Thursday, March 17, 2011

Reducir, Reusar, Reciclar









Promoting proper trash management and recycling in a culture where it is common practice to throw wrappers on the ground can be a strenuous and tiresome task.  (Ok, corny joke out of the way.)  In the United States alone, on average upwards of 300 million tires are disposed of annually, of which nearly 30 million are estimated to be left in landfills.  Because of their extreme durability, amount of time to decompose (over 100 years), toxins released into the air and soil if burned, and extremely high number,  tires are one of the more problematic wastes in the world. 
The durability of tires also presents great opportunity for recycling, whether that be re-using the rubber for future tires (which only  uses 30% of the energy needed to make a new tire  , in effect reducing oil usage) or using them in everyday projects.  We did our part this past week at the Chibulbut School, using tires to construct six tire gardens.  Each grade is maintaining their own mini-garden, grades one to six.  Between the six classes we are growing carrots, cilantro, and beets. Kamille plans to use the crops to make healthy snacks for the kids to use as a supplement to nutrition workshops she will be coordinating.  The projects roll on….














Friday, March 4, 2011

Alabama, Arkansas..... HOME!






  The song ‘Home’ by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros has naturally become a group favorite in the department of Alta Verapaz.  Whether sung with a guitar beside a bonfire, whistled down a dirt road, played on repeat via I-pod , or belted in harmony while out together during the state of siege, it has become a quasi- theme song over the past few months.  After an exhausting 65 days out of site, since December 20th, I returned exactly there this past Wednesday- home to the Chirrepeco Tea Cooperative.  Only six volunteers will now remain, as a handful of others have returned stateside, moved to different departments, or taken on other work within the country.  One volunteer named Nick particularly enjoys loves the song Home, but unfortunately will not be permitted back to his site.  Fortunately, in the midst of two bottle-school projects (and being one of the funniest people I’ve ever met), he will be permitted to return back sporadically in the daytime to oversee the completion of these projects.  

Newly painted office
Finishing up the Chirrepec sign project
Over the two-month siege another volunteer’s mom had visited.  Unable to go visit their site, they explained that although it was great for her to see Guatemala and different tourist destinations within different areas, it was hard not to be able to show off their home- a place that will inevitably always be a part of them.  Over the past two months, despite moments of anxiousness and frustration, I thoroughly enjoyed  and benefited from various activities; Spanish classes, assisting build a school out of recycled bottles, youth development help with an ngo, mid-service medical check-up (TB FREE!),and  attending my first ladino wedding.  I undeniably enjoyed these experiences, yet they still were not home- I continually yearned to return.  Chirrepec has similarly and descreetly  become a part of me.

 Roof Inauguration 2,011

It is now a new year, there is a newly instated military presence in the region, a new group is soon to be sworn in (none will be sent to our region), and a handful of us remain—as always change is the only constant.  All one can do is roll with the punches moving forward.  In my short time back at site work is steadily moving forward.  I will be undertaking a SPA project (Small Project Assistance Program) of a volunteer who returned stateside.  Over the next few months, I will be overseeing a latrine project within a community located a little over a half an hour from Coban.  Upon returning to the Co-op, I found my co-workers painting the offices and salon, part of the yearly work-plan we had written up.  As part of Kamille’s Peace Corps Partnership project, a new lamina roof was put on the Chibulbut School while we were away.   Just weeks before, a number of openings and cracks allowed for rain to form puddles in the four classrooms.  New windows are set to be put in within March, as well.


           Likewise, The Viviente Verapaz tourism alliance held meetings while we were away.  Winfrey, from Alabama Arkansas, and I are the only two remaining tourism volunteers in the region/ working with the alliance.  Although this is a challenge, it is a good step towards sustainability and self-management into the future.  We are currently in the process of forming an alliance webpage, setting up a promotion event in Antigua, networking with a few new NGO’s, and organizing a training workshop in May.  A few of the activities for the upcoming weeks include a dental/floss workshop with a local school, tire-gardens, nutrition/ cooking sessions with the women’s group on International Women’s Day, sign projects in two neighboring communities, TEFL  classes in my two communities, putting the new windows into the school, and a 50th year PC gathering at the ambassador’s home.
My training host family and I at the wedding











My godson- Selvin Jr.
I am elated to continue working with my community.  I am cognizant of how much I have —and how that can be taken away in the blink of an eye.  I am happy to see my godson, Selvin Jr. on a daily basis.  I have a lot of work to do.  I only have a year remaining.  I am ready. I am excited.  I am content.  I am home.