“Las grandes decisiones te siguen a donde vayas”

As the plane landed in La Aurora Airport in Guatemala City last Friday, I was incredibly excited to be somewhere new and have the opportunity to stretch my legs (metaphorically and physically). It became immediately apparent as I saw the city from the air and from the streets that this is a different world. By Fairfax County (or Williamsburg) standards, everything seems dirty – and it was a shock to see men with very large guns on the street (and by this I do not mean they have enormous muscles). They stand at the entrance to many shops and restaurants – one must remember that it is good that security measures are taken so that we might be safe. All the same, I was enchanted by everything so new, and beautiful in its own way.

Five of the seven students studying in our group met up at the airport and we bonded on the drive to Antigua. We were all pretty beat down from lack of sleep but it was a fun drive all the same. Antigua is gorgeous, with cobblestone streets, adobe buildings painted in bright blues, reds, yellows, and whites, among the ruins of the old colonial city and a few dozen churches. The city is nestled between three volcanoes – Agua (Water) or Hunapú (the Maya maize god), Fuego (Fire), and Acatenango (I’ll get back to you on this one). The latter two are active, and I hear you can often see smoke coming from Fuego.

Another student (Tamara) and I are staying with the Rodríguez family, who live in the southern part of the city, the whole of which is only about a square kilometer. Our host family is wonderful and nuestra (our) mamá is an amazing cook – we have had everything from sopa de asparragos (asparagus soup) to Chinese noodle dishes to frijoles (beans) and guacamole on tacos (fried tortillas) to plátanos fritos (fried plantains) as well as fresh fruit with just about every meal. The house is very small, with an open courtyard (el jardín) inside – you can feel the fresh, cool air throughout the house. It’s the dry season and we’re in the middle of the coldest months here, meaning it has only been in the 70s. Horrible, I know.

Saturday morning, Tamara and I wandered around the city. I am very glad she has a good sense of

direction to counterbalance my dismal ability. We visited various sites – I think my favorite was the mercado (market), especially crowded and bustling since it was Saturday. You can buy just about anything there – fresh fruit, raw meat, clothing, toys, towels, school supplies, power drills, you name it. Many of you will be proud to hear that I bargained down the price of a bath towel. Over the past few days I have visited some of the bigger churches – they are very different from the American/European variety, and I look forward to devoting more time to discussing them in a further entry.

Saturday night our whole study abroad group met up for the first time. We are quite a bunch! The director of CIRMA (the Center for Mesoamerican Research), Ricardo, and the program director, Javier, are a blast. Ricardo treated us to pizza and beer and then Javier showed us the good bars in Antigua. I think it’s going to be a good semester.

That’s all for now. I’ll try and update you this weekend again with stories of our upcoming adventure to Guatemala City, and then tell you about classes, my internships, churches, and all the other fun things we do. I know you will, but please don’t worry too much about me. Ricardo, Javier, and our host families make sure that we are all very safe. I miss you and am keeping everyone at home in my prayers. ¡Hasta luego!