Sometimes you just have to laugh it off

We went to the wrong airport. When we got to Oakland the airline was closed for the night. A long conversation on the white courtesy phone and a frantic search left us with only ten minutes to book and board the last flight to LAX. Let´s just say we are now in Guatemala with a 149 dollar dent in the already depleting funds. I haven´t slept more than 5 hours in the last 2 days, and yet it doesn´t matter much anymore. Guatemala is absolutely amazing, and I can´t shake the emotional high from the work and experience ahead. The streets bring me back to India, the kids are adorable, and the volunteers absolutely wonderful. Every second I find myself in a conversation exploding with ideas for future projects and plans. I´m considering getting an MPA. Of course that wouldn´t come for another 3 years or so, but it definitely fits into the ten year plan. I love NGO work. Today we ate at the ¨garage cafe¨, and it reminded me how much better food is in a foreign country.

There is one setback that was not as prevalent in India. I need to learn the language or run the risk of not being as affective, and with the latter option quite unacceptable, I embark to learn a foreign language.

Familia! I can see Patzitia from our roof, and most of the indegenous people we work with only speak quatchequel (forgive the spelling errors). The weather is perfect, and this weekend we will ride to Copan to see the ruins. I´m feeling quite overwhelmed from everything I don´t know, but I find that it is much like the way I felt in India. The street we live on is quite safe, and so you can rest knowing I already went running and nothing happened.

Rilee at her needle

(or was it her pen)

Two things: The Scarlet Letter and A question, and yet, for both, not one or six but many. I write because I like words. Lots and lots of letters and lots and lots of words. Somethings are embedded and alive and cannot breath until expressed.  Maybe that's why I talk a lot, or maybe that's why I think a lot, either way, with me a lot seems to be consensus for the happenings.

A blog (n) the perfect outlet for the self-absorbed. 

No, that can't be right. The million bajillion (not a real word) bloggers out in the world of bloggering (again, not a real word) can't be all that bad.

A blog (n)  a tool for remembrance. 

Hmm that's sounds nice. And so I begin. 

A beginning. Remembering a toast. January 1st 2008: "Here's to the year to change our lives". Well Matthew Miller, thus far you seem to be quite right. 

Now back to the Letter. It's a classic, right? Everyone had to read it in high school? Rilee, you must have had the wrong ticket or shown up on the platform late. And so for the first time, I opened to the first page and learned all about that Hester Prynne and her Scarlet Letter. One word: intense. For all the GAGs: you must understand the perfect fit. The book has swallowed me whole, revealing to its bait her own crimson and gold threaded token. Therefore, at times while reading from here to page 203, I will reference the thoughts scripted from a summer read. 

A question possessing no punctuation mark to end it's misery. It continues. Yes, much like a rolling waterwheel: it escaped the mill and rolls just to gather the mud and the gold coins along way (or Chris was it a roller coaster). Whatever the analogy, a question of progression and discovery (Christian, can we go "discovering"? I just won't be able to pay for the gas). A question that may never be answered for the sake to escape complacency. Complacency: fear #1 of 5 actual fears (I have 5 actual fears and 3 ridiculous fears-a reasonable number I'd say). 

...and that's it. The reason for this blog: remembrance, discovery, and the finded (also not a word) answers to the unanswerable question, though wishing to remain anonymous, reveling in the inevitable clarity awaiting in the forthwith passages. 

The stubborn face of irresponsibility

Pass the boundaries of shame and pride, quiet your personal pessimism, and the next minute you might find yourself leaving the country to Guatemala City. We made it. We don't have to do the "fending for ourselves" in El Salvador with only $437 in our pockets (no not literally in our pockets, that would just be foolish). For the next 7 weeks Jimmy, my dear 5'5'' bald El Salvadorian friend, and I will be volunteering in Guatemala. We are going down with HELP International, a non-profit headquartered in Provo. HELP is the liaison between human resources and the NGOs actually in-country. Each week a list of projects are passed around, we choose and get to work. Yes, that sounds nice-getting to work. 

An added addition to love

a friend once asked me how I would describe love. From the one who must prove she had a heart by breaking it, a description revised. 

Love: a baffling spell. 

 

Question: Why does one under the spell desire to shower the other with earnest kisses? Is it from overflowing love? Or, is it matter of assurance; that the wild spirit before them is not utterly delusive, each kiss the capturing net for reality.

 

No, I don't believe you

It's quite the different experience looking at life through the eyes of someone else. When the wind blows, my blue eyes reject the intruding dark strands trying to steal my attention, and then I remember--it's just me, just me in disguise.  

Yes Lisa Pardi, I used to be platinum blonde. This is not my natural hair color. 

I dyed my hair dark brownish-violet. Walking around Central America as a platinum blonde wouldn't have been the smartest thing I have ever done. So, I let April take a chance. 

The differences: 

-I blend into the crowds, and I think I am received better. Austin, I may have lost the "ICY" Russian look.

-Do I feel more sophisticated? No. One does not feel sophistication. Oh, but wait, as of late, I    have been labeled among the "non-sophisticators". Sadly, the hair change didn't have the  chance to do much good. But thank you RJ.  It was a nice compliment. I guess I will just have to  settle for my so called sophistication  to be a state of being. 

(I plan on dyeing it back to blonde anyway).