Oh, We´ve Done So Much...

It´s been quite some time since we have last posted, and our only excuse is that we have been trekking across the country with friends and building a school out of tires. Life has been tough!

When last we wrote, we had dug the new water line to the location of the new vocational school that will be called Tecnico Maya. With that completed, we began working in the Vivero (tree nursey) at Parque Chimiya, preparing it for the 10,000 pine, elm and cypress trees that will be planted all over the region. The tree roots will help to stablize the soils and the branches will provide shade for coffee plants and herds of cattle as they graze the hills. It´s a great project that benefits everyone, from the farmer to the rancher and back to the workers at Parque Chimiya, as sales from the tree starts help to pay workers salaries. The chance to participating in projects that are both sustainable and beneficial to the entire community is one of the largest reasons why we left everything in Oregon to live in Guatemala. Happily, we are learning everyday that such a great thing is possible.

Needless to say, although we have been working like crazy almost everyday, we have been having the time of our lives. It was the perfect time for a visit from one of Rebecca´s best friends, Kaisa and her aunt Jeanie. They were both so enthusiastic about Long Way Home, that we all stayed at Parque Chimiya (crammed into one room and two twin beds!) for two days to work in the gardens and the Vivero. Then...we hit the road!

First, we headed Northwest to Lago Atitlán. We stopped in Panajachal for two nights to eat Mojarra, shop and swim in the lake. (Guatemala explorer tip: skip Pana!) The view of the San Pedro Volcano is breathtaking, but not worth the dozens of women who will, literally, chase you down the street with their wares and then curse you, in english, for not buying from them. It is a place where foreigners don´t have to speak any spanish, eat tempeh (which was delicious) and buy overproduced crap at embarrasingly cheap prices. Beautiful,but not our scene.

From Pana, we headed to the region of Cobán which is located in the center of the country. Even before we got here, and everywhere we have travelled since, people have been telling us about the caves of Lanquin and the waters of Semuc Champey. Once we told Kaisa and Jeanie about using candles to swim through the darkness of some of the caves, they were in! Ten hours later, we got stuck in the city ofCobán, two hours from our destination. Luckily we found a nearby hotel, that just happened to be an old colonial castle with it´s restaraunt located in the tower. We were the only guests, had our own sweet rooms and an incredible fish dinner made by the owner himself. Sometimes getting stuck in a place works out for the best.

The next morning, we got a shuttle to Lanquin. Two hours later, we threw our bags in our cabañas and walked to the limestone caves. We saw gigantic stalagmite/stalagtite formations and spiders the size of Rebecca´s hand!

The next day, we took a tour to the caves and pools of Semuc Champey. It was amazing! Armed with only our swim suits and a light (candle or headlamp), we climbed over a waterfall with a rope, swam across sections with bats overhead and jumped off a narrow but high ledge into a dark pool. (Okay only Kaisa and Andy jumped, but we all scaled the waterfall!) We then floated down the river in the sunshine, ate homemade chocolate in a cocoa plantation and climbed a mile to overlook the green and blue pools of Semuc Champey. It must be said again, it was amazing!

Our group of four parted ways for a few days after Semuc Champey. Kaisa and Jeanie wanted to see Tikal in the very northern part of Guatemala, and we desperately needed to get our visa´s extended in Guatemala city. Luckily, we had time to visit the most famous Vivero in Guatelmala, Vivero Verapaz.

Located in the city of Cobán, it cultivates over 30,000 different species of Orchid, including the rarest, White Nun Orchid, which is also the official flower of Guatemala. The Vivero specializes in miniature orchids, blooms that are so small they grow them on wine corks! The head gardener took us around personally, telling us the history behind some of the crazy names, pointing out a pepper tree and a lycopod, a prehistoric plant that has medicinal purposes he swears by.

We made it back to Comalapa Christmas Eve and shared a big feast with new volunteers and the regulars who have become like family to us (Matteo, Kat, Adam and Liz). The next few days were devoted to preparing for two visiting groups from the University of Illinois and St. John´s University. We celeberated the New Year with Kaisa in Comalapa. The town center was set up like a carnival, with food vendors, arcade games and a ferris wheel. Kaisa and Rebecca braved the old wheel, and when it finally stopped, were in tears from laughing and yelling.

Twenty-six people volunteering at Long Way Home for two weeks, and for the first three days we were asked to be in charge of preparing their meals and showing them the ropes.
With that many hands, we broke ground on the actual land of the school. We began laying the foundation for the walkway/road to the workshops and dug the hole for the latrine.
During the digging, an area was uncovered with almost a hundred pieces of ceramic and obsidian flakes. Matteo enthusiastically pointed out Long Way Home´s resident archaeologist, sending Rebecca every five minutes to log another found artifact. No piece was very old, but a treasure hunt is always good for morale after digging eight hours.

The leaders of the neighboring village of Cohol had asked Long Way Home to help complete an application to Engineers Without Borders for a new water system. Of the 300 homes in the village, 75% only had water for a couple hours a day and 10% of families had to carry water from the public pilas (water tubs). Andy took a group hiking along the hills to GPS all the nearby natural springs to create a map to determine from which spring a family would receive their water. Rebecca went door to door with a guide to collect information on each family´s water situation, health problems and educational history. The survey´s were to help our organization and EWB determine coalations between sicknesses and water shortage/cleanliness and overall situation with educational background. The application we submit will help point out that the lack of a decent water system is only one element in the cycle of poverty. We were welcomed graciously into every home, offered refreshments and served lunch prepared by the families of the town´s leaders. We are currently finishing the application and, although others have promised the same as we are now, we are ready to see this project through to the end and every family has water every moment they need it.

With the water surveys collected, the groups were off on their promised ¨mini vacation¨. We were asked to chaperone the group and help them enjoy the towns around the lake. We happily took the responsability and took them to San Pedro, San Marco and Santa Catarina around Lago Atitilan. We attempted to make the mini vacation somewhat education, so we arranged for the group to visit Rocio´s home, a local weaving woman who works with a board member of our organization and sells her wares in the United States for fair wage. She is a beautiful woman working hard to be respected and paid what she deserves.
The rest of the trip was a whirlwind! The group went kayaking, horseback riding, hooka smoking and shopping. As they did those things, we spent much needed time alone together. But we did jump off some cliffs and swim in the lake with them.

When we returned, it was back to digging. A local Mayan priest came to the school land to conduct a ceremonial blessing. About a half hour before sunset, he set up a circle of chocolate, sugar and other herbs and lit it on fire. He gave thanks for the help of the volunteers and then gave thanks to all the gods and Mother Earth and asked them all to bless the project and all the people involved in the construction, teaching and learning. Later we found out he specifically asked for the spirit of the deer for us, so we could be nimble and jump out the way of problems that might arise during construction. As the sun set, he handed out cigars to smoke and we all ceremonially threw dirt over the edge and hugged one another as he spoke prayers in Kechi-qel.

The holidays are over, Kaisa has gone back to school in Oregon and the groups are gone. We are no longer sleeping in a tent in the gardens and have our own room. Things are starting to settle down for all of us at Parque Chimiya, and we are both looking toward the future of our participaton in the organization. We have accepted staff positions with Long Way Home and will be committing ourselves to the jobs until the school project is completed. Andy has been asked to establish a computer internet lab at the parque, and has plans to build a ground refrigeration system for the kitchen of the tire house. And Rebecca has been asked to lead the recycling programs that will be set up at the local schools. We have already done so much, and we are excited about all the things we will be able to help get accomplished in our shared future.*

*Rebecca picking up every street puppy she finds!