No time to make this perfect, but it gives an idea of
what we've been up to...


                Return to Antigua     

Last week was busy.  After school on Monday, we visited
a town called San Andres Xecal where the children are
forced to work long hours every day making fireworks.
This is against the law but law does not mean much in
Guatemala where corruption is rampant and silence can
be bought. 

The sweat shops are hidden in various homes in the
community. Marvin (Director of Utatlan Spanish School
and our guide) told us that recently a child's arm was
blown off when the fireworks ignited while he was
working.  The family and the neighbors would not allow
anyone to call the firemen, police or doctor to assist
because what he was doing was illegal. Instead, they
used traditional Mayan medicine to treat the child. 

We visited this village to see the unusual Catholic
church painted in Mayan colors rather than the
traditional white.  As well, we visited another
representation of San Simon, located in a house across
from the communal washing area where women
hand-scrubbed their laundry.  

Unlike Zunil where San Simon is moved to another
location once a year, San Andres Xecal's two San Simons
are moved every eleven years.  After paying a small fee
we entered a room filled with burning candles and two
life-size representations of the deity as well as a
double bed where they sleep during the night. A Mayan
man on his knees chanted next to dozens of burning
candles.  I could hear him naming people but was unable
to understand what he said because he was speaking one
of 22 Mayan dialects and not Spanish.  While the
attendant, a boy of about 10 years old, was out of the
room, we managed to snap a few pictures.  Out back
several ceremonies were going on next to some bonfires.
 
On Tuesday, Andrew and I bought four large pizzas,
refreshments and dessert for the family we were living
with.  I was glad to be leaving because I was tired of
being hungry all the time.  More than that, I was tired
of Azucena hinting that she wanted me to cook, hinting
that she wanted Andrew to help with the dishes, hinting
that she wished I would leave my clothes iron for her
as it was newer and nicer than hers, hinting that
students often bought her gifts. Her constant hinting
really irritated me so we only left some parting gifts
for the kids. 

There was a goodbye party for us at Nuevos Horizontes
on Wednesday.  Andrew bought every type of fruit
available and we made a mountain of fruit salad for the
children and mothers. (Enough for about 40 people) They
seldom get fruit so it was a real treat for them.  The
children and mothers thanked us and presented us with
hand-made cards of gratitude for our work there.  After
the party, I taught the kids the hokie-pokie and played
loteria.  It was nice to work in a place where the
children are happy.  So different from Mexico.

On Thursday morning before leaving for Antigua, I
discovered I hadn't needed to travel to Zunil or San
Andres Xecal to see San Simon.  I opened the door to a
room I'd never been in at the homestay and in the
corner on a wooden chair sat a small carved statue of
San Simon.  Candles and vases of flowers sat on the
floor in front of it.  It was strange to think that on
the other side of the wall two feet from my head the
family worshipped a wooden idol and made offerings to
it.  I found it hard to reconcile the idea that someone
who has enough education to teach Spanish believed in
San Simon.  

The Christian church says San Simon is the devil, so
the family we lived with for six week worships the
devil.  No wonder they were quiet when I asked them
what they thought of San Simon.

To complicate the move to Antigua, Andrew woke
up with a migraine headache and nausea.  We were lucky
the shuttle bus we booked was empty except for us, as
he was able to stretch out and sleep part of the 3 hour
trip.  

When we arrived in Antigua he went straight to bed and
I had to go out and do a major grocery shopping to
stock the cupboards.  

I have my own apartment in a beautiful colonial home
for my two months in Antigua. It has a terrace
with a umbrella so I can eat breakfast outside in
the sun every morning.  It is small but comfortable. 
There is a bedroom with cable tv and a VCR and a
bathroom with lots of hot water.  What a treat!  I have
to go outside to walk to the kitchen, but that is okay.
I even have a microwave!  A very nice, friendly older
woman from Columbia lives on the bottom floor.  The
apartment cost more than staying with a family but I
will have some control over what I eat and that is
important to me.

On Friday, Andrew woke up with severe nausea and
stomach problems. (This is the third time he has been
seriously ill.) 

When we left the house on the way to see the doctor, a
man began to follow us.  When Andrew told me, I didn't
believe him because when we turned onto a side street,
the man didn't follow.  I noticed, however, that he
kept his eyes on us.  Five blocks later, I felt someone
watching me and turned.  The man was only four feet
behind me. He must have run to catch up to us and was
waiting for an opportunity to rob us.

My reaction surprised me as much as it surprised him. 
I turned, stopped and stared at him, narrowing my eyes.
 Then, determinedly I walked behind him and followed
him, calling out to Andrew.  The man knew we were aware
of him so he took off in the opposite direction,
fearful I might call out for the police.  What
surprised me more than anything was that this man was
well-dressed.  It was a good lesson to remind me to be
very careful here.

At the doctor's office, Andrew was so ill he laid on
the floor.  The doctor said unless he improved, he
would be admitted to hospital.  After drinking a
Gatorade, Andrew was able to get up and we hailed a
tuk-tuk back to the apartment.  In the end, after
spending over $100, (700Q) the doctor ruled out
parasites and amoebic infection but wasn't able to tell
Andrew what the problem was. He prescribed Cipro.

(Andrew is very thin now, too thin, and he needs a
thorough examination in Canada.  To date, I have not
been ill.  Possibly the vitamin C and acidophilus I am
taking has made the difference.)

I had arranged for us to visit the kids at Casa Hogar
on Friday but had to cancel because Andrew was too ill
to go.  

On Saturday, the cipro had started to work and Andrew
was able to see 'our kids' at Casa Hogar.  He had been
saying the kids would have forgotten us because it had
been six months since we had seen them and because of
the number of volunteers they would have had in the
meantime.  I disagreed.  

As soon as we walked into the compound, the kids came
running, calling us by name.  I was so happy, I hugged
and kissed all of them.  My little boys were swimming
at the pool.  It was like I had never been gone.  I
chased them saying, 'Soy un lobo' (I'm a wolf); I threw
them in the pool; I sang spanish songs with them that I
had learned in Xela.  I had so much fun and so did
they!!!  We laughed and laughed.

I will be starting to work at Casa Hogar on Monday, for
now with the ninas grandes, (the older girls). 
Hopefully, I can work with the younger children again a
little later.

Andrew left early this (Sunday) morning for the airport
and Mexico.  It is going to be interesting living on my
own here in Antigua.  One thing for certain, I must use
caution.  There is so much crime.
Walking down the street behind a policeman holding an
Uzi is normal here in Antigua.


...Pat Martin