Little Stores (Tiendas)

In Spanish a small variety store is called a tienda. They are the most useful for snacks, drinks, adding money to your cell phone, toothpaste, toilet paper, and other little random things. All these little stores pretty much much sell the same thing. They are also EVERYWHERE. There was a little tienda attached to my host family's house. (This was super handy if I ran out of toilet paper after dark.) Below are some pictures of different tiendas that I found around Guatemala. One thing that my Dad noticed when my parents came to visit me in Guatemala was that window shopping isn't really a thing - meaning that most stores don't have windows - it is usually bars or an open front. There of course nice window displays in touristy Antigua, but not in other parts of Guatemala.

Returned Peace Corps Volunteer

I am officially an RPCV, but I still have a number of blogs that I want to post so I am going to keep this going for a couple months.

Bolos (Drunk People)...It's a Problem

Bolo is the Guatemalan slang term for drunk person. These people are usually found passed out lying on the sidewalk at all hours of the day (I mean early morning too) or if they are more highly functioning, stumbling down the street. There appears to be no laws against public drunkenness in this country nor social services that are in place to help these people (I'm sure there are in urban areas). The small rural town that I live in is predominantly Evangelical, so here, I am wary of any person (usually men) that I see drinking. It's not this black and white but in my town generally: you either don't drink or you have a problem. was one big change from living in the U.S.A.. In my town in Guatemala there is no such thing as having a casual drink or going out with friends for a drink on the weekends. Also I have noticed here that more men drink than women or that it is more socially acceptable for men to drink than women. The other side of this is that the vast majority of bolos that I have seen have been men. A week doesn't go by that I don't see at least one bolo and I believe that I have only ever seen one or two bolas (female bolos).

I generally try to stay far away from bolos because they are known to be molestones (botherers) and I don't usually take pictures because I find it very sad, but I took this one of a man who was passed out on the side of the road on my walk back from one of my schools. Also I went over and checked (from a distance) and he was alive.

They say that dogs are man's best friend, but not here in Guatemala. While dogs are generally mistreated it seems that chuchos (street dogs) are bolo's (drunk men's) best friends. If there is a man passed out on the street it is not uncommon to find a number of street dogs next to him.

I tried to take a picture of a cantina (extreme version of a dive bar where nothing is on tap and there are usually just drunk men sitting/standing around) without anyone inside of the cantina seeing me. So this will give you a rough idea about what they are like: dirty, poorly lit, cement floors, generally depressing and best to stay far away from.

Skydrone Pictures of Antigua

One of my Guatemalan friends has a skydrone with a good camera. I accompanied him one weekend to take some pictures of Antigua and San Felipe de Jesus (a small town 2km outside of Antigua). It was a fun trip and we got some good pictures from a little-seen viewpoint. Once again I love the lack of enforced rules here in Guatemala. In the U.S. I'm pretty sure that it is illegal to fly things over national monuments. But not here. Luckily for us this allowed for some great shots. 

San Felipe de Jesus Church

La Merced Church

La Merced Church I love this view because you can see the attached courtyard and fountain which is my favorite
peaceful spot in Antigua

Arch Street

Arch Street Volcano "Agua" in the background

Check out more skydrone pictures on:

Facebook

Youtube
Instagram: skydronegt

Gender Roles and Related Work in Guatemala

Walking back from a school this morning, in the center of my town, a guy catcalled me. He made that prolonged kissing noise which I find to be the most disgusting and offensive. I usually ignore them, but not today. Unfortunately my brain doesn't work that quickly in Spanish when I'm angry, but I said something along the lines of: "Excuse me. You shouldn't talk to women like that. You need to respect us." And walked away. Which I don't think is too bad considering I always want to shout back: "has that ever worked for you?!?" This is nothing new for me or my female friends here in Guatemala. I know I will miss it here, but sometimes I am so ready to leave. I know that cat calling happens in the United States, but not with the frequency that it happens here. Hardy Girls Healthy Women, a non-profit I volunteered for in Maine, just posted this picture (below) which I felt was fitting.

Fellow PCVs and I put on a gender conference in the center of Xela. The title of this event was "A Celebration of Women Leaders and the Men whom Support Them." Over 50 Host Country Nationals attended this event to discuss gender themes relevant to Guatemala including: positive masculinity, traditional gender roles and its effects, stigma and discrimination,  gender equity in your work, healthy relationships, and domestic violence. I assisted with the planning and execution of the event as well as a photography activity which prompted participants to showcase why they fight for women's rights.

Responses from top left to bottom right: I fight for women's rights because: they are God's creation, I'm not Machista, we should be respected, I want every one to be able to walk on the street without risk.

On March 7, Peace Corps Guatemala put on the Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler in the municipal theater in Xela with 12 volunteers, 16 Guatemalan counterparts, and over 300 people in attendance. The show raised almost $300 for the local non-profit Pies de Occidente (Feet of the West) which is the association for health promotion, research, and education. The monologues were performed in Spanish and two Mayan languages. I had seen a college production once before, but this was my first time participating in the monologues. I participated in the introduction, a group monologue (yes I know that is an oxymoron), and the final dance. The monologues range from funny to happy to sad. There are monologues about orgasms (the sounds of the "different kinds" demonstrated on stage - these can be funny such as: the student where she moans that she should be studying, etc), female genital mutilation and the "happy fact" about the clitoris. 

Here are some of my favorite lines from the introduction (translated into English):

1: There are so many secrets and much mystery around them [vaginas]
2: It is like the bermuda triangle 
3: No one returns from reporting there

...

1: The names we give them [vaginas]  

2: and the names that we don't give them

3: In Xela, they call them papusa.

4: and in Antigua, they call them, but they don't come.

The beautiful theater in Xela

A Mayan woman giving her monologue in Mam (a Mayan dialect)

The cast

The orgasm

In the news this week was a story about a 15-year-old from rural Guatemala whom spoke in front of the U.N. about: "the obstacles girls face in her community and how she and [her friend] persuaded the mayor to implement and fund policies that would help." She said that: "The biggest problems we face as adolescents in my community are early pregnancy, [child]birth, sexual violation and lack of education and health care." Although this girl lives in a different part of the country, I have noticed these similar problems. Guatemala is definitely a male-dominated society and I'm so glad that girls like here don't get discouraged and keep on pushing for what they deserve and are frequently denied. Check out the full article here: 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/goatsandsoda/2015/03/12/392174520/meet-the-15-year-old-from-rural-guatemala-who-addressed-the-u-n 

Finally, I came across this fun short Buzzfeed video about guys trying on high heels for the first time: 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/caitlincowie/guys-wear-heels-for-the-first-time#.kpx9WzQKOD

Salcajá: A Cute Little Town Outside of Xela

About 15 minutes outside of Xela is the town of Salcajá (pronounced sal-ka-ha). It is a nice little town with huge market days that fill the narrow streets. As I was looking through my Lonely Planet guidebook one last time to see if there were many important sights that I missed I came across the Church of Saint Jacinto in Salcajá. One of my friends from my training group lives and works in Salcajá so I am familiar with the town, but I have never been to this church which is the first Christian Church in Central America and is still used for services to this day.

First Christian Church in Central America

I have always liked this flag pole

Center of town

Traditional Blankets and Rugs from Momostenango, Totonicapán

The town of Momostenango (Momos for short) is in the department of Totonicapán in the Western Highlands of Guatemala and is known for their wool blankets and rugs. This is a cold area of the country and the blankets are very warm. I often mention how cold I am in my site to my family and friends in the Boston-area. If you have ever spent a winter in New England or have been following the news about the near record-breaking snowfall in Massachusetts this winter you can imagine that they have very little patience for me in this weather that never goes below freezing. In my defense there are a lot of things that help deal with with cold: indoor heating, non-concrete houses that don't hold in the cold, and running hot water. Sadly, indoor heating has not made it to rural Guatemala. I don't know of a single house in my town with heating. The same goes for hot water coming out of the sinks: unheard of outside of fancy hotels in touristy areas. This is fine but just means that I NEVER wash my dishes after dark because the pila (like a sink) is covered, but outside and it gets chilly with the cold water.

I don't currently own a Momos blanket, but I do have four thick blankets on my bed. Every singe one of them is necessary. I have also taken to covering my head (down to my nose) at night with a fleece blanket so that only my nose is exposed.

Mid-day nap

Bad Manners and Proper Dining Etiquette: It's All Relative

           I can't remember the last time I used a knife outside of a restaurant in Guatemala. Actually that is not quite true it just seems like it – occasionally halfway through a meal with my first host family my host brother would tell my host mom to get me a knife since I guess I looked like I was struggling to eat a big piece of tough meat in sauce with my hands. This of course was embarrassing, but I did prefer to use a knife. He would tell her to get it for me instead of himself because the men (generally) do not do any of the serving – they get served and if they need something like seconds they ask their wife, sisters, or daughters to get it for them. Since living with my first host family two years ago I have gotten quite used to this knife-less eating. Pick up the meat and eat it with your hands. It doesn't feel so weird when everyone else is doing it. I caved to the peer pressure. I'll just call it integration. 

With my new host family they often don’t even use forks they just use tortillas to scoop some of the food and use their fingers for the rest. They just don’t see the need to use them even when eating a piece of tough meat. Just pick it up and tear it apart with your hands.

One time when I was eating a refacción (snack) of a scrambled egg and boiled plantains with a group of eight teachers from one of my schools I was the only one using a fork. Also in most situations I am the only one that uses a napkin (if there are any). I guess they are much cleaner eaters than a lot of people I know.   

This one volunteer who just finished his service told the story of how after a year and a half of being a PCV in Guatemala he went home to visit his family and at a dinner with his Grandmother, turned around from the table and spat out the chicken wing that he had been chewing on. Needless to say she was shocked.

I would like to mention that at this point I still usually always use a fork or a spoon. However, I apologize in advance for any bad dinner table manners that I picked up. I still stand by the fact that bad manners and proper dining etiquette is all relative. For example, here in Guatemala it is important to always say thank you when you are done with your meal and are getting up from the table. The custom is that then whoever else you were eating with will say "buen provecho" which is the equivalent to "bon apetit" and means in this case roughly good digestion. I like this custom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVy24vvJlD8 

Above is the link to a video made by a PCV in Paraguay of "10 Bad Habits Picked Up By Peace Corps Volunteers." While they don't all apply to me or PCVs I know, a surprising number do. It is pretty amusing.  

Fair in my Town

This post is a little late. The fair in my town is August 20-28. Ferria (fair) in Guatemala is special. I think it speaks to the vibrant Guatemalan culture. In the U.S.A., at least in New England where I am from, if you want a town fair your options are limited. There are probably only a couple a year and they aren't all that close by. The vast majority of even the smallest towns here in Guatemala all have a patron saint and put on a week-long celebration in their honor. I have been to fairs in a number of towns and there are always: parades, cultural dances, marimba performances, rides, games, and lots of street food. It's a fun time. 

Selling sweets: the coconut cake which is more like dried and compressed shredded coconut is my favorite
(white and yellow and pink above)

The white balls are tasteless homemade gum

The centerpiece of the fairs are always the parade. My town is right on the Inter-American Highway (CA-1). This highway connects North, Central, and South America. The Guinness Book of World Records claims that the Pan-American Highway is the world's longest motorable road. It's a pretty big deal and I live a two minute walk from it. It is part of the reason why there is such good transportation in my site. That being said it is also a drug route to Mexico and the U.S.A., but I haven't run into any issues with that luckily. I would however recommend flying if you are taking a trip from the U.S.A. to Guatemala. ANYWAY, for our fair they shut down this important road for a couple of hours for the parade to travel along it and into the center of town.

These parades consist mainly of local school children. Most schools have their band play and the rest of the students march along. This is a costly event and takes up many many many school hours for practicing. Another staple in the parades are the floats. Each school basically decorates a pick-up truck for the winner of their beauty pageant. 

In my town of around 3,350 people (2012 health center census) there were three different ferris wheels. Fun fact that I learned about ferris wheels while I was in Guatemala: the first ferris wheel was shown at the world's fair in Chicago in 1893. That is why in Spanish they call ferris wheels "la rueda de Chicago" the wheel of Chicago. One thing about the ferris wheels here are that they go super fast! I think they hook special motors up to them because they go faster than any ferris wheel that I have ever been on. 

They are somehow related to my host family.
They stopped walking in the parade so that I could take a picture.

Beauty pageant winners from one of my schools on their float

Dancers. This is the only time knees have been shown in my town

Some students I know riding the smaller (hand powered) ferris wheel

Enjoying my 1Q ($0.14) bag of cotton candy