In Guatemala, temblores/tremors are a part of life. Terremotos son otras cosas, they are earthquakes. Terremotos jumble the earth. My host family asked: “Do you have them in your home?” and la verdad es no,[…]
Category: Wonders
Mujeron | 75 Palabras in Guatemala
I’m a new woman! Actually, I’m exactly the same. But I’ve had a Mayan makeover (I couldn’t resist the alliteration). I finally acquired a complete set of traje típico: güipil, corte and faja. A Güipil[…]
Learning a Language | Coming Back to Spanish (Throwback)
In high school I was awarded “Excellence in Spanish II” sophomore year followed by “Most Enthusiastic in Spanish III” junior year. I think Excellence meant highest grade and Most Enthusiastic meant Pain in the Cheeks. Mrs. Sweeney[…]
La Posada | 75 Palabras in Guatemala
Posadas are another word for hotel or inn. ‘Round Christmas time (this borrowed from a google search) posada is: (in Mexico) a ritual re-enactment of Mary and Joseph’s search for a lodging in Bethlehem, performed[…]
Aceite | 75 Palabras in Guatemala
I explained the situation over the fire. It’s where I explain most situations. The ‘situation’ being: I’m not decided on the next time I should go home, a normal question for PCVs worldwide I’m sure. Luckily[…]
Hembra | 75 Palabras in Guatemala
The first week in site, welcome and instructions came in a shower of words from my host mom. Lots of words. At dinner, she’d eat a bite, wipe her mouth and say more. Eat a bite,[…]
La Navidad | 75 Palabras in Guatemala
I’ve never been awoken into Christmas morning by a rooster, bombarded by the harsh snaps of endless cohetes and bombas (firecrackers), with small chicks chirping for food around my feet as I walk downstairs to greet the[…]
El Monte | 75 Palabras in Guatemala
December 22, 2016: Today we went back to ‘El Monte,’ the same spot as the first. I’ve gone with her to three ‘montes’ but this is the first time I’ve returned to the same spot,[…]
Moler | 75 Palabras in Guatemala
Moler means ‘to grind’ or ‘to crush.’ After we’ve toasted coffee beans over the plancha (stove) in the kitchen, Doña Rosario produced a wide cylindrical stone out of the other room where she keeps kitchen supplies.[…]
Cortar Café | 75 Palabras in Guatemala
My alarm went off at 7:17am. Already winning. On my second morning in my new pueblo of Santa Clara, I descended the stairs to find my host mom in her tasked cooking pace, donning her[…]