happy

I just finished my midterms yesterday. They were challenging, mostly because they were in class essay types (spanish of course). I kind of feel like a 6th grader going to college. But they are done, and I feel good about them, and now I have the next 10 days off school (well sort of)! 10 whole days. ahh so beautiful. I have a very long list of things to do/visit/accomplish/read/eat... which I will be very dilligently sharing with you. Everyday. So get excited.

Classes have turned out to be very interesting. When people ask me what I study here, it's easy. I'm studying Argentina! I'm taking a History and Literature class which goes through all of the notable argentine literature and it's complementary historical context. Perhaps the most well know latin american writer is Sarmiento. he wrote a critical work called Facundo in 1845 and he later became president of beloved Argentina in the 1860s. I'm also taking Argentine Foreign Policy. We spend half the time discussing meat in this class (chilled vs. frozen) and the importance of meat in economic relations with the rest of the world. To me, this is funny but here meat is no laughing business! My last class is just for exchange students and covers Peron (controversal president of the late 40s and 50s). Most of you are familiar with "Don't Cry for Me Argentina"? Well, the musical Evita is about Eva Peron, his wife. Peron created a sort of "Welfare State", semi-fascist, Catholic, anti-american in words, pro-american in most actions. He was a leader of the working class, tight knit with the unions and Eva created a role of social projects including schools, hospitals ect. I'm holding out on a definative opinion about him until the end of the class.

The weather here is starting to cool off. Boots are in the store windows. Leaves are on the ground. But I mean, it's still like 65 degrees outside. Mentioning degrees, let me express my frustration with Celcius. I mean it's just confusing. To me. And same with millitary time. To me. While both methods are easier, they are harder when you're brought up using good old Farenheit and 'civilian' time.

In other news: I officially have a place off campus for next year in DC! My sister is having her baby shower this weekend! Swine Flu has not reached Argentina (which is good, because people here tend to FREAK OUT about things that there is no use freaking out about). My little sister here, Paula, had her 3rd birthday party last weekend... there was a giant inflatable slide= amazing. I found a hotdog joint, 4 pesos, all the toppings you can imagine (including fries on top)!

BBC has made me very angry this week. They did a special series on the Nigerian Police force: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8023067.stm . And let me just say, I am in no way condoning how the Nigerian Police operate. I have been on the other side of one of their AK-47s and trust me it's not a fun place to be. But, in most places in the world it is common knowlegde that the police are not your friends. They merely operate to the advantage of the highest bidder. So, I am up set that BBC chose to highlight Nigerian's incompetencies considering the irony that most of Nigeria's problems can be easliy tied to the imperialistic explotation they recieved for over a hundred years courtesy of the UK. I do not think that this BBC article helped those suffering in Nigeria, it merely made a story and hurt Nigeria's image when it's just trying to find it's identity 40 years after independence. Sorry, that was a little ranty, but honestly am I being completely ridiculously biased? hope not...

see you tomorrow!

2009-04-12T19:47:00.000-07:00

my weekend:

2009-04-06T05:56:00.000-07:00

so it's confession time...
I have an unhealthy obsession with laundry. Anyday I get to clean clothes, is a good day. In Nigeria, we would pay women to wash our clothes (about 35 cents per item) and everything was handwashed and then hung out to dry. But, given the Sahara-like conditions, the clothes never came back to me looking, smelling or feeling very clean. In my home here, there is a washer (in the kitchen) and after about 40 minutes of scrubadubdub, the clothes are ready to go upstairs to the lines. The smell of line-dried clothes is very marketable (candle company anyone?), but honestly there's just something about letting the wind and sun do the work... So as spring approaches (for most of you at least), instead of throwing that next load in the dryer on a beautiful day (and wasting ton of energy), hang the clothes up in your backyard and soak up the freshness!

2009-03-28T08:25:00.000-07:00

school:

so i realized that i have done a pretty poor job so far in sharing with you all about how classes are going.

okay then, so i attend Universidad Torcuato di Tella (or di tella as we all call it). it's in the neighborhood of Belgrano... i have class monday-thursday and i normally start at 12:45 (with the exception of tuesdays 8 am class). i'm taking only three courses, they are: 1.)Argentine foreign policy 2.) history and literature 3.) study of Peron. All of which are taught in spanish, by argentine professors. The study of Peron is a class offered only to exchange students, but otherwise i'm with regular argentinian students. so far, so good, the material is interesting enough and i can understand pretty well. funny story: for my history and lit class we have a session with a TA to help us review the material and get some extra discussions in. but us exchange students cannot understand this TA. so in fact, we sit there for two hours, paying ridiculously close attention and leave the room laughing, because we don't understand squat. don't worry, we're going to talk to him about it.

di tella is one of the primer private universities in argentina. it's small, with only two buildings, but very nice. the professors are extrememly accomplished and very helpful. as far as the students go, it's been a mixed box. they are generally really kind and nice, but as far as getting to know people, i mean really know people, it's been a challenge. most of the students at di tella went to the best high schools in ba and now are going to college with their high school friends. so essentially they have their groups and are quite comfortable. and add on that they all live with their families (dorms are non-existant here in south america)... so to put it generally, the students are quite comfortable in their bubbles, in their city, with their family and friends. as you can tell from my diction, i'm not the biggest fan. it has made being here difficult, esspecially factoring language difficulties...

but on a happy note, the exchange students are really wonderful, a truly neat group of individuals. it's just tricky to hang out considering it's a big city and we're all over the place...

2009-03-24T18:12:00.000-07:00

a love poem:

Nori-
i love you
you are the woman of my heart
never will i stop loving you
i love you
-chelo

found this today near the river, and it made me smile...

2009-03-20T08:25:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday I went to my cafe after class to get some serious reading done. But as life would have it, a protest literally started right outside the cafe. I live several blocks from the president's house (where she lives, she works at la Casa Rosada downtown). The police shut down the street, setting up metal walls to keep the people as far away from the gate as possible. But metal walls are nothing to human spirit, and within a few hours they broke through and took their pumped fists straight to the gate... What do they want? Better security in Buenos Aires. More and better police. There are a lot of robberies and murders (frankly very similar to DC), and the people are fed up. Needless to say, I didn't get much reading done... But I sure learned a lot.
Seguridad: Mejor y mas!

one love

2009-03-07T08:03:00.000-08:00

i am not a particularly inspired person but since arriving in ba i have felt particularly inclined to express. it all started in santa teresita when i bought a spray paint painting from a street performer. ever since then, i've been seeing the beatuy in everything around me.

when you walk here, there are always people passing out flyers. mostly nonsense (clothing sales, business prospects, concerts) i had taken to declining and walking blankly past. however, while cleaning out my purse i found a pile of brightly colored papers and bus tickets. so... i decided to let the design speak for itself, instead of the basura.

so here's to looking for a sign...

English in Spanish

2009-03-02T13:59:00.000-08:00

In honor of my newly discovered love of the English language, I thought you all might enjoy some words that lack a Spanish counterpart and therefore are encorporated into the Spanish language (with an accent of course). My personal favorite is delivery. And now that I've sat down to write down all the words, none of them are coming to me. Well, I'll keep you posted as they come back to me.

Life is going well. Friday concluded my Intensive Spanish Course and i had an orientation for exchange students which was very helpful. The fam here went to the beach for the weekend and I joined them on Saturday. It was my first experience traveling alone within a foreign country by bus and it went really well. The buses here are double decker and the seats are super comfy (you can almost lay flat) so, it's the most common way to move around the country. The trip from Buenos Aires to Santa Teresita was about 5 hours and I enjoyed getting to see the country (lots of cows for eating). The ocean was beautiful, I got to relax and enjoy some down time before the semester officially started. We camped at a place right next to the beach and had wonderful weather until Sunday night. I headed out around 1 am on Monday morning and slept the whole way back.

Today I attended my first, for real, legit classes. The first was Latin American History in the 1800s, focusing on literature. Then I went to a Politics and Society in Argentina class (but I don't think I'll be taking it). Fortuneately the university lets exchange students try out classes for a week before officially registering. So I'm not exactly sure what my schedule will look like as of now. It's really hard, but I just have to stay persistant and know that it's going to get easier with time.

Here's my address:
VIRREY A. OLAGUER FELIU 1960
(1636) C.P. OLIVOS
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

And as always, I uploaded more pictures:

http://picasaweb.google.com/samantha.boss

como te va

2009-02-19T12:44:00.000-08:00

Hola from Buenos Aires! It has been a very eventful week and I want to fill you in...

I arrived on Sunday morning and the family that I'm living with picked me up from the airport. They are just about the sweetest people I've ever met, Karina (37), Edguardo (40) and Paula (2)...and two dogs (that aren't allowed inside the house). They have been overwhelmingly gracious and helpful, and they don't speak English (which is exactly what I need!) I'm living in a loft apartment they have in their nice home in the neighborhood of Olivos. Olivos is a part of Gran Buenos Aires (technically not the 'city') but about 10 min. by car outside the limits. The neighborhood has a flavor of Chagrin Falls (argentinian style), lots of little boutiques and vintage bicycles are all the rage (with baskets of course). It's quiet, but there's a lot of people at the same time.

I'm taking an intensive Spanish class at the university (Universidad Torcuato di Tella) in a neighborhood called Belgrano. It's a 20 minute bus trip from the house (plus some walking of course) so it normally takes me about an hour to get there. The class is going well, there are about 30 exchange students taking it from all over the world, Japan, Holland, France, Switzerland, Germany, and the US of course. So everyday I have that from 2-6 ('intensive' yes).

So life here is different, but not crazy different. It's urban and fast-paced, but with a different flavor. People are very polite and respectful (on the bus men always give up their seats for women and elderly) and there's no pushing in crowds. The day starts a little later with breakfast around 9 or 10 and then lunch is the big meal at around 3 and finally dinner at 11 pm. Paula (mi hermanita) takes her nap after lunch around 5 and stays up till 12ish, but sleeps in. I kind of like it this way, more time with kids for parents who work all day. The food is delicious! Last night for dinner we had baked breaded fish (fresh) and I actually loved it. There's a lot of meat (the grill is muy popular) but also fruit and veggies. Today I tried 'mate' (pronouced mat eh) which is very argentinian and is more popular than coffee. Imagine tea that's not in a tea bag and then your pour water in and drink it out of a metal straw that has a filter in it. Sounds strange I know, but it was delish.

Today I didn't have class so I went with Karina and Paula to run some errands in el centro. She took me to see all the tourist sites, la Casa Rosada (equivalent to the White House) and el teatro Colon (the most famous theatre) and the burial place of General San Martin, who won Argentina and Chile independence from the Spanish. One interesting thing has been the fact that I fit in here (compared to Nigeria). People ask me questions while I wait for the bus about which bus to take. The city has a very international feel with lots of immigrants (the neighborhood La Boca is primarily Italian) but there's also lots of others (with the exception of black people).

My Spanish is getting better, but it's a little daunting to consider that in less than two weeks classes start. Okay, well I better get back to listening to Spanish instead of writing in English!

Hasta Luego

p.s. I uploaded pictures today of Buenos Aires thus far http://picasaweb.google.com/samantha.boss

Off to Buenos Aires!

2009-02-14T08:25:00.000-08:00

HOLA!

Today I leave for the other half of my exciting year... I'll be in Argentina from now until July studying at Universidad Torcuato di Tella in Belgrano (a neighborhood in BA). Should be 'a great experience' as every seems to say when I tell them I'm studying abroad.

I'm pretty anxious about this trip and my transition, mainly because of the whole Spanish thing. I have taken Spanish for about seven years, but it's not the same as being immersed in the language and taking all my classes in Spanish. So, I'm anticipating a possibly rough entry, but hopefully after a month or so I'll be on top of it... For the next two weeks I'll be taking an intensive Spanish and culture class through the university in order to prepare me for my real classes.

The university does not have any housing so students are expected to take care of all their living arrangements. I was initially concerned, but one day I was talking to my oldest sister who is currently living in the UK. She and her husband have a friend there from BA and ironically his home church is in Belgrano. Soooo, he was able to hook me up with a place to stay and his sister agreed to pick me up at the airport! Amazing!

Well, I better finish packing... Looking forward to sharing this 'great experience' with you all!

p.s. got to see one last snow here in Cleveland before heading off to sun and 90s!

Pictures from Nigeria!

2009-01-12T17:47:00.000-08:00

Alright, so I finally have pictures to share with you all...

http://picasaweb.google.com/samantha.boss

Enjoy!

Every New Beginning

2008-12-28T10:08:00.000-08:00

"Every new beginning comes with some other beginning's end"

Well, I'm back in Cleveland! Sorry for not updating my last few weeks in Nigeria, but for some reason the internet was not letting me get on to my blog. Anyways, it was a jam packed month of trying to make sure my experience in Yola was complete.

I have been home for a week and it has been so wonderful to see my family again. Coming back was definitely a lot harder than leaving home. This voyage was such an adventure, I didn't know what was waiting for me. But coming home is coming back to everything that I know. I did miss some things, but I think I could easily go without in exchange for the mystery of the unknown and charm of the 'different'.

The hardest part so far has been trying to explain what life was really like in Yola. Pictures only go so far and it just seems so second nature in my mind, so it has been frustrating to find a way to express everything I want to about the past four months. But I'm working on it and my family has been extremely patient which has meant so much to me!

The strangest thing to get used to here is the order. There are traffic lights, checkout lines, things are just not very chaotic. I think that I got used to the freedom and now it seems ridiculously obnoxious to have to sit at a red light at an empty intersection. I've definitely grown patient after living in Yola, which was reaffirmed when my flights home got all jumbled up and delayed.

I'm gearing up for Argentina and I hope that being home for a month will be a good rest before heading back out into the world! I am going to put some pictures up on some sort of online album so I will fill you all in when I have the site up and going...

2008-11-27T09:47:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

It’ been very strange not being home this thanksgiving, mostly because the thing I’m most thankful for in the world is my family, but they are thousands of miles away. I had class this morning and then there was a special thanksgiving lunch at the cafeteria. They served what I think may have been turkey, but I’m not one hundred percent sure, with some baked potatoes and green beans. It’s just hard because Nigerians don’t really understand how important thanksgiving is, so they kind of think I’m being a bit of a baby for being homesick today. So I took a four hour nap and then went Karatu Library to read to kids. And as usual, God smacked me in the face and made me realize that I am in no position to be the least bit depressed. The kids always make me smile and just remind me that you’re never really lost as long as you know who you are and it’s never about what you have (health, family), it’s about knowing that there are blessings that are so much deeper than those! So I hope that you all had a wonderful thanksgiving and I’m thankful for each and every one of you!

p.s. Aunt Nancy, I am seriously expecting you to freeze a plate of Thanksgiving dinner for me! And please use one of those high tech Ziploc bags that prevent freezer burn. Thanks!

2008-11-23T06:31:00.000-08:00

I can hardly believe that my time here in Yola is melting away! The past few weeks have been a big turning point in my semester and I honestly feel like I am finally starting to accomplish what I came here to do.

When I first arrived, it was obviously a huge shock. I was meeting tons of new people every day, dealing with just normal differences in how life in Nigeria works versus in the US, and I was getting through my classes. It took time to get acclimated to all of this new stuff… I found myself just jumping in and making life here my new norm. The electricity would switch off and I wouldn’t stop a beat, a herd of cattle would cross the road and I would just continue the conversation. Obviously in my head I knew that this was way different than anything I’d ever experienced, but I felt that it was better to integrate rather than dwell on how strange everything was. But during the past few weeks I have come to a point where I feel very comfortable with my surroundings in so much as I can recognize the beauty of this place, but also see the system that holds it back.

I was frustrated with the fact that inside the university walls it’s fashion and drama and you step outside and it’s underfunded schools, poor living conditions, no electricity. I still haven’t gotten used to that contrast in lifestyles but most of the students here don’t see it because in reality that is just how it is here, maybe it’s wrong, but in their minds that’s just how it is.

This being said, most of the AUN students want to make a good and powerful impact on Nigeria. Whether it’s government reform or entrepreneurship, each individual has their own plan for how they can change Nigeria (and in most cases make some money in the process). I’m no pessimist… just a skeptic.

I didn’t come here to criticize this place and how it works. I wanted to see how Nigerians view their country and the world. I wanted to learn from them, see from a different angle, but most importantly incorporate those new ideas into my understandings of the world. And I just finally feel like I’ve started to reach this point!

In other news, I was officially accepted to study in Buenos Aires, Argentina at la Universidad Torcuato di Tella this coming spring! I’m very excited about it, but momentarily drained and ready for a little break.

Classes have been going really well. Would you believe that I have a university scheduled final exam on a SUNDAY??? And they call this an ‘American’ university! These next few weeks are going to be full of final research papers and presentations. But I came to the realization last night that I would rather get a B in a class and hang out with people and see what’s left to see versus sitting inside and getting an A. But, hopefully it’s not an ‘or’ situation.

I had the opportunity to do some pretty fun stuff last weekend. I went to the market alone for the first time! I went to a nearby farm to go horseback riding. I ate masa (a pancake like bread that is delicious). I rode an achaba (a motorcycle taxi). So funny thing, I told my roommate that I had never had malaria and she couldn’t believe it. Malaria here is the equivalent to the flu essentially because people here can afford to get meds. It is only scary if you get it and aren’t near a place to buy medicine or if you cannot afford medicine. Thankfully, I haven’t been sick at all since I arrived here.

I hear there’s snow back in the good old midwest… If it makes you feel any better, it’s in the 90s here. Ha ha ha.

A Word of Advice: Flipflops from the market will break at the most inconvenient times. Better to resist the temptation of buying them in the first place.

If I Hear...

2008-11-03T13:11:00.000-08:00

I feel like I should apologize for not updating more often, but ironically enough I sort of feel like I’m just a normal college student at a normal university (which is a good thing, but it’s kind of crazy considering I’m in rural Nigeria).

So since we last talked life has been good. School is just there. I finished midterms (but I only had two) and they both went well. I am starting to enjoy class more, now that I know people and their views. It’s very cool that my observations about the society here are exactly what we discuss in many of my classes (African politics and literature). Here’s an example. So today in my literature class we’re talking about a novel called “The Beggars Strike” and at one point the main character tells his wife of 24 years that he’s marrying another woman the next day. And she stays with him! Now, to me this is insane. My logic was that the original wife should threaten divorce in order to prevent her husband from marrying another woman (divorce is a huge deal here). But, culturally a divorce is worse for a woman than a man. So he could care less if she divorces him, but she essentially needs him. So after class I’m talking with some friends about this, and they say that’s honestly how it is here. Women have some rights to fight for!

Alright, so I’ll fill you in on what I’ve learned about ‘tribes’. Now, first of all ‘tribe’ is formally considered derogatory but I have heard Nigerians ask other Nigerians what tribe they are from. The term tribe comes across as ‘primitive’ when really there are European ‘tribes’ but we call them ethnicities. There are three main ethnicities here in Nigeria: Ibo, Hausa, and Yoruba. There are lots of others, but for simplicity sake well leave it at that. Yola is in the north and the north is mainly Hausa and Muslim. Each ethnicity has its own language (with many different dialects) and traditional practices. From what I’ve heard, you can’t necessarily distinguish ethnicity by physical appearance, but some ethnicities tend to be more fair than others. There is a lot of pride in ethnicities, but not too much tension between them (unless talking about politics). Some of my friends have said that they’re parents want them to marry in their ethnicity, because the woman is taken in to her husband’s family. Everyone here is from a ‘village’, where grandmothers and some distant relatives live. Most people go to their village for Christmas or a visit every couple of years. The tensions are political. Leaders here get into power and give preference to their people and neglect the rest of the country. So for example the state that the president is from has better roads ect (and most presidents have been from the north) so the east and the south gets the shaft. It’s a difficult cycle to break so this has sort of pitted the groups against themselves in some cases. But people here at AUN have a lot of pride in their ethnicity. There’s some nice tshirts ‘Ibo Boy’! haha

There has been a running joke with my friends… “You People”. It started when I got to talking to this Yola guy at the mai shayi (tea shack). He told me that “you people all look alike” and I was like wow that’s the most racist thing anyone has ever said to me. But his English was pretty bad so I let it slide. But then I told my friends, they were like saying ‘you people’ is not offensive but we determined that saying all white people look alike is racist. Nigerians use ‘you people’ when talking about ethnicities. So then I told my friends that white people look really different from each other and I showed them pictures of my friends and they were like ‘wow you people all look alike’ and we just died laughing! So ironically enough in my African lit class a few days later my professor told me, “You people read fast. You start reading at a very young age” and I almost walked out of class. But later in his speech he said ‘Americans’ so once again I let it slide. But wow. It’s fun to joke around with my close friends about race, but because we all know that we look funny together and that we could care less about color. One of my friends is really dark and so people call him black boy, so now he calls me white girl. It’s funny because my friends and I can joke about race. They always talk about staining me. Or if I take a fanta over a coke they’ll say I’m watching my color!

Some Nigerianisms:
-IF I HEAR (shows shock)
-boning (serious look/attitude with someone)
-as in (just what you say)
-meat is tough
-if something is mediocre it’s ‘just there’
-beef with someone(same as in the US)
-malo (still trying to define this one)
-vexed (anger)
-dyou get? (do you understand/get it)
-abeg (this is my favorite, you use it to beg people to get your way)
-instead of cutting in line, you ‘chance’ the line

Halfway

2008-10-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

The US Presidential Election 2008 hits Nigeria!

On Thursday evening I was asked to participate as a debater in a Mock presidential debate on campus. I don't think I'm going to tell you whose side I was on, but let's just say it was a lively fun time! There were lights and cameras and a full house (with tough questions of course). As you may guess, most students here are pro-Obama (in Abuja there were even billboards for Obama). For the most part they like Obama because of his foreign policy and let's face it, because he's black. But there are a few devout McCain supporters. It's just kind of funny that the newscasters aren't joking when they say that the entire world is watching this election.

On Friday afternoon, the US ambassador to Nigeria came to visit AUN for the first time. She was very warmly greeted and the cafeteria was decorated and many students and community members came to hear her speak. She (her name is Robin Sanders by the way) spoke on democracy and transparent elections more specifically. I saw today that Foreign Policy said that Nigeria's 2007 presidential election was on of the worst. Anyway, it was a big step forward for the ambassador to visit AUN, and it meant a lot to the university and the community.

Here's some interesting facts about my life here:
-We drink water from baggies (plastic bags that you have to bite off a corner to drink out of)
-cookies are called biscuits (unless they're chocolate, then they're cookies)
-I'm a Chelsea fan
-A friend lent me his guitar!
-The air conditioner in my room is broken
-We have satellite in the common room so the other night I watched One Tree Hill!
-Nigerian music is AMAZING!
-Indomie is the Nigerian version of Raman Noodles (sp?) and we eat it all the time!
-laundry is done by hand
-I ate liver before I knew it was liver
-there is a coffeeshop on campus that doesn't sell coffee... so wrong

Anyway, everything is going really well and according to the calender this weekend is my halfway point! I honestly cannot believe it... (except for the midterms!)
-

Playing Hard

2008-10-05T11:06:00.000-07:00

So much has happened in the last couple of weeks! We had Sallah break (a celebration of the end of Ramadan) and Independence Day. For break I ventured with a few friends to Jos, a lovely city in the north.

My friend Luke, who studied at AU last semester, invited Rosa (another exchange student) and I to go with a few of his friends from Friday to Tuesday. We hopped in a classic hatchback and hit the road. It was a crazy ride, but let’s just say that I got to experience Nigeria firsthand. The country is absolutely gorgeous, very unique mountains and picturesque villages along the way. Some people really do live in the bush! The roads were insane, some places would be very smooth and then all of a sudden it’s like there is no road. And the potholes! Yikes… The ride was an adventure in and of itself. Jos was very nice and much cooler than Yola. I didn’t sweat for four days (it was great)! We stayed at the Cinderella Hotel which was perfect for what we needed and had a leisurely time seeing the city and visiting with the families of our friends. It was great to have some down time and to get off campus and out of Yola. The journey back on Tuesday was less eventful but fun because of the Sallah celebrations we got to see in each town we drove through.

Wednesday was Nigeria’s Independence Day! I woke up to the sound of drums outside my dorm and went to check it out. There were students on horses and men playing drums and flute things. It was really crazy and fun. I took some videos and pictures but unfortunately they take forever to upload using our internet. You will have to wait until I’m back in the States to see them. For dinner, the student government threw a cultural event where everyone wears their traditional wear. They played music and called out each state and students from that state would do traditional dances. It was great to see all my friends all dressed up and we had a good time. And of course there were more drums and lots and lots of dancing.

Last night was SHUFFLE Awards, which was a concert featuring Naeto C hosted by an organization here on campus. It was really nice and I even got a picture with Mr. C himself (Yes…Boss). It was bomb! Today a wonderful woman named Grace, who works invite a bunch of students over to her flat for lunch, the food was out of this world (and super spicy!). The meal started with white rice and a spicy beef red sauce. There was pepper soup (very typical) but it’s spicy even for the Nigerians so I’ll still working my way up to trying it (so American I know). Then there was a fish soup and oh yams! The yams here are huge, like the size of my forearm and they just cut them up and boil them (they taste like potato). Then some delicious watermelon. It was an afternoon of good food and good company! So many people here have been so unbelievably welcoming and generous. It has really encouraged me and I’m starting to see how differently American culture treats generosity and self sacrifice.

Over lunch today we had a very interesting conversation regarding marriage. In most ethnicities here in Nigeria there are ‘bride prices’. Essentially a man pays a woman’s family an amount of money set by her family for her hand in marriage. In my mind the problem with this arrangement is that it creates a mentality of ownership instead of a relationship. Many Nigerians marry several women (a Muslim tradition) but cheating on your wife here is very normal and expected. This is very disgusting to me, and as much as I oppose the cultural norm, it is just a norm (and we have plenty of those in the US). I am starting to better understand female-male relationships on campus. I would describe it as ‘high school’, but like I said, it’s just another aspect of life that’s different here (but as you can guess I’m not a fan)!

Wow… It’s a lot, but I hope you enjoy…

My Address

2008-09-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

Here it is:

Samantha Boss
C/O David Kosoko
ABTI-American University of Nigeria
PNB 2250
Yola, Adamawa State
Nigeria

We'll see if it actually works!

How You De?

2008-09-18T02:18:00.000-07:00

How Far!

So yesterday was my one month anniversary of being in Nigeria! It's hard to believe that I'm already one fourth done... Things here have been going really well. I've settled into a routine and I'm getting used to the mountains and heat and people.

Last night was one of the best nights I've had so far. It was one of my really good friend's birthday's and so we threw him a great party/get together. On your birthday here in Nigeria people beat you up (I'm not kidding they hit you) and pour water on you! We ordered a cake, which was like heaven considering people here don't really eat sweets at all. And we just hung out and it was just quality time with an amazing group of people!

Classes are still going well. Some of my politics classes have been a bit of a struggle because mostly what we discuss is colonialism and the long term affects on African society, culture and government. It is just difficult for me to relate to the Nigerian students who have grown up in a country where almost all of the problems can be blamed on the imperial past. I find it interesting to hear them talk, there is so much frustration here. There aren't any easy answers, and each problem seems to go in circles. It is so different than the attitude in the States where we feel like every problem in our society and government can eventually be solved by the right policy. Globalization and capitalism are the two big topics here. Coming from the US, I looked at globalization as a relatively good thing and here it's the complete opposite. The students here have seen how globalization has slighted their economy and impacted their ability to compete on an international scale.

Okay, so here's an unexpected trend. Everyone has just about the same taste. The girls all wear a lot of jewelry and dress very western, but sort of flashy western. And the music is driving me insane!!!!! Seriously everyone here listens to only Nigerian and US R&B, I swear if I hear Chris Brown one more time I might start a fight. I just die because in DC listening to anything mainstream is looked down upon and people there like to be quirky and unique where people just try to meet the status quo.

I'm learning about the levels of 'black'. I have a friend here whose nickname is 'Midnight'... I thought it was so funny because to me he looks the same black as everyone else here, but oh no, was I corrected. There's black, dark brown, brown, chocolate, light, and fair. I find it interesting that there are legitimately that many distinctions in skin color and I can't help but feel like it's again another remnant of colonialism. But, hey my label is pretty easy. White. haha. And for those of you wondering if I'm getting tan, I honestly don't know because I have no one to compare myself with.

For now, that's it... I should have my address later today for those who have been asking (and I'll post it here). I hope that you all are doing well!

How Far (aka ‘Hi’ in Nigerian pidgeon)!

2008-09-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

So I am just about to complete my second official week of classes. This experience has been so amazing so far! Every day I feel like I’m learning in and out of the classroom. The classes aren’t that different from what I’m used to at American University, there are normal lectures and seminars. Thankfully I haven’t had a difficult time understanding any of my professors (I have two Nigerians, one Indian, one Kenyan and a Canadian). They are all males surprisingly! Sometimes I struggle to understand other students because of their accents and their inflections, but I’m getting better. ). I’m taking
1.) African Politics
2.) Advance Topics in International Relations
3.) African Literature
4.) Comparative Religions: Islam and Christianity
5.) Introductions to Film Studies

The hardest part for me so far has been the social life. There’s not a lot to do in Yola and you need a car to be able to get around in the evenings so a lot of students get into trouble out of boredom. There aren’t really drug or drinking laws here, so students occupy their time in some very destructive ways. It’s discouraging to see because it’s much more prevalent here than back at AU. There are some things going on on campus, just not a whole lot.

Students here have really embraced me, and unfortunately it’s difficult to return the love when I can’t remember half of their names. But I’m working on it. Two girls, Joy and Asabe, have taken me under their wing and I love spending time with them laughing and just hanging out talking. We’re all just college students, you know? So we’re not that different. But then sometimes I realize that we are quite different.

Last weekend I ventured to the market in nearby town, Jimeta. The university provides a bus on Fridays at 3 pm which is really nice. So I went with Joy and we walked around. She bought sheets for her bed and we got hair clips. It was insane, cars, motorcycles, kids staring at me as they sucked on sugar cane, meat covered in flies, colorful fabrics, and soooo many people! It was major sensory overload, and I loved it! All of the students here HATE the market, they die laughing when I tell them how much I liked it. Just goes to show how immune we get when we’re used to something. I went back on Saturday with another friend and bought flipflops, a new purse, milk, bananas, cereal, and fabric for a dress that is being made for me at the tailor (they use push petal sewing machines!). It was a fun morning, but it was so exhausting bargaining and being out in the hot sun.

The food here has been alright. Every meal is potatoes or rice with chicken or beef and cabbage or some veggie. Then there’s fruit, oranges (which are greenish yellow here, but still taste like oranges)or watermelon (which is really seedy). There’s a snack bar that has donuts which are to die for, I don’t know if you’ll believe me but they’re better than Krispy Kremes (but it could be I haven’t tasted anything sweet in like three weeks so my taste buds are a little dull). I also had ice cream on the way back from the market at a legit restaurant called “Tasty Menu”, it was not normal but it was delicious!

All in all things are going well, obviously there are good and bad days and I’m still adjusting, but I honestly do love it here! The internet has been a trial, considering it doesn’t really work! But thankfully we only lose electricity about twice a day for like five minutes (we’re on a generator), so that’s good. I’ll leave you with a funny story:
So I’m on the bus heading to town on Friday. I greet the student next to me and then like ten minutes later she looks at me and then looks at my arm and asks me what’s wrong with me. I look down and she’s pointing at the beauty marks on my arm! I laugh and tell her it’s normal… in my mind I’m thinking wow I’m such a freak here! Haha

Final Destination: Yola

2008-08-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

So I finally made it to Yola (a small city on the east side of Nigeria near Cameroon)! I got off the plane and what do I see? A man carry six dead chickens in his hands... Welcome to Yola! It's a very rural setting, but friendly people and beautiful landskape. The roads/paths aren't too bad and the dirt is vibrant red. The university is very nice. All of the buildings are brand new, each is open air with courtyards inside. I live on North Campus which is about a ten minute walk but the main campus area. My room is sufficient... Everyone I've met here is really nice but I'm struggling with names (they're definintely not American names) and because I meet so many people everyday. It's going to take time to get adjusted, but already I'm starting to feel comfortable.

Some more things I've learned:
-Everyone here holds hands, girls with girls and sometimes guys with guys, more to come
girls don't shake guys right hands
-patience is a way of life
-everyone says "are you serious?" after every story in the amazing nigerian accent
-football is played on dirt
-shuttle buses stop for everyone unlike in dc where you will be running and the driver will see you but he'll still drive away
-everything comes with rice or potatos

Abuja

2008-08-24T16:16:00.000-07:00

I have finally arrived in Abuja, Nigeria and it has been an unbelievable few days in the city. Originally our group of four was supposed to head out to Yola on Thursday, but our flight was delayed until Sunday which was cancelled, so we don't know when we will be able to leave, but soon I'm sure. This delay, while unexpected, has been unexpectedly wonderful. Humans are beautiful beings, and we each have the ability to share in that innate beauty. I have met some incredible Nigerians here through friends of friends of friends, and they have taken such good care of us. It just proves to me that everything is going to better than okay here in Nigeria.

When I first grasped that I was really here, all I wanted was to go home. But once I got to see the city and how new every street, every face, every opinion is, I felt more at home. I came to Nigeria with some definite ideas about how life here would be. Most of them were incorrect, but some of them held true. While all of the infrastructure has been better than what I expected, there are frequent power outages enough so that at night the new street lights were unlit and new buildings are built using wooden scaling shells. There are a lot of poor people which I was expecting (80% of the country). But really it isn't the 'Africa' that comes to mind, even though we know better. Now, I am in the capital city, and I've only been here for a few days so I don't pretend to be an expert however here are some random things I've noticed:

-lizards
-Nigerians are statistically the happiest people on the planet
-driving laws are nonexistent
-Nigerian accents can be difficult to understand, but sound like calming music
-rice and meat is a solid meal
-there are no american chains of any sort here
-any car can be a taxi
-wuse market is better than beachwood mall!
-native wear is not looked down upon
-tribal, regional and religious identity is important
-the pop comes in glass bottles
-soccer is important, properly so!

the big departure

2008-08-20T05:51:00.000-07:00

so... I'm getting on a plane today (well I guess three) and I'm flying to Nigeria. how crazy is that????