Kids, Caves, Pools and Pristine Water!

As I write this, I realize I have been here for four months! Sometimes I feel like I’ve been here for a long time and then other times it feels like yesterday when we were doing the camp before school and I was just meeting all the kids. It’s so weird to think that they were all strangers to me. I’ve gotten to know the students so well and it’s amazing to think back to those times. I am so lucky to have found a little place in their lives. It makes me feel special :)

After an exciting and busy month of April with bimester exams and Semana Santa, the students at Escuela Chu’ul and Panul have started training for athletic competitions that will happen in the middle of June. All the schools will compete for trophies and the bragging rights to be the top teams in soccer and basketball. They are all taking it really seriously and I hope that they succeed! As I said in a past post, there is some serious talent here and I know they will give all the teams a run for their money! Another exciting happening is the start of pen pal programs with two schools, one in my very own Jackson, WY and another in Bury St. Edmunds, England. The fifth and sixth grade classes will be writing back and forth with students from the two schools and the sixth graders will also be creating a video to send to the school in Jackson, which they are really excited about. I think it will be a really interesting and rewarding experience for all the schools. Just as I’ve learned while teaching here in Santiago, I think the kids will learn as well that they really aren’t so different from one another and that though thousands of miles may separate them, they could just as well be neighbors laughing, playing and learning from one another.

It’s been really exciting to see the progress all my students have made in English and computer class. We are now starting on Powerpoint presentations and the kids are working with the program successfully. It’s great to see how they have come from just doing basic word documents. Also, we have started doing some verb conjugations and the kids are starting to make more complicated phrases. They have a true curiosity for the English language and are always asking me how to say things. In return, they are trying to teach me a little Tz’utujil. It’s fun being able to learn a few phrases here and there, though the pronunciation is really challenging. I think it’s nice to have the students see that it’s difficult for anyone to learn any type of language and that it is natural to have some difficulties sometimes but at the same time, it’s not impossible! They can do it and so can I! 

Recently, the coolest new trend at Panul and Chu’ul is the globo, which is a blow up map of the world that was left over from camp. One day I decided to play with it with some of the kids at Chu’ul. As I’m sure I’ve mentioned, recess gets quite loco and there are basket and soccer balls flying in all directions. I thought the soft globo would at least be a little less invasive if it accidently came in contact with a child’s face (which has happened on multiple occasions). It turned out to be a complete success and everyone was so happy to slap it around and play keep away. It basically became a school-wide game and I loved the fact that everyone was playing together, young and old. I took one to Panul and it came up with the same success rate! I also find it fun to sneak in a few geography lessons here and there. All the students know where Wyoming is on the map now (which is saying more than a lot of people in the states, ha)! I never thought I would dedicate a part of my blog to a blow up ball, but it has seriously had such an impact on the kids I thought I would share. It also makes you think of how something so little can make someone so happy. I’d like to think that’s what I’m doing here, small things that make an impact on the kids. In the states we also have bags of balls and no one ever gives it a second thought. Here, a little plastic ball has so much love! Good choice Liz and Paula!

I was fortunate enough to visit two absolutely beautiful places this month! My friends and I took a weekend trip to Semuc Champey and I met a friend in Belize for a long weekend. I will begin with Semuc Champey, which is the name of a bridge of limestone pools and small waterfalls over the Cahabón River.

I had heard about people going to Semuc Champey but never saw it as a reality to go because it is so hard to get to! When I found out some of my friends were going, I knew I couldn’t say no and that the distance would be worth it. What we read was correct, however. The roads were incredibly bumpy and curvy and it seemed like we were driving into the middle of nowhere for forever on gravel roads. We finally arrived at 1am after leaving really early in the morning. Maggie and Ciara were put in a loft where we stayed, which was above our room in the open air. Unfortunately, their room was apparently the hip cockroach hang out on Friday nights and they were welcomed by some unwanted guests!

We woke up the next day to a beautiful blue sky. The place where we stayed consisted of cabins on stilts settled in the mountains near a river. It was an absolutely idyllic location. We joined a tour and after riding through beautiful mountain roads in pickups we started off the day with a cave adventure. We all took candles and trekked in the caves, swimming, scaling small waterfalls and generally having a mesmerizing, adrenaline filled adventure.

I’d never done anything like it and the cool, dark caves were the perfect setting for an epic start to the day.

After a few hours, we went tubing down the turquoise colored river. The beautiful limestone mountains around us reminded me of pictures of  Thailand. We soaked up the sun and then climbed to the mirador of Semuc Champey. When we saw the first view, it was absolutely stunning. The pools were, excuse my Aladin quote, sparkling, shimmering, splendid. We descended and at the first opportunity jumped into the pools. They were beautiful shades of green and turquoise and it was pure paradise. We all understood what all the hype was about and even after an equally as long trip back, we were all so happy we went.

I just can’t seem to shake my travel bug and when planning to come here I hoped to be able to visit some neighboring countries. I’ve been really blessed to have been able to travel to two other countries and my trip last week to Belize was my third. By doing long weekend trips (only one wasn’t), I haven’t taken too much time off and thankfully sometimes when I have, the kids haven’t had school. I don’t like leaving them but that travel bug gets me! I also think that it’s nice for them to see that, yes I’m a girl and yes, I am able to be independent. I would really love for them to see that there is a larger world out there and they can see it too!  

Central America keeps surprising me with its diversity and my trip last week to Belize was no exception. It was a completely different world than Guatemala! Their national language is English and they speak Creole (a mix of African languages and British and Scottish English) and Garífuna ( which is Afro-Caribbean). A lot of people speak Spanish though, but with an intriguing rasta-esque accent. You can’t go anywhere without hearing reggae beats and I found a lot of enjoyment in being called ‘mon’, acknowledging me like the true rastas they are. There is also a really interesting mix of people, from ladino to afro-Caribbean, Arab and Asian to the large Mennonite communities. Belize City, the largest city, was also completely different than I imagined. It was really small and not city-like at all and had only three stop lights! Even Jackson beats them out (though they might not flash at 10 pm hah). 

My friend Kathy (who I met while studying abroad in Argentina and is a spontaneous, fun, traveling amiga) and I spent our time in the Cayes (Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker), which are little slices of heaven a little over an hour off the coast of Belize. The cayes themselves had really different vibes. Ambergris Caye was much larger and was much more developed and filled with fancy resorts. Caye Caulker was tiny (we biked from one end to another in 10 minutes!) and there were no paved roads, only white sand. It was really neat being able to stay on both and see the comparisons. 

I could go on and on for days about the water. It was absolutely the most amazing color I have ever seen, an eye-watering mosaic of electric turquoise, deep blue and fluorescent emerald. Contrasted with the bleach-white sands and coconut filled palms, I couldn’t think of a more ideal tropical paradise. I kept taking pictures of the water and was frustrated at the fact that I couldn’t capture the color, but now looking at them I think the water looks absolutely stunning, which says a lot. 

The cayes are home to the world’s second largest barrier reef after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and they form a natural guard. You could travel far off the cayes and still see to the bottom because the water was so clear and shallow in some parts and there were only waves in the distance. Kathy and I went snorkeling, which was a must, and I now think snorkeling in any other place will never be the same because we saw so many things. Normally I get excited when I even get to spot a fish, but here colorful fish in all sizes were all around you and in every direction. We swam with the most beautiful sea turtles and giant, graceful spotted eagle rays. We also swam with TONS of nurse sharks! I couldn’t believe how calm I was when they were swimming around me because some of them were so huge but knowing that they don’t hurt humans took all my fear away. Kathy still thinks Belizeans have too much trust in wild creatures :)

We also saw the Mayan ruins of Lamanai. To get there we took a boat up the New River, which was  basically a wildlife safari on water. We saw crocodiles and tons of interesting birds and a monkey even jumped into our boat, which was Kathy’s favorite moment of the trip. The ruins were stunning and due to the fact that it’s hard to get to, there were barely any tourists and we were with the ruins all by ourselves most of the time. The steps to the top were really steep and we had to hold onto a rope to get to the top but the view was spectacular. You could see the river and the vast, palm tree-studded wilderness went on as far as the eye could see. Belize was absolutely stunning in all aspects and we couldn’t have asked for better weather or views. I’ll never forget the color of that water, its blissful image will be forever in my memory. I had so much fun catching up with Kathy and having more adventures together to add to our list. I can’t wait to see what country our paths will cross in next time.

Next weekend I plan on heading to Antigua. Though it’s so close, I still haven’t been there! It’s a gorgeous colonial town with a backdrop of volcanoes and is full of boutique restaurants and hotels. I’m really looking forward to it! Tomorrow the second grade will have their Acto Civico. I was lucky enough to see a little sneak peek and just about melted into a puddle when I saw the sweet little dance they came up with. I can’t get enough of these little cuties!

A super Semana Santa!

Due to the fact that I’ve been a total oso perezoso when it comes to blogging, I have quite a lot to catch up on! Semana Santa in Latin America is a really big deal and here in Santiago it is the busiest and most celebrated holiday of them all. I’d heard so many good things about the happenings here that I was super excited to see what it was all about. Palm Sunday started the week off with a bang! Every year they choose one place to have a huge gathering and lucky for us, Santiago was the happening spot. Thousands upon thousands of people flooded the streets and turned them into a colorful sea of huipils, posters and songs. There was so much action and energy all around, we were mesmerized by the chaotic beauty of it for hours.

Aside from 3+ hour masses, the rest of the week was uneventful until Good Friday came along. And man, was it worth the wait! I have never in my life witnessed something so spectacular. In Guatemala, it is tradition to create alfombras (carpets) on the streets made of dyed sawdust. Santiago in general is a very colorful place, which is one of the things I love most about it, and the carpets made the city look absolutely magical. Groups sign up and each has an allotted space to decorate. The process starts with hand drawing the image with chalk and then the design is filled in with the sawdust, all the while being sprayed with water to solidify the work. I assumed that there would be a few here or there or one street but I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw blocks and blocks of them! There were literally hundreds of carpets created with every color of the rainbow. Each design was unique and it was so fun to see the creativity flowing through Santiago. Later in the afternoon, there was a massive rainstorm. Don’t even get me started on how I despise rain when it ruins events. I was convinced all the alfombras had been washed into gutters :( To my relief, later in the day when the rain stopped and we went back a lot of the carpets were true survivors and weren’t ruined too much! As well, many of the groups started redoing them. As the sun poked out of the post-rain clouds, the main event began: the processions. Starting in the church, men tediously walked with an elaborate casket holding the crucified Jesus inside on their shoulders and continued for 13, yes that’s correct, 13 hours!! It’s a painstakingly slow process in which the men take a couple steps forward and many steps back very, very slowly. In the first hour they were already dripping with sweat and putting on some intense game faces. As the sun went down and we watched with equal enthusiasm as an hour before, incense engulfed the air and candles flickered in the light breeze which made for an eerily beautiful scene. The music that echoed through the plaza, the sheer number of people, the beautiful attire and the richness of it all made for an absolutely unforgettable experience.

Along with the excitement of Semana Santa, I had a lot of other memorable experiences. On Tuesday a group of us hiked up another volcano, Toliman. I will admit, I did vow that I wouldn’t be the first person to sign up again for a hike, but I thought why not?! When will I ever have 3 volcanoes in my backyard ever again? Plus, I hadn’t been hitting the muffin shop as much as in the past (did I mention they cost 15 cents each? Who can blame me) so off we went! We left at 5:30 in the morning to ensure visibility and were up in a couple of hours. At the top was a gigantic crater! It was really impressive. Getting up, there were some really steep, slippery portions (no surprise there) that we all were a little afraid of going down and when the time came, it was crazy! At times, we were basically surfing down the steep path trying not to take out the person in front or crash into trees. We all tried to use braches as support, though sometimes they were a little low on the reliability scale. One time, I grabbed one and broke off an entire hunk which left me laughing hysterically, probably due to the fact I could have almost died (not really, but honesty it was super intense).
On Wednesday, Maggie and I went to visit a family she stayed with in Xela, which is also known as Quetzaltenango. It was my first chicken bus ride! A chicken bus is a recycled American school bus which basically has escaped a mundane, slow-paced, kiddo-toting life to become a massive, more times than not-frightening, speed-racing, music-pumping, colorful road demon. They pack surprising amounts of people on them (chickens sometimes too, hence the name). I had a wonderful time people watching, even though I was riding on only one, numb butt cheek. In an odd reminiscent way, the fumes reminded me of high school sports trips (kind of sad?) haha.

 We arrived in Xela two and a half hours later and made our way to the house. Once we arrived, Doña Marina greeted us. She is the cutest, little old Guatemalan lady and she sat us down immediately for a lunch feast. We ate tamalitos, which are kind of like tamales without the meat, beef, quesadillas fried in egg, mangoes, fresh squeezed blackberry juice and my favorite, pan dormido. Pan dormido is a sweet bread that is eaten during Semana Santa. When asked if I wanted chicharones, I happily responded “si!”, not remembering what they actually were. Bless her soul, Maggie gulped down one and half while I just stared at them, repeating in my head “ahhhhh pig skins!!!!”. After lunch, we went with a few of the kids and Marina to a graveyard. I did a whole project my last semester about how death is perceived in other cultures and had researched Guatemala because their graveyards are really colorful and unique. The graveyard was basically a small city of colorful tombs crawling up the green mountainside. It was truly beautiful. Later, Maggie showed me around the city. We enjoyed churros and poncha de frutas while people watching in the European-esque central square. It felt so different in comparison to Santiago and was really relaxing. We got back to the house before the rain set in and were greeted with homemade hot chocolate and more (!) pan dormido. The lights went out and we sipped by candlelight. It was Marina’s birthday so our next course was chocolate cream cake. My stomach kept yelling at me “no more food!!” but it was all too good. Marina then brought out more tamalitos and fried bananas. Being there was a true food marathon and sadly, I wasn’t able to make it to the finish line because even looking at the tamalitos made my stomach bulge in pain and my pants shrink a little.
 On Thursday it was our friend Liz’s last night in Santiago so we decided to have a night out wearing the traditional traje that women wear here. I have an obsession/addiction to textiles here so I was so excited to wear my own! We met at Liz’s house and were helped by some of her Guatemala friends on how to wear them. The top is called a huipil, which is intricately embroidered in stunning designs. They take months to finish. Here in Santiago it is common to have stripes and birds but it is different around other places in Guatemala, which I think is really cool. You can tell where a woman is from by looking at her huipil. There are huipils in every color, every style and with every sort of embroidery you could imagine. Seeing all the women here is like being in a museum or something, it is so beautiful to look at! Little girls wear the traje as well, which just about makes me the happiest girl alive. They are SO CUTE! As a bottom they wear a corte, which is a long piece of woven material that is wrapped around the body. Lastly, they wear a faja to keep the corte on, which is a belt. Some are embroidered and some are beaded. The tops are slightly baggy and they wear the faja really tight so you have a nice, hourglass figure. It almost felt like a corset! It really keeps you in. We had so much fun wearing them. Out of all the places I’ve traveled, I’ve never seen so many beautiful textiles and crafts. I will never stop singing their praises, Guatemalans do the most amazing work! I’m going to buy a whole outfit but it is the hardest thing. There are way too many options and they are all stunning. How can I ever decide?!

To my dismay, we all have the idea that the rainy season may be starting earlier than usual. The past few weeks have followed the same pattern of being really sunny in the morning and rainy in the afternoon. Normally, the rain hits with force at the beginning of May but who knows.
Two of my closest friends here will be moving out of Milpas at the end of the month :( and I’ll be here alone so I’m going to move into the city with another one of my friends next week. I’m excited to see a different perspective of Santiago. Though I will miss the gardens and everything here a lot, the house in the city is really nice and we will be right in all the action.
This weekend a group of us are going to Semuc Champey, which is a really beautiful place with natural pools, tubing and caves. I’m looking forward to seeing another part of gorgeous Guatemala :)