Today, admittedly, stunk. I had to drop off some papers for the Eye and Ear Hospital social worker before work. Upon arrival I was assaulted by the smell of mopped-up vomit and found myself in the company of over 100 people of all ages (it was 6am) who had seemingly been waiting since before dawn. Publis health services here are a nightmare, and everyone was upset or impatient. The one staff member working was being bombarded with grievances and pleas from impoverished parents. Even in my Pro Ciegos uniform, I was the last person he was interested in pleasing. I finally caught sight of a co-worker I knew and begged him to let me by so I could give her the papers. Running back to the chicken bus, I boarded and got off the bus on time and hurried past the dog poo in Zone 1 to the doors of CECSA.
There were 4 visits planned for today, mostly in zone 18 (a ¨red zone¨in terms of safety) so we got to go in a Pro Ciegos vehicle with a driver instead of on the chicken buses. I sat in the back of a Pro Ciegos Jeep from the Vietnam area and breathed in gas fumes all the way to Zone 18. The first visit was without incident, I conducted the interview and we left shortly.
The second, however, was no party. The house was in a dangerous barrio, and the mother we came to see was not there. We started the interview in the dark of the one room house with the student´s sister, between an unmade bed (shared by all 5 family members) and a pile of fly-infested dirty dishes. Everyone´s clothing was in a large crumpled pile on the floor. There was no running water in the house. The stench was all but unbearable.
We got lost on the way to the third house, but were lucky enough to be stuck behind a bus which emitted a simply unreasonable amount of fumes. It was way too hot to close the windows. Walking up the barranco to the house, we witnessed the mother hitting one child while holding a baby. Inside the house, 5 children under the age of 10 swarmed around us, and the mother did the interview while breastfeeding and yelling at her ¨shiftless¨adolescent son. The young boys jumped on the family bed and whipped each other with a belt (wonder where they learned that).
By the time we got to the fourth home visit we were stranded in the campo with no cellphone signal. The Pro Ciegos driver was ready to kill us, and FR and I both had to pee like race horses. We finally found the fourth house and used their outhouse, which teeters over a 15 foot drop lower into the barranco (and yes, that is where the children play). FR sped through the questions and we got out of there, stat.
We arrived back at CECSA with just enough time to eat lunch and punch out.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
trabajo, trabajo, presentaciones
This last week at work was particularly challenging but I survived. People seemed to be in a pervasive bad mood, and work was dryer than usual. Nonetheless, I finished off the week with a fabulous friday at the Colegio Americano de Guatemala. MWs friend EZ is the director here at the American school and invited me to give presentations about sign language and deaf culture. Its a bit wierd because I am a hearing woman, but I figure that some exposure is better than none. I presented to an auditorium full of kindergarteners, then a large group of third graders, then 3 high school classes in an individual classroom setting. In between sessions I had the opportunity to chat with the school staff, and enjoyed it very much. Each presentation was different on account of the ages of the students, but each one brought the reinvention and modification of curiosity. I was very impressed! Part of me just wants to join the faculty here, but dont worry, Ill come home first. :)
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
La cabaña a lado del lago
The end of Semana Santa meant a change of scenery and, impossibly enough, an increase in happiness. MW, her brother, her son, B and I went to a cabin on Lake Atitlan to visit friends of MWs. There were 2 families with 3 young children between them. Now I have met a lot of kids in my life, but these little critters were top knotch. We all became children ourselves, racing, coloring, dancing, making faces, and relishing in the delightful antics of a precocious lad named Pepino (Cucumber) and his baby sister and cousin. After a wonderful meal, the adults played this addictive, rambunctious card game called ¨Pit¨ which destroyed our voices from all of the shouting. The view from the cabin was magestic, especially in the early morning. After a traditional Guatemalan breakfast, we went into Panahachel to people watch (and there were tons of people to watch). My heart nearly broke when I departed in a shuttle for the City. Holy cow, what a Holy Week.
Gallaudet en Guate II
This world is pequeñito! Walking back from Frida´s I caught a glimpse of a Gallaudet sweatshirt, inhabited by a Japanese undergrad and accompanied by 2 other internationalundergraduates. The mysterious Gally travelers that I missed the weekend before! I flagged them down and introduced myself, and before I knew it we were signing away. It was so wierd, we may as well have been sitting in the MarketPlace on campus, but instead we were chatting in the central park of Antigua, Guatemala, with Semana Santa festivities all around us. They shared with me their disconcerting brush with danger in Guatemala City and their exciting stories from Tikal and Flores. I told them about my internship and the Deaf community here in Guate. It was late, so we took a group picture and went our separate ways, only to meet up again at graduation in May.
Semana Santa II
And what an all-nighter it was. After a rousing game of cards, MW, her son, his friend B and I went down town to watch people making alfombras. Some of the designs were pretty spectacular. Most of the tourists had retired for the evening, and the streets were filled with locals, huddled with coffee, selling pupusas and other fried delights. B and I went to take photos of the alfombras while MW and her son went to sit and talk, but all 4 of us ended up at the same restaurant by accident!
At 3am, we stood in front of La Merced, a prominent church, and watched dozens of Roman soldiers on horses read the proclamation condemning Jesus and ride off into the night. It was like the Renaissance fair, but more Guatemalan and MUCH more serious (these guys mean business with the reenactment). We headed back to the house for 2.5 hours of sleep before rising again to start on our alfombra.
The alfombra team was a motley gang of gringoes from all over the States, all with some connection to MW or her housemate. With stencils and planks, dyed sawdust and water, the group constructed an impressive alfombra. Which was promptly run over by pious marchers bearing the weight of a float. bearing the weight of Jesus. bearing the weight of all of our mortal sins. Needless to say it was thoroughly destroyed, but well worth it anyway.
We napped through the afternoon then returned to town to have dinner at Cafe Frida, a hip mexican restaurant/bar honoring Frida Kahlo. Taquila ran like water and a good time was had by all.
At 3am, we stood in front of La Merced, a prominent church, and watched dozens of Roman soldiers on horses read the proclamation condemning Jesus and ride off into the night. It was like the Renaissance fair, but more Guatemalan and MUCH more serious (these guys mean business with the reenactment). We headed back to the house for 2.5 hours of sleep before rising again to start on our alfombra.
The alfombra team was a motley gang of gringoes from all over the States, all with some connection to MW or her housemate. With stencils and planks, dyed sawdust and water, the group constructed an impressive alfombra. Which was promptly run over by pious marchers bearing the weight of a float. bearing the weight of Jesus. bearing the weight of all of our mortal sins. Needless to say it was thoroughly destroyed, but well worth it anyway.
We napped through the afternoon then returned to town to have dinner at Cafe Frida, a hip mexican restaurant/bar honoring Frida Kahlo. Taquila ran like water and a good time was had by all.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Semana Santa 1
Let me just start by saying that I have been having the time of my life for nearly 3 solid days. I am in Antigua, or rather, just outside of Antigua with MW, her housemates, and a fluctuating 7/9 other house guests. We have been strolling through Antigua (which is PACKED with tourists from all over the world) viewing processions and alfombras for Semana Santa. An "alfombra" or carpet is an elaborate, mandala-like creation on the streets made of flowers plants and or sawdust. I helped dye the sawdust for the alfombra that we will be helping SH, MWs housemate, create early tomorrow morning.
The processions involve hundreds of men and boys wielding floats bearing gruesome and ornate depictions of the stations of the cross. Each float is enormous, illustrating the steps leading up to the crucifiction. They are preceded by incense and followed by small marching bands. Thousands line the streets to watch them pass by, their paths carpeted by so many ornate alfombras. The streets are a perpetual circus of people and a delight for the senses.
In addition to the processions over the alfombras, each church has an impressive display of the floats before they are cycled though the city. We visited La Iglesia de San Francisco and La Escuela de Cristo. The latter had a light show, a man narrating with a kereoke machine, and a massive display with Jesus and Angels suspended from the church ceiling and Adam and Eve on the pulpit, dressed in leopard skin caveman garments. Awesome doesn't even begin to describe the novelty of this scene.
As if this weren't enough, I could not be in better company. Our band of gringoes spans 23-66 in age and hails from all over the US. The merriment virtually never ceases. Tonight is supposed to be an all-nighter in the streets of Antigua before we start the alfombra at 6am, so I'm off to take a nap!
The processions involve hundreds of men and boys wielding floats bearing gruesome and ornate depictions of the stations of the cross. Each float is enormous, illustrating the steps leading up to the crucifiction. They are preceded by incense and followed by small marching bands. Thousands line the streets to watch them pass by, their paths carpeted by so many ornate alfombras. The streets are a perpetual circus of people and a delight for the senses.
In addition to the processions over the alfombras, each church has an impressive display of the floats before they are cycled though the city. We visited La Iglesia de San Francisco and La Escuela de Cristo. The latter had a light show, a man narrating with a kereoke machine, and a massive display with Jesus and Angels suspended from the church ceiling and Adam and Eve on the pulpit, dressed in leopard skin caveman garments. Awesome doesn't even begin to describe the novelty of this scene.
As if this weren't enough, I could not be in better company. Our band of gringoes spans 23-66 in age and hails from all over the US. The merriment virtually never ceases. Tonight is supposed to be an all-nighter in the streets of Antigua before we start the alfombra at 6am, so I'm off to take a nap!
San Andres Itzapa
Tuesday brought the privilege of seeing another shrine of Maximon. I went with MW and her brother to San Andres Itzapa to see a particularly well known shrine. When we got to the gate of the temple, there were 3 small bonfires on altars. Several Mayans and one kooky British lady were praying in front of them. Several other Mayans were seated on nearby benches smoking 2 to 3 cigars simultaneously. A guatemalan with perfect English kept offering to tell us about Mashimon (and he and his friend ended up extorting a rather large tip out of easygoing MW).
Inside the temple, there were 6 ling tables where people were lighting birthday sized candles and sicking them to the table top with melted wax. One by one, people ascended the platform where the Maximon was held, and a shaman blessed them by tapping their head and arms with what looked like palm fronds. Closer inspection revealed that this Maximon was covered in plastic wrap, and further observation revealed the reason for this precaution. A woman ascended and, after praying, started dousing the Maximon alternately with perfume and liquor. More liquor than perfume. Maximon in all of his manifestations in known to drink and smoke heavily.
The inside of the temple was adorned with bricks engraved with messages of gratitude to Maximon from all of the people he has helped. It was very neat to read them all. On the way back to the car, we passed through the local market which was impressive but smelly, and just before reaching the car, a sex worker flashed MW's brother, although MW and I didn't see anything. San Andres is certainly an interesting and unusual place.
Inside the temple, there were 6 ling tables where people were lighting birthday sized candles and sicking them to the table top with melted wax. One by one, people ascended the platform where the Maximon was held, and a shaman blessed them by tapping their head and arms with what looked like palm fronds. Closer inspection revealed that this Maximon was covered in plastic wrap, and further observation revealed the reason for this precaution. A woman ascended and, after praying, started dousing the Maximon alternately with perfume and liquor. More liquor than perfume. Maximon in all of his manifestations in known to drink and smoke heavily.
The inside of the temple was adorned with bricks engraved with messages of gratitude to Maximon from all of the people he has helped. It was very neat to read them all. On the way back to the car, we passed through the local market which was impressive but smelly, and just before reaching the car, a sex worker flashed MW's brother, although MW and I didn't see anything. San Andres is certainly an interesting and unusual place.
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