cell phones

Yes... I know cell phones in the Peace Corps... Most of the volunteers get cell phones as it´s a cheap way to communicate with each other and with the Peace Corps Office for security.

If anyone is interested our numbers are:

Mosiah: 59054853
Kelly: 59085840

We're here!

We are alive and well! Our apologies for the delay to those waiting for a post... There has been very little "free" time and competing for time on the Internet is difficult. Enough "excusas"... Thanks for your patience! We have been in Guatemala for almost 2 weeks and are living at 7,000 feet between Guatemala City and Antigua near the Peace Corps training center in Santa Lucia. After the first few days at the training center where we were drilled on how to keep safe and healthy in Guatemala we separated into groups and moved to our villages where we will live and train for the next 3 months. We were placed in 2 wonderful families in neighboring villages, only about a 20 minute walk apart. Both families are sympathetic to the fact that we are living "separado". Our days have been filled with Spanish lessons, safety and security training, technical training, health lectures; thrown between long meals with families as we struggle to have menial conversations. Also lots of homework! The Peace Corps keeps you busy during training!

Some interesting tid-bits

- 5/7 - We experienced our 1st earthquake
- We haven't actually had a cup of Guatemalan coffee yet as it's mostly all exported (Guatemalans drink instant)
- Trying to Explain why I'm a vegetarian in Spanish (kelly)
- Watching a gigantic Elmo piñata get beat to a pulp at a birthday party (pictures soon to follow)
- Working at a center for street children (mosiah)
- Getting sick and having to give a stool sample... (kelly) i'm better now :)
- Host mom holding my hand as i walk around town (kelly)
- Fireworks at 4:30 am and singing to celebrate Mother's Day
- Getting "used to" dead dogs in the streets (mosiah)
- Visited a Mayan women's co-op and green been factory (other PCV's projects)

These first 2 weeks have been challenging and we're learning a lot. You are all in our thought and we love you!

Oh... we found out that the Guatemalan postal Service is now being run by a private Canadian company and is now much more reliable. So... care packages of all shapes and sizes are now safe to send :). For those of you that forgot our address it is:

Kelly & Mosiah Montoya, PCT
8 Calle 6-55, Zona 9
Guatemala City, 01009
Guatemala, Central America

Note: PLEASE only send via US Postal Service and NOT FedEx or UPS.

We love and miss you all!

Until next time,
Kelly & Mosiah