Life continues to be interesting here in Guatemala, and I still find it hard to take time to reflect. Also, there has been a bug going around the school, and now I have it – sore throat, headache, achy muscles- not fun in addition to the intestinal problems I have been dealing with for over a week. Luckily, there is a three-day holiday in the town, and no classes, so I am getting some much-needed rest.
The school is still packed, so my teaching schedule has been light. Next weekend I will start teaching the beginners; it’s not an idea schedule given that I leave for La U before 7:00 and get back after 2:00, but they have no time during the week. We are also trying to get two more classes up and running during the week, but again it’s hard when everyone is so busy. I talked with Selvin today to broach the possibility of teaching in the fall when the teachers less busy. He said he thought that would be a good idea.
Saturday I talked with Javier, one of the teachers, about how to get the classes organized. He suggested getting a committee together to talk about how to create an English program. I think that would be a great idea, and I would enjoy working with the teachers in that way.
I have been increasingly uncomfortable with my living situation. Even though I love my family, the level of dirtiness and dampness is getting to me and, I think, contributing to my being sick. I found another place yesterday which I think will work out. I’ll have a room with a private bath and use of the rest of the house for $120/month, so I’ll be able to cook for myself. It’s just a five-minute walk to the school.
When I went to Antigua Thursday, I met with Patrick, the man I met on the plane. He and his assistant, Luke, took me out to lunch, and then he showed me his projects. There is a primary school for 170 children, a school for teenagers who never got beyond second grade or so, and a new project to help malnourished infants. I was told that some children as old as four weigh less than thirty pounds and cannot even sit up. Each of the schools has a medical and dental clinic onsite, and there is a food distribution center so that the children and their families can have good nutrition outside of school.
Luke and another assistant, Charlie, talked with Cristina and me about the recovery of victims of human trafficking. They told us about a man in Antigua who buys children from poor families to be shoeshine boys in the square and prostitutes (girls as young as 8). They explained that for some of the families, selling one child seems like a better option than watching several starve.
Patrick talked with me again about the possibility of working with his projects. I am not interested in doing that full time, but I did talk with Luke about organizing a teacher training.
Life is good here. At this point, it is hard to imagine living in the States again. Who knows?
Monday, June 30, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Catching Up
It has been another packed week, so this is a quick catch-up before I head to La U to teach my first class of seven. I spent the first part of the week sorting out a schedule with the the Spanish school. It has been almost impossible to teach because the school is at capacity and so the teachers never have time to meet with me. This weekend there is a fiesta in San Pedro, so school isn't even meeting Monday. Next weekend I will start teaching a beginner class on the weekend. That means I'll be working at La U every Saturday, then coming back here to teach Saturday afternoon and/or Sunday. Busy weekends! I have been meeting individually with a number of teachers, and that has been a good experience. The other part of the arrangement I made was to get 20 hours of Spanish classes because that is the only way I can get access to information about the school. I will be working with Rafa, who is the only administrator who is also a teacher.
Thursday I went to Antigua to pick up Cristina, who is here for a week. While there I met with Patrick Atkinson, the "One man NGO," as someone here put it. He's the man I met on the plane to El Salvador. He took me around to his various educational projects and invited me again to work with him in Antigua. It became very clear to me through my talks with him that I am not ready to leave San Pedro. I am learning so much here about teaching and community and team building that I feel I have barely scratched the surface of what I would like to learn. In addition, because I have spent so much time negotiating the agreement here at the school and talking with many people here in Spanish out of necessity, my Spanish has become very sloppy. I can communicate what I need to, but I am becoming increasingly frustrated with my lack of accuracy and ability to communicate fully.
This week Cristina and I will be sharing my 20 hours, so I will have some time to sit down, gather my thoughts, and do some studying.
I am seriously considering staying here through December. I would probably go back to the States in August as originally scheduled to take care of some business, then come back here.
Thursday I went to Antigua to pick up Cristina, who is here for a week. While there I met with Patrick Atkinson, the "One man NGO," as someone here put it. He's the man I met on the plane to El Salvador. He took me around to his various educational projects and invited me again to work with him in Antigua. It became very clear to me through my talks with him that I am not ready to leave San Pedro. I am learning so much here about teaching and community and team building that I feel I have barely scratched the surface of what I would like to learn. In addition, because I have spent so much time negotiating the agreement here at the school and talking with many people here in Spanish out of necessity, my Spanish has become very sloppy. I can communicate what I need to, but I am becoming increasingly frustrated with my lack of accuracy and ability to communicate fully.
This week Cristina and I will be sharing my 20 hours, so I will have some time to sit down, gather my thoughts, and do some studying.
I am seriously considering staying here through December. I would probably go back to the States in August as originally scheduled to take care of some business, then come back here.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
My Adventure
Getting ready for a ride through the mountains on the back of a pickup, a better option than taking another chicken bus.
My Adventure of a Lifetime (or so it seemed)
This morning I went to La U again to observe the teacher training I will start teaching next week. As always, la lancha was wonderful, and I stopped for breakfast in Pana and met a lovely Swiss woman. I got on a chicken bus for Sololá and quickly decided that the driver either had a serious death wish or a great longing to be a race car driver. He approached every hairpin turn as though it was his worst enemy, and at one point the bus swung so hard that someone fell out of his seat. I was pretty concvinced that my life was going to end on that bus, and I proceeded to prapare myslef to die quietly and with some grace. It was really frightening. It is now seven hours later, and my stomach still hurts from the fear. Being at the training and talking with Kate, the director and teacher of the day, was good, but it was all a little dreamlike after my ride.
When I got back to the bus stop at La U, there was a microbus (minivan) across the road going to San Pedro for 17 quetzales (Last I checked, there were about 7.5 quetzales in a dollar.) instead of the 25 quetzales it would cost to take two buses and la lancha back to San Pedro.
As usual when I travel back and forth to La U, I was the only gringo. As it turned out, the man next to me, Juan, who was very friendly, is a cousin of Rosa. He and I talked for all of the hour that we were heading (we thought) to San Pedro. He suggested that I learn T'sutuhil and taught me a few words which I can't remember but which I taped.
We got to Santa Clara (I think) where we were informed that the van would not be going to San Pedro after all. Juan said, when I asked, that it's always a crap shoot (my words). He then arranged for us to ride in the back of a pickup to San Pedro. After I got over my shock, I honestly really enjoyed the ride through the mountains above Atitlán, which included many more hairpin turns, though at a more sane speed, and traveling through some beautiful farmland. I saw women carrying loads of kindling on their heads and men leading pack horses, as well as fields of healthy, high corn.
The pickup took us to San Juan (I think) where Juan said the trip ended. We then took a took took to San Pedro, during which time he told me he was studying English at La U. We decided to set up a language exchange, and I discovered later that I lost his phone number immediately after he gave it to me. However, he obviously knows where I live.
By the time I got back home, I was pretty wobbly and, I realize, a little shocky. Rosa is sick, so Felipe was waiting to serve me lunch. He sat with me while I told him about my morning and had my first good cry. It was partly the tension of the trip, but I realized through talking with him that memories of my car accident six years ago were triggered, as well as feelings about selling my house, how painful last semester was, and how dreamlike (and nightmarelike today) this experience is. He was wonderful and give me support to let my feelings out as well as words of encouragement.
After lunch, which I barely got down, I went over to the school and ended up talking Ramón, the director, for almost an hour about teaching and language acquisition and many other topics at the school. He told me he wanted to make sure I was happy with our exchange, and we talked about the balance. We also agreed to set up a language exchange, and I am going to attend his French class with him as well, at least to see how it goes. It might be too much, duh.
I am so happy here and so satisfied with the school that I realized I had already tentatively decided that I wanted to stay or come back. I also remembered about myself that when I find a good situation, or even a bad one I try to make into a good one, I tend to lock in rather than waiting and exploring options. My experience on the bus seemed to shake loose many feelings and thoughts that had been building up. In addition, the wonderful interactions with students at La U today helped me see that there are many terrific possibilities here and elsewhere and that, rather than deciding, I can (try to) just enjoy the experience here and see what unfolds.
When I got back to the bus stop at La U, there was a microbus (minivan) across the road going to San Pedro for 17 quetzales (Last I checked, there were about 7.5 quetzales in a dollar.) instead of the 25 quetzales it would cost to take two buses and la lancha back to San Pedro.
As usual when I travel back and forth to La U, I was the only gringo. As it turned out, the man next to me, Juan, who was very friendly, is a cousin of Rosa. He and I talked for all of the hour that we were heading (we thought) to San Pedro. He suggested that I learn T'sutuhil and taught me a few words which I can't remember but which I taped.
We got to Santa Clara (I think) where we were informed that the van would not be going to San Pedro after all. Juan said, when I asked, that it's always a crap shoot (my words). He then arranged for us to ride in the back of a pickup to San Pedro. After I got over my shock, I honestly really enjoyed the ride through the mountains above Atitlán, which included many more hairpin turns, though at a more sane speed, and traveling through some beautiful farmland. I saw women carrying loads of kindling on their heads and men leading pack horses, as well as fields of healthy, high corn.
The pickup took us to San Juan (I think) where Juan said the trip ended. We then took a took took to San Pedro, during which time he told me he was studying English at La U. We decided to set up a language exchange, and I discovered later that I lost his phone number immediately after he gave it to me. However, he obviously knows where I live.
By the time I got back home, I was pretty wobbly and, I realize, a little shocky. Rosa is sick, so Felipe was waiting to serve me lunch. He sat with me while I told him about my morning and had my first good cry. It was partly the tension of the trip, but I realized through talking with him that memories of my car accident six years ago were triggered, as well as feelings about selling my house, how painful last semester was, and how dreamlike (and nightmarelike today) this experience is. He was wonderful and give me support to let my feelings out as well as words of encouragement.
After lunch, which I barely got down, I went over to the school and ended up talking Ramón, the director, for almost an hour about teaching and language acquisition and many other topics at the school. He told me he wanted to make sure I was happy with our exchange, and we talked about the balance. We also agreed to set up a language exchange, and I am going to attend his French class with him as well, at least to see how it goes. It might be too much, duh.
I am so happy here and so satisfied with the school that I realized I had already tentatively decided that I wanted to stay or come back. I also remembered about myself that when I find a good situation, or even a bad one I try to make into a good one, I tend to lock in rather than waiting and exploring options. My experience on the bus seemed to shake loose many feelings and thoughts that had been building up. In addition, the wonderful interactions with students at La U today helped me see that there are many terrific possibilities here and elsewhere and that, rather than deciding, I can (try to) just enjoy the experience here and see what unfolds.
Moses
Moses (on the left) was one of my favorite street vendors. He's from Niacaragua and is traveling around Central America. I boguht a simple necklace from him because the beads match my eyes but mostly because I like him! The same day I moved to San Pedro he did too, but I haven't seen him for a few days.
Embarcadero (boat dock) en San Marcos
I am always fascinated by Atitlán but especially in the early morning. One of my favorite times is being on la lancha in early morning with the Mayans going about their business.
Friday, June 20 (evening)
This evening I went with other teachers to visit a teacher, Lety, whose father had died. Deciding to go was an interesting cultural experience for me, although “interesting” is not really the right word at all. Yesterday Rafa told me that class tonight was cancelled because of this visit and then suggested that I go along. I felt a little funny about going even though I know Lety, and in fact she was the first teacher I met. I asked Julio, and he suggested that it would be a good cultural experience. That didn’t sit well with me, so I asked Javier what he thought. His response (translated) was, more or less, “You and Lety are fellow teachers (compañeras), and it seems only right that you go to show your support in order to build your relationship with her.” I found that very moving, and it was clear to me that I should go.
We all gathered at the school and walked together through the rain and the very wet streets. I was feeling a little shy, and Lucas took me under his wing. He has been one of my favorite teachers all along, but this is the first time we had a conversation in Spanish. It was very rich and warming.
It is hard to describe the evening. When we entered the room, which had been cleared of everything except benches, a bed, and an alter, we hugged Lety and her sister and mother. Then there was what seemed to be a service and sharing of Lety’s father life and death and periods of silence. I didn’t follow much of what was said because it was mostly in T’sutuhil, the Mayan language spoken around the lake. It was a quiet event but more contemplative than somber. We were all given coffee and rolls. After about an hour, we hugged the family again and departed. It did seem to mean a lot to Lety that I was there. Afterwards Ramón and I walked back to the school, mostly in silence. I realized tonight that there are very few cars in San Pedro, largely because the streets are so narrow. The main mode of commercial transportation is the tuk tuks: three-wheeled vehicles, sort of motorized rickshaws.
Earlier in the day, Cecelia, my French homestay friend, and I went out to breakfast because Rosa wasn’t feeling well. Cecelia is leaving on Sunday, and I will miss her. We have been spending some nice time this week. Once again, I managed to forget that having a quick breakfast is not a good idea in Guatemala, but the waiter was very gracious once again.
I taught an extra class this morning because some of the teachers had had to miss their scheduled classes. Rafa decided to join, and I saw once again that often teachers are the worst students. He dominated the group and intimidated the other teachers by his presence. Yesterday he joined an English conversation I was having with another teacher and quickly realized his effect and left. Today he didn’t seem to be aware. Afterwards we talked, and I suggested that he and I work together individually since his presence seems to have a dampening effect on the other teachers. I am very pleased that we will be working together; he is wonderfully supportive of me and is eager to improve his English. I think that between our intercambio and our collaborative teaching, we will both learn a lot and be friends as well.
Ramón and I met this afternoon to talk about my schedule. It was a good process of putting our individual needs on the table and coming to an agreement. We decided, based on my request, that the beginner group will meet three times a week instead of five. We also decided to offer only two other groups, each of which will meet twice a week and will be comprised of a maximum six of teachers who are really committed to studying English. Ramón stressed that he wants me to have students who are “cien por ciento (100%)" committed, and he also told me I was free to refuse any student who wasn’t willing to work with me. What a difference from last year in Minnesota, when I was told, “Your job is to make sure you never cause any work for your director.”
Selvin and I had a delightful exchange this morning. I was partway through my class on the porch outside the office when I realized I didn’t have an eraser. I walked into the office and said, “Necesito (I need) at which point he handed me an eraser. I said (translated), “What a miracle!” to which he replied, “We have very good communication.” It took me a while to stop laughing.
I have wondered over the last year whether I would be able to find a work situation which could handle and absorb my big personality. There doesn’t seem to be a problem here. I feel that I am valued and that my opinion is sought and honored. When Ramón and I negotiated our schedule, I felt very much equal with and respected by him.
Julio, my regular teacher, was out having a beer with his other student and didn’t get back for our lesson, so Javier stepped in. We were teasing him earlier that he looks like a Mayan Johnny Depp. We had a great lesson, and I felt I made another good connection. Once again I seem to be connecting much more strongly with the men than with the woman, and I still don’t know what that’s about.
Yesterday and today we had strong rain storms during afternoon classes. It is such an experience to see people coming in from the garden and finding places to continue their lessons. Today there were at least five pairs working in the community room. Yesterday some of the pairs didn’t get up to the main school in time, so they sheltered in the building for the children’s project. The storms come up so suddenly it is hard to plan for them. During these storms, the lights tend to go off and on at least a half dozen times.
My Spanish is coming along really well. The English conversations I have with the teachers are pretty elementary and involve a great deal of translation, usually more on my part, so I am using my Spanish even then. I know it’s a good sign that when I am speaking Spanish, I am beginning to forget the English words. Felipe and Rosa don’t speak any English at all, and I don’t spend that much time with the Spanish students.
I sometimes miss having a good friend to spend time with, but mostly I feel immensely blessed to be here with this group of people.
We all gathered at the school and walked together through the rain and the very wet streets. I was feeling a little shy, and Lucas took me under his wing. He has been one of my favorite teachers all along, but this is the first time we had a conversation in Spanish. It was very rich and warming.
It is hard to describe the evening. When we entered the room, which had been cleared of everything except benches, a bed, and an alter, we hugged Lety and her sister and mother. Then there was what seemed to be a service and sharing of Lety’s father life and death and periods of silence. I didn’t follow much of what was said because it was mostly in T’sutuhil, the Mayan language spoken around the lake. It was a quiet event but more contemplative than somber. We were all given coffee and rolls. After about an hour, we hugged the family again and departed. It did seem to mean a lot to Lety that I was there. Afterwards Ramón and I walked back to the school, mostly in silence. I realized tonight that there are very few cars in San Pedro, largely because the streets are so narrow. The main mode of commercial transportation is the tuk tuks: three-wheeled vehicles, sort of motorized rickshaws.
Earlier in the day, Cecelia, my French homestay friend, and I went out to breakfast because Rosa wasn’t feeling well. Cecelia is leaving on Sunday, and I will miss her. We have been spending some nice time this week. Once again, I managed to forget that having a quick breakfast is not a good idea in Guatemala, but the waiter was very gracious once again.
I taught an extra class this morning because some of the teachers had had to miss their scheduled classes. Rafa decided to join, and I saw once again that often teachers are the worst students. He dominated the group and intimidated the other teachers by his presence. Yesterday he joined an English conversation I was having with another teacher and quickly realized his effect and left. Today he didn’t seem to be aware. Afterwards we talked, and I suggested that he and I work together individually since his presence seems to have a dampening effect on the other teachers. I am very pleased that we will be working together; he is wonderfully supportive of me and is eager to improve his English. I think that between our intercambio and our collaborative teaching, we will both learn a lot and be friends as well.
Ramón and I met this afternoon to talk about my schedule. It was a good process of putting our individual needs on the table and coming to an agreement. We decided, based on my request, that the beginner group will meet three times a week instead of five. We also decided to offer only two other groups, each of which will meet twice a week and will be comprised of a maximum six of teachers who are really committed to studying English. Ramón stressed that he wants me to have students who are “cien por ciento (100%)" committed, and he also told me I was free to refuse any student who wasn’t willing to work with me. What a difference from last year in Minnesota, when I was told, “Your job is to make sure you never cause any work for your director.”
Selvin and I had a delightful exchange this morning. I was partway through my class on the porch outside the office when I realized I didn’t have an eraser. I walked into the office and said, “Necesito (I need) at which point he handed me an eraser. I said (translated), “What a miracle!” to which he replied, “We have very good communication.” It took me a while to stop laughing.
I have wondered over the last year whether I would be able to find a work situation which could handle and absorb my big personality. There doesn’t seem to be a problem here. I feel that I am valued and that my opinion is sought and honored. When Ramón and I negotiated our schedule, I felt very much equal with and respected by him.
Julio, my regular teacher, was out having a beer with his other student and didn’t get back for our lesson, so Javier stepped in. We were teasing him earlier that he looks like a Mayan Johnny Depp. We had a great lesson, and I felt I made another good connection. Once again I seem to be connecting much more strongly with the men than with the woman, and I still don’t know what that’s about.
Yesterday and today we had strong rain storms during afternoon classes. It is such an experience to see people coming in from the garden and finding places to continue their lessons. Today there were at least five pairs working in the community room. Yesterday some of the pairs didn’t get up to the main school in time, so they sheltered in the building for the children’s project. The storms come up so suddenly it is hard to plan for them. During these storms, the lights tend to go off and on at least a half dozen times.
My Spanish is coming along really well. The English conversations I have with the teachers are pretty elementary and involve a great deal of translation, usually more on my part, so I am using my Spanish even then. I know it’s a good sign that when I am speaking Spanish, I am beginning to forget the English words. Felipe and Rosa don’t speak any English at all, and I don’t spend that much time with the Spanish students.
I sometimes miss having a good friend to spend time with, but mostly I feel immensely blessed to be here with this group of people.
Friday, June 20, 2008
My "office"
This is the nook in a corner of the school garden that I found the other day. It is private, and I get an internet connection. This morning as I was working here at 4:30, I had a brief talk with the gardener who was up and about early as well.Thursday, June 20
This week my energy has been distracted by trying to sell furniture long distance before my house closes June 24 and not being able to send photos. This morning I discovered by accident that I get better internet access early in the morning. I have been in my “office” (photo to follow) in a corner of the garden since 4:00am.
I am surprised by how little I think about not having a home in the traditional sense. Rosa and Felipe have been encouraging me to buy some land here, which is a financial possibility. I’ll have to think about it. I can imagine settling down here. There is such a demand for English that I could be busy all the time, and I am impressed by the commitment and knowledge of the people I am working with.
Guatemala continues to charm me. The level of living is relaxing for me. For instance, I do all my laundry by hand and hang it out to dry. A friend told me I will be most impressed by the amount of dirty water I generate when I finally get back to MN and wash my clothes in the machine. The first day I asked Felipe if there was a way I could keep the windows in my room open. He handed me three pencils. Yesterday I ran out of ink in my marker during class, so Selvin refilled it for me.
People use materials over and over here. There is a degree of decay and grubbiness which is a little disconcerting at times but is also pretty easy for me to adjust to. There is so much natural beauty here and so much trash. It seems that every property is in a process of falling apart or being rebuilt but never completed. I hope my photos show some of this.
After having lived such an isolated life in Durham, I am continually surprised by how easy it is for me to be around people so much. Rosa and Felipe’s kids run around the courtyard, I’m in and out of the school all day having conversations with teachers and students. There are about 50 people all told at the school right now, but the garden is so large that we all have space. It has been a little hard for me not to have my own space as I did in San Marcos, but the “office” I just discovered this week seems to be out of the way and not used much.
The teachers here are wonderful, and I continue to be impressed by their commitment to teaching and their sense of community. I think that a great deal of the openness I encounter is a reflection of the physical openness of the school. Almost all the classes take place, and when I wander through the garden during the day, I love hearing the sounds of the individual lessons. The teachers generally work one on one with the students, or occasionally with two at a time.
By now I know almost all the teachers and have special relationships with a number of them. They are very eager to learn English, and it is fun being the resident expert.
There is strong focus on social justice and education here. Tuesday evening Felipe, the man in whose house I live, gave his testimony about being abducted and tortured during the war when he was 16. Rafa had asked me to go and interpret, so my focus was mostly on that. Afterwards I had to take some time to absorb his chilling story. Last night Rafa gave a history of the civil war and the peace accords. I have been teaching so much that I almost fell asleep, but the information is something I can come back to and will.
I am surprised by how little I think about not having a home in the traditional sense. Rosa and Felipe have been encouraging me to buy some land here, which is a financial possibility. I’ll have to think about it. I can imagine settling down here. There is such a demand for English that I could be busy all the time, and I am impressed by the commitment and knowledge of the people I am working with.
Guatemala continues to charm me. The level of living is relaxing for me. For instance, I do all my laundry by hand and hang it out to dry. A friend told me I will be most impressed by the amount of dirty water I generate when I finally get back to MN and wash my clothes in the machine. The first day I asked Felipe if there was a way I could keep the windows in my room open. He handed me three pencils. Yesterday I ran out of ink in my marker during class, so Selvin refilled it for me.
People use materials over and over here. There is a degree of decay and grubbiness which is a little disconcerting at times but is also pretty easy for me to adjust to. There is so much natural beauty here and so much trash. It seems that every property is in a process of falling apart or being rebuilt but never completed. I hope my photos show some of this.
After having lived such an isolated life in Durham, I am continually surprised by how easy it is for me to be around people so much. Rosa and Felipe’s kids run around the courtyard, I’m in and out of the school all day having conversations with teachers and students. There are about 50 people all told at the school right now, but the garden is so large that we all have space. It has been a little hard for me not to have my own space as I did in San Marcos, but the “office” I just discovered this week seems to be out of the way and not used much.
The teachers here are wonderful, and I continue to be impressed by their commitment to teaching and their sense of community. I think that a great deal of the openness I encounter is a reflection of the physical openness of the school. Almost all the classes take place, and when I wander through the garden during the day, I love hearing the sounds of the individual lessons. The teachers generally work one on one with the students, or occasionally with two at a time.
By now I know almost all the teachers and have special relationships with a number of them. They are very eager to learn English, and it is fun being the resident expert.
There is strong focus on social justice and education here. Tuesday evening Felipe, the man in whose house I live, gave his testimony about being abducted and tortured during the war when he was 16. Rafa had asked me to go and interpret, so my focus was mostly on that. Afterwards I had to take some time to absorb his chilling story. Last night Rafa gave a history of the civil war and the peace accords. I have been teaching so much that I almost fell asleep, but the information is something I can come back to and will.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Thursday, June 19
I am so flooded by experiences and impressions that it is hard to gather my thoughts, let alone sit down and write them. In addition, I am fighting a losing battle with internet access in Guatemala. What a pain! Uploading one photo (if it happens at all) can take up to 20 minutes.
The weather these days is beautiful. Typically we have a rain, often heavy, in the late afternoon or eveing, and then it is bright and clear in the morning and well into the day. I hope I am giving a sense of the beauty of the area through my photos. Guatemala is known as "The land of eternal spring." I have been trying to get out every morning to take a walk along the lake to one of the docks (embarcaderos). Someone could easily write an ethnography about the culture of the lake, with the fisherman out from very early morning to la lanchas which move across the lake all day.
I am teaching a lot! So far this week I have taught six classes, and I have four more scheduled. We are having a hard time fixing a schedule that works for everyone because my classes are in the afternoon, and we have had a sudden influx of students, pulling many of my students out to teach.
Earler in the week I began to communciate my concern about the imbalance of my teaching but not getting any classes. I won't even say I was complaining because it is hard to complain here; there's too much beauty and too many kind and warm people. As a result of my talking, I got an offer from Julio for an hour of Spanish every morning at 8:00.
I am spending time very day with Selvin, the office manager, and with Rafa, whose official role I don't know; he does a lot of teacher training and covers the office as well. Through them I have been learning more about how the school operates and also sharing about our lives. Rafa and I have been talking about meditation and spirituality, and I gave him a book written by my meditation teacher. he and I are also going to collaborate on some classes. I am so excited about that!
It's time to go teach, so I will add more later.
The weather these days is beautiful. Typically we have a rain, often heavy, in the late afternoon or eveing, and then it is bright and clear in the morning and well into the day. I hope I am giving a sense of the beauty of the area through my photos. Guatemala is known as "The land of eternal spring." I have been trying to get out every morning to take a walk along the lake to one of the docks (embarcaderos). Someone could easily write an ethnography about the culture of the lake, with the fisherman out from very early morning to la lanchas which move across the lake all day.
I am teaching a lot! So far this week I have taught six classes, and I have four more scheduled. We are having a hard time fixing a schedule that works for everyone because my classes are in the afternoon, and we have had a sudden influx of students, pulling many of my students out to teach.
Earler in the week I began to communciate my concern about the imbalance of my teaching but not getting any classes. I won't even say I was complaining because it is hard to complain here; there's too much beauty and too many kind and warm people. As a result of my talking, I got an offer from Julio for an hour of Spanish every morning at 8:00.
I am spending time very day with Selvin, the office manager, and with Rafa, whose official role I don't know; he does a lot of teacher training and covers the office as well. Through them I have been learning more about how the school operates and also sharing about our lives. Rafa and I have been talking about meditation and spirituality, and I gave him a book written by my meditation teacher. he and I are also going to collaborate on some classes. I am so excited about that!
It's time to go teach, so I will add more later.
Mi Familia
I have never heard a cross word between Roas and Felipe, and I would say from my brief experience here that they have one of the best marriages I have seen. They share the work around the property, and Felipe is often seen with a child on his shoulders. There are often tender and playful exchanges between them. He is the one who gave his testimony about being abducted and tortured during the war. Rosa is a wonderful Spanish teacher and never hesitates to correct me. She is also a wonderful cook!
Teachers
Lety Dos (There is also Lety Una.) and Ligia are two of the most lively teachers in the school. They are both lovely and bright and funny and, to be honest, a little disruptive in class. I have to keep reminding myself that they are very young, maybe 20.
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Teachers
Rafa is the teacher I count on to remind me of my capabilities. He and I are collaborating on some classes and have arranged a language exchange as well. We take turns being the confident one and then the anxious one. Is that even grammatically correct? My English and Spanish are getting all confused.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
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Monday, June 16, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Sunday, June 15 - work progressing
What an amazing experience I am having. Thursday I taught my second official class at the school here and had some more horsing around by some of the teachers, to the point that I was really considering not teaching here any more. Luckily I have so many possibilities for teaching that I am in the catbird seat. Thursday after the class and Friday morning I made a point of speaking with several of the teachers, specifically the rowdier ones. One of them told me that he and the other teachers were talking about the problem and sorting out among themselves how they were going to change. I had an interesting exchange with another, one of the leaders in the school, a master teacher so to speak, who was frankly a pain in the butt. He was the first man I have experienced as being macho, and we had quite a conversation. He tried to dominate the discussion and convince me I was wrong, but I stood my ground and told him I had too many possibilities coming at me to consider wasting my time with students who were not willing to give me respect. Later in the day I had a long conversation with Selvin, and he told me that he had talked with Ramón, the director, about the situation. After having felt so isolated in my teaching for so long, I find it a remarkable experience to have so much communication with other teachers.
Selvin gave me the schedule for teacher training, and I have learned that there about 10 classes a week for teachers. as well as two weekly meetings to discuss schedules and goals for the school. Yesterday at 3:00 I sat in on a class taught by him about the way to teach beginning Spanish speakers and then a class by Rafael about how to make a weekly plan for students. Again, I am so impressed by the commitment to good teaching and the amount of time spent on developing skills. The teachers are also so participatory that it is a joy to be with them. The teachers typically have lively discussions and arguments throughout the classes. In both classes I found myself at the blackboard illustrating particular points of English.
Yesterday morning I went to the university (“La U”) to observe the teacher training class I will be taking over in two weeks. There were 10 students in the class, and I was impressed by their level of English. The training itself is less rigorous than I would like, but soon I will be able to set my own standards, at least to some extent. One of the students in the training is a young man named Pedro. He told me that he has been teaching English to high schoolers for six years. When I was how old he was, he said he was 22 and had started teaching English when he was 16.
Before class I met a woman who is teaching an English class, and we chatted for a bit. When I was leaving at 11:00, she invited me into her class, and I talked with the students for over an hour at her urging. This is exactly the kind of interaction and sharing that I have been missing for so long, and it was moving to be with all of them.
It is a remarkable experience to go to La U. I take a boat from San Pedro to Pana, then a bus to Sololá and another bus to La U. Pana is known as Gringotenango and is crazy with stalls and people trying to sell everything under the sun, but I am lucky enough to change buses on the outskirts of town and avoid the circus. As I experienced last week, I saw no other gringos on the boat, on either bus, or in Sololá. Today while waiting for the bus in Pana, I watched a man on another bus open the back door and climb up to the rack on top to unload packages while the bus was still moving. In Sololá, I saw a man in the back of a pickup truck milking a goat and several other pickups with up to 20 people standing up in the back. Most of the pickups have frames so that people can be transported relatively safely.
When I got back to the San Pedro and the school, I had a Spanish class with Rafael, my first since I’ve been here. It was a wonderful experience. I had scheduled an English class which didn’t seem to be a go, but another teacher came and we decided to do a group class. I was more than a little intimidated by Rafael because he has an authoritative air about him and because he had done such a good job teaching the class the evening before. He asked me to just start talking, and I ended up telling him about my painful experience teaching last semester and about how much my confidence had been shaken by that. He commented that he had noticed my being diffident and self-effacing in several interactions and invited me to put down the load of self-doubt (that I hadn’t realized I was still carrying). He also said it was hard to correct my Spanish because I made so few errors and invited me to speak more freely and openly without worrying so much about making mistakes, assuring me that it was his job to correct me and my job to simply communicate. He also told me that he was aware of the problem with some of the teachers in mny classes, that he was distressed by it and that the situation would be handled. Javier, the other teacher with us who has been a wonderful student, said after the session that I could always count on him to be supportive and available whenever I needed him.
After an hour, we switched roles, and I became the teacher. This was the first time Rafael had worked with me, and he shared what I could observe, that he felt very timid and vulnerable being the student. It is such a special experience working with other language teachers and trading roles back and forth and sharing our expertise and our vulnerability. I did not know such a rich exchange was possible, and I treasure this time so much.
I am getting really good feedback from some of the teachers about working with me. Several of them have commented that they have made a huge leap on their confidence and willingness to speak English. I feel so welcome here and have a very special role as the resident English expert. I had already planned to attend (I should stop using the phrase “sit on on” because I am whole- heartedly welcomed as a participant) as many of the teacher training classes as possible for my own benefit, but Rafael asked me to attend as an interpreter as well. Every request I have made at the school - to sit in on a class, to borrow a book, to use a “classroom”- has been met by “Por supuesto (Of course).” I have never seen such a transparent organization or one in which there is so much mutual respect and camaraderie. I feel truly blessed to be here.
I am settling in to my life here in Guatemala. I wash my own clothes and hang them on the line in the garden. I generally feel a little grubby, but then Guatemala is grubby so I fit right in. Rosa does all her laundry and dish washing outside and her cooking in the kitchen across the courtyard from where she and her family sleep. I don't spend much time with her and Felipe, her husband, but our conversationas are always warm and rich. Rosa has a natural ability to work with Spanish learners, although I imagine her educational level is quite low. Felipe and I have talked some about he war here, and he told me of having been shot and abducted for eight days when he was 16. He says that several of his relatives who were disappeared have never been found. We also talk about the mixed blessing of tourism and the growing problem with la droga (drugs) in San Pedro.
I am met with another Felipe, who is the director of the program for children here at the school. He talked with me for over an hour about the project, in Spanish, and I taped it so I could listen to it later. The directors here have a strong vision for the future of Guatemala and tremendous skills to do their part in creating changes.
The incesant rain has finally stopped, and the weather is crisp and clear with some rain in the evening or at night. I usually shed my sweater or jacket about midday. Right now I am sitting near the lake at 6:30am listening to the birds and the waves from the lake and catching an occasional glimpse of a fisherman.
It is interesting” to be here in Guatemala and read about all the bad news in the US and wonder if the Mayan calendar is truly correct. It seems to me that significant and dramatic changes are occurring in a number of areas in the US and around the world. Guatemala has so many problems that sometimes it seems there is no place to go but up, and I have no illusion that I will have much of a role in addressing any of them, really. However, I have a strong sense of being in exactly the right place at this time in my life. I am experiencing a healing that I didn’t know I needed and a sense of community I didn’t know was possible.
I welcome anyone who is reading this to consider coming down to spend time with me and my friends this summer. God Bless.
Selvin gave me the schedule for teacher training, and I have learned that there about 10 classes a week for teachers. as well as two weekly meetings to discuss schedules and goals for the school. Yesterday at 3:00 I sat in on a class taught by him about the way to teach beginning Spanish speakers and then a class by Rafael about how to make a weekly plan for students. Again, I am so impressed by the commitment to good teaching and the amount of time spent on developing skills. The teachers are also so participatory that it is a joy to be with them. The teachers typically have lively discussions and arguments throughout the classes. In both classes I found myself at the blackboard illustrating particular points of English.
Yesterday morning I went to the university (“La U”) to observe the teacher training class I will be taking over in two weeks. There were 10 students in the class, and I was impressed by their level of English. The training itself is less rigorous than I would like, but soon I will be able to set my own standards, at least to some extent. One of the students in the training is a young man named Pedro. He told me that he has been teaching English to high schoolers for six years. When I was how old he was, he said he was 22 and had started teaching English when he was 16.
Before class I met a woman who is teaching an English class, and we chatted for a bit. When I was leaving at 11:00, she invited me into her class, and I talked with the students for over an hour at her urging. This is exactly the kind of interaction and sharing that I have been missing for so long, and it was moving to be with all of them.
It is a remarkable experience to go to La U. I take a boat from San Pedro to Pana, then a bus to Sololá and another bus to La U. Pana is known as Gringotenango and is crazy with stalls and people trying to sell everything under the sun, but I am lucky enough to change buses on the outskirts of town and avoid the circus. As I experienced last week, I saw no other gringos on the boat, on either bus, or in Sololá. Today while waiting for the bus in Pana, I watched a man on another bus open the back door and climb up to the rack on top to unload packages while the bus was still moving. In Sololá, I saw a man in the back of a pickup truck milking a goat and several other pickups with up to 20 people standing up in the back. Most of the pickups have frames so that people can be transported relatively safely.
When I got back to the San Pedro and the school, I had a Spanish class with Rafael, my first since I’ve been here. It was a wonderful experience. I had scheduled an English class which didn’t seem to be a go, but another teacher came and we decided to do a group class. I was more than a little intimidated by Rafael because he has an authoritative air about him and because he had done such a good job teaching the class the evening before. He asked me to just start talking, and I ended up telling him about my painful experience teaching last semester and about how much my confidence had been shaken by that. He commented that he had noticed my being diffident and self-effacing in several interactions and invited me to put down the load of self-doubt (that I hadn’t realized I was still carrying). He also said it was hard to correct my Spanish because I made so few errors and invited me to speak more freely and openly without worrying so much about making mistakes, assuring me that it was his job to correct me and my job to simply communicate. He also told me that he was aware of the problem with some of the teachers in mny classes, that he was distressed by it and that the situation would be handled. Javier, the other teacher with us who has been a wonderful student, said after the session that I could always count on him to be supportive and available whenever I needed him.
After an hour, we switched roles, and I became the teacher. This was the first time Rafael had worked with me, and he shared what I could observe, that he felt very timid and vulnerable being the student. It is such a special experience working with other language teachers and trading roles back and forth and sharing our expertise and our vulnerability. I did not know such a rich exchange was possible, and I treasure this time so much.
I am getting really good feedback from some of the teachers about working with me. Several of them have commented that they have made a huge leap on their confidence and willingness to speak English. I feel so welcome here and have a very special role as the resident English expert. I had already planned to attend (I should stop using the phrase “sit on on” because I am whole- heartedly welcomed as a participant) as many of the teacher training classes as possible for my own benefit, but Rafael asked me to attend as an interpreter as well. Every request I have made at the school - to sit in on a class, to borrow a book, to use a “classroom”- has been met by “Por supuesto (Of course).” I have never seen such a transparent organization or one in which there is so much mutual respect and camaraderie. I feel truly blessed to be here.
I am settling in to my life here in Guatemala. I wash my own clothes and hang them on the line in the garden. I generally feel a little grubby, but then Guatemala is grubby so I fit right in. Rosa does all her laundry and dish washing outside and her cooking in the kitchen across the courtyard from where she and her family sleep. I don't spend much time with her and Felipe, her husband, but our conversationas are always warm and rich. Rosa has a natural ability to work with Spanish learners, although I imagine her educational level is quite low. Felipe and I have talked some about he war here, and he told me of having been shot and abducted for eight days when he was 16. He says that several of his relatives who were disappeared have never been found. We also talk about the mixed blessing of tourism and the growing problem with la droga (drugs) in San Pedro.
I am met with another Felipe, who is the director of the program for children here at the school. He talked with me for over an hour about the project, in Spanish, and I taped it so I could listen to it later. The directors here have a strong vision for the future of Guatemala and tremendous skills to do their part in creating changes.
The incesant rain has finally stopped, and the weather is crisp and clear with some rain in the evening or at night. I usually shed my sweater or jacket about midday. Right now I am sitting near the lake at 6:30am listening to the birds and the waves from the lake and catching an occasional glimpse of a fisherman.
It is interesting” to be here in Guatemala and read about all the bad news in the US and wonder if the Mayan calendar is truly correct. It seems to me that significant and dramatic changes are occurring in a number of areas in the US and around the world. Guatemala has so many problems that sometimes it seems there is no place to go but up, and I have no illusion that I will have much of a role in addressing any of them, really. However, I have a strong sense of being in exactly the right place at this time in my life. I am experiencing a healing that I didn’t know I needed and a sense of community I didn’t know was possible.
I welcome anyone who is reading this to consider coming down to spend time with me and my friends this summer. God Bless.
Thursday, June 12
After feeling so excited and overwhelmed yesterday, I am having my most uneasy day today. I think I could tell yesterday that I was running out of adrenaline. Last night I was annoyed by the kids’ noise; they were playing loud games when I wanted to go to sleep. I haven’t oriented myself to the area either; last evening I went out and was taken aback by what looks like a very lively bar scene which, luckily, I can not hear from my room. I’d rather hear the kids than the partiers, so I’ll try to remember that.
Today I set up a time to talk with Selvin, the office manager, but we kept getting interrupted, so we decided to meet tomorrow instead. I’m starting to hit some culture bumps. Yesterday I realized that I didn’t have correct change for la lancha (a must in order not to pay the tourist price) and stopped for coffee in order to get change. I learned that getting coffee quickly in Guatemala and expecting the correct change first thing in the morning doesn’t work. I also found out the boat schedule: every 12 people. Good to know.
I feel a little lonely today, for the first time since I left Guatemala. The teachers are lovely, but they are young, and the conversations mostly revolve around language. The couple I am staying with are wonderful and more my age. I think our friendship will develop as time goes on.
Today I set up a time to talk with Selvin, the office manager, but we kept getting interrupted, so we decided to meet tomorrow instead. I’m starting to hit some culture bumps. Yesterday I realized that I didn’t have correct change for la lancha (a must in order not to pay the tourist price) and stopped for coffee in order to get change. I learned that getting coffee quickly in Guatemala and expecting the correct change first thing in the morning doesn’t work. I also found out the boat schedule: every 12 people. Good to know.
I feel a little lonely today, for the first time since I left Guatemala. The teachers are lovely, but they are young, and the conversations mostly revolve around language. The couple I am staying with are wonderful and more my age. I think our friendship will develop as time goes on.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Wednesday, June 11
I feel as though I have been in San Pedro for a lifetime and at this moment I want to stay here forever. I cannot believe how lucky I am to have found this place. It is hard to believe that I only came here yesterday and have been here only one night. So many things here are magical, and the impressions and experiences are coming at me so fast I feel as though I am being flooded with richness. With my friend Steve’s help, I was able to recognize that I badly needed to get away and collect my thoughts.
This place is very noisy compared to San Marcos and, honestly, to anywhere I thought I could live. As I write, I hear directly outside my window the three little boys of the family playing stickball and yelling in the courtyard. Behind that sound is the strong beat of the music from the fiesta at the school next door.
There are 25 teachers at the school, and I have met many of them now – Selvin, Francisco, Lukas, Rafael, Lety, Lety dos, Estella, Niko, Julio, Javier, Lorenzo, Omar, Elijio and others whose names I can't remember. I told the teachers that since there is only one of me and there are 25 of them, I am going to change my name every day for 25 days. Every dayElijio calles me another name and tells me his new name for the day. There is an air of camaraderie and motivation here that I have never before experienced in a work environment. I have lost count of how many teachers have approached me to talk and ask questions in the past day and a half. I keep coming across groups of teachers meeting to talk and improve their skills and to learn more about and discuss their teaching. Today I spent over an hour teaching an impromptu class. Yesterday I sat in on part of a class about how to teach preterit vs imperfect tenses. Today I sat in on a class Ramon gave about teaching interactively.
I am having second thoughts about continuing this blog. It is disconcerting to write into what feels mostly like a vacuum, and I notice that it has become more difficult to write in the past couple of days.
This place is very noisy compared to San Marcos and, honestly, to anywhere I thought I could live. As I write, I hear directly outside my window the three little boys of the family playing stickball and yelling in the courtyard. Behind that sound is the strong beat of the music from the fiesta at the school next door.
There are 25 teachers at the school, and I have met many of them now – Selvin, Francisco, Lukas, Rafael, Lety, Lety dos, Estella, Niko, Julio, Javier, Lorenzo, Omar, Elijio and others whose names I can't remember. I told the teachers that since there is only one of me and there are 25 of them, I am going to change my name every day for 25 days. Every dayElijio calles me another name and tells me his new name for the day. There is an air of camaraderie and motivation here that I have never before experienced in a work environment. I have lost count of how many teachers have approached me to talk and ask questions in the past day and a half. I keep coming across groups of teachers meeting to talk and improve their skills and to learn more about and discuss their teaching. Today I spent over an hour teaching an impromptu class. Yesterday I sat in on part of a class about how to teach preterit vs imperfect tenses. Today I sat in on a class Ramon gave about teaching interactively.
I am having second thoughts about continuing this blog. It is disconcerting to write into what feels mostly like a vacuum, and I notice that it has become more difficult to write in the past couple of days.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Tuesday, June 10
Yesterday after writing, I went to Moonfish Café to get my morning coffee, by far the most delicious in San Marcos, roasted and ground there. Moonfish is at the end of the village in an idyllic setting against rocks with a lovely garden overlooking the lake. The food-breakfast burritos and huevos rancheros are my favorites- is delicious and cheap for San Marcos. I was the first one there and sat looking down at the beautiful lake, listening to Cat Stevens (a favorite musician from back in the day):
Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing
Praise for the morning
Praise for the springing fresh from the word
Sweet the rain's new fall
Sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day
To make the moment perfect, every few minutes a drop of rain would fall on a table and splash brilliant colors. If I ever thought I was in Eden, it was this morning. I knew that my time in San Marcos was nearing an end was overwhelmed with feelings for the beauty of this place, for the tranquility it provided me as I explored and made my plans, and for the wonderful conversations with Daniel here.
Later I went by la lancha to San Pedro to talk with Ramón and find a place to live. After looking at two other places, I decided to stay with a family next door to the language school, in the same enclosure through a doorway. I have my own room with a shared bath, will take my meals with the family, have access to the family garden and the school garden (which is beautiful and extensive and as yet unexplored), free wireless internet, and a path to the lake. All this will cost $200/month with some room for negotiation if I stay all summer. The parents, Rosa and Felipe, are lovely and very direct. They said they would accommodate my diet and leave food for me if I wasn’t there during meals, and they encouraged me to speak up if there was anything I needed. They have four children, ages 3 to 14 (I think). This place is located in a safe and quiet barrio about a ten-minute walk from the main dock.
In the afternoon I went to the bank and to the phone store to add more minutes. On the way back to the school I was caught in the hardest rain yet; the water in the very steep streets was three or four inches deep in places, and after some time I stopped trying to avoid the puddles because there were simply no dry places. It is hard to imagine how much this unusual and incessant is damaging Guatemala.
I taught my first class, to five of the men who teach Spanish at the school-Javier, Julio, Lorenzo, Francisco, and Selven. To my surprise, they were as rowdy a bunch of students as I have ever had; it was like teaching a group of middle schoolers. I have to think about how much of a disciplinarian to be. I remembered afterwards teaching my first Latinos in North Carolina. The young men especially were often rowdy and noisy, though never disrespectful, and I realized that they were coming to class after very long days of physical labor and that maybe my class was the only place in which they could be silly. Although these men are not in exactly the same situation, they are young and, I imagine, have a great deal of responsibility in their lives. Being students is a good time for them to cut loose, and I have to admit that I do the same and have noticed other teachers being very silly when they are students. The good news was that, as teachers, the men had excellent processing skills and an ability to put the learning in the context of their own knowledge as language teachers; the bad new was that one of them in particular had a very strong idea about how and what I should be teaching. I think it will be a challenge with him.
I came back to San Marcos on the boat with some interesting characters. There was a young and very beautiful woman, traveling with a man, who is looking for her shaman. She talked with several expats on the boat about the vibration and frequency of San Marcos being perfect for her and asked about the most powerful place in Guatemala to celebrate summer solstice. I had seen her on the dock with her companion at a used clothing stall trying on a tight leotard over her clothes and prancing around in it. The local men were watching her, looking bemused as though they were seeing an alien. Ironically the men on the boat with whom she was talking about health and good vibrations had teeth black from smoking. The young Mayan next to me gave me a funny look, clearly about these people, and we agreed that they were a little strange. We struck up a conversation, and he expressed great interest in learning English. We agreed to try to set up a language exchange. Almost everyone I meet wants me to teach them or their children English, but I had a good feeling about this man. Perhaps I liked his vibration! He is a teacher too, so I think it could be a fruitful exchange.
Today I will move to San Pedro and begin to settle in there. Tomorrow I go to Pana to talk about the university program. Life is busy here. Luckily I very much enjoy the boat rides.
Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing
Praise for the morning
Praise for the springing fresh from the word
Sweet the rain's new fall
Sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day
To make the moment perfect, every few minutes a drop of rain would fall on a table and splash brilliant colors. If I ever thought I was in Eden, it was this morning. I knew that my time in San Marcos was nearing an end was overwhelmed with feelings for the beauty of this place, for the tranquility it provided me as I explored and made my plans, and for the wonderful conversations with Daniel here.
Later I went by la lancha to San Pedro to talk with Ramón and find a place to live. After looking at two other places, I decided to stay with a family next door to the language school, in the same enclosure through a doorway. I have my own room with a shared bath, will take my meals with the family, have access to the family garden and the school garden (which is beautiful and extensive and as yet unexplored), free wireless internet, and a path to the lake. All this will cost $200/month with some room for negotiation if I stay all summer. The parents, Rosa and Felipe, are lovely and very direct. They said they would accommodate my diet and leave food for me if I wasn’t there during meals, and they encouraged me to speak up if there was anything I needed. They have four children, ages 3 to 14 (I think). This place is located in a safe and quiet barrio about a ten-minute walk from the main dock.
In the afternoon I went to the bank and to the phone store to add more minutes. On the way back to the school I was caught in the hardest rain yet; the water in the very steep streets was three or four inches deep in places, and after some time I stopped trying to avoid the puddles because there were simply no dry places. It is hard to imagine how much this unusual and incessant is damaging Guatemala.
I taught my first class, to five of the men who teach Spanish at the school-Javier, Julio, Lorenzo, Francisco, and Selven. To my surprise, they were as rowdy a bunch of students as I have ever had; it was like teaching a group of middle schoolers. I have to think about how much of a disciplinarian to be. I remembered afterwards teaching my first Latinos in North Carolina. The young men especially were often rowdy and noisy, though never disrespectful, and I realized that they were coming to class after very long days of physical labor and that maybe my class was the only place in which they could be silly. Although these men are not in exactly the same situation, they are young and, I imagine, have a great deal of responsibility in their lives. Being students is a good time for them to cut loose, and I have to admit that I do the same and have noticed other teachers being very silly when they are students. The good news was that, as teachers, the men had excellent processing skills and an ability to put the learning in the context of their own knowledge as language teachers; the bad new was that one of them in particular had a very strong idea about how and what I should be teaching. I think it will be a challenge with him.
I came back to San Marcos on the boat with some interesting characters. There was a young and very beautiful woman, traveling with a man, who is looking for her shaman. She talked with several expats on the boat about the vibration and frequency of San Marcos being perfect for her and asked about the most powerful place in Guatemala to celebrate summer solstice. I had seen her on the dock with her companion at a used clothing stall trying on a tight leotard over her clothes and prancing around in it. The local men were watching her, looking bemused as though they were seeing an alien. Ironically the men on the boat with whom she was talking about health and good vibrations had teeth black from smoking. The young Mayan next to me gave me a funny look, clearly about these people, and we agreed that they were a little strange. We struck up a conversation, and he expressed great interest in learning English. We agreed to try to set up a language exchange. Almost everyone I meet wants me to teach them or their children English, but I had a good feeling about this man. Perhaps I liked his vibration! He is a teacher too, so I think it could be a fruitful exchange.
Today I will move to San Pedro and begin to settle in there. Tomorrow I go to Pana to talk about the university program. Life is busy here. Luckily I very much enjoy the boat rides.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Monday June 9
So many thoughts and impressions drifting through my mind and body… Every night when I climb up to my loft to sleep, I can feel my body thrumming with the energy of the day. It’s not tension, just energy, and my thoughts are slow. I take a few deep breaths and am gone. Every morning I wake up at 5:00 and sit on my porch, often with one of my kittens curled up on my lap, listening to the sounds of the birds, dogs barking in the distance, the voices and steps of locals walking by with their loads, and the occasional hard thud of an avocado falling. Daniel told me that the many dogs are guard dogs at night, and it is true that I only hear them then. During the day they go about their business, sometimes ignoring the people completely, sometimes quietly approaching for some affection. At the restaurants there is always a dog or two standing or sitting before us, patiently waiting for food. When we do give them something, they take it gently and eat it carefully. It is hard to see so many nursing mothers.
In the fall, when I go back to St Cloud, I will be living in a house overlooking the Mississippi River. I am so glad that I will still have water near me. I wonder how long into the fall I can sit on the deck and how many layers of clothing it will take to stay out there…
I feel that I am sorting out and reflecting on the past year, which has been very rich in some ways and very painful in others. Somehow here it all seems a little dreamlike but a good environment in which to reflect. I have been thinking a lot about my friendships. Since I have sold my house (closing is June 24) and have no roots in the traditional sense, it has occurred to me that my communities of friends are my roots. I have my friends in North Carolina, some of whom I didn’t value enough when I was there because of my own feeling of isolation and loneliness. I have my friends in St Cloud, some of whom can’t seem to stay put (OK, like me, I admit it). I have my ex-students around the world and my friends from various meetings. Then I have my growing community of friends in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, a group that has become dearer to me as we have shared the sorrow of losing our friends Edith and Albert and the joy of knowing they are in good hands and that they continue to bless us. How do I maintain all those friendships? Can they be keep alive in my heart, or do I need to see my friends? How can I find more frequent flyer miles? And where will I be next January? What delicious dilemmas!
Yesterday was a quiet day. I spent many hours sitting on my porch with one kitten or other, writing or reading or just sitting. Daniel showed up occasionally, hours after he had promised to, having been waylaid by yet another conversation. He is having such a good time chatting up the locals that I have come to expect no schedule but simply that I will see him at some point and that we will both always have stories and musings to share.
I spent quite a bit of time across the path at the internet café, sending e-mails, discovering to my delight that Lori in Istanbul and Miezan in Tunisia were both online at the same time. What a treat! The owner helped me figure out my new cell phone, and now I owe him $1B and remember how fun it is to flirt.
The woman from the university called last evening to apologize for my not being able to observe the class. After talking with her for a while, I realized that she has been caught in the middle of a chaotic situation and that what I have perceived as her flakiness is largely a matter of her having too many projects to handle. I have decided to fulfill my commitment to teach in the university program. This will entail six Saturday mornings. I can do that.
Today I will go to San Pedro to meet with Ramón, look for a place to live, and teach my first English class to the Spanish teachers. I will miss my lovely hone, but it will be a treat to make my own tea in the morning and buy food to cook. I have started to buy mangos (for $.30 each) and rolls, but it’s hard to manage eating well without a kitchen.
I have decided not to go to the conference in Antigua but rather to settle in and begin teaching and studying. Those of you who know my inclination to overextend will be pleased to hear that at this point I have only committed to teaching the four-hour class at San Pedro Spanish School and the four-hour training on Saturdays beginning in July.
Perhaps the children will have school today, although it rained again over the weekend. One woman explained to me that the children have to cross a river to get to the school and that’s too dangerous now with all the rain. There is damage and loss of lives all around the country. This morning there is some sun, but it is still cool. I find myself adding and shedding clothes throughout the day but have rarely been in short sleeves.
In the fall, when I go back to St Cloud, I will be living in a house overlooking the Mississippi River. I am so glad that I will still have water near me. I wonder how long into the fall I can sit on the deck and how many layers of clothing it will take to stay out there…
I feel that I am sorting out and reflecting on the past year, which has been very rich in some ways and very painful in others. Somehow here it all seems a little dreamlike but a good environment in which to reflect. I have been thinking a lot about my friendships. Since I have sold my house (closing is June 24) and have no roots in the traditional sense, it has occurred to me that my communities of friends are my roots. I have my friends in North Carolina, some of whom I didn’t value enough when I was there because of my own feeling of isolation and loneliness. I have my friends in St Cloud, some of whom can’t seem to stay put (OK, like me, I admit it). I have my ex-students around the world and my friends from various meetings. Then I have my growing community of friends in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, a group that has become dearer to me as we have shared the sorrow of losing our friends Edith and Albert and the joy of knowing they are in good hands and that they continue to bless us. How do I maintain all those friendships? Can they be keep alive in my heart, or do I need to see my friends? How can I find more frequent flyer miles? And where will I be next January? What delicious dilemmas!
Yesterday was a quiet day. I spent many hours sitting on my porch with one kitten or other, writing or reading or just sitting. Daniel showed up occasionally, hours after he had promised to, having been waylaid by yet another conversation. He is having such a good time chatting up the locals that I have come to expect no schedule but simply that I will see him at some point and that we will both always have stories and musings to share.
I spent quite a bit of time across the path at the internet café, sending e-mails, discovering to my delight that Lori in Istanbul and Miezan in Tunisia were both online at the same time. What a treat! The owner helped me figure out my new cell phone, and now I owe him $1B and remember how fun it is to flirt.
The woman from the university called last evening to apologize for my not being able to observe the class. After talking with her for a while, I realized that she has been caught in the middle of a chaotic situation and that what I have perceived as her flakiness is largely a matter of her having too many projects to handle. I have decided to fulfill my commitment to teach in the university program. This will entail six Saturday mornings. I can do that.
Today I will go to San Pedro to meet with Ramón, look for a place to live, and teach my first English class to the Spanish teachers. I will miss my lovely hone, but it will be a treat to make my own tea in the morning and buy food to cook. I have started to buy mangos (for $.30 each) and rolls, but it’s hard to manage eating well without a kitchen.
I have decided not to go to the conference in Antigua but rather to settle in and begin teaching and studying. Those of you who know my inclination to overextend will be pleased to hear that at this point I have only committed to teaching the four-hour class at San Pedro Spanish School and the four-hour training on Saturdays beginning in July.
Perhaps the children will have school today, although it rained again over the weekend. One woman explained to me that the children have to cross a river to get to the school and that’s too dangerous now with all the rain. There is damage and loss of lives all around the country. This morning there is some sun, but it is still cool. I find myself adding and shedding clothes throughout the day but have rarely been in short sleeves.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Request and information
I have received a number of e-mails in response to my blog. It would be wonderful if people were willing to comment on the site, itself so that we could start a dialog. I know that I am sharing only a small part of what I am experiencing and from a particular perspective, and it would be good to know what kinds of responses, thoughts, questions, and requests you all have. Also, since I have on my list such an international and remarkable group of friends, I would love to get a larger comversation going.
I have been trying for several days to upload photos with no success. I believe this is possibly por la lluvia (because of the rain), probably the expression I have heard most frequently here. The heavy rains are causing troubles in many ways, including bad reception, rock slides, loss of tourism, and kids missing school.
I have been trying for several days to upload photos with no success. I believe this is possibly por la lluvia (because of the rain), probably the expression I have heard most frequently here. The heavy rains are causing troubles in many ways, including bad reception, rock slides, loss of tourism, and kids missing school.
Gathering information
Several days ago I arranged to go to the university to observe the teacher training I came down to work with. This morning I got the boat at 6:00 to go to Pana for the bus. It was the first time I had ventured out without Daniel, and I began to realize that depending on someone else while traveling can be a crutch and a distraction from observing and being part of the culture. By the time we got to Pana, there were about 20 people on the boat, and the last five were in the bow and not under cover. The women and some of the men were dressed in native garb, and I was the only non native. It was wonderful. Same thing on both buses I took from Pana to Sololá and then to the university. I had breakfast between buses and got to the university about 8:45. The teacher was shocked to see me, saying she had not heard anything about my coming to observe. She seemed very defensive, I think because she felt bad about not wanting me there. I reassured her that it was ok for me not to stay and that I had enjoyed the trip and didn’t mind having come. I am rapidly mellowing this environment because it truly was not a problem for me. I went back to San Marcos, picking up two young women on the boat and inviting them to sit on my porch and relax and then have coffee together.
While I wasn’t upset about the upset in plans, I felt it was good information, since my contact person ha assured me that the teacher would know to expect me. The communication from people at the university has been sketchy and sporadic all along, and I have been given very little in the way of support or information. Ramón, on the other hand, has been responsive, prompt, and helpful in all his communications. I have decided that I will wait for the university people to contact me and then decide, based on their tone about the misfire, my next step. At this point, I have no interest in working in that program.
I am enjoying the tranquility of San Marcos again after all my adventures in the last couple days but think I will enjoy being in San Pedro.
While I wasn’t upset about the upset in plans, I felt it was good information, since my contact person ha assured me that the teacher would know to expect me. The communication from people at the university has been sketchy and sporadic all along, and I have been given very little in the way of support or information. Ramón, on the other hand, has been responsive, prompt, and helpful in all his communications. I have decided that I will wait for the university people to contact me and then decide, based on their tone about the misfire, my next step. At this point, I have no interest in working in that program.
I am enjoying the tranquility of San Marcos again after all my adventures in the last couple days but think I will enjoy being in San Pedro.
One Day???
Yesterday (Friday) I took another early morning walk along the lake and around part of San Marcos, the part not accessible by car. It was lovely to walk along the cobblestone paths, accompanied by the sounds of birds and the delicious smell of flowers and plants and one of the ubiquitous dogs who seemed to ignore me but stayed close. Then I began to notice that all the signs were in English, advertizing reflexology, meditation, past life regressions, lucid dreaming, massage, saunas, ad nauseum. I had known that San Marcos was a haven for alternative healing and new age enterprises, but the reality was beginning to hit me. This was beginning to feel like a smaller version San Miguel de Allende, AKA, Gringolandia, where the tourists and expats come to stretch their dollars, create a cozy English speaking community, and have a “foreign” experience. It also started to dawn on me that most of the locals seemed to be in positions of service – doing laundry, selling crafts, working in kitchens and stores-and that all the clients were gringos. We struck up a conversation with a woman from Yugoslavia who was practicing her first Spanish lesson, then telling us about her various trips to Mexico, Central and South America. Her first Spanish lesson?? Along came a realtor, again an expat, who earnestly explained to us (in English) that having foreigners move here and buy local property benefits the Guatemaltecos.
Later in the morning, Ramón, came to my “house” to talk. He is the director of San Pedro Spanish School in San Pedro, several villages down the lake, and we have been communicating via e-mail for several months about an intercambio (exchange)-my giving English classes to his teachers in exchange for Spanish classes. We had a wonderful talk, the first part in Spanish and the second in English. I agreed to teach a class Monday for the intermediate speakers before I go to Antigua Tuesday for the conference but made it clear I would have to talk with people at La Universidad about my role in the teacher training there (the reason that brought me here in the first place) before I made more commitments to him. Other ideas we discussed were my having individual conversations with the advanced speakers and also offering a teacher training for the public school teachers in San Pedro. I was a little taken aback and asked how quickly he could organize such a venture. He pretty much said that if I committed, he could organize a program almost immediately. I was impressed with his demeanor, his grasp of social issues, and his commitment to empowering Guatemaltecos. He struck me as a no nonsense, sincere, focused person of integrity.
Later in the day, Daniel and I went to San Pedro. It is dirty, noisy, gritty, and crowded, and I loved it. The tourists were a minority presence there, and it was refreshing to see Guateltecos going about their business. There I bought a cell phone with a flashlight, games, internet access, and 225 minutes for $150 quetzales, or about $22. An extra 400+ minutes will cost about $2. In relation to this, a man told us the other night that Starbucks pays about $.65/lb for coffee from Guatemala.
Doing the phone transaction following coffee and changing money was a little too much to fit in, and we missed the last lancha back to San Marcos. Daniel found us a private van for $20, so we decided to stick around for a couple more hours to visit the Spanish school and have dinner. We had already visited the satellite school in San Marcos and got the same response in both place when I identified myself: Ah, you’re the English teacher!” They are all so excited about the opportunity to study English and are shy but very gracious and warm people. I have been gently urging them to speak English so I can assess their levels, and there is quite a range of abilities. While we were at the school, I asked about housing. I was told I could find a room in a hotel with kitchen privileges for $3/night or a small house for about $60/month within walking distance of the school. Having gotten used to walking to school in St Cloud, I would value this proximity. I have tentatively decided that I will enjoy my expensive ($11/night) tree house until I go to Antigua Tuesday and then move to San Pedro.
After dinner we headed back to San Marcos along the lake through three other villages and had a wonderful time teaching the driver and his companion a little English (It seems this week that every time I tell someone I am an English teacher, I get another offer to teach.). We got back about 8:30, feeling as though we lived several days in one.
Later in the morning, Ramón, came to my “house” to talk. He is the director of San Pedro Spanish School in San Pedro, several villages down the lake, and we have been communicating via e-mail for several months about an intercambio (exchange)-my giving English classes to his teachers in exchange for Spanish classes. We had a wonderful talk, the first part in Spanish and the second in English. I agreed to teach a class Monday for the intermediate speakers before I go to Antigua Tuesday for the conference but made it clear I would have to talk with people at La Universidad about my role in the teacher training there (the reason that brought me here in the first place) before I made more commitments to him. Other ideas we discussed were my having individual conversations with the advanced speakers and also offering a teacher training for the public school teachers in San Pedro. I was a little taken aback and asked how quickly he could organize such a venture. He pretty much said that if I committed, he could organize a program almost immediately. I was impressed with his demeanor, his grasp of social issues, and his commitment to empowering Guatemaltecos. He struck me as a no nonsense, sincere, focused person of integrity.
Later in the day, Daniel and I went to San Pedro. It is dirty, noisy, gritty, and crowded, and I loved it. The tourists were a minority presence there, and it was refreshing to see Guateltecos going about their business. There I bought a cell phone with a flashlight, games, internet access, and 225 minutes for $150 quetzales, or about $22. An extra 400+ minutes will cost about $2. In relation to this, a man told us the other night that Starbucks pays about $.65/lb for coffee from Guatemala.
Doing the phone transaction following coffee and changing money was a little too much to fit in, and we missed the last lancha back to San Marcos. Daniel found us a private van for $20, so we decided to stick around for a couple more hours to visit the Spanish school and have dinner. We had already visited the satellite school in San Marcos and got the same response in both place when I identified myself: Ah, you’re the English teacher!” They are all so excited about the opportunity to study English and are shy but very gracious and warm people. I have been gently urging them to speak English so I can assess their levels, and there is quite a range of abilities. While we were at the school, I asked about housing. I was told I could find a room in a hotel with kitchen privileges for $3/night or a small house for about $60/month within walking distance of the school. Having gotten used to walking to school in St Cloud, I would value this proximity. I have tentatively decided that I will enjoy my expensive ($11/night) tree house until I go to Antigua Tuesday and then move to San Pedro.
After dinner we headed back to San Marcos along the lake through three other villages and had a wonderful time teaching the driver and his companion a little English (It seems this week that every time I tell someone I am an English teacher, I get another offer to teach.). We got back about 8:30, feeling as though we lived several days in one.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Guatemala City to San Marcos...
I finally got to Guatemala (City) Tuesday morning and spent most of the day missing my friends from the plane adventure & feeling a little sorry for myself, helped along by the incessant rain. That evening I ventured out of my room and ended up having a long talk with Isabel, the owner of the hotel. We talked about Mayan history, why Guatemala is the best country in Central America, our children, and so many other topics I can hardly remember. It is always intriguing to me to get different takes on history; according to Isabel, the 40-year violence in Guatemala was a matter of some Mayans fighting others and nothing more. I also found it interesting what while she very much cherishes and values Mayan traditions, she has many negative opinions about present day Mayans. When I quietly broached the matter of US involvement in the violence, she tentatively agreed with me and then proceeded to discuss very freely how US influence has caused the deterioration of Guatamalteco culture and economic viability. It seemed clear to me that she needed to know where I stood before she dared to share her opinion. I find it a fascinating and familiar phenomenon to recognize that I am hearing certain things for the second, third, or fourth time without remembering the first time; it’s as though, having committed myself to learning about something-in this case Guatemala-I am now absorbing information by osmosis. An example of this is the Mayan calendar. Isabel told me that the Mayan calendar ends in 2012, signifying either the end of the world or a profound reordering. I had heard this quite recently, but Isabel elaborated. She said (more or less) the Mayans foretold that we would cause such destruction to our planet through destruction of the environment, violence against the disempowered, and not recognizing the sanctity of life (my translation to English) that it would be necessary to start over again. A relevant website:
Yesterday morning at the hotel I met a man named Daniel from the States who decided, after an hour of conversation, to travel to Atitlán with me. We left Guatemala (City) at 11:00 and have hardly stopped talking since. We both seem to have a great need to share our stories, both recent and past, and to process where we are in our lives. We have discovered that we have so much in common that it would take pages to go into those details.
We reached Pana (or Panajachel or Gringotenango) at 3:30 yesterday and had lunch at a small restaurant overlooking the lake. Although I had looked forward to this adventure on my own, it was comforting and reassuring to have a new friend with whom to venture forth and (I am ashamed to admit) help schlep my bags, made heavy by many books.
After exploration and more conversation, Daniel and I found lodging with the help of two 14-year-old entrepreneurs named Jose and Juan and agreed this morning when we met up that, while we liked to think of ourselves as intrepid souls, we would like luxuries such as mirrors, toilet paper, non leaky toilets, towels, no whining dog locked up in a shed next to my room, and (my top priority) a bedside lamp. We also agreed that we were spoiled enough to want real coffee and real milk for breakfast instead of instant coffee and dry milk. Internet access is not a possibility at any of the hotels, so I am training myself to write my messages and reports in my room and then going across the road to the internet place periodically.
Note: I will do my best to answer everyone’s e-mail, but there will be more lag time as a result of this arrangement.
We have ended up for the time being at a wonderful place called Pace Real that has beautiful gardens and a variety of cottages and bungalows set among trees. As a result, the cost of lodging has risen from $7 each last night to about $10 each. I found my spot right away – an upstairs A-frame room with a loft called Luna de Miel (honeymoon), a sleeping loft, and a lovely porch covered by a thatched roof that feels like a tree house. I am sitting there now listening to the rain which has started again after a respite this morning. Daniel took a while to decide before he chose his room – Arriba (above) on the first floor. Go figure. My room does not have a shower, so he will share (separately).
Our Spanish has suffered through spending so much time together, but it has been a wonderful companionship and mutual support. He schleps bags, chats people up even better than I do, and calculates currency conversions while I have been translating, buying water for us, finding out when la lancha (the boat) leaves, and giving him Spanish study websites. I think each of us feels we are getting the better end of the bargain, which is reassuring. And of course there’s the talking, which has continued. This morning at breakfast, where we split an omelet and DID get our real coffee with real milk and watched various hummingbirds- one of which was the approximate size and color of a small robin-I suggested that it was as though we were stranded on a desert island and were trying to tell our stories as quickly as possible before the ship came to rescue us. His response: “Well, we could go hide.” I will miss him when he leaves.
San Marcos is a small and magical place, a soggy paradise. Most of the pueblo is inaccessible by car, and people get around on narrow cobblestone paths through the tropical forest. Last night as we sat and talked, we could hear chanting from a charismatic church service, birds and crickets calling, and an occasional dog barking. We have the sense that we are at the end of the world.
The rain is so heavy that the kids have not been to school all week and will not go back until next Monday.
I have met some of the teachers at the language school where I may teach, and one of them was mercilessly corrected my Spanish. I told her she would get her payback when I started teaching English!
Saturday I will go to the university to observe the teacher training and talk with the people there about the possibility of working with them. Right now that is my lowest priority; I am more drawn to either staying here and working with the Spanish school or going to Antigua to work with Patrick, the man I mentioned earlier. Next week I will go there to the Congreso on human trafficking and meet with Patrick to talk about possibilities. He has already told me he can put me to work teaching English.
Yesterday morning at the hotel I met a man named Daniel from the States who decided, after an hour of conversation, to travel to Atitlán with me. We left Guatemala (City) at 11:00 and have hardly stopped talking since. We both seem to have a great need to share our stories, both recent and past, and to process where we are in our lives. We have discovered that we have so much in common that it would take pages to go into those details.
We reached Pana (or Panajachel or Gringotenango) at 3:30 yesterday and had lunch at a small restaurant overlooking the lake. Although I had looked forward to this adventure on my own, it was comforting and reassuring to have a new friend with whom to venture forth and (I am ashamed to admit) help schlep my bags, made heavy by many books.
After exploration and more conversation, Daniel and I found lodging with the help of two 14-year-old entrepreneurs named Jose and Juan and agreed this morning when we met up that, while we liked to think of ourselves as intrepid souls, we would like luxuries such as mirrors, toilet paper, non leaky toilets, towels, no whining dog locked up in a shed next to my room, and (my top priority) a bedside lamp. We also agreed that we were spoiled enough to want real coffee and real milk for breakfast instead of instant coffee and dry milk. Internet access is not a possibility at any of the hotels, so I am training myself to write my messages and reports in my room and then going across the road to the internet place periodically.
Note: I will do my best to answer everyone’s e-mail, but there will be more lag time as a result of this arrangement.
We have ended up for the time being at a wonderful place called Pace Real that has beautiful gardens and a variety of cottages and bungalows set among trees. As a result, the cost of lodging has risen from $7 each last night to about $10 each. I found my spot right away – an upstairs A-frame room with a loft called Luna de Miel (honeymoon), a sleeping loft, and a lovely porch covered by a thatched roof that feels like a tree house. I am sitting there now listening to the rain which has started again after a respite this morning. Daniel took a while to decide before he chose his room – Arriba (above) on the first floor. Go figure. My room does not have a shower, so he will share (separately).
Our Spanish has suffered through spending so much time together, but it has been a wonderful companionship and mutual support. He schleps bags, chats people up even better than I do, and calculates currency conversions while I have been translating, buying water for us, finding out when la lancha (the boat) leaves, and giving him Spanish study websites. I think each of us feels we are getting the better end of the bargain, which is reassuring. And of course there’s the talking, which has continued. This morning at breakfast, where we split an omelet and DID get our real coffee with real milk and watched various hummingbirds- one of which was the approximate size and color of a small robin-I suggested that it was as though we were stranded on a desert island and were trying to tell our stories as quickly as possible before the ship came to rescue us. His response: “Well, we could go hide.” I will miss him when he leaves.
San Marcos is a small and magical place, a soggy paradise. Most of the pueblo is inaccessible by car, and people get around on narrow cobblestone paths through the tropical forest. Last night as we sat and talked, we could hear chanting from a charismatic church service, birds and crickets calling, and an occasional dog barking. We have the sense that we are at the end of the world.
The rain is so heavy that the kids have not been to school all week and will not go back until next Monday.
I have met some of the teachers at the language school where I may teach, and one of them was mercilessly corrected my Spanish. I told her she would get her payback when I started teaching English!
Saturday I will go to the university to observe the teacher training and talk with the people there about the possibility of working with them. Right now that is my lowest priority; I am more drawn to either staying here and working with the Spanish school or going to Antigua to work with Patrick, the man I mentioned earlier. Next week I will go there to the Congreso on human trafficking and meet with Patrick to talk about possibilities. He has already told me he can put me to work teaching English.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Guatemala - really
OK, Guys. I already have enough yeses to inspire me to do a blog. I would love your comments and suggestions about what you want to know and hear about. This is all new to me.
Here's a link to some beautiful photos of the Atitlán region, where I'll be heading:
http://gocentralamerica.about.com/od/topattractions/ig/Atitlan-Gallery/SPLLVista.htm
I'm not much of a photographer and there are tons of beautiful photos of Guatemala, so anything I add will probably be pictures of people I meet.
Our adventure, due to bad weather, continued last night. After midnight, when the airline found us rooms and transportation, we were bussed an hour to San Salvador to spend the night (or at least part of it) at the Sheraton. When we got there after 1:00am, we were offered a buffet with especially great desserts. As one man said, "I can't resist free food," so we dug in and ate and talked until 2:30. Wake-up calls were at 5:00, and after a huge breakfast buffet, we were on our way back to the airport by 6:30, on the plane by 8:00, and in Guatemala City by 8:30.
The whole experience was like being at camp, including the not sleeping part, and we parted fondly and sadly this morning. Some people especially touched me. There was an older (than me) man from Italy who valiantly tried to speak Spanish and/or English and/or Portugese to the rest of us. We all had a hard time understanding much of anything he said, and in fact I was never certain whether he was speaking Spanish, Portugese, or Italian, or maybe a combination. He seemed disoriented and perhaps unwell, so we all took him under our wings and helped him through.
I met a family from Guatemala in Houston, and by the time we got to the hotel last night, we were on hugging terms. The mother commented at one point, "La gente en Guatemala es muy friendly," and I both agreed and enjoyed her code switching, the first of many occurrences in conversation during our adventure since almost everyone I talked with spoke both Spanish and English.
I met a man named Patrick who is from the US and has been in Guatemala for 25 years working on human rights issues, in particular human trafficking. He invited me to a "Congreso" about this topic next week in Antigua and suggested that I think about coming to work with one of his (many) projects if nothing gels in Atitlán. His websites are:
http://www.itemp.org/ and http://www.congreso08.com/ (in Spanish).
He seemed, at first blush, to be one of the most intense and high energy people I have ever met, but even he was overwhelmed by our adventure. He started to tell me about the conference Wednesday through Friday and ended up describing Monday's events. It took me a minute to realize that HE was the confused one, and he graciously accepted my teasing. Patrick has a remarkable grasp of political and social issues in Guatemala, and I think he will be a great resource. One woman this morning called him an "institution."
I met a woman named Gladys and a man named Otto, both from Guatemala. Last night at the airport Otto downlaoded Skype on my computer so Gladys and I could make phone calls. That was the spirit of the evening.
One of the flight attendants took it upon himself to correct my Spanish and teach me some as well, so I had a temporary replacement for my very strict teacher, Jesús. As it turned out, he and the other flight attendants had done this diversionary maneuver to El Salvador two days in a row because this is apparently the start of hurricane season, but they were as good natured as everyone else.
Now I am at my hotel, listening to hard hard rain. The bird who was wolf whistling periodically out on the patio for over an hour has stopped. It is cool and damp here, so no one needs to worry about my being too hot or, if you like hot weather, envy me either! Soon I will have lunch with the family who owns the hotel, and then I'll try to rest and gather my thoughts for my trip to Atitlán. To echo my friend, Lori, who is in Istanbul as a result of our pact to help each other get to exotic places this summer, I plan to stay here the rest of my life. However, that may change in a few minutes. Who knows?
Many blessings to all of you.
Here's a link to some beautiful photos of the Atitlán region, where I'll be heading:
http://gocentralamerica.about.com/od/topattractions/ig/Atitlan-Gallery/SPLLVista.htm
I'm not much of a photographer and there are tons of beautiful photos of Guatemala, so anything I add will probably be pictures of people I meet.
Our adventure, due to bad weather, continued last night. After midnight, when the airline found us rooms and transportation, we were bussed an hour to San Salvador to spend the night (or at least part of it) at the Sheraton. When we got there after 1:00am, we were offered a buffet with especially great desserts. As one man said, "I can't resist free food," so we dug in and ate and talked until 2:30. Wake-up calls were at 5:00, and after a huge breakfast buffet, we were on our way back to the airport by 6:30, on the plane by 8:00, and in Guatemala City by 8:30.
The whole experience was like being at camp, including the not sleeping part, and we parted fondly and sadly this morning. Some people especially touched me. There was an older (than me) man from Italy who valiantly tried to speak Spanish and/or English and/or Portugese to the rest of us. We all had a hard time understanding much of anything he said, and in fact I was never certain whether he was speaking Spanish, Portugese, or Italian, or maybe a combination. He seemed disoriented and perhaps unwell, so we all took him under our wings and helped him through.
I met a family from Guatemala in Houston, and by the time we got to the hotel last night, we were on hugging terms. The mother commented at one point, "La gente en Guatemala es muy friendly," and I both agreed and enjoyed her code switching, the first of many occurrences in conversation during our adventure since almost everyone I talked with spoke both Spanish and English.
I met a man named Patrick who is from the US and has been in Guatemala for 25 years working on human rights issues, in particular human trafficking. He invited me to a "Congreso" about this topic next week in Antigua and suggested that I think about coming to work with one of his (many) projects if nothing gels in Atitlán. His websites are:
http://www.itemp.org/ and http://www.congreso08.com/ (in Spanish).
He seemed, at first blush, to be one of the most intense and high energy people I have ever met, but even he was overwhelmed by our adventure. He started to tell me about the conference Wednesday through Friday and ended up describing Monday's events. It took me a minute to realize that HE was the confused one, and he graciously accepted my teasing. Patrick has a remarkable grasp of political and social issues in Guatemala, and I think he will be a great resource. One woman this morning called him an "institution."
I met a woman named Gladys and a man named Otto, both from Guatemala. Last night at the airport Otto downlaoded Skype on my computer so Gladys and I could make phone calls. That was the spirit of the evening.
One of the flight attendants took it upon himself to correct my Spanish and teach me some as well, so I had a temporary replacement for my very strict teacher, Jesús. As it turned out, he and the other flight attendants had done this diversionary maneuver to El Salvador two days in a row because this is apparently the start of hurricane season, but they were as good natured as everyone else.
Now I am at my hotel, listening to hard hard rain. The bird who was wolf whistling periodically out on the patio for over an hour has stopped. It is cool and damp here, so no one needs to worry about my being too hot or, if you like hot weather, envy me either! Soon I will have lunch with the family who owns the hotel, and then I'll try to rest and gather my thoughts for my trip to Atitlán. To echo my friend, Lori, who is in Istanbul as a result of our pact to help each other get to exotic places this summer, I plan to stay here the rest of my life. However, that may change in a few minutes. Who knows?
Many blessings to all of you.
First Guatemala report - sorta kinda
After detouring to New Hampshire for my friend Edith's memorial service and special time with friends there, I left Boston at 6:00 this morning. After going through Atlanta to Minneapolis (which, as everyone knows, is a direct route), I went through Houston headed to Guatemala City. I am now sitting in the airport in San Salvador, El Salvador, with my new friends, speaking Spanish, and waiting for a bus to the hotel. It turns out the airport in Guatemala City has been closed since yesterday, but the flights keep coming and diverting. Very interesting beginning to my adventure! We've been here for almost two hours now, and I'm very tired, but I have to admit this "diversion" has a certain charm, and almost everyone here is very calm and philosophical about the turn of events (and plane).
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