hey
yea, i´m doing well. first off, i am going to pass on the message that we all miss everyone who is still in spokane and we (that is all 26 of us) would LOVE to hear from people. basically, we aren´t going to ever come back if you we don´t hear from people that we care about.
that being said, i am doing well. we only have 2 more days of language school. today was salsa lessons in the afternoon and we have lectures about liberation theology, free trade and the like quite often. last week we watched a mayan priest preform a ceremony (yea, they didn´t sacrifice though). we enjoyed a three day weekend. on friday we hiked up to a sacred mayan lake in the mountains here. it was really beautiful. when we got down the mountain, our bus was really late in coming to pick us up and so we played soccer with local kids for an hour and a half. in the evening we all went out (students, TA´s, and professors) to a discoteca. it was hilarious to see 30 americans take over the dance floor with our uncoordinated (or at least my) dancing. on saturday morning we headed up to some hot springs and basically enjoyed our first time to really relax on the trip. in the evening we all went to a futbol game. it was amazing. it was the rivalry game between the home team (xela) and one of the teams from the capital (municipal). the fans were incredible. the entire time the had songs going. most of them included lots of cuss words which just made it that much better. before the game started, the fans lit off hundreds of fireworks (guatemala LOVES their fireworks, we hear them every day) and lit a paper mache repleca of municipal´s mascot on fire. it was rediculous. the game itself ended in a tie but it was a brutal game. the opposing goalie got a red card for kicking one of the xela players in the juevos. so yea, one of my life goals is now checked off. on sunday we went to one of the biggest markets in guatemala in a city called chichicastenango. it was cool, but we are gettting to be very put off by the whole tourism thing because we are studying all the affects and can see the negatives that it brings to the whole situation. we all agree that everyone fells a little less human when we are in one of these markets. but they did have some good ice cream. so, that is basically all i have. I would love prayer for the upcoming weekend in which we are going to be heading off in small groups all across guatemala to practice our spanish and our ability to survive in the society. i could also use some prayer that we will make it across the boarder to honduras next week and that we have a great home stay. probably by next saturday, i will be no longer be able to be in consistant contact with you all. so, if you have any questions, comments, etc. make sure they are in before then. i´ll try to send another update before we peace out. so, that being said, i love you all and i´ll leave with the statement that the liberation theology speaker said on monday
indifference is the worst sin of the society.
don´t let that be you, everyone is counting on it.
in the one who made a perfect world that we´re all trying to help to fix
joe
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
i am annoying
hey everybody
sorry about all the spanish. we were enghaging in boca dura (which was basically a spin off of mano dura and we could only speak in spanish). basically i said you should send messages to people on the trip (not just me) by friday at 5. as for my life, it is going well. language school is pretty cool. I know that my spanish skills are getting a lot better. over the weekend, we went to panahachel. it was really strange because it is a very touristy city. we spent the day hanging out and a nature reserve. on sunday, we took a boat ride to the other side of the lake to go to a church where a priest was killed for his civil rights work during the civil war. it was really humbling. yea, i really dont know what else to say and i am late for dancing class. so, look at the pictures on facebook. i really like you all. oh yea, malaria pills are awesome. last night i had a dream that bethany pile was trying to kill me with a sledge hammer, but it was easily evading her. yup. peace. send me any questions you have and i will either answer you personally or ut it in my next bi email.
pictures at at this link
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2018575&l=1c45c&id=59400432
sorry about all the spanish. we were enghaging in boca dura (which was basically a spin off of mano dura and we could only speak in spanish). basically i said you should send messages to people on the trip (not just me) by friday at 5. as for my life, it is going well. language school is pretty cool. I know that my spanish skills are getting a lot better. over the weekend, we went to panahachel. it was really strange because it is a very touristy city. we spent the day hanging out and a nature reserve. on sunday, we took a boat ride to the other side of the lake to go to a church where a priest was killed for his civil rights work during the civil war. it was really humbling. yea, i really dont know what else to say and i am late for dancing class. so, look at the pictures on facebook. i really like you all. oh yea, malaria pills are awesome. last night i had a dream that bethany pile was trying to kill me with a sledge hammer, but it was easily evading her. yup. peace. send me any questions you have and i will either answer you personally or ut it in my next bi email.
pictures at at this link
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2018575&l=1c45c&id=59400432
Monday, January 21, 2008
quiero una carta
hola, no puedo esribir en ingles porque estamos tratando una broma y entonce no podemos usar esta idioma. pero, estoy diciendo que este viernes es el ultimo dia para escribir cartas a los miembros de nuestro viaje. este mensaje no es solo para mi, pero para los otros que quieren oir que tienen amigos que le aman. entonces, si quieres, escribir una cosa para nosotros y enviarlo en whitworth antes de este viernes a las 5 en la tarde. enviarlo a este vestido
Joe Tobiason (o otro nombre)
Central America Study Program
c/o Charles Tappa
Off-Campus Programs
Whitworth University
300 W. Hawthorne Rd
Spokane, WA 99202
grasias para todos,
Joe
Joe Tobiason (o otro nombre)
Central America Study Program
c/o Charles Tappa
Off-Campus Programs
Whitworth University
300 W. Hawthorne Rd
Spokane, WA 99202
grasias para todos,
Joe
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
I´m not dead
hey
I just want to say that I am still alive. We left whitworth at 430 on friday afternoon and arrived here in Xela (the coloquial name for quetzaltenango) at 8pm central time on saturday. so yes, that does mean that we were traveling for something like 25.5 hours. it was really great. I am staying in a home stay with a family here in xela. the mom (se llama Flor Maria) is really cool and reminds me of betty power. it is fun. she is a really good cook and she is going to teach us how to make the guatemalan tamales that we have had a few times. I am living with Jeremy Mohlinaro and Ryan Sabata. some of you know them. during the mornings, we have language school. we start at 8am and end at 1pm and do one on one teaching for the whole time. it isn´t as bad as it sounds, but it can be a little long. We do get go to on field trips whenever we want. in the afternoons, we have activities. today we went to the ome of a woman who makes chocolate for hot chocolate. it should be noted that the hot chocolate is SOOOOO good here. we have had a few free afternoons. yesterday Jer, Ryan and I went to this cafe that is on a balcony on the second floor of this building that overlooks the central park. se just sat there, drank hot chocolate, and people watched. It is really interesting to see how everyone interacts with each other. There are guards everywhere and they usually have shot guns or machine guns. so yea, we feel real safe!!! It is funny because we feel so much more educated because we speak decent spanish and are trying not to be obvious gringos, but it is hilarious to watch the other gringos. I am not joking when I say that yesterday i saw a dude who was a pale as printer paper, wearing black flip flops, blue board shorts, some crappy shirt, sunglasses, a black fanny pack and is taking pictures of EVERYTHING!!!!! we laughed pretty hard. Naturally we all have stories to tell. the other day, I almost got knifed by a drunk lady (mom, don´t worry, she was too drunk to find my legs), one of the guys on the trip got hit by the mirror of a bus, and we got hit on by some guatemala girls. needless to say, we are having a great time. Just to let you know, it is probably about 25 C (75 ish) in the day, and we have all aclimated enough to wear sweatshirts basically all day. at night it does get pretty cold (down to about 0) so we have to bundle up under the covers a little. Personally, I am doing ok. I am a little sick. I have been dealing with a really bad cough which has kept me up the last few nights. I think it is moving on because I am moving into the phlegm stage. also, I have a little diharreha. all is to be expected. well, that is about all i have to say now. We are heading out to go to the party at the central park to commorate the new municipal leaders who are taking their offices today (this is after the concert following the change of the president yesterday). But all is well. As for prayers, I would love some about getting completely healthy soon and that language school will become even better of an experience. thank you all for the prayers I have gotten so far and I´ll talk to you later.
Joe (guatemalanly pronounced jo-ay)
I just want to say that I am still alive. We left whitworth at 430 on friday afternoon and arrived here in Xela (the coloquial name for quetzaltenango) at 8pm central time on saturday. so yes, that does mean that we were traveling for something like 25.5 hours. it was really great. I am staying in a home stay with a family here in xela. the mom (se llama Flor Maria) is really cool and reminds me of betty power. it is fun. she is a really good cook and she is going to teach us how to make the guatemalan tamales that we have had a few times. I am living with Jeremy Mohlinaro and Ryan Sabata. some of you know them. during the mornings, we have language school. we start at 8am and end at 1pm and do one on one teaching for the whole time. it isn´t as bad as it sounds, but it can be a little long. We do get go to on field trips whenever we want. in the afternoons, we have activities. today we went to the ome of a woman who makes chocolate for hot chocolate. it should be noted that the hot chocolate is SOOOOO good here. we have had a few free afternoons. yesterday Jer, Ryan and I went to this cafe that is on a balcony on the second floor of this building that overlooks the central park. se just sat there, drank hot chocolate, and people watched. It is really interesting to see how everyone interacts with each other. There are guards everywhere and they usually have shot guns or machine guns. so yea, we feel real safe!!! It is funny because we feel so much more educated because we speak decent spanish and are trying not to be obvious gringos, but it is hilarious to watch the other gringos. I am not joking when I say that yesterday i saw a dude who was a pale as printer paper, wearing black flip flops, blue board shorts, some crappy shirt, sunglasses, a black fanny pack and is taking pictures of EVERYTHING!!!!! we laughed pretty hard. Naturally we all have stories to tell. the other day, I almost got knifed by a drunk lady (mom, don´t worry, she was too drunk to find my legs), one of the guys on the trip got hit by the mirror of a bus, and we got hit on by some guatemala girls. needless to say, we are having a great time. Just to let you know, it is probably about 25 C (75 ish) in the day, and we have all aclimated enough to wear sweatshirts basically all day. at night it does get pretty cold (down to about 0) so we have to bundle up under the covers a little. Personally, I am doing ok. I am a little sick. I have been dealing with a really bad cough which has kept me up the last few nights. I think it is moving on because I am moving into the phlegm stage. also, I have a little diharreha. all is to be expected. well, that is about all i have to say now. We are heading out to go to the party at the central park to commorate the new municipal leaders who are taking their offices today (this is after the concert following the change of the president yesterday). But all is well. As for prayers, I would love some about getting completely healthy soon and that language school will become even better of an experience. thank you all for the prayers I have gotten so far and I´ll talk to you later.
Joe (guatemalanly pronounced jo-ay)
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Less than 48 hrs
Hey everyone
wow......... I am leaving on friday, that is (according to my facebook at this moment) 1 day, 15 hrs, and 51 minutes away. wow. First of all, I want to say how awesome you all have been. I am overwhelmed by the support that I have been blessed with. Every time that I start to talk about this trip I get more excited. It has been great to see you all join me in that joy. But, I guess I should start my updates. We have been in class at Whitworth for the last 2 days. Literally I am in the HUB from 9 or 10 am until 4 or 5 pm which sounds more brutal than it really is or maybe just sounds like I am whining. So, that is about all I really have to update you all on but it also doesn't scratch the surface about what I have to say. Mainly, I am writing this to write a basic itinerary so that you can stay up on what I am doing if you want.
Jan 11-12: Depart (Meet in the HUB at 4 for a prayer/send off) Spokane --> Seattle --> Houston --> Guatemala City --> Quezaltenango
Jan 12-Feb 5 or 6: Be in Quezaltenango for language school
JAN 25: DEADLINE FOR LETTERS, POSTCARDS, AND CARDS TO CHARLES TAPPA #1 (see below for address)
Feb 5-6: move to Copan
Feb 8: Students disperse to their assigned service sites with partner non-governmental organizations in northern Honduras. They will be in the various communities for approximately 3 1/2 weeks. During this time, the students may not have access to telephones or internet
FEB 26: DEADLINES FOR LETTERS, POSTCARDS, AND CARDS TO CHARLES TAPPA #2
March 1: Fly to San Jose, Costa Rica
March 3-9: Group Retreat to Punta Mona
MAR 14: DEADLINE FOR LETTERS, POSTCARDS, AND CARDS TO CHARLES TAPPA #3
Mar 20-23: Easter in San Jose
Mar 24: Travel to Managua, Nicaragua (we will be there for 3 weeks doing various things)
April 11: Travel to El Salvador (we will be there for 3 weeks doing various things)
May 2: return to Spokane
May 10: closing celebration at Whitworth. CASP PRESENTATION AT 1:30. Basically we will try to sum up what we have learned.
So that is probably more information than you probably want, but maybe you do want it for some reason. So there you go. oh yea, if you are in Spokane. Caleb Knox is throwing a little shin dig at Applebees at 10pm on thursday if you want to come.
Prayer Requests
- Safe travel: we have a lot of people going a long way and crazy things can happen
- That our team continues to bond
- That God shows up big time
- That I don't forget anything important (remember the underwear story)
So yea. Maybe I will see you guys before I peace out, maybe I won't, but thanks for paying attention to my life. I love you guys.
PS if you want to get ahold of me:
1) send me a letter to this address
Joseph Tobiason
Central America Study Program
c/o Charles Tappa
Off - Campus Studies
Whitworth University
300 W Hawthorne Rd
Spokane, WA 99251
dates:
1/25/2008, 2/26/2008, 3/14/2008 (all arrive by 5pm)
2) send me an email/facebook message
3) comment on this blog
Ok, I'm done now. I promise
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