el primer dia

!!!

Today was the first day of classes, yesterday being the first day of my arrival to Quetzaltenango (commonly called Xela). We arrived via first-class bus, which took approx. 4 hours. The school is absolutely beautiful! All of our lessons are in an amazing courtyard with open air seating and conversation. Much nicer than any classroom or learning environment I´ve ever encountered.

To call my first day bizarre I think would be an understatment and therefore want to give literally the play-by-play:

1st: arrive in Xela...drop off bags to wait until the office is open and explore the city a bit. It has cobblestone streets and narrow pathways. Drivers are crazy and the people are extremely friendly and kind.

2nd: office opens..wait an hour for my family to pick me up from Celas Maya. Astrid, my "sister" is 14 and accompanied by her brother, Jesus, 15, and their cousin, Jesus, who is 4. All three are extremely pleasant and nice and help me with my things to their home

3rd: I find that I live with Astrid, Jesus [brother and sister], their mother Beatrice, her brother [Astrid and Jesus' uncle] Israel, his wife Flora de Maria and their kids Jesus #2 and Ruby [who is 4 months and so freakin' cute]. Israel is the bread-winner as a lawyer...i essentially live in a very large Guatemalan home with 2 other students from Celas Maya [Heather from Texas and Akuro from Japan]. I have little interaction, it seems, with everyone except for meal times in which all gather to eat.

4th: I was picked up at a time when the family was headed to a fiesta for some members of their church. We came into a ceremony in which several men and women were seated around an altar of literally statues of baby Jesus, of the Archangel Michael and crucifixes galore. It was explained to me that the past President of the committee of the church was exiting and the new one was incoming. The ceremony took literally 3 hours to complete. First, there was a small mass, then an introduction of the new committee members [mind you..there was intense incense and prayer and ritual occurring]. The new President was given a sash in which it prominently displayed the "King," which is literally a doll that sits in a glass case in the President's home.

After the incense and prayer, the old President then gives the new President stuff...literally things to put into his house. For example, the President was given clothes in which to dress the "King" with [a petite dress make of tool]. I kid you not, for 3 hours I watched these men exchange these things. There were final prayers and incense and then we ate. First, chili relleno con pollo...I removed the pollo. Next was mini hotdogs [seriously] in which I gave my carne to Jesus #1. We then left [or so I thought] for mi familia's casa. No, no...next we arrived at the new President's house. There, we were served a delicious meal that I absolutely loved. However, during the dinner, they would repeatedly pass around drinks for the guests, liquor included. It was a homemade, clear and smelled faintly of rubbing alcohol. I declined the first pass, but Israel, the second time, called over nuevo Presidente and stated [in Spanish] that the President would be very sad if Arizona did not represent at his party!! Therefore, el Presidente and I took shots, however, you cannot just shoot alcohol in Guatemala, no you say "con permiso" to every elder in the room first. Aye. So...I became tipsy my first night here...and classes started at 8!

Today:
Met my instructor, Jose, who is a maestro by day and a bartender by night! He's been giving me the in's and out's of Xela nightlife and turns out he does some design on the side...therefore, our conversations have been extremely ecclectic. He did a lot of verb review with me and I find that being immersed and talking to someone for 5 hours..it's possible to be able to communicate well by the end of the week...in the present tense anyway.

I've met great great individuals here at Celas Maya and in my own living situation. I really enjoy walking and exploring the city! Every day they have fantastic outings and field trips planned for the students [today is to a natural sauna and a hike]..tomorrow I'm off to the hotsprings and this weekend we might take a trip to Antigua. I'm loving the living situation, the area, my studies and being here in Guatemala. I have to admit that last night I did have twinges of homesickness. It's very quiet here in Xela in the evening and it can be lonesome when you're used to the city sounds. But! I'm hoping to move my way around the city and meet more new people.

more to come...