Closing in on the End

Hello Folks!
    My group made it back from Chiapas on Friday safely.  The past two days we spent at CASAS and are getting ready to go to Antigua for Holy Week, also trying to pack up to come home!  Our time in Chiapas was a whirl wind of experiences, from the good to the bad.  It was about 20 degrees gotter in Chiapas and really humid.  Good thing it was the rainy season, at least it felt cooler during the evening.  The people there were so kind and open, it was a small town and everyone knew each other.  The food there was quite different at times, and so was the culture.  Our group may have had a hard time adjusting because everyone seemed to be getting sick, even me.  (And my mom knows how often I get sick...very rarely.) 
  We stayed in host families again and we stayed in pairs.  Our house was a little bit outside, with no shower, and no toilet seat.  But my host mom always made everything good!  The coffee plantations were incredible!  The focus on getting as many plants per hectacre and know every tree by name and what it does.  I am so amazed at the work they put in.
Okay, Breakfast time,
Will continue with detail later,
Take Care and God Bless,
Kiersten

Traveling Once More

Hello Again Folks!
    I am back in Guatemala after a long two day journey home from Belize.  We got back around 5:30 Guate time, and we all really enjoyed the cool spring weather that the city has!  It was a great rest of the week in Placencia, the beach, and we now are getting prepared to travel again to the southern-most state of Mexico tomorrow morning.  We will be there for a week and a half and be living with host families.  During this week we will be interacting with the community there and learning more about the coffee finca/cooperative they have created.  This is something that I am really passionate about and really want to learn more about.  This community has sworn to keep this community from immigrated to the US and keeping jobs/economy there in Mexico.  I am looking forward to having this opportunity to experience what it really takes to have my cup of coffee every morning.  I will not have internet this whole week, so I will have a lot to say next week. 
This community is also quite more rural then the city that we are used to, so pray that my group can handle the more rustic feel.  We are all quite excited but nervous at the same time.   All is worth it in the end, as long as I do not get malaria or anything else while I am there (everyone knock on wood please!).
Here is to a week of bucket showers and sweaty clothes!

Take Care and God Bless,
Kiersten

New Year, New Age, New Country...and New Climate

Hello Everyone!!
     We finally wrapped up our last week in Guatemala City with classes and host families and last but not least...the cool weather.  My group left and headed north to the Caribbean sea up the north of Guatemala (Rio Dulce, more of a market town with sweet water, and Livingston, which is made up of indigenous Mayan communities, Black Gurifuna communites, and retired white people communities) and into Belize, which is where I currently am.  The Caribbean climate is quite different than the spring climate in the city.  Our group trudged through and sweat buckets everyday for the first couple days, but the scenery and people were wonderful.  Yesterday, my birthday, we traveled from Livingston GA to Placencia...aka THE BEACH!!  It was fantastic to finish my birthday out with my awesome group mates, but I do miss everyone from home! 
   It has been soo interesting as we have met interesting people, and wandered into interesting places.  We travel back Saturday and Sunday, then make our way, my whole group, to Chiapas Mexico next Tuesday, and I am looking forward to that experience!
  Please continue to pray fro my group and our experience here, and that God opens our eyes to more than what we are used to, and that he may challenge our hearts and minds to really think through our everyday lives and what our choices effect in the world picture.
Thank you guys for everything!!!
Take Care and God Bless,
Kiersten

Fairwells and New Places

Hello Folks!
 It has been an incredible journey so far, and this week we finish our two month stay in Guatemala City to move on to free travel week and Mexico.  I am astounding at the time and how fast it has gone, but this time has been so powerful to say the least.  Spanish classes are wrapping up and I will be glad to not do anymore daily homework!  My teachers have been wonderful and honestly have helped me a lot with speaking.  It is amazing to think of where I was two months ago and where I am now.
  There past two months have stretched me beyond where I could ever see myself stretching.  God has given me opportunities to really challenge myself and grow through every experience that I am presented here with.  We have seen many sides to this city, and all sides have shown what an influence America has on this place.  Everywhere you go there is the lastest from allthe main rappers, Lady Gaga, Justin Beiber, ect.  Everyone sports Hollister and Abercrombie aand Fitch, even the indigenous woman I have seem where hollister jackets over their traditional dress.  But although the influence is high, Guatemala is still its own.  I have fallen in love with the culture, and fresh fruits and panederias everywhere...but most importantly with the people.  There is so much hope here in a country that has been struggling for years in regards to war and discrimination.  I continually am amazed at how simply wonderful it is to have a community that is working to spread peace and love instead of violence and separation.  There are sometimes gun shots outside in the distance, and I am also constantly reminded of the violence that surrounds the city.  But out of all the people that I have interacted with, I can´t say that I have met one that has been rude to me.  People are respectful and kind, and hnestly want to have a better Guatemala.  I am so sad that I have to leave this place, but I know that there are more amazing experiences to come! 
Next week we will all be traveling around the country for free travel.  My group and I will be traveling up north and cross into Belize!  It will be a relaxing weekend and I can only hope that it will be safe and loads of fun, especially because I will be spending my birthday on a magnificent BEACH!!  Then we will travel as a whole groupt oChiapas Mexico, but for now, I will leave you with love and blessings.
Again, thank you all for being willing to keep updated on my ware abouts and continously sending prayers my way, I appreciate everyone!
Take Care and God Bless,
Kiersten

Ps- I have the website below of the emu website that we send updates as a group with pictures and what not, enjoy!
http://emu.edu/now/crosscultural/category/guatemala-usmexico-border-2011/

Halfway and Bittersweet

Hello Folks!
    It has been a month, so sorry!!  Things have been very eventful and busy as we dove into intense spanish courses with tons of work, and not to mention all of the time living with our host families.  It has been such a wonderful experience!  We have spent about 6 weeks here in Guatemala City with only two more until we leave for free travel and Chiapas, Mexico.  These past six weeks have been so fulfilling in the city.  I never thought that I would enjoy a city so much, but I lvoe the culture that ignites this city day by day.
    All is well, but there are always challenges that are hard to grasp and process along the way.  It has conitued to be overwhelming to be the one white American on the bus every single day and get comments that people automatically think that I do not understand.  It has been so frustrating to still not comprehend everything that my family says to me and to over and over again ask them to repeat things.  My host family has been an outstanding addition to this trip.  Their patience with me is by far one of the most humbling parts of my experience here.  I can not explain the gratitude that I have for them as they drive me to school everyday, get me to where I need to be, embraced me into their family, give me shelter and way too much food, reached out with guidance, love and acceptance when they barely know anything about me. I still find it tough to live in such a fortunate home.  The city proves to be on of the parts where I have been shown a lot of upscale complexes and ´colonias´ and people sporting hollister and nicer clothes than I wear.  But this past weekend we were fortunate to visit an area that, although is still beaming with tourism, struggles more than most people in the city.  Our hotel had an unfinished roof and a lot of us would like to go up and sit.  From this roof we had a spectacular view of a volcano, and the sunset.  We could also see the majority of the town around us, and all of the lighted towns across Lake Atitlan.  Amidst this magnificent scenery, shackles and unfinished and rusted buildings took up the rest of our view.  It was hard to realize that many of these people may not even have what I brought in my backpack.
   But no matter where I went in this village, there were smiling venders, playing children, families working, and even a coffeeshop (which of course I had to go into!).  I walked into this woman´s coffeeshop and she had many various drinks and snacks available.  As I bought a small cup of hot chocolate, I sat and observed all of the people walking by.  It was amazing to see the amount of people carrying large amounts of wood and tortilla dough on their backs.  We also got to see a cooperative that has been set up in the next town.  This was a wonderful sight.  About 20 women and their families have worked to set up new found freedom for their surroundings; as this village area was struck by a devastating mudslide 6 years ago and struggle to stay afloat.  It is beyond remarkable that these women and their families have been able to succeed to provide a sense of security for their people in this hardship.
   In the past month we have also visited Tikal, Peten in the north of Guatemala, MCC offices in the city, a forensic lab where thousands of indigenous bodies are finally being identified from the war, coffee fincas (yes Dad this does mean MORE FAIR TRADE coffee:)), and many conversations with human rights activists and political professors on what makes Guatemala Guatemalteca, the word for the Guatemalan culture.
As we wind down the last two weeks here, it is bittersweet.  I have fallen in love with this culture, and with the people who make it brillant.  I admire the dedication of the many inspiring people I have encountered that devote their lives to making a better tomorrow for thier country.  Not only Guatemalas, but my group as well.  My group has been such an excellent part of my journey here and getting to know them and their stories has been incredibly fulfulling.  I look forward to what is to come, and to the challenges that are still to arise.
I thank each and everyone of you for fallowing me and taking the time to read my thoughts.  I ask for prayer while I continue to journey along in these forgein lands, and I do tremendously feel the support that you all are giving me from miles away.
Take Care and God Bless,
Kiersten
PS- If any of you heard about the potential tsunami that was scheduled to hit Guatemala, and the Central American Pacific coast, in result of the earthquake in Japan...it did not occur and we were never in danger.  The whole country is in celebration that God kept this away from their people. 

Challenges and Celebrations

Hello Everyone!
    It has been about two weeks since my last post and they have been two busy weeks at that.  Getting settled into my host family and spanish class has been challenging but such a great experience.  I am really starting to adapt to the life down here, which I find to be not so different than city life in the US.  My host family is wonderful.  They are patient with me when I have no idea what I am saying and are willing to help me when I am completely stuck, which is most of the time.  My brothers and sister speak english and they like to practice their english as well.  Most evenings consist of reading my assignments, asking my brothers for help with spanish, playing games, laughing (a lot), and talking with my family about everything.
     Scheduling has been a bit of an adjustment.  Every morning I wake up around 5 am and get ready for the day.  My brothers´schools start around 7:30, so we leave at 6:50 to go to school.  I go with them because my Mom offers me a ride, which means I do not have to take the bus to school.  (Although I take the bus home and it is not that bad. It usually only takes me about 15-20 minutes everyday.)   My classes do not start until 8:30, so I get to CASAS extra early and finish homework, check my email, read ect. 
    Spanish class is also challenging at points because it is a class of 3 students, so me and 2 others.  My teacher is very patient and willing to assist us, ut certainly pushes us hard.  All in all I am able to practice speaking quite frequently and keep butchering everything, but I guess its part of the experience! haha
    Adjusting to the lifestyle has been so neat.  Yes, challenges are always lerking, but I seem to have a good grip on being able to be flexible.  I have been having slight problems with my joints for some reason.  It started in my knees and back and has switched back and forth throughout my body such as my fingers and toes and elbow.  Deanna, on of my professors say that it might be my body adjusting to the high altitude here.  It comes and goes and has not been too much of a problem, but has continued to be a small challenge.
   I have also been challenged with too much technology.  We have access to the internet everyday and my host family has a lot of access to TV and other technological devices.  It is hard not to want to use them all the time.  But I do feel like it is important to distance myself enough to be fully in the experience.  I have been thinking a lot about truly being present in the times that I am given.  Being fully present means taking time to fully be in conversation with the people around me and struggle with how to be a forgeiner in a land where I stick out quite a bit.  But, so far so good.
     Although I have been challenged and pushed to my limits at points, there have been numerous things to celebrate along the way.  After being immersed in a culture where spanish thrives, I  have gained a new appreciation for the english language.  One speaker that we listened to said that your native language will always be yours.  It is the way you express yourselve in the most passionate and difficult times.  English is my language, and forever will be, but I pray that this willnot hinder my desire to learn more Spanish in the future.  I celebrate the fact that I am able to have running water and a warm shower every other day, an a room all to myself.  I also appreciate my fellow travelers and the things that they are teaching me about themselves and even about me. 
   To conclude I have really had a great time so far.  I continue to be pushed and strive to keep going although  am too frustrated or tired.  May God conitue to show me his vision for my life and that I will be ever blessed with his grace and mercy.

Take Care and God Belss to all,
Kiersten

New Home, New Classes, New Lessons

I am finally in the Land of Eternal Spring, Guatemala.  It is one of the most amazing places ever.  Last week my group finally arrived in Guatemala a week ago today and we have spent some time at CASAS, Central America Study and Service, and getting settled into spanish classes and our host families.  My host family is awesome!  I have thre younger siblings, Maria who is 18, Jorge who is 16 and Juancho who is 15.  It is so awesome to finally have brothers.  It is such an interesting experience being in a country that does not speak my language and being disoriented when I can't figure out what my host mother is trying to tell me.  Every night so far we have not gone more than 10 minutes without some form of laughter.  I am quickly realizing that learning a new language is not easy.  Yes, I have been in spanish classes for 5 and a half years but really have not had much practice with speaking actual spanish.  It gets better and worse everyday in multiple ways.  I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me here in this wonderful place! 

At the Border Crossing

Hello All!  I have successfully gotten through the first week and a half of my journey.  After traveling to the Border, our brains were filled with many stories and struggles and frustrations on both “sides” of the issue of immigration.  My group stayed in a community center that had little to no heat, low functioning toilets and showers, not too good water, and no window shades.  It was a spread of air mattresses every night on the floor and with a plethora of wool blankets and under armor.  We went and were taken about by the Mission La Frontera de Cristo and visited many places each day.  I was astonished on how much all of the different organizations all knew each other and were trying to work together to make the city a better place.  The border town Agua Prieta is known as a transition town because a lot of people travel there in hopes to one day cross the border into the United States.  Our tours of the week included a drug habilitation center, an immigrant/deportee shelter, a migrant resource center, a day of only surviving on about 29 dollars a day for all of a factory working families’ utilities, an actual border patrol station in Naco, AZ, breakfast at an actual border patrol’s house, a vigil for the many people that have died just at this border, had a fabulous dinner at the local nuns’ house, a tour of the Mexican consulate, a guided hike to the actual border wall in the middle of the desert, a coffee roasting plant of Café Justo and numerous homemade dinners made by community members, and the cute quaint town of Bisbee.   As you can tell, we had a packed week.  With this busy schedule it was very hard to keep fresh and processed at all times.  There were many times when a lot of us would say that we were drained and almost mad that there were some many struggles among this issue.  One of the main arguments of the week was that it is hard to say that this is a “black and white” issue because there is a lot of gray area.  Although I agree that there are not just two sides within the debate of immigration, I beg to define “gray” differently.  Gray sounds bland and almost unimportant and unfamiliar.  The experiences we encountered this week I would say added color, added humanity into the picture that has become statistics only.  Many times this week I caught myself being confused and washed out and not completely realizing that this is an actual hardship for too many people.  Time and time again we would talk to someone and they would have a story; a story of crossing, living and working in the United States and getting caught.  Not only getting caught but many times being deported after living in the United States for all of the time that they can remember.  It is a hard thing to discuss, who should be here and who shouldn’t be here.  As our group passed in and out of the US each day with ease I could only think about a man that we met named Jose.  Jose has been brought to Pheonix, Arizona when he was just 2 and grew up there.  He continued schooling and work there and even had 3 kids there.  It only took one wrong move that would get any US citizen a fine that got him sent to Pinal County Jail to serve a year and a half in jail before being processed and deported into what was an unfamiliar native land.  As he spoke perfect English, we asked him question after question about his journey and I cannot image the thought of being separated from three kids who think that you abandoned them.  Although deported, he mentioned that he plans to cross again to make it back for his daughter’s middle school graduation.  I pray for his, and many others, journeys as they risk their lives for their loved ones.

                As we all were continuously were heart broken by their stories, I found hope in a place called Café Justo.  Café Justo is, what they refer to as “Fair Trade PLUS”.  Not only is this a co-operative that gives fair wages to all of its employees and families, it cuts of the middle man processor completely in order to cut costs down to the bare minimum.  While many farmers and factory workers strive to earn $3.50/day, Café Justo can give about $25/day for the work that they do.  Not only are they cultivating a stable work economy, they are keeping the profit in Mexico and keeping anyone that works for them in need to cross the border for a “better” life.  This gives me hope, not only because it is sparking a beautiful company, but that it makes AMAZING coffee.  If anyone you have a chance, please look up Café Justo coffee and research what they are about.  They do not even roast their coffee until you put it an order for it online to keep it at its freshest taste quality.  I see God in the eyes of these workers as they are a daily reminder of trusting the Lord.  Starting a company from scratch is not easy and what they have done is absolutely phenomenal. 

                I leave all of you with a clear sense of pensiveness.  I am overjoyed to have God open my eyes to others stories and life journeys, not to mention all the rice and beans I could ever want haha.  I believe that it is not the decisiveness that we need to strive for, but that we need more conversations and more open minds to accept our neighbors with just as much and if not more of a story than we do. 

                As for what is next, my group packs up for Guatemala tonight and heads for the airport tomorrow morning.  We will travel to Guatemala City and arrive about 9:30, about 10:30 EST.  I give all of you blessings and ask that you continue to pray for not only me but my group as we start school and live with host families in the next two months. 

Take Care and God Bless,

Kiersten

The Middle Ground

Hello All!! On Wednesday my group left Harrisonburg, VA and arrived safely in Tuscon, AZ.  It has already been such a great experience!  Yesterday we kicked off the semester by traveling to Florence, AZ to take a tour of the Florence Detention Center that holds illegal immigrants after they are caught.  Although there is more to it than that, it was such an eye-opening experience.  When we got there, we were greeted by many guards and regulations on what we were allowed to bring in and what we were not allowed to bring in.  We were all escorted into a conference room and the director began a powerpoint on the history and logistics of the center.  They currently hold around 320 men, but held about 40,000 men in the past year.  After the introduction, we actually got a tour of the base itself.  It was hard to keep myself mindful of what these men had gone through.  As we walked through the barbed wire with ease, I couldn't help but think what these men had to do everyday, that is live within barbed wire cages.  On the bright side, these men were treated quite nicely with three hot meals, 4 hours of outside recreation a day, living spaces with flat screen TVs, their own locker, the ability to receive mail, and a bed to sleep in.  To be a tad blunt, but I couldn't help but think that most men would rather be here in this detention center than in their home of fear or poverty.  After we left the detention center, we met with an EMU alum and talked about her battle to fight the detention center with the way they ran the center.  Yes, they did provide for their detainees, but they really only showed us the "positive" aspects of the center itself.  She went on to describe how this governmental organization twist many rules and take away most of these mens rights as human beings. 
As I left with these questions, I kept wondering what was fair and what was just.  Are these things the same? Are they different?  So many arguments on immigration are focused on what is right and what is wrong.  But I do not think there is a straight answer for either "side".  I do not believe that men, women, or children should be poorly treated although not legally in this country, but I do believe that the reason that they are fleeing their own countries is a tragedy.  Yes, some come simply to make money, but some literally come here in hopes of survival, not only for them, but for their families and the ones they love.  Most live in fear of being killed upon return and the harm that will be inflicted on their loved ones. 
For me, this is a devastating human rights issue that will continue to be twisted and complicated no matter what legislation comes about.  It is a struggle to keep an open-mind when all these lies fill the media and tabloids.  Either way, good or bad, right or wrong, black or white, I stand for justice.  Justice in the sense that every human being, whether American or not deserve to live on a land that they love.  That if my family and loved ones were in danger, I sure as hell would do all I could to protect them and keep them safe.  Justice that keeps this race together, unseparated in the eyes of humanity.  I am aware that this is a dream that will be hard to obtain, but it takes a start to create an end, and I have to start somewhere.

To direct my conversation elsewhere, my group is doing really well!  We are really learning a lot and will continue to be traveling in the next couple weeks.  It has been a bit odd that we are still in transition between our home and Guatemala as we find ourselves still in the US.  Therefore, as we travel to the border tomorrow (Nogales, Douglas, AZ and Agua Prieta, Mexico) may we keep learning and having God open our hearts to the struggles of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Take Care and God Bless,
Kiersten