03.20.09
Posted in Central American Adventure, Guatemala, Making a Difference at 1:42 am by Administrator
I am in El Remate, a very pleasant and tranquil pueblo on Lake Peten-Itza. I have rented a bungalow with a lovely garden for $250a month. Gabriela, who manages the place, is from Trinidad. Her first language is english, but she has lived in Guatemala for 30 years and teaches 
spanish so I am also continuing my spanish lessons.
On my first day with I met with Doña Juaña, the president of the women´s group – Project Ix-Canaan. We discussed our plan, and Tuesday I met with two small groups of women to inquire about their interests. Probably needless to say, it is a group of women, with different levels of interest and engagement.
On Wednesday, I had an amazing opportunity. The Guatemalan government is sponsoring meetings in each of the states for the empowerment of women. I went with Doña Juana to the meeting. There were 40 women there from all over the state of Peten. (As I write this, a baby pig is coming into the room where I am working on the computer). It´s certainly a different world here.
I met with a few other women today, and had a strategy meeting with Doña Juana. Here´s part of the problem. She doesn´t read or write. So one of the things I am doing is to help her everyday. She knows the letters and sounds, so she just needs to sound out the words. I didn´t know that I know how to teach how to read, but apparently I do and that´s one of the things I will be doing.
I am going to Tikal, an ancient Mayan city this weekend. That will be interesting. I am learing about the Guatemalan culture, people and food. The people are very friendly. The food is good. I am learing enough spanish that I understood the driver who told me that ¨”los crocodillos son muy amable,y les gustan gringas!”…. the crocodiles (they are here, but on a different part of the lake) are very friendly, and especially like gringas (foreign girls)! The fact that I understood a joke in spanish made me happy!
Hope you are all doing well. I miss you! I´d love to hear from you if you get a chance!
Allison
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03.11.09
Posted in Central American Adventure, Guatemala, Making a Difference at 6:52 pm by Administrator
Doors. One door closes and another opens.
I have been looking for a volunteer opportunity for several weeks now. I have sent a lot of emails – particularly to organizations and individuals in a town called Quetzaltenago or Xela pronounced Shay-la in Mayan language.
I´d been told Xela is the best place to go and where I can find lots of opportunities. So it was really strange that I wasn´t receiving replies to my emails. I had contacted friends of friends, as well as several NGO´s…. but didn´t get any response.
So the other day I began to wonder, perhaps I´m not supposed to go to Xela. It is actually the second largest city in Guatemala, and it´s actually quite cold there. It´s at 8000 feet so it sometimes snows! Not what I had in mind for my central american adventure.
I was talking to some students who had just delivered medical supplies to a clinic in El Remate. It´s a little town in the department (state) of Peten. It´s near Tikal – the biggest historical Mayan site. There is also a library, computer school, and…. a women´s center.
I sent an email to Anne, a Canadian woman who started the clinic 15 years ago. Low and behold, she replied in 5 minutes! They would love to have me as a volunteer. So I called her on the phone, and we spoke about their needs and my background. I will meet with the women and determine how I can best help them and put together some workshops and training.
I am thrilled. Now I know where I am going. I will fly to Flores, Peten on Sunday, and will be working at Project Ix-Canaan for a month. Here´s a link:
http://www.ixcanaan.com/
It´s located near Lake Peten where I can swim. It will be in the 90´s. And it´s a very small town in the jungle near Tikal. So everything looks like it will be a much better place than Xela.
We need to remember, when we keep knocking on one door, and it doesn´t open, perhaps, there is another way in!
XO!
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03.07.09
Posted in Central American Adventure, Guatemala, Making a Difference, Uncategorized at 12:42 am by Administrator
I flew to Guatemala Tuesday. It´s a place of amazing contrasts. Antigua is a lovely colonial town in the highlands. It´s quite cold at night and in the morning. It warms up a lot during the day. There are beautiful hotels and restaurants, and also hostels and mercados. Both mestizos (latin americans) and indigenous people wander the streets.
I signed up for Spanish classes at La Union and have a private instructor for 4 hours every morning. I´ve also moved in with a family for the next week. It´s intense – I thought my spanish was better. I´ve got lots of bad habits to lose but it gets better each day.
I will be doing my strategic planning workshop at the school of some of the instructors (in spanish) next week. Then I head out to some of the surrounding areas and plan to do the same in some of the indigenous villages.
I think that brings you up to date. It´s Friday night and I need to head home for dinner with my family…. We had an interesting conversation last night about politics and religion. We realized that the whole world faces similar problems in different degrees, but people are people. We all hope for good things in life.
Love and miss you all!
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02.23.09
Posted in Central American Adventure, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Making a Difference, Uncategorized at 8:36 pm by Administrator
I’m getting ready to leave tomorrow for Costa Rica and Guatemala.
It’s very exciting and also a little scary. But I trust that the universe will take care of me and that everything will work out. It sure seems that way. I don’t have a lot of plans in place, but here’s what I do know.
I land in San Jose, Costa Rica tomorrow night. I’m renting a car so that I have freedom and flexibility to move around. I’ll stay in San Jose that night, then plan to head out to the coast. I want to learn to surf.
I went to do yoga the other day, and asked the instructor about Costa Rica. It turns out the studio is doing a yoga retreat in CR the week after I’m there – with a one day overlap. I took a look at the website for Vida Asana and it looks fabulous. So I’m going to drive out there and see if I can negotiate a good rate as an independent traveler. That’s how I like to think of myself – a traveler, not a tourist. If that doesn’t work I’ll try somewhere else. The good news is, the waves are gentle at Playa Hermosa, and I’ll get to do some yoga and maybe even see a few of my yogi friends!
After that I fly to Guatemala City. I will be in Guatemala for 6 weeks doing service work. What that will be is yet to unfold. But again, I am trusting it will all work out. I’m also planning to attend a language school to improve my Spanish. Many of the schools have you study in the morning, and set you up as a volunteer in the afternoon. I hope to work with women, teaching life skills, self reliance, and helping create a better life for themselves and their families. It’s not that I am “better off” than they are, in fact, I believe their simple lives may hold many lessons for me to learn. It is something that calls to my heart – to give back, make a difference, and serve others.
I have a lot of contacts in Guatemala, so something is bound to work out. In particular, another life coach there is picking me up at the airport and taking me to Antigua, the old capital of Guatemala and a world heritage site. I’ll spend a few days there and work out my next step. As it turns out Rosa, who is picking me up, her brother started the Presidential Commission on the Front Against Hunger in Guatemala – which has now expanded beyond Guatemala to other Latin American Countries. Given my love of The Hunger Project, I expect there will be some way I can make an impact or connection there.
As Oprah says, that’s what I know for sure. I am letting go of my need to control it, and just letting it unfold as it should. It’s a real lesson for life. It’s fun. And I can’t wait to see where it takes me!
I’ll keep you posted! But not too often so don’t worry about me! :)
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Posted in Central American Adventure, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Making a Difference at 7:58 pm by Administrator
I have the best of intentions not to take too much. I want to travel light. I’m trying to fit everything into one of those carry-on size wheel aboard suitcases. That was fine until I made contact with another coach in Guatemala. Her brother started the Presidential Commission to end hunger in Guatemala. Now I may be rubbing elbows with a different crowd so I need to bring at least one nice outfit. It’s changed my packing priorities.
I have decided not to take my computer. This is an opportunity to unplug. To be with myself, and to listen to my own internal guidance. That said, I’ll check email periodically (maybe once a week) and will update this blog so that you know that I’m safe, but for the most part I’m planning to just let go of my need to control everything and just enjoy the journey. It is very freeing, a little nerve-wracking, but mostly peaceful. I say that now I as I type away in my office with all my electronic gadgets within arms reach. We’ll see how well I do not stopping at the internet cafes as I walk along the avenue to an from my guest house.
At any rate, I’m almost finished getting ready. Only a few more things outstanding. If they don’t get done, oh well. It’s not like I’m leaving for 6 months. I’ll be back in the blink of an eye!
See you then!
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02.21.09
Posted in Central American Adventure, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Making a Difference at 2:11 am by Administrator
My intentions for this adventure:
I trust God and the Universe to take care of me.
I know that I will have a fabulous trip.
I know that everything is going to be okay, both here at home and for me.
I am making a difference.
I will make wonderful new friends.
I am coming home a changed woman, with a vision for the future and commitment to accomplish it.
I am having fun.
I love my life.
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02.18.09
Posted in Central American Adventure, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Making a Difference at 11:37 am by Administrator
My decision came after much soul searching about what path to take. With the economy the way it is, finding a job seemed daunting. My coaching business is going well, but it’s also impacted by the economy.
Most importantly though, I coach people to chase their dreams and follow their heart. And my biggest dream is to make a difference. I want to work with women, inspiring their self reliance so that they may lead empowered lives and lift themselves out of poverty.
If I want to talk the talk, I need to walk the walk. That means I chase my dreams.
I’m heading to Costa Rica and Guatemala. I’ll be there for 2 months. I plan to work work indigenous people in Guatemala and learn more about the Mayan cuture. I’m working out the details, and it’s looking good (More on that next).
My friends think it’s great. My husband is proud of me. I am excited and a little scared, now that it is getting so close to becoming a reality. I know I am on the right path. And I am allowing my intuition to guide me to the right experiences and know that no matter what happens, it will be an adventure!
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