¡Hola, amigos y familia!

 Ha pasado aproximadamente un mes desde que regresé a casa desde Guatemala y definitivamente hace unas semanas debería haber publicado este blog. Me he sentado más de una vez a redactarlo, pero cada vez que lo he intentado me encuentro sin saber qué escribir. Quiero presentar mis recuerdos de las aventuras y los seres queridos con el máximo respeto, pero la tarea se siente desalentadora. ¿Cómo puedo poner en palabras los siete meses de experiencias inolvidables y de las personas preciosas que ayudaron a dar forma a mi tiempo en Guatemala, así como dar forma a lo que soy hoy en día?

 Mis últimas semanas en Guatemala estuvieron llenas de dulces celebraciones y tiempo que pasé con mis seres queridos. En mi último día de clases de cocina, el chef Elliott y sus estudiantes me sorprendieron preparando una deliciosa comida de sándwiches, rosa de Jamaica para beber y pastel de postre. No tenía idea de que esto estaba sucediendo y me sentí muy honrada y agradecida por su amabilidad. Después de que todos tuvimos la oportunidad de compartir algunas palabras entre nosotros, participamos con entusiasmo en la comida, compartimos historias y nos reímos juntos. Algunos de mis mejores recuerdos de mi tiempo en Monte Cristo los hice en la cocina: cantar con los estudiantes mientras cortábamos verduras, aprendimos a hacer rellenitos juntos, y nos reíamos cuando no podíamos entendernos. Siempre tendré estos momentos cerca de mi corazón. Aquí hay una foto del chef y yo, así como una con los estudiantes en ese último día:

 Durante mi última semana, me propuse pasar una noche jugando juegos de cartas y recordando con mi familia anfitriona de Antigua. Félix, Are, Mariana y Samuel fueron las primeras personas que me dieron la bienvenida de Guatemala y me apoyaron durante toda mi estadía, incluso cuando no vivía con ellos. Realmente son mi familia y ahora los extraño mucho. Después de comer y compartir recuerdos de todos los momentos que pasé en su casa, recordé lo hermoso que es tener personas en mi vida que me importan profundamente y que sienten lo mismo por mí. La vida no tendría sentido sin personas a las que amar y con las que compartir experiencias. Decir adiós a esta familia fue extremadamente difícil, pero como me recordaron, “no es adiós, solo es un nos vemos.” Lamentablemente, no pude hacerme una foto con ellos durante mi última visita, así que aquí hay algunos de los momentos anteriores juntos:

Las despedidas seguían llegando, por mucho que quisiera que se detuvieran. Cuando finalmente llegó mi último día en Monte Cristo, se sintió muy agridulce. Después de que terminó la reflexión por la mañana, mi madre anfitriona, Verónica, y mi abuela anfitriona, Doña Micaela, me llamaron al frente del salón. No sabía lo que habían planeado, así que me sorprendió cuando comenzaron a agradecerme por mis contribuciones en la escuela. Sus amables palabras me conmovieron tanto que ni siquiera pude responder. Para mí, fue un honor haber ayudado en las áreas de inglés, cocina y música durante mi tiempo con Monte Cristo. Había aprendido más de los estudiantes de lo que ellos podrían haber aprendido de mí. Después de que mi abuela anfitriona me diera un abrazo, ¡me sorprendí de nuevo cuando los estudiantes comenzaron a traerme regalos! Di un abrazo tras otro mientras cada estudiante venía a despedirse. Fue un momento que nunca olvidaré. Después, nos hicimos una gran foto de grupo en el patio. ¡Éramos tantos, que apenas cabíamos en el marco! También quería asegurarme de tener una foto con cada clase, así que después de todas mis clases de inglés ese día, me aseguré de que nos tomáramos una foto juntos. Rudy (el profesor de música) y yo también tuvimos, por supuesto, que tocar una última canción juntos en la guitarra. Elegimos “I’m Yours” de Jason Mraz porque era una de nuestras canciones favoritas y una que habíamos aprendido juntos unas semanas antes. La música es tan especial en el sentido de que realmente es un lenguaje universal. Estoy muy agradecida de que Rudy y yo pudiéramos compartir nuestro amor por la música juntos durante estos pocos y cortos meses. Aquí hay algunas fotos de mi último día en Monte:

Antes de irme de Guatemala, también tuve la oportunidad de regresar a Santa Cruz por unos días y pasar tiempo con mi familia anfitriona allí, así como con mi familia de Casa Gloria. ¡Estoy tan contenta de haber podido hacer esto! Me divertí mucho poniéndome al día con todos, jugando interminables juegos de Uno, sentándome alrededor de la fogata haciendo s’mores y buscando chocobananos con los niños. Pude almorzar con los niños en Casa Gloria, participar en un último devocional e incluso asistir a la iglesia con ellos nuevamente. Los había extrañado mucho y estaba muy agradecida de poder volver a verlos a todos. Aquí hay algunas fotos de mi visita:

 Después de regresar a Chimaltenango de mi visita a Santa Cruz, pasé una última tarde en Monte Cristo. Caminé por el campus disfrutando de su belleza y reflexionando sobre todos mis recuerdos allí. Conocí a los cerditos que acababan de llegar para el programa de agricultura y también les canté a los estudiantes por última vez. Cantar para los estudiantes fue un momento especial que cerró el círculo. Canté “You Are My Sunshine”, que fue la primera canción que toqué y canté para ellos, así que me pareció apropiado que también fuera la última. Aquí hay algunas fotos de esa última tarde:

Ese mismo día, mi familia anfitriona en Chimaltenango se reunió para una cena de despedida. Comimos pepián, uno de mis platos guatemaltecos favoritos, recordamos, reímos y cantamos juntos. No podría haber soñado con una mejor y última noche juntos. Fue, por supuesto, muy agridulce, pero elegí vivir el momento, agradeciendo a esas personas y mis experiencias con ellas. Dicho esto, fue increíblemente difícil decir adiós al día siguiente. El viaje al aeropuerto fue sombrío; no quería irme. Mientras mis abuelos anfitriones me acompañaban a las puertas del aeropuerto, comencé a llorar, sabiendo que me despediría de ellos por un tiempo desconocido, posiblemente para siempre. Todos nos abrazamos y lloramos, y de alguna manera, incluso en medio de toda esa tristeza, fue suficiente saber que nos amábamos. Aquí está la última foto que tomamos juntos antes de irme (y antes de que comenzara todo el llanto jaja):

Mientras leía algunas de las entradas de mi diario, me encontré con este párrafo de una semana antes de salir de Montecristo. Lo comparto ahora porque siento que explica con precisión lo que estaba pensando y sintiendo mientras me preparaba para partir. Dice: “Al concluir mi tiempo en Monte Cristo, he pasado muchos momentos pensando y reflexionando sobre todas mis experiencias aquí en Guatemala. Siento cada vez más triste mientras me preparo para irme, porque esta vez, no solo me voy de Chimaltenango, también me voy de Guatemala. Vivir en este país durante los últimos siete meses ha sido una de las experiencias más increíbles de mi vida, y estaré eternamente agradecida con todas las personas que lo hicieron posible”.

Antes de cerrar esta parte final, me gustaría compartir algunos recuerdos, algunos buenos, otros no tan buenos, de mi tiempo en Guatemala que nunca quiero olvidar. Obviamente, esta no es una descripción completa de mi tiempo allí, ya que una lista nunca podría capturar realmente todas las experiencias y personas maravillosas que viven en mi corazón. Dicho esto, aquí hay un par de recuerdos que sobresalen:

1. La fiesta de primera comunión de Samuel (mi hermano anfitrión en Antigua)
2. Vincularse con Mariana (mi hermana anfitriona en Antigua) a través de la lectura y la música
3. Sentir que me iba a morir de frío mientras escalaba el Volcán Acatenango
4. Las muchas veces que me sentí incómoda debido a la barrera del idioma
5. Jugar cientos de rondas de UNo con los niños en Santa Cruz
6. La forma en que Michelle (mi hermana anfitriona en Santa Cruz) siempre intentaba colarse en mi habitación para saludarme
7. La paciencia constante de Meyli (la secretaria de Casa Gloria) con mis deficientes conocimientos de español  
8. Jugar lucha libre con los chicos de Casa Gloria
9. Ver fútbol con Emerson (mi hermano anfitrión en Santa Cruz)
10. Los abrazos frecuentes de Sulmi (mi hermana anfitriona en Santa Cruz)
11. Buscar chocobananos alrededor de un millón de veces con mis hermanos anfitriones 
12. Ir al médico dos veces con niños de Casa Gloria y sentir que no podía entender nada
13. Visitar el museo de arte en Antigua con mi amigo Adrián
14. Hacer dos masas de pastel en tiempo récord con Anna (mi amiga estadounidense en Santa Cruz)
15. Reír y tener conversaciones increíbles con la profesora de inglés de Monte Cristo
16. Accidentalmente decirle a un estudiante de Montecristo que “a menudo” en inglés era “desnudo” en lugar de “a menudo”... ¡Gritos!
17. Aprender sobre la vida, la familia y la historia guatemalteca de Don Mario y Doña Micaela (mis abuelos anfitriones en Chimaltenango)
18. Cantar “Un Idiota” con Quinto

Gracias, amigos y familiares, por sus pensamientos y oraciones a lo largo de este viaje de siete meses. Estoy eternamente agradecida por todo el apoyo que recibí a través de llamadas telefónicas y mensajes de texto mientras estuve fuera. La tecnología es increíble, ¿verdad? Saber que tenía gente en casa que me apoyaba y me animaba fue muy alentador, especialmente cuando extrañaba mi hogar. Y a todos los que leen este blog en este momento, gracias. Gracias por interesarse en mis aventuras durante los últimos siete meses, por celebrar mis éxitos y llorar mis pérdidas junto a mí. Estaré eternamente agradecida.

Con mucho cariño,

Jenna/Jordy/Nicole

Hola friends and family!

It’s now been about a month since I’ve returned home from Guatemala and DEFINITELY a few weeks since I should have posted this blog. I’ve sat down more than once to draft it, but each time I have attempted, I find myself at a loss for what to write. I want to present my memories of adventures and loved ones with only the utmost respect, yet the task feels daunting. How do I put into words seven months of unforgettable experiences and precious people that all helped to shape my time in Guatemala, as well as shape who I am?

My last few weeks in Guatemala were filled with sweet celebrations and time spent with loved ones. On my last day of cooking classes, Chef Elliott and his students surprised me by preparing a delicious meal of traditional sandwiches, rosa de Jamaica to drink, and red velvet cake for dessert! I had no idea this was happening, and I felt so honored and grateful for their kindness. After we all had a chance to share a few words with each other, we eagerly partook in the food, shared stories, and laughed together. Some of my fondest memories from my time at Monte Cristo were made in the kitchen: singing with the students while we chopped vegetables, learning how to make rellenitos (a dessert made of plantains and black beans) together, and laughing when we couldn’t understand each other. I will always hold these moments close to my heart. Here is a picture of the chef and I as well as one with the students on that final day:

During my last week, I made it a priority to spend an evening playing games and reminiscing with my Antiguan host family. Felix, Are, Mariana, and Samuel were the first people to welcome me into Guatemala and supported me throughout my entire stay, even when I wasn’t living with them. They truly are my family now and I already miss them so much. After eating and sharing memories from all of the times I spent in their home, I was reminded how beautiful it is to have people in my life that I care about deeply and who feel the same about me. Life would be pretty meaningless without people to love and share experiences with. Saying goodbye to this family was extremely difficult and I shed more than a few tears, but as they reminded me, “no es adiós, solo es nos vemos” (it’s not goodbye, it’s only see you later). Sadly, I did not get a picture with them during my last visit, so here are a few photos from previous moments together:

The goodbyes kept coming, no matter how hard I wanted them to stop. When my last day at Monte Cristo finally rolled around, it felt very bittersweet. After the reflection was over in the morning, I was called up to the front of the room by my host mom, Veronica, and host grandmother, Doña Mikaela. I didn’t know what they had planned, so I was taken aback when they began thanking me for my contributions to the school. Their kind words moved me so much that I couldn’t even respond. For me, it was an honor to have assisted in the areas of English, cooking, and music during my time with Monte Cristo. I’d learned more from the students than they could ever have learned from me. After my host grandmother gave me a hug, I was surprised again when all of the students started bringing me gifts! I gave hug after hug as each student came to tell me goodbye. It was a moment I’ll never forget. Afterwards, we all took a big group photo together in the courtyard. There were so many of us, we barely fit into the frame! I also wanted to make sure I had a picture with each class, so after all of my English classes that day, I made sure we took a picture together. Rudy (the music teacher) and I also had to, of course, play one last song together on guitar. We chose “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz because it was a favorite song of ours and one we had learned together a few weeks before. Music is so special in that it truly is a universal language. I’m so thankful that Rudy and I could share in our love of music together during these few, short months. Here are a few pictures from my last day at Monte Cristo:

Before I left Guatemala, I also had the opportunity to return to Santa Cruz for a few days and spend time with my host family there as well as my Casa Gloria family. I am so glad that I could do this! I had a blast catching up with everyone, playing endless games of Uno, sitting around the campfire making s’mores, and looking for chocobananos (frozen bananas dipped in chocolate) with the kids. I was able to eat lunch with the children at Casa Gloria, participate in one last devotional, and even attend church with them again as well. I’d missed them so much and I was so grateful to be able to see everyone again. Here are a few photos from my visit:

After returning to Chimaltenango from my visit in Santa Cruz, I spent one final afternoon at Monte Cristo. I walked across the campus taking in its beauty and reflecting on all of my memories there. I met the little piglets that had just arrived for the agriculture program and also sang to the students one last time. Singing for the students was a special, full circle moment. I sang “You Are My Sunshine” which was the first song I’d ever played and sang for them, so it seemed only fitting that it be the last as well. Here are some pictures from that last afternoon:

That same day, my host family in Chimaltenango all gathered for a goodbye dinner. We ate pepián (one of my favorite Guatemalan stews consisting of chicken, roasted tomatoes and peppers, and potatoes), reminisced, laughed, and sang together. I couldn’t have dreamed up a better, final night together. It was, of course, very bittersweet, but I chose to live in the moment and be thankful for those people and my experiences with them. That being said, it was incredibly hard saying goodbye the next day. The ride to the airport was somber; I didn’t want to leave. As my host grandparents walked me to the doors of the airport, I started crying, knowing I would say goodbye to them for an unknown amount of time, possibly forever. We all hugged and cried, and somehow, even in all of that sadness, it was enough to know that we loved each other. Here is the final picture we took together before I departed (and before all of the crying started haha):

As I was reading through a few of my journal entries, I came across this paragraph from a week before I left Monte Cristo. I’m sharing it now because I feel that it accurately portrays my thought process as I prepared to say goodbye. It says: “As I wrap up my time with Monte Cristo, I have spent many moments thinking and reflecting on all of my experiences here in Guatemala. I feel a bit more weight as I prepare to leave, because this time, I’m not only leaving Chimaltenango, I’m leaving Guatemala as well. Living in this country for the past seven months has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life, and I’m forever grateful to all of the people who made it possible.”

Before I close out this final blog, I’d like to share a few memories from my time in Guatemala that I never want to forget. This is obviously not complete as a list could never truly capture all of the experiences and wonderful people that live on in my heart. That being said, here are a couple memories that stick out:

1. Samuel’s (my host brother in Antigua) first communion party
2. Bonding with Mariana (my host sister in Antigua) over reading and music
3. Feeling like I was going to freeze to death while climbing Volcán Acatenango
4. The many times I felt uncomfortable due to the language barrier
5. Playing hundreds of games of Uno with the kids in Santa Cruz
6. The way Michelle (my host sister in Santa Cruz) always tried to sneak in my room to say hi
7. Meyli’s (Casa Gloria’s secretary) constant patience with my subpar Spanish abilities
8. Arm wrestling the Casa Gloria boys
9. Watching soccer with Emerson (my host brother in Santa Cruz)
10. Sulmi’s (my host sister in Santa Cruz) random hugs
11. Looking for chocobananos about a million times with my host siblings
12. Going to the doctor twice with kids from Casa Gloria and feeling like I couldn’t understanding anything
13. Visiting the art museum in Antigua with my friend, Adrián
14. Making two pie crusts in record time with Anna (my American friend in Santa Cruz)
15. Laughing and having incredible conversations with Monte Cristo’s English teacher
16. Accidentally telling a student at Monte Cristo that “often” was “desnudo” (which means naked) instead of “a menudo”… whoops!
17. Learning about life, family, and Guatemalan history from Don Mario and Doña Mikaela (my host grandparents in Chimaltenango)
18. Singing “Un Idiota” with the seniors at Monte Cristo

Thank you, friends and family, for your thoughts and prayers throughout this seven-month journey of mine. I am eternally grateful for all of the support that I received through phone calls and texts while I was away. Technology is incredible, right? Knowing that I had people at home rooting for me and cheering me on was so encouraging, especially when I was missing home. And to everyone reading this blog right now, thank you. Thank you for taking interest in my adventures over the past seven months, for celebrating my successes and mourning my losses right alongside of me. I am forever grateful.

Much love y hasta luego,

Jenna

Hola friends and family!

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter spent with your loved ones! Here in Guatemala the whole week leading up to Easter, Semana Santa, is filled with celebratory activities and time spent with family. This week is also a holiday which meant we had a week off from classes!

We started out the week by preparing for Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday). The night before, we stayed up until close to midnight making bouquets out of palm, purple flowers, and ribbon (picture #1). These bouquets are carried during the processions on Palm Sunday (“ramo” actually means “bouquet,” interestingly enough). Then, the morning of Palm Sunday, my host family and I all woke up early to make an alfombra, which is a carpet made out of flowers that is put in the middle of the street in order for the people in the procession to walk over (picture #2-3). As soon as the alfombra is walked over, everything gets swept up and thrown away, so the beauty really only lasts for about twenty to thirty minutes.

We celebrated Semana Santa throughout the week, as well, by gathering with extended family, sharing meals, playing games, and watching movies together. We ate traditional foods like salted fish and ceviche, tamales and chile rellenos, and, of course, beans and tortillas. I also had the opportunity to drive to Antigua with a few cousins from the extended family to watch the processions there. The Antiguan processions are known to be the biggest and most impressive in the whole country, and thousands of people from around the world travel to see them. Because of the large amounts of people who attend, the drive to Antigua that normally takes 45 minutes, took close to two hours. All that time spent in the car was worth it, though, because the processions and the alfombras were incredible (pictures #4-6)!

During this week, I was also able to spend time with my host mom’s parents who live just outside of Antigua. My host mom’s dad is a marimba instructor, so I had the privilege of receiving a mini lesson from him. Luckily for me, the marimba is very similar to the piano, so I had no trouble learning which notes were where. The main difference is that the piano is played with your fingers while the marimba is played with mallets. I learned a few techniques like where to place the mallets and how to sustain notes, and even learned a simple song! As a musician, it was very meaningful for me to get to learn a little about an instrument that is so important to Guatemalan culture!

In other news, I recently heard from Jenna at Casa Gloria that Ria, the dog I rescued, was adopted! Jenna told me that Ria went to a wonderful family where she will be very loved and happy (picture #7). This was very exciting news for me and also such a beautiful reminder of what simple acts of kindness can do for both humans and animals.

As always, thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

Much love y hasta la próxima,

Jenna

Hola friends and family!

My last few weeks have been busy with exams and Semana de Expresión (Expression Week). At the end of every quarter, Monte Cristo students are rewarded for making it through their exams with a week of fun activities including cooking and dance competitions! The students have been practicing and planning out their ideas for weeks and it was a lot of fun to watch their hard work come to fruition. Heads up – there are a LOT of pictures in this blog!

To start things off, the students took their quarterly exams for their music and dance classes by showcasing to the whole school what they have learned so far. The senior class asked me to join them in singing a song to start out the program and I, of course, couldn’t say no, so we sang a classic called, Un Idiota, together while the music professor accompanied us with guitar. Un Idiota is an extremely dramatic love song which made it hard for us all to keep straight faces throughout the performance, but thankfully we managed!

We started out la Semana de Expresión with a cooking competition (pictures #1-4)! The students were paired up with a classmate and were required to come up with a unique dish and prepare it for a panel of judges. I was extremely impressed with how creative the students were and how tasty all of their dishes were! Some of my favorites included Oreo pancakes, apple pound cake with strawberry topping, and baked ribs. The overall winner was a chicken lasagna in the shape of a Bundt cake – both creative and delicious!

Day two included a spelling bee, jeopardy, and math games! I have to admit, I originally thought a spelling bee in Spanish would be quite easy, because unlike English, Spanish is a phonetic language which means that words are always spelled exactly like they sound. As I played along in my head, however, I discovered pretty quickly that it was harder than I’d anticipated! Later we moved onto the math/science games which included things like sudoku and strategy exercises (pictures #5-7). The students had ten minutes to complete the game/exercise at each station, so they had to move quickly and think on their feet!

Day three included competitions in drawing, dancing, and reenacting skits! Although I am musically inclined, I am not necessarily great in other artistic areas, so to say I was impressed with the students’ abilities, especially their drawing skills, is an understatement (pictures #8-10)! For the dancing competition, each grade had to perform a traditional and a non-traditional dance. I had only seen a few of the dances prior to the competition, so it was very fun to get to see what the students came up with. One of my favorites was a traditional country line dance that included swinging a few of the members around in the air! Finally, the skits brought great amounts of entertainment and laughter and was a great way to end the day.

We ended la Semana de Expresión by celebrating Monte Cristo’s 21st anniversary! We all gathered in the dining hall to commune and celebrate this special moment together (picture #11). We ate lots of delicious food, drank unhealthy amounts of horchata, and sang happy birthday to Monte Cristo! Afterwards, the seniors started singing Un Idiota with their music teacher, while I stood nearby watching. No one had informed me that we were singing the song, so I just assumed they were doing it for fun. Well, as the chorus came up (where I came in when we’d previously performed it), the seniors started frantically motioning for me to come over and join them. I had no idea that we would sing the song together again, but it ended up being such a beautiful moment and one I’ll hold in my heart forever.

As always, thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

Much love y hasta la próxima,

Jenna

Hola friends and family!

It’s hard to believe that I only have a month left here in Guatemala, the time has flown by! I have already mentioned more than once to my host family how I don’t know how I will be able to live without fresh tortillas at every meal, the gentle Guatemalan sun, and, of course, all of the family and friends I’ve made once I return to the States. I have come to love my temporary home here and I will dearly miss everyone I’ve met along the way.

At the same time, homesickness has started to settle in a little bit. I used to think that homesickness could only happen to a person if they were extremely unhappy with the situation or place they were in. I have learned, however, that this is not necessarily the case. While there have been challenges throughout my time here, I love the work that I am doing in Guatemala and everyone I have met who I’ve had the opportunity to share life with. Simultaneously, I miss the familiarity of home, I miss my family, and I miss taking my dog on walks. It is a strange in-between-state to be in, but I’m learning that it’s okay to enjoy my experiences here while still missing home. And that being said, I am extremely grateful for the technology we have today that allows me to stay in touch with my loved ones in the States! What a blessing to be able to remain in close communication virtually even while separated physically.

In other (more positive) news, I flew to Costa Rica for a quick trip a couple weeks ago in order to maintain my visa status in Guatemala. As you might remember, I am required to leave the country every 90 days. During my time there, I spent my days relaxing in the ocean, touring Manuel Antonio’s national park, and watching gorgeous sunsets (Pictures #1-2). I also saw sloths, dolphins, and so many monkeys (Pictures #3-4)! Additionally, I tried the traditional Costa Rican dish called casado. In Spanish, casado means “married man,” so I’m not quite sure why or how this dish got its name, but I do know that it is absolutely delicious! It includes rice, black beans, plantains, salad, and tortillas. This is honestly very similar to traditional Guatemalan food, so I felt right at home while I was eating it. Besides the extreme heat and humidity, the trip was a wonderful experience!

This week in cooking classes, we made rellenitos, my absolute favorite Guatemalan food! The very first week of school, the Chef asked me what Guatemalan dishes I enjoyed, and I promptly replied, rellenitos! Rellenitos are, essentially, a fried plantain patty filled with refried black beans. I know they sound strange, but I promise, they are so yummy and sweet! My host mom in Santa Cruz made them often which is how I grew to love them. The Chef was a little surprised by my answer, but promised we would make them at some point during the semester, and we finally did! The students had a lot of fun showing me how to prepare them and I was excited to learn! The kids and I ended up making over 100 rellenitos in total (pictures #5-6)!

As always, thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

Much love y hasta la próxima,

Jenna

Hola friends and family!

Although the mornings here in Chimaltenango are still chilly, the days are starting to heat up and spring is in full swing! Flowers are blooming left and right, filling the streets with color. I have been thoroughly enjoying all of the sunshine, especially because it felt like I spent two months in constant rain last fall. I know it’s still cold for most of you who are reading this, but I hope you’ve been able to catch a few glimpses of the sun here and there!

As I briefly mentioned in my last blog, it has been very fun building relationships with the kids and getting to know them better. Every day they open up more…and also get a little crazier, but so it is with teenagers! Last week, I was asked to cover the 9^th grade salsa class because the teacher was not able to make it. For those of you who know me well, this is pretty comical. The only types of dances I know how to do are The Cupid Shuffle and The Cotton Eyed Joe. So naturally, this is what we did! We all had a blast, especially the kids, because line dancing is far from the structure of salsa that they are accustomed to.

In other school-related news, just a few days ago, I was asked to accompany the kids on the bus route after school. All of the teachers had a meeting together that afternoon, but the problem was that an adult is required to be on the bus at all the times. The solution: me. Of course, I readily agreed when the school coordinator asked me if I would be willing to ride with the kids, but I also had to chuckle to myself a bit because I’m barely older than some of the seniors, yet I was the designated “adult.” Nevertheless, it all went well, I managed to keep everyone under control, and even was able to chat with one of the 7^th graders almost the whole way!

Additionally, my host family and I went to Antigua last week to watch some of the processions that were taking place. As we near closer to Easter, these processions become more and more frequent. Essentially, the processions include giant floats of Jesus and the Virgin Mary that are carried throughout the streets of Antigua (pictures #1-2), preceded by a few people burning incense and followed by a huge band of drums, tubas, and many other instruments. My two host brothers were helping to carry the floats, so it was fun to get to watch them do that and experience the massive crowds that the floats draw. During my time in Antigua, I was able to visit my previous host family, which is always a blast, as well as meet members of my current host mom’s family, as she is originally from Antigua.

Lastly, I received news from Jenna in Cobán, that Ria, the dog I rescued in December, is ready for adoption! Jenna sent me a before and after picture of Ria’s recovery and I could not believe my eyes (pictures #3-4)! She is so big and healthy now! It makes me incredibly happy to think that the tiny, abused, and malnourished puppy that I rescued just a few months ago is doing so well and will be able to be adopted into a loving home soon!

As always, thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

Much love y hasta la próxima,

Jenna

Hola friends and family!

I hope you all are doing well! The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of making visits, hosting visitors, and, of course, celebrating Valentine’s Day. Although my school schedule allows for quite a bit of free time, it sure fills up quickly with fun, spontaneous activities with my host family and friends – and I’m not complaining!

To start things off, I am definitely falling into a rhythm with my classes at Monte Cristo. The kids are all my little (and a few not-so-little) siblings at this point, and I’m building relationships with the other teachers as well. I even taught the math professor how to play Sudoku, one of my favorite pastimes! Last week, I had the opportunity to ride on the school bus with the kids, something I normally do not do, and it was a lot of fun getting to chat with the kids outside of the school setting. Additionally, we celebrated el Día de Cariño (Valentine’s Day) by eating pizza and cake in our classrooms, as well as doing a small gift exchange (picture #1). Finally, in last week’s cooking classes, I was shocked and slightly horrified to discover we were cooking the head of a pig. And I mean the entire head. (For those of you who are brave enough, I attached a picture below.) The pot we used to cook it was so big, I could have easily fit inside of it. All of that to say is, I did not really enjoy eating this dish, but it is quite probable that witnessing the cooking process effected my taste buds (picture #3).

As you might remember, the city of Antigua is fairly close to Chimaltenango, so it is an easy car or bus ride to go back and forth. I have a few friends around my age in Antigua that I met through the language school there, so it has been fun making time to see them on occasion. For example, a few weekends ago, a friend came and visited me in Chimaltenango! Because I am really only familiar with the general area around where I live, we took time to explore a different part of the city. We encountered a centro comercial (mall) as well as a yummy coffee shop. At one point while we were meandering around the mall, I heard a few people speaking English and I was visibly shocked. For context, there are very few native English speakers in this area. My friend and I shared a good laugh over my reaction!

The past few weeks have been very fun with my host family as well. They took me to a different centro comercial to eat dinner at one night, and we also strolled along all of the outdoor shops. I’ve also taken up bracelet making thanks to my host dad, Mario! When he was around my age, he was in a severe motorcycle accident which confined him to his bed for almost a year. During that time, he learned how to play a few instruments as well as how to make many different patterns of bracelets. He has been sharing his knowledge with me over the past few weeks, and I’m catching on slowly but surely!

Finally, last week we hosted some lovely visitors, a woman and her family, from Italy. The woman stayed with my host family and volunteered at Monte Cristo for two months, similar to myself, about 20 years ago. She had always wanted to bring her family back to Guatemala to share her experiences with them, and they were finally able to make the trip this year. She has a 16-year-old daughter, Anna, who I really enjoyed chatting with, and she even taught me some Italian! Don’t ask me to repeat it, though, my brain is already preoccupied with learning Spanish! During their visit, we all (as in, the whole extended family) piled into a big van and went out to get ice-cream, a favorite activity in this household. Then, we all gathered back at the house to eat dinner, laugh, and share stories together. It was a wonderful evening that I will never forget!

As always, thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

Much love y hasta la próxima,

Jenna

One of the many beautiful flowers on Monte Cristo’s campus!

Hola friends and family!

As I write this, I am sitting outside on the patio at my host family’s house, the sun is shining, and there is a nice breeze moving through the trees. The rainy season is now over here in Guatemala (or at least in Chimaltenango)… and I am perfectly fine with that! I can say with absolute certainty that I am happy not to have to put on a raincoat and tramp through mud every day. I have been taking advantage of the warm, sunny weather by going on walks throughout the city almost every afternoon. Not only is it a nice way to get in some movement after a long day of classes, but it also helps me to familiarize myself with my surroundings!

As you might imagine with working in a school, the past two weeks have been BUSY. In our English classes, the students are finally starting to recall all that they learned the previous year, which is great, because it means we can start building on that material to expand their knowledge. The English teacher and I have incorporated games and other activities in order to help the students memorize vocabulary and grammar, as well as have spent significant time helping the students improve their pronunciation. In the cooking classes, we made blackberry jam from a blackberry tree (yes tree, not bush) that the agriculture students tend (picture #1), pulique (similar to a stew) (pictures #2-3), and polvorosas (a pastry typically eaten with coffee) (picture #4). The cooking classes might be moving up to the top of the list of my favorite classes to help out with because I get to learn how to make so many delicious, traditional Guatemalan foods! I even get to taste test them all which is a nice plus! And finally, in the music classes, the students have been learning the Guatemalan National Anthem on recorder while I accompany them on guitar. We were able to showcase what we had learned to the whole school last Monday during student presentations!

In other school related news, I have genuinely enjoyed getting to know the teachers that I collaborate with. The English teacher, Ms. Aurora, has become my best friend here – she is very joyful, easy to get along with, and has made me feel so welcomed at Monte Cristo. The chef, Mr. Elliott, is kind, witty, and always explains unfamiliar ingredients and cooking techniques to me which I am so grateful for. The music teacher, Mr. Rudy, is gentle and a brilliant artist, and we have lots of fun playing guitar together (picture #5)!

As I mentioned before, Chimaltenango is only about a 45-minute drive from Antigua, which means that my host family goes there fairly often. For example, my host brother, Sebastian, had a soccer game in Antigua on Friday, so we all went to cheer him on and grab some dinner afterwards. When we first arrived at the soccer stadium, there was another game in progress, and I quickly recognized my other host brother, Samuel (from my first host family during my time in Antigua), as one of the players! I was so excited and soon found the rest of my Antiguan host family sitting in the stands. We were able to chat and catch up for about 10 minutes until the game ended. It was such an unexpected, lovely surprise to get to see them again and it definitely made my night!

As always, thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

Much love y hasta la próxima,

Jenna

Monte Cristo students during morning reflection

Hola friends and family!

I am happy to say I have safely arrived in Chimaltenango, my next Guatemalan destination! It has been about a week and a half, and the transition has been smooth overall. Upon arriving in Guatemala, my Antiguan host dad, Felix, graciously picked me up at the airport, even after waiting over an hour due to my flight being delayed. I stayed in Antigua for a night, catching up with family there, exchanging a few gifts, and playing lots of Uno Flip – if you haven’t heard of it, you should check it out! Can you tell I have become an Uno fanatic while I’ve been in Guatemala?

The next day, two members of my new host family, Mario and Veronica, picked me up in Antigua and drove me to their home outside the city of Chimaltenango, about a 45-minute drive. Veronica speaks English very well, and so it was nice to have the opportunity to introduce myself in my native language (a luxury I rarely have here). That being said, we have barely spoken in English since then, which is good for me because it forces me to continue improving my Spanish! When we arrived at their house, I was honestly quite shocked at how big and beautiful it was. After living in a remote village for 3 months, it almost didn’t seem like Guatemala. That being said, I’m grateful that I can experience two completely different ways of life while I am here. What a profound way to get to know Guatemala and its people better! As soon as I stepped out of the car, I was promptly greeted by Papa Mayo and Miki (Mario’s parents), as well as José and Sebastian, Mario and Veronica’s children. We all live in Papa Mayo and Miki’s house together, and so far, it’s been a wonderful experience!

Except that… unfortunately, soon after arriving, I started to not feel well. I’d already managed to go three months in Guatemala without getting any sort of sickness, but I suppose the lack of sleep due to traveling took a toll. Not only was being sick annoying simply because I didn’t feel good, but it also inhibited my ability to spend time with and get to know my new host family. The good news is, I felt significantly better by the weekend and was able to explore the city a bit (pictures #1-2) as well as participate in all of the family events! We went out to eat Friday night at a Mexican taco shop, Saturday I met all of the extended family, and Sunday there was more relaxing and hanging out with the whole family.  Everyone has been so kind to me and I can’t wait to get to know everyone better!

This week, I also started classes at Monte Cristo (picture #3)! For those of you who need a reminder, Monte Cristo is a middle/high school located in the town, Monte Cristo, which is about 20 minutes outside of Chimaltenango. Every morning, Miki (MC’s principal), Veronica (MC’s coordinator), and I head to the school at 6:10. I like to consider myself an early riser, but 5:15 comes VERY quickly! Thankfully, I’m adjusting to the hours and am not yawning every 10 minutes like I used to.

Here at Monte Cristo, I am collaborating with the English teacher, the chef, and the music teacher. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, I have each grade for English class. English classes are my favorite because it gives me an opportunity to demonstrate to the students that even though I don’t speak Spanish perfectly, I still do my best and they are still able to understand me. Likewise, if they mess up in English, it’s not a big deal and I can still understand them. This allows us to have a more comfortable atmosphere where we recognize that we are all learning and making mistakes only helps us improve! The cooking classes, which I have on Tuesdays, are also fun because, even though I am assisting the chef, I get to learn traditional Guatemalan recipes alongside the students. This week, we learned how to make Jocón (picture #4)! And lastly, I help with the music classes every Friday. Although I have extensive experience singing, playing piano, and playing guitar…apparently that means nothing when it comes to playing the recorder, which is, of course, what we’re learning in class. That being said, I’m not sure if I’m much help in these classes or just more of a distraction, but it is still a fun time!

As always, thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

Much love y hasta la próxima,

Jenna

Central Park in Chimaltenango

View of a street in Chimaltenango

Hola friends and family!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year spent with your loved ones! In order to maintain my visa, I need to leave Guatemala every 90 days, so I was also able to spend time with my family this holiday season! It was such a gift to be able to reconnect with my family and friends before returning to Guatemala for another 3 1/2 months.

Although I was looking forward to coming home, it was incredibly hard to leave the people I’d grown so close to in Santa Cruz. My last few weeks, I tried to soak up every minute I could with my host family, as well as the kids and staff at Casa Gloria. I played uno and baked cookies with my host siblings (picture #1), laughed and reminisced with my coworkers, and loved on the kids – my new little siblings – at CG. I also did a lot of reflecting on my time there, thinking about what I had learned and experienced, and also making a list of key events and memories that I didn’t ever want to forget. A few of these memories include my youngest host sister, Michelle, always attempting to sneak into my room to see me, Meyli’s (CG’s secretary) endless patience with my subpar Spanish skills, watching soccer with my host brother, Emerson, and receiving the best hugs from my host sister, Sulmi. Each day that passed, I felt the love and gratitude that I had for these people grow more than I thought possible. That being said, there was also a sadness and heaviness that I felt on my heart as well. I knew saying goodbye to my new friends and family would be one of the hardest things I’d ever experienced.

In my last few days at Casa Gloria, I carried out my typical tasks, including teaching English classes and taking a few dogs to the vet. The staff at Casa Gloria also surprised me by taking me out to dinner. I had not expected this at all, but they gave me a cute invitation (picture #2) and we ate at a delicious crepe restaurant nearby! I was so honored and grateful for their kind gesture. Additionally, before my last English class, all of the staff, nannies, and kids presented me with a gift (picture #3). The beautiful drawing contains each of their fingerprints with their names, “so that I’ll never forget them,” they told me. I was overcome with emotion at their thoughtfulness, thanked them for everything they had done for me, and promised to frame their gift as soon as I made it home. We ended with lots of hugs and a big group photo (pictures #4-5)!

My last night with my host family called for about twenty games of Uno, twirling around like princesses (picture #6), and lots of love (picture #7). I refused to be sad because I simply wanted to enjoy my last moments with my family. They mean more to me than they’ll ever know!

The morning that I left, I only wanted to thank my host family over and over for everything they had done for me. But it was hard, in a way, because how do I adequately express my gratitude to the people who welcomed me into their home with open arms, fed me, looked out for me, and treated me as one of their own? It’s hard enough to represent such reverence and thankfulness in English, let alone in Spanish! I only hope that my words and actions were enough to show them how much I love them. I hugged each of them for an eternity, said goodbye, and then walked out the door. The weight of my sadness was great. Yet, I was, and still am, eternally grateful for my experiences there and everything I learned. My new family and friends will remain in my heart forever.

After leaving Santa Cruz, I headed to Antigua for a few days to spend some time with my host family there before I flew back to the U.S. It was wonderful to see them again, and my host dad and sister were even kind enough to take me to the airport (picture #8)! When I finally landed back in Tennessee around midnight, I was greeted by my mom, sister, and best friend in the airport (picture #9). It was a great welcome back to the States and a moment I won’t forget!

By the next time a submit a post, I will be with my new host family in Chimaltenango and working at Monte Cristo! I am excited for this next adventure and can’t wait to share my experiences with you all.

As always, thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

Much love y hasta la próxima,

Jenna