Guatemala - Part One

I am just now writing about my time in Guatemala because it’s hard to put into words everything I saw and experienced. A few fun or strange things about Guatemala -

They don’t use washcloths in Guatemala. They do sell them at their Walmart but they don’t typically use them and they are not offered in hotels.

All stores and restaurants come with armed security guards. Men holding rifles who look pretty intimidating. I don’t think near as many people would be stealing in America if those guards were everywhere here. On the first day we went to Walmart I paid for my things with Trista and as we were walking out our group leader, Bill asked us to find the rest of the group in the store and tell them it was time to go. I took off looking for them, not realizing I still had my cold “Pepsi Light” in my hand that I just paid for. A few minutes later when we found everyone and I tried to leave they would not let me out of the store with that soda in my hand. We tried to explain that I had already paid for it and Trista took the rest of the stuff with the receipt to the van but it didn’t work. I would either have to pay for it again or leave it. I left it. There is also an entrance and exit gate/ticket booth with a guard at Walmart.

They sell these awesome Oreo Wafer cookies at their Walmart that are not sold in America which makes me sad. We thought they were just a new product. No, they are not anywhere in America. Also all the cookies come in snack packs. You open a pack of oreos or any cookies and they are in individual 6 packs. Guess it keeps them fresher longer.

We were told not to drink the water because it has bacteria and stuff in it that will make Americans have the worst stomach virus ever. I drank lots of “Pepsi and Coca Cola Light” (Their Diet Coke) and we could not eat any fruits or vegetables that had not been cooked or you didn’t peel the skin off. I also learned to brush my teeth with bottled water. I made it to Friday before I had to throw away my toothbrush because I accidently stuck it under the faucet and rinsed it.

They don’t have Dr. Pepper or a lot of other choices. Basically you get Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite or Orange soda.

In Guatemala City they have McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Burger King and El Campero which is similar to our KFC.

The Mexican food we ate there was blah. Old Mexico here is better.

We did try one new food which was actually an El Salvador specialty, pupusa which was really good. No one offered me any roasted guinea pig as I was told they would do.

I didn’t try the Guatemalan chocolate. Theresa did and she said it was kind of bitter, not as sweet as ours.

We got to try our hand at bartering for goods on Friday when we went shopping in Antigua. At first I was shy about it but then it got easier as the day went on. We think we got pretty good deals but who knows, they were probably still laughing at us “gringos” when we left.

I took 3 years of Spanish in high school and one quarter in college, but still cannot actually speak Spanish. I was surprised at the number of words that came back to me though and now I want to “relearn” Spanish enough to actually speak it. I have a much greater respect for translators now as it made my brain tired continually trying to read the road signs and advertisements we rode by everyday and remember what the words mean.

The weather is great there – about 70 all the time we were there.

Even in the poorest of places there were still cell phones – same as in America.

Guatemalan women nurse their babies anytime, anywhere and it is a long time before they wean them. I saw a woman who was sitting and nursing a small child put him down on the floor and he stood up and reached right up and pulled her wrap back and went right back to nursing. The women also did not understand how Trista and I could leave our babies in America, because if we were in Guatemala how were they nursing? They did know what a bottle was and laughed when we told them. These are the women who live up in the mountains, not in Guatemala City. In Guatemala City is Walmart and the baby section looks a lot like ours.

Guatemala driving is pretty wild. No need for turn signals. Don’t know why they even put them in the cars when they build them. Just honk and angle your car in the lane you want and move on over. You have to be super intent watching for other cars because they are constantly coming over on you. Motorcycles are also allowed to weave in and out of traffic, wherever they feel there is room to get through. Scary for the rest of us. Very few stop signs or traffic lights as well.

There are many more stories and things I keep remembering at random times. Overall I feel very blessed to have been able to experience life in Guatemala. Spiritually I have much to share as well, it’s just hard to put in to words. I’m working on it so stay tuned…