So here is a new blog! And once again, I am beginning a blog by apologizing that it has been so long since I have written. It´s not necessarily that I haven’t felt like writing a blog, but I have been passing most days pretty similarly to the days before, so no new ground-breaking news. I have been volunteering at Maya Pedal for about 2 weeks now. Right now (Sunday) I am in Antigua Guatemala, a nearby touristy colonial city where I came to pass the weekend reading in coffee shops, looking at people and pricey souvenirs, sitting in the church, watching bad Ben Afleck movies, and internetting. Im back to work tomorrow morning.
I must say I am so glad I came here to Maya Pedal and it has surely been one of the highlights of any travel I have done so far. Each day I wake up early and start working on bikes. Once I was here for a few days and got enough skills under my belt to work somewhat independently I have really loved working on bikes. Maya Pedal gets old busted bike donations from the US and Canada, and most of the sales here are of refurbished bicycles for transportation. We also do some repairs for people that stop by with their bikes. So that kind of stuff is what I do. Maya Pedal also makes machines but I don’t do much of that….although I have gotten to try my hand at cutting metal with a big electric saw, and welding a bit too. I mostly leave the machines to Carlos, the technician because that is intense stuff. It is really cool to see someone who is so good at what they do, and to see what a little human ingenuity can do toward making such cool machines. So far I have seen bike powered blenders, corn dehuskers, corn grinders (for tortillas), peanut de-shellers, water pumps (up to 100 meters depth!), clothes washers, yay! If you´ll permit me for a moment…I´ll go on a soapbox about why pedal power rules!
1) First, pedal power is very cost efficient, the input is just human power which costs nothing, the machines are extremely durable with little to no repair costs 2) Pedal power is energy efficient. Now this goes a long way…I mean you aren’t bringing in energy from an outside substance to run these machines and there is no pollutants given off from the machines´ work. 3) With pedal power there is a more direct human connection to the product. You know the process it goes through, you know how it arrived in its´ final state…..as opposed to electric washing machines for example, where although you may use it everyday for your whole life, you never really know what goes on in that mysterious machine after you push the button. 4) Pedal power machines are available to people with limited access to electricity, and of course to those as well who have access to electricity, but find it advantageous to limit their usage. So that is a little bit about why I thik bike powered machines are awesome. Yay.
Last week a mother came into the shop while was the only one there and inquired about a bike for her 10 year old daughter. I showed her the collection of old bikes and explained we could fix any of them up for her daughter. She went away excited as we have a lot of descent bikes for little girls. I was alsp excited about the chance to fix up a bike for a little girl…something I have wanted to do since I got here. You see, here in Guatemala the majority of the population are indigenous people and they have beautiful traditional dress. The womens´ dress includes a long tightly wrapped ankle-length skirt. And this skirt my friends, is a very practical and good reason why women don’t ride bikes here. Also, it is kind of customary that only men ride bikes so even among women who are not indigenous, you don´t see many riding bikes. So anyway, I was excited when this lady came in and so I hope she returns and I can rebuild her a bike!
So the other 2 volunters that were here at Maya Pedal, George and Ola (married) left last week. Now it is just me in the the shop which is cool, I am just learning the art of being content while being alone. I read, I walk around, I cook, I set little tasks for myself. Today for instance is Sunday so I have a whole day of free time. This morning when I woke up I thought of all the things I was going to do; eat breakfast, walk around, sit in the church, have a hot chocolate, write in my journal, write a blog, have a coffee, eat lunch, read my book, read an interesting national geographic article I found in the hostel, eat dinner, go to bed exhausted after such a long day. So the speed is a little different here…and Im enjoying it. I am also entering into full planning mode as my brother Zak meets me in Managua in 11 days. We are going to hike volcanoes, swim in lakes, tour coffee farms, hike mountains, look at revolutionary sights, drink hot corn drinks, eat animals in their full forms, talk with Gloria, canoe, play cards by candlelight…..Im so excited I cant think about it too much or I´ll pee on myself. New topic.
Books read so far: Autobiography of Malcolm X, Autobiography of Rigoberta Menchu, and currently: The Invisible Man
Among all this excitement and good times, I did cry yesterday. I was sitting quietly looking at a beautiful lake when a lady walked by selling beautiful tapestries and I made the mistake of asking how much one was, although I had no intention of buying it. She replied that it was 250 quetzales…..about $35. I said they were beautiful but no thank you….and then this lady stayed there for at least 10 minutes, trying to sell this tapestry to me….it went a little something like this......
´´250 quetzalsis too much? Well Ill give you a better price…230, take it for 230. For you I will give a good price, 230 too much? Alright 220. Hand made you see, by me, it is my work, see the little birds, the volcano, for you 215…a good price. Come on lady, I haven’t sold anything all day….all day and nothing.´´
This went on until she was down to 70 quetzals, almost a third of her original price. It was a fair price for the tapestry, but just didn’t want the damn thing and I am on a budget and cant be buying tapestries all the time. So finally she gave up and walked away and I bursted out crying. I guess I just needed the release. We were both frustrated.
I must say I am so glad I came here to Maya Pedal and it has surely been one of the highlights of any travel I have done so far. Each day I wake up early and start working on bikes. Once I was here for a few days and got enough skills under my belt to work somewhat independently I have really loved working on bikes. Maya Pedal gets old busted bike donations from the US and Canada, and most of the sales here are of refurbished bicycles for transportation. We also do some repairs for people that stop by with their bikes. So that kind of stuff is what I do. Maya Pedal also makes machines but I don’t do much of that….although I have gotten to try my hand at cutting metal with a big electric saw, and welding a bit too. I mostly leave the machines to Carlos, the technician because that is intense stuff. It is really cool to see someone who is so good at what they do, and to see what a little human ingenuity can do toward making such cool machines. So far I have seen bike powered blenders, corn dehuskers, corn grinders (for tortillas), peanut de-shellers, water pumps (up to 100 meters depth!), clothes washers, yay! If you´ll permit me for a moment…I´ll go on a soapbox about why pedal power rules!
1) First, pedal power is very cost efficient, the input is just human power which costs nothing, the machines are extremely durable with little to no repair costs 2) Pedal power is energy efficient. Now this goes a long way…I mean you aren’t bringing in energy from an outside substance to run these machines and there is no pollutants given off from the machines´ work. 3) With pedal power there is a more direct human connection to the product. You know the process it goes through, you know how it arrived in its´ final state…..as opposed to electric washing machines for example, where although you may use it everyday for your whole life, you never really know what goes on in that mysterious machine after you push the button. 4) Pedal power machines are available to people with limited access to electricity, and of course to those as well who have access to electricity, but find it advantageous to limit their usage. So that is a little bit about why I thik bike powered machines are awesome. Yay.
Last week a mother came into the shop while was the only one there and inquired about a bike for her 10 year old daughter. I showed her the collection of old bikes and explained we could fix any of them up for her daughter. She went away excited as we have a lot of descent bikes for little girls. I was alsp excited about the chance to fix up a bike for a little girl…something I have wanted to do since I got here. You see, here in Guatemala the majority of the population are indigenous people and they have beautiful traditional dress. The womens´ dress includes a long tightly wrapped ankle-length skirt. And this skirt my friends, is a very practical and good reason why women don’t ride bikes here. Also, it is kind of customary that only men ride bikes so even among women who are not indigenous, you don´t see many riding bikes. So anyway, I was excited when this lady came in and so I hope she returns and I can rebuild her a bike!
So the other 2 volunters that were here at Maya Pedal, George and Ola (married) left last week. Now it is just me in the the shop which is cool, I am just learning the art of being content while being alone. I read, I walk around, I cook, I set little tasks for myself. Today for instance is Sunday so I have a whole day of free time. This morning when I woke up I thought of all the things I was going to do; eat breakfast, walk around, sit in the church, have a hot chocolate, write in my journal, write a blog, have a coffee, eat lunch, read my book, read an interesting national geographic article I found in the hostel, eat dinner, go to bed exhausted after such a long day. So the speed is a little different here…and Im enjoying it. I am also entering into full planning mode as my brother Zak meets me in Managua in 11 days. We are going to hike volcanoes, swim in lakes, tour coffee farms, hike mountains, look at revolutionary sights, drink hot corn drinks, eat animals in their full forms, talk with Gloria, canoe, play cards by candlelight…..Im so excited I cant think about it too much or I´ll pee on myself. New topic.
Books read so far: Autobiography of Malcolm X, Autobiography of Rigoberta Menchu, and currently: The Invisible Man
Among all this excitement and good times, I did cry yesterday. I was sitting quietly looking at a beautiful lake when a lady walked by selling beautiful tapestries and I made the mistake of asking how much one was, although I had no intention of buying it. She replied that it was 250 quetzales…..about $35. I said they were beautiful but no thank you….and then this lady stayed there for at least 10 minutes, trying to sell this tapestry to me….it went a little something like this......
´´250 quetzalsis too much? Well Ill give you a better price…230, take it for 230. For you I will give a good price, 230 too much? Alright 220. Hand made you see, by me, it is my work, see the little birds, the volcano, for you 215…a good price. Come on lady, I haven’t sold anything all day….all day and nothing.´´
This went on until she was down to 70 quetzals, almost a third of her original price. It was a fair price for the tapestry, but just didn’t want the damn thing and I am on a budget and cant be buying tapestries all the time. So finally she gave up and walked away and I bursted out crying. I guess I just needed the release. We were both frustrated.
So I think this is it for now....all the blogging and picture downloading my little mind can take. Ill be checking email regularly (hint hint) so drop me a note. BYE!
Bree
2 comments:
zak is getting excited too. One week from today. hope you get the chance to make the little girl's bike before you leave. glad you are learning a new skill.
love ya,
Mom
whew. I think I need someone to haggle me a bit so I can have an emotional release too. I just have to say, after being in this business deal, that is the coolest Board of Directors I have ever seen. And also, now that I have my apartment and am planning my patio composting project and using the least amount of enegy possible, I am thinking, "what kind of bike machine could I use?" Dream one up for me, and I'll take it.
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