Lake Atitilan, Panajachel, San Juan & Santiago Atitilan

This weekend was potentially one of the best I have ever experienced.  From the incredible views to the once in a lifetime experiences to the people I got to spend it with, everything about this weekend was amazing.  We left Friday afternoon for Panajachel which is the number four hippie destination in the world and lies on the edge of the beautiful Lake Atitilan.  Lake Atitilan is tucked in the middle of a mountain/volcano range.  It rests about 5,000 feet higher than Antigua, which is already at a high elevation.   

In Panajachel we had dinner at a ministry outreach called Solomon’s Porch that is doing wonderful open-armed ministry to residents and tourists of this city.  We also got to shop the street vendors and spend time down by the water.  The next day all 22 of us packed into a little boat and took the 45 minute ride across the lake to San Juan.   

At San Juan we stayed at an eco-hotel that provided a stunning view of the lake.  We ventured to a coffee cooperative that grows organic and ecologically friendly coffee.  Since I have worked at Tim Hortons making coffee for several years now it was really interesting for me to see the process of growing and preparing coffee beans.   

We then visited a little women’s weaving cooperative.  Here each of us was given a private teacher who helped us weave a scarf that we then got to keep.  It seems like everywhere we go we are bombarded with people wanting to sell us their weavings.  However, after this experience I will never look at those weavings the same again.  It was so incredibly difficult.  My teacher had made a large portion of the scarf beforehand and had to finish it for me.  She said that normally making a scarf like that would take her about 2 hours.  However, at my pace I think it would have taken me 2 days.  It is such an odd concept to me that people still weave things like this when there are machines that can do it so much more efficiently.  I cannot imagine having to make my living off of selling these weavings that take so much work and bring in so little in return. 

                San Juan is my new favorite place in Guatemala.  So far it seems that most of the places we have visited are saturated with tourists and chicken buses, but San Juan was one of the few places in Guatemala where I could see myself being able to live.  It was a calm Mayan village with an incredible view of Lake Atitilan, very view tourists and refreshingly breathable air.  When we got back to the hotel we had an incredible evening of taking long-exposure pictures with flashlights and attempting to attract bats for a photo op.  I am not sure if I have laughed that hard since I have been in Guatemala.  For several hours we tried waiving limbs over the balcony, making high-pitched “bat calls” and throwing stones hoping the bats would think they were large insects.    It wasn’t until the next morning that Paul informed us with the fact that bats have no sense of hearing.  Of course, we all screamed like little girls when the bats actually flew near us and out of the dozens of pictures we took we didn’t get a single one with a bat in it.  That night (probably due to the adrenaline rush of bat calling) I couldn’t really sleep so I sat out on the balcony overlooking the lake and just took in where I was.  Because we were so high up the stars looked vibrant and spectacular, the lake was calm and serene, the air was cool and clean, and the water fowl and insects sang enchanting songs in the cool dark night.  It was one of those moments where you realize how small you are, how big the world is and how incredible God is for creating all of it. 

                The next morning I woke up early and sat down on the dock looking at the reflection of the mountains in the clear still water.  After breakfast Aleia and I took kayaks out on the lake and Kyle and Cassie followed in the canoe.  My kayak was one made for white water kayaking so it had holes in it to keep it from sinking…unfortunately this also meant that I got really wet.  It was a little bit scary being in a holey kayak in the middle of a half-mile deep lake but at the same time one of the most incredible experiences.   

That day we again all piled into our little boat and went to Santiago Atitilan which was at the heart of the some of the most brutal aspects of the civil war.  While we were there, there was a political rally that had something to do with the upcoming elections.  Here we just looked around the markets and then went back to Panajachel for dinner at a café that overlooked the lake.  Somewhere along the way I must have eaten something that my stomach was not quite prepared for because I got sick for the first time since I have been here.  It was kind of a downer because I thought after a month and a half with no sickness that I was in the clear, but apparently this was not the case.  However, it was just the last night we were gone and didn’t interfere with this amazing weekend.  Even with a holey kayak and a little sickness this is an experience that I would not trade for the world.  It gave me a new sense of what an incredible place I am in and how lucky I am to be here right now.

Una Buena Semana

Despite the warning from the Embassy not to travel because of possible mudslides, we ironically went to Guatemala City to visit the U.S. Embassy.  When we got there we were met with two U.S. marines, had to surrender our passports and go through security.  I was expecting to enter a building that would look something like the West Wing and be met with the demeaning glares of slightly annoyed dignitaries.  However, the reality proved to be quite in the contrast.  The entryway of the Embassy was fairly distinguished but the farther we got into the building the more it looked like an old high school turned into just a regular office building.  We were met with a girl the same age as myself who is doing her internship at the Embassy and had just arrived a few days before.  We were also met with a  guy named Sam who looked just like a famous person and had a title something like the coordinator of public service.  He definitely destroyed my stereotype of foreign dignitaries by being hilarious, welcoming, laid back and talking like a college student.  On the way to a meeting room they picked up several other workers and threw together a little presentation for us.  The other workers included the press secretary, a few native Guatemalans (one of whom is a dear friend of SAU’s provost Dr. Betty) and other people with lofty titles.  They causally told us about what they each do and how things work at the Embassy.  They were very personable and seemed to really enjoy talking with us.  I think I was mainly surprised by the fact that most of them were in there 20s and none of them were musty old men.  However, the more they talked the more I realized that these were some incredibly intelligent people.  They had to undergo rigorous testing and security clearances to be where they are.  They were really wonderful people with very respectable intentions in Guatemala which really helped to restore my faith in the U.S. government’s role in Guatemala.  They also made me realize that foreign public service is something that somewhat interests me even though it was not a career path I would have ever considered before.

                Also while we were in Guatemala City we visited a orphanage called Casa Bernabe.  On the way there we were lost for what felt like hours.  Our bus driver stopped on the road so many times to ask for directions that we decided he must have been taking a poll.  However, after we were sickeningly high off the horrendous bus fumes that engulf that city, we finally made it.  It was definitely worth the trouble to get there.  This orphanage is not at all how I expected a third world orphanage to be.  They were not funded by the government and thus were able to run it much differently than government run orphanages.  The children were divided by gender and age group and lived in a home with parents.  They tried to set it up as much like a traditional family as possible.  The first house we visited was the little boy house.  There was probably 10-15 little boys within the ages of 3-5 plus one boy’s little sister.  The kids were clearly overjoyed by the arrival of 18 new playmates and particularly enjoyed a fun new game that Paul named “Pile of Kyle.” 

                On Friday we visited a Macadamia nut plantation. It was really cool and they let us sample nuts, chocolate covered nuts, nut oil, and nut lotion.  We met the owner who reminded me of an old hippie farmer mixed with crocodile Dundee.  However, despite his appearance he is actually the inventor of the active ingredient in Nivea’s anti-aging cream, which of course is made from macadamia nuts.  

                Saturday some of us decided to climb the Hill of the Cross which overlooks Antigua (and personally I would call it a mountain not a hill).  The weather was perfect for our adventure and I absolutely loved getting to be outside and off the cobblestone streets of Antigua.  We climbed up a steep cobblestone path which was slightly painful since I had just gotten back from the gym but the cool shade and incredible view made it entirely worth it.  From the top we could see all of Antigua.  It was so peaceful and we had an unbelievable bird’s eye view of our lovely city.  Sometimes I am so focused on walking that I forget to look up and see the beauty of where I am.  The Hill of the Cross was a strong reminder for me of where I am and Who brought me to this place. 

Rain, rain, rain!

          There has been way too much rain in Antigua this week!  It is not just sprinkling either; it is pouring rain almost all day every day.  Yesterday the rain held off and we thought maybe it was over but this morning my heart sank when I woke up to the sound of pouring rain yet again.  There were three hurricanes along the Pacific coast earlier in the week that caused massive destruction and flooding in Mexico and Guatemala.  The last I heard 20 people were dead and many more injured.  Hundreds have had to escape their flooded homes and villages.  Mudslides and flooding have wiped out several roads and bridges which may force us to delay our trip next weekend to Lake Atitilan.  Several towns near Antigua were some of the hardest hit but luckily we haven’t had any major problems here.  The worst here is that at times the streets have become more like rivers.  I have never really cared for umbrellas but this week my beautiful black and white floral umbrella has pretty much become an extension of my body.  However, umbrella or not, it is still impossible to go out without getting soaked.  All my wet clothes are hanging up around my room but the humidity is so high that nothing dries, even shirts I hung up a week ago are still wet.  Aside from being cold and wet all the time, the rain is kind of fun.  The other day since we knew we were going to get soaked anyway me and my housemate Jen decided to jump right in…literally.  We played a game where we had to jump in every puddle from our house to the market.  Our other housemate who refused to join in at first was eventually forced to because it was impossible to cross the road without walking through the river in the middle of it.

 (Kyle playing in the rain)

  (I spent most of this week under this umbrella)

                I finished my Spanish lessons on Friday and I have not gotten my practicum set up yet so this week is going to be really relaxing!  It is so wonderful to have so much free time here.  I overloaded on classes last semester so that I would not have to overload on classes here and that was one of the best decisions I could have made.  Also, since the day I arrived on campus freshman year I have had at least one job at school which has kept me pretty busy.  It is incredible to not have to work while I am here.  I feel like I am getting to experience so much more because I am not overwhelmed by work and classes.  

(Me and Glendy, my maestra on my last day)

                This week I have gone to the market almost every day.  The market really is an interesting experience and I am starting to really like it.  At first it was a little overwhelming with all the sights, sounds,  smells, and people.  The main market in Antigua is enormous.  The tiny winding pathways between different vendors and the crowds of people going every which way make it incredibly easy to lose your sense of direction.  I was really intimidated by bartering when we first got here but now I have got it down.  It is actually really nice to have a say in what you are going to pay for something.  It is also fun because since you have to barter with the vender you can end up in some really good conversations and it is great for practicing Spanish.  People here tend to be a lot more relational than in the states and you can get to know the vendors in a way that would just be awkward in the U.S.   Me and Jen bought jerseys from a guy named Carlos and we ended up talking to him for probably a good 20 minutes.  He was Guatemalan but had lived in Texas for a year before he got deported for not having his papers.  He tried again in Arizona but was only there for a few months before getting deported again.  It is really interesting to hear first hand stories of illegal immigrants to the U.S. especially as an American.  It definitely adds some complexity of thought to heated topics in the states.  I think that being here has definitely given be a broader understanding of the world and has taught me to think more critically about important issues. 

 (The outer edge of the market)

 (Fish anyone?)

 (Me and Cassie in David's window)

 (Such a beautiful city! Even when it is raining!)

Guatemala City

Friday was my last exam in Spanish!  It took me 3 hours to finish and one hour for my teacher to grade.  If you ever need to be humbled, try learning another language.  I feel like my brain is so incredibly saturated that it cannot possibly absorb anything more.  I want so badly to learn and I am learning so much everyday but when I talk to people or read a menu or watch a movie in Spanish I am so frustrated by how much I do not know.  I have gained so much respect for people who can speak more than one language. 

We are back in Guatemala City again this weekend.  Today we went to FAFG which is the Forensic Anthropological Foundation of Guatemala.  At the end of the genocide in 1996 there were 200,000 dead and 50,000 missing.  The FAFG is working to uncover mass graves, identify the victims, and allow their families to give them a proper burial.  We got to go into the laboratory which was a big room full of tables that were covered in dark blue table clothes and the bones of victims pieced together on them.  It was really weird that there were just peoples’ remains all spread out in front of us with no glass separating us from them.  We then walked through the narrow paths of several warehouses filled with cardboard boxes that each held human remains and were stacked all the way to the ceiling.  There were 1,492 in all.  The building that the FAFG is in had no sign, had an armed guard inside, had bullet proof glass, and we had to have ID to get in.  The reason for this tight security is that many of the people responsible for these deaths are still alive and do not want these stories told.  Many people who have attempted to call for the justice of those responsible have themselves been added to the list of those who have disappeared.  People even go into villages posing as the FAFG to uncover and destroy the evidence of mass graves.  On an interesting side note, one of the two presidential candidates was a former military general in the war and was involved in mass killings so it will be interesting to see what will happen if he gets elected in November.

                We then continued our tour of life, love and happiness by watching the Guatemalan made film “El Norte.”  This movie was about a brother and sister whose parents were killed in the genocide and escape to the United States.  They have to crawl for miles on their hands and knees through an old rat-infested sewer to get to the U.S.  Once there they found that life in the states was much harder than they had expected.

The next day we went to the National Cemetery in Guatemala City.  It was really interesting because here they do not bury people underground but in large and often immaculate above ground tombs.  There was one enormous tomb that was made to look like an Egyptian pyramid.   

While many of the tombs were larger and much nicer than the majority of houses in Guatemala, some were quite different.  The distinction between the rich and poor in Guatemala is great even in death.  The bodies of the poorer Guatemalans can be buried in large structures that basically have drawers for each body.  A drawer in this structure can be rented out but as soon as the family cannot pay rent on it the body is dumped.  

The whole time we were in the cemetery we could see hundreds of vultures circling a little ways off.  As Paul took us to the back of the cemetery the vultures got nearer and the stench got stronger until we were peering over the edge of a straight drop-off into the Guatemala City dump.  This dump is approximately the size of 24 football fields and sits in what looks like it used to be a beautiful lush valley.   

However, now the equivalent to the volume of 35 Boeing 757 airplanes of trash is delivered there every day.  To fully understand the smell you have to realize that in Guatemala used toilet paper is put in the trash instead of flushed.  The most disturbing part is that as the garbage trucks were bringing in their loads, crowds of people swarmed to pick through the mounds of trash that had already been picked over several times before making it to the dump.   

Recently Guatemala made a law that visitors were not allowed to go into the dump so we were not able to see it any closer than our little perch in the cemetery.  Guatemala also recently made a law that people can no longer live in the dump.  Apparently so many people were living in the dump that cave-ins, garbage slides and fires were causing thousands of deaths.  The thought of people, mostly children, living in this vile place and picking through atrocious things everyday brought tears to my eyes.  I honestly do not even know how to mentally deal with this thought.  On the other side of the valley sits a shanty town called La Limonada. 

It is only about a mile wide and a mile long but it is home to more than 60,000 people.  It is an incredibly poor and dangerous town and simply having a La Limonada address can keep residents of getting jobs.  We watched a movie later that day called Reparando that is about La Limonada and what two missionaries are doing there.  I would highly recommend this movie to anyone even slightly interested.  It was really good to see something that shed a little hope on this bleak situation.  I am still a little overwhelmed and disturbed by everything I saw this weekend and I do not really know what to think of it all or how to deal with it.  For now I will just find peace in that “I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.” – Psalm 140:12

This is the Place I Live

This weekend we went into a Mayan Village on the mountainside just out of Antigua.  We have been living here for almost a month now and starting to see Antiguan life as normal. However, the Mayan village really was a harsh reminder that we are in a third world country.  This country still suffers from poverty and still feels the effects of the civil war.  Antigua is referred to as a “bubble” in Guatemala because it is so different from the rest of the country.  This was very obvious on our trip to the village. Typically the Mayans come down into Antigua to sell their handiwork.  However, in this village we visited a co-operative store that sold the handiworks of 5 Mayan families.  They showed us how they intricately weave their traditional dress which can take between 3 to 12 months to create just one.  These weavings are not only for themselves to wear but also they also make a large part of their livelihood off selling them.  We were told that the men no longer wear their traditional dress because it had made them easy targets during the genocide and they are still discriminated against.  They also showed us how a typical Mayan marriage ceremony would be conducted.  There were quite a few interesting rituals that go along with a Mayan wedding including 12 hours of dancing.  We also got to make tortillas and grind coffee beans, which is much harder than it looks.  I must admit I was a little sore after grinding my tiny pile of coffee beans.  It is a crazy thought to me that people still do this to make a living. 

           

     The strong reminder of where we are continued on the way home from the village when I was talking to Paul (the director of the SAU Guatemala semester).   We were talking about a man named Erbin that works at La Union (the Spanish language school) and Paul told me that his brother was actually killed during the civil war.  Erbin, his brother and Juan Carlos, who is the director of La Union, were all standing and talking in central park in Antigua when the army opened fire on them simply because three men talking looked suspicious.  Erbin’s brother was killed in the incident.  The culture here tends to not talk about current or past problems so I had no idea until now that Juan Carlos and Erbin were so directly affected by the war.

              

      Aside from learning all this history, I have been doing a lot of other things as well.  I will be starting my fourth week of Spanish lessons on Monday.  I am learning so much Spanish that it hardly all fits in my brain.  The other day I tried to explain to my teacher that I would be adding a fifth week of lessons because I learn so much more here in one week that I could back home.  However, I could not remember the Spanish word for learn so she laughed at me and said that I must not be learning enough here.  I also learned a little bit of German from a student that I met at La Union.  Whenever I think that I am doing good because I know one and a half languages I meet people like him who are bi or tri-lingual and I realize that I still have a long way to go.  Entonces, Adios! Yo necesito estudio mucho Español ahora!