#1 - Motorcycles & Bicycles
Despite, the traffic, dirt, and noise, I love that a lot of people say screw cars, I'm going with a bicycle or motorcycle! A lot of people have them and they make it super easy to get around all the traffic. I also got to ride one last Thursday night, which was AWESOME! One of the maestros took me home on his bike after we were out having some drinks. I live really far away from the school, which sucks, I wasn't suppose to... but somehow they got Kimberly and Kathryn mixed up and I ended up living really far away because there is two of us instead of one. So now if I want to do anything cool, I gotta find a way to get home. But the feel of wind blowing in your hair while your on a bicycle, well, edit, your hair doesn't always blow. But on a motorcycle - it definitely does! I felt like a free, natural woman with my lion's mane blowing in the wind. It was awesome. And I didn't have to show anyone my breasts to make it happen, so take that Curt. Although now I still need to make it on a Harley. And I still want to buy my own motorcycle. Drool.
#2 - La gente
For the most part, the people are super friendly. People talk to me on the bus, ask where I'm from, tell me I speak good Spanish a lot. Sometimes I get nervous when dudes talk to me because I think they just want to take me to a discoteca somewhere, but usually they are pretty harmless. The people are muy muy amable and the patients I see at the clinic are adorable, very grateful, and wonderful people. The families are adorable. I really like the emphasis Guatemalans make on the family and social cohesion in general. Everyone has big extended families here and they all live together and life just seems happier. It makes me miss my parents a lot and wish I was closer to them, but it also makes me remember the family I've made in Colorado and how much my second family is very important to me as well :D
The social cohesion is very prevalent in our school as well. While sometimes I am annoyed with prices of things (just because you can usually do things much cheaper), our school is one of the only in Xela that organizes activities and volunteer projects for its students. I really enjoy the volunteer projects, especially making stoves for families, which I will now write about in Spanish:
El proyecto estufas es un proyecto de salud del publico. Muchas familias pobres en Xelajuj no tienen estufas modernas. Cocinan en su pisos con un fuego abierto cual es muy malo para el salud de la familia. Los fuegos abiertos causan muchos problemas con los pulmones: asma, bronquitis, y otros problemas con respirar. Frecuentemente, niños obtienen quemadas durante están jugando, accidentalmente. No es malo. Así que, construimos estufas hacen sobre el concreto y ladrillo. Son mejor para la salud y también las estufas reducen el palo necesitada para un fuego y para cocinar así que ayudan con guardar el dinero. Construyendo estas estufas son muy divertido. Me lo siento qué actualmente, yo estoy tratando alguien.
Everyone was also very helpful and empathetic after the incident two weekends ago and were willing to talk and get whatever needed to be done, done.
#3 - LA COMIDA!!!!
It is so freaking good you don't even know. Mi abuela en mi casa made HOMEMADE HOT CHOCOLATE FOR BREAKFAST this morning. So awesome... She's taught me a few recipes that I'm going to bring back to the States. Most involve hot chilies, which I am very excited about and will have to remember not to touch my eyes after cooking. But the food is so good and I just want to stay in their house and eat all the freaking time. It's so ridiculously good. In other homestays, the foods isn't as good... so while I haven't been that stoked about sharing a room, I'm really glad I got to stay here for the food. Yum. And when I come back to Xela to learn more Spanish I will be requesting this particular family. The street food is even top notch when it's cold, like this weekend at the lake. But I'm not complaining I had a nice little breakfast for like a dollar. The food is exceptional and it's cheap. These Mayan ladies know how to work the magic in the kitchen.
#4 - Mayan philosophy and cosmovision.
I've mentioned this before, but I also like this because they kind of dis western medicine and when that happens (any dissing of the US), it makes me smile. I like people who think our way isn't the only way to get shit done. It humbles me as well and reminds me that I'm not bringing my way of doing medicine here, I'm learning new ways to view medicine and culture and society. Sure there are things I don't understand, but I still enjoy it. I'm kind of like the Mayan in a way because I wait 3 months after getting hit by a car on my bicycle to see the doctor too. I get doctors to write me prescriptions for antibiotics when I know I have an infection or I just use other to crap and wait it out. It makes more sense. Freaking germaphobe culture.
#5 - Kids
They are just really f'n cute here. I wish I had some pictures pero esa puchica ladron!!!!!! They would explain it all and they are super friendly except when they are trying to swindle you for watching your kayak that you were watching anyways.
#6 - The landscape
My previous pictures will tell you all I feel about that. When I was hiking, it was great. I was happy. I was in my deepest gladness spot. It felt awesome to be a human at these moments. It was rad.
I'm getting tired of writing in this blog now... so yeah. Peace out sea scouts.
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