Don't drink coffee? How do you pass the time here in Xela?

I have unwavering confidence that in the years to come, when people ask what I miss most about Xela, it will be the long afternoons spent chatting and people-watching over coffee. The cafe culture here in Xela is thriving, in part to the lack of any chain coffee shops. The uniqueness of the cafe atmosphere is not violated by the uniformity of the white and green cup and overstuffed pastry case. Starbucks has no place here.

Of course, I will not begin to bash Starbucks. I can recall many joyful life moments by the Starbucks I frequented at the time. I can remember nearly weeping, yes weeping, with joy when I found the Starbucks in Heathrow after more than a month of only instant coffee in India. (This deprivation was made even worse by no coffee at all for nearly a week, during which I consumed mass quantities of milky tea in hot pursuit of the 'kick' that coffee provides the sore body after a long run in diesel-filled climes.)

I can still taste the salty tears in my venti coffee, even if I was forced to use only milk to soften its blow (is half-n-half solely an American wonder?), at the Starbucks in Lima on the day I left Ecuador. Alone and wondering what I would do in Lima solo until Corey arrived, I ended up seeking comfort in one of my favorite indulgences.

Not only do I not miss Starbucks here in Xela, but the view from my favorite cafe is hardly comparable with that of the lovely Potomac Yards parking lot:

This is Parque Central, as seen from El Balcon del Enriques in Xela. The best drinks here are the cappuccino (for those who like their coffee 'suave'), the cafe con leche (members of the 'fuerte' club), and the chocolate con leche (for the non-coffee drinkers, lovers and sugar-addicted). And of course, it is absolutely necessary to close your cafe experience with a 1 quetzal mini-macaroon.

Part of the reason I enjoy El Balcon is for its people-watching advantages. Through personal experiences, I have learned that spying on others is the third-most popular sport in Xela. Like any self-respecting Guatemalan town, the most popular pasttime is futbol (soccer). Second to futbol is comparing prices paid for fruits and vegetables in various market stalls throughout the city. "You paid 8 quetzales for a papaya?! That's so expensive!" Yes, I did. I will happily pay $1 US for a papaya anytime.

And ranking a close third here in Xela: spying on other people.

In order to best "people-watch", the balcony provides multiple long-legged seats so neck exhaustion is easily avoided. I learned, from my Spanish teacher and her family, that the best way to people-watch is to keep your cell phone handy for texting and subversive picture taking. Since Xela is a small town, it usually takes approximately 3 - 4 minutes to spy a familiar face (that's for me...imagine if you actually lived here!). If you are lucky, that friend will be accompanied by a stranger! Take a picture! Text to friends and family immediately! Commence speculation.

People-watching is only part of the sport that is spying. The other key component is to then report your findings to the person, in a non-confrontational but "gotcha" manner. Today, at lunch, Tia Margarita asked me, "Muñeca, why did you go to Cafe El Cuartito yesterday?" Apparently, her neighbor's friend had reported that I did not make my usual afternoon jaunt to Cafe Baviera or El Balcon. Disculpe, Tia.

Of course, this makes Parque Central the true litmus test for whether or not your new 'novio' is serious or not. According to Ana Lucia, the savvy 19 year old daughter of my Spanish teacher, if a guy won't hold your hand in Parque Central, he's just wasting your time (or he has another girlfriend/wife, who undoubtedly has friends who are currently spying him walking with you...)

Some of My Favorite Things

Recently, a fellow traveler of mine inquired, "What are your favorite purchases thus far in Guatemala?" I suppose this person intended for me to recite a list of souvenirs ranging from one tchotchke to the next...Instead, I divulged my passion for my new hot water bottle. It has revolutionized my sleeping ability on cold, Xela nights. This is officially the BEST 50 quetzales ($6) I have spent in Guatemala. And the water is still hot enough in the morning for coffee! I can actually make my Nescafe in bed (okay, I have not done this...yet.)

Second to my hot water bottle (as if the lovely Scottish print is not sign enough of its usefulness)...ranks my cursed Guatemalan cell phone.

I consider this cell phone cursed for the following reasons:

a) I must rely on my 7 year-old house brother to assist me in "recharging" the phone with more minutes. Here in Guatemala, this involves walking to the tienda at the end of my street and purchasing more minutes.

b) I have no idea how much minutes cost, nor how to check my balance. I do not understand "triple" days or "10 for 1" promotions. This is Antonio's responsibility. (Yes, he is 7 years old.)

c) The telephone does not have a touch screen. On this first day I purchased this phone, I confess, I tried dialing by touching the plastic screen. I have been ruined by my American iPhone.

d) I am embarrassed to admit that I think I used to own this exact phone back in 2001 or so. Somehow, between then and now, I forgot everything. I learned today, after 4 weeks, how to lock the keys, which is essential since my phone randomly decides to make phone calls and waste my precious minutes (acquired with much difficultly - for me).

For the record, I love my cell phone because it keeps me connected to my new Guatemalan friends and family. But I completely blame Apple for stunting my technological growth. I am sure Antonio, in his 7 year-old mind, is wondering, in beautifully rapid Spanish, how this blond woman with her fancy iPhone can possibly expect to learn Spanish if she cannot navigate the intricacies of purchasing minutes from Claro for her cell phone. Just today, we had a 10 minute conversation on whether I wanted to purchase a card of minutes or have the tienda recharge my phone. Antonio explained the advantages of both -- 2 times -- in offensively slow Spanish. I still have no idea what to do...except give him 100 Quetzales and say "Por favor?"

The Traveler's Dilemma...

The more I travel, the more I realize that life presents many difficult choices. For example, when visiting a new city, after a long day of travel in a retrofitted school bus, you may find yourself famished and exhausted. Selecting a restaurant can be tricky...does the speed of the service match your desire? Will the food meet your expectations? And most importantly, will the food give you diarrhea?

(Apologies: That may be graphic, but any traveler in the developing world asks this question, hopefully in their head.)

Fortunately, this is not a tale of diarrhea. Instead, it is the tale of making the tough choice when a country of very, very few major music concerts schedules 2 for the SAME night.

In one corner, we have Pitbull. The oh-so-endearing Pitbull, with the intoxicating 1-2-3-4. Yes, it is the song of the summer here in Guatemala.

In the other corner, we have Wisin & Yandel. Arguably, they are one of the best acts in reggaeton. Everyone has heard "Rakata" -- and yes, some people sneer in distaste for reggaeton, but those people would fall into the "musically judgmental" category:)

What is a serious-minded world geography teacher to do? This is important cultural research and demands deliberation. In the end, Wisin & Yandel prevailed. The opportunity to see such a groundbreaking group trumped my desire to hear Pitbull recite 1-2-3-4 multiple times, in person.

So, Thursday night I will be enjoying my VIP ticket to the Wisin & Yandel concert. And of course, I appreciate that it is considerably cheaper than a nosebleed seat at the Verizon Center. On with the cultural research...

The Song of the Summer

Every summer has its song. I remember years ago, at Camp Rim Rock, when the Ace of Base song "The Sign" was played continuously for 2 months.

Last summer, the song of the summer was certainly "Calabria" in South America. Corey and I spent many an evening in Peru dancing to that lovely cancíon.

This summer, Guatemala is having a love affair with Pitbull. His lively, dance-friendly song is "I Know You Want Me"...download it now.

This song is so popular here in Guatemala that one of my friends, Aaron, stated that this may be the only song in circulation in Guatemala right now. I am not sure it is to that extreme (yet) but certainly, you can count on at least 3 rounds of Pitbull in a good night of dancing (plus the mandatory nightly Michael Jackson tribute and various renditions of Thriller).

I think I love Pitbull -- so much, in fact -- that next week I am heading to his concert. I need to return to Guatemala City for my flight to Honduras, so I will budget in an extra day for another authentically Guatemalan experience. Granted, between now and then, I should probably listen to at least 3 other Pitbull songs.

I took a picture of the advertisement in today's El Periodico so you can enjoy a full shot of Pitbull. Reading the paper is a daily habit of mine that continues to provide many benefits!

It's Friday in Xela...

Life in Xela involves many trips to the mercado for fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, and of course, tortillas.

My favorite mercado in Xela is Plaza Democracia. I am starting to have my favorite "mujers" who supply me with delicious fruits and veggies throughout the week. Of course, I cannot buy enough bananos de manzana (the small, sweet bananas) to accompany my morning bowl of mush. Mush is...well, mush. It is very watery oatmeal, but like anything else, when you are hungry enough, you will eat! I have found that with a couple bananos and some mango marmalada stirred in, mush tastes just fantastic with my cup of Nescafe.

The other vegetable pictured here is not widely consumed in the USA, but I find it particularly delicious in soup and boiled with salt. It is called guisquil and is certainly part of the squash family.

Yesterday, we had a potluck almuerzo at school, so I prepared fresh guacamole with avocados and onions. I purchased 12 avocados for 30 Quetzales -- about $4. What will I do when I return to the USA and am forced to pay Whole Foods prices again?! My papaya habit is out of control here, in part because it's one of the cheapest fruits available (and so good in a liquado con yogurt!).

So what does one do when not walking to the market, preparing food, or studying Spanish?

Perhaps you want to take in a show...like...High School Musical?

This morning, my Spanish teacher, Mariela, and I walked to the central gymnasio for a lovely performance of High School Musical. En español, por supuesto! Her children performed in the marching band as part of the performance.

Diffusion is so evident here in Guatemala. Television networks, like the Disney Channel, provide full programming en español and the High School Musical phenomena is as fervent here as in the USA.

Yet, one of the major reasons I love Xela is I feel the indigenous spirit. This city provides an interesting hybrid of tradition and modernity that constantly challenges conventional thinking about development. There is something both deeply disturbing and beautiful about an indigenous woman in full traditional clothing chatting away on a cell phone.

And now that night is falling in Xela...it's time to DANCE! It's Friday night in Xela...which means...bailaremos!

Cocina en Guatemala

What is it like to cook in a traditional Guatemalan kitchen? I find kitchens to be fascinating reflections of cultural values and diets. For example, in India, every kitchen was stocked with favored spices and herbs in jars of various sizes and origins.

The "kitchen sink" is a common site of much work for a good cook...Here is the sink in mi casa en Xela. The middle portion is filled with clean water, which is used for washing the dishes in the other two compartments. The middle container of water is always left fresh and clean.

Thus far, I have observed that in Guatemala, most food is freshly prepared and therefore frequent trips to the market are part of daily life. I was admonished last week for purchasing a not-yet ripe aguacate (avocado) at the market. Why would anyone purchase fruit that needs another day to ripen?

Here is a typically "stocked" refrigerator en la casa de mi familia:


















As you may notice, the shelves are absent of processed foods and prepackaged items.

The large corn husks occupy the second shelf are of course, nature's perfect packaging for...tamales! Every week, my host mother makes about 50 tamales to accompany los almuerzos y las cenas en la casa.















Another major difference here in Guatemala is the storage of eggs on the kitchen counter for the entire month. Eggs are a popular food item for desayuno (breakfast) and dinner (cena) con frijoles y platanos. Personally, I say -- hold the huevos and frijoles! I'll take triple the platanos, por favor:)

Finalmente, para Tia Elena, un mesaje en Español: Yo amo Guatemala! Mis clases de Español estan informativo y yo estudio mucho, por supuesto!

Weekends in Guatemala

How does one spend a good weekend in Guatemala?

Perhaps the best way to spend a weekend is to hop on the chicken bus for a nearby town. This past weekend, I went to Panajachel, on Lago Atitlan, with some friends from Xela.






The chicken bus costs 25 Quetzales for a trip from Xela to Panajachel -- about $3 US for the 2 hour journey. A chicken bus is a retrofitted school bus, complete with those lovely padded seats that you might remember from elementary school. Here is the view of Lago Atitlan from the front row of the chicken bus as we are making the descent into Panajachel.

Lago Atitlan is a fascinating geographic wonder because it is extremely deep -- at nearly 300 meters. The lake is the result of volcanic activity hundreds of thousands of years ago. Surrounded by multiple volcanoes, this lake is surely one of Guatemala's most scenic locales. and a marvel of tectonic activity.

We really enjoyed our time in Panajachel...especially the breathtaking lake views and delicious comida. Any visitors to Pana (as it is frequently referred to) must visit Guajimbo's Uruguayan Grill for the delicious pollos a las brasas (amongst other things!).

Speaking of tectonic activity, another possibility only a short 30 minutes from Xela in the hot springs at Fuentes Georginas. As you can tell, I enjoyed this steamy wonder with my teacher, Mariela, and her daughter, Ana Lucia. (And as you may also notice, I am "tall" by Guatemalan standards.) What a marvelous way to spend a Friday afternoon!