So I ended up taking a 2 hour nap before the team mtg & dinner. I knew I didn't want to start out the mission tired. It seems that the country of Guatemala really supports the work Op smile does...this is alot like my experiences in Mexico & Bolivia where there is corporate sponsorship from Colgate & Pepsi & other organizations as well as in country volunteers. This is their 3rd mission here & they actually call it a SMILE MARATHON.
When we walked into the room for our "dinner mtg" it looked like we were walking into a wedding reception - I honestly felt under dressed...The Ministry of Tourism sponsored this meal & show. It was AWESOME...and showcased their rich traditions, colors, textiles, music & dancing. Disney has nothing on them. The did about 6 different traditional dances - one for All saints Day or Dia Del Mundo, another Festival Dance, a Planting Dance, a young Love Dance, a traditional Mayan Dance & the finale was the Dance of the Patron saint with animal characters, a candle So I ended up taking a 2 hour nap before the team mtg & dinner. I knew I didnt want to start out the mission tired. It seems that the country of Guatemala really supports the work Op smile does...this is alot like my experiences in Mexico & Bolivia where there is corporate sponsorship from Colgate & Pepsi & other organizations etc. It was truly amazing.
Originally I was sitting to the side with the Child Life Specialist then we both moved to the middle then Bonnie & Mike invited me to sit with them. I really think my 3 years of facilitating the grief group will be helpful to me this week as I am with Bonnie. Originally they were going to have her tell Adams story tonight but it didn't seem right after this big Cultural festival & some team members are still arriving & she didn't want to say it twice & there were some community members tonight so it was a big group not just the team so we talked & I suggested she said share at our Sunday meeting when its all "the team" so that is her plan.
We got our schedule...yep it's the typical 5:30 wake up call, 6 am breakfast & 6:30 leave for the hospital...so I am going to bed soon to get my rest. My roommate arrived - I was with her on another mission...she is an OR nurse.
It looks like they are trying to get us some places - they told us to not go outside the hotel after dark & never go anywhere alone & that if it was safer they would split the set up jobs so we could have half a day to explore but its just not an option. They are coordinating events for us though. The team day on Sunday will be in Antigua an old Colonial Town an hour away and they have team dinners Tues & Thurs at different Plazas (shopping areas I believe). We will be at the Hospital Militar & supposedly there is lots of space which will be so nice - but also all the military restrictions & expectations.
A few other "FUN FACTS"about Guatemala I learned....it is the worlds #1 exporter of Snow peas to the US, a scene of Star Wars was shot in the National Park Here, in addition to Spanish there are 21 Mayan languages, Guatemala is the main supplier of Starbucks coffee, there are 4 active volcanoes, cars have the right of way so we have to be careful & punctuality is not a virtue here so we need to be patient (that might be helpful to me!)
I have already met some wonderful people - truly almost all people who give of their time in this way for children are great - I met another BYU Grad (10 years after me though) Heather who is an OR Nurse at Primary Childrens in SLC, Mary Laura from NYC who is the other recovery Nurse with Rachel & me and others. Every Mission is great but I am expecting this one to be wonderful for so many reasons & I am super excited to start meeting the people of Guatemala tomorrow. They say people travel for days from far far away to get here & since this is the 3rd Smile Marathon word has traveled throughout the country. I am looking forward to a BUSY day tomorrow & told Debbie our coordinator to just put me wherever she needs me, start, finish, crowd control....it doesn't matter where I serve I am simply here to serve as one member on this big team representing 10 countries to CHANGE LIVES ONE SMILE AT A TIME. So Buenos Noches from Guatemala I have an early wake up call in the morning!
When we walked into the room for our "dinner mtg" it looked like we were walking into a wedding reception - I honestly felt under dressed...The Ministry of Tourism sponsored this meal & show. It was AWESOME...and showcased their rich traditions, colors, textiles, music & dancing. Disney has nothing on them. The did about 6 different traditional dances - one for All saints Day or Dia Del Mundo, another Festival Dance, a Planting Dance, a young Love Dance, a traditional Mayan Dance & the finale was the Dance of the Patron saint with animal characters, a candle So I ended up taking a 2 hour nap before the team mtg & dinner. I knew I didnt want to start out the mission tired. It seems that the country of Guatemala really supports the work Op smile does...this is alot like my experiences in Mexico & Bolivia where there is corporate sponsorship from Colgate & Pepsi & other organizations etc. It was truly amazing.
Originally I was sitting to the side with the Child Life Specialist then we both moved to the middle then Bonnie & Mike invited me to sit with them. I really think my 3 years of facilitating the grief group will be helpful to me this week as I am with Bonnie. Originally they were going to have her tell Adams story tonight but it didn't seem right after this big Cultural festival & some team members are still arriving & she didn't want to say it twice & there were some community members tonight so it was a big group not just the team so we talked & I suggested she said share at our Sunday meeting when its all "the team" so that is her plan.
We got our schedule...yep it's the typical 5:30 wake up call, 6 am breakfast & 6:30 leave for the hospital...so I am going to bed soon to get my rest. My roommate arrived - I was with her on another mission...she is an OR nurse.
It looks like they are trying to get us some places - they told us to not go outside the hotel after dark & never go anywhere alone & that if it was safer they would split the set up jobs so we could have half a day to explore but its just not an option. They are coordinating events for us though. The team day on Sunday will be in Antigua an old Colonial Town an hour away and they have team dinners Tues & Thurs at different Plazas (shopping areas I believe). We will be at the Hospital Militar & supposedly there is lots of space which will be so nice - but also all the military restrictions & expectations.
A few other "FUN FACTS"about Guatemala I learned....it is the worlds #1 exporter of Snow peas to the US, a scene of Star Wars was shot in the National Park Here, in addition to Spanish there are 21 Mayan languages, Guatemala is the main supplier of Starbucks coffee, there are 4 active volcanoes, cars have the right of way so we have to be careful & punctuality is not a virtue here so we need to be patient (that might be helpful to me!)
I have already met some wonderful people - truly almost all people who give of their time in this way for children are great - I met another BYU Grad (10 years after me though) Heather who is an OR Nurse at Primary Childrens in SLC, Mary Laura from NYC who is the other recovery Nurse with Rachel & me and others. Every Mission is great but I am expecting this one to be wonderful for so many reasons & I am super excited to start meeting the people of Guatemala tomorrow. They say people travel for days from far far away to get here & since this is the 3rd Smile Marathon word has traveled throughout the country. I am looking forward to a BUSY day tomorrow & told Debbie our coordinator to just put me wherever she needs me, start, finish, crowd control....it doesn't matter where I serve I am simply here to serve as one member on this big team representing 10 countries to CHANGE LIVES ONE SMILE AT A TIME. So Buenos Noches from Guatemala I have an early wake up call in the morning!
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