Really Long Update

Our last two days in San Cristobal were amazing. We couchsurfed with a fellow named Mac. He is probably one of the best couchsurfers Ive met and the interesting conversations never end with him. Mac, three of his friends, and myself (Rachel stayed at Macs and rook a nap because she wasnt feeling well) went into the small town of Zinacitan (sp?) our first day with Mac. This is a really small place without really any tourists and they community had a festival for San Sebastian. They were all - the women and men and children - wearing lots of blue and purple handmade clothes. These are their "new colors," which they wear daily, not just for the festival. There was music and customs and many extremely strange traditions. They did these less than a minute long horse races and there were guys dressed in strange black and orange costumes with their faces painted black. There was also a guy dressed like a leopard. They erected this barren tree and filled the hole it was in with dirt. Then the leopard guy climbed to the top and a couple others climbed into the tree. The guys with black faces were at the bottom on the ground and the guys in the tree threw orange peels down at them. Then the guys at the bottom continually tossed real stuffed deal squirrels at the guys in the tree who tried to catch them in crates. It was the strangest shit ever, haha. But quite interesting. Definitely having nothing to do with "Mexican" culture but the traditions of this small community. It was very interesting because there were only a couple other tourists we saw there so I really felt like we were in the middle of this strange culture and it wasnt just a show like so many "cultural experiences" you can have when traveling that are basically just put on for you. It was really awesome. Macs friend Aaron and I looked over at Mac chatting away with some of these people - trying to get them to teach him a card game they were playing - and Aaron looked at me and said "Mac, always making friends." And that statement proved to be true our whole stay with Mac. We wandered off the little stretch where the festivities were going on and into where the homes were. While we were walking a man carrying a container for some sort of liquid passed us. Mac asked what he had and the man said it was "jugo de canne," which is juice of sugar cane. Mac asked where the man made it and he raplied in his house and so Mac said, "Lets go to your house then!." So we went with the man to his house and he gave us each a glass of the juice which was amazing and sweet! We went in this small dirt room where there was a fire on the floor for cooking and watched the mans wife make corn tortillas which she gave us right off the fire to eat with beans and cheese and salsa. It was pretty awesome. I told the woman - who works with bones and healing that my back had been bothering me and she told me to come back the next day for a limpia (cleaning-cleansing). Apparently all the people in the community seek her out when they are sick. The man - Antonio - also told Mac he would permit him to take pictures the next day as long as Mac gave him a copy of each photo. Mac got yelled at more than once for taking picture of the festivites. They really do not like you do to that - one reason because it is their customs but more so because they believe you are making business off of them and selling the photos you take. However, you can often may them a small amount and they will be happy to let you photograph them! So strange. They make you feel like they dont want photos taken because it is something sacred - until a small bit of money makes it all okay.

The next day Rachel joined Mac and I do return to the home. Mac got to take his pictures and got my limpia! This consisted of the woman rubbing eggs all over me - raw eggs still in the shell. I lit three candles. She said lots of things - prayers of whatnot that sounded like quiet chanting. She rubbed my back a little with menthol. Then wafted some incense at my back as well which saying more things I didnt understand. It was quite interesting and quite the experience. She said she had cured two people the day before - one boy who was six months old. I dont think Im cured but I feel like I got something out of it! After this the three of us ended up sitting near the festivities and drinking a few beers with these two old men. They were 73 and 75 and born in Mexico but moved to the US when they were very young but enjoy coming back to visit. They are brothers. I love talking to new people and having interesting conversations and just learning. So that is what we did. We intended just to spend a couple house in Zinacitan and but ended up there for probably almost eight. We then stuck our thumbs out by the side of the street and hopped in the back of a pickup with some others for the twenty minute ride back to San Cristobal.

Mac has a poker night every Wednesday and there were lots of people who showed up to his house to play and hang out. I stayed up way later than I intended to (having to wake up at 630 the next morning), not playing poker though, playing backgammon. All Macs friends were amazing. Everybody was interesting and had something to offer or to share. I could have spent the entire time there. His friend Aaron who is from Mexico and I chatted a bit, his friend Joe from the US, and also a girl from Spain, Maria, and I spent some time talking. Mac told me over and over that he would love to have us stay longer and he wished we had more time there. I feel the same way. This was really couchsurfing at its best.

Our ride from San Cristobal to Xela was nine hours but did not feel bad at all. Crossing the border was so strange! Really, you can simply walk across the border from Mexico into Guatemala and never go through immigration. Obviouslly we did, but just saying... kinda strange. We took one shuttle to the border, got out and put on our backpacks and walked about ten minutes across the border, then got in a second shuttle to make the rest of the way to Xela. It was so run down and strange - I cant even explain things like this really if you havent seen them because there is nothing to compare it to. Lets just say it was the most interesting border crossing Ive made!

We got to San Cristobal - after switching vehicles again and luckily got dropped off right at our host familys house. We are living with a Guatemalan family this week which we attend Spanish school 8-12 and volunteer 3-5ish. The family we are with is nice but not very enthusiastic. It is sort of strange because the family I was wish last year were really interested in everything about me and helpful and just pretty much freaking awesome people. These people are nice, nothing bad, but we eat nearly in silence which is strange. The school said we could switch families - its supposed to be a cultural exchange and the family isnt really upholding their end, but I said not to worry about it. We are not in the house most of the time anyhow. No worries. The cost is about $50 for one week which includes a room at the families house and three meals a day. Cant beat that. Anyhow, it was exhausting to get up the morning after the shuttles and go to class but we did. Class was good, always one on one which is great. Recapped a lot of stuff I already know and I am trying to direct the teacher towards doing the things I really need to learn - like the past tense! I can learn vocabulary on my own and pick it up constantly but I need help with grammar. Afterward we headed to the house to eat lunch and then back to the school - which is a funny walk through grass and dirt and up a hill and threw garbage that is everywhere, as is Guatemala. The project is really like a supplementary school for kids. Its just a couple hours after regular school where they can learn a little more informally and have fun. There are little kids, older kids, and the ones in the middle and they sort of split them up. I really think I like the older kids - the oldest boy is 13 and they youngest maybe 10. There are the kids that can actually read and write. The ones below them are still struggling. Anyhow, there is one boy who is a big trouble maker! He is very smart and would be jacke dup on adderal if he were in the States (Im not saying its necessary, but in the States he would be on it!). The oldest boy is very sweet - a flirt I do believe! We took a little walk to a going-to-be garden for the school and I chatted with him the whole time about planes and flying, his family, volcanoes, all sorts of things. He is a sweet kid. After we got back to the school and it was time to leave the two oldest boys told me I needed to come play soccer with them. They grabbed my arms and pulled my across the street to this lumpy little sort of grassy and dirt area between some small buildings - of and there was a truck in the area too. The best soccer field ever. Well, we played for maybe twenty minutes or so. It was a lot of fun. The oldest boy - Im not sure how to spell his name so Im going to wait til I figure it out! - made the last goal and picked me up and spun me around, haha. So funny. I suppose we will be playing again monday! There was a little girl who told me I had pretty pants - just ratty old jeans when the day first started. The kids are so adorable and excited for the attention. I love it. Rachel took to the little kids a bit more which is good and she really enjoyed the day as well.

At night we met up with Edy - a friend of a friend of mine who is from Guatemala and who I have been in contact with for a while. We got a bite to eat and then headed to a couchsurfing meeting here in Xela. We met people from all over - Mexico, Guatemala, Norway, The States, France, Israel. It was awesome. Had some informal salsa lessons going on at the little bar we were at which was fun to watch but I will never be able to dance so there is no point in trying! Had a good time though and lots of conversation. Edy is a pretty awesome guy and hopefully we will be meeting with him more over this weekend.

Before this trip I wanted to get to know Mexico a little but was mostly excited to be back in Guatemala. However, now I am missing Mexico like crazy and want to be back there! Ugh. I do enjoy Guatemala still - but man, I really loved Mexico like nowhere else. And the food! I am pretty sure I have fallen in love with Mexican food. I need spicy! The food here is mostly bland tasting. It is so blah. It is similar to Mexican - lots of rice and beans and tortillas and eggs... But no flavor. It sucks. I am not pleased.