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A much awaited excursion was made with my teacher to the famously renown Mennonite Bakery. Spectacular!! I finally found a place to buy ‘Pan Integral’ (whole wheat bread and buns – a pure luxury and novelty here), soy milk (although a powder and sweetened) and american cheese. Most food that we take for granted as accessible in North America isn’t common (and impossible to find at times) here – like brown rice (asking people, especially in Spanish, gets me the oddest looks!
This afternoon we had a conference on the Armed Conflict in Guatemala which was the longest conflict in Latin America’s history. The war lasted a total of 36 years and was initiated in 1960 but had a long history prior to this time of violence and political turmoil & corruption. A rough estimate total of deaths throughout the span of the war was 200,000 known victims (+85,000 disappearances) of which 93.5% were government killings (including the army, civil patrols, police and death squads) and the remainder were that of guerrillas and unknown assailants. What started as a non-racial war by the government soon deeply entrenched the indigenous people of Guatemala and under the army rule, no one was safe … Priests, students, opposition politicians, academics, union leaders, agrarian reformers and even peasants became victims of the political violence carried out by the military-backed ‘death squads’, if they were deemed subversive to the state. On December 29, 1996 the Peace Accord ended the conflict but even today ‘a climate of fear persists and those that dare to challenge the elite, hidden powers and criminal gangs face intimidation and violence’.
I discovered anew the beauty of second hand books this morning with my teacher; Spanish grammar books are terribly difficult to come by in Guatemala. Several stores sell them new at extortionate prices ready to pounce on the many students of the some-50-odd Spanish schools here in Xela. However, many treasures were found and purchased at Vresna, one of the few gently used book stores here in the city. Gosh how I enjoy the world of 2nd hand goods  .
Today’s activity was far more popular than my weekend adventure to HueHue. We all piled into a local minivan (otherwise an overladen taxi piling in people, lap upon lap) first before transferring to a chicken bus and then finally a pickup truck, destination Zunil. Zunil is a town near Xela, 30 minutes by bus. In the central plaza is a Catholic church, the front resplendently painted in sunflower gold and adorned with a magnificent Baroque façade, while the rest is pure snow white. At the other end of the village (a steep climb huffing and puffing to get there) lies both a Mayan church and the residence of the Mayan saint, San Simón (also known as Maximón — his housing is discreetly changed every year in the month of November after the annual fiesta; daily ceremonies are performed in the house that he inhabits). How to explain San Simon? First off, the Catholic church frowns upon the ‘evil saint’ and the cult-like worship to his effigy. Although it may seem rather strange and quite humorous to a non-believer, the chaotic and entertaining ceremonies are actually quite serious. When I say entertaining, you have to really see ‘him’ in person to believe it. A mannequin is dressed in Western clothes and is fed a steady stream of both cigarettes and alcohol. He has a ‘receptacle’ for a stomach and the alcohol is emptied whenever full (usually every few days). Also, an attendant is employed to guard San Simon, to feed the Saint the alcohol as well as to remove the ashes from his burning cigarette. However, he was nowhere in sight on our visit. Those who visit often are there to ask for assistance of some sort, specific to the colour of candle that they burn … Red for love, white for health, yellow for a good harvest, purple for the safe passage of travellers (usually those trying to cross the US border from Mexico) and black to wish ill on an enemy. On November 1st, the alcohol which has been collected throughout the year is shared amongst the community at a grand fiesta. Fascinating indeed, other peoples religions and beliefs.
Today’s school activity involved taking a chicken bus to HueHuetenango to see Los Ruinos with Aimee and maestro Mario. Basically the chicken buses are retired US/Canadian school buses and the bus I took to Xela was by far a more ‘luxurious’ Pullman (these are mainly retired Greyhounds).
I was really quite surprised by the low student attendance, but perhaps the ‘2nd class’ 2.5 hour ride swayed some of the people?? No matter, the excursion to HueHue (for short) was a fantastic experience (especially with riding my first chicken bus of duration here in Guatemala). The journey itself was in fact very much similar to the bus transportation in India, including the loud blaring music, crammed rows of people and disco lights. One of the few differences however is the signage on the front of the bus …. In India, the sign might say in English “Mother Mary pray for us”. Here in Guatemala it might say “God is our Saviour and blessing our Way” in Spanish. Also, the driving here is a bit less chaotic, in that they have a tendency to drive on the proper (right) side of the rode .. But the speeds are incredibly excessive (as if the driver has the opportunity to go to the bathroom only at the end of the journey, and can’t stop long enough mid-route to make a pit-stop) — the bus is still moving slightly when the passengers get on, so one has to make a flying leap and hopefully not miss when embarking and disembarking! (I did see one exception to this rule when an old man was paid respect and the bus actually stayed still long enough for him to almost get to his seat). Mothers with children (carried on the females back, papoose style) are not given any consideration, which I found very surprising! The on-board entertainment is quite fascinating — it’s really cool to watch the ‘porter’ in action; this is the guy who squeezes down the aisle to collect the money, shouts out the stops (for example: “Xela, Xela, Xela” — in rapid fire succession, like a machine gun) and climbs outside onto the roof to fetch people’s luggage (usually giant items wrapped in tarps and encased with fishing net to keep it all together) WHILE the bus is careening down the rode, Indiana Jones style all the whilst belching putrid black smoke which wafts in and out of the window at varying intervals. Quite impressive and acrobatic really!
The Ruins of Zaculeu are located in the department (province as we know them) of Huehuetenango –Guatemala’s political centre. The Ruins itself has an interesting museum with Mayan pieces (ceramics, tools, etc) and pre-Hispanic tombs. In 1931 Zaculeu was declared a national monument. The local dialect that is spoken here is of the Mam (one of the principal pre-conquest highland tribes). We spent a good 2-3 hours just wandering around the 2 acre{??} site which consists of several large temples, plazas and a ball court/soccer pitch (for all the children to play soccer on — folklore has it that the Mayan Gods, buried under the Ruins, are pleased and appeased by the sounds of a bouncing ball, so soccer play is encouraged in young male children visiting). The site itself is thought to have been a religious and administrative centre housing the elite, with the bulk of the Mam population living in the scattered mountains surrounding the settlement. Before the Ruins became just that, the settlement was protected on three sides by deep ravines and on the other a series of walls and ditches (some of my factual info comes from Lisa’s gift to me: “The Rough Guide to Guatemala” as I really couldn’t understand what Mario was saying and therefore have no historical knowledge to fill today’s entry!).
Knowing that slaDE is fascinated by Mayan history, architecture and such, I was diligent in taking as many photos as possible, hoping to at least give a grand overview of something which is far larger in grandeur and size than my lowly digital can capture.
It was kind of strange to see both a typical Guatemalan souvenir stand and a snack booth situated right within the grounds, only yards away from the towering yet crumpling Temples …. and also, the price difference between that of a tourist and local was quite extraordinary (but actually typical for most things in Guatemala): $5US for myself, 20 cents for a native countryperson. woW!
I can hardly believe it myself … I actually BOUGHT a Nokia CELL PHONE! Wow, this in incredibly techie and modern for someone who has never owned and rarely has used a cellular telephone. But indeed, with the incredibly cheap pay-as-you-go cell rates + the incentive of receiving FREE phone calls, whether locally or Internationally, I could hardly pass up the chance to buy one at the cheap price of 250 quetzales (which is equivalent to $33.33US — this INCLUDES 100 qz {$13.33} in airtime + a savvy Nokia phone — model #?). My rates to Canada and the US work out at about 17 cents US a minute and if my text messaging works, 4 cents a message. I’m thinking this is pretty good? But what truly inspires me is the fact that all my incoming calls are FREE! So please, please, please, call me ANYTIME! I’m 1 hour behind Eastern Standard Time, if that helps. Looking forward to hearing from you soon
My number: 011 + 502 + 594 354 19
011 = when calling from N. America
502 = country code
Today started out with a touch of yoga and a side of fresh air. I decided to give myself a gift with the breaking of this new day … the present of thought and time. An opportunity to think about writing out and memorizing my Spanish Antonyms. I decided to take to day off from school (Juan Sissay needs a days advance notice if I decide to play hookie — that is if I don’t want to have to pay the teacher $25 for my absence) so that I could focus on some of things that I wanted to do and not get swept away by the quickly passing days, as I have been. However, even with some spare time on my hands, I didn’t get as much Spanish done as I had wanted. I took my clothes to the laundry, bought a few groceries and sifted the sand from the shells that collected last weekend at Monterico. Before I knew it, half the morning was gone!
Today’s activity? An hours walk up one of Xela’s magnificent mountains (name??) to ‘Los Vanos’, a natural sauna with steam and heat provided from a neighbouring volcano. It was really cool … or rather, should I say warm?? I was surprised that only myself and Heidi (from Austria), plus the teacher, turned up for the event. However, it turned out to be extremely interesting and absolutely beautiful … Heidi is quite a bit more advanced in her Spanish than I am, so she spent most of the time speaking with our guide Mario. It was a good hours ascent up the mountain and by the time we reached the top, we were all grateful for the hour that we had allotted for the 20 quetzales we paid. Mario opted out and Heidi and I enjoyed sitting in the dark little cavern, every now and then, hopping out into the cool shower or the even cooler adjoining room. It was incredible! More like a steam bath than a dry sauna, but at 5 minute intervals, the heat was quite a bit more than I was used to, even in Ed’s sauna . The rain that was threatening to fall on our way up had passed us by by the time we descended upon Xela. I felt like a million $, and all for the low price of $3US  . Now I much prefer these nature-based outings, out of smog’s way. Plus, I was able to take a ton of photos, especially of a Mayan altar that we passed not far from the city’s edge.
I’ve been informed today that the Guatemalan postal system is completely unreliable and corrupt, and that receiving or sending any articles in the mail can not be counted on, unless sent or received through a public service such as UPS or Fed-Ex. Because of this small tidbit of information, I’m not too sure about how many post cards I’ll be sending, but I’ll do a bit more research before I make any such decisions. I may send a trial few and see how many get through before following with others. I’ve also been told that any post that does get through can take up to 3 months in arriving at it’s destination. I’m really rather disappointed by this as I love to send messages in the handwritten form. If sending me a parcel of any sort, please could you send it via some sort of express service? I know that’s asking A LOT, but I’d hope to receive any well wishes myself rather than have the corrupt system somehow acquire anything sent with love.
Thank you for all your lovely email responses and thoughtful words of encouragement. It means THE WORLD to me!!
wow, so much to learn! and the days keep flying by, even though we finish our daily classes at 1pm.
every day there is some sort of activity to participate in, if i so choose. it seems like a wonderful opportunity to turn down … any cultural experiences, that if pursued on my own and without translation, would seem impossible, at this stage. for example, yesterday a small group went to a village 30 minutes from Xela to visit a chapel that honours a Mayan God / Folk Saint (Rey Pascuel), in the form of a 1 foot “Skeleton” draped in royal-cloth and laden jewels. and today, at the school, we had a guest speak come in and hold a seminar on medicinal plants. it was really quite informative and rather interesting, especially having someone direct translating from Spanish to English! I discovered today that Guatemala is in 3rd standing as a bio-diverse country, with Australia being first, and Cuba 2nd.
(bi·o·di·ver·si·ty n.
The number and variety of organisms found within a specified geographic region.
The variability among living organisms on the earth, including the variability within and between species and within and between ecosystems.
i’m overwhelmed, completely and utterly, by the amount of memorization that i must complete each day if i’m to give the Spanish language a proper go. yesterday i discovered that you could buy blank flash cards!! and oh, what an incredible difference that makes. i’m ecstatically happy about that!
don’t have much time to spare and update my journal each day as i hoped. am hoping to spend this Sunday writing and keeping you informed. just wanted to drop by quickly and tell you that i am feeling fine and doing fairly well! a bit tired and homesick for my dear ones, but otherwise greeting each day anew with a breath of yoga and a new attempt at growing and learning.
Peace and love ….
Juan Sissay is a non-profit collective that does much for the community. This is one of the leading characteristics that intrigued me into approaching it as my first Escuela. Today’s weekly venture? Teaching English at a local school 10 minutes from the city centre. Nine of us from the school piled into the back of a taxi truck and slowly inched our way up the steep hills of Zona 1. Pulling up to a dilapidated building, I wondered how different this school would be from the teaching facility at the orphanage? The classrooms were a sad state of affairs, with wasting walls touched up with spatters of paint (attempts at brightening an otherwise dismal environment). Christine and I spent an hour teaching basics of verb conjugation and adjective possession to twenty 17 year olds (in their 3rd year of studying English). It was painfully ironic for me to see that they possessed a similar, if not more advanced, level of English as I to Spanish. But not for long . The hour passed quickly and before I knew it, we were walking back to the school. What a fascinating experience this was! Our path took us right smack dab through the city’s cemetery. The ‘aisles’ were teeming with the walking alive, arms overflowing with glorious flowers, most, I guessed, paying homage to their Mothers, on this most noted of days here in Guatemala. Splashes of colour abounded in both the floral arrangements and the painting of graves. Piles of dirt and knurled metal strands littered the haphazard placement of memorials everywhere. This cemetery was gigantic! I noticed that several funerals were taking place and I wished that I would have brought my camera along on this adventure of uncertainty (of course, any still photography in this country must be taken with respect and discretion if people are to be included as my subject — not necessarily true when taken from a heaving, weaving bus window, as was the case yesterday). I managed to fend my own way through a desolate market, purchasing much desired fruit (my house doesn’t offer that as a food source in my board) … Pineapple, mango and oranges were on the menu. Yum!
I awoke to the ‘snap, crackle pop’ of firecrackers exploding in the streets … I was somewhat disoriented, not knowing what was going on, and curious as to whether this was to be a typical awakening to my life in Guatemala? At first it sounded like brief but sporadic splashes of lightening, and then with more wakefulness, they sounded like either fireworks across the city or the crack of a multitude of rifles blazing in symphonic ineptitude. At 6:15am I stumbled out of bed to contemplate my yoga practice anew … my understanding thus far in my 1+ years of yoga practice: injuries suck and have a tendency to set me back greatly. But with strength and candour I approached my dirty well-used mat, determined to advance my practice with caution and awareness of my body’s weaknesses, strengths and needs. I feel like such a beginner all over again! My concentration wasn’t too bad, considering all the ‘kabangs’ going off around me (l8ter I found out that this is typical of the highly commercialized ‘la Festiva de Medres’ = Mother’s Day) and the blaring sounds of music from all corners. It felt good to stretch and breath … my shoulder isn’t doing too bad considering the lugging of baggage everywhere with me the past few days (thankfully and gratefully I had help from many lovely people … slaDE~, the staff at NPH, my bus and taxi drivers).
Last night it felt so wonderful to unpack my 2 small bags, tidy my surroundings and have some semblance of order and structure to my space. The best thing … I have my own room in my homestay, and currently I am the only student in the house! I think that having to share a room for a year may prove to be an awesome challenge at the orphanage, especially with me used to having my own space …. Mutual room occupation reminds me of my university dorm days. I’ve learnt over the years that my personal space is incredibly important to me (unless of course I live with a partner, and then that space becomes one where everything blends into a happy harmonious union). I think that I’ll have to find a quiet space within through my yoga practice when at NPH … 350+ orphans and a small little house of 8-10 volunteers will give me anything but!
How interesting to come to a country not knowing the language … Now I know truly understand and empathize with what it feels to be a minority!! The ability to really speak with anyone on an intellectual basis is impossible at this point and my attempts at forming an intelligible, unambiguous sentence is like pulling teeth at best … I wish that I had the enthusiasm of charades that my mother has . I’ll have to work on that if I want to get away from speaking English, especially with the schools other students (now numbered at 17 but rising to their full capacity of 32 in Junios). The Lonely Planet phrasebook is invaluable, but trying to find the right words or phrase in the conversational moment is like scrambling for water as it sinks into sand … While questioning and searching one moment, the context is lost when the phraseology is finally discovered (IF found ). It’s been such a long time since I’ve attempted to learn a language … My brain feels as if it’s stuck in first gear while life ‘speeds’ around me in every possible direction, Ladino style. This is definitely a GOOD thing … The brain needs to be pushed to its limits and beyond every now and then (especially with my job of spending hours in front of my laptop).
My first day at Juan Sissay language school was a pleasant surprise … although a slow immersion into the basics of a language, I’m finding that it is providing me with a foundation to work from. My teacher, Selvina, is a 20 year University graduate whose English is fairly proficient; he’s patient and kind and helpful in his lessons, although quite younger (and somewhat immature) than most of the teachers here, it seems. However, I feel like a child in my youth of Spanish knowledge, so maturity levels don’t really apply at this moment in time. One month down the road may be a different story!
I am very grateful to the current Juan Sissay Director, Christine from Massachusetts, who helped make sense of the jumbled fundamentals of homestays here in Guatemala along with the once confusing modus operandi of the school.
I am finding that activities abound … but for a price. For example, this weekend there is an excursion to the black sandy beaches of the south-east, a 5 hour bus ride away. I am still in inner debate about whether to go or not. Although it would probably only cost around $60US (which, for two days with ‘hotel’ and meals plus transport included, seems like a bargain), my quandary in deciding whether to go or not lies in the fact that I have 14 months ahead of me with a set amount of funds (limited at that!). It seems that my whole life revolves around being a spendthrift and this Guatemalan venture is no different when it comes to monitoring my spending. I have the night to think it over!
My homework for the day? Write down the objects (furniture, etc) in my room inclusive with their gender, and the forms it takes when used in the plural form. With the few items in my room, I think it necessary to venture to the kitchen! … simplicity does have its advantages .
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