Que onnda.
We've had a couple of more weeks to soak everything in and reflect on our lives a bit here in Xela. I was going to write something flowery about how lucky many of us are, and how, often times, we take things for granted. For the most part, we can count on pretty basic needs like clean water, comfortable bedrooms with windows, functional toilets, hot showers, relatively safe neighborhoods and working conditions, as well as crosswalks, stop signs, etc. But I thought it was more important to remind everyone how lucky we are that nobody really listens to Phil Collins anymore (at least not in public). I'm serious, amigos. Forget what you've heard about Che Gueverra. In Latin America, it's "Viva El Phil!" On any given evening in our neighborhood, as we walk by three different cafes or bars, we will hear three different Phil Collins songs. I don´t mean casually noticing that "In the Air Tonight" is playing in the background while you wait for your oil change at the Jiffy Lube. Aqui, we can walk from our house to our favorite study spot and hear Sussidio, Another Day in Paradise and Easy Lover back to back to back. Last Wednesday, when we got to the cafe and Billy Don't You Lose That Number was playing, Dave couldn't help but attempt to ask the owner: "Que onda con mucho musica de Phil Collins in Xela?" After the owner realized that Dave didn't mean to tell him how much he liked the color of his ceiling (which is a very vibrant yellow, by the way) he got really excited and told us where we could buy our own Phil Collins music. Mike Venticinque, are you reading this? You should move down here, hombre. Land is muy barato!
Last week, we took a bus to a town called Zunil, where we hitched a ride (for a small pre-discussed fee) in the back of a pick up truck and made our way up to Las Fuentes Georginas - really nice hot springs in a lush setting up in the hills. On the way up and back, we would stop and pick up local farmers and others needing to get up and down the mountain. All throughout these hills they harvest onions, cabbage, radishes, beets, carrots, etc. The springs (hot from the thermo sources of the Zunil volcano) were a nice treat. It was fun to get out of town and away from our studies (to practice what we´ve learned) for a little while.
Our Spanish is coming along slowly but surely. As I mentioned before, the school encourages everyone to speak only Spanish, regardless of your level, which is good. And our familia, of course, only speaks Spanish. But there's a big difference between exchanging pleasantries with a bunch of Gringos who know the same 50 words as us, and speak slowly and clearly, compared to when we're on a bus or out at bars and cafes, in the real world, where they speak fast, sprinkled with some local slang. But we´ve defintiely come a long way. The first few days with our familia, we would listen intently and say "Si," "No" or maybe point to things and say "muy bien". Now, we can (slowly) form full, meaningful sentences and people understand us, and we have gotten better at understanding them. It´s pretty awesome. Julie had a breakthrough with our house Mom, Albina, recently too. Jules was a little intimidated at first and not really saying much. Dave would bring the house down by butchering a few sentences each meal and then poking fun at himslef by saying things like "Donde esta mi cabeza!!??" They love it. (FYI - sarcasm, on the other hand, does not translate well here. And then, back pedaling and trying to explain why what you just said is actually really funny...yeah, not a good idea either). So finally one day, Jules locks herself out of the casa and Albina gives her a hard time, in Spanish of course. "Si" doesn´t cut it anymore for Albina. So Jules explains all of this to her Maestra at school, and as a result, her homework (from here on out) is to ask Albina at least two questions at dinner each night. We sit down to eat, Albina serves us our plates, and then after a few minutes of small talk, Albina drops the hammer: "Pregunta?" And Julie takes it from there. Fun conversation and wild times at the dinner table ensue. It´s been great! Now Julies is the queen of ceremonies and Dave quietly eats his food and smiles.
Speaking of which: Mom, I think I´m finally gaining some weight! For the past few years, we really haven´t had a routine. Dave traveled a bit and worked weird hours; Julie was busy with school and work and internships; we would eat and sleep and socialize at odd times throughout each week. For the past three weeks, we´re up and ready at the same time each morning. Albina loads us up (we feel bad telling her it´s too much food) with pancakes, bananas and moosh (hot cereal in a tazo) and we´re off to school. Then back for lunch for a nice hot meal: usually typical Mayan food: a radish salad and then chicken or beef with veggies, rice and a green or orange sauce (usually from tamatillos), or a tomato-pumpkin (Pipian) sauce. And, of course, fresh tomales and tortillas are always on hand. Excellent and muy deficil to stay awake after. Dinner is at 7:30 and is super light -- sometime just huevos and frijoles. The first week or so we were really hungry by about 8:15 but we've since adapted to it. We really enjoy being a part of the family. The hijos, Diego and Eric, come home and power through slow and basic (and perhaps boring) conversations with us, which is really cool of them. They are both very affectionate with Albina, kissing and hugging her before and after each meal. We need to kiss and hug our parents back home more often.
The school has been really good about trying to incorporate activities into the program. Some are downright lame, others are really cool. We learned to make fresh hand-made corn tortillas, padding them nice and flat, but not too thin. Along with chirmol, a different spin on salsa. Throw a few whole tomtaoes in a hot pan (no oil) then some onions, maybe some garlic (there was a lot of arguing among the cooks in la cocina teaching us) and hot peppers, a little water, and mash it all up. Easy and yummy.
We participated in a very beautiful ceremony, led by a Mayan priest. The prayers were spoken in Kiche (me thinks) and expressed repsect for our surroundings and our loved ones. We gathered around a fire and took turns lighting different colored candles all representing various parts of the earth, sky, and people, young and old, alive and gone, for whom we should be thankful. When the priest stepped out of character and started chain smoking Camel straights during the Q&A part, the ceremony lost a little bit of it´s luster, but it was still a truly amazing experience.
We also attended a session called Guatemala 1944-1954: Revolution and Counterrevolution. Pretty heavy and very interesting. A guest lecturer spoke with us about the struggles of Guatemala over the years and the difficult times that the Mayan population have had to endure.
All in all it's been a great experience in Xela. We continue to meet very interesting and fun new friends who are in the middle, beginning or end of a trip similiar to ours. We have one more week of school and then we are going to reward ourselves with a trip to Lago Atitlan and Tikal.
Julie did get another slight touch of the baddies this week, but just a touch. I just hope she doesn´t start singing: "Taaaaaake, take me home..."
