Yesterday, like most days we’ve been here, the morning was sunny
and clear. By the time we began our afternoon
language class, it clouded up and rained.
By nightfall it was thundering and lightning. As a result we were without power from dinner
until 7:30 am this morning.
Our morning run has come to be known as a steeplechase
rather than a regular run. This is due
to…
1.
We need
to watch where we place every step due to the cobblestones and the dog feces
that speckle the road from the previous night.
2.
Tuk-tuks, motorcycles, delivery trucks and the
occasional car simply beep as they come up the road, expecting you to be out of
their way by the time they get there.
The roads are not wide and tuk-tuks don’t like to slow down. We were passengers in a tuk-tuk on Sunday, and
witnessed a little girl plaster herself against the side of a building after
hearing our horn. That’s exactly what
they expect you to do.
3.
We have to dodge the individual or packs of
dogs. Yesterday when running a dog
snarled and went for Jeff as we went by.
Although most of the dogs are friendly, you need to give them wide birth
just in case.
4.
The narrow, cobblestone streets are full of people
beginning their days. Traditional roles
still exist here in Guatemala, and the morning rituals demonstrate this. Men and boys are loaded up in the back of
pick-up trucks, carrying hoes, shovels, and machetes; making their way out to
the nearby fields to work for the day.
Girls and very small boys are dressed in school clothes – either
traditional clothing or uniforms depending on their schools – and are heading
to school with backpacks on and oftentimes lunches in their hands. We noticed that some boys, who seemed
school-age, were heading to the fields to work.
We asked Marta about this at breakfast and she said it is common for
school-age boys to work in the fields during the morning and go to school
during the afternoon. Jeff can’t wait to
tell his students when they complain about how hard things are for them. Women are in traditional Guatemalan ornate
clothing, carrying baskets in arms or on their heads, heading to the market for
the food for the day. Like women around
the world, they are stopping along the way to catch up with friends about
village happenings. Jeff commented that
this was the Facebook of San Pedro La Laguna.
We did not teach English yesterday so that we could souvenir
shop and run miscellaneous errands. We
didn’t want to wait for our last full day and need to pack up on Thursday night. We all had things in mind we’d been wanting
to buy. We’ll have class Friday morning,
eat lunch with Marta, and then be on the shuttle for Antigua at 2 pm. No time
to shop then!
Brooke - At the beginning of our shopping trip we passed an
open art and jewelry shop. I had been wanting to get a painting the whole trip,
but never did. We all went into the shop where I found a beautiful painting of the
lake and with a woman carrying material on her head and a man hauling stones on
his back, just like they still do in Guatemala. I asked the woman in the shop
how much it cost and she told me 260 quetles, while Lynn and my mom talked to a
guy from Seattle who was up here visiting his son. Lynn and my mother told me I
should think about the purchase some more and that we would have to ask dad how
we could even get it home. We went around town and my mother purchased a scarf
and a hand crafted bowl. My sister got a pillow case and a hand crafted bowl as
well. We went back to see our Spanish mom and my mom purchased 2 towels to hold
bread in (or tortillas), and Marta gave another one to my mom as a gift. She
told her that she saw it at the market and thought of her. When my dad came
down I asked him what he thought about the painting and what my options were.
He told me he thought it was a great idea…and listed my options.
1.
Show up at the gate with it and pay $100.
2.
Pre-purchase the allowance of my painting for
$40.
3.
We could check a bag and put my painting inside.
4.
Roll up the painting.
5.
Ship it home.
My father and I looked up the process of rolling up my
painting, and decided that that was the best way to get my painting home,
without paying a bunch of money. While my dad and I were discussing this, my
mother was telling Marta the lowdown about my painting. Marta told her that if
I wanted to get the painting, she should go with us because then they would
know that we were living with her so she might be able to get a deal. She also
said that that was a very high price and she could probably get it lower than
that.
Marta, my dad, and I headed off the purchase my painting
about 10 minutes after that. Marta got the price from 260 quetzales down to 200
quetzales. How? I didn’t get all of it but I took a couple of hints from the
angry glares.
“260.”
“No, no, no, look at this girl. That is a ridiculous price.”
“Who is she?”
“She’s going to language school here.”
“240.”
“*Shaking her head* I think you can go lower than that.”
“I’m not allowed to.”
“Yes you can.”
“I’ll give it to her for 215 and I will roll it for her.”
“No, no, no. I can wrap it myself. So what’s that, 200 quetzales?”
“What?! No.”
*Stare down from Marta*
“Fine, but that’s the lowest I’m going.”
Now, I have my beautiful painting for about $25, all thanks
to Marta. My painting is laying in her room waiting to be rolled. When I left
that store with a huge smile on my face, all I had in my head was the song “We
Are The Champions.” I am probably never allowed back in that store again, but
that’s ok, we leave tomorrow.
 |
| Brooke's Painting!! |
That wind occurs at
noon time, when the warm winds coming from the south encounters the cold winds
coming from the highlands. When they mix they result in a water movement which
generates strong waves.
Here is a picture of the 4 of us with our instructors:
 |
| Top: Juan Carlos (my teacher), Manuel (Jeff's teacher), Jeff Bottom: Me, Vicenta (Brooke's teacher), Brooke, Celeste (Lynn's teacher), Lynn |
When walking down the road, I was walking in front of Marta
and Lynn so that we could give way to the tuk-tuks and cars. When I turned around to talk to them, I saw
the sweetest scene. Marta and Lynn were
walking arm-in-arm and Marta was reviewing her English with Lynn. The conversation went something like this…
“Donde – where?”
“Yes.”
“Que – what?”
“Yes.”
“Como – how?”
“Yes.”
“Quien – who?”
“Yes.”
“Galleta – cookie?” (big smile on face)
“Yes.”
Marta is so excited to be learning English. By the end of dinner tonight she successfully said, “Where is the cookie?” in English. So sweet!
Last night was the worst night’s sleep. Two dogs argued all night long! Neither changed their location and one was located near us. They barked back and forth to each other all night. Just when they would stop and you would begin to go to sleep, a firework would go off. Really? 3 am, 4 am and you’re still doing fireworks? We're told it's Catholics celebrating a wedding or some obscure saint. Do you not sleep? Hopefully tonight will be better.
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