My visit back to the mother ship (the states)

# of times I ate sushi in the states- 5
# of bobas I drank- 3
# of movies I rented- 7?
# of times I went to church- 7
# of pictures that I brought back (after editing!)-453
# of hours spent traveling back to Guatemala 18hrs
# of means of transportation starting at dad’s house- 1 truck, 1 plane, 1 taxi, 2 buses
# of people asked me how was my trip- 50 (AHHH!)
# of pounds of luggage- 100
# of pounds most likely made up of food- 65
Heaviest “Why did I bring that back” item- can of pumpkin so I can make a pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving
Item I wish I would of brought- Cheap US Map. No one knows where the states are in relation to each other
Bedtime on Monday. 8pm, could have been earlier but I was working on this list trying not to forget stuff. Slept for 13 ½ wonderful hours.

Big Bummer! So… .for whatever reason my phone service company is having an issue or something with the Guate government so I will now be able to talk ½ the time that I use to be able to talk before. So yea, I won’t be able to call people for awhile and if so it will be for only a few minutes. Hopefully it doesn’t stay like this for long. So yea, also, that might motivate some of you people to call my way J Lorena has figured out the phone card system so email or call her (or ask me for her contact info) if you want info on good phone cards to call Guatemala. Please do not call me direct from your home or cell phone. You all know I am very very “economical” and I will go nuts knowing you are spending $1/min to talk to me.

- “Welcome Back To Guatemala”
- My house is covered in spider webs. It’s like they threw a party while I was out.
- I have a layer of dust throughout the house like that one scene you see in movies where you can run your finger along something and visibly see the line. Even my shower turned orange when I first turned it on from all the dust going down the drain
- My cat is very skinny, maybe I didn’t calculate the food just right. He inhaled a scambled egg as soon as I got home
- Unpacking my 100lbs of luggage, it always seems like more than what you actually un pack. So not sure what made up all the weight.
- I came home to a 2week late electricity bill. Ouch. Surprised I still have power
- I left for the airport at 815pm, plane took off at 11:15pm, got to Guatemala at 6:15am, got to bus at 7:30am, got to San Marcos at 2:00pm, got to Tejutla at 330pm. VERY VERY VERY LONG TRIP!
- So when I got out of the airport I went to get a taxi. The guy asked where I was going and I said the bus station. He said it would be $30. WHAT?!?!? It normally cost $5. So I said I live here, not a tourist, and that I wouldn’t pay more than 40Q. He said the minimum was 90Q so I said nevermind, called Peace Corps preferred taxis that are safer for us (what I should of done in the first place) and took a cab to the station. Guess how much it cost, 40Q ($5). HAHA!!
- So when I got to San Marcos, the good thing about my small bus terminal is I think they recognize me and always know I am going to Tejutla. So they picked up my rather heavy bags and to put them on the top of the chicken bus, guy balances the bag on the back of his neck (with his head tilt way forward) and climbs up the ladder to the top. An amazing thing to watch in itself. So he said they are leaving in 15min so I went to buy bread and came back and there were now 3 buses going to Tejutla. Which bus has my stuff! They looked the same to me. So I kept asking each driver “did you put my stuff on top of the bus” and they were all saying yes, which I knew my stuff wasn’t on 3 different buses. So finally the guy that carried my luggage, I recognized him, and he called me over thanfully. It reminded me a lot of that game where you see a ball placed under a cup, then someone mixes it up and you gotta guess which cup has your ball underneath.
- When I got to Tejutla,I couldn’t carry my bags more than 10ft because my rolly suitcase doesn’t work on my streets. So I yelled at a boy passing and asked him to help. So he carried my bags maybe 50ft with me and I paid him 5Q ($.75) Best 5Q I have ever spent.
- Had dinner with host family and was rather excited to eat plantains, beans, tortillas and funky cheese. Maybe my 3 1/2week break helped.
- So I heard it’s been hot the whole time I was gone. Then first day back, big storm at night. I love sitting in my bed reading hearing the rain pour down wondering if it’s possible that my roof will one day cave in (I doubt it)
- In the Xela (3hrs from house) bus terminal I was on my way to a not pretty potty and heard my name being yelled (this is a giant place I might add) and turned around and one of my host family members was there. Then, on the bus from San Marcos to Tejutla some of my community members saw me and came and sat in my seat with me. Can be a good thing because then you don’t have someone weird sitting next to ya. Can be a bad thing when ya don’t feel like talking. Good thing they recognize me cause I don’t recognize anyone so I just smile and wave when they start it first assuming I know them.

“Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” Matthew 6:34

“Welcome Back to the States”
- Will I ever get use to flushing toilet paper? NO!
- You know how weird it is to take a shower thinking that after about 7-10min its going to turn cold on ya.
- What is up with the following trends? Those knee length yoga looking pants?? Why does everyone wear giant sunglasses now?!?!? Giant giant fringy complicated looking purses. Shirts that go down to below your butt. (This is in no way meant to offend anyone and is just an observation of you weird weird North American people)
- The $10 bill has color
- New Release section was quiet entertaining (Rent the movie “My Date with Drew” So cute!!!)
- In San Francisco we saw this street performer that sits on a bucket behind some tree branches he holds up and scares people when they walk by and our waiter told us he has been there for over 10yrs and makes over $50,000 a year, and doesn’t pay Uncle Sam.
- Had an awesome time baking with my grandma. Nothing better than good old fashion kitchen appliance, ovens and refrigerators. Ahh, I remember the good ol’days.
- On a down note. The clothes I wear everyday here and feel totally fine in, I felt uncomfortable wearing in the states. I felt like I was either underdressed, sloppy or who knows what. But yea, my “used wardrobe” clothes fit in a lot better here in lovely Tejutla.
- Two thumbs up for church. I miss fellowship and listening to sermons probably the most out of anything. Second place would be the fact that I feel like I am living in a fishbowl with everyone watching my every move.
- It was kinda nice to have internet available. Then again, as we talk about down here, we can’t imagine what PC was like 10yrs ago when there was no email, no cell phones and snail mail was your best friend. Any comments Grandma?
- Big Congrats going out to newlyweds Joanna and Barham and Amanda and John. Thankfully their dates were close enough to go to both of them and had a great time!
- Last but not least. Being near family and friends was awesome. I loved the looks I would get from my friends. There were two types. 1.) The one where they see ya, some started to scream, and they either run or walk fast towards me arms open for a hug. Then there was my favorite. 2.) The double look. A few people would look at me, smile and look away and then immediately look back in shock. Those were priceless moments. Family Moments: I had a great time baking with my grandma, golfing with my cousin, pool with another cousin, Emily turned 20!, bbq and dinners with with family, Dodger game (AWSOME SEATS!) with dad and step mom and sista and a variety of other fun times.
- Had an awesome road trip to San Francisco and down the coast with Lorena and Jessica. Great time that involved funny homeless people, getting lost in wine country, lot of walking in San Fran, swimming with seals and then deciding we might become shark lunch hanging out with them. On the trip; Jessica ate a bridge and then blasted a dookie at Alcatraz and I have some precious moments of Lorena sleeping (going to the highest bidder) while protesting the massive amount of PB&J that I was offering.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Signs you can tell I have been in the US
- I keep saying “Good morning” at night
- I huff-and-puff just walking around town (elevation change)
- When I see people I say something to them and they immediately say “ohhh…you didn’t practice your Spanish while you were gone did you?
- Common question “How was it?! Now what did you bring me?”
- I enjoyed my beans, eggs, plantains and funky cheese dinners
- Never been so appreciative of new tennis
- I get excited to go buy eggs down the street instead of Ralphs 15min away
- I am getting “in trouble” for not formally greeting people. Waving to someone just doesn’t cut it here.
- They ask if I saw my sitemate while I was in the states (he’s in Minnesota at the moment)
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Prayer Request- So the host family I stayed with for 3months during training outside of Antigua had a tragedy a few days ago. The husband of my host mother’s daughter (so my brother-in-law) was killed in a car accident. He left behind a wonderful wife, a 10yr old son and a 1 1/2yr old son. Please keep the Casteñada’s in your prayers.

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” Philippians 4:11