Petrona making a huipil.It's been longer than usual. I've been pretty busy working on my project and such. I'm now into the last week of the program; it has crept up on me.
To start off, I have a kind of hilarious story.
So I'm learning a little Kaqchikel. They teach me words like “finger” and “tooth” and I ask how to make plurals or say things like “I have.” Sometimes I will ask them the meaning of words I hear often. Well, before dinner last night I was washing my hands and I heard Luis say something about “mots'.” That's a word I hear them say a lot, and so when I sit down at the table I ask them what it means. Catarina immediately starts laughing, and Luis answers me stoically: “It means ladino...” pause, “or gringo.” “Oh, like stranger,” I say. Then I realize why Catarina is laughing and I laugh too. I say, “Ahh, now you guys can't talk about me without my knowing it!” Catarina laughs some more, but Luis doesn't laugh, part of the reason I think this is hilarious.
It reminds me of playing battleship. A random guess and bam, I got em.
Things have been accelerating. Even since my last update, my project, my Spanish, and my relationship with the family (which all affect each other anyway) have developed drastically. The day after my last entry, I had a pretty long and revealing conversation with Luis about certain aspects of his past. That night, Catarina told me a lot about Luis Miguel that I didn't know. They trust me more, I do more chores (carrying stuff up to the house), we are all more at-ease together, we tell more jokes, etc. I still don't know anything about Luis' late wife or the father of the children, and I think I won't ever know. Luis offered to take me to Chichicastenango to buy masks for his shop from the market there. I had work to do; I wish we had planned this earlier. Maybe we'll have another chance to do something like that.
I bought the pants instead of the painting, a purchase I am still happy with. Also, we are still without running water. That makes three weeks I think. Once every few days the boys and I wake up early and take our soap and towels down to the hot springs to bathe there.
My project: I have had several kind of breakthroughs the past couple of days. Carla has said that if you just keep plugging away and learn to deal with rejection then soon enough, things will get rolling. That happened to me more or less on Tuesday, and since then I've been almost overwhelmed with information and ideas. I wish that this had happened earlier, although I feel that I have enough time to do what I need to. What's more, I am excited about my project. Now, instead of longing for days when I have an excuse to go to Panajachel, I'd rather stick around Santa Catarina and do my research.
I have been able to interview a handful of the women street vendors here, thanks largely to Catarina. I met one who climbed Volcan Atitlan, a connection that got us talking for a while. A gringo chatting with a local woman street vendor gets the attention of the rest, and sometimes a few will look over her shoulder while she fills out the questionnaire. Some of them, Catarina included, try to set me up with this certain girl which, like most of this kind of stuff, is probably partly serious, partly to give us both a hard time. They only really do it when she's around: “Daniel, there goes your girlfriend! Don't leave her there by herself!” etc. Neither is this uncommon; other students have run into similar things.
But this goes to show you that I have been more accepted in general. When I walk up the street, they no longer look at me and say, “Buy something.” I have begun to greet most people I pass and now recognize many faces. The kids call me “Dan-yell” or “Dani” or even “Miguel,” and now I've learned to hear “mots',” but they no longer call me “gringo” or “Hey Dude!”
And it looks like my attitude towards the food is on the positive side to stay. At times, a hot tortilla really hits the spot. Last night we had a particularly good dinner: bowls of red beans with small portions of heavily-seasoned pork ribs, avocado, and both tortillas and ta' un, a favorite of mine, but this time instead of the beans being cooked inside tortillas they were mixed in with the cornmeal and cooked inside small corn husks (tamalitos, little tamales). They had bought these in Panajachel, but Catarina recooked them on the stove so that they were a little crunchy on the outside.
Man, this is probably the third-to-last entry. Once I finish my paper, I will post a copy here for those interested to read. Like I said, I am excited as to how it is turning out. I need to give my presentation this Friday. I will wear my traje pants.
After the program ends next Monday, I'm planning to go to head to Quetzaltenango (Xela). I'm trying to get a four-day backpacking thing together through a company there with some friends I've made here. If that falls through, then I will just hang out in Xela. My flight back is on the 14th of July.
To start off, I have a kind of hilarious story.
So I'm learning a little Kaqchikel. They teach me words like “finger” and “tooth” and I ask how to make plurals or say things like “I have.” Sometimes I will ask them the meaning of words I hear often. Well, before dinner last night I was washing my hands and I heard Luis say something about “mots'.” That's a word I hear them say a lot, and so when I sit down at the table I ask them what it means. Catarina immediately starts laughing, and Luis answers me stoically: “It means ladino...” pause, “or gringo.” “Oh, like stranger,” I say. Then I realize why Catarina is laughing and I laugh too. I say, “Ahh, now you guys can't talk about me without my knowing it!” Catarina laughs some more, but Luis doesn't laugh, part of the reason I think this is hilarious.
It reminds me of playing battleship. A random guess and bam, I got em.
Things have been accelerating. Even since my last update, my project, my Spanish, and my relationship with the family (which all affect each other anyway) have developed drastically. The day after my last entry, I had a pretty long and revealing conversation with Luis about certain aspects of his past. That night, Catarina told me a lot about Luis Miguel that I didn't know. They trust me more, I do more chores (carrying stuff up to the house), we are all more at-ease together, we tell more jokes, etc. I still don't know anything about Luis' late wife or the father of the children, and I think I won't ever know. Luis offered to take me to Chichicastenango to buy masks for his shop from the market there. I had work to do; I wish we had planned this earlier. Maybe we'll have another chance to do something like that.
I bought the pants instead of the painting, a purchase I am still happy with. Also, we are still without running water. That makes three weeks I think. Once every few days the boys and I wake up early and take our soap and towels down to the hot springs to bathe there.
My project: I have had several kind of breakthroughs the past couple of days. Carla has said that if you just keep plugging away and learn to deal with rejection then soon enough, things will get rolling. That happened to me more or less on Tuesday, and since then I've been almost overwhelmed with information and ideas. I wish that this had happened earlier, although I feel that I have enough time to do what I need to. What's more, I am excited about my project. Now, instead of longing for days when I have an excuse to go to Panajachel, I'd rather stick around Santa Catarina and do my research.
I have been able to interview a handful of the women street vendors here, thanks largely to Catarina. I met one who climbed Volcan Atitlan, a connection that got us talking for a while. A gringo chatting with a local woman street vendor gets the attention of the rest, and sometimes a few will look over her shoulder while she fills out the questionnaire. Some of them, Catarina included, try to set me up with this certain girl which, like most of this kind of stuff, is probably partly serious, partly to give us both a hard time. They only really do it when she's around: “Daniel, there goes your girlfriend! Don't leave her there by herself!” etc. Neither is this uncommon; other students have run into similar things.
But this goes to show you that I have been more accepted in general. When I walk up the street, they no longer look at me and say, “Buy something.” I have begun to greet most people I pass and now recognize many faces. The kids call me “Dan-yell” or “Dani” or even “Miguel,” and now I've learned to hear “mots',” but they no longer call me “gringo” or “Hey Dude!”
And it looks like my attitude towards the food is on the positive side to stay. At times, a hot tortilla really hits the spot. Last night we had a particularly good dinner: bowls of red beans with small portions of heavily-seasoned pork ribs, avocado, and both tortillas and ta' un, a favorite of mine, but this time instead of the beans being cooked inside tortillas they were mixed in with the cornmeal and cooked inside small corn husks (tamalitos, little tamales). They had bought these in Panajachel, but Catarina recooked them on the stove so that they were a little crunchy on the outside.
Man, this is probably the third-to-last entry. Once I finish my paper, I will post a copy here for those interested to read. Like I said, I am excited as to how it is turning out. I need to give my presentation this Friday. I will wear my traje pants.
After the program ends next Monday, I'm planning to go to head to Quetzaltenango (Xela). I'm trying to get a four-day backpacking thing together through a company there with some friends I've made here. If that falls through, then I will just hang out in Xela. My flight back is on the 14th of July.
A woman swings a tinaja at a dog. In the mornings, everyone fills up for water for the day at the fountain.
I volunteered at a spay/neuter clinic in Panajachel yesterday.
Luis Miguel, Wilson, Bandera, me
Last night´s dinner. The ribs are in the skillet, the ta´un and peppers are cooking around it.
2 comments:
I have been trying for several days to leave a comment and kept going round and round with Google.
You have some fabulous photos! Another one I particularly like is "the river that runs through Pana." Love your "tales."
You are now in the home stretch! Looking forward to being with you at CWAC.
Love, BaaBee
Hi Daniel, I'm a friend of Amy Crews. It's been a joy to read your blog and see the pictures. My husband is a Guatemalan from the city. On my visits to Guatemala I've often longed to do what you are doing... leave the confines and explore real life in the little towns. It's a beautiful and unique life. Sounds like you've paced yourself well in regards to emmersion into the culture. Your paper is much awaited. ~Angela de Arroyo
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