The Un Mes Mark

Today, I've reached the one month mark... Only 26 more months to go... I have officially completeled 1/27th of my service abroad... It's been everything I could have hoped for! In fact, everything has exceeded my expectations. For example, the food has been 90% awesome. My host-mom/sister is a great cook. I lucked out with my host-family in general. They never seize to amaze me, and I'm sure I probably return the favor. The quirky rituals and traditions exceeded my expectations as well. Guatemala, believe it or not, is a very loud place. One of my fellow trainees has a saying, "Night time is the right time in Guatemala." My addendum would be, "for dogs, roosters, firecrackers, parades, camioneta horns, eardrum busting evangelical music, and churchbells." It's all in good fun, the people here know how to laugh at themselves and, in my opinion, from what I've encountered thus far, have a great sense of humor. My health has exceeded my expectations. Only minor digestion issues. The Peace Corps staff has exceeded my expectations. I figured they would be great, but I am blown away by how wonderful everyone has been. My training class, from what I understand, is probably the best one that has ever come through Santa Lucia (although I may have a bias). Last but not least, the difficulty of the transition and adaptation of everything you thought you might know has exceeded my expectations. This is no cake walk and, even though I'm only one month in, I would have to agree with the old Peace Corps slogan, "The toughest job you'll ever love." I have learned that a positive attitude can carry you through hard times, to never forget where I came from and why I am here, to always keep a smile on my face, to roll with the punches, and did I mention the positive attitude. It has been a wild, difficult, exciting ride so far and I'm loving every minute of it, even the tough ones... Well I've got to wrap this post up but before I go, I promised some pictures, and since pictures tell a thousand words anyways, this post should be more than sufficient to satisfy my readers needs... Oh by the way, my Spanish name is David, because Barrett, as it turns out, is virtually impossible for people to pronounce...


This is yours truely, fresh in Guatemala at the PC headquarters... As you can see, we have top notch security.


This is my messy room (I was in the process of unpacking, I really keep it pretty clean).


Another angle.


Santa Maria Cauque, my training community.


Found it!!!


My Spanish class.


Outdoors action.


Amy and Jared (Javier).


La Merced in Antigua, muy bonita.


Religious festivities, seems like something similar to this is going on in a different place every weekend, I haven't quite got it pegged yet.


My host dad, Don Juan, and I on a hike (Don is how you say Mr.).


Jared, Charlie (Carlos), and Don Juan in the cave.


Charlie on a hike.


Our first garden!


An average days work, carrying banana leaves through the streets while locals stare and shake their heads.

Cuerpo de Paz

Well, I've been in Guatemala for 21 days now! It's just about impossible to describe in a blog what it is really like here. The experience thus far has been amazing, eye-opening, humbling, and probably already life-changing. The past three weeks have been busy, busy, busy, but definately fun and completely worth it. My routine day (which is nice to be able to say that I now have somewhat of a routine) is basically 4-6 hours of Spanish class, which is coming along nicely, and 2-4 hours of technical training and getting my hands dirty. Once per week, all of the trainees come in to headquarters for group sessions of health, safety and security, and cultural training. I will have more posts coming in the next several weeks, but I am a little crunched for time at the moment, so this post will have to serve as a teaser for future posts that I'm sure will be full of interesting stories, profound realizations, amazing pictures, and quirky observances.

Coming Up Fast!

I've got a little over three weeks until my departure. Summer has flown by so far, as I knew it would. There's still so many things I have to do before I go, but I am getting there. I've been getting things checked off of my packing list gradually, working on Rosetta Stone for hours on end, and doing alot of reading and re-reading (Welcome Books, Handbooks, Manuals). I just received a staging kit (I think, I was expecting something in the mail but so far I've just gotten everything through e-mail). I did find out the address I can be reached at for the next three months!

PCT Barrett Bumpas

Cuerpo de Paz

Apartado Postal 66

Antigua Guatemala, Sacatepequez, 03001

Guatemala, Centro America

Send me something!!! If you send me something right now there's a good chance I'll arrive before it will! The PC recommends sending letters and padded envelopes, but nothing to much larger than that because I would likely have to pay a hefty fee at customs for a large package. Due to a less reliable postal system, it is also recommend that each correspondence is numbered (so that if I received letters 1,2,3, and 5, I would know I was missing 4). I'll also have access to a telephone, probably even have a cell phone Guatemalen style, and I'll have occasional access to e-mail. I'll probably save most of the telephone calls for home, but letters would be awesome and e-mail is probably the best way to get a hold of me - bdbumpas@yahoo.com.

Anywho, I'll be leaving from DFW and flying to D.C. on August 10th. I'm going one day early, which will be awesome because I've never been anywhere close to D.C. before, and I won't have to rush or worry about being late to my orientation. That will be on August 11th. The Peace Corps is putting us up in the Washington Plaza for the night of the 11th, briefly, check-out is scheduled @ 1:30 am of the 12th. After a quick connecting flight through Miami, I should be in Guatemala City that day just in time for lunch!

So I made a blog...

I can't say for sure how much I'll use this thing.  This isn't for me as much as it is for you, the reader.  One, I don't know how much computer access I'll have during my service, but my guess is here and there.  Two, this isn't really a journal, although I'll be keeping one for myself.  This is, however, the sort of medium that will let me share interesting stories from my service, let me voice an opinion from time to time, and keep in touch with everybody back home (Love you Mom).  The Peace Corps Mission Statement contains three goals: to help the people of interested countries in meeting their needs for trained men and women; to help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the people served; and to help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of all Americans.  So I made a blog, in the hope that I can do my part to fulfill that mission.  

I have accepted an assignment with the Peace Corps to serve in Guatemala.  I'll be working through the Sustainable Agriculture Program as a Food Security Facilitator.  That's my official job title.  Basically, I'll be establishing school and family gardens with sustainable farming practices and environmental conservation, providing training for backyard poultry management, and educating families and communities on nutritional contents and the preparation of home-grown vegetables and other agricultural products, all in conjunction with local counterparts.  The term of service is 24 months, after the three months of in-country training of course.  I won't officially become a Volunteer until Halloweenish (feel free to dress up as your favorite Peace Corps Voluneteer).  

The departure date is not written in stone quite yet, but August 10, 2009, is when I leave for staging, somewhere in the the States, for a couple of days, before we depart to Guatemala City as a well oriented group.  I will then participate in a 12-week training program, consisting of Spanish, cross-cultural studies, and technical orientation.  The training program is hands-on, and I'm sure I'll probably mention it here and there when the time comes.  

For now, I have about two and a half months to prepare myself for my service.  I'm taking Rosetta Stone, reading and re-reading manuals and handbooks, and working on getting in somewhat better shape, as I expect to be walking/hiking everywhere I go.  In the next several weeks I'll receive more information, i.e. staging location, dates, and reporting instructions.  To be continued...