Tuesday, June 12, 2007
My time in Guatemala has come to an abrupt halt, as the Peace Corps brought me to Washington DC for consultations. I was sorry to leave my friends there, especially John and Nidal, Victoriano and the rest of the family that I had been living with. And unfortunately, I did not have time to really transfer the data from my computer to the Municipality before I left. I can still do that by email, but am afraid that without explanation, a lot of its significance will be lost.
Nidal is in Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan for two months to learn Q'iche' and plan a thesis project for her return in January. Wendy and Nancy are delightful family members, and John is the PCV who will be in the community for two years, working within the education system.
It is very friendly and welcoming here in Washington. There are other PCVs from Ethiopia, Cape Verde, and the Ukrane. And the staff have been interested in the business training I organized in Tanzania and my GPS work in Guatemala. There are also a couple of people I served with in Tanzania who live here in Washington, and I hope to make contact with them, soon.
I've been put up in a very comfortable hotel here, with even kitchen and laundry facilities. This is such a total change from the spartan PC field sites and hanging out in hostels when off-site. I got to the Kennedy Center for a concert of the National Symphony, Leonard Slatkin conducting Mahler's first symphony, and a new commissioned harp concerto of all things.
My first impression on returning to the USA is how ordered, clean and efficient everything is here. No trash, no wasted space. It is also very impersonal. On the streets most people are talking with cellphones plugged into their ears. But even without that there is no eye contact, everyone is in their own very private world. The Metro is almost freaky because it is so quiet. Nobody talks, and everyone is buried in something to read - the newspaper or a book.
Over the weekend I went to Philadelphia and stayed with Phyllis and Bill, old friends. Philadelphia looks wonderful - new buildings, Rittenhouse Square, it felt great just to walk arond and look at things. I'd hoped to hear the symphony here too, but they are already on the summer break. I went to the Unitarian church on Sunday, and received a very warm greeting. All those hugs were rejuvinating.
I just like this picture, and had to include it, as the finale for my Guatemala pictures. It has been tough in some ways, but I regret leaving.
Nidal is in Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan for two months to learn Q'iche' and plan a thesis project for her return in January. Wendy and Nancy are delightful family members, and John is the PCV who will be in the community for two years, working within the education system.
It is very friendly and welcoming here in Washington. There are other PCVs from Ethiopia, Cape Verde, and the Ukrane. And the staff have been interested in the business training I organized in Tanzania and my GPS work in Guatemala. There are also a couple of people I served with in Tanzania who live here in Washington, and I hope to make contact with them, soon.
I've been put up in a very comfortable hotel here, with even kitchen and laundry facilities. This is such a total change from the spartan PC field sites and hanging out in hostels when off-site. I got to the Kennedy Center for a concert of the National Symphony, Leonard Slatkin conducting Mahler's first symphony, and a new commissioned harp concerto of all things.
My first impression on returning to the USA is how ordered, clean and efficient everything is here. No trash, no wasted space. It is also very impersonal. On the streets most people are talking with cellphones plugged into their ears. But even without that there is no eye contact, everyone is in their own very private world. The Metro is almost freaky because it is so quiet. Nobody talks, and everyone is buried in something to read - the newspaper or a book.
Over the weekend I went to Philadelphia and stayed with Phyllis and Bill, old friends. Philadelphia looks wonderful - new buildings, Rittenhouse Square, it felt great just to walk arond and look at things. I'd hoped to hear the symphony here too, but they are already on the summer break. I went to the Unitarian church on Sunday, and received a very warm greeting. All those hugs were rejuvinating.
I just like this picture, and had to include it, as the finale for my Guatemala pictures. It has been tough in some ways, but I regret leaving.
