Good Morning, Guate!!!

We have officially arrived in country! What an incredible feeling. All 37 of us have made it to Guatemala and have already begun our training. For our first three nights, we are staying in a hotel called El Mirador (The Lookout) which has the most beautiful view of not one, not two, but THREE VOLCANOES! As y’all know, I’m a Southern girl, who has grown up entirely below sea level and the closest thing we have a mountain is Monkey Hill (which rumor has it reaches 40 ft above sea level). So waking up to these massive volcanoes that kiss the clouds is absolutely breathtaking. Every morning, we wake up around 6am, cherish our warmish showers, and head downstairs to breakfast.

I thought it was a joke when people told me I would be eating beans for every meal here, but let me tell y’all, it is the real deal. This morning’s breakfast consisted of delicious, sweet, boiled plantains, scrambled eggs, warm bread, coffee/tea, and of course, BEANS. I am totally not complaining because all of it was delicious (except the eggs, which I didn't touch, because if y’all know me you know that ain’t gonna happen for as long as I can help it)! After breakfast, we all walk a couple blocks to the Peace Corps office where we have training. The office is absolutely beautiful. But you wouldn’t guess it from the outside. First you walk along these cement walls, lined with barbed wire, and through a metal door into an open area with the most beautiful, green garden, filled with hydrangeas, flowers, and picnic tables for volunteers to hangout. We are technically in training but it’s been more of an orientation so far. Today we took a tour of the office where we met the incredibly, sweet staff, took our I.D. photos, got a few vaccinations from the medical office (hep a, rabies, tetanus, & flu to name a few!), and got an overview of Peace Corp’s Guatemala history. We also had our first language interview! This was a 30 minute one-on-one conversation with a language teacher to see assess our Spanish language proficiency! In order to swear in after our 10-week training, we have to reach a certain level (intermediate-mid) of language proficiency. This is a much higher language level than most Peace Corps countries require. If we don’t reach it, it’s adios and back to the USA we go. So needless to say, I was absolutely terrified. I think all of the blood drained from my face when my name was called to interview. But it ended up being really fun and much less stressful than I thought! I think it went pretty well and I am curious to see what level I am placed in tomorrow! After the stress of that morning (language test & shots!!!) we got to have an amazing lunch in the outdoor garden of yellow rice, chile rellenos, different salsas, and can you guess what else? You guessed it- BEANS! During lunch, I got to talk with some of the current Peace Corps volunteers who happened to be visiting the office. It was great to hear about their experiences and get some words of wisdom. One great piece of advice I took away was to really just take things day-by-day, to take a step back from the big picture, and focus on getting through today and tomorrow. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed and caught up in thinking about being away from home, family, and friends for two years. I know I am exactly where I want to be right now but it’s hard not to let the anxieties overwhelm you. All of this is so new and unfamiliar. But for every anxiety, I remind myself of an aspiration I have for my service here in Guatemala. I will take everything day by day and focus on learning something new every single day, no matter how small. Today, I learned that 400 people applied to Peace Corps Guatemala and 37 of us were accepted. That 37 of us make up Bak’tun 6 and I truly think we’ll go down in Peace Corps history. So remember the name! Bak’tun 6! Truly, I’ve never been a part of such an inspiring, dedicated, passionate, fun group of gringos. Tonight, after making some "About Me" posters (which I doused in gold glitter- WHO DAT?!) to help us introduce ourselves to our host families, we ended with a huge dance party! I'm looking forward to more nights like this...

 Here's a pic of the amazing staff and volunteers who greeted us at the airport in Guatemala!

Our first ride on a "Chicken Bus"! 

The Pope and I

Guess who both arrived in DC today?! Yup, that's right! The Pope and I have been tearing through the Nation's Capital! While he was doing his thing today, I began my Peace Corps staging. Today has been an exhausting, exciting, nerve-wracking blur. It began at the crack of dawn this morning in New Orleans where I had to say an emotional, airport goodbye to my mom, dad, and dog.

I cried my entire way through security, through the boarding of all 4 zones, take off, and only ceased crying when I was able to use my computer on the airplane and watch my go-to movie "Bend It Like Beckham". Shoutout to the American Airline flight attendants who kept me in a constant supply of Kleenex! Arriving in DC, getting my luggage (Mom- the bungee cords came in clutch here), and catching a cab to the hotel all ran pretty smoothly. When I arrived to the hotel, I checked into my room, and had maybe 15 minutes before registration. At 12, on the dot, my entire Guatemala training class filled the hallway outside our meeting/conference room. It was amazing to finally meet everyone! We played plenty of icebreakers, did some hilarious skits about how we would deal with inevitable awkward situations in Guatemala, and really had a great time getting to know one another. Training lasted until 7pm and after, some of us headed off to get our final meal. You would think I would want a big, juicy burger or some type of greasy, American food but some other volunteers and I decided to eat at this little Ethiopian restaurant right near the hotel. I am totally my mother's daughter! Now, I'm back in the hotel and have exactly 3 hours and 3 minutes until we all have to be up for our flight to Guatemala. I don't know when I'll have internet access again once I leave the States, but I so look forward to writing my next blog post from GUATEMALA! Besos y abrazos!

5 Days till Departure!

Clothes are everywhere. I started out with a plan, making small, specific piles to help the packing process but it all has turned into one giant pile. No surprise there. With 5 days until my departure to Washington, DC for staging, I am now meticulously deciding what makes the cut for my next two years in Guatemala and what will sit in my closet, hanging out, awaiting my return. For anyone new here, hey, my name's Josephine! I am a recent Connecticut College graduate who has been invited to serve with the Peace Corps in Guatemala as a Youth in Development Volunteer for the next two years. In 5 days, on September 22, 2015, I fly to Washington, DC for a day long orientation where I'll officially begin my Peace Corps journey and met my fellow volunteers. We will all be in DC for less than 24 hours! On the 23rd, will all wake up at 2 am and fly to our training site in Guatemala. For anyone who doesn't exactly know where Guatemala is, here's a handy, little map:

I will be training in a city called Santa Lucia, where the Peace Corps Guatemala headquarters are located. I will spend 3 months training in Santa Lucia and living with a host family! I've already got some New Orleans souvenirs to bring and share a little piece of my home with my new family. And to all my friends and family in New Orleans, I'll be sharing pieces of my journey with y'all via this blog! So stay tuned and if anyone has any advice on how to pack my life for 27 months into 2 50LB suitcases and a carry-on, hit me up! Say it with me friends, "¡Sí, se puede!"