peace out.: Semana Santa

I’ve gotten to this great place in my life. And it’s part of this journey, this coming to an understanding with one’s self about the realities of life (mostly that I will never be Julia Roberts). I don’t know where I’m going- I’ve got ideas, I just have to figure out how to get there. Thank god for the wonderful people in my life- some who have been there since day one and some who have crossed paths for only a moment. You have made all the difference.

Forgive the 20-something type of thought process (i.e. ‘poor me, what shall I do with my life?). But the truth is that March was a month of putting one step in front of the other, instead of just talking. And those first steps are always hard.

My third year extension finally went through. Aka I will be a Peace Corps volunteer until April 2014. I’ll be working at the state superintendent’s office to help implement a children’s literacy program in the schools (called Leamos Juntos). So I’m officially not a Healthy Schools volunteer and Monday I start at the office! And as much as I planned and pushed and actively participated in the process, it was still unreal to watch my friends pack up their lives here and say their goodbyes. Being left is always scarier than leaving.

I had the opportunity to help out on a trip to Guatemala hosted by the National Peace Corps Association. It was 10 days with some incredible people, honestly incredible. They were so open and curious and interested and kind and the best huggers. Those ten days helped me to recharge, to get centered, to talk in English, to talk to people who have the same culture and the same way of processing things and people who started out just like me (aka peace corps volunteers) and went on to do wonderful things with their lives. People who believe in me. And I just really needed that, at that moment (I get choked up just writing this).

Easter week was beautiful here in Zunil. Each day leading up to Easter there are activities: processions, mass, special foods. My favorite activity: One teenaged boy is declared Judas and other teenage boys are declared ‘the jews’ and the whole town comes out into the streets to capture and hang Judas in the park. Sounds less than impressive, but if you could have seen hundreds of people chasing this teenybopper into the mountains, you would have thought it was cool too! Thursday night there was a special mass to commemorate the last supper and then a candle lit procession with everyone singing hymns in the streets. I ate lots of sweet bread (averaged 5 pieces a day) with sweet garbanzo or miel (not honey from bees but just a sweet mix of fruits and garbanzo).

Highlight of this month was talking to my Grams. I love her oh so much!

Some pics from Easter week: