The trip to the glass factory

One of the very cool things this year are the trips. On the first day we visited the oldest church in Latin America. Yesterday we watched Motorcycle Diaries in Spanish, today we visited a women's cooperative where they separate and recycle broken glass.

the trips add so much to the experience! I have decided that I can't miss any of them. How can you turn up a crazy ride in a mini bus through the streets of Xela!

Across from the co-op was a vast forestry preserve. The trees are protected to stop the erosion that affects so much of the land around here. The low hanging clouds were still clinging to the mountain tops when we were there.

The co-op was great, the women are doing amazing things with the recycled glass. Once it is fashioned in glassware they export their work to the United States and Europe.

A collection of broken glass, collected and ready to be recycled

One of the great things about being in an immersion program is that you end up doing your own translation! Today one of the American students volunteered to translate for us. She was helped by two other students when she ran into difficulty. A great way to learn!

Our student translator

Tomorrow, a confence on education in Guatemala.

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Who comes to Celas Maya?

I am learning lots here. In two days, I have done the equivalent of two and a halt months of Spanish back home.

I am learning a lot about the people who come here also. In two days I have met a young Sami woman from Norway who is specializing in indigenous issues. She is interested in finding out how the situation for the Maya compares to the Sami in Norway.

Today I met a young man who is here working on a Master's thesis studying endemic diseases amongst the Maya.

My room mate is from Georgia and he just got back from a trip to Ecuador where he and a buddy were doing an unpaid internship at a microcredit bank. He speaks great Spanish, but wants to pick up Arabic in the next few years.

There is a first year teacher from Milwaukee who teaches inner city kids Spanish. She is here to learn more to help her with her teaching assignment next year. In the afternoon she volunteers in the city.

There are more stories like this, but I have only been at the school for two days. For me, it just reinforces the strength of our young people and their willingness to learn new things and explore. What is especially heartening is the social conscience these young people all have.

These people are all here to open up the world, it is great to share a few weeks with them!

 

 

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The streets and doors of Xela

The more I walk through Xela, the more I realize this is a beautiful place. Today after my lesson, I focused on the doors and streets that lead from my house to Celas Maya. This is a beautiful walk and I get to do it several times a day. Xela is really a jumble of houses and streets in some sort of a crazy grid pattern. It works really well and it offers such a relief to the grids and neighborhoods of our home.

Here are just a few of the doors and streets I pass by every day.

 

 

 

 

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Rides on the chicken buses

One of the best things about traveling in Latin America is the buses. Life is at its most frantic as people rush on and off little mini buses or the bigger chicken buses. The fare collector routinely leaves the bus from the back door and climbs around to the front of the bus - all while the bus travels at full speed. Not sure why they do this but it looks pretty cool.

Our buses brought us to a small town just outside of Xela. We were there to visit one of the oldest Spanish churches in Guatemala. Since this is an immersion experience, the story of the church was told to us in Spanish. I am getting better, but I still can't catch everything.

Unfortunately for us, the women who has the key to the oldest church was not to be found. Instead we stared at it and took pictures.

This is OK. This church, like many I have visited in the past is built on the ruins of a Mayan temple. While the church is beautiful and it would be interesting to see inside, maybe it is better to keep away from places like this.

Tomorrow, five more hours of Spanish. I survived the first day, but the more Spanish I take the more I realize I need to learn. This never gets easy, but I am enjoying the struggle!

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In Xela

Have arrived in Xela. Here is a picture of the inner court where the lessons take place. Tomorrow morning it will be full of people speaking Spanish at various levels. I met a young student today from northern Norway. She has just arrived and she will be learning her first words in Spanish tomorrow.

It is rainy and cold in the city today, but the bars of full of people. Spain and Italy are playing in the final Eurocup came today. There are televisions everywhere and the central park, even though rainy is full of life.

My house is a good 10-minute walk from here. I spent the better part of the afternoon trying to figure out routes from my house to Celas Maya. The streets here are a maze. Every street has an 'a' or 'b' associated with it, so you need to follow 4 Calle, not 4a Calle. My way of figuring is to turn left at the really good bakery and then right at the bright yello stucco wall.

 

Here is my address - mostly taken so I can remember how to find my way back!

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First stop - Chicago

Really early start today. I left Ottawa at 6:30 am and am now settling down to a long wait before my next flight to Dallas, then on to Guatemala City. Travel days are always good. I can use the time to work on the pages of notes I have brought with me. My teacher Ronaldo told me to study hard before arriving at Celas Maya.

 

Can't say I have been doing this the last few weeks!

 

Well, I will start with a Chicago breakfast and start cramming!

Next stop, Dallas then Guatemala City!!

 

 

 

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Guatemalan Journey

In two weeks I will be leaving for Guatemala. This will be a great opportunity to work on my Spanish in preparation for the next Compadres trip planned for the summer of 2013.

I plan to blog every day on life in Xela Guatemala. Lots to write about, lots to take pictures of. I hope you are able to follow me on this great journey!

Xela is a great place to learn Spanish. Hope you are able to follow!!