Sorry for the lack of posts lately. Before I came on this trip I would wonder why people who were on similar trips didn't blog more. But since I've been here I'm starting to understand. Because when you're here, like anywhere else, moments turn to hours, hours turn into days, and days into life. And suddenly something that seemed noteworthy is now just life, and it's not something as interesting any more. Or it is, but life's still going and you don't just stop to record it. You just keep living. Day in and day out. Like you do when you're at home, or school or wherever. It's life, every little moment of it. All the little moments squish together to make the whole, and sometimes it's hard to pick apart the various pieces. So that's my excuse for not blogging a ton. That being said, I have another list of things I've learned recently for you:
61) Unlike Magdalena, in Antigua you can probably get away with not greeting every person you meet. If you're, unsure, however, you can still let out a buenos dias and be just fine.
62) Any noise made to the Lord is a joyful noise. Thus, church is loud!
63) You can celebrate just about anything with fireworks and firecrackers. But the favorite is birthdays.
64) Birthdays can, apparently, be celebrated in the above mentioned way at any time of the night. Any time.
65) It's not a good firework celebration unless the car alarms get set off by it.
66) I like spicy chocolate. Like dark chocolate with chili powder baked in. Mmm.
67) Guatemalans tend to favor spoons over other utensils.
68) Guatemalans don't really run. Ever. So when my roommate and I run later than our normal six a.m. we tend to make somewhat of a spectacale. Though I'm sure by now they're used to all the things us crazy gringos do.
69) Antigua was established around 1500, and looks much the same as it did then.
70) I like egg plant. Who knew?
71) The "there's always room for one more" rule applies to buses, cars, van, and yes, even mopeds. Sometimes especially mopeds.
72) Thinking about life after graduation is terrifying. But in a really exciting way. Can't believe how quickly that's becoming a reality.
73) I'm not allergic to mangoes like I once thought. Or if I am, I'm combatting it with eating more mangoes.
74) Carbs are apparently an option for breakfast in our house.
75) If served to me I would eat fried plantains and guacamole every day.
76) I really miss dairy products.
76) Sometimes there is really only room for one more (see #71), but they will still pack in about 20 more. (Check out this post on riding the bus for more on that!)
77) Riding the bus is awkward. And uncomfortable. Personal space doesn't exist on the bus. But it's a part of life, very much necessary for many Guatemalans.
78) To a non-native English speaker, the 8 and H sounds are very similar. My kindergarteners in Magdalena say them both the same, and I'm not entirely sure they realize there's a difference.
79) Black sand is HOT! (They weren't kidding when they warned us!)
80) The ocean is far more powerful than I ever imagined.
81) I kind of love bartering. I don't always walk away with the best end of the deal, but at least I had some say in the final price of whatever I'm buying. Bartering is expected in many, but not all, places around here.
82) It's not actually grammatically correct to say "can I have" ("puedo tener") in Spanish. Now that I've learned this, I've been trying to not say it, but it's really hard! We use it all the time in English. Now every time I go to ask for something I get caught up on my words.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
How Things are done in Guatemala #Ridingthebus
I know it's hard to believe, but not everything runs the way it does in the U.S. when you're in other countries. And I know it's even harder to believe that sometimes there are some things that are run better in other countries than they are in the U.S.
Different? Yes. Very much so. Better?...far from. Let me just explain to you this process a little bit so you can better understand where I'm coming from:
Riding the Bus:
There are at least two people you will see on every bus in Guatemala, and sometimes a third:
There's always room for one more is a general rule for just about everything here in Guatemala, but especially with the buses, which are commonly called chicken buses. Couldn't tell you the reason why for that one...The ayudante will have the driver stop any time he sees someone who looks like they might need a ride, even (especially?) when they aren't standing at a specified bus stop. Oh, I should mention that these buses are just old school buses (as in elementary school buses, not "old school" buses!) from the states. Sometimes you can still see the name of the school painted on the side. They're usually covered with a bright coat of paint and Barcelona soccer stickers. I guess the drivers can decorate however they want. So the ayudante just keeps filling the bus with more people. And sometimes you think, "Now there's really only room for one more", but he proceeds to add about 20 more. You know how school buses in the states have one side with bigger seats, and one side with smaller? Well, in Guatemala they've replaced the smaller side with big seats. And you ALWAYS sit three to a seat. In fact, if the ayudante thinks you're purposely only sitting two to a seat, he may chose to charge you the fare for two people. After all the seats are filled, you fill the isles, naturally. Because, what fun would it be to just fill the seats? Once the isles are filled you start putting people in the overhead racks....kidding. But sometimes it feels like that's what they're doing! I honestly don't where they put all the people they fit onto one bus. Especially when our group is involved, because we add about 20 to an already full bus.
When I ride the bus, I just have to laugh. There is no such thing as personal space bubbles, and sometimes you're standing in the most awkward places, right up close and personal with some person you've never met before. Every bump and turn (of which there are many on the road between Antigua and Magdalena, and I imagine every other bus route in the country) shoves you closer to said stranger until you're standing so close you'd think you've been best friends, or siamese twins, your whole life, but yet you haven't met, and probably never will. And then the bus stops and more people get on, and you get even closer to your neighbor, and you just sit there not making eye contact- though their eyes are only inches from your own. On less crowded rides I like to talk to the people around me, learn their stories and whatnot. That's a rarity, unfortunately. Yes, I have to just laugh as I ride the bus. But as I'm laughing, I look around me and don't see anyone else (save for my fellow gringos) laughing. In fact, I see a lot of Guatemalan faces staring at me as I laugh, and I know they're thinking, "Crazy gringo." Riding the bus isn't humorous to a Guatemalan. It's just life. Cars and gas are expensive, jobs aren't always right in your pueblo, so riding the bus is a part of life. Buses are packed, and that's a part of life. The ride is usually uncomfortable, and that's part of life. The road is bumpy, and twisty and turny, and that's a part of life. You do what you have to, and you don't think anything of it. Every day. Because that's life. You don't complain, because what would the point be? For me, life doesn't usually include riding a chicken bus to and from work and home. It's a great experience, but one I'll reserve for Guatemala. So for now, I just have to laugh. And hope the Guatemalans don't mind this crazy gringo too much. :)
I would not put riding the bus in Guatemala in that category.
Different? Yes. Very much so. Better?...far from. Let me just explain to you this process a little bit so you can better understand where I'm coming from:
Riding the Bus:
There are at least two people you will see on every bus in Guatemala, and sometimes a third:
- You will for sure encounter a driver, no surprise there. He, as I'm sure you can guess, drives the bus! Shocking, I know! But that is the extent of his duties. The surprising part is that he sometimes looks like he is about 15. Aside from driving the bus he is also in charge of the radio. It's a most important job, and the tastes in music are about as varied as the passengers that ride the bus.
- The second person you will meet on a bus in Guatemala is the person I like to call the caller. I don't know if he has a more technical title, but his principle job is to get people onto the bus. He stands at the bus stop and loudly shouts out the destination as many times as he can in a single breath. "Antigua, Antigua, Antigua, Antigua!" "Guate, Guate, Guate!" "Santa Lucia, Santa, Santa, Santa, Santa Lucia!" etc. When you make eye contact with this person he quickly ushers you onto his specific bus, before you have time to question if that's your actual destination or not.
- The third person is the ayudante, or helper. His job responsibilities often include those of the caller, thus sometimes eliminating the need of a separate caller and giving you the two people I mentioned earlier. The ayudante's [helper's] job is to... help the driver! (It's funny how these descriptions and titles work together, don't you think?) But he actually has several clear responsibilities from what I can tell: The first, if there's no separate caller, is to get people on the bus. As I mentioned, the driver's only job is to drive. He pulls up to a stop, and if there's not a caller, the ayudante hops of the bus and takes on this very important role of ushering people onto his bus. Can't make money if there's no one to ride! After he squeezes on as many people as can possibly fit, and then a few more he swiftly gets back into his position at the front of the bus. This usually happens as the bus is pulling away from the curb; he's pretty skilled. His next job is to collect the money, which is easier said than done. Since the bus has now been packed to beyond capacity, he somehow has to squeeze his way all the way to the back of the bus collecting money as he goes, and making sure he gives the correct change. It's an impressive feat, because the bus is literally packed full, and I'm still not entirely sure how the ayudantes can make it through the extra narrow isle. After collecting the money he somehow makes his way back to the front of the bus, and takes his place at the open door of the bus, somehow managing to not fall out of the bus as it careens around corners and mountains. Sometimes the ayudante has the important job of honking the horn on the bus, because clearly the driver can't do this himself. Also if there's something wrong with the bus, it's the ayudante who jumps off to check it out, because the driver doesn't seem to be able to leave his seat while the bus is on.
There's always room for one more is a general rule for just about everything here in Guatemala, but especially with the buses, which are commonly called chicken buses. Couldn't tell you the reason why for that one...The ayudante will have the driver stop any time he sees someone who looks like they might need a ride, even (especially?) when they aren't standing at a specified bus stop. Oh, I should mention that these buses are just old school buses (as in elementary school buses, not "old school" buses!) from the states. Sometimes you can still see the name of the school painted on the side. They're usually covered with a bright coat of paint and Barcelona soccer stickers. I guess the drivers can decorate however they want. So the ayudante just keeps filling the bus with more people. And sometimes you think, "Now there's really only room for one more", but he proceeds to add about 20 more. You know how school buses in the states have one side with bigger seats, and one side with smaller? Well, in Guatemala they've replaced the smaller side with big seats. And you ALWAYS sit three to a seat. In fact, if the ayudante thinks you're purposely only sitting two to a seat, he may chose to charge you the fare for two people. After all the seats are filled, you fill the isles, naturally. Because, what fun would it be to just fill the seats? Once the isles are filled you start putting people in the overhead racks....kidding. But sometimes it feels like that's what they're doing! I honestly don't where they put all the people they fit onto one bus. Especially when our group is involved, because we add about 20 to an already full bus.
When I ride the bus, I just have to laugh. There is no such thing as personal space bubbles, and sometimes you're standing in the most awkward places, right up close and personal with some person you've never met before. Every bump and turn (of which there are many on the road between Antigua and Magdalena, and I imagine every other bus route in the country) shoves you closer to said stranger until you're standing so close you'd think you've been best friends, or siamese twins, your whole life, but yet you haven't met, and probably never will. And then the bus stops and more people get on, and you get even closer to your neighbor, and you just sit there not making eye contact- though their eyes are only inches from your own. On less crowded rides I like to talk to the people around me, learn their stories and whatnot. That's a rarity, unfortunately. Yes, I have to just laugh as I ride the bus. But as I'm laughing, I look around me and don't see anyone else (save for my fellow gringos) laughing. In fact, I see a lot of Guatemalan faces staring at me as I laugh, and I know they're thinking, "Crazy gringo." Riding the bus isn't humorous to a Guatemalan. It's just life. Cars and gas are expensive, jobs aren't always right in your pueblo, so riding the bus is a part of life. Buses are packed, and that's a part of life. The ride is usually uncomfortable, and that's part of life. The road is bumpy, and twisty and turny, and that's a part of life. You do what you have to, and you don't think anything of it. Every day. Because that's life. You don't complain, because what would the point be? For me, life doesn't usually include riding a chicken bus to and from work and home. It's a great experience, but one I'll reserve for Guatemala. So for now, I just have to laugh. And hope the Guatemalans don't mind this crazy gringo too much. :)
Friday, March 16, 2012
21st Birthday!
Well, I'm officially, officially an adult now! I turned 21 yesterday which means I can do just about anything! haha! Just about because I still can't drive a bus or rent a car. :) I can definitely say it will be a birthday I won't soon forget. This week (and next) I've been teaching English at a private school in Magdalena, and was warned ahead of time that birthdays are a big deal at the school. And so for the celebrations yesterday I got sung to by several of the classes and received some very cute cards from my even cuter kindergarteners. (The kindergarten class is the one I teach English to. There's four of us girls working up at the school and we each have our own class to be teaching with the help of each other and our site leader, Abbey.) At dinner my host parents had some brownies for us with a candle for me to blow out, and I got some gifts from my two host sisters, as well as a delicious loaf of bread and a cute journal from my two sweet friends, Beth and Alison. Oh! Back up. After working at the school for the day the girls that work at the school with me and our site leader went out for ice cream. And then after dinner our whole team went out for ice cream again! Two ice creams in one day, doesn't get much better than that! :) And then I got to skype with my parents, Kirsten, and Kayla! Great birthday if you ask me! Then today after recess the kids all lined up instead of going in like they normally do and they all sung to me again, but this time as a whole group and not individual classes. After that they gave me a hug one by one. LOTS of birthday hugs! But I love all those kids, so it was a lot of fun. Like I said, definitely not a birthday I will be forgetting any time soon. I had a great time hanging out with the kiddos and teachers at the school, and celebrating with the new friends I've made down here. So blessed to have so many people that love and care about me. Thanks for all the well wishes! :)
Card from one of my sweet kindergarteners!
Getting sung to by 80+ elementary school kids:
"ya queremos pastel, ya queremos pastel, aunque sea un pedacito, ya queremos pastel!"
(that's verse two. Then they clap and count until they reach your age)
LOTS of birthday hugs!
And that was my 21st birthday!
Monday, March 5, 2012
Thoughts about Democracy and Dictators
I am happy to announce that this morning's class marked the beginning of my last week of Ibero-American History! I've never loved history classes. I enjoy certain aspects of history, but I often find the texts to be dry and boring, and the classes generally just a difficult time of lots of studying and memorizing dates. And so I was especially not looking forward to a full college history course crammed into four weeks, and was very excited to realize that this is my last week of said class! Ok, fine. It hasn't been that bad... And probably better that I took it here rather than a similar class at Greenville.
In my studies of the history of Spain and Latin America these past three weeks, I've come across several striking similarities amongst the various countries histories (more in Latin America than Spain). Those similarities being, the hand the US has played (good and bad, but really a lot of bad...) in the political turmoil in this part of the world, and the continual cycle of dictators and military coups.
In nearly every country I've looked at in Central and South America there has been, since the days of their independence from Spain, a history and vicious cycle of dictators overthrowing the ideas of democracy, and the struggles democratic leaders have faced in their various countries. I'm not saying the US model of democracy has got it completely correct, nor are we absolved from our crimes in these nations' histories. But we have sustained a democratic government and the same constitution for 200+ years, and that's pretty impressive. The countries in this area of the world haven't even been independent nations for that long, let alone democratic nations with a sustained functioning constitution.
Like I said though, I've come across a lot of issues that came from the hands of my government. Stable governments being overthrown by the CIA, dictators put in power and supported by our presidents and legislature, economies thrown into near crisis states because of actions our government took against them, support of military coups and brutal regimes...the list goes on. Most of this was done in the name of "stopping communism from spreading" and while this was probably true in some cases, we were also protecting our monopolies on land and companies that were held in these countries. Guatemala was thrust into a 36 year war because the CIA was sent in to remove a president who was, in all reality, a good leader of this country. Our (being the US government, but being a citizen of that country I can't remove myself from their actions. The color of my skin, and the accent I retain will always align me with that same government.) reasoning was that we were overthrowing a communistic leader, but the underlying issue is that the United Fruit Company, an American owned fruit monopoly, was worried that the land reform the president was working towards would potentially cause the collapse of their company. (PS. That president wasn't a communist.) Don't worry, the new president of Guatemala seems to be doing good things for the country and they've moved on past their civil war days. They also, in the grand scheme of things, don't harbor ill-will towards the US for our involvement in their country. But the fact of the matter is, in our quest to create countries just like our own, we've done some pretty terrible things (I would say check out the histories, closely, of the Dominican Republic, Chile, and Bolivia if you want more on this.).
Our past foreign policies are not something I'm necessarily proud of, as has been made more apparent by this class. That being said the more I learn about these countries, I can see how living in the States is a blessing. I have never lived under anything but a democratic leader. I have never had my rights taken away, nor has my family been taken away from me because of our beliefs. I can live in the security of knowing that our constitution will not allow for my civil liberties or basic human rights to be stripped from me. I am able to practice my religion openly. The media in my country is not censured (though perhaps a bit more censuring there would be a good thing! haha), and I am able to write my opinions about my country in this blog without having to worry about who might be reading it. Yes, there are aspects of our history that I cannot take pride in, and it hurts my heart to see some of the things my government has caused. But I am blessed. Hopelessly blessed by all the freedoms I have been given and enjoy without even thinking twice. Blessed indeed.
In my studies of the history of Spain and Latin America these past three weeks, I've come across several striking similarities amongst the various countries histories (more in Latin America than Spain). Those similarities being, the hand the US has played (good and bad, but really a lot of bad...) in the political turmoil in this part of the world, and the continual cycle of dictators and military coups.
In nearly every country I've looked at in Central and South America there has been, since the days of their independence from Spain, a history and vicious cycle of dictators overthrowing the ideas of democracy, and the struggles democratic leaders have faced in their various countries. I'm not saying the US model of democracy has got it completely correct, nor are we absolved from our crimes in these nations' histories. But we have sustained a democratic government and the same constitution for 200+ years, and that's pretty impressive. The countries in this area of the world haven't even been independent nations for that long, let alone democratic nations with a sustained functioning constitution.
Like I said though, I've come across a lot of issues that came from the hands of my government. Stable governments being overthrown by the CIA, dictators put in power and supported by our presidents and legislature, economies thrown into near crisis states because of actions our government took against them, support of military coups and brutal regimes...the list goes on. Most of this was done in the name of "stopping communism from spreading" and while this was probably true in some cases, we were also protecting our monopolies on land and companies that were held in these countries. Guatemala was thrust into a 36 year war because the CIA was sent in to remove a president who was, in all reality, a good leader of this country. Our (being the US government, but being a citizen of that country I can't remove myself from their actions. The color of my skin, and the accent I retain will always align me with that same government.) reasoning was that we were overthrowing a communistic leader, but the underlying issue is that the United Fruit Company, an American owned fruit monopoly, was worried that the land reform the president was working towards would potentially cause the collapse of their company. (PS. That president wasn't a communist.) Don't worry, the new president of Guatemala seems to be doing good things for the country and they've moved on past their civil war days. They also, in the grand scheme of things, don't harbor ill-will towards the US for our involvement in their country. But the fact of the matter is, in our quest to create countries just like our own, we've done some pretty terrible things (I would say check out the histories, closely, of the Dominican Republic, Chile, and Bolivia if you want more on this.).
Our past foreign policies are not something I'm necessarily proud of, as has been made more apparent by this class. That being said the more I learn about these countries, I can see how living in the States is a blessing. I have never lived under anything but a democratic leader. I have never had my rights taken away, nor has my family been taken away from me because of our beliefs. I can live in the security of knowing that our constitution will not allow for my civil liberties or basic human rights to be stripped from me. I am able to practice my religion openly. The media in my country is not censured (though perhaps a bit more censuring there would be a good thing! haha), and I am able to write my opinions about my country in this blog without having to worry about who might be reading it. Yes, there are aspects of our history that I cannot take pride in, and it hurts my heart to see some of the things my government has caused. But I am blessed. Hopelessly blessed by all the freedoms I have been given and enjoy without even thinking twice. Blessed indeed.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Things I'm learning: Take 2
26) Hot water does not, in fact, come out of the sink. I still try every time to get hot water.
27) The climb to the Parque Ecologico is long and hard. But so, so worth it.
28) The lake you can see from the Parque is not, in fact, Lake Atitlan, but rather Lake Amatitlan.
29) People walk up and down the mountain every day carrying logs on their head.
30) Language school is kind of intimidating. But in a good way.
31) Pilas are for washing clothes by day, and making out by night. (At least this is the case with the big pila we have to pass any time we want to go somewhere.)
32) You can also wash children in the pila.
33) A good cup of coffee is totally worth the long walk to find it.
34) Lavandarias are kind of expensive. But clean clothes are really nice.
35) The awesome car at our house is a '57 Pontiac.
36) We have a maid. Also a cook.
37) Soccer se mueve el mundo.
38) Guatemalans love the European soccer leagues. You can't go anywhere without seeing a Barcelona or a Real Madrid jersey. Our host dad loves both, but Real Madrid most.
39) Lunch (at least at our house) is the biggest meal of the day typically.
40) Cafe Barista makes a great latte.
41) I still love Fun Dips.
42) Our house kind of reminds me of the hotel in The Shining. I have to try to not think about this when I go to the bathroom at night so as to not scare myself.
43) God is so much bigger than the box I put him in.
44) Running in the afternoon: not smart.
45) "Coffee should be black as night, strong as passion, sweet as love, and hot as hell." (I think this needs to hang in my house someday.)
46) Dark chocolate with orange is perhaps one of the best things ever.
47) Latin American soccer fans do it right!
48) If you want to learn to swear in another language, go to a soccer game in a country that speaks that language.
49) Wear sunscreen to soccer games.
50) The market is amazing and overstimulating, all at the same time.
51) Bartering is mildly frightening. But expected. And necessary to get a decent price.
52) I don't love sushi. But I don't hate it either.
53) Fresh fruit is perhaps the best thing ever. Especially when you bought it at a market directly from the hands that grew it.
54) The unidentified purple fruit we bought at the market kind of looks like an alien from War of the Worlds inside. Can't say I'll get that one again.
55) Soccer really is the world's sport.
56) Wearing a skirt like the native women wear is harder than it looks! (I bought one at the market!)
57) I could probably spend a lot of money at the artisan's market...
58) I love finding new coffee shops. Especially ones that play Gungor and make fun shapes in my coffee.
59) The maid does not come every day. Especially on the weekends. But also not today.
60) I do not love history classes. But my teacher at the language school thinks I do...
27) The climb to the Parque Ecologico is long and hard. But so, so worth it.
28) The lake you can see from the Parque is not, in fact, Lake Atitlan, but rather Lake Amatitlan.
29) People walk up and down the mountain every day carrying logs on their head.
30) Language school is kind of intimidating. But in a good way.
31) Pilas are for washing clothes by day, and making out by night. (At least this is the case with the big pila we have to pass any time we want to go somewhere.)
32) You can also wash children in the pila.
33) A good cup of coffee is totally worth the long walk to find it.
34) Lavandarias are kind of expensive. But clean clothes are really nice.
35) The awesome car at our house is a '57 Pontiac.
36) We have a maid. Also a cook.
37) Soccer se mueve el mundo.
38) Guatemalans love the European soccer leagues. You can't go anywhere without seeing a Barcelona or a Real Madrid jersey. Our host dad loves both, but Real Madrid most.
39) Lunch (at least at our house) is the biggest meal of the day typically.
40) Cafe Barista makes a great latte.
41) I still love Fun Dips.
42) Our house kind of reminds me of the hotel in The Shining. I have to try to not think about this when I go to the bathroom at night so as to not scare myself.
43) God is so much bigger than the box I put him in.
44) Running in the afternoon: not smart.
45) "Coffee should be black as night, strong as passion, sweet as love, and hot as hell." (I think this needs to hang in my house someday.)
46) Dark chocolate with orange is perhaps one of the best things ever.
47) Latin American soccer fans do it right!
48) If you want to learn to swear in another language, go to a soccer game in a country that speaks that language.
49) Wear sunscreen to soccer games.
50) The market is amazing and overstimulating, all at the same time.
51) Bartering is mildly frightening. But expected. And necessary to get a decent price.
52) I don't love sushi. But I don't hate it either.
53) Fresh fruit is perhaps the best thing ever. Especially when you bought it at a market directly from the hands that grew it.
54) The unidentified purple fruit we bought at the market kind of looks like an alien from War of the Worlds inside. Can't say I'll get that one again.
55) Soccer really is the world's sport.
56) Wearing a skirt like the native women wear is harder than it looks! (I bought one at the market!)
57) I could probably spend a lot of money at the artisan's market...
58) I love finding new coffee shops. Especially ones that play Gungor and make fun shapes in my coffee.
59) The maid does not come every day. Especially on the weekends. But also not today.
60) I do not love history classes. But my teacher at the language school thinks I do...
Lake Amatitlan
The pila near our house
I think this would be a good life skill to have.
Soccer love!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Antigua and CLM
Hello there friends! I have officially been in Guatemala for two weeks! It seems longer than that though...orientation at Semilla seems like forever ago.
On Sunday we moved from Magdalena to Antigua where we'll be staying until the end of April. It was sad to leave our first host family, but we're excited to get to stay with them for several weeks at the end of the trip. Our new host family is definitely a different situation than what we had before. We were told before coming to Guatemala that some of the host families in Antigua treat hosting students more like a business than a chance to get to know students, and our new family would definitely fall into that category. They're nice enough, but they just aren't looking to get to know us like our first family was. We're also somewhat unclear on the family relationships going on. Our host mom's name is Patricia. We think her husband's name is Carlos (there is a man named Carlos that lives there. We are fairly certain they are married. She said something about a husband once, and Carlos seems to fit the bill.). Carlos is really sweet and funny. He likes to tease, and he loves soccer. Last night at dinner we talked about soccer for probably 15-20 minutes. Luis (might have a different name....) is Patricia's brother-in-law who typically lives in Chicago, but is here visiting. There's a woman who eats lunch with us, but we don't know her name. Or her relation to the family. And they have a dog named Romíl. Or something along those lines. That's what it sounds like at least. There's a girl from Japan that lives there. Her name is Tomoko, and she's here to learn Spanish so that she can better teach Japanese. There is also a girl from Minnesota named Anne. She is also taking classes from CLM (Centro Linguistico Maya). The house is kind of like a hotel, and so it's definitely different from Magdalena. We also have a maid that makes our beds each day and cleans up our rooms. Just like home, eh mom? ;)
Monday we started the class portion of the semester at the Centro Linguistico Maya. CLM is a school where people from all over the world come to learn Spanish. We all have our own teachers, and the 1:1 ratio of students to teachers makes sure you are getting lots of Spanish practice in. There's definitely not a way you can hide in the back of the class and not talk when it's just you and the teacher sitting at a table! I was pretty intimidated at first, but it's really not as terrible as I thought it would be. My teacher's name is Noemí. She's very sweet and smart, but also pretty sassy and opinionated! We only take one class at a time, so while it's intense (just four weeks), it's not overly stressful. At least not yet. I guess we're not very far into the class! My first class is Ibero-American History. I don't love history classes, so we'll see how it goes, yeah? We do four hours of classes Mon. -Fri. and then we have the rest of the day free! (Except for a few planned group things, and meals with the family) I'm excited to get to explore this beautiful city throughout the semester! Oh and drink coffee! We're already staking out our favorite cafes. :)
On Sunday we moved from Magdalena to Antigua where we'll be staying until the end of April. It was sad to leave our first host family, but we're excited to get to stay with them for several weeks at the end of the trip. Our new host family is definitely a different situation than what we had before. We were told before coming to Guatemala that some of the host families in Antigua treat hosting students more like a business than a chance to get to know students, and our new family would definitely fall into that category. They're nice enough, but they just aren't looking to get to know us like our first family was. We're also somewhat unclear on the family relationships going on. Our host mom's name is Patricia. We think her husband's name is Carlos (there is a man named Carlos that lives there. We are fairly certain they are married. She said something about a husband once, and Carlos seems to fit the bill.). Carlos is really sweet and funny. He likes to tease, and he loves soccer. Last night at dinner we talked about soccer for probably 15-20 minutes. Luis (might have a different name....) is Patricia's brother-in-law who typically lives in Chicago, but is here visiting. There's a woman who eats lunch with us, but we don't know her name. Or her relation to the family. And they have a dog named Romíl. Or something along those lines. That's what it sounds like at least. There's a girl from Japan that lives there. Her name is Tomoko, and she's here to learn Spanish so that she can better teach Japanese. There is also a girl from Minnesota named Anne. She is also taking classes from CLM (Centro Linguistico Maya). The house is kind of like a hotel, and so it's definitely different from Magdalena. We also have a maid that makes our beds each day and cleans up our rooms. Just like home, eh mom? ;)
Monday we started the class portion of the semester at the Centro Linguistico Maya. CLM is a school where people from all over the world come to learn Spanish. We all have our own teachers, and the 1:1 ratio of students to teachers makes sure you are getting lots of Spanish practice in. There's definitely not a way you can hide in the back of the class and not talk when it's just you and the teacher sitting at a table! I was pretty intimidated at first, but it's really not as terrible as I thought it would be. My teacher's name is Noemí. She's very sweet and smart, but also pretty sassy and opinionated! We only take one class at a time, so while it's intense (just four weeks), it's not overly stressful. At least not yet. I guess we're not very far into the class! My first class is Ibero-American History. I don't love history classes, so we'll see how it goes, yeah? We do four hours of classes Mon. -Fri. and then we have the rest of the day free! (Except for a few planned group things, and meals with the family) I'm excited to get to explore this beautiful city throughout the semester! Oh and drink coffee! We're already staking out our favorite cafes. :)
Friday, February 10, 2012
Things I'm Learning: Part 1
1) It's approx. 7.5 quetzales to the dollar. This is not a great exchange rate.
2) You can get a basic cell phone for approx. 130 quetzales.
3) Many current problems that exist in Guatemala stem from the 36 year civil war (started in part because of the US's involvement...)
4) The National Palace was designed by a former dictator (pre civil war). There are 5 floors in the place representing the 5 letters in his first and in his last names. The inside color was his wife's favorite color.
5) There are people that make their living digging through garbage in Guatemala City.
6) There are no rules of the road. At least non that I can see.
7) Racism is not a purely American problem.
8) You can buy an ice cream cone for the amount a guajero makes in a day.
9) It is very difficult to unlearn muscle memory. For example, brushing your teeth. We have to use purified water, because the tap water could make us sick. While I have a bottle of water sitting next to the sink, it can be difficult to not just turn the tap on and put my toothbrush under it. That is what my hands and brain want to do. Also, toilet paper. It cannot be flushed, and has to be put in a garbage can next to the toilet. This can be difficult to remember when it is very early in the morning.
10) Guatemalan schools are very different than American schools.
11) Dogs live on the roofs.
12) Dogs also live wherever they want. There are tons that live on the streets and do not have a house to go to at night. I would equate the number of street dogs in Magdalena to the number of squirrels in the states.
13) Pelota is a loose term for any game with a ball. Soccer (the rules of which are also loose), volleyball, kick the ball as hard as you can and see where it goes, see how many times you can keep the ball in the air...these can all be "Pelota"
14) Crossing the monkey bars is called something along the lines of "pasa las manos." Usually it goes something like, "¡Seño, ayuda me pasar las manos!" (Help me do the monkey bars, teacher!)
15) Female teachers are called Seño_________ (As in I'm Seño Raquel). It's short for señora or señorita.
16) Teaching jobs are sometimes considered transitional jobs. You can teach after completing a high school equivalent.
17) God is the same here as he is at home and anywhere else.
18) Students kiss the teachers on the cheek as they leave.
19) Showers are a gamble. And water pressure is virtually nonexistent.
20) Things take forever to dry, if they dry at all. e.g. my hair, wash cloth, and toothbrush
21) Not greeting the people you pass is frowned upon. Buenos dias, buenas tardes, buenas noches are heard even if it's to a complete stranger. (At least here in Magdalena, it may be different elsewhere)
22) There is always room for one more. (#riding the bus)
23) Beans can be eaten at any and every meal.
24) Beauty is all around.
25) The climb is hard, but the view from the top makes it all worth it.
2) You can get a basic cell phone for approx. 130 quetzales.
3) Many current problems that exist in Guatemala stem from the 36 year civil war (started in part because of the US's involvement...)
4) The National Palace was designed by a former dictator (pre civil war). There are 5 floors in the place representing the 5 letters in his first and in his last names. The inside color was his wife's favorite color.
5) There are people that make their living digging through garbage in Guatemala City.
6) There are no rules of the road. At least non that I can see.
7) Racism is not a purely American problem.
8) You can buy an ice cream cone for the amount a guajero makes in a day.
9) It is very difficult to unlearn muscle memory. For example, brushing your teeth. We have to use purified water, because the tap water could make us sick. While I have a bottle of water sitting next to the sink, it can be difficult to not just turn the tap on and put my toothbrush under it. That is what my hands and brain want to do. Also, toilet paper. It cannot be flushed, and has to be put in a garbage can next to the toilet. This can be difficult to remember when it is very early in the morning.
10) Guatemalan schools are very different than American schools.
11) Dogs live on the roofs.
12) Dogs also live wherever they want. There are tons that live on the streets and do not have a house to go to at night. I would equate the number of street dogs in Magdalena to the number of squirrels in the states.
13) Pelota is a loose term for any game with a ball. Soccer (the rules of which are also loose), volleyball, kick the ball as hard as you can and see where it goes, see how many times you can keep the ball in the air...these can all be "Pelota"
14) Crossing the monkey bars is called something along the lines of "pasa las manos." Usually it goes something like, "¡Seño, ayuda me pasar las manos!" (Help me do the monkey bars, teacher!)
15) Female teachers are called Seño_________ (As in I'm Seño Raquel). It's short for señora or señorita.
16) Teaching jobs are sometimes considered transitional jobs. You can teach after completing a high school equivalent.
17) God is the same here as he is at home and anywhere else.
18) Students kiss the teachers on the cheek as they leave.
19) Showers are a gamble. And water pressure is virtually nonexistent.
20) Things take forever to dry, if they dry at all. e.g. my hair, wash cloth, and toothbrush
21) Not greeting the people you pass is frowned upon. Buenos dias, buenas tardes, buenas noches are heard even if it's to a complete stranger. (At least here in Magdalena, it may be different elsewhere)
22) There is always room for one more. (#riding the bus)
23) Beans can be eaten at any and every meal.
24) Beauty is all around.
25) The climb is hard, but the view from the top makes it all worth it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)