The Mercedes Benz´s of Guatemala

Well, I had my first chicken bus experience yesterday. The ¨chicken buses¨ are literally old school buses like those we rode as children (and I do believe they are actually from the U.S.), but painted wildly with crazy bright colors. Some say things, usually having to do with Jesus; I´ve seen others that have a fake Mercedes decal the size of a basketball on the back of the bus. The Mercedes Benz of Guatemala. Sweet, I´m riding in style here. Chicken buses are famous for offering their patrons wild rides, whether through the streets or through the mountains. Although yesterdaý´s ride was quite calm and uneventful, the bus drivers are still crazy as they zoom around the streets, barely stopping to let passengers on before accelerating again. The buses yesterday were relatively empty, and there were no live chickens or other animals (hence the appointed name). Oftentimes these buses (just take a moment to recall how little room there was on your 2nd grade school bus) are so jam-packed full of people that there are three to a seat, sometimes more if there are children involved. This is in addition to the people crowding the aisle--and don´t forget the chickens! I can´t wait to have my first true chicken bus experience.


I also waded through my first real market in a little village outside of Xela called Salcaja. Standing on average at least a foot taller than the majority of individuals around me, I was truly enjoying the moment. Magnificently colored and patterned cloth, baskets full of produce or beans or dried shrimp, it was a sight to see! However, I think my favorite part was being surrounded by the indigenous Mayan women there. Their dress is unlike anything anywhere else in the world...

After strolling through the market we headed to an old church (the oldest in Central America according to my Spanish teacher, but it´s definitely possible I misunderstood what he was saying--it was in Spanish, after all). Either way, it was built in the early 1500s. I can´t believe I was standing next to such a beautiful structure that is 500 years old! Our next stop was in a small building that I think was actually somebody´s home, but where there were two men weaving some type of Mayan fabric on top of the roof (rooster with a string tied to his leg and dove in a small cage on the roof included). We got to sit and observe these men weave a beautifully patterned black, white, purple, teal and gold fabric using their ¨machines.¨ Whoever had the brains to figure out how to construct a machine strictly from wood that would produce such detailed designs using various colors was a genius! On the way out, we were given the pleasure of tasting a homemade alcohol (rum, fruit and sugar that had formented for 5 months prior)--and we got to eat the apples, cherries and plums that came straight from the bottle! It was extremely strong, but quite delicious nonetheless.

Monday night I had my favorite dinner yet, probably only because it didn´t contain chicken or beans, but I´ll take it! It was as simple as this: three crisp round yellow corn tortillas slightly larger than the size of the palm of my hand (like a large corn chip!), each with a different spread (salsa, guacemole and a black bean dip--okay, so there were beans), and each with one ring of white onion on top. Refreshingly delicious. Dinner and breakfast usually also consist of coffee and some type of bread from a nearby bakery that is supposed to be the best in town. I have yet to make it there to see for myself, but soon, very soon... Oh, and I am going to promplty remove milk from my diet again. Now I remember why it wasn´t part of it to begin with... not that you wanted to know that. While I´m on the topic of food--some of you know just how much I do love food--today´s lunch was chow mein! Haha, I ate home cooked stir fried noodles, veggies, meat and soy sauce in Guatemala. Again, a nice change of pace.

When going to school and staying with a host family, families are required to provide students with three meals per day, usually 6 or 7 days per week depending on the school. My days usually go as follows: I wake up around 6:30 and if it´s a shower day (I am doing the every other day thing here), then I fight my way for bathroom time in a household of around 8 people. If I get lucky on a shower day, I get a nice, refreshing cold shower. I am not talking luke warm like we might consider in the States as a ¨cold¨ shower; I am talking cold!!! Then, it´s to the kitchen table for some cornflakes, coffee and pan. Class begins at 8am, I get a half hour break at 10:30, then class resumes until 1pm when I then walk back home (about a 10 minute walk) for lunch. My afternoons usually consist of either studying a bit in my room, sitting in a cafe somewhere back near the park, using the internet, or just sitting in the central park people watching. It gets dark here around 7-7:30pm and dinner is at 7pm, so I am back home by then and usually in for the night. This is a safe place during the day to wander alone, but I am told being out alone past 8:30pm is not a good idea, so I don´t do that :)

What about my Spanish language skills? Today was my fifth day of actually Spanish class, and although I am nowhere near capable of making comlete sentences without some type of error in them, I am actually quite surpised at what I can do after such a small amount of time. Thinking about how much I have learned completely reinforces what everybody already knows is true--living in a place that speaks the language is the only way to go.

More sights and sounds: Small men in banks and jewelry stores looking mean holding their large guns. ADORable children with ADORable smiles. Trucks and vans that drive by either blasting some intense Latin music or speaking words I don´t understand on a loudspeaker straight from the vehicle. Automobiles, motorcycles and buses that drive so fast through in the streets that you are immediately aware of the fact that pedestrians here do not have the right of way. Constant honking from those automobiles, motorcycles and buses at each intersection, letting everybody else know that they do not plan on slowing down. More fireworks at all times of the morning, day and night. Mayan women in their traditional dress... wearing heels. Well, at least the clunky-type...

Time to be on my way. After all, the sun is shining here so I need to take advantage of another rainless day!

Ciao!