juliethall – Summer Language Abroad 2022

Bittersweet

Hola!

The other day in class, I and my classmates were trying to explain to our teacher the word “bittersweet.” The word in Spanish is agridulce, and is definitely used for the flavor of food. I’m not so sure that it’s used for experiences, at least not in Guatemala, because my teacher was very confused by our use of that word to describe our goodbyes.

Well, whether or not it’s metaphorically used in Spanish, my transition home has been very bittersweet. I’ve now happily returned home to my lovely Colorado, but already I miss Guatemala. Before reflecting on my time as a whole, I’ll share some of the last adventures I had.

The last full weekend I spent in Guatemala, I and four other students in my house visited the Mayan ruins of Tikal in the north of Guatemala. Tikal was the first national park created in Central America, and it so large that it requires a week to see the whole of it. We visited only the central area with the largest temples in the area: temple of the sun, temple of the moon, temple of the sand, and temple of the mountains. These ruins were constructed around 900 BC (900 years before Christ). Other fun facts I learned on our tour: we saw mushrooms in the forests that priests consumed to communicate with the mayan gods; the selva (jungle) smells like garlic due to the flowers of the ceder tree, the national tree of Guatemala; the noises of the dinosaurs in Jurassic park are recordings of the howler monkeys in Tikal; scenes from Star Wars were filmed on the top of one of the temples that we visited.

On the top of temple 4, with a view of two of the temples and my friend Bailey in the background.

This same weekend, we visited Rio Dulce–a river that flows into the atlantic ocean–and Livingston–a beach town in the north of Guatemala. While there, we swam in an incredibly beautiful lagoon. I was also able to enjoy some amazing seafood during this weekend, including fresh fish from the river and the specialty dish of Livingston, topado: a soup with fish, shrimp, crab, and banana in a coconut cream base.

The lagoon in which we swam! It was very fun to jump off the waterfall.

I was also able to go to two soccer games my last week here. The first game was a tie between Guatemala and Panama, and it was very dramatic. I am pretty sure that around 15 yellow cards were handed out, including our goalie. It also poured during halftime, adding to the authentic Guatemalan fútbol experience. The second game was for our Antiguan team. This game also ended as a tie, but the quality of soccer was much better. My host dad is friends with the men who bang on the drums and yell cheers for all 90+ minutes, so we were able to get in free and participate in the hype squad.

The drum section during the game. *Vamos equipo!*

My roommate, Hannah, trying to get out of the rain in the plastic coverings taped all around the stadium for exactly this purpose. Hannah is from Manchester, England, and is a HUGE Man City fan. She is crazy fun and made my last week amazing. I am going to miss her so much!

(As a side note, and this is fairly old news since it occurred in June, but Guatemala made it into the world cup. We were all very excited when this happened. Everywhere I went in Guatemala my whole time here, if there was a TV, a Guatemalan soccer game was playing on it. It could become very distracting sometimes.)

Besides going up north to visit Tikal, I also moved up from book 2 to book 3 during my last week and a half in Guatemala. Book 3 contains controversial topics, such as euthanasia, abortion, immigration, and advances in science and technology, about which we read and discussed. This move up was both a confidence boost and a sign of how far my Spanish still needs to go. It meant that, technically, I had completed fairly all of the grammar of Spanish and was able to use in in conversations, and it’s true, I was able to share my opinions about these topics. However, I still have a long way to go until I can speak with fluency. I am proud, though, that I moved from the Pre-Intermediate 2 level to High Intermediate level during my time here, an advancement of 3 or 4 levels.

My very official certificate, saying that I am supposedly now a high intermediate Spanish student.

Me and my other classmate for the last week, Bailey, with my group teacher, Alma. I had Alma for all 8 weeks during my time here, and I am so so grateful. She is by far one of the best teachers I have ever had, and she also became somewhat of a friend as well.

This is me with my private teacher, Aracely. I had her for half of my time here. She is so much fun, an excellent teacher, and just as crazy as Alma. She and Alma told me that I need to come back to Guatemala and, when I do, meet up with them. I am going to miss them immensely!

I am so grateful for my time in Guatemala. As I think back on my trip, a few things stand out to me. First off, my experience learning Spanish confirmed for me that learning a new language requires a lot of patience and dedication. Every little effort counts, whether that be listening to Spanish music rather than music in English, talking to the waiters myself rather than letting another person in our group do the talking, or doing the extra homework assignments. As my Spanish improved, I became more confident in having conversations with native speakers, but the increase of Spanish conversations of course meant an increase in making mistakes as well. I had to be okay with messing up, as well as telling people when I did not understand and asking people to repeat themselves. My improvement in Spanish has both encouraged me and given me a desire to continue learning, because I still have a long way to go until I am even close to fluent. Learning a new language does not take a break, so I am excited to take Spanish classes at Notre Dame and continue my education on my own time, with podcasts, books, music, shows, and people with whom I can speak in Spanish.

My time in Antigua was also an incredible chance to travel on my own and encounter many new people and perspectives. I met people from all over the world in the program, which exposed me to students who have had different educations, political views, and lifestyles. Yet one thing I loved is how everyone wanted to learn together, travel together, and make friends. People with whom I would have never formed friendships at home became some of my closest friends. And of course, I also met many amazing Guatemalans. It was interesting to learn about the dynamic between the traditional culture of the older generation and the more progressive culture of the younger generations. There are so many ways to describe the people and country of Guatemala: friendly, vibrant, colorful, Catholic, corrupt, without work, poor, passionate. These people lead hard lives, much harder than our lives in the States. And yet they also live with flair and a zest for life that is not always seen in American culture. I want to channel that passion into my own life.

In fact, if I could tell my past self what she should do as she begins to learn Spanish, it would be to view it not as a chore but instead as a fun and exciting adventure–for that is indeed what it is. I would tell her to develop a passion for the language early and enjoy the learning process, for it is a wonderful and life-changing experience. Of course, it takes a lot of hard work, and it is not always fun and life-changing. Sometimes, it is quite tedious. I think back on all the hours I have spent in my dorm room or library studying flash cards, doing my homework, or studying for an exam. In those moments, it is hard to zoom out and realize that I am training my brain to think in a new way. But the work is rewarding. Being able to hold a conversation in another language, even a very simple conversation, makes all those hours so very worth it.

I cannot wait to travel to Chile next spring and develop my Spanish even further! Thank you for accompanying me on this journey, and wish me luck as I continue to learn and travel!

Un abrazo grande,

Juliet

My friend Pablo

It was inevitable. I went to the lake yet again two weekends ago, knowing full well that people come back with parasites. Although I avoided it the last two visits, this time I was not so lucky. I was staying in Panajachel, the town known for giving people parasites. It’s rainy season, prime time for worms to sneak into people’s bodies. And, turns out, you’re supposed to read the signs in your hostel room telling you not to brush your teeth with the sink water. I thankfully did not have an extreme case, but I will still spare you the details. Let’s just say that Pablo (my parasite) and I did not always get along, especially after I ate. This past weekend I took some medicine that supposedly removes the parasites, and I do feel much better. Hopefully, all the pain will disappear in the next couple days, and Pablo and I can part ways with no (well, maybe a few) hard feelings.

Ignoring the fact that I picked up a new friend against my will, the visit to the lake was very enjoyable. My group went on a cultural tour of the surrounding towns and of one of the biggest open-air markets in Latin America, Chichicastenango. On Saturday, we visited three of the 12 pueblos, all of which are named after saints: San Juan la Laguna, San Pedro la Laguna (also known as San Pedro the crazy, since it is a big party town), and Santiago. In San Juan, we saw a chocolate-making company, a textile company, and a Mayan bee farm. We were able to sample and buy many different products: a cacao bean that has been soaked in ethanol and then dried for two days in the sun, resulting in a bean that has the alcohol content of a tequila shot; hats, fanny packs, bags, and scrunchies made by the local women; black honey that tastes like balsamic vinegar and white honey that tastes lemony; and many other chocolatey, cottony, and honey-y products. We then spent a little time at San Pedro before visiting Santiago, which is the home of one of the few synchronized churches in the world. When the Spanish came to colonize the Mayans, they brought with them their Catholic religion. Our Mayan guide told us that, to avoid entirely losing their religion, the Mayans merged their religion with Catholicism. The Church we visited, built in 1547, is one of the few sites in the world where both Catholicism and an indigenous religon are practiced. Leading up to the courtyard of the Church, there is a staircase with 18 steps, representing the 18 months of a Mayan calander, while the staircase that leads up to the Church represents the 20 days in one Mayan month.

My roommate and friend Mia showing off her bee tattoo at the bee farm as she tries the honey wine.

This church is also the site where St. Stanley presided before he was killed in the Guatemalan civil war. A gringo from Oklahoma, St. Stanley came to Guatemala and worked to unite the indigenous people with the Catholic Latinos. He translated the Bible from Spanish to Tz’utujil, one of the 22 Mayan languages in Guatemala, and held Mass in this same language. As the civil war got worse, the government told Padre Apla’s, (“Father Francis,” his affectionate nickname given to him by the indigenous people; there is no equivalent for Stanley in the Tz’utujil, so they called him by his other given name, Francis), that he needed to return to the States. He did so, but quickly felt that he was meant to be with his flock in Guatemala. He returned to Guatemala and was murdered on July 28, 1981. Our guide told us that he, and people like himself who are not Catholic, have a great respect for the man who worked so hard to unite the two groups in Guatemala and refused to abandon his people.

The church at which St. Stanley presided. Note the twenty steps in front of the building.

On Sunday, we visited Chichicastenango. I myself felt that I stood out like a sore thumb, being taller and whiter than everyone else swarming the market. I was an easy target for sellers, but I held my own and never bought anything at the original price, instead haggling with the best of them. It really tests my ability to remember Spanish numbers. On Sunday, we also visited the most colorful graveyard I will probably ever seen in my life. All the tombs were painted with bright colors, and some had designs on them. We even saw one with spiderman, painted at the request of the children who are buried there. The graveyard, which contains a mix of Mayans and Catholics, is so colorful because the Mayans want it to celebrate life.

A small sample of the many vendors in Chichi.

The Mayan graveyard with its colorful tombs.

Besides trying to get rid of my unwelcomed guest, Pablo, this weekend, I went to the beach with a group of friends living in my house with me. I once again enjoyed being tossed around by the waves, walking along a the water in the black sand, and spending time with good people. I was able to have some good conversations with my roommate, Mia. Mia is an Aussie in her mid-twenties, and she is a ton of fun. She is really chill and really wild at the same time (which I hear is the typical profile of an Aussie). She and the other Aussie, Richard, both toppled their ATVs that we were racing along the beach, but she at least managed not to break hers. Not only did we break an ATV, but I also knocked down a coconut from a palm tree and broke into it to try the milk and flesh. The coconut water was not my favorite, but the flesh had a good coconut flavor.

I love love love the black sand! However, it does get extremely hot. The black beaches are in the west, near the Pacific, whereas the white beaches are on the other side of the country.

I promised I would explain the picture of me feeding a cow. Last Monday, Guatemala had a holiday celebrating the army. In place of our cancelled classes, I and two of my housemates went to a coffee farm, but we did more than roast and sample the coffee. We ziplined, picked blackberries (that were later turned into an amazing juice), and milked a cow. It was a fun way to spend our day off with my housemates. I have found that the people either elevate or ruin the trips, and I have been lucky enough to have more of the former than latter experience.

Picking blackberries (*moras*) like a champ:)

Onto the food! Unfortunately, because Pablo happens to share my excellent taste in food (food that often involves dairy, meat, lost of spices, or higher amounts of sugar), the doctor advised me to eat much more simply this past week. However, there are still some dishes I can share with you (I had the first two before Pablo started staying with me):

Rellenitos: these are fried plantains filled with a sweet bean paste and dusted with sugar. This dessert reminded me slightly of a donut but mostly of the fried platanos I eat here every chance I get.

Dobladas: named because they are “folded” (doblado), this masa is filled with meat or veggies and topped with avocado, cabbage, and a salsa. I had mine filled with chicharrones, fried pig’s belly.

Ceviche: this dish is very popular here. It is a shrimp cocktail with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, lime, and spices. We filled our tortillas with the ceviche next the the beach from which the shrimp were caught, along with the other fish, crab, and shrimp ordered by our group. We had to wait a long time for the food, but the wait was worth the fresh seafood.

It blows me away that I only have two weeks left! My next post will be my last, once I have returned to Colorado. For the rest of my time here, I would like to visit Tikal, the famous Mayan ruins in the north of Guatemala, attend a soccer game with my host family (go Aguacates!–the color of the team is green, so they are called the avocados), and spend time in all my favorite spots in Antigua. I now have a long Spotify playlist of my favorite Spanish songs, friends from all over the world, and a solid foundation on which I can continue studying Spanish. I have loved every minute here, but I will also be happy once I am home. I do think, however, that I could also call this place home, for at least a little while, sometime in the future. I guess we’ll have to see!

A chicken bus! These are old, painted-over school buses. I have heard different stories for why it’s called a chicken bus: one person told me it’s because you have to jump on and off the bus so quickly, like a chicken; another person said it is because the persons using the bus would throw their chickens onto the roof during the ride.

Mia took this picture of the 25 cent coin with the indigenous woman imprinted on it. In the background, there is a woman wearing the traditional headdress.

Un abrazo grande,

Julieta

Money, money, money

Hola, queridos amigos,

This past week, we had a canícula, which can be (very) loosely translated to the English phrase, “the dog days of summer,” and is a period in the rainy season in which the weather is similar to the summer months of November, December, and January. It was sunny, hot, and dry, which was a breath of relief from the constant rain we experience here. I tried to get my fill of the sun during the week, because I knew that it was not going to last very long. Alas, the canícula is over now, but I am grateful for the time I did have in the sun. I am particularly lucky that I was able to spend even more time in the sun during these past two weekends at the beach and Lake Atitlan. The beach was incredible, especially since it was the third time in my life seeing the ocean. I loved walking along the beach, “swimming in,” i.e., being pushed around by, the waves, and finding different treasures on the shore. I am still finding black sand–black because of volcanic processes that occurred thousands of years ago–in some of my things.

This past weekend, I once again visited Lake Atitlan, this time with an entirely different group. We stayed from Friday night to Sunday morning and spent our time swimming, kayaking, hiking, and swinging in hammocks. I once again have a stomachache from the polluted water, but I do not regret choosing to enjoy my time at the lake instead of sitting on the sidelines. The stomachache will pass, but I may never have another opportunity to swim in one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

Swimming in the lake! I am the small head in the water.

Thomas and I walking on a road in the surrounding mountains to get a view of the lake.

I now want to tell you about the quetzal (kets-all), the Guatemalan currency named after the national bird. The exchange rate of quetzales to dollars is 7.5 to 1, which means that everything here is a lot cheaper for me. For example, at a local panderia that is on the way to my school, I can buy a croissant, muffin, or cinnamon roll for 4 quetzales. I’m no mathematician, but I believe that a 4Q croissant translates to a 53 cent croissant. The total cost of my first kayaking trip–including the transportation of the shuttles and boats, the food, and renting the kayaks– was around 550Q, which translates to about 73 dollars. In my mind, that is pretty cheap compared to what it would be in the States. Or again, this past weekend, I stayed at a hostel and ate 6 meals there, which came out to 31 dollars in total. Other nice parts about paying here is that the tip is always included in the price, and the prices are always whole numbers, so I never have to worry about change. It’s all very simple. And cheap. It is so easy, it may even be dangerous, because I feel like I have license to spend a lot more than I normally would in the States.

Speaking of money, I’ve done some haggling here, which is apparently expected when you go shopping in the mercados. It’s a pretty thrilling experience. The key is to stay calm and firm when you offer a lower price, and to stick with the price until the seller lowers his. A friend here told me that he never accepts the initial price of anything offered here because he knows that sellers, especially when they see gringos, make the price higher than it should be and can therefore be talked down from the starting ask. Haggling makes me feel like I’m really living in Guatemala and not just visiting, just like when I bought a Guatemalan newspaper for 3Q and read it to practice my Spanish. Well, I suppose I am still reading it. My Spanish is not so good that I can read a newspaper in a day–at least, not yet.

I do really feel that my Spanish is improving. I had an entire conversation with a (slightly drunk) Guatemalan at my hostel this past weekend. Maybe because we were talking about basic topics, such as places I need to visit in Guatemala or how much he loves to dance, or maybe because he was slightly drunk and so kept repeating himself, was the conversation easy to follow. But I like to think that it was also because my ear and command of the language has improved. In fact, I have noticed this improvement not just when I talk to slightly drunk men but also when I talk to completely sober waitresses, tour guides, shop owners, teachers at the school, or my host family. (Don’t worry Mom, I am not in the habit of talking to drunk men.) I am excited by the small growth I am seeing and am eager to improve even more. I know that I need to practice all the time, and thankfully, the other students with whom I live feel the same way. My Dutch friend and housemate Thomas and I have made an agreement that during the week we are only going to talk Spanish with each other. If one of us lapses into English, we have to pay 10Q to the other person. At the end of my time here (he stays for a few more weeks after I leave), we will go out to dinner and pay with the money we owe each other. I am hoping that the dinner is at a cheap street vendor and not a nice restaurant.

And now, for the food I have eaten here! First off, there is a slight correction I need to make to my last post. I said that enchiladas guatemaltecas are also known as tostadas, but that is false. They are made with tostadas, which are the crispy tortillas that serve as the base of the dish.

Chiles Rellenos: This is a common dish in Mexico as well, though I believe it is more common there to make the dish with chiles picantes rather than chiles pimientos. My chile relleno was not too spicy–making me think it was made with a chile pimiento–and it was filled with meat and vegetables, and then covered in whipped egg whites and fried. I paired it with the creamiest, thickest horchata I have ever had it my life. It was incredible, especially since it accompanied the spicy and savory chile relleno.

Pupusas: these are amazing!! They are disks of corn flour filled with cheese, meats, vegetables, and whatever else and are then fried on the stove. I chose to have one pupusa with queso and loroco (a popular edible flower used in Guatemalan cuisine) and one with El Pastor, pineapple, onion, and cilantro. On the topic of cilantro, you will be happy to know that, after much force-feeding myself the dishes with cilantro, I am less repulsed by it and can even tolerate it. This is a big deal for me, considering that 1) I have hated cilantro with a passion all my life, and 2) many Guatemalan dishes include large amounts of cilantro. It is still not my favorite, but I can now eat a dish with cilantro without having a visceral reaction. I do not even try to avoid it. It’s amazing all the ways I have grown during my time here.

Atol (de elote, con arroz y chocolate o leche): this is a thick, hot drink commonly had for breakfast or in the evening. The flavor of elote is the most traditional flavor (and also my favorite flavor–I really enjoyed the sweetness from the corn, and it was not as overpoweringly sweet as the chocolate flavor), though the other flavors are also common. The flavor I have yet to try–and am most hesitant to try–is the atol blanco: savory and white, with beans floating in it and served with chili powder, it does not sound like a very appealing bebida. We’ll see if I ever get up the courage to try it.

Chalupas: my understanding of this street food is that it is a mix of a quesadilla, taco, and burrito. It is a tortilla filled with meat, cheese, and vegetables, rolled up, and then fried like a quesadilla. I had mine filled with an amazing pork that I have only found at the one late-night street vendor we visited. Just like the rest of the cuisine here, it was served with frijoles.

Finally, I want to end on a more serious note. Last Friday, my teacher told me about the civil war that existed for 36 years in Guatemala and ended in 1996. The end of the civil war was so significant that, although Guatemala received its independence from Spain on September 15, 1921, the date that is engraved on the back of the quetzal is “29 de Diciembre de 1996,” and above this date is written paz, peace. On one side of the war was URNG (translated to “National Guatemalan Revolutionary Unit”), a leftist group often made up of campesinos (farmers/peasants), and on the other side was the government of Guatemala. An estimated 200,000 people died in the war, and 40,000 “disappeared,” a statistic just as horrifying as the deaths, if not more so. This civil war is considered the bloodiest cold war conflict to occur in Latin America, and after hearing some of the stories my teacher related, there is no doubt in my mind that this is the case. Although this history is difficult to learn about, it is immensely important that I do learn it. It has formed a country and people that I have truly grown to love. Guatemala is far from perfect, but I would not trade my time here for an experience in a first world country.

This is one quetzal. Note the date at the bottom.

More pictures:

Teaser for next time: me feeding a cow at a farm we went to on our day off!

So far, three people in my house have gotten COVID during their time here, and the number of COVID patients is on the rise in Guatemala. I have been here a month already and so far have avoided it. Let’s hope my luck holds for another month!

Un abrazo,

Julieta

I’ve seen a volcano erupt!

Hola hola!

First off, I apologize that the videos did not work in the first post! To make up for it, here is a picture of me roasting a marshmallow over a hot spot at Pacaya. There is a picture of Carlo below.

A lot has happened since I last posted. I am learning so much in my classes and am very grateful that my teachers address my specific weaknesses and confusions. I am especially grateful that much of class time is spent in conversation, which is exactly what I need. For example, my classmates and I had an interesting conversation with my teacher about the different cultures of the United States and Guatemala. My teacher told us that one thing that surprises her about our culture is how casual we are when we talk to our parents or grandparents. Considering that my teacher is extremely progressive, this comment came as a surprise and was therefore more impactful for me. Even though she wants to get rid of many aspects of traditional Guatemalan culture, she is still shocked that Americans can be so casual and even disrespectful to their elders. Our conversation has made me think about how I treat my parents, grandparents, professors, and other adults in my life.

I wish that I talked more in Spanish outside of class, but it is difficult to talk in Spanish with the other English-speaking students and volunteers. However, a few new people have joined my host family–a med student from the Netherlands and a couple from northern California–and they are encouraging those of us living together to speak in Spanish at dinner. I am excited to have a chance to practice at home not just with my host family but with the other students as well.

I went kayaking two Sundays ago in lake Atitlan, and I do believe that it was one of the best days of my life. It was a beautiful day, and the views were stunning. I may have ingested some bacteria from the lake, but the trip was worth the stomachache. I went with some incredible and very different people from me, and I was very sad to see them leave this past weekend. One thing that has already been wonderful and difficult about this trip is that I am meeting so many amazing people for such a brief period of time. Perhaps its the nature of being in a foreign country and traveling together, but everyone here quickly becomes close.

Speaking of people I love and may not ever again see in my life, my friend Manu and I hiked the dormant volcano Acetanango this past weekend. Manu left early this morning, and though we have made several plans to visit each other and travel together, I simply do not know if I will ever see her again. I am so thankful for the time I have had with her.

After seeing many people around the city eating this orange treat every day, Manu and I decided to try the popular mango ice cream from a street cart last Friday.

Although many people said beforehand that the hike was extremely difficult, I did not find it all that hard. I was always at the front of our group of 23 hikers, 16 porters hired to carry the backpacks of 16 hikers, and 3 guides. There were some challenging sections, but they were not as difficult as some hikes I have been on in Colorado. The hike, like lake Atitlan, was also stunning. Even though it was foggy as we climbed up on Saturday, the scenery we could see was lush and bright green, completely different from my Rockies. At 4:30 on Sunday morning, I left our campsite and hiked to the summit of Acetanango with three other hikers and one guide. It was breathtaking. The wind was strong and cold and the sunrise was incredible, all of which added to the epic feeling of reaching the top of a volcano. From the summit and from the campsite, we were able to see the very active volcano Fuego, which erupted multiple times while we were there. To top it all off, I met some amazing and slightly crazy people on the hike. There was a group of 10 from New York who brought with them a ton of alcohol and drugs, so they made the hike and the overnight stay interesting. None of them could remember my name, so they all called me Colorado instead. I was quite proud of my nickname.

The sunrise over the volcano Agua from our campsite.

I made it to the summit! This is me, featuring my new favorite pair of pants that Manu bought for me at a second hand store, in front of Fuego.

My hike up Acetanango made me grateful for the little but noticeable progress I have made in my Spanish. I was sometimes called on to speak to our Guatemalan guides when hikers had different questions, and I was even able to carry small conversations with the guides. The little conversations I had made me even more desirous and determined to learn Spanish, because I would have liked to have had more substantial conversations with our guides.

This is Jerson, one of our guides, as we take a break. Look how green it is!

I did not attend cooking class or salsa dancing class last week, but I did go to the soccer game Thursday afternoon. I was really looking to forward to it, but it was a disappointment. I think I will have words with whoever allowed all the guys who know how to play soccer to form their own teams and subsequently monopolize the playing time and field. Next time I go, I will be sure to allow the girls, myself included, to have more playing time. However, I went salsa dancing at a salsa bar that night, and that made up for it. I am pretty bad at salsa, but when I dance with someone who knows what he is doing, it is really enjoyable. I love the culture of salsa dancing here and hope that I can continue to learn once I return to the States. Sadly, I do not have a great picture of the salsa bar. If I am ever able to post videos, I will post one that I have of the live band and the dancing.

I do have an update on the Guatemalan novio, surprisingly enough. Carlo is convinced that I am in love with his older brother, Adriano, and he and the entire family make fun of us. Here’s the story: Adriano went to a party two Saturday nights ago and wore a suit, and so I and the rest of the people at the table may I add said that he looked very handsome. I guess Carlo only heard–or only wanted to hear–me say that Adriano looked good in a suit, and from then on he’s said that I am Adriano’s novio and am going to marry Adriano in three years. (Don’t ask about the timeline. I also don’t know why it will happen in three years.) Carlo has also said that he wants me to be his cuñada, which means sister-in-law, and stay with his family. I am taking this situation as a compliment, even though I am sometimes very flustered because I cannot always understand what my host family is saying. I do know for sure that my host mom and dad are always laughing at me, and the fact that I blush very easily makes it worse. What’s more, Adriano may actually have a crush on me and has even asked me to go out with him. This is quite an uncomfortable situation for me, especially since I have to live six more weeks with them. I’m happy, however, that I have been placed with a family that has accepted me so completely that they joke (or maybe don’t joke?) about me literally joining the family.

Me and my first roommate, Angie, with our host family. As you can see, Carlo is really pushing the love.

Here’s a fun fact about Guatemala: there are 25 languages total spoken here. Of these, 22 are Mayan, 1 is Xinca, 1 is Garifuna, and 1 is Spanish. With stats like these, it’s not surprising that 40% of the population in Guatemala is indigenous Mayan. Moreover, as part of the school curriculums here, students must study a Mayan language.

I’ll end my post with some pictures of the food I have eaten.

Enchilada Guatemalteca: also known as the tostada, this is the second street food I have bought here. It was both delicious and very difficult to eat. The tostada is a typical Guatemalan food that consists of a fried tortilla (it looks like a big tortilla chip) as its base and is topped with guacamole, lettuce, and a variety of salads and sauces. I chose to get a vegetarian one (I’m not yet brave enough to buy meat from a street vendor), which consisted of a beet salad, another mystery salad, onions, cilantro, cojita cheese, and an amazing sauce.

Typical Guatemalan breakfast: this consists of beans, eggs, fried plantains, tortillas, and–if you’re lucky–avocado. My host mom often makes us a simplified version (just frijoles y huevos, the two staples of the Guatemalan diet) for dinner. At nearly every restaurant I have been to that serves breakfast, desayuno tipico is offered. It has yet to disappoint.

There is so much more I could say, but this is already getting long, and I also promised Carlo that I would play with him after I finished writing this post. I hope you are all doing well! Remember to be respectful to your parents.

Juliet

First week in Antigua

Hello from Antigua!

So much has happened since I arrived last Friday to Guatemala! I don’t know how I am possibly going to fit it all into one blog post. I’ll try to give you the highlights, but don’t be upset if this post is a long one!

I arrived at my host family’s house late Friday night and was greeted warmly by my host family and the other exchange students. The students living with me are from the States and Canada, and they range from 19 to 50 years old. We had 8 students this past week, though people are always coming and going. I think that the group I will be staying with will be slightly different every week. Most of the students I have met here have graduated from their university, though there are a few of us who are still in school. I have met people from the States, Canada, England, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Brazil. I have loved getting to know every single person here. One friend I made is from Quebec, and she has shown me around Antigua and was my partner in crime when we played with our host brother, Carlo. We went to coffee shops and a macadamia nut farm together, she took me on hikes and to different mercados, and we did cooking and salsa dancing classes together with some of our other friends. Sadly, she left yesterday, but she is going to return next weekend so that we can do the overnight hike up the volcano Acatenango together.

This is my Canadian friend Manu chilling in a hammock at the macadamia nut farm we went to last Sunday.

This is Agua, an extinct volcano south of Antigua. I took this picture atop the lookout Cerro de la Cruz, which is right next to my house. I like to hike this short bluff every morning and watch Antigua wake up.

Speaking of hikes, this morning I hiked up Pacaya, one of the 38 volcanoes in Guatemala. Pacaya is currently dormant but erupted in 2010 and still had lava issuing down its side last year. At least, this is what I picked up from the tour guide today, though these facts really might be wrong since the tour was in Spanish. The hike was beautiful and relatively short. Best of all, we were able to roast marshmallows over the hot spots near the top of the volcano.

Here we are in front of the summit of Pacaya!

Short video of me roasting my marshmallow:)

View from the top!

There are three active volcanoes in Guatemala, and I am hoping to climb, or at least see up close, one of them. Fun fact about Fuego (the active volcano I want to climb): Fuego erupts three times every hour, and we can hear it all the way in Antigua. What’s more, the ash from the volcano reaches Antigua, so that you can run your hands along a surface outside and collect the ash on your fingers.

Continuing on the theme of fun facts about Antigua, I’ve learned that you are not allowed to honk your horns in this city because the powers that be want Antigua to maintain a calm atmosphere. To me, Antigua does feel calm; I’ve found it to be very safe and friendly to tourists. Though I and the rest of the young women in the city receive occasional catcalls from random men (due to the machisimo culture here), I never feel uncomfortable when I am walking by myself, especially since there are many gringos just like me out and about. I thought I would stand out more, but no one has noticed me in particular. The only comments I’ve received are that I am tall (most Guatemalan men are shorter than me), and that I have beautiful eyes (probably because they are blue).

I have also learned that there is a huge procession every Easter that imitates the Via Dolorosa, the path Jesus took on his way to his crucifixion. Thousands of people line the streets to watch actors and several statues make their way from church to church. How do I know this, you may ask? Carlo, who is 7 years old, does his own version of this procession every. Single. Night. He has one video of the procession that he watches constantly, and we will go to bed and sometimes wake up to the somber music that plays in the video. Carlo will march to the music through hiis house, over to his grandparents’ house (the two families’ houses are connected), and back to his living room.

Carlo is definitely one of my favorite parts of this trip so far. I of course also love his older brother Adriano and his parents, but Carlo is something else. He is super loud and energetic and talkative, and he loves to play with me, sing, or show his Youtube blog to anyone who cares to watch. He is constantly asking to ride on my back or play with me, which looks like him taking a ball and running away screaming as I chase him and try to get the ball back. He talks incredibly fast and doesn’t know much English, so playing with him is honestly a great way for me to practice my Spanish.

My host mom, Wendy, is funny and very kind. Lucky for me, Wendy is also a chef, which means that I get to eat a lot of authentic and delicious dishes for dinner. This blog could easily become solely about the food I have eaten here, so I will try to restrain myself. I’ll give you a few of the best dishes:

Pepian: this is the traditional lunch of Guatemala, and it happened to be the first lunch I ate. It is chicken, potatoes, carrots, and rice in a savory sauce made of tomatoes, several types of chiles, onions, and many other ingredients that I don’t remember.

Fried Plantains: these are commonly served as a side for breakfast and lunch.

Elotes: this is the first street food that I’ve eaten. It is grilled corn served with either lime and salt or a combination of mayonnaise, chili powder, ketchup, cheese, and mustard. It could be served with other things as well, but these are the options that I’ve seen so far.

Molletes Rellenos: this is a dessert that is similar to a cream puff, but it’s covered in whipped egg whites mixed with their yokes and fried, and is served in a soup of water, cinnamon, sugar, and raisins. I attended a cooking class in which we made molletes rellenos–and when I say “we made,” I mean the teacher made with two other students while the rest of us talked and then ate the fruits of their labor.

Manu and Lindsay with our molletes rellenos!

Some more fun facts about Guatemalan cuisine: typically, tortillas are served for lunch while bread (pan) is served for dinner. The food here is not spicy at all, and eggs, beans, and rice are also very common.

As you all probably remember, I have four hours of group class in the morning and one hour of private class in the afternoon. My two other classmates are in their mid to late twenties and are both from the United States. My teacher is a lively Guatemalan who has a great laugh and likes to make fun of us. Her joke for me is that I need to find a Guatemalan novio (boyfriend) so that I can have someone with whom to practice my Spanish and have many kids. I think I had mentioned that I want a family when I am older at some point earlier this week, and I guess in her mind that translated to, “I want to have a huge Latino family with muchos muchos hijos.” Now, she is constantly reminding me to be on the hunt. I’ll keep you updated on that front, though so far I have yet to meet a potential Guatemalan novio. I also cannot tell you how many people ask me about my Romeo. I’ve gotten this question all my life, but for some reason everyone down here wants to know all about my love life, and specifically if there are any boys named Romeo that I know. (In case you’re wondering, I have only met one Romeo in my life, and it was in fifth grade. We were not friends.)

I am wondering if I receive this question so often down here simply because of my name, or if it is actually part of the culture to inquire into people’s relationship status. It’s true that my teacher has told us multiple times about the great importance marriage and family have in Guatemala. She says that there can often be a lot of pressure from both parents and society to get married. Besides this, she has told us about how it is expected that the eldest daughter will take on some of the mother’s responsibility and do many of the chores, whereas the sons are never forced to do chores and are instead told to go rest and relax. This household dynamic is partly why the machisimo culture exists.

I mentioned that I was going to pick up slang while in Guatemala. One word I have learned is va (pronounced “ba”), which I believe is the shortened version of the Spanish (from Spain) word vale. Vale is never used here, but va is used constantly and means “okay.” For example, whenever I thank Wendy for breakfast or dinner, she will invariably respond, “va.” Or again, the tour guide for my Pacaya hike generously sprinkled his sentences with “va” as he told us about the volcano. I have started to incorporate this word in my speech, though I also like to use bueno (another form of “okay”) and claro (which means “of course”). Even though my lack of knowledge of Spanish is sorely exposed here, by using words like va, I am slowly learning to talk more naturally. I have already noticed an improvement in my ear and speech.

Here are a few more pictures that I wanted to share with you. Wish me luck as I start my second week of classes and hike Acatenango next weekend! I’ll try to post something next weekend, but if I don’t have time, you’ll hear from me again in two weeks!

Woman wearing traditional clothing and selling her wares on the street

This church was built by the Spaniards in the 1540s!

Hasta luego,

Juliet

Antigua, here I come!

¡Hola, mis amigos!

From June 3 to July 31, I will be living in Antigua, Guatemala, taking Spanish classes and traveling around the city and–with any luck–the country. My classes will be in groups and one-on-one, and I and other students in the program will be staying with a host family. I am looking forward to meeting many amazing people who are both studying the language and are native speakers! Besides Spanish classes, I hope to take cooking and salsa dancing classes, hike in the surrounding mountains, and explore the nooks and crannies of the small but beautiful city of Antigua.

I am filled with excitement–and a bit of trepidation–as I look forward to my time in Antigua. I grew up listening to my parents’ stories of their times abroad, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that I cannot prepare myself for the challenges that will inevitably occur as I immerse myself in a new culture. On top of being thrown into a new language, I will be exposed to different social standards, new foods, un-American flexibility in timeliness, and a distinct environment. All of these factors will challenge me to absorb the culture in ways that no classroom–no matter how much we read various essays and listen to Latino music–can provide.

Being immersed in a foreign language means more than picking up and using an entirely new vocabulary (though that is one massive benefit of an immersion experience). Every language carries cultural connotations that are inseparable from it, yet can only be recognized in their country of origin. As a small example, slang, the words and phrases that arise from the language’s respective culture, is something that I will only be able to pick up among native Spanish-speakers. No textbook can truly teach me the current slang, even though slang is just as much a part of the language as proper conjugations and definite articles are. Living in Guatemala will therefore expose me not just to the language but also to the culture that is associated with it.

As I learn about the culture of Guatemala, I will be able to dive into its history, food, and the lifestyles of its inhabitants. I am thrilled to be living with a host family for an extended period of time in Antigua because my stay will give me a true sense of who the people are, not just a list of fun facts about the country. I am also excited to explore the region surrounding Antigua, which consists of mountains and (active!) volcanoes. A native of Colorado, I am no stranger to mountains and love to hike. These mountains, however, will undoubtably be very different from my familiar Rockies, so I cannot wait to have many adventures in them.

Of course, during these adventures, I will be using–and more importantly, misusing–my Spanish-speaking abilities. These mistakes will become opportunities for me to develop and absorb the language. Even if I decided to barely speak at all–which I assure you I will not do–I would still have to speak to address simple needs I might have, forcing me to expand my vocabulary and use difficult grammatical structures. Besides my own use of Spanish, I will be listening and responding to Spanish all around me. I will not initially understand everything and will even start out understanding very little, but as time goes on, I am sure that I will pick out words and phrases more intuitively. The beauty of immersion is that I will be learning and practicing Spanish constantly, whether I am in the classroom, at a restaurant, or with my host family and new friends. By the end of the summer, my Spanish will have improved exponentially!

These are the hopes and goals for my summer. Next time you hear from me, I will actually be living what I laid out in this post! I can’t wait to share all my stories with you as I embark on this great adventure in the beautiful country of Guatemala. (I promise there will be many pictures in my subsequent posts!)

¡Te veré en Antigua!

Juliet