Todos Santos, Etc.

What a cute little spectator!

And they're off!

Phew! After a long week of traveling, I'm back in site. Last Saturday I traveled to Todos Santos, a town nestled in the mountains of the department of Huehuetenengo. Dia de Todos los Santos is a big holiday in all of Guatemala, but especially in Todos Santos, since it shares its name with the holiday. Todos Santos (the town) is known for the traditional dress that all its people still wear, and also for the drunken horse races that take place on Todos Santos. Men pay Q25 to rent a horse, and then race back and forth on a straight sand track. I don't really know who won, but then again I don't think they did either. Apparently the point of this madness is for someone to die so as to ensure a bountiful harvest in the coming year. But I don't think anyone died this year. Although it sounds crazy, it was not as out of control as I expected. I only saw two men fall off, and they didn't seem to be very hurt.

My friend Trisha and I were having a hard time seeing, so we found our way down to a fence along the side of the track. We were close to the start, so we could see the men getting ready to race, helped by the wranglers who had brought the horses for the race. One guy was getting on a horse right in front of us, and I heard him asking the wrangler in Spanish "So I have to stand up when the horse starts running, right?" "No! You have to sit down! And hold on!" was the answer. Jeez, this guy has no idea what he's doing, I was thinking to myself. Suddenly the horse took off, and the guy shouted to Trisha and I, in English "It's my first time!!". A few minutes later the guy was back, and ready to chat in English some more "I'm scared!" "It's my first time" "Look at my leg, it's...temblando (shaking)!" "I don't want to die!" . And he was off again for another lap. This time, pulling up beside us he cried out "I think I like it!".

That night I headed to the aldea where my friends Trisha and Erin live. It was great to see my friends, and to visit another part of Guatemala. I really hadn't traveled in the west at all until this past week. Sometimes I feel that living in the Oriente (the eastern part of Guatemala), that I'm missing out on some of the really Guatemalan parts of Guatemala. Traditional clothing, Mayan languages, etc. But while I enjoyed experiencing a different culture, I came home feeling very glad that everyone in Jalapa speaks Spanish. It makes my job so much easier! Some of my fellow volunteers have to have someone translate for them anytime that they give presentation.

Tuesday (Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead) is when people go to the cemeteries to decorate the graves. They leave flowers, especially marigolds, which are called Flor de Muerto, or flower of the dead. They also leave fruit, bread, alcohol, soda, coffee...you name it, all in honor of their loved ones. I've honestly never seen such a happy graveyard- there were a ton of people, all chatting and decorating graves, marimbas playing, and firecrackers going off every so often. Quite the party.

The tomb of someone who must have spent time in the States.

After celebrating the holidays I headed to Antigua with all the volunteers from my training class (29) for our Midservice Conference. We spent the time getting updates from Peace Corps and sharing our experiences. A full day, as it always seems to be when I'm at the office. A little sad too, because the next time I will probably see all these kids is at the 4th of July! We celebrated by all staying at Earth Lodge, a beautiful little place outside of Antigua. It was a little chilly, but the cabins were decently warm. Upon returning to Soledad Grande on Saturday, I was reminded what real cold is! I really need to get a thermometer to see just how cold it really gets here this summer/winter!

An avocado tree framing Volcan de Agua, from Earth Lodge outside of Antigua.