Life as an Ex-Pat

Xela, Guatemala

Many of you have been asking about our daily life since our move to Xela almost two months ago. First of all, it's hard to believe it's been so long already!  I think mostly because we've been so busy!  We basically went from being travelers with no schedule to be accountable for, to being full time students, to having full time jobs (we just don't get paid...)

Xela is the second largest city in Guatemala, behind the capital.  We spend most of our time in Zone 1, which surrounds the main central park, Parque Centro America.  Everyone here is very friendly and helpful.  There are many small local markets, and two big shopping centers, including movie theaters and a Walmart.  In the old, colonial part of town the streets are narrow cobblestones with one-way traffic.  There are obviously no emmissions regulations as most of the vehicles (especially the micro-busses used for public transportation) emit a huge black cloud of exhaust as they excelerate past you.  We walk almost everywhere, and are now well-accustomed to life at 8,000 feet, and are beginning to have a grasp on the layout of the city (a difficult task given that few streets are labled and those that are change names).

After enjoying our first trek with Quetzal- trekkers from Xela to Lake Atitlan, we signed up for two weeks of one-on-one spanish lessons at Utatlan Language School.  This included 5 hours of lessons per day plus daily homework and school activities such as cooking classes, playing futbol (soccer), weekly dinners, and weekend excursions to nearby attactions.  We were GREAT students, and were amazed at how quickly we remembered/learned the language!  During this time we stayed with a local family in a homestay to be fully immersed in the language.  We met a lot of great people, got aquainted with the city, and learned how to play futbol - which includes Katie having her nose broken by the shoulder of an english man (okay, there are no x-rays to prove this, but there was blood, a huge cracking noise, and it still hurts 4 weeks later!).

Upon completion of our two weeks in school, we decided we wanted our own space, and went in search of an apartment.  What we ended up with is more like a room, with a bathroom... but it's home sweet home to us!

The outside of our apartment.
The address: 14th Avenida, Above Kono-Pizza

Kevin relaxing at home

Our balcony... lovely!

Half of the kitchen

We have our own bathroom with a fairly decent shower (an anomoly in Guatemala), and share a kitchen and balcony with the other 4 people (all Americans) who live in the building.  The real selling point for us was the balcony, it is nice to have some outside space, with a decent view of the city.

Democracia Market

We do most of our shopping at the local markets, which is always fun, and supplement at the Dispensa Familiar (a small local supermarket with very few things, like pasta, beans, and 20 varieties of cooking oil).  Cooking in Guatemala is, like most things, a bit of a challenge.  Not only do we have to light the stove and oven everytime we want to use them, and guess at cooking temperatures, but we also have to disinfect all the produce.  This involves soaking it in produce-disinfectant (or bleach) for 5 minutes, then allowing to dry completely before using or storing it.  I tend to do this upon arrival from the market, so everything I have is ready for consumption.

Cabbage drying after being disinfected, and the other half of the kitchen

Kevin buying potatoes

The week after spanish classes, I started my volunteer position at EDELAC (Escuela De La Calle), the school sponsored by Quetzaltrekkers.  EDELAC is a school developed for underpriveleged kids in the area who otherwise would not have the opportunity to go to school.  Most of the kids come from families with single mothers, and many from an environment of alcoholism and abuse.  If not for this school, many of the kids would be at risk of not attending school, and instead working and/or living on the streets.  I am working in the first grade classroom Mon-Fri from 8:00-1:00.  I help the teacher however she needs it during the school day as well as teach English lessons twice a week, and some form of physical education.  Check out this video of the kids doing the "Ice Cream and Cake" dance!

Although it is challenging working with these kids (both because of the language and lack of discipline most recieve at home), they have already found a place in my heart, and I am absolutely loving this experience!

Katie´s school bus

I am also working for the Utatlan Language School as an english instructor.  I have two students: a 6 year old girl, and an adult woman for a total of 8 hours a week, making a whopping $2.50/hr.  At least it's enough to support my growing coffee/chocolate habit.  I am also able to trade my english hours for spanish hours, and am continuing to work with my spanish instructor two hours a week.

Quetzaltrekkers office

Kevin got started volunteering at Quetzaltrekkers, which pretty much means devoting all his waking hours to the organization.  The first 10 days is a trial period in which he works in the office and studies the guide book to become completly knowledgable about the organizationa and their policies and procedures.  He is constantly working on washing a never-ending pile of dishes, prepping food and equipment for treks, and preparing meals for the guides.  Most of the guides live together in the "guide house" which is a ... let's say "rustic" building with rooms with beds, a courtyard, and a toilet.  No kitchen, and no shower.  For this reason, and because they all work such long hours, they tend to eat communially, using their pooled tips to pay for food.  In other words... the guides are now benefitting from Kevin's mad culinary skills while I am surviving on tortillas and beans.  Because they are short staffed, Kevin has been able to participate as a guide on several hikes before being officially accepted as part of the team.  However, the hours are demanding and mean that we do not see each other all day, or for days at a time when he is on a trek... one of the main reasons we began this journey to begin with... So he is debating whether or not this will be a good fit long term.

The coffee and hot chocolate in Guatemala are AMAZING!  Here are some of our favorite spots to study, read, or just hang out and enjoy a hot beverage and great atmosphere.

Inside "El Cuartito"

Outside "El Cuartito"

North South Cafe - My absolute favorite!
Downstairs is a little new/used bookshop and small coffee bar, upstairs is this amazingly cozy loft!

Enjoying our first anniversary at Xela's Indian restaurant, "Sabor de India" with a glass of wine...
Some familiar favorites after a year full of new experiences!

GTG (Good to Go) in Guatemala

     We made it to our temporary final destination, Quetzaltenengo (Xela), Guatemala. Final, because its where we plan to stay put for awhile, temporary because, well,  nothing is final. We rolled into town with the plan to scope out a Spanish school to attend, and get out on a trek with Quetzaltrekkers, the group that we wanted to volunteer with. We settled on a school with a pretty large enrollment (25 students/week or so), but also great one on one instruction and fun daily after class activities. The trek we settled on was a three day hike from here to Lake Atitlan, and this was our first order of business.

     We were really excited to see how the QT operation worked and getting out on a hike we could see it from a clients perspective. At the pre hike meeting we met the guides, met the other hikers (11 total), got our gear and food and/or equipment that we were responsible for carrying. The guides were great, informative and friendly, and some of the clients proved to us that you will always have a challenge client on each trek. For the most part all of us clients got along great right of the bat. Good to go. 

    The next morning we met for breakfast at the office, packed up and hit the road to catch our "chicken bus"(which is what the call the buses that  they use for public transportation here). Up the road for about a half hour to our starting point. We waste no time going up at a pretty good pace. The first two hours or so were the most difficult of the day. The steep forest gave way to open farmland, and our higest elevation of htis hike at about 3600 meters. The higher elevation was definatley a challenge right away, but more level terrain helped to ease the heavy breathing. The rest of the day was spent rolling up and down the countryside and some pretty awesome views. By the late afternoon

we could no longer avoid the rain. A heavy downpour helped speed us along to our destination for the night, which was a small village and a friendly homestay. We got dry, got fed and got to bed.

  Day two was much of the same, exercise and dramatic views. Our second night was spent at the home of the friendliest of old dudes, Don Pedro. Here we had a home cooked meal, a fire pit and cold beers.

 

   Day three started at 3:00 am and a easy hike out of the village to a mirador (vista) of the lake and volcanos where we would get back into our  sleeping bags to watch the sunrise and have breakfast. Even though we had some storm clouds, and a thunderstorm in the distance, this was one of the best sunrises these eyes have ever taken in. After a few hours we made our way down to the lake by way of a network of locals trails through  their coffee farms. At the bottom of the trail, in the town of San Jose, we sat for a rest and a cup of some local joe. We then took a tuk-tuk a town over to San Pedro la Laguna where we spent a few hours relaxing and swimming in the lake. In the afternoon, we took a bus back over the mountains to Xela, unloaded our gear and said our goodbyes. A few more days of relaxing and exploring the city, then we begin Spanish school. Initial Guatemalan adventure is a success. 

At least 7 volcanos are visable from here.