Home sweet homestay

Following the recommendation of many other travelers we've met along the way, and wanting to explore some places in Guatemala that I had not previously visited, we decided to travel from San Pedro la Laguna to Quetzaltenango. Don't bother re-reading that or trying to pronounce it. Locals would probably give you a quizzical look if it stumbled out of your mouth anyway. Here, and maybe everywhere to the people who know it, it's Xela. No, not the not the sister of Xenu, Scientology prince, but rather pronounced Shell-a or Shay-la. I should definitely know which is the most correct pronunciation especially after spending 10 days there, but I apologize, my phonetic Spanish is still weak.

There are about 16 million people in Guatemala (so I think and have read), and about 1.6 millionish live in Guate (Guatemala City) and then just under a million live in Xela making it the second largest city in Guatemala. Located in the beautiful sprawling mountains (of which Guatemala has many), we lived at over 8000 feet and enjoyed warm days (sometimes) and cool nights. Summer is the rainy season so we often found ourselves cold and wet more than we would prefer. We stayed in Zone 1, a very central district surrounding the plaza principal, that had a small-city feel. We could easily walk to everything we needed and again, navigated the city fairly easily.

In the weeks prior, we discussed to possibility of going to language school and doing a homestay as well but never came to a firm decision. Upon our arrival, we struck out finding a hostel or hotel that we really wanted to be our home for a week. After a somewhat overpriced night at Hostel Don Diego, we decided to check out Utatlan Spanish School. It was located in my most favorite building I have seen so far on our travels! A very good sign if I do say so my self! We inquired at the school and were told we could start our homestay immediately and classes the next day.

(inside of my favorite building.  school was at the end of the walk and upstairs on the second floor)

We were both open-minded and tried to have little expectation, as with homestays, you never quite know what you are going to get. When I studied in San Pedro years ago, I thought about doing a homestay because it “would be good for me” but felt too shy about it. And I was a terribly picky eater at the time and I feared I would be both rude to my hosts declining food, and starving to death (homestays typically include most meals throughout the week). Since, I have graduated into a class of what my husband calls “particular eaters” and although I still thought it "would be good for me," this time I was certain that I would neither starve nor disgrace my hosts.

Luckily we were placed with a wonderful host family of 6 (well 8 if you count our other Spanish-studying “hermanos”). Mom Elisabeth ran the household like a champ and cooked us wonderful meals tres tiempos.* Dad Guillermo worked very long hours and aside from a few lunch meals, we didn't see much for him. Kids were Guillermo (16), Zully (pronounced Suley) (14), and gemelas (twins!!) Heidy and Karlita (7). They were all very nice and a lot of fun but we probably interacted most with the twins. They loved Nicolas (Brandt) and were constantly using him as a jungle gym and let me teach them gymnastics and yoga. We also had 2 brothers, Stu and Danny, who were also staying in the homestay and had arrived before us and were planning to stay a few weeks more.

(our hermanos, the gemelas, and us)

(our house is at the bottom of the hill)

By Guatemalan standards this was what we might call an upper-middle class family and our accommodations were very comfortable (this is a matter of opinion as many might call them basic). The home was a large 2 story cinder block home (what almost all homes and buildings are constructed of here) with 5 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms (with hot water showers!), living room, kitchen/dining area, roof terrace (where strangely, the dogs lived), and store out front (don't be surprised to find that the owner of a tienda, panaderia, or lavanderia lives in an attached home directly behind). Surprisingly and generously, everyone gave up their rooms for us. By the end of our stay, another student had arrived leaving Brandt and I, Maria (new student), Stu, and Danny to occupy 4 rooms while the family of 6 shared 3 double beds in mom and dad's room. It was a humbling reminder of what our wants and needs are and how often there are drastically far apart from one another.

We studied one-on-one for 1 week at the Utatlan Spanish School for 4 hours a day. Turns out I didn't even cry once! My teacher, Patty, was a very sweet university student. She helped me learn the subjunctive, improve my vocabulary, and just talk which I desperately needed (still do). I can't quite say how much I learned, but I'm sure it helped. I also try and study on my own most days. I'm still optimistic that continuing to listen to Spanish, studying on my own, taking a few more weeks of lessons down the line, and spending a year in Central and South America will get me to a point where I can actually make myself understood.

(my teacher Patty and me at the birthday party the school threw for me. i.e. birthday cake snack!)

(My classroom)

Also, we've discussed that we like homestays and actually want to do more of them! Look forward to us spending a week every month or so staying with another family somewhere else. It's a great way to get a closer peak at the day to day life and culture of those that live in the places you are visiting, and of course a better way to learn and practice the language.

School and studying kept us busy and wore us out! We did get a chance to experience 2 of the many markets which is always a bit of a wild and crazy ride. We also took a short hike up to El Baul which is a beautiful lookout of much of Xela. Also, we have been so impressed with the kindness of the people we have met and merely encountered here in Guatemala. Just saying the people are “friendly” or “kind” doesn't paint a fair picture, so I'll get into this further in my next post.

(view from El Baul)

(morning in the market)

From here, we are on to Chichi(castenango) to experience what is known as one of the largest markets in all of Central America!

*This is an inside joke, sort of. All across Guatemala we have seen tortilla stores (there are hundreds) that are basically all called "_______'s (insert any name here) tortillas tres tiempos". In hindsight, this is clear as day, but for the longest time we didn't understand what “tortillas 3 times” meant. Also, I thought 3 times was tres veces???  God, I was confused... We asked our house mom Elisabeth. Even though she was smiling, I caught a glimmer in her eye which said, “is this a joke or are they completely stupid” when she explained that the shops are open 3 times a day and that they make tortillas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Duh! Mostly, we had walked past these shops during meal times and they were open (and no, no one posts hours here), and I figured they were open all day. But no, they make tortillas and are open, 3 tiempos every day.

Thanks for continuing to read and follow me on this journey! As always, forgive my errors as I have no editor. Also, please leave your comments, questions, or feedback – I love it!!

P.S. I cannot write or read this post, or say our "hermanos" without wanting to watch an Arrested Development marathon all day long.  Who will join me?!

My Heart is Alive in San Pedro

Exactly 8 years ago I was packing up from my apartment in McPherson, Kansas and (again) moving my belongings back to my parents house in Bloomington, Illinois. Two very different things were going on with me (mostly mentally) at that time: I was super excited to be heading to Guatemala on my own for 2 months, and I was freaking out because my 24^th birthday was 4 days away. Let's address the second first because that's a funnier story.

I was 23 years old, summer was just starting, I didn't have a job or bills to worry about and I was crying because in a matter of days I would be turning 24 and that mean that only one year later, I would be turning 25 and therefore, the quarter-life crisis I had read about was only 1 year away and omgwherewasmylifegoing?!!? Seriously, I can hardly believe now how ridiculous this was. I had graduated college in 4 years with 2 degrees, had my dream job of running a successful gymnastics program over the past 5 years, finally started getting boyfriends, was going to move to Lawrence, KS (Rock Chalk) to be with my best friends, and was basically having the life every 23 year old would want. But somehow, through all of that, I was stuck on the fact that in a year and 4 days I would be 25 and probably “wouldn't even have a 'real job' yet”, and why did I ever do anything that led me to where I was because it was such a failure. Jeez, where was the Xanax in 2006? What in the world was my problem? You sure do continue to grow as you enter your early adult years, don't you?

Did I mention at this time I was also leaving for Guatemala in 4 days?! Why wasn't I thinking about that?! I suppose part of me was, once I was done crying. Then I was packing my backpack, dying my hair brown “so I wouldn't stand out”, and trying to convince my parents I wasn't going to die in a developing country. On my birthday in 2006 I arrived in San Pedro la Laguna, Guatemala and it was an experience and adventure that changed my life forever. It was during this time I realized that a big part of what I wanted in life was to travel around the world. People talk about getting bitten by the travel bug, and that was my first real bite. I had been to Mexico, Canada, Belize, and Guatemala before – traveling with my family and with college groups. Doing it on my own though was something different.

Between that trip and leaving with Brandt in February I've been many places: many more solo visits to Central America, a trip to Palestine and Israel with my father, a visit to Germany with a past boyfriend, a volunteer trip to Peru with half of my PA (Physician Assistant) class, a journey through Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, and New Zealand with a best friend from college, and a medical volunteer trip to Kenya. Many times I'm asked by folks, “where is your favorite place you have been”?   This is a sweet question, I can appreciate that you are interested in the places I have visited, but please try and understand, this is an impossible and nearly useless question. All of my adventures have been so special to me and fill me with wonderful memories that almost anywhere could answer the question. So sometimes I answer by saying the place I last visited, or by guessing what the questioners favorite place might be and saying that, or by trying to get the person to ask something more specific which I might have a more truthful answer to. However, even though I sometimes do any one of those things, the answer that I give the most and is probably the most accurate is: Guatemala. It's where my soul became alive on a new level because my whole self was opened up to a new world. The people I met in San Pedro la Laguna on my “first trip” are etched into my memory, hopefully for good. I remember their names and faces and stories and I'm so thankful that I shared a time in my life with them.

So for me, returning to San Pedro eight years later was a spiritual experience. Seeing the lake, stepping foot onto the same cobblestone streets, putting my feet up and having a beer at one of the exact same spots I did nearly a decade ago, yet feeling like not a day had passed. Still feeling like me, the same person I've always been, but at the same time clearly so different from that 24 year old young woman I was.

We stayed one week in San Pedro this time. On my last visit it was 5 weeks.  Both times I had a bit of a feeling that I could stay forever.  It was a wonderful time to reminisce and enjoy the nostalgia but also be present in the moment. The hotel I lived at in 2006 still exists but no longer under the same name. Jarachic is now Casa Atitlan. The rooftop room I once called home for 15Q ($2)/night is still there but now costs $15-20. However, the place still had the same draw and pulled me in years ago. We spent many hours over breakfast or lunch in the garden patio sipping coffee, reading, and studying. Twice we enjoyed a walk to the neighboring town of San Juan and had a lovely morning at the coffee co-op there and learned quite a bit about coffee processing over a delicious cafe Americano (actually the most common cup of coffee served here in Guate).

(actual view from my room in 2006)

Often times our family and friends and strangers ask, “well, what are you doing to do?” or "what do you do every day?" Of course that is a big part of traveling, the things you do everyday. Obviously during our week stay in San Pedro we did more than eat oatmeal at Casa Atitlan and walk to San Juan. But something that is probably more important is, “well, how does it make you feel?" Really, this should be the question for all of us in our lives. Most of us all share the one common goal of just wanting to feel happy in life. The Dalai Lama even agrees that finding happiness really is the purpose in life. So we should all keep this question,“how does it make us feel,” in mind more often when we think about where we live, the jobs we have, the people we choose as our friends, and the things we do every day. Are they making you feel good? Happy? Alive? That's why I am traveling the world – it makes me feel good and happy and alive!  It makes me want to smile and be generous and be appreciative (and that sounds like it is keeping me on the right track).  

So, cheers to San Pedro la Laguna.  You warm my heart and soul.  And to everyone finding what makes them feel best.

Please excuse typos and grammatical mistakes.  It makes me feel happy to write just the way I do.

("the nose" and my impression)

(the view is still just as spectacular)

(coffee cooperative plantation in San Juan - La Voz)

(studying)

(beautiful rainy season)