First week in Guatemala

This first week has been very eventful. First, of course, was the nerve-wracking solo journey from Newark airport, layover in Charlotte, and on to Guatemala City. After claiming my bags I walked out to a crowd of Guatemalans holding signs and staring as I walked past. Supposedly the hostel we were staying at was supposed to pick me up, but I didn't see a sign for the place or a sign with my name on it. Suddenly someone was waving in my direction - a white girl! It was Amy, and she had recognized me from Facebook. Standing with her were Nicci and Eric, and I was greatly relieved to see them.

The four of us were eventually found by the hostel people and they took us back to the hostel. It was mid-afternoon at this point, so the four of us took a taxi out to the restaurant area and had a bite to eat. Upon returning (and paying an exorbitant taxi fare on the way back because we had not bargained with the taxi driver in advance), we met Jill and Kira. Since we were all staying in the same room that night, except for Eric, we went and chilled in our room and chatted a bit. I passed out from the long journey, since I had been awake for most of the previous 48 hours, and I awoke at 10pm to find everyone had left. However, when I went down to the common room I met Ruchi and Greg, who were chilling with Nicci and watching some TV. So we all talked a little bit and eventually everyone came back home and we crashed for the night.

The following day (Sunday) Liz arrived to take us on the 4 hour, winding mountain road bus trip to Quetzaltenango (Xela). She seems very confident in all her duties with us, and that day was no different. We passed through a countryside filled with incredible natural beauty (vibrant green mountains and valleys) juxtaposed against squat, dirty huts lining the roads and situated in the middle of the valley fields. Most of the cars along the roads belched smoke as they passed, and the entire experience was a strange blending of extremes.

Here is a bit from our bus ride:

Arriving at our school in Xela, we were whisked away one by one by our host families. My "host mom" is Antonieta, a woman of indigenous Mayan descent who holds her family and her faith close to heart. With her in the house are her mother, Francisca, and her nephew, Carlos. Carlos is a swimming instructor just like me, so we found common ground early on.

Antonieta seems very happy to have me in her house, and I feel very welcome. Meals are always ready when I come into the kitchen, and Antonieta always sits and talks with me to help me with my Spanish. So far, we have talked about schools and children, the economy, my school and classes, both of our family history, and (of course) morality. I got a lecture the other night about the vices of drinking alcohol and of going to "discos." She's a nice woman, but I guess I just won't tell her when we go out drinking and dancing.

Here is my room at the house:






And the view from my room:




The school is great. All the teachers (maestros) here are very friendly and open. Everyone seems to know me already (maybe it's my red hair - that always seems to happen), even though I know the names of only a few of the teachers. We are being taught one-on-one, with lessons running from 8:30am-12:30pm in the courtyard garden at the school. 4 hours is a long time to have a Spanish lesson, but the time doesn't go too slowly. My maestro is a mid-50's indigenous man named Rocael (he likes to be called Rocky), who enjoys telling me stories and teaching me Spanish phrases with dirty connotations.

This week, for our activities, we have mostly been having tours of the city (Zona 1, where the school is, and Zona 3, where the big market - La Democracia - is), although we did watch a video on Wednesday about "los guajeros," people who live, work, and eat in the Guatemala City dump. Even with knowledge of how destitute much of the population is here, it was still a very shocking and disturbing documentary.

This weekend is free, which is why I have started blogging. Hopefully I will add pictures and such later on, along with more frequent and brief postings when there is something interesting to share.