From our initial sessions back in April this year with the volunteer civil action group COFETARN, our work in San Pedro has continued to expand. Always driven by community-interest and individuals ideas, we are now working on a number of projects around and within San Pedro with different individuals from COFETARN – all of which are focused towards creating a San Pedro Verde, as they call their vision.

After more than 4 months since our discussions around working with the local schools and providing educational workshops on reducing waste and recycling, I must be honest and admit that I didn’t think it was going to move ahead. Yet here we are, 5 months later, having just finished an epic 2 days of environmental workshops with local schools, and planning out projects for biodigestors, test-sites for wind power, marketing sustainably harvest traditional ‘bushtucker’ food, and promoting locally-made reusable shopping bags. It gave me great joy to have my doubts swept away, and is a great lesson to see that waiting (especially here in Guatemala) pays off!

You can read more about these projects in our September Update.

As always, I hope you enjoy.

Corrina

Corrina, putting together the gas exit valve from used tyres

After more than a few months of not seeing our Youth Environment Group friends from Papaturro in El Salvador, I decided to program in a priority visit at the beginning of August to go and stay for a few days. Our goal for this trip was to continue capacity-building with the group, work one-on-one with some of the older youth on their “pathways to sustainability” plans, build our first demonstration Biodigestor for the community, and talk to the group about our plans to run a Youth Lead Climate Congress in November. I also had the opportunity to bring Jasmin (our Project Manager running the Recycled Recreation project with children from the Dorothy Byrne Casa del Nino), so that she could get to know this fantastic group of kids and share some of her work in Guatemala with them. All that, and of course I was also very keen to talk to the youth about the progress they had made on their various projects since Seres last visit.

Jaz and Antonio, preparing the biodigestor bag

With this schedule, it was bound to be a busy few days and without a doubt, we made the most of every minute we were there. Having someone else from Seres along was also a great affirmation that these kids were indeed as good as I thought they were! Action-packed, hard work and as rewarding as always, here is an update from the field on the Comité Ecológico Jóvenes en Lucha de Papaturro:

FIELD UPDATE FROM YOUTH ENVIRONMENT GROUP

A few weeks ago, I was invited by two members from one of Seres’ partner community organisations (COFETARN) to go on a 3 day ‘tour’  through Ixim Uleu (Land of Corn in Quiche), into the remote highlands around Tajumulco – Central America’s tallest volcano. The day before I left, I was asked by a friend: “What is Seres going there for? What are you doing there?”…to which I replied: “I don’t know yet. That’s why I’m going…to watch, to learn, to listen – I’ll tell you when I get back”. It may seem like a strange philosophy – to head out into a community with no idea of why you are going, what you will be doing or what to expect but that is the way I work. Whenever I go to meet a new group or community, I (as Seres) try to go without prejudices, without ideas as to what the people may need, without plans or preconceptions or solutions…taking the time instead to listen to their stories, to see things as they see it, to understand their needs, concerns and desires. And so this is how I left for my tour of Tajumulco – with no idea of where we were going or who we were going to see, I went with nothing more than a warm jacket and good walking boots and I returned – as always – overflowing with ideas, inspiration, enthusiasm, new contacts, new projects – and plenty of answers for my friend about why Seres went there.

A furtive photo of the clandestine fields - poppies grown in amongst the corn

Over these three days, I learnt about foraging wild food (from mushrooms to cranberries to native honey bees) and about age-old traditional farming practices. I saw ancient artisans, weaving intricate fabrics on enormous wooden looms, and the clandestine poppy fields hidden in the mountainous highlands between the Guatemalan and Mexican frontiers. And I met with many people – some of which did not speak Spanish, but only the indigenous Mam dialect of the region – and listened to their stories, their fears, their hopes. These three days could easily be recorded as one of the most incredible journeys that I have undertaken here in Central America – perhaps anywhere – and one that I would like to share with you. To give justice to this incredible journey, and time and space to share with you the stories and photos that I gathered over these three days and the ideas and projects that have spun out of it, I have decided to break it down into a few shorter (but still long!) chapters. I hope that I can give justice to the telling, and that you can share some of the amazing things that I was so priveledged to witness. And so here is the first chapter of a story: a glimpse into the place where the wild things are…

Friday 6th August, 2010

Ivan Yoc - Guatemala's "Bush Tucker Man"

The night before we set out, I sat in the home of Ivan Yoc – my companion from COFETARN and ‘guide’ for the next 3 days. Ivan is a fascinating and knowledgable man, who carries an enormous passion for protecting and conserving the amazing biodiversity around the Tajumulco region. The first time he came to visit me at our Casa Del Nino project, he brought with him a bottle of Miel del Silvestre - wild bee honey direct from the forest, together with an invitation to go and visit the communities that he was working with from that region. The honey – that had an incredible flavour that I had never before tasted – was a great bribe and I promised that as soon as I could make time, I would go. And now, here I was: sitting in Ivan’s kitchen waiting for dinner – sauteed wild mushrooms that Ivan had collected from the forests the day before – discussing the plans for the following days. To give me an idea of where we were going, Ivan started to show me photos of the communities we would visit. As we looked over the photos, it soon became obvious that Ivan had a culinary passion as strong as his passion for the environment: there was a common theme running throughout the photo show – food! But not just any food: forest food, sustainably harvested from the wilderness and proudly displayed by beaming young children. I watched Ivan’s excitement grow and to be honest, it wasn’t long before I was sharing his enthusastic grin as he showed me photos of wild cranberries, mushrooms with stems as round as a men’s forearm, elongated oyster type mushrooms that would reach from my elbow to my fingertips, wild honey bee hives and truffles (that’s right, Guatemalan truffles) the size of both of my fists. With a light in his eyes, Ivan looked over at me: “they’re all edible” he told me, “but no-one knows they’re there”.

Hongo del Maiz (Corn Mushroom) - a rare find: sweet and crunchy, but not very attractive!

Over our dinner of hongos (mushrooms) and stories of all manner of comestibles, Ivan told me of his desire to bring eco-tourism into Tajumulco. The region is one of the poorest in Guatemala, and while rich in biodiversity and Indigenous Guatemalan culture, it is little visited by outside tourists. What little tourism exists is generally bought in by foreign tourist companies, which does little to help the communities from the region. Having just seen Ivan’s photos of the region, I couldn’t help but feel a little saddened – imaging this beautiful place ending up like all the other wonders of Guatemala such as Tikal that are now tourist highways: polluted, struggling with the population influx, loosing culture.  Was there another way to do it?

Finishing dinner, Ivan’s wife brought out two steaming hot cups of salvia tea (a tree native to the region, with a flavour similar to peppermint), and a jar of black liquid. “Do you still have the honey that I bought you?” Ivan asked me. I nodded. “Well, now you must try this!” He handed me a spoon and the jar. I sniffed, looked at Ivan’s grin, and shrugged. I could tell that the next three days were not going to be ones where I could afford to be picky about food. And wow! What a surprise. The runny black liquid was another of Ivan’s wild honeys – this one harvested from tiny bees that make their nest underneath the ground. The flavour…like a port flavoured lemon honey (or maybe lemon honey flavoured port) only lighter, with a fresh aftertaste. Again, like nothing I have ever tasted. As I nodded my approval, a thought struck me: Bush Tucker Food! A concept that is growing rapidly in Australia, I realised that here in front of me was the exact same thing, only from a completely different region. Sustainably harvested, wild organic food. And sitting in front of me: Guatemala’s equivalent of the Bush Tucker Man. Wild cranberry jam, honey, mushrooms, tea, coffee and all manner of things I had not yet discovered. I started thinking again about Ivan’s desire for Eco-toursim, and a thought struck me: what about a culinary tour? A completely unique experience: visiting these remote communities, learning about sustainable food forests, and tasting the delights in a way that promotes and supports the culture, and preserves the knowledge about this food that is gradually being lost through the generations. I told Ivan about the bush tucker movement in Australia, and suggested that here he could maybe try something similar. He called his wife over, and I sat listening as he explained the concept and their ideas started to flow. It is something that gives me so much pleasure to watch, as people’s minds open up to a new concept, a new idea, and they start dreaming of new possibilities. Feeling sleepy from the salvia tea and keen to get to bed ready for tomorrow’s early start I left Ivan to muse over the idea of a culinary tour of Tajumulco, knowing that I was going to have an interesting few days ahead of me.

Filling eco-ladrillos for the Recycled Recreation Project.

This month is one of many firsts for me. My first fundraising drive, my first project startup, my first week alone in a wholly spanish speaking environment…. My first homesick bout.

My homesickness bout actually came before the immersion/isolation amongst non-english speaking people.  It came out of the clear blue sky, and tumbled over me like a heavy storm…. I was engulfed with the “I want my mummy’s home cooked pumpkin soup!” feeling of emptiness, followed later that day by the “I just want to pop into my friend’s house for red wine, dark chocolate and good natured gossip!” thought, and a little later still was I bombarded with “I can’t believe that I am missing my niece’s first bounce in the jolly jumper!” guilt trip rollercoaster.…..

Silly Faces.

A busy day in the brain of Miss Jasmin, but a natural occurrence in the cycle of long stints away from home.

These feelings came around the time that I crossed the Mexican border for the second time. A new stamp in my passport: marking the end of my sixth month here….and the beginning of a new phase in my Guatemalan adventures. A phase that asks me to consolidate my energies here…. To ‘put my money where my mouth is” so to speak.

Choosing to be here is one thing. Asking my friends and family to support that choice by donating money is another. Like Corrina, I too am proud that I have been financially independent since leaving school. I am not good at asking for money, it feels like a dirty task. However this month we held my first ever fundraiser; with the high stake of providing the security to know that I can pay my rent. And yes, I am entirely aware of the irony of such a plight: being here and working with the campesinos who are struggling because their crops are failing, and can they can barely find the money to feed their families. And I do understand that unlike them, I could get a job in the touristy town of Antigua in a bar….. But I know that my energies are so much better spent working in the communities doing this work that has become food for my soul!!

Making Tamales.

Going into the July Fundraiser I was consumed with guilt and apprehension at the reality of typing dozens and dozens of letters asking for financial help…… however during the month of July I was chauffeured down memory lane as letters that I had written were responded to, and donations of money, and of gossip, from friends and family were received….. And now, as August dawns, I am in awe of the generosity of spirit and of purse that I have been blessed with from my family and friends who are a world away, yet forever held close in my heart.

With my first ever fundraiser month behind me, I embark upon another first. The first project that I run as part of Seres. The Recycled Recreation Project. I have been through all the emotions with it, but ultimately I am so very gratified that it is coming together, and that I am doing something so meaningful. As a friend of mine just said: I am doing something ‘real’. Which is why I am here. Which is what I seek in all ventures that I undertake. It has got to be real… got to ring ‘true’. Partnered with ‘real’ comes challenge, inspiration, learning, knowledge, and magic. To me the ‘reality check’ is an important one, and this work is definitely one that is providing me with all that I seek.

The first Recycled Recreation design meeting.

I look about me and I am inspired. I am inspired by the children living here in the Casa del Niño who have gone from living on the street to thriving in their new school, and working together as a team. I am inspired by the camepesino Fransisco who works tirelessly from 5am to clear an entire field of trees with just his trusty machete. I am inspired by my mentor and friend Corrina who puts her mind to something and makes it happen = be it as small as a chicken coop, or as grand as a college. I am inspired by the three year old sitting on my lap right now who is doing his best to count to ten in english…. And as I count back to him in spanish I am inspired by my own ability to do some of the things that I never thought possible for myself.

Being here is challenging every part of my being, and every skill set that I possess, and is teaching me, and challenging me more than I dreamed it could. I am being shaped by this experience to every corner of my being: from physical work, to new concepts and methods, to the basic tasks that I had (until coming here) taken for granted like communication…. Especially communication.

You don't need words to make the children laugh!!

This week is my first one alone in a wholly spanish speaking environment, with no safety net of a translator to convey my wants, needs or wishes.  I am grateful for the ‘sink or swim’ opportunity…. I am doing the best damned dog paddling you have ever seen! I get lots wrong, but I also get lots right. I am finally relying less on Google Translate, and more on my own new skill set. It shall be a long time before I write a blog in spanish, but I am now capable of looking people in the eye and having a real [albeit limited] two way conversation with them. Yay for me [if I do say so myself]!!

So as I finish this blog, I prepare to leave for the workshop that the children and I are holding in the local school to raise awareness of the work that we are doing here at the Casa del Niño, also to teach them about recycling and reusing, and to ask them to help us collect resources for our Recycled Recreation Project. I have prepared some sentences in spanish that I am going to paddle my way through, and hope for the best!

As my darling Grandmother told me: “Its sink or swim petal. Throw them in the deep end and they will figure it out one way or another.” I intend to keep my head above the water, and give it my all. I am not afraid to look like a dog paddling fool…. or to ask for floaties…..

Because I intend to make it to the other side. In all my endeavors.