Xenacoj

Finally I create the first post of my blog that will chart my experiences in Guatemala as a Healthy Schools Facilitator in Guatemala. I have been in Guatemala for a little of two weeks, and already it feels like years. For my first three months, I am living with a host family in Santo Domingo Xenacoj, a small mostly indigenous city of about 11,000(?) where Kaqchikel, one of some 23 languages in Guatemala, is spoken. "Xenacoj" is Kaqchikel for "beneath the hill Nacoj" which lies next to it, and "coj" means lion. Nonetheless, I am learning a little of the language, like "thank you" means "matioch", amongst a few others. I live with a fantastic family whose house is located near the central park, municipality, open market, and Catholic church. There are 3 other trainees with me, 2 who live with families that are part of my extended family.

While I have not had a typical day with respect to Peace Corps training, I will try to explain a typical day here for me. I usually take a bucket bath every other day, like my family. I use water heated on a stove, so thankfully it is not cold! My family has a gas stove in addition to a firewood stove. The women in the family know how to weave using the waist technique passed on from their Mayan ancestors. The food is mostly tortillas, beans, cooked local vegetables, noodles, and lots of soups with all of the above in them. The coffee is better than expected because the guide books said that all the good Guatemalan coffee is exported. I have (somewhat) learned to "tortillar" or make tortillas with my family--they are the best ever! They make about 200 a day, some of which they "sell" to their extended family and others.

The scenery is beautiful, as we are in the highlands or "altiplanos", with rolling hills and mountains. As for weather, there are only two seasons: summer, the dry season (November - April) and winter, the rainy season (May-Novemberish). This is interesting because Guatemalans are so intrigued by the idea of autumn and spring. Now, in summer it is characterized in the highlands as hot and dry when the sun is out, and when the sun isn't out it is basically freezing (well, maybe I exaggerate cause I don't like cold weather but still cold). Thus, contrasted temperatures, which is expected in higher altitudes. From my understanding, the winter season is the rainy season, so it will be raining almost every day.

More to come on my technical training... I just wanted to make one post! I will say that I have already been to many cities, mostly for training, including Santa Lucia Milpas Altas (where the PC Guatemala headquarters will be), Parramos, Alotenango, and Antigua. These travels have been done on bus on winding roads and the always visible volcanoes Fuego, Agua, and Acatenango have been a beautiful site.

Love you all!