Our Trip to Guatemala Part III: San Jorge

In my first two installments, I talked about our preparations for the trip, arriving in Guatemala, traveling to Panajachel, and then the start of our day with Mayan Families. I left off as we were driving back from Tierra Linda, on our way to San Jorge. And here we go…

San Jorge is built on a valley above Lake Atitlan. We had seen it from the overlook earlier that morning. Now, after passing back through the busy town of Solola, we drove down a small road, past simple houses into the dusty heart of San Jorge. Paths twist and turn and go uphill from the center of town, which is a large dirt square bordered by an old church, a volunteer fire station, and some small shops. I imagine this area could be used for many things: a market, a parking lot, a gathering space. When we arrived, the item of excitement was parked in front of the church: a green truck filled with concrete blocks and bags of cement mix.

We got out of the van, and Julio introduced us to some of the women of the town, including the officers of their women's group. They were quite a feast for the eyes with all of their multi-colored guipiles and cortes. The women thanked us for what Mayan Families was doing in San Jorge. Then they went to the truck, and each took a block or bag of cement on top of their head and started carrying them away, while we started on our tour.


As we started walking, I noticed there were two buildings near the square that had curtains hanging half-way from the corrugated roof to the ground. Beneath the curtains, I saw stools and little legs and feet. As it turns out, these were video game arcades. I'm not sure what the deal was with those. Are those kids not in school? I don't know. At any rate, an arcade was not something I had expected to see here.

Julio took us to the site of the new San Jorge community center, which is, I believe, where those building materials were heading. At that point, it was just barely an outlined construction site. A lot of work is yet to be done. However, I wonder how much farther along it is already.

We got to see the room where the sewing classes take place. As I understand it, it is a room Mayan Families rents from one of the local women. While the room is small and sparely furnished with old tables and chairs, the walls are lined with windows, letting in light and hope to accompany these sewing machines.

And on we went. Julio led us uphill on narrow paths to more of the town. We stopped at a house that Mayan Families had helped rebuild. Apparently, it had been very bad before. Now it is made of cement blocks with a sound roof that won't let the rain in.


We got to go into the kitchen and see an Onil stove in use. The kitchen was really tiny and rather dark. Michael and I remarked at how it made our two person-maximum occupancy apartment kitchen in Union City seem like luxury. However, for down here, this was definitely a step up. The kitchen is a separate room, and the Onil stove allows for much cleaner, healthier air than the traditional cooking setups. And don't forget about the strong roof over their heads.

It really gave me pause to think. Here I had been complaining about the fact that our stove is half-size and won't fit our roast pan or cookie sheets, and that we only have a foot of counter space, and that when our dog tries to come in when both of us are in the kitchen, we can't even open the refrigerator door. But we have running water right there, refrigeration, multiple safe, hygienic ways of cooking, bright lighting, and clean places to store our dishes. Need is very relative.

After visiting the house, we headed up to the school, following the many children. On the path right outside the school, there were older girls and women selling snacks to the kids, including pieces of brightly colored fresh fruit in narrow, clear plastic bags. If only we had had THAT at school when I was a kid! That would have made healthy snacking so much more fun.

We entered the gates of San Jorge's school and found ourselves face to face with the lime green colored buildings and the masses of playing children. The kids seemed very excited to see us, and they all wanted to have their pictures taken. After I clicked my camera, they clamored to see their faces on the display.


Julio showed us where the playground was going to be built. At that point, it was a dusty lot next to one of the school buildings with a pile of logs on the side. I know now it is already a working playground with lots of fun equipment, thanks to Amber and Ryan, Mayan Families donors. Amazing how much can change in just a few weeks or less!

The main impression I got from seeing the school was how happy these kids were. I couldn't help but be buoyed up by their joy. Despite the surroundings that I'm sure most everyone I know in the US would consider abject poverty, these were the happiest people I had seen in years, maybe ever, certainly never in New York. You never see large groups of happy people. It made me realize how sad it can be to be caught up in our very important lives in the States. I walk on Fifth Avenue every work day, but I never get the sense of fulfillment and happiness as I did that day in Guatemala.

However, I don't want to oversimplify this. On our way out of town, I saw some children outside of homes, and I remembered that not every child attends school. And even those who do attend do not always have food to eat, or they may have an abusive parent. I believe there is a happiness that is native to a life that is rich with simple pleasures, and there is a happiness that comes when hope is introduced, as with the Mayan Families projects. While we saw happiness, there was also pain and sadness that we did not see. Although the happiness made me feel so good, I cannot forget what else is out there.

We left the school and the kids, and walked back down towards the square.

On the way, we passed a classroom that houses the overflow from the school. San Jorge's facilities eventually will be built up further, so the students who are currently in the satellite classroom will be with the rest of the school. However, at least there are some creature comforts now. Mayan Families has built restrooms nearby – designated "Adan y Eva", or Adam for the boys and Eve for the girls!

When we got back to the square, the women were still busy with unloading the truck, and the square itself had turned into a gym class for teams of children.

The kids were doing some challenge with cones and soccer balls, and it conjured up memories for me of elementary school.

Then all of the sudden, it seemed like almost all the women in town were there, and they were lined up to sign a notebook on the hood of a pickup truck. I'm not sure what that was all about, but perhaps someone in Mayan Families can enlighten me. Once again, it was the parade of colors and textures of clothing before our eyes.




To the side, an older man came up to Michael and started asking him for money. Julio said he was borracho or drunk and shooed him away. That was the only instance of a drunk we saw on our trip that morning, but you wonder how many are hiding away in the shadows.

It also got me thinking to what happens when the children grow up. I thought of the happy grade school kids we saw and then wondered what their lives would be like once you fast forwarded a few years. What sorts of gender roles are they subconsciously learning right now that will assert themselves as they enter their teenage years and beyond?

There was a lot to think of after this stop. While I had been overwhelmed by beauty in Tierra Linda, I started to see more of reality in the dusty streets of San Jorge. I was ready to go the Mayan Families headquarters and meet Sharon, so I could start putting together the pieces of what is going on in this part of Guatemala and how Mayan Families is making a difference.

We left San Jorge and set off toward Panajachel. Once again, we stopped at the Mirador to look down on Lake Atitlan and see the tiny boats making their epic journeys between the volcanoes.

Our Trip to Guatemala Part II: Panajachel and Tierra Linda

Friday, April 11, 2008

It was a beautiful morning in Panajachel. Lots of sunshine, although we still couldn't get a clear view of the volcanoes.



Michael and I had breakfast on the patio at Hotel Atitlan and started with slices of delicious, fresh papaya, mango, pineapple, and melon on Fiestaware plates. Michael had the typical breakfast, which was kind of like huevos rancheros. I had read that Guatemalan food is similar to Mexican. One difference I noticed was that the black beans are refried and are paste-like in consistency. I normally don't drink coffee, but I sipped some of Michael's and had to agree that it was very satisfying and strong.


We had already experienced "Guatemalan time" that morning. The night before, we had asked for a wakeup call at 7:00. It was a good thing I woke up ahead of time and started getting ready because when they finally gave us the call, it was 7:20. Sharon had told us that Julio, one of the Mayan Families workers, would be picking us up in a van at 8:30. Imagine our surprise, once we were back in our room after breakfast, when the phone rang right at 8:30, saying our van was here!

This was an amazing day when all sorts of things in the universe clicked and small miracles were possible. You know about my nauseousness on the drive to Pana. Despite the fact that we traversed all manner of windy roads on our drive with Julio, not once did I feel the least bit motion sick. And somehow, despite an almost complete lack of practice since my language course in April 2002, I was able to understand and converse in Spanish with Julio. My husband had taken a crash course with Rosetta Stone, and he was doing even better than me!

But back to the trip. We – Michael, myself, Julio, the driver, and a boy who was along for a ride into a nearby town – started up the mountain road above Hotel Atitlan. They stopped at the Mirador (scenic viewpoint) for us to take pictures looking down on the lake.


Unfortunately, it was too hazy to get much of a good shot. But you still got the idea of the beauty of the volcanoes and lake you were beholding. Julio pointed out San Jorge, which we would visit later. Our first stop was Tierra Linda.

To get there, we drove through Solola. On the way, they stopped at a point in the road that looked out onto a cemetery in the distance.


The graves were brightly colored and stacked on top of each other. It was almost like a little city. We took some pictures and moved on. On the way, Julio pointed out some of the traditional clothing that people wore, and he told us that his native language was Kakchiquel. He is originally from Pana, but the driver was from one of the towns around the lake.


Even though we were at a higher altitude than I probably ever had been, and also despite the breathing problems I had seen my doctor about the week before, I had no troubles breathing in the clean, refreshing air, especially as we headed more into the country. As we drove along, I saw pilas, as I had read about them on Mayan Families Connection. I saw women washing clothes and one washing her hair at these outdoor sinks. I noticed the different kinds of guipiles (blouses) that the women wore and remembered how they are representative of the different areas of Guatemala.

As we approached Tierra Linda, we traveled on less developed roads and went down some extremely steep switchbacks. We stopped at a point overlooking the valley where Tierra Linda is. Julio pointed out the school courtyard, which we could make out clearly, even from this height. This area truly lives up to its name: beautiful earth.



Then we drove down to get to the town itself. As we drove in, we saw homes made with adobe, which Julio told us was very typical for this area. This was what we in the US often imagine of when we think of poverty: tiny, one room houses with corrugated tin roofs, dirt paths, and maybe some bits of junk in the yard, like empty soda bottles. I know there are places in the world that are much worse than this, but it did seem a bit like walking into one of those Sally Struthers commercials from the 80s.


But it was very different than that. Rather than just feeling pity, I felt a sense of strength and connection. The reason we were here was because of the great work that Mayan Families is doing in this town. I saw beauty in the land around us, and I could sense the latent hope of the people.

Julio took us to the school. It must have been recess because all the kids seemed to be outside and playing in the courtyard. Loud music broadcast, and it honestly looked like a lot of fun.


Julio showed us the kitchen, where the mothers were cooking lunch. We saw one of the classrooms, where Mayan Families had replaced the roof. It used to leak inside and get muddy in the rainy season.



The classrooms were small and had a jumble of posters on the walls, some art projects on the floors, and papers stacked in the corners.




I can imagine some of the difficulties of teaching and learning in this kind of environment. We never saw class in session, so I don't know how many children had to fit in each class. But at least it was a start. And each classroom had a water filter that I had seen pictured on the Mayan Families website.


I had put a pencil case full of glittery pencils and brightly colored pens in my shoulder bag. But, as Michael reminded me, there were so many kids – I didn't have enough to give each one something. Julio had introduced us to the school's director, who told us through word and gesture how grateful he was for Mayan Families' help. I had a difficult time understanding the director's rapid Spanish, but I understood the message he was trying to get across. So I presented him with my humble offering – the red and gold silky case which had been one of very many Christmas presents I had received over the years, filled with some pencils and pens I had carefully collected back in the US. He thanked me greatly for it.

It truly was something so small that wound up meaning so much. I wanted to give more. However, I pledged to myself that I will contribute money this year to this school. And also, something about this gesture felt so right and personal. The pencil case was something I had for years and felt a part of me. Here I was giving something of myself to them. It doesn't always have to be a big or splashy gift to make a difference. I was reminded in a brand new way of the meaning of "it's the thought that counts."




We took some more pictures at the school and saw the plaque on the wall dedicated to Mayan Families.


Afterwards, Julio showed us the site where the community center is being built. Nothing like that exists currently in Tierra Linda. It will take a while to build, but it will open up all kinds of doors once it is finished.



There was a typical little convenience store along what is their main street, and Michael and I bought bottled water to stave off the effects of the sun rising in the sky. I looked around at the green mountains above and the children running in the streets. It was so beautiful. I tried to take it all in and then got back into the van.


On our way back, I made sure the window next to me was open wide enough, so I could breathe in the air deeply. Young women and children looked at me, the gringa, in the van as we passed by. I took a leap in my own mind and waved at a few I saw. After a little hesitation, perhaps, they waved back. I let myself smile a little bit and then bigger and bigger, and they smiled back. I tried it with the next little girl we passed. And the same thing happened. It was amazing for a New Yorker like me. The magic of being able to wave and smile at people you didn't know, each of us perhaps a bit in awe of the other's differentness from what we know. And the happiness that ensued. It was amazing. Truly amazing.

Our Trip to Guatemala Part I: Background and Preparation

***This is a revised version of what I wrote on Mayan Families Connection, spiced up with pictures and links!***

My husband, Michael, and I went down Thursday, April 10 and returned Monday, April 14. A very short trip, I know – but we will be back!

Here is a description of what happened, peppered with some tips and advice for those of you who are coming down soon.

-Background-
This was the first time either of us had been to Guatemala. We had actually made the decision to travel there last December, before we knew about Mayan Families. Our original plans had called for four days in Antigua. But once I found out about Mayan Families in my research for the trip and then started getting involved, we rescheduled to have two nights in Panajachel and two nights in Antigua.

-Preparation-
Sharon from Mayan Families was extremely kind in organizing a van for us from the airport, and she had Anna help us get reservations at Hotel Atitlan in Pana.

Michael and I prepared for the trip by gathering together as many donations as we could fit into our carry-on-sized luggage, including some presents for our sponsored students' families. We could only use carry-on luggage because we had an extremely tight connection on the return trip, so we would not have had time to wait for checked bags. If you're in a similar situation, you might want to bring things down in a suitcase that you can leave there in Guatemala.

We didn't have many special travel preparations. We brought down some US dollars, but we also used ATM machines in Guatemala to take out Quetzales. I used my PacSafe CitySafe shoulder bag, which is slashproof and tamperproof (you can find it on REI.com, among other places). Michael and I also left our regular wedding bands at home and wore inexpensive bands we use for travel (we got ours at e-weddingbands.com). I love wearing my Royal Robbins nylon zip-off cargo pants. Not the most fashionable, but you can wear these things for days without them getting too dirty. The pockets are big enough to fit your camera, water bottle, small guidebook, and all sorts of other stuff. One pocket both zippers and velcroes for extra security. I got these a few years ago as a gift, so I don't know if you can still find them. However, if you can find a pair of pants with the qualities I have mentioned, they are worth their weight in gold! A money belt is also essential for any kind of foreign travel.

-Arrival-
The Guatemala City airport is brand new, but it is still not completed. Keep this in mind for when you are leaving, so do not expect to find many shops/places to eat here. In particular, there is no place to buy reading materials, so get your newspaper in town or from one of the newspaper boys selling them just outside security.

That being said, the airport is very clean. If you stop to use the restroom (a good idea, since it is a three hour drive to Pana), you will have your first encounter with how toilet paper is disposed of. Given the fragile nature of much of Latin American plumbing, toilet paper is discarded in a waste basket – NOT in the toilet. The good news is that toilets always have waste baskets next to them. The bad news is that they aren't always emptied as often as you would like. But you'll get used to it. Another word of advice is to carry a bit of toilet paper – or at least a packet of tissues – with you at all times. Not all restrooms are good about keeping their stalls supplied. Don't get caught empty-handed!

After we got our luggage, we were waved through customs. It seemed they were only stopping some of the native Guatemalans. Once we walked through the door, we found hundreds of people waiting outside. Various men asked us if we needed a ride, but we said no and then saw the man holding a sign with my name on it. The man was wearing indigenous dress with a cowboy hat. Wow, I thought, we're really in Guatemala. We walked a short distance to a van where the driver was waiting for us. After loading our luggage, we got in and started the journey out of Guatemala City.

-The journey to Panajachel-
The first twenty minutes or so after the airport were extremely interesting. What did we see but all sorts of US chains, including McDonalds, Little Caesar's, Taco Bell, and, of all things, Hooters! We also saw huge franchises of Guatemala's favorite chicken place, Pollo Campero. It was a bizarre mixture of places we knew and yet in an environment that had a very different feel than home. We saw some women walking along the side of the road in guipiles and cortes, and we saw others in Western clothes.

After a while, we finally got into the countryside. On the way, we saw examples of desperate living situations we would see throughout our trip. Of course, there were also billboards for exclusive gated communities. The disparity between rich and poor was clear.


We stopped at a gas station to fill up the tank, and Michael and I took the opportunity to get out Quetzales at the ATM and buy bottled water. I saw a family in traditional clothing eating hot dogs by the concession area. Who knew that hot dogs were a big thing down here?

After driving for a while, we got to the "exciting" part of the trip. This is where I will need Michael to recount what happened. I, personally, get motion sick, and I had forgotten to take Bonine or Dramamine before the trip. So I closed my eyes and put my head down. If you are like me and you want to see the ride (that is a big IF), don't forget your meds or acupressure bracelets!

Michael writes: The road from Guatemala City to Panajachel, once you've left the outskirts of the city, is not for the faint of heart, nor, really, for foreigners to try to drive on. The steeply mountainous terrain, combined with the difficulty in building bridges in a seismically active country, means countless steep ascents and descents, numerous very tight switchbacks, and some of the most stunning views imaginable. Guatemala appears to have some sort of ban on guardrails, resulting in some truly heart-stopping turns overlooking thousand-foot near vertical drops, with nothing but the driver's skill to keep the car on the narrow road. Don't try this in a rental car – leave the driving to the locals! And pay no attention to the speedometer – it's best you don't know.

Holly again: The driver told us we were getting close, so I picked my head up to see the last leg of the journey. I couldn't believe the local mode of transportation I saw. There, in the back of an old pick up truck, about 10 indigenous people were standing, holding onto a metal rail in the center. No seats, no seatbelts, no nothing! And those trucks were speeding around the same switchbacks as we were.

-Arrival in Panajachel-
We finally rolled into the town of Panajachel. I saw storefronts and restaurants and the famous tuk-tuks. We had to drive about a mile out of town to our hotel. And there it was – the great Lake Atitlan. I first saw it from the hill above our hotel. Unbelievably beautiful…despite the fact that we had an overcast day.



Hotel Atitlan is not inexpensive; however, we were only staying two nights, so we decided to treat ourselves. And was it ever worth it! Michael and I were living in the most densely populated city in the US, and we have very little contact with grass, trees, and birds other than pigeons. This hotel was a feast for our soul! It has acres of the most beautiful gardens, a lake view to die for, and wonderful little details, such as all the unique decorations (colonial antiques, Mayan handicrafts, and more), the free range parrots, and the three little Schih-tzu dogs that wander around. All the rooms have lake-view balconies, and there is an infinity-edge Jacuzzi overlooking the lake.




After exploring the grounds, we stopped by the jacuzzi to have a drink and soak our weary feet. It was heaven!



We took a tuk-tuk into town for dinner, and then went to bed early, so we would be ready for the day of adventure with Mayan Families that awaited us!!!

Finally

This is the first weekend since the beginning of April in which I'm not moving and I'm not traveling. Michael is off sailing, so I will have plenty of time to finally update this blog. Stay tuned!

We're now officially living in our condo!

So, we finally got everything out of the old apartment, and now our only home is our condo. Exciting! Now it's time to unpack lots and lots of stuff. I'm a little scared. Our dining room is completely filled with boxes and bags.

But we've got a mini-housewarming get-together tomorrow with our neighbors in the building. So we've got to get moving! I'm going to start making sangria shortly. Mmmm.

Finally making headway!

So, we are moved into our new home! Not completely, but we are almost there. We have slept at the new condo since Tuesday night. Tomorrow we gather up the last of the stuff from the old apartment and hand over the keys.

Tonight was amazingly and unexpectedly fun. We were back at the old place, doing the seemingly impossible of collecting up some of the last odds and ends that had somehow multiplied. There were a bunch of things we needed to get rid of, since there is just not enough room in the condo, and also since we had gotten some upgrades. We were going to try to have a mini-garage sale, but we ran out of time for that. So, instead, we brought the things down to the curb.

Now, our old apartment is in an extremely densely populated and lower income area. When we started bringing down the old surround sound system, iron, blender, and more, people walking by were unsure what was going on. We put them at the curb and went up to get more stuff. When we came down, laden with bags of magazines, a filing cabinet, an old alarm clock, and some pillows, we saw some people were looking at what we had already put out. They kind of jumped away when we came out, but I tried to communicate that they should go ahead. Please take whatever you like. For the life of me, I couldn't remember how I could say something like that in Spanish, since they did not seem to understand my English. Michael then said it was "gratis." So they got the picture.

We kept running up and down the stairs with more things. Each time I came down and saw more people looking through the stuff, I was further energized. There was one family who stayed outside and waited to see what else we would bring down. One little girl was posted at the door to let everyone know that we were coming down with "Mas" or "more." She and her sister quickly rumaged through every bag we brought down.

The family couldn't believe we were giving all this stuff away. The mother asked through her daughter why it was. I told her it was because we were moving to a smaller apartment and didn't have room. She thanked me very much for giving it away.

Upstairs, Michael and I talked about how happy this made us. If we would have sold the stuff, we probably would have made a few dollars that wouldn't have made a big difference in our lives. However, these things could really help out some of the people in our neighborhood for whom buying certain things is a challenge. And besides, it was fun! The people who walked by weren't expecting to find this. It was like Christmas in May! And we certainly felt the giddiness of being like Santa Claus. It was a great way to bring an end to our time in the neighborhood.

Crazy May

This month has been absolutely insane. It started out with some very unfortunate events at my job which continue to have an impact on my day-to-day work. Then Michael and I went to Minnesota for a family reunion. I came back and went right down to Washington, DC for work. I got back from that, and two days later, I went to Chicago to visit my brother - a visit that was planned before we had any idea we would be buying a condo. This past week, we have been working like crazy on the new place. This weekend holds a baptism for the child of friends of ours. And we've still got to pack up the old place and finish painting the new in a week's time!

Ack! I have been dying to update this blog, but I honestly have had no time. Once June comes, it will be a different story. You WILL be hearing from me! Please bear with me.

Where I've been

Ack! Things have been crazy. Michael and I just got back at 2am from a family reunion weekend in Minnesota, and in another hour or so, I'm off to a business trip in Washington, DC. Our condo walls are going to have to wait some more to get finished. I can't wait till things quiet down, so I can do lots of updating on Guatemala!