The Long Weekend!

This week's post will be a look at this weekend, and the trip we took to Guatemala City. Normally, I would try to add a bit more information, but we were fortunate to have many opportunities and activities this weekend, and there will be plenty of material!

We headed into Guatemala City on Friday directly after Spanish classes, and went directly to our first stop: FAFG. This stands for Fundación de Antropología Forense de Guatemala; translated, Foundation of Anthropological Forensics of Guatemala. The purpose of this foundation has its roots in the wars of Guatemala and bringing healing in the aftermath. This is a project that works primarily to bring rest to Guatemalans who have not been able to properly bury their dead. During the recent civil war, many Guatemalans were killed and put into mass graves or random areas. This is devastating for the families of the dead, who may have had no closure whatsoever. Now, when a grave is discovered, FAFG is contacted and they collect the remains. As the graves are massive and many bones are contained within, the FAFG has to work to identify the victims. They do so through dental identification, forensics, location, and family provided information. We were able to see how they determine age, dental records, and DNA sampling. When the bodies are identified, the families are able to take the remains and bury them properly. This is a necessary step in the healing process of the families and of Guatemala. This was all very fascinating. We, however, were not able to take pictures, and the included pictures are from the foundation's web site.

 

















Later on Friday, we visited a relief map of Guatemala that is (almost) to scale! This was quite a sight. It was very interesting to see where we were in relation to the rest of the country and have an areal view of our valley and the volcanoes that surround us.

Scale relief map of Guatemala. We live in between some of those huge mountains.

Pacific Ocean.

After a good night's sleep, we headed to Guatemala's national cemetery. The cemetery was a very different experience. All the tombs are above ground and what we know as a traditional burial is not in existence in Guatemala. The size and design of the tombs are very proportionate to the wealth of the people who are renting them. That is right: renting. Each space that is occupied in the cemetery is paid for monthly. If the family of the deceased is unable to pay for their space, the body is removed and put into a "potter's field." There are tombs of all shapes and sizes from giant buildings, larger than most houses, to small boxes. Some of the buildings that are rented out by the individual space are so tall that ladders are used to reach the individual boxes. The pictures below will give you a better idea.

A good example of the method of burial. Each cubicle contains a body.

The inside of an uninhabited cubicle.

"Apartment building" style! Ladders would be used to reach the top.

 

Directly behind the cemetery is the city's garbage dump. Unsavory, but appropriate in a way. As we walked through the cemetery, we could easily smell the rotting garbage. In the back of one of the groups of tombs, we could look off a cliff down onto the massive pile of garbage and the incoming trucks that were being swarmed by people waiting to rummage through the discarded waste. The poorest of the poor in Guatemala frequent the dump to rummage for that which they can use or sell, such as bundles of cardboard. In the past, the dump was a popular place for homeless to come and sleep. A few years ago, however, a fire broke out, burning many of the inhabitants. For this reason, no one is allowed to sleep there. In addition, we were not allowed to enter the dump for safety reasons and, presumably, because the government is not too fond of having its worst shown openly. The vultures circled over us and the garbage and the dogs rummaged below us. This was a clear and heavy contrast to the part of Guatemala that we have become accustomed to. As our host professor, Paul Nemecek, expressed to us, it is necessary to see the beauty and the poverty of Guatemala to even begin to experience and understand the country. Although the country is poverty-stricken, there has been recent economic growth. In our trip this weekend, we were able to visit a mall that would make many in the states seem shabby. But we were also exposed to much of the ugliest of the country.

Above view of the Guatemala City dump.

This morning, we attended a church in Guatemala City called "Casa de Dios" (House of God). This is a Guatemalan "mega church" that is currently outgrowing its current giant facility. The construction of "Ciudad de Dios" (City of God) is under way. As an example of the size and impact of the church, a candidate for the presidency has recently taken an angle in his campaign of association with this church. Using their logo and photos of the pastor without permission, he tried to gain an edge. Today, the pastor denied any connection with the candidate and expressed that the members of the church were not encouraged in any direction and that the leadership in the church did not support either candidate officially. The church, by my observation, is frequented by the more well-off of the inhabitants of the city. With a large production of the music and offering, hints of "prosperity gospel", throughout the message, and general grandeur, the entire service is televised and can be seen in the states. I have not much to say about this experience. I have never been to a church of this size in the states, and I don't assume that all are bad in any way or in nature. All of the staff was extremely welcoming and accommodating to our group, which needed many headsets for translation. This experience gave me good perspective.

All that is left is a general update! Everything is going grandly! Studies are humming along, trips are fun and informative, and my leisure time is very relaxing! I take many walks though town to find new things and study vocabulary. There are lots of awesome places to sit and study or just relax and pass time with friends. I am starting (Lord willing) my internship this coming week and will be updating you on that next Sunday. Please comment with any questions or comments.



Check out a friends blog if you didn't get enough awesome info! http://dshinabarger.wordpress.com/

Also, check out iie.org/gilman. I will be providing some more information on this later on.