Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Sometimes it is just hard to keep things going. I've been using GPS to map the communities in the municipality here, but for some reason, I lost the map I have been creating with the GPS data. I need to spend some time with my GPS trainer, but he is hard to pin down. Fortunately all the data I generated is safe, I just need to get the map program working again.
Meanwhile, I could be mapping more communities. But I don't have a car, and have to find a pickup truck going my way, or ride along with someone here who is headed out to meet with the community leaders or supervise housing construction. But my ride yesterday cancelled at the last minute, for lack of training materials, and my ride today cancelled because construction materials hadn't been delivered to Pacorral II. Besides, it was very cloudy and overcast this morning, and I wasn't too anxious to get caught in rain, a two-hour hike from nowhere.
The Peace Corps is sending me training materials so I can conduct some community meetings on how to organize and prepare for natural disasters. I've gotta admit to some trepidation on this, due to my so-so Spanish and the need to have it translated into K'iche' to be understood.
There are two other local news stories today. The teachers are on strike and are blocking the highways today. Money is an factor of course, but also the gov't plans to privatize many of the schools. The other issue seems wierd. Seems the community that used to be the seat of government before it was moved here is in rebellion and wants to have their own mayor. Two mayors in one municipality? And this, right before elections. Why don't they just put up their own candidate for mayor and so take over the whole shebang if they win?
Meanwhile, I could be mapping more communities. But I don't have a car, and have to find a pickup truck going my way, or ride along with someone here who is headed out to meet with the community leaders or supervise housing construction. But my ride yesterday cancelled at the last minute, for lack of training materials, and my ride today cancelled because construction materials hadn't been delivered to Pacorral II. Besides, it was very cloudy and overcast this morning, and I wasn't too anxious to get caught in rain, a two-hour hike from nowhere.
The Peace Corps is sending me training materials so I can conduct some community meetings on how to organize and prepare for natural disasters. I've gotta admit to some trepidation on this, due to my so-so Spanish and the need to have it translated into K'iche' to be understood.
There are two other local news stories today. The teachers are on strike and are blocking the highways today. Money is an factor of course, but also the gov't plans to privatize many of the schools. The other issue seems wierd. Seems the community that used to be the seat of government before it was moved here is in rebellion and wants to have their own mayor. Two mayors in one municipality? And this, right before elections. Why don't they just put up their own candidate for mayor and so take over the whole shebang if they win?
