senegal fast food, chinguemos, hot springs, beach out space out, mujerzuelas,

Apologies for the lengthy break in posts.  I wish I could say I've been too busy but that'd be a lie.  Last couple weeks have been so great I needa revive a word from the past - the past two weeks have been absolutely killer.  Still continuing with school, but I found a gig bartending and working reception at this hostel in Semuc Champey so I'll take a break in a month.  Supposedly it's like the 8th wonder of the world but vamos a ver, we're heading there this weekend and I'll fill ya'll in later.

One of the NGOs threw an 80s party a couple weeks ago and obvi, as evident in the picture, we went.  F me what a good time.  The venue kinda felt like an old frat house but hey, I'm not one to say no to fratting hard sometimes.  The music or shall I say musickkk was off the hizzy, espesh once the DJs hopped in their Dolorean and brought back electronic music to the 80s party.  I even got to blaze in a tent setup in a creepy den of the house.  Ah, made me feel young again.

We cruised over to the hot springs that weekend which was sweet, though I prob don't need to do it again.  Just nice being in a jacuzzi in the jungle.  I've been able to cook during our graduation dinners every week which have provided a nice outlet to destress and cook.  Yeah, that might make me sound like a chick but so be it.  I love letting my hair down, boozing early and cooking while I shake my generous backside to Top 40 hits.  Oh yeah, btw, what's up with sun dinners nowadays you huevonos in SF!?!

This past weekend we trekked out to Tulate beach on the Pacific Coast of Guatemala.  Had my first ride on a "chicken bus" which is really just like any other form of transportation in a large metro area - crowded.  I henceforth would not concur with the thoughts and opinions of other, previous travelers.  OMG this beach was everything I wanted and more.  Not only were there no other white people there, but there was hardly anyone there period.  After 4 hours on a bus we were dropped off in this tiny town with a river separating the town from the island that is Tulate.  We took a small boat across and then walk to our bungalows about a km down the beach.

We had virtually the entire beach to ourselves and split two bungalows with kitchens and all.  Black sand for miles and a seemingly endless horizon, I was in heaven.  We couldn't see a soul to the left or right of our beachfront property all along the beach which really added to the aura.  We cooked mountains of food by which I mean the conejo, Evan and I cooked but it was all good...the chicas helped out and we partied on the beach for two days.  We made chao mein the first night then shrimp paella the next.  And yeah, I had my stoney hungover bfast of ramen with fried eggs, duh.  I even had a Jason Bourne style run (the one on Goa during Ultimatum obvi) where the only people I saw were the occassional fisherman fishing the surf with nets.

The last day a group of Guatemalans showed up and unfortunately I didn't end up talking to them til a couple hours before we were leaving.  They live in Xela and they either sell drugs (legal ones) to pharamcies like they told me or they're just drug dealers.  Cause boy oh boy did they spoil me and my friend.  Ceviche, burs, all of it.

And the 3 dudes arrived with 3 chickies which of course I presumed to be their gf's.  Well in talking to the group, I quickly realized that the girls live in a different town and they had just met the boys for the first time this weekend.  Hmm, seems like they were mujerzuelas or how you say escorts with plenty of benefits.  Anyway, apparently I caught the fancy of a couple of them because I looked Guatemalan or my chinese-mexi-jew fro or something and so we got to talking which of course quickly devolved into me deflecting overtly direct comments.  I had to make a quick phone call and when I returned they were waiting for me in the pool.  I thought to myself, "Yo bro!  Are you like about to have a Wild Things moment right now but like tots mcgoats sicker?"

And then I told myself, "Duuuuude.  You're a gent and a scholar, you can't get in the pool."  So alas, I did not have my Wild Things moment but instead continued chatting with the group then made my way home last night where I could put on my footy pajamas, drink hot chocolate and have my madrastra read me a bedtime story like el nino that I am.

Paz, amor, boy does mi Pad snore.

altar boy, destroying the death star, different view from the fish bowl

I feel more comfortable everyday here.  Thuper friendly people and the city's charm continues to grow.  Had a late night meal of pupusas (one of cheese, the other of chicarrone) with fries.  OMG.  And for like $2.  My group of friends has stayed strong amidst the influx of new students.  We do something generally every night be it movie night, bar hopping or just general dicking around the city.

A lot of the new kids, "los otros" as we call them have been getting on my nerves.  A group of Florida med students oozed into the school a couple weeks ago and their mindset couldn't be more opposite than ours.  They decided to come here to avoid doing research over the summer and are just looking for a good time.  They're obnoxious both in and out of the classroom and have 0 interest in learning the language.  To top off the strawberry shortcake, these stupid kunts won't stop complaining about Guatemala.  Like what did you think you were getting yourself into?  I'm soooo sorry you have to speak spanish in this country and that there aren't any tanning salons here.  WTF are you here!?!?  You should have just kept your Southern beat, cracked-leather self in Florida and learned Spanish at Epcott Center.

But I digress.  Phew.  My teacher, Norma, has been great and I've requested to hold on to her for a while (otherwise you rotate weekly).  She's kinda like a teacher, mother, sister, psychologist, prison warden and nanny all packed neatly into 1 tiny 40-year old body.  She took me to get shekas (sp?) the other day, bread filled with frijol or queso fresco...yeaaah.

You know, I didn't know too much about Guatemala before coming here.  I mean sure, I knew the country was poor with minimal infrastructure and that it was south of Mexico.  That's about it.  So I assumed that I'd get my feet wet with my aquaponics project but at the end of the day food security wasn't a huge deal here.  When we do manage to get news about hunger/starvation/nutrition in the U.S. it's almost always pictures of starving kids in Africa followed by a clip 10x as long about is Shakira pregnant or not (seriously, her bf's f'ing lucky) and the only news from down South is drugs and dismembered bodies.

Anyway, my studies were focused on employing aquaculture to mitigate pervasive droughts and alleviate protein/caloric deficiencies in Africa and I had never heard much about Central America.  Well, I was wrong.  And yeah, I don't readily admit that.  Almost everyday there's an article in the paper about severe malnutrition and chronic hunger in Guatemala.  In talking to locals here, towns just hours away from Xela are rife with starving children and parents that can't produce steady crops from their land, withering away.

Ecclesiastes 1:18 - "For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief." 

You know, I had been thinking for a while about just flushing my social venture dreams away.  The more I continued to investigate these issues and work on creating solutions, the more daunting it seemed.  And it's so easy to feel futile in this god-forsaken world.  I thought, perhaps I should just quit now and hustle through life, working odd jobs and just keep traveling, enjoying MY life as I wanted to until the inevitable happened and I returned to dust.  Death, after all, is the only certainty in life, so why not just life the dream, MY dream, until the sand ran out?  But still, a part of me remained keen on social ventures, to ensure that I leave this place better than when I arrived.

Then I had a dream about my deceased friend.  We talked for a bit, on Locust Walk at Penn, and I asked him why he left us.  We were supposed to work on solving these problems together.  He was gonna finish his PhD, move to Africa, and we could work together at erasing hunger, disease, etc. together.  I woke up with a renewed sense of purpose, determination.

I don't want to sound melodramatic - it wasn't like Obi Wan's spirit was whispering to feel the force as I lined up my proton torpedos to destroy the Death Star.  But it did help straighten me out and kick my lingering doubt to the curb like an annoying ex-gf.  I can't just be a wayward jellyfish drifting aimlessly through the sea of life (lolzzz deep eh).  So moral of the story, I think I'll stay in Guate longer than I had anticipated.

I had my "sister's" confirmation yesterday so I got to get all dressed up and what not.  First time in church in years.  I've changed.  Church hasn't.  Why do they always have to harp on the same no-no's of drinking, drugs and premarital sex??  Sure, tell me not to kill or steal or something, but don't tell me I can't do all the fun things.  I already have a doctor to tell me that.  And besides, last time I checked, the 10 Commandments doesn't include "Thou shall not blaze trees."  Well, regardless, it was a ruvry day and we feasted on this Guatemalan meatloaf concoction that had like 8 different kinds of meat which made it all worth it.

Well, that's pretty much it for this week.  Still working on OFOG and it's site, so more news to come on that front.  Headed to the beach next weekend which obvi I'm thuper duper excited about.

Vaya con Dios, braah.

proof of life, osos, keep on chuggin'

Hey ya'll.  Been keeping mostly to same ole same ole so not too much to report on.  Just wanted to give you guys proof of life so if you will kindly look to the left, you'll notice that I am still alive and well.

Finally got properly drunk the other night when we went out.  Like drunk enough to stop dancing and begin dahhhncing.  Had quite the goma the day after but fortunately picked up some dericious carnitas on the street to make myself feel better.

Had a good initial meeting with an agricultural education/food security org and might end up implementing OFOG with them.  We shall see.

Spent an awesome night at this dive bar watching some bball and learning some crucial phrases in guatemalan spanish like voy a ponerle jorge al nino.  Priceless.

All in all life's good.  And remember, quien no se aventura no pasa el mar.