Quetzaltelango, Guatemala, el diez de deciembre, 2016

Today is a very special day.  My Mom is 79!  Feliz cumpleaños mi madre!  Te amo!

Here we are celebrating Nico #1 after burying his ashes April 30.  My sister Carolyn is on the right. Speaking of Carolyn, she is joining me for 3 weeks in February/March at Little Corn Island, Nicaragua, and Utilla and Roatan, Honduras.  I'm very much looking forward to it!  

I am feeling pretty lazy.  I signed up for a hike up to Laguna Chikabal to leave at 7 am.  The early hour didn't frighten me as I'm up anyway and certainly was today.  (I awoke to the sound of running water which was really strange and then heard a few grunts.  I think mis padres were doing their Saturday morning 'chores'.  Gross.  That's how thin the walls are in mi casa!)  Anyway, it was the idea of the hike.  I hate hiking.  I like to walk around cities and on the path at home.  I like to run, either on a treadmill or around town but hiking?  There's something about it- is it that I'm bored?  That I have to constantly watch where I'm going so not to take a tumble?  It's not the exercise part, I like that.  I'm not sure.  Maybe it was 'too much' hiking when I was a kid growing up on the farm.  Sure I like nature, but ... I didn't go and I don't regret it one bit!

I didn't go salsa dancing last night either!  There was a concert in Parque Central of Christmas music by the orquesta infantil, banda sinfónica, orquesta sinfónica and finally, saving the best for last Big Band.  The first 3 groups were not so good and in typical Guatemalan style, it started late.  The crew responsible for the microphones was busy adjusting for most of the first performance and the mics still squealed and howled throughout the night.  The first 3 groups played Christmas music, which I haven't heard publicly for a few years, having been in Africa last year and Asia the year before.  I enjoyed singing along.  Big Band played songs like Satin Doll by Duke Ellington and In the Mood.  They were excellent musicians and it was obvious they loved performing.

Today I did finally leave mi cama and went walking.  Piñatas sin dulces are popular this time of year-

They cost about $6!

I finally ended up on a chicken bus, boring the driver to tears I am sure as I was practicing my Spanish.  He tried to answer me in English but I wouldn't let him.  I ended up in a pueblo norte de Xela called Salcajá which is famous for its textiles.  Jaspé skirt material-

has been woven here since 1861.  There were literally hundreds of booths selling fabric and other things like the huipil blusa.  These have open arms because the region where they are worn is very hot-

These don't have open arms but have lots of brocade and bead work-

The markets are filled with hawkers selling literally everything: underwear, Christmas balls in wheelbarrows, dishes, toys, rope, fruit and vegetables, drinks, and belts-

They must go home with sore throats because they yell all day.

Another reason to come to Salcajá is to see the oldest church in Central America.  San Jacinto was built in 1524 by the conquering Spaniards-

The curtains change for the religious event and white is for Navidad I guess.  There are 3 original wooden pillars inside and about 150 people regularly attend mass.

Lunch was Pollolandia and KFC better look out if they franchise in Canada.  It was soooo good.   These two drumsticks cost $2.27 and it was plenty-

I ran to catch a chicken bus back to Xela and this time it was a wreck.  They are old American school buses-sometimes better than ones I rode in to school and sometimes worse, a lot worse!  We made it safely for 22 cents but this driver was more impatient than most.  They all drive the 60 passenger buses like they are race cars, darting in and out of traffic, slamming on the brakes, flooring it when there is open road.  It's a wonder more people aren't hurt when there are 3 to a seat, or 4 or 5, depending how they squeeze in and there are others standing in the aisles with the driver thinking he's wheeling a Ferrari!  However, it's a great way to get around!

I got off close to Walmart.  I love Walmart-

Tequila tasting with a shot of chili sprinkled limón.  This huge jug cost $17.48 and it's very smooth.

With all the delicious street taco stands, at the food court in the mall, Taco Bell has the largest lineup-

Weird!

Not sure what's happening tomorrow but more walking I'm sure!

Quetzaltelango, Guatemala, el ocho de deciembre, 2016

School is going great!  My teacher Magdelina-

is excellent.  Sol Latino is smaller than my last 2 schools but that's fine with me.  

Most students study inside.  I was in a very small room with another teacher and student so it was impossible not to hear what they were saying so we moved-

to this little cubbyhole until it warms up and then we go outside-

and sit in the sun.  

There is a ping pong table and coffee and water available inside-

Yesterday nine of us walked up to Cerro de Baul where the view of Xela is pretty good-

There is a concrete slide so people sit on squished plastic bottles and go flying down.  It seems dangerous because most get air over the humps and the end wall is pretty close to the finish line.  I could "see" people going flying over the wall-

On my way home, I ran into Kevin, a yoga instructor at Yoga House.  He invited me in for free and one hour and forty minutes later, I limped away.  It was very good but the mats are dirty, the room is dingy and not ventilated so towards the end of the class the walls were wet from all the deep breathing.  He could contort himself like I've never seen.  Sitting on the floor, he brought his leg straight up beside him.  It looked like he had his hand up in a classroom but it was his leg!  Then from the lotus position, he lifted himself up, then straightened his legs.  I wish I could have taken pictures!  

Today's activity was at the Museo Ixkik' del Traje Maya.  Unfortunately pictures were not allowed but the best thing I learned was how lucky I was to live with my family in San Pedro.  All the women - 3 generations, wore traditional clothes like what I saw today!  I've been pretty lucky with my placements - Antigua Guatemala: a tourist town and a modern family, San Pedro: a typical pueblo and a traditional Tz'utujil family and now Xela - a modern city with a modern family.  All so very interesting and different.

Walking home from the Museo-

and everyone is in the Christmas mood-

Tomorrow is salsa dancing at 8 pm.  I hope to go but I get pretty lazy after supper so we'll see.......

Quetzaltelango, Guatemala, el seis de deciembre, 2016

I have decided to stay for 2 weeks.  My teacher is wonderful!  Finally, I've got someone who understands that the way to teach a language is not through translation.  Magdelina draws pictures or uses synonyms to explain what she's teaching me.  It is great!

Xela is a big city-

nestled into a valley and surrounded by volcanoes- dead volcanoes!  There is a lot of pollution from the old, poorly cared for cars and chicken buses.  Cars park on both sides of the street and yesterday, a car travelling down the street couldn't make it through but tried anyway.  Crunch.  He just backed up and tried again until he got through!  And a chicken bus was trying to go under the Chocoyos Bridge but luckily his helper got out to make sure before he decapotated himself.  They had to get the 5 or so cars behind them to back up out of the way while he reversed and went a different route.  

When the sun is shining, it's very warm and lovely but it starts cooling off about 4 pm and clouding over until about 9 the next morning.  The people in my home wear down filled coats and sweaters all the time and they say it gets worse in January and February.  There is NO furnace or any other way to heat the cement block homes and it doesn't help that some of the windows are 4 inch slats that don't close or that the garage/yard area is open to the world and the doors are not kept shut into the house!

Crazy!  Today after lunch I was enjoying the sun when I heard very sad music.  I opened the door to the street and a funeral procession was going by.  People are usually buried within 24 hours of death.  The moment someone dies, they are transported to the funeral home where family and friends spend the next 24 hours visiting, eating and drinking.  The body is not kept in cold storage or embalmed but dressed and in the coffin for the guests who come and go throughout the night.  In the morning, there may be a service in a church or at the funeral home, then the coffin is either carried or transported via hearse, mini van or in the back of a truck as the people walk behind all the way to the cemetery.  The second procession I saw was down a very busy street.  Cars were backed up for miles and there was a large crowd following along.  It costs about $350 for a 'regular' funeral - a coffin, a room for guests, lunch, drinks (coffee and tea), transportation to the church and cemetery.  Most people have a funeral plan where they pay so much/month, however if family members end up dying out of order, the money is used for the first dead.  If people have to come from far away and embalming is required, naturally the costs increase.  Here, death seems to be more of an accepted part of life.  

While out walking this afternoon, I found another gym with 3 treadmills, lots of free weights and many classes offered for $8.81/week.  I'm going to start going tomorrow!

Quetzaltelango, Guatemala, el quatro de deciembre, 2016

So today didn't start out too well.  The power has been off for about 2 hours so no Internet, it is freezing and there is no heat- not because there is no power, they just don't have heat and the rooms are open to the sky!  So I am kind of thinking one week will be enough.  A couple from England is also living here but they are away for the weekend.  I was snooping around and see they have a private bathroom!  That's what I wanted but there weren't any available.  That would make quite a difference.  

As the morning progressed, the sun appeared and I went walking.  I found my school-

I can't imagine there's a garden behind that door but one never knows.  

I went back towards the mall but stopped to admire the beautiful flowers for sale outside the cemetery-

A huge bunch only costs a dollar!

Inside the cemetery are graves of the poor-

And a little wealthier-

A lot of the flowers are dead, probably leftover from November 1st.  A committal was happening as I walked by but I didn't dare take a picture.  There are also large separate family tombs like I've seen in other places.  There was even one that looked like an Egyptian pyramid!

Another interesting site along the way is a Hellenic Temple to honor the Greek goddess Minerva-

It seems rather out of place but apparently Manuel Estrada Cabrera, a Guatemalan president was infatuated witih her so he had many such structures built all over Guatemala.  She is the Greek goddess of wisdom and education.  Today it's not possible to get any closer than this.

It didn't seem to take nearly as long to walk to the mall today but unfortunately the power was off there too so I just wandered around and came home on a collectiva through a very busy market close to the Democratia Square.  Don't these salads look great...carrots, cabbage and chilis, shredded and ready to eat!

Live chicks in a box, struggling-

Beautiful fruits and vegetables, so fresh-

This boy, who looked about 10, was the collectiva hawker.  He jumped in and out of the van, trying to get passengers.  It was also his job to collect the fare: 22 cents!  He hangs on with the door wide open and hops in and out while it's moving.  What a life!

Christmas decorations are available, as are poinsettias-

I stopped for a pupusa - a traditional Saldorvian dish, basically a stuffed tortilla.  It tasted like tuna and queso but the cook said it was chicharrón which is pork rinds.  (Not sick yet!)  With the coleslaw and salsa on top, it was excellent and only cost $1.77-

I'm super curious about my school which starts at 8 am tomorrow.  Hope I love my teacher!

Quetzaltelango, Guatemala, el tres de deciembre, 2016

Leaving my family and San Pedro was a little sad this morning.  Maria tries so hard to make sure her guests are comfortable.  She is apologetic for the noise - it's constant:  musica, voices, singing, tuk-tuks, chicken buses, church bells, honking, dogs barking and roosters crowing.  Of course that is rural Guatemala and completely out of her hands.  It doesn't help either that the casa are all built with cement blocks, have open air showing around the sheets of tin that form the roof and that the windows are one pane glass.  No more is required in the warm climate, but one sure knows what their neighbors are up to.  The neighbor's bathroom was next to my bedroom wall.  I knew whenever they showered!

Of course the shuttle was on Guatemalico time, so it was almost half an hour late.  I sat on the curb in front of el Parque Central, hoping there wasn't confusion with the driver and where to pick me up.  As I watched the chicken bus pull away, headed in the same direction as me for $6.18 as compared to $28.25, I did question my choice, however eventually it showed up and it was a much more comfortable 2.5 hour ride.  In Xela we got let out at Parque Central and so I walked towards where I thought my house was.  I live on Diagonal 10 which means it isn't a Calle (street) nor an Avenida but rather a cut through street.  On both maps, there is Diagonal 9, 11 and 12 but no 10.  A kind man in a pet food store called mi casa and we found out I was only about a block away.  Eunice was standing outside waiting for me.

Not only does Eunice-

take in Spanish students, she has a lavanderia-

Inside is a large space for parking and drying clothes-

My bedroom-

Even has a tv-

The eating area-

Is separate from the kitchen-

The bathroom is typical-

Fernando, Eunice's brother, teaches Spanish via Skype and has a bedroom in the casa.  Shelby, Eunice's granddaughter, works with the clothes when she's not at university.  She is in her final year of law.  They have 5 washing machines!  So far in Guatemala, the only wash I've seen done has been by hand!

After getting settled in, I went walking and found el puente de los chocoyos.  It was built in 1800 so people could get over the flooding street.  It is named after chocoyos which are green birds similar to parakeets that are apparently sold nearby-

Parque Central is the heart of the city and numerous museums and architectural masterpieces can be found-

Just the facade is left of la Catedral Espiritu Santo-

It was built in 1532 by the Spaniards so they could convert Mayas to Christians.  The modern church is behind on the right and is in gothic style-

The altar is typico Catholico-

There are always lots of fresh flowers, Jesuses hanging from the cross and bright lights.

The sidewalks and streets are quite smooth and walkable so I carried on.  A funeral procession was on its way to the cemetary-

About 20 men walked ahead, dressed in black.  10 women carried the coffin and were followed by other women and children.  All traffic and people stopped and waited until they passed.

Thanks to Gallo (a beer company), there is a huge Christmas tree on display at a local square-

Believe it or not, there is a Walmart and Centro Commercial about a 45 minute walk from my homestay.  Both are very large, modern and American looking.  There is a 5 screen ultra modern theatre but the Hollywood films are in Spanish.  

I wonder how they get away with this?

Obviously Frosted Flakes but 'azucar' means sugar in Spanish! 

In the mall are stores like Radio Shack and Payless Shoes.  Food court restaurants include Dominos, Taco Bell, McDonalds, Burger King and Subway!  

Santa was even there and I was tempted to sit on his knee like Nico did today-

He wasn't scared a bit.  Probably relishing in the idea of how spoiled rotten he's going to be throughout his life and just taking it all in!

Back to the mall:  It's kind of sad because it is not the Guatemalico culture that I've enjoyed these past 5 weeks but at the same time, they want what we North Americans have and why shouldn't they have it?  I'm just glad I've seen another part of the country.  Most of the people I have met and lived around would NOT be shopping here because they could not afford it.  However, the place was packed and just about NO ONE wore traditional clothes.  I could have been in downtown Saskatoon.  

To get home, I took a collectiva which passed by the chicken bus terminal.  What a sensorial overload! Workers holler out where their bus is going, the noisy diesel motors create clouds of black exhaust, horns that sound like locomotives blast as buses pull away, hordes of people carrying boxes and bags or balancing baskets on their heads push through the crowds on the sidewalks, and garbage is everywhere.  I couldn't wait to get out of there-

We'll see how things go this week and what the school's like.  Maybe I'll only stay a week and try to get back to Antigua to my same bedroom and teacher for my last week of study.  Time will tell.  

San Pedro la Laguna, el 2 de deciembre, 2016

School was fine.  Mynor and I talked a lot but he always seems bored when I'm speaking.  I know I
talk slowly (even slower in Spanish) but he shouldn't look away or worse yet go on his phone!!!   At least he didn't yawn or roll his eyes.  Yesterday he went to get a cup of coffee and didn't come back for 10 minutes!  I should have asked for a refund!

On Fridays at coffee time, graduates are presented with certificates-

It's an absolute waste of paper if you ask me but whatever.

For two weeks, I sat in this nook-

Looking at the lake and garden.  It was a beautiful spot and apparently, the school just bought the property as rough land a couple of years ago and they have turned it into a peaceful, lovely place-

Walking around town this afternoon in the brilliant sunshine, I was thinking how I was going to miss San Pedro.  The mornings are spectacular: the sky is blue, there is little wind and it's warm.  However, that's when I'm in class.  After lunch about 1:30, it is starting to cloud over and there is no place to sit outside in the sun at my homestay.  So I go walking to find a bar with sun.  About 4 it gets cooler and the sun will be gone for good behind clouds, so I head home to study, read or search on the Internet until supper, which is around 7.

School wise, it's been an okay 2 weeks - I don't think Mynor was as good for me as Sheny- she was soooo patient, yet, maybe it's unfair to compare.  In Antigua, I had no Spanish, so everything was new and I learned a lot.  Here, I already knew quite a bit, yet Mynor's teaching style was a bit stiff- he would write the grammatical ideas on the board and I was expected to copy.  He often looked away, even while at the white board, as if he was just dying to be somewhere else.  I should have asked for a different teacher after the first week, but he is part of the administration so....  I still learned a lot, and decided that my learning really is solely up to me. As long as I can converse with someone, I will get better.

Tonight I met another student from school and my new friends Carole and Gerry Sauvé from Gibsons, B.C. at a local bar for Quiz Night.  We didn't win but we had a lot of fun.  There were questions like what's the world's largest desert? (Sahara).  The river that runs through Rome? (Tiber). The closest planet to the sun? (Duh).  What do GPS and SMS stand for?  How do you say rain in Spanish?  (Lluvia) The place was packed with young people as first prize was $100 US.  As well, there were 'bonus' questions for drinks and 'bonus' activities.  I took one for the team and tried to guzzle a beer the fastest of anybody.  I've never done that before so was surprised when even though the beer continually poured out of the can into my mouth and I kept up, quite a few finished before me.  I know the trick for 'next time'.  You have to squeeze the can!  

I'm leaving San Pedro la Laguna at 8:30 tomorrow morning for Quetzaltelango, also known as Xela, pronounced Shayla.  I am looking forward to something new!