I just finished another week of Spanish school. It was kind of hard getting back into the swing of doing 4 hours a day, but somehow I managed to get myself out of bed and keep myself talking for the whole morning.
I actually got an amazing teacher - her name is Delia and we have had some great conversations. We talked about mayan medicine and cosmology, funerals and religion. I actually shared some Doukhobor history and customs with her, and she was pretty interested. Its always great having that exchange across cutlures, you really gain a new respect for what you take for granted as your own past and family traditions.
Delia also got me to look up my nahual..which is my mayan cosmological sign. I went to the local museum and after our tour the woman helped me figure out my mayan dates - they take into consideration your date of birth, then figure out your day of conception, and then calculate your future. I am not sure of the process, but they have descriptions and characteristics that go along with each one. I was concieved on Ichquik (sp?), born on 13 K´at and my future is 8 Ee. It was interesting, and there were definitely some aspects that were spot on. With all three, Delia is convinced that I am in a special position to direct cities politically, and particularly to be an intermediary with the divine... she seemed slightly disappointed when she remembered that I had explained myself as an atheist, haha, but maybe the mayan cosmological forces have something else in mind...
We also discussed women´s issues here in San Pedro, which was quite heartwrenching but hopeful at the same time. She has been involved in trying to get some women´s groups together here in the area, but the pressure against the women by their husbands and the lack of support by the Evangelical and Catholic Churches has been challenging..
It was the Feria here this past week...the patron saint festivities. I only caught the tail-end of it, and got to attend part of the procession with Delia where we drank a traditional corn-blended cocoa drink that they only serve at this festival. There were bombas (louuud firecrackers) going off constantly, and at night they had performances and dances, one of which was a Columbian band with scantily clad dancing girls...it was quite a shock to the community I think, they´re actually quite conservative, and it was defintely a popular topic the next day amongst the teachers and students at La Cooperativa...
Ive been staying at the hilariously named Yo Mama´s Casa hostel here in San Pedro. Even though I am only staying in a dorm bed, its nice to have that independence of coming and goign when I please, and cooking my own food or going out when I want. I will be having a family homestay when I get to San Jose in Peten. It´ll actually be nice to have one more family experience before I come home, and I don´t know the area at all either there, so a family will be a good intro to the small lake-side town!
I went kayaking today, which was lovely..I had intent to do it all week...but alas, Friday came and only this afternoon did I get myself in the water. I went with a friend for only about an hour, just before the rain started falling again...
Tomorrow morning I head to Lanquin, which is near the famous tourist attraction Semuc Champey - there are caves and beautiful waterfalls - crystal clear blue from what Ive seen from pictures! So I will be catching a shuttle tomorrow morning at 8;30, having a 1 hour stop over in Antigua, and then arriving in Lanquin around 8... it´s going to be a long day...
A scary thought - I only have a month left in Guatemala! With the plan for the next couple weeks, it seems as if it will fly by..but I guess I´ll have to make the most of it. I will definitely be coming back here one day.
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