All
right, so the title is obviously a little sarcastic. Life here in
Antigua is awesome! I have little to no complaints. I do, however, have
some things that I would like to share with you that could be viewed as
difficult, inconvenient, or dangerous. Not to worry, however. The
following items are minimal, easily managed, and nothing to stress
about!
The first point of interest is the rainy season.
This is hardly worthy of mention, except I though it would be a good
opportunity to share some pictures I took! It gets pretty wet here and
we have to take care to travel without things that can get ruined in
water, or else always keep an umbrella. It rains sporadically and for
various amounts of time. Worst case scenario, we can always take a
tuktuk! A tuktuk is, basically a small motorized trike with about two
more seats installed on it than there should be. Antigua's equivalent of
a taxi.
Something that I have had to get used to while living
here is the care that is needed to ensure safety. This should be
something that any student thinks about as he or she considers going out
of the country for any amount of time. Our caution comes in the form of
how we travel around the city, especially at night. The crime rate in
Antigua is extremely low. That being said, we are not trying to invite
trouble. In the last couple of years, there have been only a few
instances of crime against tourists. Although these have few and far
between, we are constantly vigilant, making sure we don't have targets
on us. During the day, it is safe for males and females to travel in any
size group. As it becomes darker, we make sure to be in larger groups
and keep at least one male with a group of females. Additionally, there
are police constantly patrolling the streets at all times. As it is the
tourists that bring capital into Antigua primarily, it is in the city's
best interest to keep the "extranjeros," or foreigners safe. All in all,
we little to worry about. We do, however, take much more care when we
go into Guatemala City.
Entrance to the National Museum
This weekend, we made a trip into the
capitol of Guatemala, Guatemala City, to see some museums and the
market. After classes on Friday, we got on a bus and headed into the
city. We visited a museum that contained the largest/oldest collection
of Myan art and architecture (pictures below). The next day, we visited
the palace, a giant mansion of sorts that a Guatemalan ruler built for
himself. It has since been changed into a cultural center and historical
location. We visited the Guatemalan Cathedral, a beautiful building.
Finally, we took a trip to the market and headed home. My apologies for
the slight messiness of the pictures. It is a little difficult to get
them to a point that is pleasing to the eye.
Scale Model of Tikal.
Jade necklace and flares. Should I get some like that?
Myan king, much as he was found.
Maximon,
said to be the reincarnation of an apostle. Guatemalans still bring
offerings to shrines like this in hopes of an answer to prayer.
Meeting room in the Palace. Used for formal meetings.
Peace
Rose at the Palace. Changed every day to symbolize another day of peace
in Guatemala. This custom was put into place after the end of the
recent civil war.
This picture and the two above are of the Cathedral.
So,
excluding the challenges of language (becoming less and less of a
challenge as I learn more and more), getting used to the food (great
food, the body just needs time to adjust), and overcoming the desire to
sleep (once again, I just had to get used to a different schedule), I
have one final challenge to share. I'm sure that many students thinking
of going on a study abroad program, especially for a semester or longer,
consider what it will be like to be away from home/school/loved ones
for such a long period of time. I have only been away from the United
States for about two and a half weeks, so I'm sure that, as time goes
on, my thoughts and feelings about this will change. I don't typically get homesick and have not yet while in Guatemala.
As of now, however, I have mixed feelings. Naturally, if I sit around
and look at pictures of home and try to stay updated about what is going
on back at school, I find myself missing those places more and more.
The more I video chat with friends and family, the stronger the feeling
of their absence becomes. Conversely, if I stay busy and keep my head in
my books, it is easier to focus on studies and enjoy my time here.
This, naturally, poses a problem. I have to stay in touch with those
that I care about, but I can't spend my time here thinking about home
the whole time. I have concluded that a balance is needed and I am
finding that balance for myself. I spend most of my day studying and
exploring the Guatemalan culture. I choose to spend less time
communicating with those at home and checking the latest buzz on
Facebook. I try to make the little bit of time that I do have for
communication count and utilize video chat services often. If you are
reading this as a student considering a semester abroad, this is an
aspect of the package to consider. Can you manage to be away from home
and school and friends for that amount of time? Can you stand to be away
from your significant other for that amount of time? However, I have
been dating my lovely girlfriend, Stephanie, for about a year and a half
now, and it was hard to leave her for three months. It is a little bit
difficult realizing all that I am missing out on back at school. I
believe, however, that the experience is well worth it.
So
far, my experience studying in Guatemala has been phenomenal, and I
think that studying abroad is very beneficial for many reasons. All of
the "hardships" mentioned above are manageable and can hardly even be
called such. So, all is well. As always, thanks for taking the time to
check out my posts and I hope that you find them interesting,
informative, and helpful! Feel free to comment with suggestions for a
post or questions.
Hey, everyone! It's Sunday number two here in Guatemala, and that means update time! I'm pleased to say that my time in Guatemala has been excellent so far and I'm excited to share a little bit of it with all of you!
I'll start off with some information about how my classes have been going, as they are one of the primary purposes for my semester here and I had not yet attended at my last post. Classes have been a mixture of hard work, extreme concentration, fun, and coffee! First, the hard work: The style of the class sessions at La Union (the language school here in Antigua that SAU has partnered with) is one-on-one tutoring. At first blush, this is what every student could want! A chance to be with a teacher and have their full attention. Can you imagine that on a University pamphlet? "Our school offers a teacher to student ratio of one to one!" You get the point. Upon experiencing this, however, I have found another aspect to consider and work with. As a one on one situation of learning is effective and desirable, it is also much more intense than a normal classroom environment. I have never experienced a class with over thirty-five or so students, and an average class size for me would be around ten to fifteen. Even with such a low number of students, it is easy to fade into the background. Do your homework, take notes, and get your grade at the end. Imagine if every time your teacher asked a question in class, you were the only one able to answer. This is the case with one on one tutoring. Each verbal exercise, quiz question, and article of conversation is directed solely at the student. Now, imagine how much more you would study and how much more you would have to be ready if you knew you were the only one answering questions. That is also the case. After my first day of class, I realized that I would have to be on top of the ball at all times in order that I would feel good about the sessions. Meaning, if I am getting many questions wrong, and am having to be constantly corrected, it is not fun for me or my "maestro." My first day of classes was much like this. I was nervous and I had not studied all summer. Not a good idea at all. I fumbled over words and made silly mistakes. My teacher constantly corrected me and I got down on myself, making it worse. So my advice to Past Evan and future prospective study abroad students is to study in preparation for studying! I accept the fact that I will make mistakes, but I wish to make them fewer. I am not at all saying that I don't appreciate or think that this style is effective. I am loving it and learning quickly. Summary: one on one tutoring is very hard, and I have been stretched a lot.
Since I have been in Guatemala, I have been tired almost constantly. This may be due to the fact that it gets dark here around 5:30 at night, the time difference, etc. However, I theorize that I have been very tired because of the mental toll that my classes have been taking on me. As the previous behemoth of a paragraph states, a one on one class structure is tough. I take this class for four hours a day with a half hour break. This regimen of concentration, mental translation, and verbal exercises takes a toll on me mentally. As I'm growing and learning, I realize that I am not forced to exert myself mentally this consistently on a normal basis. I am getting used to it, and have had some time this weekend for R&R. Whether it be that I'm getting better at Spanish or that my mind is getting used to the extra work, I am enjoying classes more and more each day.
I shan't make my schooling out to be nothing but grueling, boring exercises. I also have a lot of fun studying and learning! The style and method of teaching at La Union allows for individualized teaching, outings, and special activities, all of which I have experienced, even in a mere five days. The basic structure of a day at my school is: I walk in and talk to some friends before class and grab a cup of coffee (I knew you were waiting for when the coffee came into the picture...). I, then, take a seat at my table and have a brief discussion with my teacher about the night before, bits of news, and the like. The rest of the time is spent fulfilling our lesson plan, a plan of learning that has been written up by my teacher and myself. The basic means of learning are conversation, question and response exercises, writing exercises, and other various practices. This usually continues to the end of our time, excluding a much appreciated break in the middle. As I said before, however, this is flexible.
On Thursday, we were able to go to El Parque Central (Central Park) to watch a parade that was in celebration of the day of Guatemalan independence! Many schools and organizations from the city were "dressed to the nines" (That is a thing, right?) and marching, dancing, and playing instruments in celebration. More on this at the bottom. Another activity was to watch a movie in Spanish: Voces Inocentes, a portrayal of the civil war in El Salvador from the perspective of an eleven year old boy, trying to evade recruitment. (I recommend it.) Below is a short video I shot of a band marching in the parade.
In summation of the above paragraphs, my short time learning here in Antigua has been tiring, exciting, productive, and fun. I am looking forward to the opportunity to keep it up for many more weeks.
In heavy contrast to how my first bit of time here proceeded, my first whole weekend here has been nothing but relaxing. On Friday night, we had some friends over to play cards, a great time! On Saturday, the boys and I sat around the house and relaxed. That afternoon, we walked around the city a bit and got some coffee. In the PM, some friends gathered at a small restaurant called "La Canoa" (The Canoe in English) to watch a UFC fight, play pool, and eat french fries. This was a taste of home. There are certain advantages to being in a tourist city. (This is contrasted by the feeling that I should be taking advantage, more, of the culture.) Sunday, we attended church, ate out with the entire Spring Arbor group, and spent some time at Paul and Bev's house. I have spent the rest of the night studying and writing to you! This weekend has been a time for me to relax a bit and rest. (I have used these nice words to make myself seem a bit less lazy. :-))
So my time is proceeding grandly! I look forward to starting my second week of lessons tomorrow and starting my internship in the near future! Topics to look for on future posts: church experiences, "the rainy season," and a more visual look at my school! Below are some more pictures of the parade!
Antigua Firefighters
We saw many young ladies that were wearing high heels. All the streets are cobblestone!
This is the Quetzal bird, the national bird of Guatemala.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Hey, everyone! So glad you have decided to take a look at my blog and learn a bit about my time here in Guatemala! Let's get right to it!
I departed on September 7th and, with no troubles getting through security and customs, arrived in Guatemala on the same day! The view flying into Guatemala City was much like you may see in a movie, with many mountains and dozens of small villages built on the tops of mountains. It was an amazing sight!
Waiting at the airport to greet us was our "Papa en Guatemala," Elder, who will be our host for the next three months. He is a great man who has done an excellent job of making us all feel welcome in his home. From the airport, we took a bus from Guatemala City to Antigua, where we will be studying and living. After a brief greeting from the staff at the school, we went to our host homes for the first time!
Our home is very beautiful, with a small courtyard in the middle and rooms surrounding it, common in Guatemala. We are fortunate to have wireless internet in our home, allowing us to communicate a bit more easily than our classmates in other host homes. Our "mama," Marina, is an excellent cook, and we have eaten very well since our arrival. There are two other students that live in our home, and it is cool to be able to meet new people. The four of us are split between two rooms, one in one room and three in the other. Our room is small, but very comfortable. Below is a short video we put together of our living situation.
Something amazing about Guatemala is the climate. They call this the land of eternal Spring! This is not an exaggeration. Perfect weather is the expectation every day. We are in the middle of the rainy season, which consists of, perhaps, thirty minutes of rain every day. Hardly what I would call a "rainy" day. Otherwise, we enjoy sunshine all day with little to no humidity, allowing very cool temperatures in the shade. Basically, the weather is perfect.
Communication is a challenge, as we have not started Spanish lessons and I am in need of some practice. I find that I am comprehending everything well, but it takes me longer than I'd like to formulate sentences. What makes matters a little more interesting, none of my three housemates speak any Spanish! So I find that when our hosts say something to us (they don't speak any English), I listen, take a second to process, respond, and then go about my business, missing the blank stares coming from my compadres. I then quickly remember my duties as a translator. It is very encouraging, however, that each of my friends are very enthusiastic about learning!
A tip to friends thinking about going abroad: Study the language of the country you will be visiting before you get there. I am here to learn Spanish, but there are things I wish I would have brushed up on!
So far, we have enjoyed Antigua as tourists and have not started classes. They begin tomorrow, and everyone will take at least three weeks of Spanish. Language majors, however, will be taking Spanish the whole time. I am excited for classes to start, as well as a bit nervous. The style of the classes will be one-on-one tutoring. More on this next week.
Perhaps the only part of the trip that I have not enjoyed (not including missing friends at home) is when I was very sick on Friday. Early in the morning, I woke up with stomach pains and everything that goes with them. Throughout that day, I was unable to enjoy the beautiful ruins that we visited and could not help sleeping through a very interesting guest speaker we had. Headaches, neck-aches, and an upset stomach made it hard to enjoy the day at all. We believe that the sickness was caused by a general need to get used to the food and new bacteria. Three of the four of us got sick, while none of our female counterparts, to my knowledge, experienced any symptoms. A point of information: illness related to traveling and a new culture and food has been known to hold back until weeks into a visit, as happened to a friend of mine. I feel one hundred percent now and am enjoying much Guatemalan food!
Lastly, I will talk about a few of the sights we have seen. As this type of reporting is not my strong point, I will only touch on them briefly, adding pictures, which will be much more valuable than my words (Keep in mind that photography is not my strong suit, either. Thanks to my Motorola Droid X for the very decent photos.).
Most of the historical structures in the city are in ruins due to earthquakes and other various forces. Today we watched a video and Antigua was described as being one of the most beautiful places that the writer had seen, while being the most calamity-ridden and in shambles. I find this to be very accurate. As earthquakes and volcano eruptions have been relatively common in Antigua's history, much of the city has been left damaged. Many of the ruins have been turned into museums and art galleries. This allows for history to be preserved, while making the ruins useful for bringing tourism to the city. The city has been revived, as of late, by a few individuals taking action in bringing tourism in. This allows for more restaurants and hotels to exist and historical areas to be appreciated and preserved. Rightly, much of the money brought into the city by tourism is put back into restoring structures, art, and other points of historical interest, while supporting industry.
Before you look at the pictures and lose interest all together, I would like to say thanks again for taking a look at my blog. Don't forget to email me with any questions and tell your friends who may be interested about this blog!
This is a famous arch in the city.
You will never guess where this is...
That's right! Good ole McD's!
A church.
Our group at the ruins of a monastery.
Each morning, I walk out my door and am surrounded be three volcanoes!
The Captain's General Quarters
A church.
Some beautiful arches in more ruins.
A great resource for students thinking of going abroad:
