The First Week

well, hello there! so here I am... a bit further from home...and a lot closer to the equator...
I woke up this morning to some combination of cooing doves, crowing roosters and firecrackers. Rolled out of bed and heated up some water over the little gas stove in my new shared kitchen. As I poured the water into my brand new, stainless steel coffee mug/french press I couldn´t help but smile, knowing I would never, ever have to drink the instant excuse for coffee that is Nescafe--it´s coffee-drinkers miracle, really. Coffee in hand, I ascended to the rooftop deck... and was greeted by a massive green volcano...one of three that looms over my new colonial town, Antigua ... and-- well-- I knew it was going to be a good day. And that´s how the last five mornings have been-- Doves/rooster/firecrackers--coffee--volcano. This Guatemalan breakfast recipe is a good one, I think.
So, over the past four days, I´ve been gearing up to volunteer for Camino Seguro, or Safe Passage, where I will work with children whose parents work at the city garbage dump in after school programs, among other things. It´s hard to grasp how much I have seen in these past few days.
Thursday, we toured the project... walking through streets so dangerous, we needed a security guard. We were overcome by the stench...the grime and shit on the street... the utter, utter destitution. Vultures circled over the a vast, toxic garbage dump, where the people scavenge for food and things they can either use or sell...where they brought their small children to work before Camino Seguro stepped in, as it is their only source of livelihood.
Friday, I spent combing lice out of childrens´ hair, while they giggled and looked and story books... and watched them measure their feet so the program could buy them shoes for school next year. I watched them screech with delight as they jumped into parents and volunteers arms, and dance and play and smile.
And Saturday morning, I woke up at 5 to climb an active volcano. And as I walked over the dried, black lava, through the clouds (literally) and looked way over at blue mountains in the distance, I was taken aback... how beautiful this place is in this moment, and how terrifying and deadly it could become in an instant! At just how close...the frightening or disheartening and the infinitely beautiful exist.

These next few weeks will be sobering and exciting, fun and sad, and, I think, ultimately hopeful. I feel so very lucky to be working on this incredible project. If you´re interested in learning more, check out the website! http://www.safepassage.org/.