It seems to me that Guatemalan drivers play several games.
1. How many people can we fit on a trashy bus!? If the bus is made for 40 passengers it will hold 60!
2. How close can we get to the edge of the cliff!? Dad, you know this game well!
3. How many passengers can we make sick!? There is a gas peddle and an accelerator- pick one! And don't push them both every five seconds! They are sure to pick the rode which is the windiest, roughest, and has the most speed bumps.
4. How close can we get to the pedestrians!? The red-head is worth 50 points!
To enjoy our time in Guatemala, we also play games.
1. Guess how many minutes late the bus will come. Last week the bus was 73 minutes late. This week it was 36 minutes late.
2. Guess the number of stares we will receive as we walk to school. Without any attempts to attract attention, we had over twenty stares in about 10 minutes. This one is fun, because it allows us to find amusement in the Shukos instead of complete disgust and disdain.
3. Skip-bo. At school, in a coffee shop, or in a restaurant- we will be playing this exciting card game!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
El Dia de Santiago
In Guatemala, the week of July 25 there is a huge celebration for Santiago (St. James, the apostle of Jesus). From what I understand, they believe that Santiago preached the gospel in Spain and that his body was carried to Spain after his martyrdom. Also, they believe that Santiago miraculously appeared in the Reconquista in AD 722 (the battle in which the Christians fought the Muslims to regain Spain and Portugal).
All week we have been enjoying this fiesta! There have been monstrous parades, ear-damaging firecrackers, concerts, and a magnificent fireworks show! Celebrating alongside these Guatemalans has been ever-s0-much fun! I do believe that I will need hearing aids when I return to Los Estados Unidos. The fireworks show was amazing! It may have been the best show I've ever seen! And they exploded right above our heads! Yikes! There was even a man who ran through the park with fireworks shooting off of his back!
It is this type of thing that makes a country unique and special. I'm thankful to have witnessed this cultural celebration!
All week we have been enjoying this fiesta! There have been monstrous parades, ear-damaging firecrackers, concerts, and a magnificent fireworks show! Celebrating alongside these Guatemalans has been ever-s0-much fun! I do believe that I will need hearing aids when I return to Los Estados Unidos. The fireworks show was amazing! It may have been the best show I've ever seen! And they exploded right above our heads! Yikes! There was even a man who ran through the park with fireworks shooting off of his back!
It is this type of thing that makes a country unique and special. I'm thankful to have witnessed this cultural celebration!
Monday, July 23, 2007
Climbing Mount Doom
The fellowship was on a mission to destroy the Ring in the flames of Mount Doom. We climbed, and climbed. We fought the orks in our path, and we continued our journey on Mount Doom. We forgot the taste of food, we did not remember the green grass, or the trees of home, we did not remember real life. We had much difficulty destroying the Ring. Smeagol fought us, we fought ourselves; but we made it. The Ring was destroyed, evil was overcome, and we made it safely back to the shire.
Really, Jana, Angela, and I climbed an active volcano, named Pacaya. It was a long and strenuous journey like Frodo’s. The scenery was gorgeous! We did have large obstacles, but we made it! We saw real flowing lava, we felt the heat of the lava below us. And I felt very prepared having seen the Man vs. Wild show on volcanoes! I knew exactly what to do if I got lost or stranded! I even protected my hands by wearing socks! :)
Really, Jana, Angela, and I climbed an active volcano, named Pacaya. It was a long and strenuous journey like Frodo’s. The scenery was gorgeous! We did have large obstacles, but we made it! We saw real flowing lava, we felt the heat of the lava below us. And I felt very prepared having seen the Man vs. Wild show on volcanoes! I knew exactly what to do if I got lost or stranded! I even protected my hands by wearing socks! :)
This is a video of the flowing lava. (It is my first attempt at creating a video on my camera- so please excuse how absurd it may seem.)
...And the Poor Get Poorer
Friday Hannah, Jana, Laura, and I went to the coffee farm with our school. There I learned how pathetic dancers the Mayans were, I learned about the Mayan customs, I learned how to grow coffee, and I learned how very little the coffee farmers/workers earn. I was shocked to hear that the people who gather coffee beans all day long every day earn about 60Q a week (the equivalent of less than $8.00).
That afternoon I was discussing this with my teacher, Magaly, and the information about Guatemala kept getting more disheartening and hopeless. Only 60% of Guatemalans are educated at all, and about 20% graduate from high school. Poverty is very real here. Parents have many children, but they cannot provide for them all. So, the children have to quit school and help the family by working (selling things, or helping in the house). So many children are not in schools, and without education, they too, will raise a family that they cannot support. So, their children will have to work instead of attending school. And the cycle continues in a long downward spiral.
Plus, the education in Guatemala is the second worst in the world (Haiti has the worst education system). In public schools there are more than forty children per teacher. The teachers are paid Q 2,000 every month (less than $260). There is no way to provide for a family with that tiny salary! One person could barely survive off of that! The schools are disgusting, filthy, and poor learning environments. The private schools still have forty children per teacher, and the education is a little better- but not much. The teachers are still underpaid, and there aren’t good materials for teaching.
Crime is out of control in Guatemala. Because people are uneducated, they cannot get good jobs. Because they don’t have jobs, they need money. So, they mug people and steal. They join gangs, they rob, they murder. (FYI, Antigua is the safest city in Guatemala, so I’m okay. Tourism is the main industry here, so the police are everywhere protecting the tourists)
Last week a little girl came to the coffee shop where Jana and I were studying. She asked if she could have the rest of Jana’s drink. There wasn’t even 1/5 of the drink left. It’s just so sad. She wasn’t asking for money, or selling anything, she simply wanted to fill her tummy with something.
Here I am, at a loss of what to do. Do I support the children who are selling goods for their family? Will one customer make any difference in their lives? Because I want to encourage education, I don’t want to buy from them (they should be in school- not on the streets selling). But, they can’t get an education unless their family income increases. I realize that one “poor” college student cannot change the lives of all of the illiterate/uneducated people in Guatemala in one month. But, I sure do wish that I could! A smile or kind word doesn’t make any difference in the life of a hungry child.
That afternoon I was discussing this with my teacher, Magaly, and the information about Guatemala kept getting more disheartening and hopeless. Only 60% of Guatemalans are educated at all, and about 20% graduate from high school. Poverty is very real here. Parents have many children, but they cannot provide for them all. So, the children have to quit school and help the family by working (selling things, or helping in the house). So many children are not in schools, and without education, they too, will raise a family that they cannot support. So, their children will have to work instead of attending school. And the cycle continues in a long downward spiral.
Plus, the education in Guatemala is the second worst in the world (Haiti has the worst education system). In public schools there are more than forty children per teacher. The teachers are paid Q 2,000 every month (less than $260). There is no way to provide for a family with that tiny salary! One person could barely survive off of that! The schools are disgusting, filthy, and poor learning environments. The private schools still have forty children per teacher, and the education is a little better- but not much. The teachers are still underpaid, and there aren’t good materials for teaching.
Crime is out of control in Guatemala. Because people are uneducated, they cannot get good jobs. Because they don’t have jobs, they need money. So, they mug people and steal. They join gangs, they rob, they murder. (FYI, Antigua is the safest city in Guatemala, so I’m okay. Tourism is the main industry here, so the police are everywhere protecting the tourists)
Last week a little girl came to the coffee shop where Jana and I were studying. She asked if she could have the rest of Jana’s drink. There wasn’t even 1/5 of the drink left. It’s just so sad. She wasn’t asking for money, or selling anything, she simply wanted to fill her tummy with something.
Here I am, at a loss of what to do. Do I support the children who are selling goods for their family? Will one customer make any difference in their lives? Because I want to encourage education, I don’t want to buy from them (they should be in school- not on the streets selling). But, they can’t get an education unless their family income increases. I realize that one “poor” college student cannot change the lives of all of the illiterate/uneducated people in Guatemala in one month. But, I sure do wish that I could! A smile or kind word doesn’t make any difference in the life of a hungry child.
Shuko (slang for dirty man; aka. "creeper")
From the very first moment Jana and I stepped foot on Guatemalan soil, we have drawn attention from the male species. I am tired of being whistled at (like a dog). I am sick of being grunted for (like a cave man). I have had enough of comments like, “Do you want to go to the dance with me tonight?” or “Hey, sexy ladies”. I’m disgusted every time a guy passes by and stares (4/5 of the guys we encounter stare us down or say something crude). I don't like having guys whisper in my ear as they pass! Seriously, do they think this is flattering? We are not animals, we are human beings! We deserve better than this! I hate it! Where is their dignity? Even males who are driving will watch us until we’re out of sight! It doesn’t even matter how old they are, or how young! Shukos! God created females to be more than just an object of lust. “Thank You, God, for protecting us from harm.”
Thursday, July 19, 2007
A Typical Day in Antigua
Every morning Jana, Hannah, Laura, and I awake to eat breakfast at 7:15 am. Breakfast always consists of watermelon, pineapple, and cantelope, and then we sometimes have toast, pancakes, or cereal. After that, we study, shower, and get ready for the day. At about 9:00, we walk 15 minutes into town to read in the park, or study in a coffee shop until 11:45. Then we head back home to eat lunch at 12:15ish. Lunch is the big meal of the day in Guatemala, so it typically includes a meat, vegetables, and bread. At 12:45pm I walk another 15 minutes to school. There I study with Magaly for five hours with about two coffee/brain breaks. In Guatemala it rains just about every evening. Many times we are walking for 20 minutes in the rain and are drenched at dinner at 6:15pm (Dinner is usually some form of pasta with vegetables). At about 7:15pm we usually go back into town to either study or rest our minds with some coffee. Because it gets dark at 7:30, it is best for us to be back at home by 9:00pm (for safety reasons). By 8:30, we're exhausted, so we return to the house and play cards and talk and study. This is what we've done for the past four days. It's a lot of eating, walking, coffee, and studying- and I like it!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
El Primera Dia de Escuela! (the first day of school)
Two of our friends, Hannah and Laura, have joined Jana and I here to study. (They are even living in the same house! whoop whoop!) The four of us have enjoyed walking around the city, sitting in the park, watching people, and drinking coffee.
Yesterday our classes started! Yea! Class is from 1:00pm-6:00pm. I'm studying for five hours every day one-on-one with a tutor named Magaly. Magaly is wonderful! She is patient, kind, and very experienced. She has three little girls. She laughs at me often, and I believe she's thrilled at my eagerness to learn. She knows just enough English to make me feel comfortable and not completely confused. The school placed me in level B (which is level 2), so I'm reviewing and learning- which is great! It's exactly where I wanted to be.
During the five hours of class, mi maestra (my teacher) and I talk the whole time. We practice the lesson verbally through thousands of questions and answers. We sit at a table with a white board which aids Magaly in her teaching. Its fun- I love white boards!
The Christian Spanish Academy provides unlimited tea and coffee- amazing! After three hours straight of conversation in a foreign language, coffee was a necessity. We have a thirty minute break in the middle of class which is also a necessity. After class yesterday, my brain was completely fried. My mind hurt so much that my body was achy as well. Whew! Spanish is exhausting!
Yesterday our classes started! Yea! Class is from 1:00pm-6:00pm. I'm studying for five hours every day one-on-one with a tutor named Magaly. Magaly is wonderful! She is patient, kind, and very experienced. She has three little girls. She laughs at me often, and I believe she's thrilled at my eagerness to learn. She knows just enough English to make me feel comfortable and not completely confused. The school placed me in level B (which is level 2), so I'm reviewing and learning- which is great! It's exactly where I wanted to be.
During the five hours of class, mi maestra (my teacher) and I talk the whole time. We practice the lesson verbally through thousands of questions and answers. We sit at a table with a white board which aids Magaly in her teaching. Its fun- I love white boards!
The Christian Spanish Academy provides unlimited tea and coffee- amazing! After three hours straight of conversation in a foreign language, coffee was a necessity. We have a thirty minute break in the middle of class which is also a necessity. After class yesterday, my brain was completely fried. My mind hurt so much that my body was achy as well. Whew! Spanish is exhausting!
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Where in the world is Caryn?
Antigua, Guatemala is a small town in Central America consisting of about 30,000 people. Nearly half of the population is American. There are nearly fifty language schools in this small town, which makes it a huge attraction for college-age students and tourists. 
Volcanoes covered in green trees and shrubbery surrround the city. The town itself reminds me of what I've seen in Mexico: run down houses and buildings, faded- but colorful- paint, and beautifully tanned faces. The streets are cobblestone, which sounds cute and quaint, but it is not! Walking upon these roads is difficult and often painful. The phrase, "You can't judge a book by its cover" is a perfect description of Antigua. The buildings look wretchedly gross on the outside, but inside they can be a 5-star hotel, nice boutique, yummy ice cream shop, or shady store.
The weather is gorgeous! It has rained every day for about ten minutes, and the rest of the time is 70-80 degree weather! It is perfect weather for walking (which is good, since I walk miles everyday going from here-to-there).
I don't know much about the history yet. There are cathedrals and Mayan ruins, but that's about all I know!
The Christian Spanish Academy is the largest language school with ninety students. The building has outside walls, but only half of a roof. So, it feels like we're outside while we're studying one-on-one with our tutor. I will start on Monday! Yikes!
The journey here hasn't been easy, but it's getting better. I praise God that Jana is with me! I am also very thankful for Angela, a girl we met at DFW. She is studying at a different school, but we have been hanging out with her a lot. She is definitely competent in speaking Spanish, she is a Speech-Pathologist (like what we're studying to become), she is a good Christian, and she is super fun! Yea, God!
Volcanoes covered in green trees and shrubbery surrround the city. The town itself reminds me of what I've seen in Mexico: run down houses and buildings, faded- but colorful- paint, and beautifully tanned faces. The streets are cobblestone, which sounds cute and quaint, but it is not! Walking upon these roads is difficult and often painful. The phrase, "You can't judge a book by its cover" is a perfect description of Antigua. The buildings look wretchedly gross on the outside, but inside they can be a 5-star hotel, nice boutique, yummy ice cream shop, or shady store.
The weather is gorgeous! It has rained every day for about ten minutes, and the rest of the time is 70-80 degree weather! It is perfect weather for walking (which is good, since I walk miles everyday going from here-to-there).
I don't know much about the history yet. There are cathedrals and Mayan ruins, but that's about all I know!
The Christian Spanish Academy is the largest language school with ninety students. The building has outside walls, but only half of a roof. So, it feels like we're outside while we're studying one-on-one with our tutor. I will start on Monday! Yikes!
The journey here hasn't been easy, but it's getting better. I praise God that Jana is with me! I am also very thankful for Angela, a girl we met at DFW. She is studying at a different school, but we have been hanging out with her a lot. She is definitely competent in speaking Spanish, she is a Speech-Pathologist (like what we're studying to become), she is a good Christian, and she is super fun! Yea, God!
Once Upon a Time...
There was a young red-headed girl who wanted to learn Spanish in a far away country. She asked her friend Jana if she would like to go with her to a land far, far way, and without any hesitation, Jana agreed.
The day of the flight to the distant country arrived, and the two girls met at the airport (each having had less than three hours of sleep). Sweet Caryn had difficulty going through security because apparently it is the end of the world if mascara, lip gloss, saline solution, etc. enter the airport. This innocent one was a threat to the world, and the cruel security guard practically accused her of being an enemy to the country. After being threatened to lose the privilege of flying far, far away, Caryn attempted to pass through the evil security line again. Whew! She made it!
The two young ladies anxiously awaited their flight. They waited…and waited…and waited. Hark! Their ears perked at the sound of the last call to board their plane. Whew! They made it!
The plane landed safely in this far-off land, and Jana and Caryn quickly gathered their belongings to start their brave journey. After being informed numerous times that someone would be awaiting our arrival and holding a sign with our beautiful names written on it, the reality of having no one to greet us was confusing and disappointing. After ten offers for getting our shoes shined (the girls were wearing crocs and flip-flops), fifty offers for a taxi to our destination, eight hundred lusting eyes looking us over, two short phone conversations with the school, one bag of peanut M&Ms, and four hours of waiting in a disgustingly filthy, uncomfortable, crowded, foreign airport, Jana and Caryn were finally picked up by the a taxi driver sent from the school.
The ride to their new home was thrilling and frightful, but fine. One wouldn’t believe a bus could fit in all the places that this one squeezed through. It was impressive!
In this distant land there are countless green trees, and plants. The new place is surrounded by mountains/volcanoes, which make it lovely. The reckless driver took the charming females through shady neighborhoods, bright buildings, and disheartening poverty. Then, he pressed the brake to drop us off at the host family’s place. The girls’ nerves were shot from the day’s happenings, but hope remained within them. Through the open door they did not enter a house, but a courtyard of flourishing plants and chirping birds. The house just seems to be a part of the outdoors. The place would be a typical home one sees everyday if it had an outside wall, but it doesn’t, so it isn’t ordinary at all. Jana and Caryn were given a pleasant blue room in which to stay, and the “house mom” made them feel as comfortable as she possibly could.
At this point, the difficulties the girls experienced throughout the day were almost worth it, just to live in this beautiful home. But, their time in the foreign land has not yet ended. And the rest of the adventure will wait until another day.
The day of the flight to the distant country arrived, and the two girls met at the airport (each having had less than three hours of sleep). Sweet Caryn had difficulty going through security because apparently it is the end of the world if mascara, lip gloss, saline solution, etc. enter the airport. This innocent one was a threat to the world, and the cruel security guard practically accused her of being an enemy to the country. After being threatened to lose the privilege of flying far, far away, Caryn attempted to pass through the evil security line again. Whew! She made it!
The two young ladies anxiously awaited their flight. They waited…and waited…and waited. Hark! Their ears perked at the sound of the last call to board their plane. Whew! They made it!
The plane landed safely in this far-off land, and Jana and Caryn quickly gathered their belongings to start their brave journey. After being informed numerous times that someone would be awaiting our arrival and holding a sign with our beautiful names written on it, the reality of having no one to greet us was confusing and disappointing. After ten offers for getting our shoes shined (the girls were wearing crocs and flip-flops), fifty offers for a taxi to our destination, eight hundred lusting eyes looking us over, two short phone conversations with the school, one bag of peanut M&Ms, and four hours of waiting in a disgustingly filthy, uncomfortable, crowded, foreign airport, Jana and Caryn were finally picked up by the a taxi driver sent from the school.
The ride to their new home was thrilling and frightful, but fine. One wouldn’t believe a bus could fit in all the places that this one squeezed through. It was impressive!
In this distant land there are countless green trees, and plants. The new place is surrounded by mountains/volcanoes, which make it lovely. The reckless driver took the charming females through shady neighborhoods, bright buildings, and disheartening poverty. Then, he pressed the brake to drop us off at the host family’s place. The girls’ nerves were shot from the day’s happenings, but hope remained within them. Through the open door they did not enter a house, but a courtyard of flourishing plants and chirping birds. The house just seems to be a part of the outdoors. The place would be a typical home one sees everyday if it had an outside wall, but it doesn’t, so it isn’t ordinary at all. Jana and Caryn were given a pleasant blue room in which to stay, and the “house mom” made them feel as comfortable as she possibly could.
At this point, the difficulties the girls experienced throughout the day were almost worth it, just to live in this beautiful home. But, their time in the foreign land has not yet ended. And the rest of the adventure will wait until another day.
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