Excitement and Errors in Guatemala

A lot has been happening in Guatemala - first of all- it's simply magical - there are always horses in Parque Central, and horse-drawn carriages with (mostly) tourists in them trotting down the cobblestone roads. Reminds me that someday I'd like a really nice - not car- but horse. Grass is also cheaper than gasoline.

There are a lot of spontaneous (so it seems) musical performances. They usually involve panpipes - an instrument I've tried in the past to master, but have failed. One night our whole group of students from Spring Arbor went to a restaurant Pena del Sol Latino, and there was an Andean-styled musical group performing. The music was haunting and joyful, expressing their emotions so honestly. Of course it was a night I forgot to bring my camera (of all the times to forget!) So, instead of snapping photos that likely wouldn't turn out anyways, I pulled out a brown paper bag and purple pen (the only "art" supplies I had) and began to draw the musicians. There was a young boy walking around trying to sell us "extranjeros" (foreigners) bracelets, scarves, and assorted jewelry. We were all saying "no gracias" to his wares. He had just tried to sell me something when he noticed I was drawing, he paused, and I could feel him staring at me as I drew. It saddened me that he didn't have time to just do something like I did. I've learned that time is a luxury most of us have too much of.

This Sunday our host mom brought us to see a parade. It ended up being the wrong day, but I got a chance to watch this "San Miguel muralist" at his work. I smiled at the boys sitting nearby and watching him. Art is always so entrancing.

I also got my first ride on a bonafide "Chicken Bus" for a fare of only 3 quetzales - that's around 50 cents. Of course the scenery here is beautiful, and the bus ride was grand- I was doubting the name "chicken bus" (supposedly some passengers will transport chickens on their laps) until the bus ride back from an organic macademia nut farm we stopped at. Sure enough, there was a boy sitting next to me with - not a chicken - but a dove! We talked for a bit - turns out he was a motorcycle mechanic bringing the dove back to Antigua as a gift.

Parque Central is the place for - well, selling stuff we probably don't need to foreigners, but besides that, for fun! Bubbles, tostadas, flutes, stray dogs, and exotic fruits can all be found here.

Some pretty significant cultural things have happened since getting here - voting, which was (ironically?) September 11. Those voting centers sure were packed too - it's very important to all the businesses that all their workers get to vote; they'll give them several days off to bike or bus back to their hometowns to vote in. September 15 was Independence Day - we watched the flag raising in Parque Central and listened to a speech. (My favorite line was "No quiero abburir" which roughly translates "I don't want to bore you." Ha! Famous words from many politicians.)

I love being here, but my heart is really burdened to find some way to help the people around me. There's so much I have - just because I'm from the US - that they don't get. Even education - the government here is so corrupt, my tutor was telling me, that sometimes they don't pay teachers or doctors for three months. She said, "In the end it hurts the children the most." They're not just lacking quality education - there are many that go hungry and are malnourished - this isn't just stuff that happens in Africa. And it's really starting to get under my skin that we, as Spring Arbor students studying abroad, find it okay to spend 120 quetzales on a single meal while so many people are literally starving around us! I don't know what to do, but I'm praying and looking for ways to reach out.