Economical Milk Options in Guatemala

Growing up in a family of 5, we went through at least 3 gallons of milk every week, sometimes 4. This milk always came in a big plastic jug bought at the local WalMart with a 2% label and a not-quite-authentic, but familiar flavor.

In Guatemala, one of the first things that was different were the lack of rows of plastic gallons of milk in the refrigerated section. There were a few, but then those seemed to go bad very quickly. Most people didn't buy that version, so if you visited anywhere, it wasn't available. What they used I had never, ever seen or heard of in my life: shelf stable boxed milk:

The flavor, while milk-like, was stronger and though 2% still seemed more concentrated. Visitors from the U.S. never quite got used to it, so they always requested purchasing the plastic jug version. Since it was cheaper and lasted so long, we did acclimate eventually. It seemed to make no difference in baking.

Another economical option for milk in Guatemala is usually done by a young boy who herds goats delivering house to house. The goats are usually in a group of 4-6 with a rope leash and the boy has a whip and sometimes a bell to announce his presence. If you want fresh goat's milk, you either provide the container or he usually brings a disposable cup and squeezes fresh milk for you right there. Many workers buy a cup of goat's milk to go with their breakfast on the way to work and some families are regular customers, buying their milk fresh every day. Here's a YouTube example where a guy buys a cup of warm goat milk for 5Q: (The milk part is in the first third of the video... the views of the guys in the video do not necessarily reflect the views of this blog... blah, blah, blah ;)




Photo found here: http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/895295


Of course, many people who live in the city use these options, but those who have their own fincas, or farms, sometimes have their own goats or cows. Many times we were stopped suddenly on a narrow, one-lane road at night to avoid hitting cows who had either gotten out or whose owners had let out so that they could eat the grass on the side of the road.

While I've tried goat's milk and our daughter likes it, we never tried this version in Guatemala. Have you tried milk in Guatemala? Were you surprised by the difference or was it what you expected?

Homeschooling Field Trip: Visiting the Zoo

Above: Talia with a silverback gorilla.

Talia loves animals, so the zoo is an amazing place to her. In Guatemala City, La Aurora Zoo in the capital is a small zoo with mostly little cages for their animals, but it was the first zoo she was old enough to appreciate- being old enough to know what the animals were.

Above: Watching the penguins.

When we had the opportunity to visit the DFW zoo while on a trip to the States, she couldn't wait! This time, she knew their names and if they were herbivores, omnivores or carnivores and she could make more detailed observations. It was a great science extension for what we had been studying in home school.

Above: Snakes, something we'd rather experience in the zoo than in the wild!

She especially enjoyed the water species where she could get a good view up close because of the glass. This turtle (below) was a particular favorite!

Something I like about the zoo is that it is something she can appreciate at many ages and still learn something new every time! How do you use the zoo as a teaching tool?

Champurradas, a Guatemalan "pan dulce" to eat with your hot chocolate or "champurrado"

Pan dulce, (translated literally "sweet bread,") is traditionally eaten with hot chocolate and is a dense, cake-like bread with a sweet topping. These are common throughout the year, and are served at breakfast and dinner with coffee. If you visit a Guatemalan throughout the day, chances are you’ll be served a plate with pan dulce on it. There are several types of pan dulce and one of these is the champurrada.

For more Guatemalan recipes and traditions, check out the ebook here.

While I haven't seen many of varieties of cookies in Guatemala, one that is present in almost every situation is the champurrada. These were at staff meetings at the school, classroom parties, parent conferences and just about any other occasion you could think of. They are traditionally a crunchier version of what I'd call a sugar cookie, sometimes sprinkled with sesame seeds or made with corn flour.

You can make your own at home with the recipe below:


5 ounces of shortening
5 ounces of sugar
A handful of soft flour (not the normal gold medal kind)
Sesame seeds
Mix the first three ingredients, make a ball and flatten the ball to the size and thickness you want the champurrada to be. Sprinkle with sesame seed.
Bake for 25 minutes at 350F. This recipe courtesy of GuatemalanGenes.com

Another blogger: breadcrumbed.wordpress.com  has another recipe using the corn and healthier coconut oil option:

Yield: 3 dozen cookies
3 tablespoons ground flax seeds
¾ cup coconut oil, softened but not melted
1 cup unrefined cane sugar
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup masa harina (corn flour)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
½ cup brown sesame seeds

Cho-co-la-te!

Supposedly, chocolate is a pre-columbian discovery beginning in 1200 b.c. in Central, South America and the Amazon regions. It has been found in an ancient Maya "teapot" which "...reopens the whole debate about who first invented chocolate," said Jonathan Haas, curator of the mouthwatering "Chocolate" exhibition at the Field Museum in Chicago. Whether the Maya were the first to invent chocolate or not, they definitely used it. It is even found in the Popol Vuh, a ancient book of mytho-historical narratives of the Post Classic Quiché kingdom in Guatemala's western highlands.

There are many different recipes of the hot chocolate, or hot cocoa, drink; which are apparently not the same thing. In Guatemala, you will find round chocolate disk-shaped patties ready to be prepared into a hot drink. These disks are put into boiling water where they dissolve into this typical drink. This kind of chocolate is different from the hot cocoa people are used to in the States. It has more of a cinnamon-like flavor and isn't as rich. If prepared with milk, you might get different results. Green & Black's , a UK chocolate company, touts their Maya Gold chocolate has some of the same spice flavor you would find in Guatemalan/Maya chocolate. "Traditionally the Maya Indians in southern Belize flavoured their cocoa with spices. We recapture this by blending rich, dark chocolate with a refreshing twist of orange that is perfectly balanced by the warmth of cinnamon, nutmeg and a hint of vanilla."

While researching the history of chocolate, I found this story pretty funny:

"Thomas Gage (1603-1656), an English Dominican friar and traveler, tried to intervene with the Bishop of Chiapas, Mexico over the congregation drinking chocolate during services. The women were fond of chocolate and turned church services into a coffeehouse. The Bishop tried to end this, and was consequently found dead. Poisoned chocolate was sent to the Bishop and Thomas Gage fled Chiapas. The rumor was that the women, who so hated the Bishop for this restriction, poisoned him with chocolate, hence the proverb "Beware the chocolate of Chiapa."



There are, of course, many claims that hot cocoa has curative powers, especially for high blood pressure due to a study done with the Kuna Indian tribe. "Studies show the flavonols in cocoa stimulate your body's production of nitric oxide --boosting blood flow to your heart, brain, and other organs. In fact, one study found cocoa thins your blood just as well as low-dose aspirin" It is also claimed to help treat blocked arteries, congestive heart failure, stroke, dementia, and impotence.

But, did you really need an excuse to enjoy chocolate? Have you tried the Guatemalan version?

Benefits I Find Walking in Nature

While we are visiting in the States waiting on Little Man to be born, I've been walking every morning on a trail I've created in the back of my parents property. Since they live outside of the city limits, there are not leash laws and dogs all around the neighborhood bark and chase anyone who walks by. Instead of fending them off every morning, and since not walking is not an option, I decided to walk around the (large) back part of their property. I was surprised to find benefits to this besides just avoiding pesky dogs.

Walking between trees means I get to see lots of colorful birds every morning. Blue jays, cardinals, finches, mockingbirds, hummingbirds and wrens are common with an occasional rarer sighting of a painted bunting. Besides seeing them, hearing them can be therapeutic. Julian Treasure, a sound expert says "We are losing our listening." In a short talk, below that I think is more than worth your time to listen to, he shares five ways to re-tune your ears for conscious listening -- to other people and the world around you. In this speech he mentioned listening to birds, wind and water as healing forms of sound- two of which I get to experience every morning while walking. This morning time without loud sounds is so nice.



Going along with the lack of loud sound, comes the ability to think, pray, and analyze things. I'm not very good at sitting still and just thinking most of the time. There always seems to be way too much to do. I need to keep my body moving in order to think. If I'm walking, just the fact that my body is moving and that there is relative auditory peace gives my brain the freedom and time to meditate. Everyone needs some sort of time to do this. I don't realize how badly I need this until I miss it during the weekend and the contrast is stark.

Another benefit has been developing stronger ankle muscles from walking on uneven terrain. This means I have had to be more cautious, especially in the beginning, but now I appreciate that. I like the hills that are almost unexpected. It makes walking on a road or a track almost boring and harsh. :D (Not to mention treadmills, which have a different set of benefits.)

The (heightened-during-pregnancy) sense of smell also benefits. Have you ever walked around a neighborhood when all of the trash cans were out for trash day? Enough said. The trees and grass and even occasional dog presents still smell better than any roadside experience!

In the mornings, especially, I can also sense the changing seasons stronger than at any other part of the day. In our triple digit summer, walking outside not long after daybreak was the only cool time of the day... it was also the first time I could sense the gradual fall-like cooling of temperatures that quickly heated up to our normal, hot summer days just prior to autumn.

Though I normally walk before anyone else is up now that the school year has started, when I had to walk with Talia during vacations, walking outside was great because she could play while I was walking. I could see her at any point on the trail since she usually played in the middle and she loved getting to be outside. For us, it was a win-win.

Something that has been challenging is knowing distance, but a pedometer would make that simple.

Do you prefer walking outside, at a gym, on a track, on a road or is hiking more your style? I see benefits to all of them. Most of all, I love the privilege of being able to walk and intend to do it for as long as I'm able.

"Bee-Bim Bop!" Beginning Reading Outloud with Homeschooling

Sometimes when I'm tired and reading out loud to Talia is sounding like more than I can handle, we like the stories that are read out loud online. One of our favorite places is found at PBS Kids Stories. Since this website wasn't available in Guatemala, this is one of the advantages of being back in the States for a bit, especially since pregnancy and being tired seem to go hand-in-hand!

An online story Talia has preferred since she was 1 year old, and still enjoys, is called "Bee-Bim Bop" and tells the story of a young Korean girl trying to help her mother make a dish called Bee-Bim Bop for supper. It's very simple and the rhyme and music make it fun. I think she also appreciates watching other little girls helping their mamas in the kitchen like she likes to do.

Something, then, that was really neat, was to see (spelled differently) Bi Bim Bop at a local restaurant lunch special menu. My mom remembered the name of the book and took this photo when she saw it on the menu.

It sounds delicious and is something we both want to try! If not at the restaurant, maybe with a good recipe.

Have you ever made Bi Bim Bop? I'd love for you to share your recipe and help this story come alive even more for Talia!

Brilliant Blue Indigo Bunting Birds Winter in Guatemala

Our neighbor is very good with animals and fond of birds in particular. She has shared her love of birds with Talia through books and feathers and stories of birds that come to her feeder and what they do. As a result, Talia really likes birds too. One of their favorite birds is the Indigo Bunting, a brilliantly blue bird that is not often seen around here.

They are usually found "in brushy and weedy areas along edges of cultivated land, woods, roads, power line rights-of-way, and in open deciduous woods and old fields. Winters in weedy fields, citrus orchards, and weedy cropland."

While looking for it online to show Talia a picture and let her hear his song, (her favorite part,) I found a map that showed the Indigo Bunting wintered in Guatemala! (As well as many parts of Central America.) This map shows where they have been spotted in Guatemala:

Some cool facts about the Indigo Bunting from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:

"* The Indigo Bunting migrates at night, using the stars for guidance. It learns its orientation to the night sky from its experience as a young bird observing the stars.
* Experienced adult Indigo Buntings can return to their previous breeding sites when held captive during the winter and released far from their normal wintering area.
* The sequences of notes in Indigo Bunting songs are unique to local neighborhoods. Males a few hundred meters apart generally have different songs. Males on neighboring territories often have the same or nearly identical songs.
* Indigo and Lazuli buntings defend territories against each other in the western Great Plains where they occur together, share songs, and sometimes interbreed."

Something I love about homeschooling is the flexibility for Talia to learn about things that she finds interesting. I know we've both enjoyed learning about this bright blue songbird.

Childhood Artwork

My daughter, like most kids, has always loved drawing. She is constantly creating pictures on her magnetic drawing board, in the dirt with a stick, with colors on her paper or any other way she can figure out. I love it when she draws because it shows me a little bit more what the world looks like through her eyes... and most of the time, her depictions make me laugh in appreciation!

One of her favorite things to draw are bugs, spiders, butterflies and bumblebees. Once, a little, smiling bug appeared on the lid of her laundry pail (below.) He was so jovial and full of character, it was hard to explain how it wasn't appropriate to draw on the furniture with a straight face.

I think it's interesting that her pictures always involve characters from nature at this point in time. I like that she has enough contact with nature to feel that it is the natural thing for her to draw. However, it always has her own twist, like the spider (below) who looks quite startled!

At first, she would only use one color, when she used colors, to draw the entire picture. But as she has matured, she has begun to use multiple colors together to create a picture, like this picture of ducks in a pond:

Also, instead of drawing just outlines of things, she has recently begun coloring in some of her picture. Here, she was making a picture of a painted bunting for our neighbor as a thank you card for a book about birds for her birthday. I thought her bird turned out cute and had all of the right colors. He made me smile! :)

Do I think my child is a genius artist in the making? Not really... but I love seeing her art develop and appreciate all of the laughs and smiles she brings me with her whimsical pictures.

What is the Place of Fashion in a Third World Country?

When I write this, I realize that I am walking a very delicate line. When I say "fashion," let me be clear: I appreciate matching colors and clothes that fit correctly just as much as the next woman. I do not, however, go out of my way to be in the latest style, and count myself blessed to wear hand me downs. I'm as picky in my own way about what I wear as most people, I just have different priorities, such as modesty, frugality, comfort and personal preference. With that said... there are several questions I have about "fashion" in the sense of the word where one goes to extraordinary monetary and other lengths mainly to be in style. Living in a third-world country only highlighted feelings of dislike for fashion and stirred up many questions that I don't have the answers to. Questions like:



-Where does fashion fall on the scale of what really matters in life?
-How does fashion fit in the third-world priority list?
-When you have the money, should you be able to spend it in any way you choose?
-Is there a social or moral obligation attached to wealth? (Especially in a very poor country?)
-In a developing country, is it wise to flaunt the fact that you are wealthy?
-Is fashion a form of art and, if so, should that change my perception?
-Would I feel the same way if the fashion of said country weren't determined by people in Europe, but by the local culture?
-What if someone DOES try to do their part to help others, but still spends money on fashion. Shouldn't they have that right? (since you can't tell just by looking at them if they help others or not.)

I don't have the answers to those questions. I just have more thoughts about it:

-Fashion puts emphasis on the outside.
-First impressions are important; the way one dresses will indelibly have an impact on how they are received... but people are so much more than clothes.
-The media's training of the public to be hyper-critical of others fashion-wise has made this an even bigger issue.
-I usually find fashion to be a distraction from the real problems in life that need our concentration.
-Much of fashion is driven by pride.



In a world of extremes, like Guatemala, I constantly saw two sides of this struggle: The people with money, (or those who wanted you to think they had money,) would go to extravagant lengths to look their part. In a practical sense, this was just free advertising for those who would rob them. In a country where flashy cars are a beacon for armed assault at any red light, especially in heavy city traffic, I was always surprised with how very many overtly nice cars there were. When the majority of the people in Guatemala can not afford a car, many of the ones who could seemed to flaunt it.
A student in my class the first year I taught had her mother kidnapped over one of the school breaks. Thankfully, everything worked out well and she was able to get back to her family, but this is not always the case. The family will always deal with emotional trauma from that event... even though they took the necessary precautions that go along with being fashionable here: armored cars and bodyguards.
On the flip side of this situation, many of the people earned the money they used to support their lifestyles the hard way. They worked their way to their positions and didn't expect things in life to be handed to them. In turn, they were in constant danger of being robbed, and, in the very least, treated with jealous disdain by the majority of people in their country (if they chose to associate with them.)

What are your thoughts on fashion in a third world country and the socio-economic responsibilities of these two divisions of classes in relation to fashion?

Hand-crafted Hammered Dulcimers in Bennington, Oklahoma

Something I really enjoy about visiting different places, be they Guatemala, Canada, Mexico, Texas or Oklahoma, is finding people who specialize in doing things well by hand. Like many people, I see the decline in many hand crafted things and am worried by it. I appreciate people who have those specialized skills.


While in Guatemala we saw many amazing woodworkers, weavers, and leather workers to mention a few. While in the States, we took the opportunity while in Bennington, Oklahoma to visit a handmade hammered dulcimer shop: Master Works Hammer Dulcimers and Bowed Psalteries designed by Russel Cook.

We lucked out since our friends and cousin works there, and we got a personal tour!

First, Russel, part owner and craftsman of the handcrafted dulcimer shop, played an amazingly talented demonstration and explained some of the set up for chords and how to hold the hammers.

We then got to see many hammered dulcimers in progress on carpeted storage shelves to protect the beautifully finished different woods.

Russel showed us how the wood changes color with water, which gives you an idea of what the finished product will look like polished. This rare piece of wood alone cost as much as a used car!

Many tiny precise holes are drilled individually into each dulcimer.

Here is the hole-cutting station, one of the very labor intensive parts of creating a good dulcimer.

A hammered dulcimer is played on a special stand. My cousin uses this station to create the stands.

Another of my cousin's workstations where she sands the delicate dulcimer parts by hand.

A customer trying his hand at playing the dulcimer.

I was amazed at how much precision and intricate detail went into each and every hammered dulcimer. People from all over the world who know how to play hammered dulcimers know about this little shop in Bennington, OK. Hand-crafted hammered dulcimers can sell anywhere from $1,200-$5,000 depending on the rarity of the wood, age, condition and special additions. If you would like to see a hammered dulcimer being played, check out this version of Amazing Grace:

Moving to Guatemala/Abroad with Children for the First Time: Interview- Things to Bring

Another soon-to-be expat mother moving to Africa posted some questions for advice on what to bring:

 1. What are the top 3 kitchen items you would take to a foreign country?
2. What are the best children's books you would take?
3. What are the best toys/activities that occupy kids on a VERY LONG plane ride?
4. What would you put on your iPod? Favorite Worship Songs? Best all around music?
5. What Podcasts do you listen to?
6. Favorite games?
Thanks for your input!!

When we moved to Guatemala, I had many of the same questions, so I thought I would share what worked for us. It will also help me remember what to bring in our upcoming international experience with 2 children this time.

1.When we moved to Guatemala, the kitchen things I missed the most were GOOD cooking utensils. Everything easily available in Guatemala was plastic that melted when it got hot. Yuck! I am glad I brought my good knives, and the mixer came in handy.

2. Since we moved when our daughter was barely talking, but planned to eventually homeschool- here's what worked for me with books: Between the ages of 2 and 3 there is literally a brain and language explosion! I was grateful that I brought books that could work for several age ranges including some that are good for beginning readers. Our daughter loved the Dr. Seuss, Curious George and things like that. I tried to mainly bring the ones that were big books with many stories inside to cut down on luggage. One thing is certain, no matter what you bring, it seems more books are always going to be in demand.

3. Something my daughter really likes are those magnetic drawing boards with the "pencil" attached and the little lever that "erases" the picture so that you can start over. I like it because it isn't messy and we can practice letters, drawing and storytelling. Besides this, we use books, a variety of snacks and that's about it. Guatemala was only a 3 hour flight for us, thankfully, so we haven't invested in electronic gadgets yet. Something I think she would really enjoy is an MP3 player with headphones since she loves music so much.

4. I wished I had access to more worship music in English in Guatemala, because I realized that my daughter was missing out on it and that she really enjoyed it when we came back to the States to visit. For her, specifically the simple worship songs work well since she's still learning the words. (Which I thought ironic since I hate worship music for the same repetition that makes it easy for her.) For you? I'm not good at suggesting music...

5. N/A

6. Right now we're really into tactile games like Jenga and blocks. But I like that we have Dominoes because it's really great for math/matching concepts(and making trains.) We also like Uno, Phase 10 and "Bancopoly;" the Guatemalan version of Monopoly. I look forward to when we can play games like Apples to Apples as a family. I have to admit, however, that no game beats just regular play outside with grass, dirt, pebbles and sticks and anything found in your new natural environment. Kids love nature (mostly) and can have a ball with the simplest items outside combined with a great imagination!

Hopefully,  that was some help, though we have different kinds of kids and ages. I know that no matter how much you plan, when you get there you'll still realize something you'll have wished you'd brought. But it's OK. We're moms and improvising is one of our superpowers! ;)


Do you have suggestions for things that worked for you when moving abroad, particularly with children?

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

Something I've been wanting to try for a long time is making my own liquid laundry detergent. The recipe we decided to use was the Duggar family recipe. (The directions in italics are their property that I simply followed.)

4 Cups - hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax


- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water.

-Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

In the beginning it looks like this:

 

After about 7-10 minutes it looks like this:

Finally, around 12-15 minutes later, it starts to look like this:

 

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax.

Here's the 1/2 cup Borax:

 1/2 cup of Borax to 1 cup of washing soda:

 -Stir well until all powder is dissolved.

-Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap...

and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

Something we decided would be a good idea to do is to mark the wooden spoon we were using to stir the soap with a "laundry soap only" spoon so someone wouldn't end up with soapy tasting baked goods one day.

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.


-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.


-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)


-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)


*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!" Check out this information on using baking soda to make washing soda.

NOTE: ™ = Trademark. All trademarks are property of their respective owners. Results may vary. All recipes are valid for non-commercial useotherwise written permission must be obtained from the The Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar Family. © Copyright 2011

Have you ever tried making your own laundry soap?
	Yes, and I enjoyed it.
	Yes, but I wouldn't do it again.
	No, but I would like to.
	No and I'm not interested.
pollcode.com free polls

Iguana Sanctuary in Guatemala

One creature you may see in Guatemala is the iguana. I'm not sure how you feel about the leathery-looking, tree-climbing animals, but the Pineda family in Guatemala has 500 of them in an Iguana Sanctuary. (click on the youtube clip below for a documentary view of the sanctuary:)

http://youtu.be/2G78vkrUPeU

One of the 5th grade teachers at the international school had a couple of pet iguanas in his classroom as well, so I got to meet them closer than I would have if they'd just been in the wild. He had his with a heated rock and a sun lamp and sometimes they would climb the small trees he had growing in his classroom. A different 5th grade teacher refused to enter his room from the fear that an iguana would jump off of the tree and attack her!

Having an iguana in a classroom could, perhaps, be challenging for the iguanas sometimes. One particularly curious and insensitive boy held down the tail of one of the iguanas until the iguana, following his instincts, released his tail and scrambled up a safer side of the cage. The students learned more about instincts and self-preservation in nature, and hopefully, how to NOT injure an animal on purpose.

Image: PANPOTE / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In a country where iguana is sometimes used as a meat source in areas where protein is a privilege, having a family who would create a sanctuary for iguanas is extraordinary.

Would you visit an iguana sanctuary? Do you have one as a pet? Or, like me, do you just appreciate the miniature dragons from a distance?

Beauty Through my Daughter's Eyes

My little girl sees things differently than I do. She looks at people and doesn't notice weight or symmetry or age or things I've been trained to see, but focuses directly on their smile and how they can connect with her. Those who take the time to talk to her and show her they care get a special title.

She thinks those people are "beautiful."

This goes for women and men alike. The older gentleman who always stops to shake her hand at church is "such a nice man! I like to shake his hand!" Our neighbor who stops feeding her chickens to talk to her is "beautiful!" Age has no bearing, she only sees if people care or not.

I know that from a young age you are shaped by people in your environment and their actions. This impacts me in two ways.
First, it helps me know how children view me and how little things I do can be so big in their eyes.
Second, it helps me realize how I am thankful that my daughter can find beauty in people who might otherwise be overlooked. I hope that one day this will go from seeing beauty in others to developing it in herself and passing it on.

Cooking Adjustments in Guatemala part 2

Something I've written about before, cooking in another country, is always a bit tricky to figure out at first. Take cornmeal for example. It's necessary for that gritty crunch that gives cornbread or hushpuppies their unique flavor. Guatemala is a country where corn is one of the most consumed items. Usually, it is made into corn flour that is then used to make masa; a base for all sorts of things like pupusas, tamales, tortillas etc. Since corn is so abundant, it would seem that corn meal would be really easy to get... but I never discovered where! I am sure it is possible to make your own somehow by taking corn to a grinding meal, but I've never heard of that either. Curiously, some of the pizza places use corn meal sprinkled on and under their crusts. This makes me wonder if it is something that those restaurants import, or if I just really had no clue where to find it.

Another thing I discovered was really hard to find was inspired by a Valentine's Day gift from a student: strawberry flavored heart-shaped marshmallows. For me, the best thing to do with marshmallows, whatever the flavor, is to make them into rice crispy treats! People knew what those were, it's not something you see everyday here, but I figured Rice Crispies existed. After searching Paiz (now bought out by WalMart,) however, and several other stores I found that they apparently do exist, but only in the flavor of chocolate.

In Texas, many people visit border towns in Mexico and make it a point to bring back "real Mexican vanilla." Mexico is just north of Guatemala. For some reason, in Guatemala, all I could find was artificial vanilla. I'm not a super picky cook, but I definitely prefer real spices to their artificial counterparts.

Some other spices I had trouble locating were cream of tartar and sage.

When we first arrived in Guatemala, though much thicker than what we were used to, sour cream was not difficult to find. By this summer, though, I wondered if it were a seasonal item. I know it used to be in the store, but it hasn't been for several months prior to us leaving.

Beyond food differences or disappearances, something else I've noticed is that baking seems to be viewed as more of a "rich" thing because of the price of gas and difficulty in obtaining an oven by the majority of people. I've seen some people who use the oven part only for storage. Another difference with the ovens, besides being in Celsius instead of Fahrenheit, is that every one I've ever seen here only has one baking rack instead of two.

None of these things were major, just things I noticed while trying to prepare food I was used to cooking. Much of it, I am sure, was simply my lack of experience with finding things in Guatemala.

Have you had any luck finding these things, or perhaps have ideas for making them yourself?

Goodbye 2nd Trimester, Hello 3rd Trimester; (and babynaming expat challenges)

There's an issue with trimesters. While pregnancy is naturally a 40 week long thing, 40 is not naturally a number divided by 3. Hence, several different numbers are given for when one actually crosses the line between 2nd and 3rd trimester. It's a bit frustrating. I've seen the limit set at 27 weeks, 28 weeks and 30 weeks. To me, it would make more sense to just divide it into 4 terms: one for each set of 10 weeks! In any case, I'm considering this, the end of my 27th week of pregnancy, to be my end of the second trimester!

One thing that the third trimester brings with it for me, is a sense of urgency to decide upon a baby name within these last months. Something expat parents must consider with more detail than maybe those who stay in one spot are how the name of their baby will be said (and if it can even be pronounced) in the native language of the countries they plan to reside in. While I truly enjoy researching names, and believe in choosing meaningful names for my children, sometimes this is a bit challenging. A few conversations between my husband and I have gone like this:


Me: "Hey, what about this name!? It works in both languages."
Him: "Hmmmm, yeah, but you say it COMPLETELY different in both languages. Don't you think that would be confusing for the kid?"
Me: "Why couldn't we just stick with one pronunciation?"
Him: "Remember the what-we-thought-was-an-easily-pronounced-name that certain family still can't say right?"
Me: "You have a point. Let's keep looking..." ;)

Fortunately, (or unfortunately) we only care minimally about what people from the States or the next country we live in will do to mangle what we think is an easily pronounced name, so it doesn't get in the way most of the time. Even then, it just becomes something else to consider.

We've learned to prioritize to see if a name even gets on the list:
1. Is it meaningful? Do we like the meaning?
2. Is at least one of the names able to be pronounced in Spanish?
3. Is at least one of the names Hebrew to go with our family naming tradition?
4. If we choose to call the baby by the Spanish name, will our family be able to mostly pronounce it or will they disown us? (just kidding. ;))

Baby naming aside, the third trimester also has other challenges awaiting. The biggest one for me is managing weight. I have managed to walk a mile for every day of my pregnancy. Now, usually, that means I get up at 7:00 A.M. every week day and walk 2.5 - 3 miles (depending on how awake I am) before my family gets up and needs breakfast. I still say I've only walked a mile for every day in this pregnancy, because I like to round it down to be SURE I'm telling the truth. Be that as it may, that still works out to a whopping 193 miles total as of today. I truly believe that little, daily decisions and routines make big changes in our end results. It's crazy how a little bit every day has built up to so much, and probably more! I appreciate the health I have and want to keep it for as long as I can.

So, here I go into the last stretch of pregnancy! Hopefully, my next pregnancy post will be advertising the birth of our little man. :)

A Tribute to Doors in Antigua and to a Photographer who Loved Guatemala

What's a door, really? An entrance. A way to bar yourself from the outside. Something that needs to be strong, yet movable. It's a door.

I've thought about these photographs of doors in particular lately. They were taken by Thomas Richwine, a photographer and friend who came to visit and volunteer in Guatemala. He really enjoyed touring Antigua! He recently passed through the door of this life into the next. He was 28.

I remember when he came back from touring Antigua. He was loaded with information and excited to share what he had learned!

Apparently, in Antigua, you can read more from a door than just it's architectural style and color. While touring Antigua with a guide, our friend reported back that in the colonial times one could know how many servants worked at a house by counting the amount of ornaments on the doors. Many people are fascinated by the architecture of Antigua, and in particular the doors.
I've included several pictures and links to other blogs with great pictures of doors in Antigua.

In the words of Maurenice: "The first thing we look at when entering someone's house is the door and the facade of the home. Antiguan's know the importance of this, and seem to be one step ahead as they have these very inspired and well crafted doors."

David, another visitor, says: "I recently visited Antigua, Guatemala and fell in love with the Spanish Baroque architecture. The city dates back to the early 1500's and has spectacular ruins of Colonial churches. It has been selected as an official UNESCO World Heritage Site. I was immediately drawn to the cobblestone streets and colorful facades. However, what really caught my attention were the fantastic doors on each street."

Many of the doors have intriguing very old hardware; locks, handles, decorations.

As said by neeko, "In the streets of Antigua, walls are everywhere. With its narrow sidewalks and cobblestone streets, it almost feels like you are constantly walking down an alley in some kind of inverted cityscape. From the streets, almost everything is concealed from public view. However, if you pay close attention to the craftsmanship of a door or window, you can get a much better idea of what lays hidden on the other side."

Especially the first time visiting Antigua, many people feel the same as this person from the Antigua Daily Photo who said: "they could just go around Antigua taking shots of just doors and windows."

From fellow bloggers FortyTwentyFour: "Antigua is filled with lovely architectural and design detail. It was hard not taking pictures of everything.I love all the doors in Antigua. Such detail..."

What do you think? Does it open the doors to your desire to travel to a place like Antigua, Guatemala? They inspired Thomas and continue to remind me of him to this day.

Texas Wildfires are Raging

In Guatemala, the disasters we experienced were earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, and swine flu. In Texas, the extremely dry summer has parched the ground making wildfires a huge problem. Add to that the extremely strong winds this week and it was a recipe for fire disaster. There are many burning right now:

According to the Texas Forest Service:


"Wildfire update – Sept. 6, 2011

Current situation:

· Yesterday Texas Forest Service responded to 22 new fires for 7,544 acres, including 10 new large fires.

· In the past seven days Texas Forest Service has responded to 181 fires for 118,413 acres.

· It appears that in the past 48 hours, more than 700 homes have been destroyed. As better assessments come in, we will continue to update the situation report.

· 251 of the 254 Texas counties are reporting burn bans.

· Daily detailed fire information can be found at inciweb.org.

New large fires from yesterday (more than 100 acres in timber, 300 acres in lighter fuels; or where homes were lost):

*Note: Details on many fires are still unconfirmed. The Dispatch Tracker System was down most of yesterday and went down again this morning. Most of the details below are from late last night."

Many people I know have had to evacuate their homes and many more are in danger.

Please keep Texas in your prayers!

Birthdays with Family in the States

Something nice about being home for the baby's birth is that we also made it home in time for Talia's birthday! Birthday's just aren't the same without family... So this year is special for that reason, if not because it's her last birthday as an only child. :)

Talia requested chocolate cake with chocolate icing and strawberries. I made the cake and icing and put the strawberries, but my mom gets the credit for the creative edging. I thought it was delicious, the baby must have too (from the way he kicked afterwards) and, importantly, Talia loved it!

Something we had to be careful about were presents. We were clear up front that anything received would have to be able to fit into a suitcase for our next adventure once little man is born, or it might get left behind. That's just how it goes. Happily, Talia's still at the age where cutting the ribbon off of the package and ripping open the paper are totally what makes getting a present, not the actual gift... but our family was very thoughtful and her gifts are definitely stuff we can use and she'll enjoy!

Talia woke up this morning so excited because it was her birthday. It's funny to see how much she can understand and appreciate now. I'm glad we were able to share this one with family!

Getting Ready for Homeschooling Abroad

Talia has been doing really well recognizing letters and knowing which sounds go with them, including some blends, for a while now. Since I am homeschooling this year, part of my challenge has been figuring out which of the millions of options will work best for me in a place outside of the States and where shipping is not really worth it. Suitcases are already limited with space on the trips home, so that's not the greatest, or only option I would like to have.

Part of this problem we solve by using Starfall's online supplementary curriculum. Some of the reading challenges will be solved by using the online accessible Reading A-Z program and other online stories. However, though my daughter likes working on the computer, it's not really something I want her stuck to all of the time. Learning is so much more than a brain thing. Especially at her age, the whole body helps her learn!

Something she's really enjoyed is an "Alphabet Fun Sticker Book" by School Zone. It has helped reinforce all of the letters and their sounds, and taken it to the next step of recognizing which sounds words begin with. (Plus, she loves getting the stickers neatly in their boxes.) After working with this slowly over a few days, she came up to me and started talking about all of the words she could think of that started with the "ssss" sound, even though we hadn't studied the "S" in the book yet. She knew that "S" made that sound and came up with: snake, sock, sun and several other words that also started with "S." I was excited that she was making that connection with oral language and not just with the written letters in front of her. She can take the sounds of a word and spell it with the refrigerator letter magnets, but hasn't quite gotten that in reverse yet putting all of the sounds of a written word back together to quite be completely reading yet. But soon!

With reading, I have a plan and an idea of how to work with her at home, at least for this coming year. With math, I felt a little helpless. Talia knows how to count to 29 consistently, and if I tell her what comes after the following _9's, she can continue to 100. She has made the connection between each hand having 5 fingers and says "Look, mommy, two 5's make 10!" or "I have 2 bananas and there's 1 over there, that makes 3!" So I think addition will be a natural next step for her. I just have to get over my own phobia of numbers. I found several workbooks in the States for math that I think will help with that. I have ideas for manipulatives as well. Advice from people who've done this before, though, is always welcome!

Part of homeschooling is knowing your child and where they are in different areas and focusing on how to get them to the next level, no matter how nontraditional or unschool-like that approach might, or is able to be. Surely at first it is always a bit apprehensive to think of what will be needed before you have experience, but hopefully this will improve when I gain that experience.

Do you have any ideas for math or reading that worked for you starting out? How about homeschooling abroad? Or just sorting through the many, many homeschooling options without going broke or crazy? I'd love to hear other parents' thoughts who've gone down this road before.