Hola! This weekend was Dia de Independencia, or Independence Day for Guatemala! The festivities begin on Friday night with the running of the torch. All of the children in town travel to the captial of the state they live in and light their town’s torch. They then bring the lit torch back to their towns and there is a parade through town until they come to the big torch in the center of town, The torch carries the “Fire of Freedom,” they call it this because it was not actually September 15th when the Independence document was signed but rather the day before. But many Guatemalans did not know they were free until they woke up on September 15th and saw the “Fire of Freedom” This is why they carry the torches through towns the night before.
September 15th is a day full of parades, music, food and even some fireworks! The day begins early with a parade of all the school aged children marching, playing instruments and little Independence Day princesses! This is followed by a huge lunch in the town square. In the afternoon neighboring towns parade through the town too! In the late afternoon in a neighboring town there is a pole climbing contest! The town takes a 60 foot tree, takes all the bark off and puts grease all over it, then they see who can climb to the top! If you make it to the top then you get Q500 or about $70! There was a guy that made it all the way to the top this year!
The weather is really nice here! It is warm durning the day but really cold at night. During the day it is about 20 degrees Celcuis and at night it is about 15 degrees Celcius. Do you know how warm and cold that is in Farenhiet? Even though 15 degrees Celcius is not that cold you have to remember that I do not have any heat so it is like sleeping outside all the time.
Remember to send me your questions and let me know what you want to hear about!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Friday, September 7, 2007
GUATEMALA!
¡HOLA! I am here in Guatemala, the land of eternal spring! I am sorry it has taken so long to post on my blog but I have only had internet access once since I have been here. Guatemala is not like the United States. Everyone does not have a computer and the schools do not have them either.
My first week here in Guatemala has been busy. When I arrived in Guatemala City, the capital of Guatemala it was mid afternoon which means it was raining. It was raining because Guatemala is in what is called the rainy season. This means that everyday in the afternoon it rains for about 2 or 3 hours. The rainy season is when the farmers grow their crops. The farmers are beginning to harvest their crops right now! I am going to go pick fruit for the market with my family this weekend!
I am living in Magdalena Milpas Altas. Magdalena is the patron saint of the town and Milpas Altas means tall corn. They are not joking when they say this town is full of tall corn. The corn here measures about 10 feet tall. Do you know how tall that is? It is as tall as a basketball hoop (I think)!
Guatemala is a beautiful country. I am living in the mountains so it is really cold at night but warm during the day. It is really pretty here too because I can see all the other mountains around me, some of them are even above the clouds!
Magdalena is a large town for Guatemala. There are 2,000 people living here. Everyday there are horses and donkeys in the streets that are carrying things for people! Today there were even eight cows walking down the street! It is really dirty here because there are not trash cans in the streets so every throws their trash on the ground. Do you think this is good for the environment?
I eat fruit and Corn Flakes with hot milk for breakfast. For lunch I have beans, rice and chicken with tortillas. And for dinner I have beans and eggs and tortillas! Here you do not eat with a fork or a spoon you eat with tortillas. They make the tortillas by hand here. The grandmother of my house makes them three times a week. They are delicious! Do you like tortillas?
This has been a long post so I will stop here for today. Check again soon for another post!
My first week here in Guatemala has been busy. When I arrived in Guatemala City, the capital of Guatemala it was mid afternoon which means it was raining. It was raining because Guatemala is in what is called the rainy season. This means that everyday in the afternoon it rains for about 2 or 3 hours. The rainy season is when the farmers grow their crops. The farmers are beginning to harvest their crops right now! I am going to go pick fruit for the market with my family this weekend!
I am living in Magdalena Milpas Altas. Magdalena is the patron saint of the town and Milpas Altas means tall corn. They are not joking when they say this town is full of tall corn. The corn here measures about 10 feet tall. Do you know how tall that is? It is as tall as a basketball hoop (I think)!
Guatemala is a beautiful country. I am living in the mountains so it is really cold at night but warm during the day. It is really pretty here too because I can see all the other mountains around me, some of them are even above the clouds!
Magdalena is a large town for Guatemala. There are 2,000 people living here. Everyday there are horses and donkeys in the streets that are carrying things for people! Today there were even eight cows walking down the street! It is really dirty here because there are not trash cans in the streets so every throws their trash on the ground. Do you think this is good for the environment?
I eat fruit and Corn Flakes with hot milk for breakfast. For lunch I have beans, rice and chicken with tortillas. And for dinner I have beans and eggs and tortillas! Here you do not eat with a fork or a spoon you eat with tortillas. They make the tortillas by hand here. The grandmother of my house makes them three times a week. They are delicious! Do you like tortillas?
This has been a long post so I will stop here for today. Check again soon for another post!
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