Just your garden-variety update

I'm now in the last six weeks of my service with the Peace Corps. My official Close of Service date may still be pushed back depending on when our two kitchen projects get finished, but for all intents and purposes, we're in the final countdown. I can hardly believe it.

A lot of people talk about how long two years in the Peace Corps can feel, but for me they really have flown. Sure, there were times that things were tough, but for the most part, I feel like the last day has been speeding toward me since the first. Looking back on it, two years isn't nearly enough time in this environment to make any kind of serious changes, but it was enough to inspire me to continue learning about and working in the development field. And I'm hoping it was enough to make a difference in the lives of a few kids and couple teachers.

People keep asking me about my post-Peace Corps plans. To be honest, I don't have anything specific lined up at the moment. I've been studying for the GRE here and plan on taking it a few months after I get back and applying to some Peace Corps fellowships in development programs. But I probably wouldn't be going back to school for another year or 18 months after I get back. In the meantime, I'll be trying to get work freelancing and doing anything else that will make use of my Spanish skills and/or further my experience in the development field. And here's the shameless plug to let me know if you hear about anything (preferably on the West Coast) along those lines.

Teacher strike

So there's been a semi-nationwide teacher strike going on for the last two weeks. I say semi-nationwide because not every municipality is participating in the strike. Nor is every school taking part in the municipalities who have decided to support the teachers union. Nor is every teacher striking in the schools who voted to do so. Of my 25 teachers, 24 have been striking, while one is going to school every day to work. The school year was supposed to have started at the end of January, but the majority of my kids have yet to attend a class.

The teachers union is asking for a tax increase to create more revenue for resources in addition to a pay raise because the Ministry of Education received a budget increase this year. I'm not too well-versed in the politics of it all. We all know teachers worldwide are underpaid. And I certainly know there is a serious lack of resources in Guatemalan schools. I'm not saying they don't have a right to ask for what they're asking. But I can't condone the way they're going about asking for it.

When teachers strike, the only ones who lose are the students. And these kids already have enough strikes against them. The politicians certainly don't care if rural Guatemalan children are getting an education, and so trying to pressure them by striking seems silly to me. I admit, I can't think of an alternative, more effective way to instigate change, but just because you can't think of a better idea, doesn't mean you should stick with on that isn't working.

Kitchens
The strike is also making it hard to make progress on my kitchen projects. The bottle kitchen at my small school in Taj Buxup is nearly finished save a few minor details, but it's hard to attend to even the smallest task when the teachers aren't arriving at school and are "morally opposed" to working until the strike is resolved.

It's the same story with the add-on at my big school. Everything is on hold right now and that's beyond frustrating and a little bit scary with an end-date in six weeks breathing down  my neck.

Pizza party
I made pizza for the birthdays of my friend Maria's two neices last week. The birthday girl Fanny, who turned 8 years old, and her sister Ana Maria helped me make them and we had a lot of fun. It was also their cousin Nicol Valesca's third birthday, but she was more interested in the play cooking set I gave her than the actual baking.

Fanny kneading the dough

Ana Maria rolling it out

Fanny and Nicol

Birthday song fun

Camping
I went for a día del campo with some friends last weekend and had an amazing time.

En camino

Net fishing

Checking out some nearby pyramids

Caracoles for caldo

Making lunch

Mangoes with pepita -- I was so worried I wouldn't get a chance to eat another fresh mango before leaving 

That's all the news there is to report for now. Hope to hear from you all soon and can't wait to see everybody when I get back.

Peace out,

Kristina