Top 10 Things I'll miss about Guatemala (Xela, specifically)

As my time in Guatemala is coming to a close, I'm looking back at my last (almost) year here. It's been good times! There are so many things that I will miss like crazy about being here....I could go on for way too long about the things I'll miss (because, let's be honest, G-mala is pretty bomb.com!), so I've narrowed it down to my top 10 (in no specific order):

1) Crowded chicken buses
I know it sounds crazy, but trust me, a full chicken bus is way more comfy than an empty one. When it's full it's 3 people per seat and then
a bunch of people standing in the aisle....there's no way you're going anywhere when it's like that. You can sleep no problem! When it's empty, between the twisty roads and the crazy driving you have to hold on for dear life just to keep yourself from falling off your seat.












2) Microbuses

These buses are great because during the daytime you can catch one about every 15 seconds, they only cost Q.1.25 (about 16 cents US), and my dream job is to be an ayudante on one of them one day. Hahaha! Ok, I know that it may never come true outside of my classes (my students love it when I call out the places like the ayudantes do). But really, they're a great way to travel around the city really cheaply and usually they don't take super long to get to where you're trying to go....sometimes they just sit at big stops waiting for more passengers and that sucks when you're in a hurry, but for the most part they're great. And if you take the same one enough times they start to recognize you and then you can become friends with the driver and ayudante (and occasionally get a free ride). But, unlike a chicken bus, a full microbus isn't the best...it actually kinda sucks, especially if you get stuck in the back corner...it makes getting out at your stop a pain in the butt!

3) Cheap everything (almost)
It's true that the income level is much lower than that in the US, but also the prices of things are so much lower (generally). Electronics are a big exception here. But the things that I buy, like food, clothes, toiletries, etc. are way cheaper than in the states. Then there's bus fare which is almost nothing; you can get from one side of the country to the other with maybe Q.75 (about $10). And in the markets if you don't like the price, you can talk to seller down. I think I'll miss bargaining when I get back home.



4) Delicious and fresh food (also quite cheap)

Garnachas!

I LOVE fresh fruit!! Maybe it's the Asian in me....maybe it's just because fruit is awesome. My favorite fruits (mangoes and strawberries) are crazy cheap here too. I've bought (multiple times) 15 mangoes for Q.10 (like $1.25 US) and strawberries are Q.4/lb (about 50 cents US). And the veggies too. And the market food like tacos, tortas, garnachas (my favorite!!!!!), tamales....I could go on. But my point is that the food here is awesome and usually without any preservatives (maybe it's just in my head, but I think it tastes better), and with real sugar! (That means that the soda is way more delicious!) Even going to get lunch at the Walmart deli (yes, there's Walmart here) is cheap and delicious! For Q.18 ($2.25) you get a drink, meat (usually chicken or pork), tortillas, a dessert or piece of fruit (depending on what they have that day), soup, and your choice of 2 sides (rice, beans, or 2 choices of salads)....I eat lunch there a lot since it's really close to my work.  

5) Women carrying big baskets on their heads
One day on the bus, the driver was trying to get people to keep moving back so that they could fit more people on board (I think generally the driver has to pay the bus-owner a certain amount of money everyday to use the bus and then everything he makes on top of that is his profit....so they get the buses as full as physically possible every chance they get). He said (in Spanish, of course), "Woman with the onions on her head, please keep moving back!" I thought it was a really funny thing to hear, and then I looked up and saw that there were two women with onions on their heads!! What are the odds?! Hahahaha! My point is that the majority of the women here carry lots of stuff on their heads, either in baskets, bags, or just bundles of things (like green onions). I've seen women carrying baskets with live chickens on their heads. And usually with a baby strapped to their back as well. Sometimes they are carrying really heavy things on their heads and they're so good at balancing it too. I have troubles just staying on my feet when there are no longer seats available on the bus, but these women not only stay on their feet, but they also maintain they're bundles on their heads....a lot of times without even holding onto them!! I've tried to do it with my book that I teach from, just walking around the academy, and it hasn't worked out so well. These women get my respect and envy for their head-carrying superpowers. 

6) My classes!!
I have the best students in the world! I've only taught one or two classes that I wasn't super stoked on. There are some days when I have to teach for 9 hours straight, going from one class to the next without time to catch my breath. Yes, I'm totally wiped out at the end of the day, but I love it because my students are so much fun!! We rotate teachers to different classes every two weeks and I always think of the classes that I hope I get. I really don't like working from 7AM-8PM (not working the whole time, but starting my work day at 7 and finishing at 8) because it's a long day and even if I have a few hours without classes I don't usually go home because it's not usually worth it due to commuting time. But I always find myself hoping to get a certain 7-8AM class, an 8-9AM class, a 9-11AM class, a 2-4PM class, and a 6:30-8PM class.....that schedule SUCKS!! But I love all of those classes and I'd love to teach them anytime. It's not even that I want the hours (but the paycheck is pretty nice when I have a crazy schedule like that), it's that the students are the coolest people ever. They're so funny and so nice and they work really hard and they make fun of my Spanish during break. I have some classes that are really hard to cover all the material in the allotted time because we're joking around and having so much fun. Sometimes the bell rings to signal the end of class and I can't believe how fast it ended. I don't have a ton of friends here in Xela because I'm always working, but I don't feel like I'm in want of friends because my students are so stinking awesome. I could go on for days about how great my classes are, but I'll spare you. Just know that more than anything, I will miss my classes (and my students!!!) here in Xela.

 7) Trivia night at King & Queen

I was first introduced to trivia night by my friend Matt and I loved it! Not because I was especially good at it, but just because it was fun to get my brain working, practice my Spanish, win free tequila for having the best team name, and just spend a great evening with some friends. Since I don't dance and I don't like clubs, my nightlife options are quite limited here. Trivia night is a great way to spend a laid-back night and learn some useless facts at the same time! :)



8) El Kiosko in Parque Central

"The circle thing in the middle of the park!" For the longest time that's what I called the kiosko, because I had no idea what to call it. There are just some words in Spanish that are so much easier than English (like pasarela, which is the walking bridge that goes over the road so you don't get run over when you're trying to cross....I still have no idea if there's a word for it in English, so I just say pasarela). I love the kiosko because it's so chill! I love going there when it's a sunny afternoon and just reading a book or journaling...or even just sitting. And of course, there's always someone I know who happens to walk by (another thing I'll miss about Xela: always running into people I know), so I just get to chat and enjoy the sun and take in the amazing atmosphere.

9) Scandinavia Gym

My gym!!!! Of course I miss Climb Tacoma like crazy, but I'm going to miss going to Scandinavia every day, walking past it every day to get to work, eating delicious things in the break room with Ivan, Mario, and Josue (only the coolest trainers you'll ever meet). Aaaaaaggghhhh!!! I only had my membership for 3 months, but it quickly became my third home (second home being my work)....for those 3 months if I wasn't at work I was probably at the gym. The water pressure in the showers was amazing too! The music was terrible, but it grew on me.....except for when they played Christmas music, but I don't think anyone else noticed. Hahah! Now, because of being at the gym all the time, I see people all over town that I recognize (so between all my classes and the gym I can't really go anywhere without recognizing someone). The only thing that was super weird was that you needed to put in your code and your hand print to get in....so if you hear something about me committing a crime and they have my hand print to prove it, just know that I'm probably being framed by someone at the gym (but Carol, can you still come break me out of prison? Thanks!). 

10) Xelapan & Bake Shop

Bread!!! And baked, yummy things!!!
Xelapan is great because it's cheap, fresh, makes a great snack, and it's everywhere in Xela! But the Bake Shop is the best!!!!!!!! It's run by Mennonites and boy, oh boy, do they know how to make doughnuts, banana bread, cookies, peanut butter, yogurt, and doughnut holes!! Unfortunately they're only open Tuesday and Friday, but maybe that makes it that much more amazing. Doughnut Fridays will never be the same.