So this is a favorite Guatemalan saying, and it drives me
absolutely insane. Whenever I want to know something, or am dissatisfied with
my language/cultural progress and express my need to know everything
immediately I am told “poca a poca”.
The peace corps has been really amazing about being aware and
helping us be aware of our needs and strengths and weaknesses and struggles so
I will share some here.
I am a fucking control freak. I like to be in charge of me and maybe everyone else too. This however is not possible here. I no longer have a say of when or what I eat, or in some respects even how much. Going off the control freakdom, I am perpetually lost, and I hate not knowing where I am, it drives me crazy.
Sometimes people are really quiet, and then I assume that we are having an awkward silence so I feel the need to fill it with my awful Spanglish. You’re welcome Guate.
Assimilating without appropriating, there are so many complex fragments to this that it deserves, and will have, its own post soon.
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I don’t like friojes.
People ***LOVE*** to iron here. Though I am not religious, ironing goes against my religion.
I like to be right, it’s important to me, but here I mess up almost everything, almost all the time.
I am really bad at knowing how to greet people/say goodbye. As it turns out my uncertainty towards salutations is exacerbated fifteen fold by being in a new culture that has a multitude of greetings of their own. One day I will figure out how to get this cheek/air kiss down vs. the one arm pat at the elbow (Indigenous elderly lady salute) down. Probably just as I am entering the US again. Be ready for all this action friends.
I have
however, learned that in only two weeks’ time I have learned to let go a
notable amount, and I am getting much better about living in the now, and
appreciating every galleta, café con mi familia, and most importantly every sun
set. Here people wish you a good night and say that they will see you in the
morning if the Gods permit it. While I am not on board with the whole “God’s
permitting” thing I do think it is a wonderful nightly reminder that tomorrow
is not a given.
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