Santa Maria Cauque

After a late dinner of vegetable soup I walk with my new family a few blocks to the park. There, the plaza is filled with lights, live music, rides, games, people dressed in their best and loads of food. It is the day of the town’s patron saint, Mary. Earlier that afternoon when I and three other PCVs arrived in Santa Maria Cauque there was a parade; men and women filing through the streets, surrounding a large wood platform on the shoulders of probably 30 men with a statue of Mary and arranged flowers. Tonight though, the town celebrates. Marta, my host mom and town midwife and I want to ride the Ferris wheel. It was a ride I will never forget; partly because at times I was a bit afraid for my life but primarily because of the view from the top. Below us, the festival packed with sights, sounds, smells. Directly next to us the catholic church with an elaborate bright white façade and gold accents. Over the horizon, next to the full moon, dry lightening bounced through the sky. Next to me, Marta clung for dear life and never looked down. At the bottom of the Ferris wheel, the rest of my family; Marta’s daughter Irma and her husband Iseiyas and their 2 year old daughter Stefani; Marta’s son Edwin and his wife Lupe and their 2 year old son Daniel. I couldn t stop laughing ( I cannot figue out how to make an apostrophe on this keyboard...)Marta said she liked it, and in fact her family concurred that she had gone on it the year before, but her face certainly did not show it (in fact, when I told her I was going to the internet cafe, she said when I return we{ll go on the Ferris wheel again). After the Ferris wheel we went to the plaza to watch live music. The family walked me home around 10:30 and then went back out until 1.
The family I am staying with is indigenous and speak a language that I cannot spell, but phonetically it is ketchikel (Fact: there are 23 indigenous languages in Guatemala, which is the size of Tennesse). They are a very informal and friendly family. They constantly joke together (and with me), but in the most loving manner. I am very excited to be able to live with and learn from this family over the coming weeks and months.
The people of Guatemala have a kindness and genuinity in them that is so refreshing, something that is uncommon in the states. As my PC trainer put it, the goal of Guatemalans is to maintain harmony, and that is evident in the culture. To date, I have not heard a Guatemalan produce a blatant “no” in response to a request, and there is almost always a smile on thier faces.
My Spanish is progressing slowly but steadily, although I{m sure there are 4 year olds that speak better than me at this point. My family is very patient as I flip through the Spanish/English dictionary at the dinner table, and they just laugh.
A few customs that I really enjoy; at the table, once we have begun eating, my host mom will say “come”, eat. It is meant that we enjoy the meal. When someone is done, they say “gracias Marta, gracias Katie, gracias Edwin” etc. to everyone at the table. In response we say “buen provecho”, which essentially means “ may the meal benefit you”.
In my free time I am able to walk around town. There is a sports field just two blocks from my house, so the other three PCVs and I grab a Frisbee or ball and head down to the park. The kids love playing with the gringos and they all dominate us at futbol, but we get them at Frisbee. We just laugh and play with a backdrop of neatly cared for fields over rolling green hills and bright white clouds.
This coming week as language and technical training starts full swing, we will build and plant a garden in Santa Maria Cauque. I will be getting a cell phone in the next week or so as well and all incoming calls are free so I hope you all have a good long distance plan. Mucho amor.