This weekend the family welcomes cousins from New York and the house is plump full from my estimations. With 11 extra bodies to sleep under this roof, every bed, air mattress, couch, pillow, and blanket are in use. The extended family brings a new dynamic to the household since most of the 5 kids in the mix are not fluent in Spanish like their parents. When we were introduced, the first thing they said was "She can speak English like us!". I don't think I have seen excitement lighten a child's face like that beside when they are told they can have ice cream for supper! Since the family was visiting Guatemala and touring around the country, I got to tag along on one of their tourist adventures to Fuentes Georginas. These are the volcanic hot spring located about an hour from the house. After lunch, all 19 of us piled into a bus and a car to venture up the mountain to the springs. When we arrived, the higher elevation and cloud cover made it a little chilly, but I quickly found the hottest end of the pool and enjoyed nature's beauty. The pools were pretty much cut into the mountain and laid with cobble stone where the vents surfaced. When you walked around the edges you would feel when you neared a vent and the water dripping from the mountain faces felt as if it had just been poured from a boiling pot. As I enter my final week here in Guatemala I have finally finished my list of touristy outings including Fuentes Georginas, Lake Atítlan, Antigua, climbing a mountain/volcano, and exploring Xela. This coming week is going to be bitter sweet, but I am beyond excited to share my experiences and perspectives that I have gained here once I return to good ol' Minnesota.
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Today was more of the same routine. Wake up. Eat breakfast with the family. Go work at the home. Come back to the family. And the list goes on...
The excitement for the day came at the home when the moms came back for their first break of the day from class and one approaches me to help her with her English homework. She joined me on the mat while I was holding one of the kids and hands me a poem to translate. In my broken and simple Spanish, I start to read her English poem about starting school that lists what they would be studying this year. There were a few words I did not know and pronouns I did not translate correctly, but she helped me as much as I helped her and by the end of the poem we had a group of 5 or 6 girls and 2 babies on the mat with us. After the translating, a few girls stayed a while longer to practice speaking the poem with a the English "juh", "shuh", "chuh", "yuh", and other English syllables that are not used in the Spanish language. Language is far different from math, but I found myself just enjoying being a part of the girls' learning, asking them questions, and addressing what they do not understand. I have to say even though my English to Spanish was not stellar the girls appreciated the help and it gave me one more reason to interact with them outside of caring for their babies. These small teaching moments are what make being away from family worth it. The structure and process of teaching is the same across languages and it is a welcome comfort. I think my Guatemala sister is tired of hearing me ask her why she chooses one answer over another on her homework assignments, but she already has gained a deeper understanding in the subjects we work through and I hope it continues after I leave. I love when the girls at the home ask me questions or my host family ask for help in math, language, social science, and the occasional coloring project because it is my passion to teach and be a part of the learning process. There is always new knowledge to be discovered and when I'm involved in its pursuit, it's like a little piece of home. Teaching. This weekend's adventure was to the tourist capital of Guatemala: Antigua! ...But first I had to get there from Xela.
After taking a private shuttle last week to Lake Atítlan, I decided to get close with the locals (literally) and take the chicken bus to Antigua. Chicken buses are Guatemala's form of public transportation between cities. Imagine the yellow school buses in the US painted all colors of the rainbow. One review said they were painted like Vegas showgirls and I could not agree more. These buses are notorious for their crazy drivers and cramped quarters, but I thought why not give it a try! My adventure started by taking a micro bus to the Xela bus terminal and after walking through the local market my search for a chicken bus began. I had never seen so many buses in one place. There had to be at least 25 lining the market. One man there seemed to take pity on my gringo self and led me to one that would get me to the city of Chimaltenango where I would change over to a bus that would take me the rest of the way to Antigua. (Let's count how many people helped me on my journey. Helper #1: Xela terminal.) Once the bus filled up we were off and so far there were mostly 2 adults to each seat. No crowding issues yet. As the first hour passes, I start to get anxious about when I will need to switch buses and my seatmate picks up on it. She asks where I'm from, where I'm going, and we start talking. She promises not to let me miss my stop. When we get to Chimal, she let's me know and ushers me to the front. (Helper #2: Xela bus partner) I get to the front with a confused look on my face and a man at the front asks where I'm going. (Are you sensing a pattern yet?) Turns out we were both heading to Antigua and he took me under his wing so to speak. When the bus stops at the Antigua bus change stop, we dash from the bus we are currently on and literally jog to another bus waiting on the corner. I never knew so many people could fit in one school bus until that night! There were grown adults sitting 6 people across in every row with even more standing in the aisle and children piled on laps. I remind myself that this is the experience I signed up for with chicken buses and find a handhold above my head to hang on to and anchor myself for the 45-minute ride to Antigua. Jose (Helper #3: Antigua bus changer) kept me on track and got me all the way to the Antigua terminal where I was able to use Google maps to finally track down my hostel for the weekend. The sight of the Maya Papaya Hostel was a welcoming one after volunteering in the morning and 4 1/2 hours on Guatemalan buses. Saturday was full of walking the town, taking in the sights of ruins and churches, visiting the local handicraft markets and just living the tourist life. Antigua was full of the colorful textiles and local souvenir shops. I was walking from one church to another when I came across a particular shop that was alone on 4th Calle. I don't know what made me enter exactly, but after asking to see her bracelets we start talking about where I'm from, how long I'm in Antigua, what I do in the States, etc. (I've come to learn that everyone loves learning about the passing gringos.) As the conversation continues in my lackluster Spanish, I find out that she has a daughter also studying to be a Math teacher in Guatemala. This just goes to show that there are connections to be made no matter the cultural contexts. This conversation was one of the few I was sad to end and would have returned another day if I was in Antigua for a longer period of time just to share more time with this amazing woman that sees countless people come through her shop, but made time to make me feel welcome in her city. The rest of my stay in Antigua was more walking and sightseeing and when checkout time came to head back home today, I headed off to the bus terminal to hopefully have a more independent returning chicken bus experience. Simple enough right? I get to the terminal and after asking 3 different guys (Helpers #3, #4, & #5: Antigua terminal), I track down a bus heading to Chimal where I can catch a bus to Xela. We get to Chimal and I disembark when I see a stop with other buses. After asking the conductor (Helper #6: Bus conductor) of one bus if he is heading towards Xela, he points me in the right direction and I get to my second bus for my return trip. I was under the understanding that I was home free since that's how it worked on the way out of Xela, but about 15 miles from Xela we come to a stop where half of the bus disembarks and my partner in the seat asked where I'm going (Helper #7: Middle bus partner) and shoos me off the bus so I can catch one last lift into Xela. Relying on Google maps I wait for my house to get within a mile and hurriedly get off before I'm told I need to switch yet again and walk the rest of the way home. XD With a lot of local help, I can say that I made it to Antigua from Xela via chicken bus and lived to tell the tale. Everyone I met on my way was more than helpful and I have never appreciated being a known gringa/tourist throughout my entire stay here. Antigua was a beautiful city and just another reason for me to love this country I have called home for the past 6 weeks. As my time here winds down, I look forward to spending some time with my Guatemalan family and enjoying all that I have come to love here: food, people, atmosphere, mountains, etc. 2 final weeks to go! Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Guatemala has a bit of a twist to this romantic day where it's a day to celebrate friendship just as much, if not more than, romantic relationships.
My day started as usual volunteering at the home and taking care of the girls and babies. We have been getting a lot of new girls in the home in the past week and one was being particularly talkative today. The new girl and I talked and worked together for most of the morning. She told me about her family and relatives in the States, how she came to be in the home, that she is supposed to be there for two months because of her family situation and did each other's hair (why not?!). It was nice to have someone to pass the hours with instead of just cooing at all the babies as fun as that is most days. As I spend more time volunteering, I learn that a lot of the girls are sent here for short periods of time (usually under a year) because of their family's encounter with the judicial system or a guardian dies. The girls leave the home because either a new family member has been found for them to stay with, they find a job when they turn 18, or a family member is no longer being held by the judicial system. I thought it was fitting that on this day of love and friendship I made a connection and started a friendship with a girl that is so positive about her position and is always willing to help others even though she came to the home less than a week ago with tears in her eyes. It's truly amazing to see how these girls grow even in my short 5-6 weeks so far. The day of sharing the gift of friendship continued when I got home to find the preparations for a Guatemalan barbecue! YUM! Steaks off the grill, pasta salad, beans, and tamales. Who can top that Guatemalan feast! Everyone gathered around the table along with the aunt and niece to share in the meal and the overall loving memory. There is something to be said about sharing a meal with my Guatemalan family, share in jokes, give hugs, and watch soccer with this amazing group of people. It's going to be hard to leave when my stay comes to an end. Valentine's Day was a little different than back home, but I wouldn't have changed a single thing about today! <3 Lake Atítlan. Who knew one could fall in love so fast! Friday was the start of our adventure, when Jamie (a friend from hiking Volcan Santa María last weekend) and I boarded the shuttle that would take us to our weekend getaway on Lake Atítlan. We get to Panajachel and take a boat taxi to our hostel for the weekend and the view takes your breath away. Pictures do not do it justice and I will definitely be returning! Our hostel, La Iguana Perida (The Lost Iguana) was one that catered to many travelers from around the world and most of the weekend was spent hearing stories about various adventures spanning the globe. One particular woman I met was traveling as a yoga instructor until either she found a job, ran out of money, or needed to go to a retreat she was scheduled to work in May. This free schedule or lack of solid plan was a common trait among most of the travelers I met and something I had never encountered before. The work balance that people can attain is one that I aim to shoot for once I return to the States. It is one that I have miserably failed at as a student thus far, but that is about to change! When not speaking with other travelers, Jamie and I filled our days with A LOT of reading, swimming, visiting a local cafe, and enjoying the views! All in all, our time at La Iguana Perida was a welcome break and gave me a look into a whole new way of life that people have attained around various work schedules and financial situations. To end the trip, we visited the Lake Atítlan Nature Reserve to visit monkeys, butterflies, and some beautiful waterfalls. After hiking the trails, we loved it so much that e decided to see it all again from the zip lines! This weekend away was full of firsts and the zip lines over a nature reserve with a view of the lake was just icing on the cake! My main takeaway from this little adventure is that no matter the situation you find yourself in, it is important to take care of yourself whether it is physically, mentally, or financially. YOU always desreve to be happy and healthy. In the US, this mindset is more difficult to achieve, but not impossible. For anyone reading this, you may not have the time to hop a flight to Panajachel, Guatemala and enjoy the beautiful lake views, but take a few minutes for yourself :) With that, I start week 6 of my 8-week stay in Guatemala! Today's excitement came while I was working at the orphanage this morning. We had a few visitors came and play with the girls. It was a group of about 20 volunteers with Orphan Outreach based out of Texas. (So guess what.....more English). The new volunteers played games, took pictures with the girls, and brought pizza and ice cream. A teenager's dream!
About halfway through the morning, the girls came up to take their babies down with them and that meant I got to participate in all the excitement as well. It was touching to see and feel included when the girls grabbed my hand to get a picture with them or the kids that I've been taking care of throughout my time here or actually having a conversation with the girls that I greet every morning on my way up to the nursery. Right when I start to feel like I am getting into a rut, I have a conversation with someone, or earn a smile from a new girl, or some other extraordinary event that breaks me out of it. I can't seem to muster a single regret over completely breaking out of my comfort zone and culture for these two months. I am now into week 5 and can't believe my experience is half over! Ok, maybe not move, but definitely climb! This past weekend I had the opportunity to climb Santa Maria Volcano that is one of the mountains that surrounds Xela. The morning started out with a cup of coffee and a backpack before heading out to meet my group for the day. I got to the Quetzaltrekkers office nice and early to grab a few supplies and then we were off to the base of Santa Maria for a full day of hiking. We were a group of 16 with people from the UK, Switzerland, and all over the US. I will say it was great to speak English for the first time in what felt like forever. The hike up was a bit more brutal than what I was expecting, but all the sweat pays off when you reach a 3700-meter view. I had never realized how truly surrounded by mountains Xela was until this past weekend. (Check out the pictures below!) The summit was AMAZING! We all rested our burning legs, took pictures, enjoyed the most delicious oatmeal of my life, and observed a Mayan religious ceremony. Scattered about the summit were flowers platforms and names on the rocks. Santa Maria is thought of as a holy place because of its height and some people camp at the top after the 5-6 hour hike to pray, celebrate, etc. Once you reach the top there is a sense of satisfaction and calm when you look out and can't see any people moving in the city below and see the extent of the mountainous area. At the end of the trip we were all rewarded with THE BEST chocolate-covered fruit I have ever had in my life and saying final goodbyes to our companions for the day. One particular connection I made was with an Australian teacher on the trek and we're already planning our own little adventure to Lake Atitlan. (Coming soon....) The day was one of many laughs, new connections, and English. I kind of feel like I cheated the whole immersion experience, but I think I have spoken more Spanish since the trip than I have in the past week! There's something revitalizing about being able to focus on the conversation you're having more than the conjugating of verbs. My brain is refreshed and ready to go and my arms are ready to hold more babies this week! I don't know if my legs will be on board with the idea of standing anymore tomorrow, but we'll see. Today at the orphanage was pretty uneventful with only 7 babies to take care of today versus the usual 11 or 12. I think we made it a WHOLE HOUR without wailing. Success! Another development of the day was that the girls/mamas there are getting more comfortable around me now that they realize I'm here for a while. Today was filled with questions like "What color are your eyes?" "Where are you from?" "What size are your feet?" and anything alse that popped into their heads. For 12-17 year old mothers, they are very inquisitive. I came home to yet another birthday preparation in full swing. The aunt and church friend were over to help cook and get Mama stocked up on more tamales and with all the extra hands I got an afternoon of playing cards with the youngest once again. (I'm getting really good at "your turn" and "what do you want to play?" at this point.) I won't complain because the card games usually help get homework done as a little incentive and today that was much needed. Helping with any kind of homework is what I've come to look forward to. Yes. I know. I finally get away from school and I'm still teaching/learning. Yet another reason I am so excited to start teaching in a little over a year! When we needed a card break (OK, when *I* needed a card break...) I went on a little adventure with the middle sister on their scooter. Considering she is only 12 and I had never ridden one, my heart got its workout for today, but we made it to the bakery XelaPan to buy the birthday cake and back without incident. On this little adventure, I got to see another part of Xela and some spectacular views of the valley we're in! I don't know how I'm going to like the Plains when I get back. Came back to a busy kitchen, more cards, and more homework. Cake was delicious. I'm learning more everyday and couldn't ask for more! It's been a while since I last wrote, but it's been a lot of routine lately. Yesterday had a bit of excitement though! We had a birthday party for Papa to celebrate his big 4-0 at their church service where he is the pastor. Yesterday afternoon, I came home from church to a bunch of curling irons, straighteners, and hairspray. It was quite the event with 6 girls in the house getting ready for the big event. Mama, the kids, and I arrived at the church early to put up flowers, get the cake out, etc. or the surprise celebration. (This time, I made sure to take pictures so check them out below!) Papa came into the church to a round of applause and his whole congregation greeting him. The Evangelical service was conducted with lots of worship music and readings then the birthday portion of the celebration was kicked off with what else but a Mariachi! The entire congregation lined up to take their turn wishing Papa a happy birthday and present their various gifts. A meal followed where friends and family just enjoyed the passing of another milestone in a community member's life. It's not everyday that someone turns 40 after all. Everyone helped clean up afterwards and enjoy watching Papa open the many gifts that were presented earlier in the evening. I was honored to share in the celebration and everyone made me feel welcome, especially a little girl around 6 years old named Madeline that would not leave my side. I don't know why she found me so exciting because I could not understand half of what she said due to the slight lisp and speed, but she was eager to introduce me to everyone there it felt like. Man! For a college student that's been banished to a college campus for the past two and a half years, all the kids and babies here make the days exciting! This week we are also celebrating another birthday in the house and I cannot wait for the lasagna that Mama is making for that one. Yum! I do like rice, beans, veggies, and eggs, but sometimes I miss the saucy, cheesy goodness from home. So we were sitting down for lunch today and Papa brings a pot in the door telling Mama that the meat is ready and just needs to be heated up. I thought this was weird since we already had served lunch and it was a well-rounded meal, but I just let it be. If Papa wants his pot of meat, he can have it. I was drinking my coffee after finishing my lunch since the house gets pretty cold without any climate control and Papa kept asking me if I wanted any of his "special meat". "It tastes just like chicken!" he would say. I kept responding "no thank you" but he was very persistent. After the fourth or fifth time Papa asked me, Mama clued me in as to why he was being so persistent.
Remember the opossum from a couple days ago? Yup! Mr. Opossum was sitting on the stove covered in peppers, tomatoes, and other goodness. But don't worrying! Papa made sure to reassure me he kept the tail! Sadly, I could not make myself try the critter, but this was just another demonstration of how nothing goes to waste here. Piranha and opossum in one week? Who would have though! |
Liesel Theusch
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