08.27.09
Posted in China, Empowering Women, Making a Difference at 3:29 pm by Administrator
I’ve been asked by many if I’ve given up the blog, and the answer is NO! I’ve just been a bit distracted this summer and didn’t know where I was heading next. Now I know.
I have been invited to be a Founding Facilitator at the World Academy for the Future of Women at SIAS University in Henan, China. I’m heading there in September, and will be facilitating the very first session in a series of 8 modules that will take place over the next 9 months. I will be co-facilitating and partnering for future business opportunities in China with Patty Vogan, founder of Victory Coaching. We’ll be in China September 18 – October 24.
In route to China I’m going to Moscow and Budapest to teach a couple of workshops for Microsoft. I’m thankful to have an opportunity to work all over the world and make money doing it. The opportunity in China continues my journey this year to make a difference. That’s what I set out to do in Guatemala, and the experience was way beyond my expectations. There are a lot of unknowns since this is the inaugural year of the academy, but that was the case when I went to Guatemala. In fact, I didn’t know what I was doing at all and it turned out beautifully. When I get back from China it will be time to figure out what I’m going to do next. So far, things have always worked out and I am trusting that this will be the same!
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07.04.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 1:18 am by Administrator
There are now 45 women in Group 2. Some have multiple gardens. We are producing lots of food. Cucumbers have been to most successful crop. Some have had radishes and cilantro. We’ve added swiss chard and white and black beans and both are growing well.
We’ve not had good luck with tomatoes, but that has helped us learn a few lessons. We planted several gardens yesterday, one which had beautiful tomato plants. It turns out that Dona Gorgonia brought in the soil of her corn field. You can see how much richer the soil looks compared to the other gardens. Her plants are flourishing. Now we know that we need to improve the soil.
The good news is, we can do that. On my first day back in Guatemala, I met a woman at the guest house in Guatemala City where I was staying. Louisa is a volunteer from Canada working in another part of Guatemala. She is travelling here with her ex-husband for 3 weeks. Her diverse background includes teaching people how to compost. So a few days later when she came through El Remate and called me looking for a place to stay, I got them settled up at Sak Luk and then set her up to do a class for the women the next day.
About 20 showed up and learned about mixing carbon and nitrogen ingredients to create a chemical reaction. They mix newspaper, cardboard, ashes, sawdust, vegetables, fruit, egg shells, and of course, the necessary pupo de vaca, pupo de caballo, and pupo de gallienas…. That’s cow, horse, and chicken manure. Mixed together several times a week with water, in a few weeks they’ll have compost to add to the soil that will create greatly improve their crops.
That was the first step – knowledge. The next step is to create a sense of urgency. After seeing the much better results in Dona Gorgonia’s garden, the next day a compost pile with Floridalma, Angelica’s mother. It was great to have another opportunity to review the basics. They all seem to understand and I am pleased that they are anxious to jump in and do what they can to improve the gardens.
Then today we ate lunch at Dona Lina’s house. She lives on a corner across from where I meet with the women for the reunions. I can tell she cleaned the house, and then made us a wonderful lunch of cucumber and tomato salad, a spinach-like vegetable called Yerba Mora, and chicken and vegetable soup. There was also the standard tortillas and rice for Alanna. Lemonade to drink and good company. Lina has 5 sons and a daughter. The oldest son, Gustavo is still at home while working in the town nearby. He wants to be a lawyer. Jenny, the oldest daughter lives in Guatemala city and has a baby of her own. The other four boys – Daniel, Hector, Arnold are always participating in the group activities and are often the ones setting off firecrackers…
Caesar is Lina’s husband. He helped her build her garden and was there when we planted. He asked a lot of great questions that day. Today I found out why. Caesar had worked in a nearby reforestation project run by the Taiwanese government. There they are growing small plants that are then transplanted into the forest. Caesar knows all about gardening. He is going to do a class for us on Saturday to help the women learn how to grow the small plants from seed and then transplant them into their gardens.
I am so pleased to have this expertise come to us. I am at a bit of a loss not knowing more about gardening, especially here in Peten, the jungle. Conditions are good for growing – it is hot and humid, but we need to use the right techniques. I have also just found out that we also need to pay attention to the phases of the moon. During certain days it is bad to plant seeds. The plants may grow, but they won’t yield a crop. The people here know about this from their corn fields. Most all of them have some land that has been in the family for generations where they grow corn. They pay attention to the cycles of the moon and only plant during the second and third quarters of the moons cycle. If they plant in the 4th quarter there is no yield. They can’t explain it other than to describe the results. I don’t understand it, but it certainly is interesting!
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06.22.09
Posted in Central American Adventure, Gardens, Guatemala, Mayan Calendar, Triathlon, Uncategorized at 11:24 pm by Administrator
I did it!
That is the main thing. I am very happy to just do that… the rest is icing on the cake. And there was plenty (bastante) of that….
When I registered on Saturday afternoon a small crowd had gathered. It is a well run event despite being small. They normally have about 250 entrants, but this year due to the swine flu and economic crisis attendance was about 100. My number was 52 – a magical number in the Mayan Calendar. 52 is 4 x 13. Most things in the calendar are counted in cycles of 13, and 4 is the number of the cardinal directions (North, South, East, West). It was a good sign of things to come.
It was a beautiful day in El Remate. I didn´t sleep much – too much excitement – so I woke up early and went down to the playa about 6am. People were just beginning to arrive. Being blonde, and tall, I stand out, so everyone talked to me to wish me buen suerte (good luck).
At 7am sharp we started the swim. Not wanting to be in the crowd, I hung back a little and took off after the majority had left the beach. The 1km swim seemed a bit longer than I expected since I´d had little opportunity to train. I rounded the first buoy, then the second, completing the triangle in about 25 minutes….
Then onto the bike. Riding through El Remate the women and their families were lining the streets to cheer me on. What a boost to my energy. I did this as much for them as myself. The first 4 miles is a series of BIG hills. I had trained on them twice so I knew what I was facing. I climbed the hills (poco a poco – little by little) finally reaching El Caoba at the top of the hills. The road continues on through small pueblos, farms, and sections of jungle. It is a beautiful ride. Some friends from El Remate drove along with me for the whole ride. It was wonderful to hear them cheering me on. 20 miles later I arrived in Tikal, the great Mayan pyramid center.
Only a 4 mile run to go. I took off into the jungle. It´s a beautiful park in the middle of the rainforest. We ran from Temple G Complex to Temple P on the other side of the park…. Then past Temple 4, the highest in the park at 74meters, and then past El Mundo Perdido, the Lost World, my favorite group of temples. Finally I rounded the corner and could see Temple 2 looming ahead and a big sign indicating I had reached the finish line. It read META….
Meta means goal. My goal had been to finish in under 3hours. I finished in 2 hours 50 minutes. They placed a medal around my neck and called my name. My friends – Alanna, Estella, Erwin, Esmeralda, and Di were there to welcome me to the central plaza. It was very exciting. I achieved my goal to finish. We hung out at the central plaza for awhile just enjoying the positive energy and satisfaction of achieving a goal. Taking time to celebrate the moment.
The group went on to tour the pyramids and I went back with Estella and Esmerelda to collect my bike and shower. Come to find out, there was a celebration luncheon for the participants back at the Tikal entrance… We walked in late, but the timing was absolutely perfect. Just as we walked in they were announcing the winner of the category Women age 40 – 49…. and guess what? I came in 2nd Place behind a professional triathlete! What a surprise! I received a trophy, and a hug from the Los Pinos Cow… (a milk company sponsored the event). Pictures to follow…
It was an incredible day to add to my list of amazing adventures here in Guatemala. I am so happy to have finished and to have shared it with good friends. I can´t wait to show the trophy to the women. I hope to be an example of what can happen when you set a goal and work to achieve it….
One last thing…. when I introduced myself to Eduardo Cofino, the organizer, we had an amazing discussion. We had met in El Remate on my last trip. He remembered me and ask what I am doing back in El Remate. I told him I am here working with the women to plant gardens. He said he can help…. He is in charge of the Guatemalan development bank and allocates funds to non-profits. He said he can help us get legalization, and money…. a lot of money. I almost started to cry…. Wow – was that ever icing!
My incredible journey continues. I just wonder what will be the surprise today!
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06.19.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:24 am by Administrator
I´m back in El Remate. The women of Group 2 just threw a big party to welcome me back. The group is now 45 strong. 45 gardens or more. Many have added a second garden. The cucumbers are prolific. The tomatos un poco despacio (a little slow), and most of the radishes are already eaten.
I´ve been swimming and biking, so I´m as ready as I can be for the triathlon. It´s on Sunday, the summer solstice. I´ll be biking through the neighborhoods and to hear the women applaud will charge me up the hills. And hills there are. I did a practice ride the other day and it´s challenging, but I can do it. It doesn´t matter how long it takes, this is about participating… not just in a triathlon, but also in life.
I was talking to some of the women the other day… life is like a garden. We plant seeds, and some of them grow and others don´t. And we don´t get to eat right away… the garden requires care. With patience, a little sun and water, tiny seeds turn into vegetables… food…. life.
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06.01.09
Posted in Central American Adventure, Guatemala, Tikal, Triathlon at 6:04 pm by Administrator
I’ve been home a month, barely time to catch my breath and I’m leaving to go back to El Remate in less than 2 weeks… Why?
1) To participate in the El Remate Triathlon
2) To eat the vegetables that we planted in the gardens
3) To see if El Remate is still as magical as it was the first time… who knows where I’m going to end up!
Yes, there is an El Remate Triathlon, called Hombre Maya. It’s a 1km swim in beautiful lake Peten-Itza, 34km bike to Tikal, the famous Mayan Pyramids, and 7km run in the pyramids, ending in the central plaza of the pyramids. When? June 21, the summer solstice, when there’s almost guaranteed to be a ceremony by Mayan Shamans celebrating the passage of time and praying for world peace. All that calls to me, and I began thinking about participating the day I heard about it while I was still in El Remate.
Then, the women asked me when the vegetables would be ready to eat. About 2 months I guessed, judging based on how long vegetables take to harvest here. I was wrong. They are already eating radishes and cilantro, but the majority will be ready in mid-June. With the triathlon on June 21 and the vegetables ready to eat, the stars aligned, making my decision to return to El Remate a no-brainer. Plus, if I’d left not knowing I would be coming back, I would have been quite sad. Instead of saying good-bye, it was merely hasta luego, to the women and friends I had come to love in just a few short weeks.
Now I’m getting organized… how do I get my bike to Guatemala? Where will I go once I get arrive? The thrill and uncertainty of international travel…. One thing I know for sure, it will be an adventure!
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04.28.09
Posted in Central American Adventure, Guatemala at 4:57 pm by Administrator
In my last hurrah, I jumped off a cliff. Literally.
My last day in San Marcos, I went paragliding. I thought it a fitting end to a wonderful adventure. The whole idea of the trip required thinking that everything would be okay, without knowing the outcome. And so, in the same vein, I jumped, and we flew.
I flew with Christian Behrenz, an experienced pilot and instructor. He made me feel comfortable from the start. I had no fear. We waited for the breeze, then ran to the edge, and as the sail lifted we took off.
As we flew, we encountered a thermal, and increased our altitude above where we had started. Then, as we decented over the lake, I was comfortable enough that we tried some acrobatics. We came close to doing a 360° loop. My stomach was a bit queasy after that, but the flight was almost over.
We landed safely in a green pasture with cows grazing nearby and a flower farm within 50 feet.
It was amazing. What an amazing metaphor for life… to go for it, and expect the best that life has to offer. I will continue to jump…
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04.23.09
Posted in Central American Adventure, Guatemala at 10:59 pm by Administrator
Everyday has been a surprise and opportunity to experience more of the wonderful culture here in Guatemala.
One of my El Remate friends, Erwin, knows a Mayan Shaman priest in Nahaulaa. He gave me directions to find Don Manuel Tsok here in the highlands near Lake Atitlan where I am spending my final days in Guatemala. Then it turned out Erwin was able to come to act as my guide. I never would have found Don Manuel in the market without him, let alone have convinced him to perform a special ceremony for me.
And so, we climbed 1500 feet to the top of a mountain, and Don Manuel did a special Mayan ceremony to ask for world peace, peace in Guatemala, peace for all people, and to bless me and Erwin on our life journeys. It was the real thing. In Nahaulaa, a pueblo of 50,000 we, I, was the only tourist.
I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to experience this adventure, and the wonderful people here. This was icing on the cake to send me back home with blessings and intentions that the world is becoming a better place.
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Posted in Central American Adventure, Gardens, Guatemala, Making a Difference at 10:04 pm by Administrator
It´s been a week since I left El Remate. What a special place. The day before I left, the new group of women had a meeting to discuss their future plans. They will be planting gardens independently for more women who want them, and will be meeting every Saturday to walk the gardens to learn and share from each other. In total we planted 25 gardens with more to come. I have to say I feel like it was a success.
They surprised me with a cake – shaped like a crocodile, fireworks, and presents. I was very touched. They have touched my heart. It was quite emotional – both sad and completely joyful. The seeds have started to grow, and from that a wonderful friendship has also sprouted.
Some of my other friends had another party for me that night. They sang special songs, and held a special ceremony to send me on my way. I can hardly believe that I have made so many good friends in such little time. But this is a special place with special people. in fact….
A surprise for me, I wrote in an earlier post about triathlon training, which at the time was just a title because I was swimming, running and biking. Then I met the organizer of the triathlon in El Remate on June 21. A 400m swim in the wonderful lake, a 34K bike to Tikal and then a 7K run in the ruins ending in the central plaza. I started out saying I am considering it, but by the time it was time to leave I was saying ¨Hasta Pronto¨. I am going back to El Remate in June, just in time to eat some of the first vegetables out of the gardens!
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04.12.09
Posted in Central American Adventure, Gardens, Guatemala, Making a Difference, Mayan Calendar, Uncategorized at 9:44 pm by Administrator
A quick update. It´s been a busy week. We have built 24 new gardens and planted another 15 existing gardens as well. Will be planting a few more in the next couple days. 30 gardens in 30 days. Not bad! Check out Lina and Clara´s gardens…
Heidy and her neice Milly taught me to make tortillas in her dirt floor, fire burning stove kitchen. We had the traditional eggs, black beans and tortillas for dinner. It will be nice for them to have vegetables to mix in….
I will be leaving here Wednesday to travel for a couple of weeks in other parts of Guatemala before I come home on April 30th. I will be sad to leave all the friends I have made here in El Remate. Especially the garden women.
This week is a big holiday in Latin America – Semana Santa (Easter). Lots of people are here for the weekend enjoying the lake. A good place to be because it is HOT! Over 100 with lots of humidity. I´m off to swim right now.
Mucho amor,
Alicia
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04.06.09
Posted in Central American Adventure, Gardens, Guatemala, Making a Difference at 1:28 am by Administrator
A day of rest. Much needed. I have been building gardens morning and afternoon for 2 weeks. I wore myself out but today I spent the day resting and swimming. It is hot – in the 90s with a fair amount of humidity. Doesn´t sound that hot, but during the day it´s definitely time for siesta.
I am learning so much. Just as the women are. It´s an equal balance of teaching and learning. I´m learning about building square foot gardens, social development, group dynamics, and Guatemaltecos. Everyday I learn something new. It´s an amazing opportunity.
I miss all my friends but have made many new friends here. Here´s a photo of one of the gardens…
Lina´s Garden
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