Off to Guatemala

My final day of class

2010-03-05T09:45:00.000-08:00

Where did the time go? This afternoon I have my final Spanish class. In 3 weeks I have learned present, preterite, imperfect, present perfect and future verb tenses. While my pronunciation and listening comprehension need additional attention, I have been able to converse (albeit slowly) with merchants, artisans, indigenous persons and fellow students. Last night for homework, my maestro, Lucas, asked me to write a composition about the upcoming few days. As I was doing so it struck me that my time in Guatemala is quickly drawing to a close. Tomorrow I climb Volcan San Pedro in the morning. A quick swim in Lago Atitlan and a siesta in the hammock might round out the afternoon. I leave San Pedro after breakfast on Sunday morning and arrive back in New York Mid-day on Monday.

This morning I took an early walk around town. I may have mentioned in an earlier post that the gringos have laid claim to the shoreline lowlands. The indigenous Mayans, only some of whom speak Spanish (most speak Tz'utujil) live and work up the hill near the center of town. Each day there is an open air market of grains, legumes , fruits and vegetables. Today there were also several stands of used clothing, much of which appeared to have had US origin. These were popular stands with large groups gathering around these merchants. Near the Pana dock I ran into Yolanda, the local woman who bakes fruit breads each morning to sell on the streets for 8Q each. I have tried her carrot cake as well as her banana bread and her coconut bread. This morning I bought a small loaf if banana bread to take on tomorrow's volcano trek. Further down the road I stopped in at a local cafe for huevos revueltos and frijoles. That's a breakfast that stays with you for hours.
I have remained relatively healthy during my travels. I have been conscientious about avoiding local water, although I do brush my teeth with tap water and the origin of the ice cubes in drinks is a mystery.

I have been asked if I would want to return to San Pedro and my response has been a resounding 'yes'. It has been a wonderful location for both study and relaxation. While the people I have met have taken the edge off of solitary travel, I would want a return trip to include my family.

Life in San Pedro

2010-03-02T16:16:00.001-08:00

I have now completed two days of study at the San Pedro School. My teacher this week is a young man named Lucas. He is laid back and pretty fun. He makes fun of my mispronunciations and I laugh at his English snafus. Together we make a decent pair. During the last two days we have reviewed the preterite tense and learned the imperfect tense. Once you learn the imperfect tense you have to wonder why you spent so much time and energy struggling with the preterite!
I have told Lucas that conversation is one of my weak points. Thus, we spent quite a bit of time simply talking. The schoolhas a daily Conversation Club that meets from 5:15 - 6:00 each afternoon. I was a bit surprised when Lucas directed me to the Intermediate group as I had doubts about my abilities. Lo and behold,I fit into that group quite nicely.
Enough school talk .... I may have mentioned in a previous entry that I opted to stay in a hotel this week rather than utilize the homestay option. What a good decision on my part! One of my classmates who is in a homestay has noted that his family's first language is a Mayan dialect. While they can speak Spanish, they do not choose to do so often. Another student spoke of cold showers, a situation I encountered in Xela. My hotel, Sa'Kari, has virtually unlimited hot water, one of the most beautiful views in San Pedro, a sauna, and kayaks for use. Better yet, the women renting on either side of me are also Spanish students and we have ample time to practice.
Because I study from 1:00 to 5:00, my mornings are free for other activities. This morning, I took the 7:00am boat to Panajachel -approx 20 minutes away - to explore. I

Sunday in San Pedro

2010-02-28T08:24:00.000-08:00

After a hot shower I headed out to explore a bit. It was only 7:30 and there were few people up and about. When I thought I was headed to the dock, I found myself walking in a circle. At that point I decided to have breakfast before venturing out again. I found a small open air cafe and ordered huevas revueltas con frijoles. Another woman walked in and sat at an adjacent table. I asked if I could join her to pick her brain a bit. Larosa is a retired woodworker from Eugene, OR. She has been traveling and studying for three months with several more ahead of her. She highly recommended the hotel in which she had been staying, conveniently located 100 yds from the language school. After breakfast I stopped in to speak with the desk clerk. I asked about an individual room with private bath overlooking the lake. He showed me a lovely and spacious room opening out to a lawn overlooking the lake. Much to my surprise, there is also a TV. I haven't turned it and don't know if I will. The price is 120Q per day. While this is considered a bit expensive for San Pedro, it translates to about $15 per day. This is more expensive than the homestay as my meals will be an additional cost but I am feeling the need for more privacy than a homestay would allow.
The weather here is ideal. I hear it is snowing relentlessly in NY. It is already in the 70s here and only 10:00am

San Pedro La Laguna

2010-02-28T04:25:00.000-08:00

The trip to San Pedro was uneventful. For the final half hour or so the road becomes a steep spiralling set of switchbacks. Thank goodness it doesn't snow here. I saw a few chicken busses in SP and am amazed that they were able to maneuver those curves.
It was just getting dark when I arrived and a young man, Pedro, assisted me on locating my hotel for the night. I haven't had an opportunity to begin exploring the town or looking for a cheaper hotel. This one - Hotel Mikaso - is nice but pricy. Thanks to the magical world of Wi-Fi, I have been able to lie here in bed and make online inquiries about room availability. While homestay is an option, I think I will stay in a local hotel this final week, if possible.

Leaving Xela

2010-02-28T04:14:00.000-08:00

Each Friday the school recognizes those students who will be moving on. This week I wad in that group. There is an expectation that you will make a brief statement and I had prepared for this event. I expressed appreciation to my 2 teachers and thanked the staff fir their assistance with various problems. After class I reserved a seat on the 3:00pm shuttle to San Pedro. Orinally I had planned to go on Sunday morning but there were not enough people to justify the 3-hour drive.
On Friday night ICA hosted a Guatemalan dinner party. While the food was not different from what I had been eating - my Guatamamam was a very good cook- we had the opportunity to make the tortillas ourselves and to spend a final social hour together.
On Saturday morning my Guatafamily surprised me with a going away belated birthday celebration. The kids had made postre de la pena, a pineapple pudding-like dessert. So, after a breakfast of quesidillas, the kids put candles in the postre and the singing began. The first verse was a rendition of our traditional Happy Birthday song, but came out more like "happy verday." The second song was the traditional Spanish verse where the celebrants recognize the newly acquired age by counting up. We skipped a few decades so that we could move on to the main act - eating the postre. I asked the kids to help me blow out the candles which they did excitedly.
Later in the morning I had some errands to run and I stopped to pick up a bouquet of fresh flowers for Rosario. She was very excited about her husband's return after a 15-month absence -he was working in the US - and she had spent 2 weeks repainting furniture, scrubbing floors and fixtures, and reorganizing the kitchen. I thought the flowers would add a final welcoming touch. I also gave the family an LL Bean flashlight that operates on hand cranks rather than battery power. I had brought along a smaller version of the sane flashlight for myself and had used it frequently in the evening so that I wouldn't trip on the dark.
After lunch I retreated to my room to read for an hour while I waited for the shuttle to arrive. Jessica and Daniela came in wearing tiaras and holding a small bouquet of plastic flowers. They wanted me to take their pictures. One thing led to another and webwere soon dancing to the Beatles on my iPod. of course, the boys now had to get a piece of the action and Danillo and Marcus joined our little dance club. It wad the most fun I had had with the kids the 2 weeks I was there.
At 3:10 the shuttle arrived. The final hugs were short but sweet and I was off to Part 2 of the adventure.

The Women's Prison in Xela

2010-02-26T14:10:00.000-08:00

Before I left home I asked my friends to help me collect toiletries to donate to women in need in Xela. My friends are extremely generous and socially conscious and, as a result, I quickly amassed nearly 100 items of soap, shampoo and various body creams. At that time I didn't know if I would be able to visit and or volunteer at either the women's prison or Nuevos Horizontes, the domestic violence shelter. Once I arrived, I was informed that both sites were now requiring a minimum 3/month volunteer commitment which, of course, I could not make. I asked the Director of the ICA Spanish School if he could arrange a 1-day entry to the prison, Enrique was happy to do so. This morning, accompanied by my teacher, Nancy, we walked the approx .75 mile trek to the site. With Enrique's letter of introduction, we entered the facility. It is one of 3 correctional facilities in Xela and the only one for women. Because of this, the facility does double duty as a jail and a prison. Yesterday's head count was 36. I don't know how many were convicted. It was my observation that ages ranged from late teens to mid-50's, and one very young inmate had an infant with her. I learned that incarcerated women are permitted to keep their children with them to age 5, much longer than permitted in US facilities. The prison is actually quite small. It consists of a common area approx the size of a basketball court on the ground level with cells on the second level overlooking the courtyard. The courtyard is open air and there were several clothes lines running across the width of the space. It appeared that the "cells" were simply rooms without any locking mechanisms. There was a single armed guard positioned in this area.
I am getting ahead of myself.I want to write a bit about our initial entry. The warden )if that was her title) was a women in her late 30's (my estimation). I explained the purpose of my visit )with much translation assistance from Nancy) and asked if it would be possible for me to take photos. She quickly denied the request, noting that cameras were strictly prohibited. I recalled Enrique's advice that diplomacy would be needed here. I did some mental math. I had approx 95 items, enough for each woman to have 2-3 small vials of shampoo or bars of soap. I pulled out 3 particularly nice smelling items and gave them to the official. Again I told her that I was a professor of sociology and that my students could learn much from photos. She modified her original position, allowing 2 photos. I reached into the bag and found 2 nice bottles of hand cream and gave these to her. While she didn't say I could take more photos, she inferred that no one would be counting.
The gate opened and Nancy and I entered the courtyard. We explained that we had small gifts for the women. The women pulled over a table and we emptied the contents of my backpack. The women lined up quickly with little discussion. It appeared to me that the internal pecking order was well established and didn't need to be debated. We told them that they could each have 2 items of their choice. The process was remarkably smooth. Because the women could not read English (most were unable to read at all),they would pick up a bottle and ask what it was. A woman with a parrot warned me not to get too close as the parrot bites. I asked if any wanted to have their pictures taken and several volunteered. We left a few minutes later.
On the walk back to school Nancy explained that she could tell that a number of the women were not Guatemalan, but Honduran or El Salvadoran. Their crimes ranged from extortion to robbery to murder, many gang-related.

Earthquakes!

2010-02-23T15:04:00.000-08:00

Today was mote interesting than usual in that we experienced two earthquakes. The first, centered in Chiapas Mexico, registered 5.6 on the Richter scale. It struck at approx 4:15 am and shook the house for spprox 15 seconds. There was no observable damage to any person or any structure in Xela. I have no information as to any impact in Chiapas. At breakfast Marcos (age 10) was presenting himself as the brave brother. He told me that his alarm clock and his homework had fallen off of the desk but that he was not afraid. His sisters, on the other hand, admittted to being very frightened. News of the quake was the leading story on TV.
At approx 9:00 am, a second earthquake was experienced. This one, centered in a rural section of Guat about 125 miles from Xela, registered 5.3. The students in the school quickly descended from the second floor when the quaking didn't cease after a few seconds. I estimate this one shook buildings for 20 seconds. Again, there was no damage.
Those of us who had experienced quakes at home were concerned but not overly fearful. The students from Denmark had never experienced a quake and several were at near-panic stage. One woman thought that the active volcano overlooking the city was erupting and that lava would soon be pouring through the streets. Hopefully, we were able to asssauge her fears.
Eight hours have passed without further trembling. Perhaps that was it for today's excitement.

El Fin de la semana en Monterrico

2010-02-22T14:15:00.000-08:00

Most Spanish schools plan a variety of excursions for the students in the afternoon and on weekends. This past weekend I opted to join the group of 14 others headed to Monterrico. Monterrico is a beautiful black (volcanic) sand beach south of Guatemala City and not too distant from the El Salvador border.
I will start this entry with a description of the 5-hour journey. To do so I must first tell you a bit about the Carreterra, the main thoroughfare through Guatemala to Mexico. It is difficult to travel between any two points in Guat without spending some time on this road. In function it is not unlike I-90. In structure el Carreterra has no equal, at least none that I have seen to date. In the highlands near Xela the road has 2 informal lanes, each of which is really 2 cars wide. There are no lane markings and buses, trucks and cars pass each other at will. The chicken buses make frequent stops which would certainly impede the flow of traffic if vehicles did not pass freely. Folks walking and on motor scooters and bicycles also share the limited space. I was certain we would hit someone or something. Ok, now add the speed bumps as you pass through each small town. We were in a 15-person van and hit our heads on the roof with each bump.OK, now add the animals crosing the road. It was like being a character in a video game trying to make our way successfully to a designated end point. Several of the students got car sick, necessitating a few unplanned stops. The driver got lost a few times (there aren't many road signs) but we finally made it to Monterrico. Our hotel, coincidentally Hotel Del Mar, had 30 double rooms,each missing something. The room I shared with a student from Denmark, had a nice floor fan but no door to the bathroom. The folks next door had the bathroom door but no fan. You get the idea. It was very hot when we arrived at 11:45 and we quickly threw on our bathing suits and headed to the beach. I'll show you the photos when I get home but accept my description of the beach as very beautiful. Perhaps because the sand was volcanic ash, it reflected the heat, making walking on the beach quite the challenge. We had been warned about the undertow and felt the power of the surf as soon as we entered. The waves were enormous and knocked you to your knees easily. A number of us tried body surfing but eventually gave up when we discovered that every body oriface was laden with sand. (two days later I am still pulling sand out of my ears.) Fortunately, the hotel also had a clean pool with NO sand. We watched the sun set over the Pacific and headed to dinner. I chose to dine with the one other older student. Di is a social worker from Santa Monica and we talked about our jobs.
Early (5:30) Sunday morning a subset of the group arranged to tour the lagoon that sits between the ocean and the environs of Guat City. We learned that there is a thriving ferry business across the lagoon. For 5Q per person you can be transported across. The alternative is a 60 mile drive on one-lane roads. We saw 2 cars bring transported (75Q) and an entire ferry of bikes and cyclists. We also saw egrets, long fishers and iguanas throughout the mangrove swamps.
The remainder of Sunday morning was spent walking the beach and splashing in the pool. The bus headed back to Xela at 3:00 and we all reviewed our Spanish during the 5-hour return trip.
In fairnes to el Carreterra, as got closer to Guat city and more populated regions of Guat, the highway gained marked lanes, lighting and adequate signage.

Mardi Gras Xela style

2010-02-18T14:33:00.000-08:00

As I write I am sitting in a little Internet cafe here in Xela, sipping cafe mocha and cursing the preterite indicative tense.

Lots of Catholics here so Ash Wednesday and Lent are a big deal. There is a local custom for celebrating the beginning of Lent. On Mardi Gras the locals empty egg shells, fill the shells with colored confetti, and smash them on each others heads. I asked my instructor about the origin of the custom but she had no idea.

The Sounds of Xela

2010-02-18T13:39:00.000-08:00

Xela is a city of many competing sounds. To start, although I haven't seen one, there are many roosters near my house which, I must point out, is only half a mile from the city center. Apparently these roosters are not card-carrying members of the International Rooster Assn as they fail to follow the widely accepted rules of roosterdom. At 3:15 am the first one sounds off. One by one the others join in despite the fact that the sun doesn't rise for several more hours. To add insult to injury, they don't stop! I walked past one at 2:00 this afternoon and he was still at it. (note: I didn't SEE this one either)
The roosters have company in the countless dogs who wander the streets, barking for no apparent reasons.
The most prevalent sound, however, is the ever-present clanking and groaning of cars and trucks that long ago lost both mufflers and shocks. It isn't that the cars are old. Many are of recent manufacture. Rather, the crumbling roads wreak havoc on the undercarriages of all vehicles.
Don't get me wrong. Not all of the local sounds are umwelcomed. The children of Xela have few parks in which to play and, consequently, can be found in every street. Their laughter is genuine and contagious. It is difficult to walk past a group of kids without smiling.

Lunes in Xela

2010-02-16T13:12:00.000-08:00

On day one of instruction I met my instructor, a 33 yo woman named Elisa. Thus far we are getting along well. After lessons yesterday a group of us took a chicken bus to Salcaja, a small town about 10 miles outside of Xela. This town is known as a center for traditional weaving and we observed several crafts folks in action. We also toured la Iglesia of San Jacinto, believed to be the oldest Catholic church in Guatemala. If I followed the guide correctly (no guarantee here),the church was built in the 1500's. We then met with a local brewer of an alcohol similar to Sangria. This stuff really packed a punch! Then, back to Xela. Dinner was soup and bread. It will take a while to get used to having the main meal at 1:00pm.
Running here will be close to impossible. There are few sidewalks. The streets are very narrow , quite hilly,and constucted of broken cobblestone. I imagine an ankle could be sprained or broken easily.
My new host family consists of Rosario (mother ) and three children - Jessica, Daniela, and Daniel. The oldest of the three might be 8 yo.

Day 1 in Xela

2010-02-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

On Sunday morning I hopped a bus from G City to Xela. I was able to travel with another new student, a young woman from San Diego. We were met at the bus station in Xela by Don Enrique who introduced us to our host families. My home stay is with an older couple , Lydia and Francisco. After lunch I met up with the woman fom CA and several young women students from Denmark. If I write "young" frequently, it is because everyone else at the school is under age 30. I'm feeling a bit like a fish out of water. Last night about a dozen students walked over to a soccer field for a friendly pick up game. I watched for a while but was unable to head home as I had mo idea how to find my way back. Then it started to rain very hard. By the time I got home I was drenched.

The Adventure Begins

2010-02-13T15:22:00.000-08:00

In the shower at 2:45, out the door by 3:30... I am on my way. As this is the beginning of February break, the airport is filled with families headed to warmer climates for a week of R&R. Two preteen girls were admiring their new belly button piercings while swaying to the music on their iPods.
Lengthy layover at Dulles. Another cup of coffee to pass the time. The flight to San Salvador was full. I was seated next to an employee of the State Department who was traveling with his family. Coincidentally, he was seated next to me on the flight from San Salvador to Guatemsla City too. He had traveled to Central America many times and recommended a few side trips. I thought he was interesting before I learned he had grown up in Rochester and graduated from Albany Law. Is that one degree of separation?

I was met at the airport by Gilda Arroyo who owns an inn south of G City. When we arrived at her house I went out for a short walk. She lives at the bottom of a VERY long and steep hill AND it was very hot - 29 degrees C. I'm not sure how that translates into F but I'm guessing 80 degrees.
Tomorrow morning another woman arrives at the airport headed to Xela. We will travel together for the 4.5-5 hour bus ride.
Before it gets dark I am going to sit outside in the garden for a few minutes. No doubt I will soon be feeling the fatigue of the day.

Another snowstorm headed east

2010-02-08T10:58:00.000-08:00

Here in upstate NY we receive, on average, 64 inches of snow each winter, This year we are lagging woefully behind that figure, a fact that delights some but causes skiers to weep. For the past 2 weeks, major storms have struck our neighbors to the south, paralyzing cities that rarely see more than a few inches at any one time. Of note is the beating that Washington, D.C. has taken and will continue to take later this week. From what I've read, the residents of DC welcomed more than 2 feet of the white stuff last weekend. Today there is a storm alert on weather.com that suggests that those same residents should expect another 10 inches in the next 48 hours. If our US Government hadn't already screeched to a halt due to bipartisan bickering I might be concerned that the federal government was idle. How can they do less than they are doing now???

Anyway, I bring up the weather in DC, not to besmirch our public servants, but because I am flying through Dulles on Saturday morning and would prefer not to spend more time than necessary there. Let's hope the good folks in DC can clean up a Wednesday snow storm by Saturday morning.

A week to go

2010-02-04T11:45:00.000-08:00

I leave in 9 days and have been making good use of my time in final preparation. This morning I picked up a sum of Quetzales so that I won't have to worry about currency exchange the first few days. The 1 (un) Quetzal bill (approximately $0.13 in value)is a beautiful bill. It is a spring green color with a photo of General Jose Maria Orellana (President 1921-26) on the right side. On the left is an octagonal window with the seal of El Banco de Guatemala enbossed in the window's center. Across the top is an illustration of a quetzal, the national bird. The denomination is printed in three of the four corners, with the upper right corner reserved for a Mayan symbol (each denomination carries a different symbol). The 10 (diez) Quetzales bill is red, the 20 (veinte) Quetzales bill is multi-colored (blue, green, red) and the 100 (cien) Quetzales bill is primarily ivory in color. On its backside is a rendition of the Universidad de San Carlos de Borromeo.

While I count down the days to my departure, my younger son is anxiously awaiting word of his acceptance (or not) to Pomona College in Claremont, CA. He has already been accepted to SUNY New Paltz and to the Honors Program at Univ of Vermont. He picks up languages rather easily and his current plan is to major in Spanish. Those of us in the field of higher education recognize that students often change their majors as they become exposed to new areas of study. I am a good example of this. I began college as a Math major, only to shift to French, then to English literature and, finally, landing squarely in Sociology.

Big Trouble in River City??

2010-01-28T09:36:00.000-08:00

The local Middle School is putting on a rendition of The Music Man this week. Thus, the reference to River City...

Two weeks to go before I head south. I ran into a former colleague at a local coffee shop earlier this week and shared my travel plans with him. He was shocked that I would consider (a) traveling alone, (b) traveling to Guatemala. His argument was that Guatemala is much too unstable and that travel there will certainly be fraught with danger. Yikes! If I avoided all areas where crime might occur, I'd be spending my days as a potted plant in front of the TV.

As for traveling alone, I spent 6 months traveling solo through Western and Eastern Europe. OK, OK, I was younger then (and thinner), but I'm looking forward to the opportunity to meet new people.

What to bring? to wear?

2010-01-21T10:54:00.000-08:00

I leave for Guatemala and Xela in 24 days. With my final academic assignments completed and submitted, I can turn my full attention to trip preparation. As for footwear, my hiking boots, running shoes and slides are necessities. Everything I have read and heard suggests that there will be ample opportunity to hike to the upper levels of one or more of the active volcanoes surrounding Xela. A friend assures me that, while the hike may be long in time and distance, the level of difficulty is relatively low. Endurance is key. With my distance running background I am not overly concerned about my ability to maintain a level of sustained forward movement.

I ran the Disney Half-Marathon a few weeks ago and am registered for the Flying Pig Half in Cincinnati in early May. I will need to engage in an exercise routine that allows me to maintain this level of strength and endurance. I am hoping to locate a gym not far from the school for this purpose. Running through the narrow streets alone is probably not in my best interest.

And the slides? The nearby hot springs just might beckon to me.

Although my shoe selection is solidified, my clothing selection continues to need refinement. I have been monitoring the daily temperatures in Xela for the past month. Morning lows are typically in the low to mid 40's with the afternoon highs in the upper 60's to low 70's. Layered clothing will be the optimal mode of clothing as I go from sweatshirt to T-shirt between breakfast and lunch.

While I will not be in residence during the recognized rainy season I expect to experience some wet days. A poncho? rain coat?

I have been advised that there are a number of local laundries in town (but probably not in my homestay). Prices are reasonable and a weekly trip to the laundry would allow me to travel with just a week's worth of clothing.

5weeks to go

2010-01-04T04:55:00.000-08:00

It's January and my trip is just a bit more than 5 weeks away. Last night I was again reviewing my Roughs Guide, and thinking about how to schedule my time in Guatemala. I arrive in G City on Saturday, Feb. 13. My flight leaves Albany in the morning, makes a stop in Washington where I transfer to the international terminal, on to San Salvador and then a quick hop to G City. I will be met at the airport by Gilda Arroyo. She maintains a relationship with the language school as a greeter of sorts. For those of us who have never traveled to Guatemala and whose Spanish is very limited, her presence and assistance will be appreciated. I will spend the remainder of Saturday with Gilda in G City. On Sunday morning she will drop me off at the bus station. It is my understanding that the trip to Xela takes 4-5 hours, not because of a great distance but, primarily due to road conditions. Once in Xela I should be met by a representative from the school who will take me to my homestay site. I would like to know something about my family before I leave but it is unclear if that will be the case. I have decided to remain in Xela for the first two weeks. Will I remain there for a third week or go elsewhere? Antigua looks interesting as does Lac Attitlan. The decision dies not have to be made now.

Why Xela?

2009-12-28T06:06:00.000-08:00

The local Mayans refer to Quetzaltenango as Xela, the name I will use henceforth. Xela is the second largest city in Guatemala and is home to a state university, 5 or 6 private universities and many language schools. It is situated in the highlands of Guatemala, approximately 145 miles outside of the capital city. According to one source on the web, the current population of Xela is approx 100,000, although other sources estimate the population to be 150,000+.

Xela is surrounded by a ring of volcanoes, at least one of which I hope to hike while I'm there. I've been advised to bring a head lamp (for early hiking starts), a flashlight (for those days when the power goes out), antibacterial soap, and many layers of clothing. As I write this entry, it is 32 degrees here in upstate NY and 36 degrees in Xela (if you believe weather.com).

Where I am going...

2009-12-24T12:59:00.000-08:00

Once I decided that I wanted to spend a few weeks immersed in Spanish, I took on the task of investigating sites. I was surprised to learn that there are so many Spanish immersion schools in Central America. A few in Costa Rica caught my attention early. They were of the "Teach and Beach" variety, i.e., half a day of instruction followed by half a day of sun and fun. As enticing as that might sound to an upstate New Yorker in winter, I questioned how much Spanish I would learn if I spent half of each day reading and sunning. A review of the fee structure helped me overcome any hesitation I might have had. Too much....

I tried looking at Belize... no... as the former British Honduras, the first language is English... Nicaragua??? A bit too dangerous for my tastes as a solo traveler...Friends who had gone to Central America to learn Spanish a few years ago suggested Quetzeltenango in the Guatemalan highlands. There are over a dozen language immersion schools there. Language instruction is one-on-one and students have the option of three, four, or five hours of individualized instruction daily, M-F. There are a number of hotels and B&B in town or students could request housing with a Mayan family. I opted for 5 hours of daily instruction and housing with a Mayan family. The total cost was less than half of the Costa Rican fee. I chose to enroll with ICA Spanish school. This school encourages students to become involved in a social project of some kind. When I learned that there are both a women's prison and a domestic violence (Nueves Horizones) shelter in the area, I inquired about volunteering at one or both sites. If I can get my Spanish up to an intermediate level, I should get the OK to lend some assistance. In anticipation of a visit to one/both locations, I have been collecting travel size toiletries to present to the women.

My Sabbatical Begins Soon

2009-12-23T16:31:00.000-08:00

In brief, I am a 56-year-old college professor who will be on sabbatical during the Spring 2010 term. At The Sage Colleges in NY, my home institution, I am the Program Director for the Graduate Program in Forensic Mental Health. For many years, I have encouraged my undergraduate Criminal Justice students to study Spanish. A disproportionate number of persons of color pass enter the criminal justice system each day. Professionals in the field should be able to communicate with those in their care and custody. Ironically, I had studied French for 16 years and speak little Spanish. With a sabbatical ahead, I decided it was time to "walk the walk." In mid-February I'll be traveling to the highlands of Guatemala to immerse myself in the language and culture for 3 weeks.