Sunday, April 6, 2008

new post

hey everyone...

I won't have a whole lot of time to write more posts in the near future. I'll try to pick this up whenever I get the chance, but having to rely on internet cafes in another city kind of hamper this info sharing process.

I have settled into my site at Chirrepec, and within the first week of working there have been able to convince people to build a visitors center, check out other tours to get a better sense of what ours should be, and create new paths for our current tour.

It is pretty astounding to most people that the folks in my site have had the motivation to do so much with me in so little time, considering the first three months here are supposed to be just a transitioning time where I just get to know everyone. So this week has gone by very quickly, so quickly in fact that I woke up yesterday, got dressed, panicked because I looked at the clock and realized I was late... then looked at my watch again... saw it was saturday.... thought for a minute.... no, it couldn't be... I missed a day this week!  I'm still not quite sure which day I missed, but I completely missed one day of my life this week....

so this next two years is going to go by very very quickly it seems. but i'll keep the updates coming as soon as I can...

till next time, adios!



p.s. feel free to send packages to the address listed on the sidebar... and try out the number i put on my last post... it might just work sometime..... see ya

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I didn't think i was allowed to call you unless it was an emergency... sounds like you are doing well. I miss you LOTS!!! Love you!
julie

Mark Hamilton said...

you can call if you want

Anonymous said...

Read your post, Mark, laughed
out loud - then cried because
I miss you so. Guess that's what
mom's are supposed to do. Only
new thing here is that I am a full-blown blonde again:). Most people
like it, but it takes a little
bit of time to get used to. Mark,
it doesn't surprise me at all that you are getting so much done - you are doing what you were made for!
When you were small, you were sad because you were different than all the other jock types and I told you that one day you would
be what people want - Hey, I was
right:). I love you, Mom

Unknown said...

I've got an interesting website that you should check out when you get the chance:
www.markgoestoguatemala.blogpsot.com
I misspelled blogspot, but did not catch this for the better part of a week, and I figured the only explanation was that you had been kidnapped by some extremist missionaries who happened to be in the same town as you, and they demanded to use your blog to post their revelations about the scripture.
Guess I was wrong and just can't never spell no good. Me fail english, that's unpossible.
I'll send you a package sometime, dude.
Take it easy.

Anonymous said...

Mark, I'm looking at the Google map of Guatemala. Where is Chirrepec? Give us a hint.
Sixiron

Anonymous said...

4km south, southeast (find a better map)

Anonymous said...

of Coban

Anonymous said...

Hey man!!

Glad to hear that you are running around like a wild man. Nothing like missing a day of the week our of your life.

I am trying to learn how to play tennis. I am not very good, but I go to Charlotte in a month to see some friends, and one of them plays tennis, and I would like to beat him. So I am not telling him that I am practicing (he beat me last year). Hopefully I can whoop his tail this year.

That is about all of the exciting stories going on here. Thinking of ya man. Been praying for you!!

Ryan

Anonymous said...

Is Chirrepec on Highway 1? Not on Google maps, regardless of resolution.

Anonymous said...

Keep working that Spanish! sixiron

Durham school board tacks $194,000 on to budget bid

The Herald-Sun
Apr 25, 2008

DURHAM -- The Durham school board on Thursday night tacked some $194,000 on to Superintendent Carl Harris' $401.2 million budget for the 2008-09 school year.

The extra $194,000 -- the exact amount has to be confirmed by school system staff -- was added to the budget at the requests of board members Heidi Carter and Steve Schewel.

Schewel's request was to hire two additional English as Second Language, or ESL, interpreters at an estimated 10-month hiring cost of $52,000 each including benefits.

Martin argued against the inclusion of the request for the two new ESL interpreters because no cost estimate had been provided. When school system staff members estimated the number would be a total of $94,000, Martin again took exception, this time saying that Thursday night was not the appropriate time to be making supplemental requests.

"Not to ask for it is 'Shame on us,' " Forte-Brown said.

Anonymous said...

just saw pictures of you on facebook... since I can't comment there, you look good, tan, cheesy smiles...

graduation in a week and a half wish you could be here, love you. still miss you.

julie

Anonymous said...

Hey man!!

So whats been going on? No new posts, nothing crazy... Let me see some pics!!

All is going well here. Nothing too crazy to report. We are going to Charlotte this week to see our old bible study friends. Lousyana is getting better - we have finally started to make some friends here. Still working too much, but I dont guess that will change.

Praying for ya!! Looking forward to hearing some more stories!!

Ryan

jessica said...

nice to hear what you're up to! so awesome that you are helping them do so much stuff! so impressive!! take care :0)