Asian Update...

So I am here at the KLCC or Kuala Lumpur Convention Center after just finishing 3 very long days of intense discussion, social networking and eating good food. I am kind of sad, the same way I normally feel after any event. It really isn't that this city has been so spectacular or the convention awe inspiring (though it was very worthwhile and valuable). I don't know. I am just sort of sad. There is just something to be said being immersed in such a positive aura. Everyone here is trying to benefit mankind and help to world to develop. Being a part of this energy is such a privileged. I felt somewhat out of place at first thinking that I was just some young guy who is volunteering in Guatemala, teaching some English, doing other odd jobs. However I suppose that is how it all starts, from the heart, possessing the spirit to serve. I hope this signals a life of serve ahead of me (I am pretty sure it does), because without the overall goal of better the lives of everyone including but not limited to ourselves, why are we living on this Earth? Just my philosophical remark of the day. More to come about Malaysia. I have a 36 hour adventure to get home to Quiche where I can't wait to see my wife and cat.

Toby

The Amazing Race: Guatemala Style

On our recent trip to Guatemala we were incredibly close to the airport and had some money to blow, so... we decided to do our own little "Amazing Race" and visit some of the sites that sat only a plane flight away. The only question was... where to go to first!?!?!

Being in Guatemala we thought it only fitting to hit some ancient Mayan Ruins...

Then we went to Spain where Toby found a beautiful bench from the 15th Century.

After that it was on to none other than the city of romance... Paris.

Being so close to the Middle East, Israel was alway on our list of must see places so we took a little stopover...

And of course our trip would not have been completed without a little return to the good 'ole U.S. of A.

Toby in Southeast Asia

Yes, that's right folks; Toby is currently in Southeast Asia. That lucky dog!

We were both presented with the opportunity to attend the Third Global Knowledge Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. However, only one of us could receive the scholarship that included airfare, hotel, and registration to the event. I decided that Toby should go and represent Enlace Quiché, since he has had fewer chances to travel than I have. He will do an excellent job networking, presenting information on a panel, and representing the organization. Hopefully he will make some good contacts and bring back applicable ideas that we can carry out here in Quiché. Maybe he'll even make a few contacts to further his future career as well!

Since Kuala Lumpur is 14 hours ahead of us here in Quiché, Toby is likely mingling right now at the conference and enjoying the various strategic coffee breaks. The Global Knowledge Partnership has organized the event, and thousands from all over the world will be attending. Toby already told me he has chatted with a South African guy, a woman from Sri Lanka, and others. Unfortunately, since this is a business trip, he doesn't have much time to do a lot of site-seeing and take advantage of his time there. However, I think he's going to do his best to see what he can, including the famous Petronas Towers that are near the conference center.

Fascinating Discovery

Calling all IKEA fans!!!

Last night when I was surfing the net before my class, I came upon a fascinating discovery. I was checking out the IKEA website and looking at their newest and latest products. A few of the chairs really caught my eye...but not for the usual reasons. Please check out the site here and see what I mean.

***It's also important to know that Toby's first 2 names are actually TOBIAS SEBASTIAN.***

Zaculeu - Mam Kingdom

After our trip to Todos Santos, Toby and I decided to take advantage of our time in Huehuetenangango and visit the ruins of Zaculeu, the former Mayan Mam stronghold, on our 1 year anniversary.


Zaculeu was established around 1200 AD, and eventually conquered by the Spaniards on October 27, 1525, after a 4 month siege, by Gonzalo de Alvarado. Their battles were pretty crazy, with people being killed and shoved into any old location. The on-site musuem even has a cut-out view of a clay pot with a human skeleton inside, showing one person's death, and also many other tools, pottery, and things found amongst the structures.


Oddly enough, the United Fruit Company did some very poor renovation of the structures around the seventies. Most temples and altars are covered with a thick layer of concrete/plaster so that the original stones are not showing. Nevertheless, the monuments are quite large and impressive, and the grounds are kept very clean and beautiful. It makes a great place for a picnic for locals and foreigners alike.

Todos Santos Drunken Festival

A few weeks back Toby and I had a few days off work to celebrate the holidays of Día de Los Santos (All Saint's Day) on November 1st and Día de Los Muertos (All Soul's Day or Day of the Dead) on November 2nd. We decided to take the opportunity to travel and experience more of the local culture by attending a town festival. All cities in Guatemala have a patron saint connected with their community and the basis of their week-long festivals. However, in the town of Todos Santos, they fittingly celebrate all saints during the week of Día de Los Santos, and particularly on the first.


We set out at 6am on the 1st to travel to Huehuetenango, from where we planned to catch a van to Todos Santos, way up in the Cuchumatán mountains. Little did we know that no transportation was running to the town that day due to the festival! After a few hours of waiting and deliberation we walked to one last location where we might find transportation, and luckily a pick-up truck driven by a friendly Guatemalan doctor picked us up with a load of Guatemalans. We were on our way...but uncertain how we would make it back or if there was a place to stay...but we were going!


Once in Todos Santos, it was a drunken muddy madness all over. The streets were crowded with locals swaying with their Gallo beer bottles, and many tourists following suit. All the indigenous in this small community wear their traje (typical clothing), including the men, which isn't really the case in most of Guatemala. So it's also a very colorful site of purples, blues, and cute woven hats. It's unbelievable how Guatemalans drink and pass out in the oddest positions laying in mud, rocks, losing their clothing, you name it. This even occurs in our neighborhood in Quiché, but not nearly to the extent of this festival. And, the drunken activities were just beginning...


The true excitement of the day was a drunken horse race that takes place on a mud road with hundreds of people crowding along the route to cheer and watch. Horse owners loan their animals to beer-brave riders for Q10 a lap in which they race madly down and back at the sound of whistles. This can get somewhat chaotic since the riders aren't really in their right state of mind, so falls and crashes are quite common. One accident cracked open a rider's head and left the horse down in the mud to be carried off by many men...and probably later killed. Toby was even offered a free ride in the event by a guy that befriended us, but after the disastrous accident and without medical insurance, there was no way he was going in there!

At around 4pm we decided to try our luck heading back to Huehuetenango, because we didn't want to get stuck in the town with a bunch of raging drunks in the streets. Fortunately, there was one bus heading out of town but only about halfway to where we needed to go, but took it anyway and tried our luck. Almost immediately we were disappointed with our decision when a group of drunk and muddy men started fighting and falling all over me on the bus. They could barely stand as we drove up the narrow mountainside road, only to be propped up by me avoiding getting crushed. The bus driver couldn't take anymore of it though and stopped the bus to kick some of them off, and I I took the opportunity to move farther back into the bus for safety. From then on it was a smoother ride with only one person vomiting out a window in the back and 3 guys breaking open their beer bottles. We were also very thankful to meet a lovely Guatemalan woman who was in the same predicament as us and needed some way back to Huehue. Thanks to God we were able to find a van to drive us back there and we arrived in one piece after a very adventurous day.

Thanksgiving Update: GO PACK GO!

Well as hard as it is being away from family, good food on Thanksgiving, and having to work, I had one thing to look forward to today: watching my beloved Packers kick the Lions butt during the traditional Thanksgiving Day game. However, to my dismay and horror, when I came home from work at lunch to watch the game, the same one that has been advertized on EPSN Latin America all week, it wasn't on. No it wasn't a scheduling error. We simply had no cable. Stupid, unreliable, good for nothing Guatemalan cable had to go out at the very time it could actually feel like Thanksgiving in Guatemala. So today I guess I should be thankful for the reliability of TV in the United States. Lets recap the day: No Turkey (or Tofurkey), no pumpkin pie, no good beer, and no Packers. Welcome to Guatemala!

At least the Packers won!

Happy Thanksgiving

A very Happy Thanksgiving to all our friends and family. Unfortunately, we have a very long day of work scheduled....as it's not a Guatemalan holiday. We will sneak home for a long lunch though, and try to catch some of the Thanksgiving Packer's game. We don't have any good feast planned since we don't have an oven to bake anything, nor can we find the majority of the cooking ingredients. Oh well! Please think of us, and have an extra helping in our honor.

We are so thankful to God to have all of you in our lives!

Small Town Folks Visit the Big City

In the beginning of the month we were sent on an all expenses paid trip to the big city, otherwise known as Guatemala City, to attend an English teacher's conference. The conference was sponsored by the Guatemalan-American Institute or IGA, a bi-national institution dedicated to promoting the exchange of culture and ideas between the United States of America and Guatemala. With help from funds given to the organization from the United States Embassy, we went to the conference and attended about ten different educational sessions during the two and a half day event. IGA brought in speakers from all over the world; including professionals from the United States, Ireland, Uruguay, Panama, and many more countries. We attended a variety of sessions with topics ranging from using games in the classroom to stimulate learning to how to effectively grade writing assignments of intermediate “English as a Foreign Language” learners.


Although fun and free, the conference didn't come without its share of frustration and typical Guatemalan characteristics. Right off the bat we were sent to about three different rooms to register for the event, although none of these turned out to be the correct location. Additionally and perhaps the most sickening was the lack of respect the Guatemalans showed the speakers at the conference. In numerous sessions we had people arriving very late, talking to their friends or on their cell phones and in general disrespecting the speakers and other participants. Most notable was in one lecture at which were about 500 participants. About 15 minutes before the end of one hour talk about 15 people lingered by the door and finally left quietly. I guess they had had enough. But, then it seems that that had been a signal for others to exit as well as about 100 people in a span of five minutes left the room while the speaker was still talking. Just more examples of the lack of respect within the Guatemalan culture.



Aside from the conference itself, we had a blast staying in a nice hotel with hot water, a bathtub, and a maid that cleaned the room everyday! Can you believe that?!?! The city also gave us a chance to have some good food which included stops at a good Italian joint, Subway, and even an elusive Quiznos we found during our last day in the city. We were like kids in a candy store, marvelling at the four storey malls we visited and having a delicious latte just about everyday from our favorite big city coffee joint "& Cafe". Our last day in town we checked off another location on our list of the 32 Best Places to Visit in Guatemala, checking out the National Archaeological Museum. It was pretty interesting and filled with Mayan artifacts from around the country. We were also surprised to see that our local ruins had been the supplier of the majority of gold pieces on display.


Overall it was a fun and eventful trip, but like always, we were happy to get home to little ole' Quiché.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween to all of you who will be celebrating in various parts of the world. We hope it's a ghostly good time. Here in Guatemala Halloween really doesn't have any standing. There are no corn mazes, pumpkins, trick-or-treaters, costume parties, etc. Lucky for us, my mom (Nancy) sent a care package to Toby in Chicago that contained various Halloween themed items, so we were able to indulge a little. Thanks again Mom!


We definitely enjoyed the candy corn, candy corn bingo, and candy corn string of lights. We made full use of those during our mini Halloween celebration at home. Even Nieve got in on the action as well!

Monterrico Sea Turtles

Last weekend Toby and I took the opportunity of having no classes on Día de la Revolución to do a bit of traveling to the Pacific Coast town of Monterrico (far south from us). Part of our motivation was to see a new place in Guatemala and the chance to see sea turtles. At one time there were 250 species of sea turtles; now there are only eight worldwide. Of those eight, three species are indigenous to the southern coast of Guatemala: Parlama Blanca (the Olive Ridley), Parlama Negra (the East Pacific Green), and the largest of the sea turtles, Baule (the Leatherback).

Both types of Parlamas nest on the beach at Monterrico, fittingly named Baule Beach, between July and December. The Leatherbacks, however, nest between late October and December. As of last weekend no Leatherbacks had been spotted...and sadly only 4 were reported last year along the 25km stretch of beach. This indicates just how endangered these creatures are. Another sad predicament of all 3 species of sea turtles are the hueveros that comb the beaches at night searching for turtles nesting in aim to steal the eggs. This practice is probably due to lack of jobs and education, and from the myth that Parlama Negra eggs are aphrodisiacs. The common understanding on the beach, is that the first person to the turtle has dibs on the eggs to do what they wish. Unfortunately, during our 4 hours watching and searching in the night, with our friend Mike from Boston, we were unable to spot any female laying eggs. Most eggs that are laid on the beach are probably sold as food, and the others are thankfully donated by tour guides and tourists to the CECON (el Centro de Estudios Conservacionistas) tortugario.

This is where Toby and I visited to check out where many bundles of eggs are "incubating" safely under the watch of CECON workers that protect from predators, human and animal alike. We also were able to sign up (Q10 or $1.25 donation fee) to release baby sea turtles into the ocean that Saturday evening. During the peak season, almost every night baby turtles hatch from their eggs and are collected into a holding pool where they await their release into the ocean the following evening. We were able to check out the little Parlamas Negras in their pool before releasing them later in the evening.

When we let them go into the thrashing waves on the beach of Monterrico, the waves tossed them back up onto the black sand beach where they camouflaged and attempted again to make it out into the open ocean. As we watched, we hoped and prayed they were the one out of a thousand that would survive into adulthood (possibly 100 years). And, maybe someday they'll return to Baule Beach to mate and lay eggs themselves.

Electricity Blackout = Work BBQ

Last week on Wednesday we were forewarned at Ajb'atz' Enlace Quiché that there would be no electricity in all of Santa Cruz del Quiché on Thursday from 7am-6pm. This is the 3rd or 4th time this has occurred in the last few months due to the fixing of power lines in our neighborhood. Apparently that isn't possible without cutting off electricity to everybody. And, since Enlace Quiché basically is about computer technology, designing courses, and other public services like internet and copying, we pretty much can't do anything without electricity except teach our English classes. Therefore, the scheduled blackouts pretty much mean a free day from work, so we decided to have a staff bonding BBQ/potluck lunch at the volunteer house.

We all pooled money to buy ingredients at the market and sent a few staff members shopping for everything. Then we planned to prepare salads, grilled items, drinks, etc at the volunteer house. Toby and I were recruited to make our pineapple pico de gallo that we prepared a few months back for our last potluck...guess it was a hit! While all the women were inside chopping and washing veggies for salads, cooking beans on the stove, and making salsas, the men all pretty much hung outside around the BBQ grilling corn on the cob, green onions, and meat...typical. Toby was the only exception, as he was floating all over dabbling in each project. At last the feast was ready and we all chowed down on a very tasty lunch of 3 salads, grilled goods, tortillas, beans, and fresh limeade. Mmmm.

Of course no electricity is irritating since we have electric heated showers and also cannot do many other things. However, we just have to embrace the small annoyances that occur in a developing country and make the best of it....and we did! The lunch and camaraderie with our compañeros was very satisfying and memorable. We can't wait for the next electricity blackout. ;o)

San Pedro La Laguna

Lago de Atitlán (Lake Atitlán) is a large closed basin lake of volcanic origin in the Guatemalan Western Highlands. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, and is only about 1.5 hours bus ride from Sta Cruz del Quiche! While Atitlán is recognized to be the deepest lake in Central America, its bottom has not been completely sounded. Estimates of its maximum depth range up to 340 meters. The lake is surrounded by three volcanoes, on its southern flank. Most notable are Atitlán at 11,598 feet (left) and San Pedro at 9,900 feet(right).

Many villages of the Maya people, mainly Tz'utujil and Kaqchikel, surround the lake shores. These very traditional communities blend with the tourism and ex-pat culture that mainly has evolved in Panajachel, but also spread over to San Pedro La Laguna and San Marcos La Laguna - San Pedro being our main feature of this post.

Although, San Pedro is known as the hippie/druggie community along Atitlán, that doesn't deter from its charm one bit. San Pedro is the cheapest and chillest community along Lake Atitlán, and part of our motivation for visiting. It is possible to find accommodations for under $3 a person, per night. Not to mention, the food selection is amazing, with tons of drink specials and vegetarian food at every eatery. These factors all played into our decision to meet with 4 other friends in San Pedro to celebrate Toby's birthday a few weeks back. We had such amazing weather, food, card playing, relaxation, and scenery that we are returning this weekend once again. I doubt this will be our last visit either....

Return to Sender

Well, after a quick and action packed 5 day stay in the Windy City and Eagle, WI, I am headed back in 6 hours to Guatemala. After arriving here in the States I had little time to relax before launching right in to taking the LSAT to enter law school. The day before the exam I made my way to Little Saigon where I had some excellent Vietnamese cuisine for a great price and bummed around the Northside in the Andersonville area of Chicago. Transitioning to live in the States wasn't too bad besides burning a hole in my wallet. It was hard to not chuckle how when I landed in Fort Lauderdale for my connection I had simply left Guatemala for Haiti/Cuba/Jamaica and then Chicago was simply a melting pot of everything. Basically I was a minority wherever I went (except for Wisconsin, chuckle). I will gloss over the exam saying it was tougher than many of the previous test which I had used to study and I did not do as well at I expected, though so far I do not know my results. Needless to say I am sure to get in somewhere and the test has not discouraged me from wanting to become a lawyer. After the exam I took the train for the 3rd time in my life to Wisconsin to visit my Uncle Randy and Aunt Camille in Eagle. The trip was the good comedown I needed after the test and was filled with wine, reading, pizza, beer (as was about everyday of the trip), and even a little fishing. I was happy to say that although the fish weren't biting I managed to catch one big Bluegill. Well, not too much more to report. I did some shopping for stuff to bring back that I am sure Brittany will love, including presents for birthday, anniversary, and such for the Mrs. along with taking in only a few sights. Special thanks goes out to Kristen Kaza, our cousin, who without meeting me prior gave me full reign of her car, apartment and just about everything. I couldn't have had such a smooth trip and test without her. You're the best! As for now I am off to try and sleep without worrying about my early flight (I need to leave in about 3 hours so basically i couldn't sleep and I am writing this instead) and am way too excited to go home and see my amazing wife who everyday I have wished was on this trip with me. For some reason things just aren't the same without her. Good thing I married her. See you soon Britt! Toby

Latin American Idol Support Party

On Wednesday evening the fabulous owner of Blintz threw a support party for Guatemala's very own Carlos Peña in the finals of Latin American Idol. Quite amazingly this 19 year old made it all the way to the end out of thousands from 23 different countries in Latin America.

Lucy brought in 2 televisions to the tiny cafe and decorated with streamers, photos, and balloons to set the atmosphere. Then I, my co-worker, and others all gathered to enjoy a coffee and watch the performances. Additionally, Lucy offered all visitors a free coffee or smoothie if they submitted text votes for Carlos. Unfortunately my phone was screwing up so I couldn't get a free drink, but it was fun anyhow.

Last night she hosted a party again, but I had class and couldn't show my support for Carlos. Luckily, I made it home to see the final announcement that Carlos Peña did indeed win Latin American Idol (2nd Season)! Immediately following the news I heard fire-crackers in my neighborhood in celebration for Guatemala's pride....Carlos. Woo Hoo!

Pagan Saint - San Simón

During our trip to Zuníl, we also took the time to visit the pagan saint San Simón in the house where he is currently being held. Many people bring offerings of cigarettes, alcohol, and many colored candles each representing different requests. We had to wind through the streets following various signs to guide us to San Simón's house for this year. We had to pay an entrance fee of Q10 each, but he's such an icon here that it was worth it. Normally, pictures are not allowed unless paid for, so Toby and I snuck in the camera and took a few candid shots.

*Below, I have copied information about San Simón/Maximón from wikipedia because it offers a very accurate and informational depiction of this pagan saint, and probably better than I could tell.

Maximón is a saint worshipped in various forms by Maya people of several towns in the highlands of Western Guatemala. The origins of his cult are not very well understood by outsiders to the different Mayan religions, but he is believed to be a form of the pre-Colombian Maya god Mam, blended with influences from Catholicism.Maximón may also be called San Simón.

Originally, he was believed to be a catholic priest who had looked after aboriginals during early 1600s. Where he is venerated, he is represented by an effigy which resides in a different house each year, being moved in a procession during Holy Week. During the rest of the year, devotees visit Maximón in his chosen residence, where his shrine is usually attended by two people from the representing Cofradia who keep the shrine in order and pass offerings from visitors to the effigy. Worshippers offer money, spirits and cigars or cigarettes to gain his favour in exchange for good health, good crops and marriage counseling, amongst other favours. The effigy invariably has a lit cigarette or cigar in its mouth, and in some places, it will have a hole in its mouth to allow the attendants to give it spirits to drink.

Maximón is generally dressed in European 18th century style, although with many local variations. In Santiago Atitlán he is adorned with many colorful garlands, while in Zuníl (where he is known as San Simón) he has a much more intimidating style, with his face obscured by dark sunglasses and a bandanna.

The worship of Maximón treats him not so much as a benevolent deity as a bit of a bully whom it's wise to keep on the right side of, he is also known to be a link between Xibalbá "The Underworld" and Bitol "Corazón del Cielo." His expensive tastes in alcohol and cigarettes indicate that he is a very human character, very different from the ascetic ideals of Christian sainthood. Devotees believe that prayers for revenge, or success at the expense of others, are likely to be granted by Maximón.

Fuentes Georginas

About a week and a half ago, Toby and I traveled to Xela to visit our friends. Our visit was motivated by a few main reasons: 1) eat yummy food at a variety of restaurants, 2) share in card games and good company with Joel and Jessica, and 3) travel to the natural warm springs called Fuentes Georginas.

The trip to the fuentes begins in a little town called Zunil, about 30 minutes bus ride from Xela. From Zunil we chose to hike all the way up the country-side hills about 5 miles to reach the pools. It's possible to pay for a ride up in a pick-up truck, but we prefer the exercise, crisp mountain air, and wonderful views of fields, sulfur spouts, and Volcán Santa María.

When we reached the top it was a lovely treat to soak our tired legs in the naturally forming warm pools that are set in a a lush green mountain-side very high in altitude. After being there only a short while the fog rolled in and created a very mystical atmosphere to the whole place. It was a great way to get out of the city and spend an afternoon with friends.

Probably the best part of our visit at Fuentes Georginas was the confusing notice posted by the pool stairs. As you can see....no cornucopias are allowed in the pools, and all pets must wear appropriate bathing suits before entering! Ha ha!

Happy Birthday Toby!

HAPPY 24TH BIRTHDAY TOBY!!!

WE LOVE YOU. XOXO

Guatemalan Entrepreneurial Spirit

I just love the entrepreneurial spirit of the Guatemalan people. It is amazing how many little vendors, shop owners, and trinket sellers that can be found in this country. For this reason, I wanted to share a little story about our wait in the bus terminal in Xela.

Yesterday, Toby and I traveled home from Xela to Quiché after a splendid visit with our friends. In the 30 minutes we waited in the terminal to depart we were harassed and offered a wide assortment of goodies, some multiple times, but none that we bought. What's really annoying is that the people often drop the things in your lap or shove it in your face to try and make a sale. At times we had 2-3 people at once selling food and merchandise. The following is a list of the number of vendors and what they sold. *This is not an exaggeration. I am a nerd and began counting vendors because of the sheer number and absurdity.

5: sodas and waters

3: peanuts

3: key chains

2: pizza

2: crackers (one lady came on twice)

2: gum

2: candy

2: toothpaste

2: random booklets for studying anything from English to medicinal plants

2: ice cream

2: pens

1: hamburgers

1: jello

1: chuchitos (Guatemalan food made with corn masa)

1: cologne

1: wallets

1: a man showing his deformed hand and asking for money

1: a man purely begging for money and saying God with bless those who give

Based on these numbers, I count more than 1 a minute jumping on the bus and trying to sell to us passengers. Although, it very well could have been more because I began counting late, and they were coming so fast it was hard to keep up. It's times like these that I just sit back with a smile on my face and say.....Ahh....Welcome to Guatemala!

Casey's Visit

This last week we had a family friend of Brittany's Aunt Steph come to visit us here in Quiché as he is currently studying Spanish at a school in Antigua, Guatemala. With only a few directions of how to get here on a chicken bus, Casey met us at the town bus terminal, a good place to get your first and dirtiest taste of Quiché. Having not met Casey prior to this, one would not have known we weren't all friends, as we were instantly comfortable with one another. Some how like minded people usually just click...

After a quick tour of the office we headed to "Cafe Blintz" for Coffee, Crepes, and Cards with our Spanish friend and fellow volunteer Raquel. Always excited to have a fourth person for hearts, the night was loaded with plenty of hearts as well as some other card games. We even learned a few new ones like "Pounce" from Casey and "Qen" from Raquel. At 9:00 when Blintz closed, we took our game to the local bar "Casa Vieja" for more cards, only this time with cerveza. After a round of Coronas and cards, a few drunk Guatemalans came over and introduced themselves, obviously drawn to our presence by our American accents and of course the presence of the girls, the only 2 in the bar out of about 30 guys. It wasn't long before they offered to buy us free beers. Toby was nicknamed the "Bullshit Boy" by Raquel after having to bullshit the drunk men about why they should buy the girls Coronas rather than the much harsher Gallo which they bought for the boys. This all came along with having an intense conversation (in Spanish nonetheless) about what beers are the best, etc. while we drank our free beers. Perhaps the funniest part of the evening was when one of the Guatemalans, a Gallo Beer distributor, offered Toby a Gallo keepsake in the form of a bottle opener keychain. He was however quickly humbled when Toby pointed out that the keychain was for a rival beer, rather than Gallo and suggested the gentleman keep his bottle opener. Six FREE beers and some more BS later, the Guatemalans left for the night and we finished our drinks and headed home as well.

The next day we went with Casey and Raquel to the local ruinas for some lunch (gracias a Raquel), peace and quiet (as we all had been woken up by firecrackers at 3 AM the night before), and some cave exploration. This time we found a second more narrowcave below the main one we usually visit, but also used by the current Mayans for ceremonies and worship.

Attempting to return Casey to Antigua, we went to the terminal to drop him off, only to find that the buses stopped at 5 PM. (Since when do the chicken buses stop!?!¿!? We had no idea). We didn't mind, since this allowed us to play more cards and visit with Casey. Finally, Casey was able to leave the next morning at about 4 AM, hopefully taking some good memories of "real" Guatemala with him.

The Pierings Visit Guatemala

Jerry and LeAnn Piering were the first family visitors to see us here in Guatemala since our departure in February. We had a terrific visit with them. Everything went surprisingly smooth for planning a vacation in a developing country! The weather was very cooperative too, with 1 day of rain during this supposed "rainy" season.

We are very appreciative to Jerry and LeAnn for their generosity throughout the trip. They graciously brought 2 boxes worth of English videos, books, and magazines to help build our library of materials and resources for our classes. They also kindly brought us some of our favorite treats and snacks from the United States that we aren't able to get here in Guatemala. Paydays and pretzels...WOO HOO! Additionally, they funded much of our travel, food, and accomodations during the trip...in exhange for our tour guide, coordinating, and translating expertise.

Our travel agenda consisted of visiting quite a few locations in the country. We first spent a few days in the beautiful colonial Antigua. Here we were able to see ruins, take in the wonderful scenery, and eat at some great restaurants. From Antigua we headed to Flores on a 10 hour bus trip over to the Petén. We stayed the night in Flores and enjoyed the fresh breezes on the island in Lake Itzá. From Flores we headed up to the Parque Nacional Tikal to enjoy a few days in the park and exploring the ruins. After summiting temples and spying on spider monkeys we headed back on the bus to begin our trek to the Western Highlands.

After all our travel it was nice to be home in Quiché! Nieve appreciated having attention from all four of us. We enjoyed showing LeAnn and Jerry the Fiestas Elenas exploding all over our town....including 4 ferris wheels (a bit excessive) in the rides area. We took them to the local ruins of Gumarkaaj which aren't that impressive compared with Tikal, but nonetheless very interesting. We saw a couple excavations taking place in the grounds as well as the usual Mayan religious ceremonies taking place. In the largest cave we saw candles and chicken heads dotted throughout. Jerry even made friends with some local Mayan children.

Upon leaving the Western Highlands we swung through the famous Chichi market on Sunday to buy souvenirs and gifts for folks back home. We proudly did our best bargaining with the vendors to save LeAnn hundreds of quetzales on her purchases. Some may feel this is a bit harsh since they are trying to make a living here in a developing country, but When in Guatemala....do as the Guatemalans. Bargaining is pretty much expected here in the markets!

We spent a few more nights in Antigua before sending the Pierings back home to Oregon and heading back to Quiché ourselves. But, not before we had an incredible stay at the Quinta de Las Flores hotel (oasis) and an amazingly educational and fun tour of Finca La Azotea (organic coffee farm) given by the 4th generation owner.

Thanks again Jerry and LeAnn for such a fun trip! Keep on coming down friends and family, we love seeing familiar faces and showing off Guatemala.