The siege continues. I've been back in country for almost two weeks, and still haven't been able to go back to site due to the situation in Alta Verapaz. So I've been living out of a bag, volunteer-hopping around the country with Sabiha, a fellow Alta Verapaz refugee. It's really hard at times, and I'm nervous about all the work I'm missing being out of site so long. But Sabiha helps me stay positive, and we decided to aprovechar of this evacuation as free vacation time to roam the country. So we ventured out West, hitting Panajachel on Lago Atitlan (gorgeous little town), Solola, Totonicapan, Quetzaltenango, and finally Xela, where we went to the welome party for the newest group of sworn-in volunteers. The West is beautiful (albeit cold cold cold), and it was nice to be able to visit so many other volunteers in their sites. I have a new found respect for those PCVs living in cold mountain sites...when there's no central heat, cold is definitely a hardship that you can't escape.
After Xela we stopped through Grace's site in Chimaltenango, and today I'm back to Antigua to do laundry and regroup. We heard the news yesterday that the siege (that was supposed to end today) is being extended for another 30 days by the Guatemalan governent. Peace Corps can't give us too much information at this point; we have another meeting this coming Monday to discuss possible "alternatives" for the "short and longer term." I'm nervous, and I have my suspicions that we may be evacuated for good. I'm trying my hardest to stay positive though, and patiently wait for updates from PC headquarters. I'm trying not to get ahead of myself and think about what might happen in the event of a permanent evacuation.
...One day at a time.
Dreams of a Beached Cow
10 years ago
Thank God for your pal Sabiha! You are very brave, Hannah banana.
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