Across borders and back again: A Too Long Account Embarked Upon Due to a Novel's Voice

Pues, we decided cave tubing was a bit too pricey, headed off for Guatemala on Thursday, and were so glad we did! It was a little mind-bending to cross just a few feet from one side of the border to the other, and be in such completely different territory. English dissolved, Kriol disappeared, currency shifted into a 7:1 exchange rate (on the US $) with a pretty name (Quetzales), women in Quecha clothing materialized at myriad little stops that sold traditional crafts--- it was a wondrous thing indeed. (Incidentally, I have recently been steeped in a book set in the 1800s, so pay no mind to the occasional archaic verbiage that seems to be seeping from there into my musings).

We braved the drizzling rain to wait for a bus, despite numerous predictions (by taxi drivers:)) that there would be no buses today, Holy Thursday and we simply must take a cab. Our microbus did appear, however, and we bumped along with our ever-increasing numbers (the rows had seats that folded down into the aisles to maximize the space completely; just when we seemed totally full, someone else would climb aboard and find a space between two shoulders) all the way to El Remate. We had a great (even moreso b/c it was so cheap!) lunch as we looked out over the lake and enjoyed being immersed again in Spanish.

Then it was off to Tikal, the "Capital of the Mayan World"-- and it was as impressive as any world capital should be! (even if overgrown by the jungle, but I like to think that only amplified its grandeur). I confess I was expecting "just another Mayan ruin," but I couldn't have been more wrong. Tikal is a whole city lying under the jungle, nestled in a national park full of trails and sights to be seen. We hiked around for several hours, impressed by the mystery, largesse, and sheer abundance of the ruins, and startled and delighted by all the wildlife: coatimundi (cousin to the racoon), toucans, wild turkey with iridescence like peacocks, buzzards, spider monkeys crashing thru the treetops, the guttural territory calls of howler monkeys, parrots twirling over the whole landscape as we sat at the crest of the tallest temple and took in the scene. Not to mention the Ceiba! Guatemala's national tree and such a strange, gigantic, gorgeous thing, with roots that, as Adam said, seemed to have started growing before the tree reached the ground, as if someone planted it suspended over the Earth and the roots grew down to meet it. Sparse bleached branches splashed with vegetation like sea urchins, and dotted with the flash and song of parrots and toucans.

Slightly apparent I was (we were) a little enraptured?
But the park did close in the evening and we found our escort (coincidentally the same friendly chauffeur who had brought us) to take us to the small island town of Flores (really it's a peninsula). We found food and a room with a sweet hostess, at Hotel El Faisan, housed over a craft shop. We walked around town a bit in the evening, then called it a night. We were lazy the next day and slept in (I am still fighting a cold and find myself easily tired), then were excited to discover that there was a cave not far from Flores that would be easy to go explore. So we got to see our caves after all! I forget the name of it, but it was set way back from the road, through a village, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, and we spent a couple hours traversing its innards. If we had had a more reliable flashlight (the one we borrowed was prone to flicker just as we discovered that what we thought was a wall actually gave way to a crevice we could slip through and find a whole of expanse of rocky room behind), we would have ventured deeper, but nonetheless we satisfied our sense of adventure for the day I think.

We walked back to Flores just in time to see the preparation for the Good Friday processions. Streets were blocked off so groups from different neighborhoods, parishes, or schools could set about preparing their offering of street art. The results were impressive! Paintings made of colored sawdust and flower petals, sometimes palm leaves, materialized on the pavement. We stopped to ask one group how long they had been working-- "Since 2am today. It will be done in time for the procession at 5."

We made our way to the central plaza and watched three floats be carried out of the church. It was the procession of the Holy Burial; the statue of Jesus atop a silken bed that suggested a boat was the first to emerge from the sanctuary, carried on the shoulders of some 20 men. Just as I remembered from my Easter in Spain, their slow small steps set him rocking slightly back and forth and I couldn't help swaying to the same rhythm as I watched. Next came Mary, carried by the women of the church, who braved the weight and the cobblestone streets wearing smiling faces and high heels! Mary Magdelane was hoisted down the steps and around the plaza by the young women in the congregation, who passed their responsibility onto their elder sisters once they crossed with the procession into the main street. Finally came John the Baptist, a small float carried by just four young men, one at each corner. Leading the way for the whole endeavor were the alter boys and girls, 5 of them I think, dressed in white robes with red sashes, swirling along in their clouds of incense to sanctify the way for all that followed. And I have forgotten the band! They came right after Jesus' pallbearers, keeping time with the drum, or providing a song. Adam and I followed with the crowd who accompanied the procession. I hurried ahead at one point, wanting to see what would become of the intricate sawdust Jesus around the corner when the street congregation came upon it. The procession paused at its border, took it in, then continued on in its rocking, shuffling steps, smudging the Christ's face and carrying the colored dust out onto the stones further ahead in the path. At some point, the long extension cord was plugged in to the generator that brought up the rear of the twilight parade, and Jesus' boat was set aglow.

Adam and I contemplated and appreciated being fringe participants in this ritual for a while, then went to satify our hunger. Raquelita-- I had my first parrillada! That is, impressive amounts of grilled meat, Argentine style. Surely not as good as the "real thing," but delicious nonetheless, especially when accompanied by a heaping plate of sweet fresh fruit.

To end our evening of extravagant displays (in both nature and ceremony), our next stop was to the circus! A whole family performed acrobatics, juggling, slapstick humor, and other physical feats for us. My favorite part was watching the littlest member in training-- the youngest boy, about 5yo, trusted his brothers and his own daring to be thrown from one trapeze to the other, and then jump back to the empty swing on his own before swinging onto the platform where his big brothers caught him again. The audience applauded for him the loudest.

This morning I left Adam in the beautiful little town by the lake where he will start an intensive Spanish program on Monday. I had a peaceful bus ride back to Orange Walk, immersed mostly in the passing countryside and also the imaginary landscape of Nantucket and Kentucky, where the protoganist of my book spins her memoir and apparently effects also the tone of this blog. I have just met Nancy's friend Debbie who is here to visit for the week. We will go to San Pedro on Wednesday and lounge about some more before starting school again. I am thinking often of my classmates who finish their internships very soon, and hope you all are enjoying the closing of one thing and the return to the familiar before the beginning of many many more. I am thinking also of my family; my dad's father is in Hospice House and not doing well. It seems strange that I will stay here while classmates and family gather together. But I am also hopeful that my staying will mean that my time here was more worthy of the students I work with.

Now I must quit my rambling and get back to the normalcies of this region of my familiar-yet-still-new life---- cooking dinner. Tomorrow I drop back into Orange Walk routine for a bit and go to pick up Evelyn for church. Nancy says she was thrilled to have Sulmi and Kristel at her birthday party and had little interest in the rest of her classmates (from her other school). Maybe her parents will see how happy she is with Deaf peers and think again about sending her to Nancy's class. I can only hope.

I'm off now,
Much love.

News from Cayo

Currently slogging thru a crawling internet connection, so I hope it posts.

Adam and I are currently in San Ignacio, enjoyin the breeze. Don't know what I said in my last post, but our planned tour of 4-sights-in-one-day-for-one-low-price fell thru on Saturday, so we went to Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary in the morning with Nancy and enjoyed the birds and local culture, not to mention a fantastic meal.

In the afternoon we went to Belize City, met Chris Deshield's family and were graciously invited to join his parents and their friends for dinner. The Mexican ambassador to Belize and his wife (who has worked in all kinds of interesting fields but is currently renewing her vet's license at the Desheild's clinic) joined us for Japanese food. I helped Miriam make sushi--yum! We had a great time meeting them, and got a fascinating peak into Belizean politics along the way. Plus, I realized you have the same laugh as your dad, Chris:)

Sunday we headed for Caye Caulker (an island) and kayaked in the evening, then had to bail the next day when our snorkeling trip got canceled due to high winds. It was really sad not to get to snorkel, and it was sposed to stay windy all week, so we just had to give up on it. But, it was a beautiful, relaxing place; we ate good food, walked sandy beaches, and got to eat a fresh coconut.

In the evening, since our island stay was cut a little short, we opted for the Howler Monkey Reserve, where we got to see Howler monkeys in the wild on a community reserver (as in, the land is all still owned by local residents who have agreed to abide by certain land use rules in order to preserve the habitat for the monkeys. Very cool. The local founder of the idea was our guide). The monkeys ate out of our hands! We went on a night hike and then a canoe trip down the river the next day, before heading to the Belize Zoo and checking out all the local fauna. So many interesting creatures in the world!

We arrived in San Ignacio last nite and have been hanging out here today. Trying to decide if we're going to go caving tomorrow or go on to Guatemala.

Hasta luego--- we're off to dinner now. I think we're going to cook something ourselves, and then maybe go up to the lookout point Elodia took me too last month.
Saludos!

Vacation!

Adam got here Thursday night and we ate dinner at a cozy restaraunt by the river, caught up some, and worked out a plan for our week of travel.

Friday morning I interpreted a meeting of all the teachers at Nancy's school with the Anglican priest who came to minister to them and harangue them a little for letting the Orange Walk parish become really lax. He was a very interesting character, for sure. In the afternoon I packed and finished up some stuff for school, then we went to meet Rubia and Elodia at Elodia's house. We tried to go to an orchid garden too, but it was closed. The owner was nice enough to show us some of the flowers he keeps in his yard though. Overall, it was a low-key day. We ate dinner w/ Elodia and I tried to switch into speaking English with her.

This morning we headed to Crooked Tree, a wildlife sanctuary, and met a really nice guide who showed us the birds and told us about Crooked Tree Village life. Afterwards she showed us to this really non-descript little restaraunt w/ 2 menu options--- and the food was excellent!

Now Adam and I are in Belize City, hanging out at the Deshield household. We walked around downtown for a bit when we got off the bus, and might meet up with a really nice Japanese Volunteer (like the Peace Corps) I met this week who lives in San Narciso but is in the city this weekend. Alternatively, we'll relax here, which sounds appealing too. Tomorrow we'll head to Caye Caulker to snorkel.

Safe travels wherever your daily routes take you!

Here and there

Pues, I'm Back in Belize for anyone not in the loop:)

It was good to be home and see the familia. Hard to leave too. I definitely felt like I had a little space/time whiplash. Once I got back to the kids though, it felt good to be with them.

There's lots I could say, which makes me feel like not saying much:P.
Basically, it's been a good week. Evelyn's learning more spelling words; Carlos isn't; Christopher's dad left this week for his 8mo stint as a cruise-ship worker so his support system just caved; Mitchel and Leisha have obviously been practicing their numbers, letters, and family names b/c their older sister has been helping them at home which is *awesome* and unexpected; Evelyn got to come to church on Sunday cuz I went and picked her up on the bus and it was heartening to see her get to play with Sulmi, Kristel, Ginelli, Luis, and co (I kept her in OW for a couple hrs after church so she could play for a while before going home); I went to lunch at Rubia's on Saturday for her 24th bday..; ..after going to Saturday School in the morning, which is essentially all day Deaf Camp/Bible Study run by Old Order Menno Missionaries from the Cayo Deaf institute. Oh, and I got accepted in the internship I applied for in DC for this summer!

So lots goin on; so glad I'm staying til May cuz it's all going so fast and it seems like I'm just starting to get in a rhythm w/ the kids (i'm trying to making semi-lesson plans these days) so it would feel crazy to be leaving after only one more week with them. We have 2 weeks of Easter vacation starting Friday, and Adam gets here Thursday night! We're gonna travel for a week around Belize, then he's staying in Guatemala for language school. We get to meet the Deshields, too!:) After that, I'm hanging out w/ Nancy and her friend Deb who's coming to visit.

That's the update. Hope all is well w/ you.

I'm writing this from Kansas

Things are feeling more hopeful w/ the students. I reorganized the Spelling Words list so we're learning the shortest ones first instead of learning them alphabetically, and Evelyn whipped out the 4-6 letter words. I'm hopeful we can practice enough to get her through at least a couple rounds of the Spelling Bee.

Also hopeful-- it's looking like I'm going to be able to stay here through mid April. I'm still waiting to hear from a couple people about how that would best work out, but the prospect makes me a lot more motivated to go to the schools. When I thought I only had 3 visits left w/ Mitchel & Leisha, it seemed almost futile to go at all. I have hope/motivation now that I can organize something w/ some kind of continuity for the rest of my time w/ the kids. Also, it looks like the Special. Ed. Coordinator is going to get all the Deaf students from other schools together once a week, but she's bringing in a teacher from Belize to work with them (and the teachers, hopefully). Finally, Evelyn's parents said they were cool w/ me coming to get Evelyn (via bus) on Sunday mornings and bring her to church at Nancy's.

And now: to explain the title of this post. My mom called me at 11am yesterday morning to tell me that my grandfather was in intensive care and I should think about trying to come home sometime in the next couple weeks. With my school schedl, this week looked like best option, and going on a weekend seemed like the best way to avoid missing lots of classes w/ the kids, so the next thing I knew I was looking at flight options, booking a standby reservation for that afternoon, and was on a plane by 4pm! What's more surreal is that I was seated in the same row as 2 GC students I know!! They were headed back from their spring break. Flying into Dallas was super mind boggling; I just kept thinking, "Wow, I did not plan to be in the US when I got up this morning...." It feels a little like I fell through some hole in the time/space continuum and got dropped in my bed at home somehow. Airplanes move much faster than is natural for human consciousness I think....

Anyway, I will probably fly back on Wednesday. It was good to go to church this morning, and to see my grandpa and family this afternoon. He should be able to go home tomorrow or the next day, and either Home Health or Hospice should be able to help my grandma there. He was tired but smiling and joking this afternoon. I don't know how long someone can hold out w/ liver failure, but I'm glad I'm here now.

I should get back to the busy-ness of deciding how best to use my short time here.

Take care.