Semuc Champey

Last week’s Wednesday dancing adventure consisted not only of a great time dancing Salsa, Meringue, Hip-Hop and Reggae, but also of Jana and I winning the limbo contest! That was a good time – we were the stars of the night (but wait, when are we not…haha).

Last weekend’s trip to Semuc Champey was incredible. This was a great get-away from the city life of Xela, and into a beautiful natural atmosphere – someplace I would go for a dream vacation. We left on Thursday morning at 11, the bus ride was very long, total of 10 hours, but so beautiful. I haven’t experienced a drive yet that wasn’t full of awesome views to take in. The first night we stayed at a hotel called Casa de mi Abuela in Coban. We had dinner there and took it easy since everyone was tired after a morning in class and 7 hours in the bus.

Friday morning we left for Semuc. When we got to a town about 45 minutes outside of Semuc, we transferred our bags and ourselves (all 19 of us) into a pickup truck to drive through the mountain the rest of the way there. I believe that more than half of the people riding in the back couldn’t feel at least some part of their body by the time we got there, but it was a good time.

The hotel we stayed at was very close to the Semuc Champey national park. My teacher told me that Semuc is one of the Seven Wonders of Guatemala. It was a gorgeous setting. We were right by the lake, with cabins, a hammock, a little outside restaurant/bar where we ate our meals, a sweet water swing, and a place for campfires – we were all set for a great weekend! After settling in we all set out to explore Semuc. We took a hike up to the mirador (lookout) at the top of a cliff, where we could see the little waterfalls and pools of water amidst the valley of the tree-covered cliffs. Amazing view! By the time we reached the top everyone was hot, sweaty, and very ready to jump in the water (though we did have to hike down first of course).

Jumping in the water felt so great! It was pretty entertaining trying to make our way from pool to pool, sliding around on the slippery rocks (we felt and looked like we were learning to walk again) and sliding down or climbing up the mini water falls to get to each body of water. It reminded me of the movie Fern Gully, with the forest and the valley. We spent the afternoon relaxing here, then went back to relax at our hotel. By the time dinner came around everyone was very ready to eat, it had been a long day. After dinner some of us did some dancing – Salsa, Meringue, Cha-cha and Swing. John, our assistant director rocks at dancing, and he likes to teach us new moves whenever we get the chance. A little later I and a few other people jumped off the water swing. Then to warm up, we sat around a campfire, played some guitar and sang.

Saturday we left around 9 for a tour of the caves. This time I felt like I was in the Goonies. We all got candles to carry, and spent about 2 hours in the caves. We were in the water the entire time and it got really cold, but we hardly noticed the temperature because it was such a cool experience. We got to climb up a waterfall, slide down this shoot thing, and make our way to the end of the cave where we all put out our candles for a few minutes and sat in complete darkness. Once we made it back out into the sun again, we all got to float on tubes down the river and soak in the sun we had missed for the last two hours. The rest of the afternoon we spent relaxing in the sun, and going off the rope swing.

KAWOQ

First excursion from Xela was successful and very enjoyable. Leaving on Friday at 11, we had a 3 hour drive to Antigua, Guatemala (which was the original capital of the country). Antigua is a beautiful city full of history and many beautiful sites and ruins. The ambiance is very different than Xela, since it is a very large tourist attraction. The city is bustling with people from all over the world, who are on a vacation and there to have a good time. The comparison to Xela was something that was neat to see, after living in Xela for 2 weeks.

Besides everything being more expensive, some of the hotels, restaurants, shops, and other attractions were incredible! Antigua is known for their Jade, and there are a few Jade stores with museums and tours. This was an interesting taste of the history and background of the Mayans and the official stone of Guatemala. I bought a jade necklace with my Mayan symbol, which is the KAWOQ, meaning thunder being, or storm. According to the Mayan Calendar I carry the energy of the group, operating from the spiritual world with universal consciousness; I am youthful; restless; friendly; multi-faceted; a good learner and teacher; drawn to philosophy or religion; and show concern for healing and purification. Sounds pretty accurate overall(minus the stormy part...) – way to go Mayans!

We did enjoy some of the tourist attractions while in Antigua. After a long day of exploring museums on Saturday, a group of us ate at a restaurant on the balcony, overlooking the ruins of the old Cathedral. That night for dinner we went to a place called Sky Café, where we sat on balcony once again, to enjoy the view of the city at night while we ate our dinner and sipped our drinks.

The central park is beautiful night and day, but especially when it is all lit up at night. The Cathedral is all lit up as well, perfect for a nighttime stroll. The park was always bustling with people so on our last day there, I sat with a friend eating breakfast and people – watching. It was enjoyable but hard to handle at the same time. Amidst the happy, hearty tourists were Guatemalans with disabilities, going around asking to take pictures for money, or trying to sell souvenirs. Seeing this and the homeless in the streets in contrast to the “high life” of the tourists (myself included) gives me a very unsettled feeling. It is hard for me to continue living my life and in comparison to some, it seems almost throwing money to the wind, while others have that kind of life.

While in Antigua we visited an organization called Common Hope. This is a sponsored program that aids families in sending their children to school, gives free medical care, provides resources for better living, and also provides housing for those who need it. This program has a great method of approaching poverty. They start with the families themselves, and once they are able to get their children prepared and sent to school, working closely with the families, the program helps alleviate all of the factors that may deter from the children’s learning and development. The policy of the organization is that the family must work by putting in time at the center, a certain number of hours, before they can receive their house or stove (which are made to help improve health conditions in the home). This is such a great way to help families get off their feet and live their life without the worries of those simple needs. This organization has helped so many children and families and is an inspiration that there are people and programs making a big difference in the lives of others – not only short-term but a long term effect.

So to flash back to last week, on Monday I went to a class in the afternoon on typical phrases and expressions of Spanish and the locals – very interesting, and useful “street phrases.” On Wednesday we went to Aguas Amargas, which is a center lf thermal waters located in Zunil. The water was warm and the view was spectacular! We were amidst a mountain cliff and had a great view of the Santa Maria Volcano. Then of course I went salsa dancing on Wednesday night! Thursday I learned how to make empanadas – a traditional Guatemalan dish with rice tortillas, meat, vegetables and salsa.

I can’t believe how early I have been going to bed the last few nights, such a drastic change from my normal schedule back home. But it makes sense when I look at my typical daily routine: 6am wakeup, 6:50am-7:50 Yoga, 8am-1pm Spanish class, 1:15-2pm lunch with my family, 2:30-5pm excursions/activities planned through Celas/ or doing homework, TCB, 5:15-7pm Yoga again (sometimes), 7:30pm dinner with my family, 8:15-11pm finish homework/ go to a coffeshop to study/ hang out with the group, 11pm my eyes are heavy and I am ready for bed! Wednesday nights are an exception because those are the nights we go dancing ‘til about 12:30am.

I have a new Spanish teacher now (we switch every two weeks), so it is nice to have a little change, though I do miss my old one. My new teacher is a little tougher, but that will be god for me because I really want to learn as fast as possible! Language is a frustrating subject to master and the sooner the better. I also have two new people staying in my house here. They are indigenous Guatemalans from Cichitenango who are studying in the University here in Xela. I ate dinner with one tonight – he is only 17 and is going to school here in Xela. His sister is 19 and is going to a University here. It will be nice to have some other “siblings” to talk with in Spanish.

Okay so I feel like I am writing an essay, you would think I get enough of that in school but I guess since it is all in Spanish now I need to get my English fix. We have started our class with our director, Brother Dennis, which we are having once a week. I really like it so far, the theme is globalization, spirituality and social justice. Right now we are discussing the issue of globalization and the preferential option for the poor – which seems to fit in perfectly with our experiences and the concepts that I am currently struggling to deal with. There is no perfect solution, but there is much to be understood and explored and that is the very best place to start.

At Home in my New Home

So besides my new hobby of salsa dancing, I am now going regularly to yoga classes at a place nearby where I live. Christy, my host sister from Australia, introduced me to this place called the House of Yoga, and I really like it! At the moment I am motivated enough to go in the mornings before my eight o’clock Spanish class – we’ll see how long that lasts!

Day by day I am feeling more at home. As I get more comfortable with my conversation skills, I am noticing that I really enjoy speaking with my family, my teacher and others. Still stumbling for words quite a bit but that will be the case for a while I’m sure. Some days are better than others. As a result of my improving Spanish, unfortunately my English is suffering, that is somewhat entertaining. I definitely feel as though this trip is completely a hands-on experience. My learning continues throughout the entire day, and my mind is constantly spinning with Spanish phrases and words. I am constantly trying new foods, which I find very fun. I can't even remember all of the names of the food that I have tried. I am enjoying the Guatemalan sense of time as well!

Sunday morning I walked to the Cathedral, which is nearby in the Central Park. It is gorgeous, and very large! It was a neat experience. I am hoping that I will understand a little more of the service/homily each weak as my vocabulary expands.

We are getting to know the local cafés and restaurants that are close to us. Sunday night us girls had a fun chill night and went out for smoothies at a place nearby called Blue Angel. Then on Sunday night a group of us went to one of our favorite places, El Cuartito, to study and chat - a great way to end the weekend. I am really appreciating this opportunity for developing relationships and simply enjoying time with the people around me, both in our group, and the local people. I seem to feel a sense of freedom that I didn’t feel back in the US.

Vino, Queso, y Volcanes

Well I haven’t gotten sick yet! Although I really shouldn’t talk too soon because I will probably be the next one… I can’t believe I am already done with my first week of 25 hours of Spanish class! I already feel like I can talk easier with my family. Today we had a really nice lunch of tacos that my host dad, Juan Antonio made for us. Our lunch lasted about an hour and a half because we sat around and talked for a while after. Communicating is still a struggle and a bit frustrating for me, but I feel like I am constantly improving. My host dad even told me that I speak well (though I know he is just being nice), he is really good about speaking slowly and clearly for me, and explaining anything that I don’t understand.

Wednesday nights are salsa nights for students here at the school. We get free lessons at a discoteca called La Parrumba. It was a great night, we hung around and danced until 12:30, and my feet hurt so much from dancing all night – definitely worth it though! And the great thing is that it’s Guatemala, so of course everyone there knows how to salsa and meringue really well. Sometimes that’s a bit overwhelming though, and hard to follow!

Thursday night some of us went to a café nearby, El Cuartito, to hear a rap-like performance of some poetry. It was a neat experience! I tried my first liquado con leche (basically like a smoothie), and was so delicious!

Friday was a pretty laid back day. After classes a few of us went exploring around the town to find some wine and cheese for the graduation party at Celas that night - wine is so inexpensive here! Every Friday the school has a graduation celebration for those who “graduate” from the school (basically anyone who is done with their time there and not coming back the next week). Each week is a different theme and this one was vino con queso. It was a nice get-together, and we said goodbye to our new friends we made from Montana.

This morning we all met at 5 am for a hike. We hiked partway up a mountain to a lookout with a fantastic view of the Santiaguito volcano. It erupts about every 45 minutes, and we stayed to watch two eruptions. It was so cold until the sun came over the mountain, then it felt great! Our tour guides even brought a pan and stove to make us hot chocolate! The hot chocolate here is so good, and really rich, they use real chocolate bars to make it.

Still missing family and friends, but overall everything is going well. Our group is getting closer every day, and I look forward to the incredible times that are to come…

Coffee and Tea

I am getting accustomed to this new lifestyle, I think. The homesickness caught me off guard a little; well it was more of me simply realizing that I won’t be back for four months to see certain people that I will miss seeing almost every day. Keeping busy is a good thing - which I have definitely been managing to do! Yesterday I had my first day of class – 5 hours long! Beginning at eight and ending at one, when we then all go home for lunch with our families. The school provides us with unlimited coffee and tea, which is so nice! We drink coffee or tea with almost every meal here, I can get used to that! We all met our teachers, mine is Ana and she is really nice, and patient with me, because at the moment my Spanish suffers bit. Class has been going well and passes really fast.

Since our classes are outside, it is a little chilly in the morning. I have to bundle up with lots of layers, but it definitely keeps me awake and alert. Celas Maya offers afternoon activities every day and all of our group took advantage of the first day’s activity which was a hike up a mountain called La Muela (which means molar in Spanish, and it literally looked like a tooth!). It was a gorgeous hike, a little nerve-racking with the slippery rocks and all, while in other parts it seemed like we were rock climbing. The view from the top was incredible! It overlooked Xela and a few other cities.

When we all got back to Xela we went to a nearby restaurant to relax and have some drinks. We are making friends with other students at Celas from all over the world, some of them came along too. Since the typical dinnertime for most of us is 7 or 7:30, we all headed back to our houses around then.

After dinner I went with three other girls that go to a university in Montana to El Balcon del Enriquez (the café/restaurant with the balcony, one of my new favorite places). We sat on the balcony and sipped hot chocolate while talking about life. I am pretty sure that was the best cup of hot chocolate I have ever had. It tasted like a chocolate and almond candy bar melted in a mug, not to mention we were overlooking the beautiful city square and landscape of Xela.

I finally got to meet my host dad Juan Antonio and he is so nice and fun to talk with! I also met Esperanza, our housewife who is really sweet. We had lunch then I met back up with the group to go to Las Fuentes Georginas (the name of the hot springs near Xela that comes from the Zunil volcano), otherwise known as the “natural paradise.” I rode in the back of a truck the whole 45 minute drive there, through the mountains, gorgeous view! The place was beautiful, and the water so warm! I felt like it was the first time I had been warm since I left Minnesota, which seems a bit ironic to me, but makes sense they don’t heat the buildings here.

Today we walked to Trama Textiles, which is a company that ensures fare wages for craftswomen in Guatemala, helping provide them with an income. We learned how to weave, very cool. And now I’m off – off to salsa dancing!

Jumping In

So the journey begins. We arrived in Xela yesterday evening around 9pm after a 5 hour bus ride from Guatemala City. At Celas Mayas (our Spanish school which is literally right across the street from where I live) we all met with our host mothers. My host mom Karla, we walked to her house and she showed me my room and around the house. Quant and simple, but really nice. I live with Karla, her husband Juan Antonio, and their five-year-old son Juan. My host family has another student, Christi, also attending Celas Maya. She is from Australia! We talked mostly in Spanish because she said she will not let herself talk in English-not a bad idea. We enjoyed some great conversation over cookies, tea and port.

I then went to my room and got settled in, unpacked everything and tried to process everything that has happened in the last few days. So many emotions and abrubt changes. Being thrown into not only an entirely different culture, but another language is definitely a challenge, but a good one. I am really excited to start classes so I can improve my communication (which is really lacking at the moment).

Today we met the group and the directors of the program for a nice welcome breakfast at a nearby hotel. All of us students then went out to explore the city. We had a good time finding our way around. There was a market that only happens one Sunday a month, so we did a little looking around-I bought a purse. When I came home my host mom took me to her mother´s home, which is also the home of Ashley. We all enjoyed lunch together.

I appreciate all of the small things that are different from our culture, for example, on our way to lunch we picked up some fresh tortillas at a store. Karla´s mother and Ashley had just gone to the market to get some cucumbers and tomatoes for a salad. This is a nice change from buying food to have on hand for a week in advance. Simplicity is a way of life that I believe I will get used to very quickly.

After enjoying lunch we had a nice long conversation with Karla and her mother. Then Ashley and I took a little nap in her room before we met up with the group again. This evening after exploring a little more with the group, we went to a restaurant with a balcony in Central Park and sat up there, enjoying some coffee and drinks. Finally having the chance to soak it all in, we then went to the Park and enjoyed the sights, sounds, smells and life surrounding us.