Guatemalan Observations

So I have had this running list of things about Guatemala and partically Xela that I thought I would write down! Most of them are about the streets because I do a lot of walking and have time to think about them! Here it goes...

• Some side walks have large pieces missing out of them with sharp edges... this is how I cut my toe... so you spend a lot time looking at where you step!
• I spend at least an hour walking to and from class... most days we walk a lot more too, its really nice not to spend much time in a car
• A lot of the people walk... and the streets feel safe
  
• ... but that doesn´t mean you always have the right of way... I was comparing it to California with Luis one day... you really do have to keep your eyes out for cars and especial motocycles!
• Honking can mean... go a head and cross, why are you in my way, or hello... and most of the time you have no idea
• Windows are often heavily tinted... including front windows... so you have no idea who is driving
• Cars will sometimes drive by with large microphones announcing something or playing music
• Its very intersting to look at all the stores on the streets!
• Dogs are a frequent sight on the street ... especially at night they come out in ¨packs¨ to go through the garabage... but something is different about the dogs that live out on the street here, maybe the roudy ones get run over, but either way I´ve never yet met one that was the least bit intimidating
  
• Buen provecha is what someone tells you when you leave the table
• A mayan tradition was to give thanks before doing something. So an example would be to pour a little water on the ground to give back before you take a drink
• Most cities have a different traditional mayan dress for the women. Not everyone dresses in the tradiational dress but many many still do. However, the dress varies by area because in the past the mayan people were made to wear certain colors to identify where they lived... they then incorporated that with their traditional wear to make something like what we have today... or at least that was my understanding
  
• Mayan women are really good at carrying things on their heads!
• Most people drink purified water... not just tourists
• If you buy water in a restaurant you ask for Agua Pura... and they will probably bring you a water bottle called Salvavidas... if you want beer its normally Cabro or Gallo
• Water is heated in three different ways... but at my house its with electricity. So the trick is to turn the nob just a little because the heat amount doesn´t change but the amount of water does... so less water = hotter water. I know someone who learned this the hard way!
• The streets in the city are cobble stoneish except for the really big roads. The side walks run right up against the road and then then buildings run right against that... so it is different than we are used to where there is street, grass, sidewalk, grass, individual buildings. It all runs together here. A lot of cement in the city and not very much grass... it always means you walk on the street a lot to make room for everyone walking
• Then behind the walls that run against the sidewalks are sometimes houses, sometimes shops and sometimes you are surprised to see a door open and that behind the wall is actually open grass space that you didn´t no exsisted back there!
• The houses don´t need insilation... but that means that at night I get pretty cold!
• Many houses have courtyards in the middle or behind their their door to the street.
• Beans and tortias are really served at quite a few meals but I´ve learned to like them!
• Loteria = childhood game of BINGO
• Many women wear flats, but there are also a lot of women that astound us with their ability to wear high heels all day long!
• Political signs for presidente y acalde are everywhere because elections are coming up soon
• Sometimes they even paint side of buildings with political ads and on the way to xela from gauatemala city we saw painting advertisments on the rock cut out from the mountain for the road
• Quetzaltenango is really Xela to anyone who lives here... talk to my host brother Luis and he could sing you the Luna de Xelaju song!
• Guate = Guatemala City, the capital
• When driving people pass without any stress on the main roads... even with on coming traffic
• There are a few places between Xela and Guate that the road just ends because some reason and you have to travel in the other lane!
• Chicken Buses, which are old school buses painted up, are what many people use to travel with they have to go from one city to another... and someone who works on the bus is normally hanging out the door ready to let people in or take money... sometimes you will see a bus driving down the street with a guy on top of the bus!
• Toilet paper does NOT go in the toilet!
• It rains a lot here because it is what they call the invierno... winter... or really the raining season. Yet when got here it rained 2 to 3 times everyday and I could never keep anything dry!... there was a tropical storm near by
• No it hasn´t rained in several days and so sometimes its hard to walk in the streets because the air is kind of dusty.
• Buildings are awesome colors!
  
• Mostly people are really wonderful!