Visit to the Lake

I made a trip out to Lake Atitlan this weekend. It is about an hour ride to get there and well worth the trip. I visited a friend who has her site out there, working as a Youth Development volunteer. I went out on Friday to visit their market. I was told they sold beads there so I wanted to check it out and sure enough I was able to find some nice ones, not as eccentric as I was thinking but quality nonetheless. My friend’s town is a fifteen minute ride from the lake so we headed out there Friday night after the market. The town I visited is called Panajachel or Pana for short. It is a big tourist town with lots of shops and restaurants and souvenirs to purchase. I wasn’t too crowded on Friday and was a peaceful walk through the town slowly checking out the stuff for sale along the street. I noticed a lot of cool stuff and I think I am going to have to pick up my Christmas presents here. Sitting out by the lake made me think of home and being out by Lake Michigan, feeling the breeze coming off the lake and seeing the reflection of the sun on the water. The mountains in the distance were a beautiful backdrop to the picturesque lake. We went out for a few drinks with some of her friends there and spent the night at a friends apartment. Saturday might have been the highlight of my trip out there when we went to a barbecue. They had amazing burgers along with ribs, smoked chicken, pork and many other tasty options along with the typical cook out sides like potatoe salad, corn on the cob and many other favorites. It was great to have an all American burger with all the fixings and it happens every week and another cool thing is that it's an Australian man with a sweet accent. I think I am going to have to make visiting the lake a regular thing.

I hit up the market today like every other Sunday. Today I felt like I was finally getting into the hang of things and it felt like more of a natural experience going to the market, a large improvement from my first time there. I really enjoy going and seeing familiar faces and people watching and being able to get super fresh produce and know that I am supporting families with my purchases. But of course the experience of Guatemalan culture would not be complete with out being whistled at by local men. On the way to the market, there is a part of the highway that is getting fixed. It has been “getting fixed” for almost the whole time I have been at site (almost 2 months). There are a group of men working and they always like to try to get my attention. While walking today I waved my pointer finger at them as a way to say no. They seemed to think it was pretty funny and on the way back said ‘hoy si” (today yes). I just kept walking, laughing at them in my head. Do they really think they can pick up girls like that? I used to be more offended by this act but now it’s easier to brush it off and it usually makes for a good laugh.

I am looking forward to a decent work week. Tomorrow I will be heading out to one of my communities to help with vaccinations and weighing children. It’s a way to get my face out in the community and get more associated with the health center. The rest of the week I have my second charlas with four of my five groups. I am excited to see them all again and continue in our building of relationships. Some topics that I am going to cover are Diabetes, Family Planning (ie Birth Control methods), Parasites and Hepatitis A. I asked the groups what they were interested in hearing about as I don’t want to just throw my agenda of charlas and these are the topics that they picked so hopefully they will have listening ears and be interested in what I have to say and also participate. My next plan of action is to seek out more groups to work with, ones that already exist in the community. Work is out there, I just need to find it! I am slowly on my way to feeling like a real Peace Corps volunteer.

Me at the lake

Magen and I at the lake
pictures have been posted from the Independence Day celebration and more from my trip to the lake here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2440155&id=22423429&l=14792e41eb and http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2462664&id=22423429&l=efd840bf76