Life in Guatemala

I decided it would probable be a good idea to tell you a little about life here in Guatemala.  First of all, it is a very beautiful country.  I am living in Antigua, a town full of ruins from the colonial days of Guatemala.  The streets are cobblestone, making for very bumpy rides.  People who do not have cars travel by chicken buses (literally) or by the very abundant elaborately decorated school buses.  These are usually packed beyond capacity.  All along hte streets of Antigua are many vendors, selling everything from traditional Guatemalan clothing to candy, papaya, and all kinds of other "stuff!"  

I live on 7ma. Calle Oriente, No. 29, and it is just a two minute walk to the school where I have Spanish classes, La Union.  There are a quite a few people in my language school,  but it is just many of many throughout the town.  Antigua is a very popular spot for tourists, some here for a while, others just passing through as they tour around Latin America.   Subsequently, many of these tourists are taking language classes so that they can better communicate with the locals.  The schools also provide opportunities for building community among the students.  la Union sponsors various "actividades" so that we have opportunities to improve our language abilities as well as learn more about the culture.  

As one walks along hte streets, it is amazing the number of tourist who are here from all over the world.  Things are especially busy now because people are here in anticipation of "Semana Santa"-Holy Week.  Easter is a big deal here in Antigua and thousands will flock to the city for the Semana Santa celebrations, in particular the processions.  Every Sunday there are now processions during "Cuaresma," Lent.  These offer a prelude to what will happen during Semana Santa.  A major part of the processions -and one of the reasons so many people come to Antigua during this time, are the "alfombras."  These are made with colored sand and sawdust arranged into beautiful designs and them sprayed with water to keep them from blowing away in the wind.  Each home or business on the streets through which the processions pass, will create an alfombra in the road in front of their home for the procession to pass over.  The designs are very elaborate and can be quite big, sometimes taking up the road for an entire block.  I am told that on Holy Thursday my language school will be creating an alfombra and all the students are invited to participate in its creation.  If I don't have to be at the project working, I hope to take part.

Because of the influx of people during this time, and especially Semana Santa, many local leave town.  The police have also set up check points at all entrances to the town and they charge a tax to enter to all who are not residents of Antigua.  This has proved to be a big money maker for the town.  However, many residents have mixed feeling about it:  It ties up traffic, but also, they are not so sure where the money is going.   

Just being here a week, I have heard a lot about corruption in the government and other policies and practices that seem unfair or unjust.  For example, there are many poor people living at the Guatemala City dump (where I will do my volunteer work).  The people there earn what little money they can by collecting those items that can be recycled (milk jugs, cardboard, tin) and selling them to companies.  Not only do they not make much money for their work (less than $1 dollar for two days of work to fill one large bag) they must pay the municipal workers in order to "work" in the "basureo," dump.  The municipality has set a clinic and day care for the people, but again, they are charged for the services.  As a result many of hte people go without medical treatment, and children who are able to walk are also workers along side their parents.  

Another point of irritation is the new power plant at the foot of the Pacayo Volcano.  Electricity is generated using the underground heat of the Volcano.  The plant was built with donations from Israel, and the energy is used to power Mexico and El Salvador, not Guatemala.

The other interesting thing about Antigua (I do not know yet if the same holds true for Guatemala City) is the number of United States expatriates living here.  It is quite astonishing. Many came for vacation or as part of trying to figure out what to do with their life and ended up remaining.  Some are here until their money runs out, others have made a life here, have married and are raising (bilingual) children.  In fact, the majority of the people in my language school are people in their twenties who are searching for something in life.  At this point, all of the people whom I have met who are also here to volunteer with Camino Seguro are teenagers and people in their twenties.  I am the "old lady" of the volunteers, and even the paid staff. Most of the volunteer staff and paid staff are "estadounidodenos" (US citizens) in their twenties.

These are just some of the tidbits that I have learned in my first week.  As the weeks pass, and I learn more about "Life in Guatemala," I will share my findings with you.