Xesuj

With the new batch of volunteers chomping at the bit to get started in their jobs, it's almost time to say goodbye to half of our group. It's hard. In the beginning I could feel a much closer bond with the folks I had started with. We all struggled together when we got here while the older volunteers seemed to be so comfortable with their jobs, the language and the kids. As time went on and we started to learn our way around, the line separating new from old became a lot grayer. I consider quite a few of the old volunteers my friends and it's hard to imagine this experience without their presence.

One of the volunteers who'll be leaving next week is Mark. Mark and I are not very close but we're friendly (which is a good thing since not only do we spend all day together in the clinic, we also live in the same house). Mark will be leaving next Saturday to make room for Jack, the new volunteer from Chicago. I've been feeling Jack out and from what I've seen so far I think we're going to be a good team. Mark will be missed in the clinic though, especially by Tia Rosa. They're very close and I know she's not looking forward to having him leave.

Tia Rosa organized a little going away party for the clinic volunteers. As the physical therapist, my friend Hannah is also officially part of the clinic (though we don't usually see each other during the day). All of the clinic staff woke up horribly early for a Saturday (who leaves for a BBQ at 8a?!), packed up picnic stuff and headed out. While we were driving there and chatting about all the delicious foods we had brought, Tia Rosa and I discovered what has so far been my biggest translation flop since being in the clinic. Earlier in the week we had been discussing what we needed to bring and she asked me to bring a "parilla". I had no idea what that was, so I asked for clarification. She said, "You know, the thing you use when you're cooking hamburgers." "Ahh," I said. "You mean this thing..." Not knowing the word for spatula, I acted out flipping a hamburger with a sizzling sound. She confirmed what I was saying and asked if I could bring one. I said no problem and I was quite proud that I remembered to pack our metal spatula the morning of the picnic. Yeah, well it wasn't a spatula she wanted, it was a friggen grill! So with ten of us packed into the car en route to the park, we realized we had no way to cook the ten pounds of raw meat we had. I felt like an idiot, but I also asked her why on earth she would assign the foreign volunteer to bring the grill when I obviously would have no way of obtaining one. Anyway, crisis was averted once we got to the park and discovered that they did, in fact, have grills there for everyone to use. Phew!

The place we went was called Xesuj (pronounced almost the same as the bird from the Lion King- Zazu. Actually I think it was more like Sa-zoo, for those who care). It's a small park located right outside Chimal in a town called San Martin, about half an hour away from NPH. It doesn't look like anything from the road, just a dirt road leading down to a small river. Once you go down a small hill you can see how truly beautiful it really is. It's wonderfully landscaped with peacocks, ducks and guinea hens running around everywhere. They have big cages of monkeys and displays of artwork as you walk around. There's also two big pools that were immaculately kept. Next to the pool is a small waterfall with a cabana next to it. We rented the cabana for the day for $15 and got to enjoy a great breeze that came down from the mountain. Then we spent the rest of the day pigging out on a mixture of American and Guatemalan BBQ food. I made my potato salad and brought hot dogs, but we also ate guacamole, salchichas (sausages), chicken, frijoles and a ton of Mexican beer. It was a really great time :)

Here's Tia Rosa and her husband Ezekial getting food ready while Tio Espana (the dude who usually drives us for all our medical appointments) eats the leftover avocados

Mark helps marinate the shit-ton of meat we brought

Everyone easing into eating mode. The dude in the yellow shirt if Louis Pabo, he's the dentist who overseas the volunteer dentist, Elizabeth (in the blue shirt). The guy in the plaid shirt is Jan, he's the Director of NPH and a former volunteer from Germany. He bought all our beer for the day :)

Hannah and Doctor Nicole chillin on a rock

Roasted tomatoes (which were later crushed and used in a chili sauce. Delicious)

These are the popular chilis in Guatemala. They're called "dientes de perro" or "dog's teeth" hot peppers. They're one of the hottest types of chili peppers available. I have not tried them, nor do I have any desire to do so

Waterfall! That's the cabana we rented next to it. So pretty!

And the view from the cabana. I felt like we were at a resort!