First Post from Guate

Titles are so stinking hard to come up with. There's just so much pressure.
So it's my birthday. Well...the news...or maybe first an explanation of exactly what I'm doing this time around since I didn't really explain it last year, so a lot of confusion insued. Basically, I'm continuing my basket research to hopefully write something publishable or presentable. I'm going to apply for folklore programs when I get back, so I'm focusing on the significance of the basket (I'm more interesting in material culture-dance, music, art-than the english type of folklore). This year is slighly different because I am the facilitator for the group of students that came on the Guatemala field study program. There are four, in random order--Chad, Jessica, Craig and Aaron. They each have their own research project that they are working on. Now to my doings...
I got here fine last Thursday the 1st after taking an all-night flight of sorts. I left at 7:40 from Utah, then left again from LAX at about 11. I left again from LAX at about 2. We had been up about an hour when they told us there was a problem with the engine and we were running on auxilary power or something, so we were going back. 'That's kind of scary,' I thought, then promptly went back to sleep. I didn't even get to see anyone famous, so it was definitely not worth the trouble.
A really nice family who worked with the field study when they were in Nahuala (we had to move locations last year) picked me up from the airport, fed me pizza and dropped me off at Km 148 to take the bus in to Santa Clara. I arrived in the pouring rain taking a bus that charged me double "because of my suitcases" and a tuk tuk that charged me cuadruple because they were a couple of punks. I didn't care to argue too much because I was getting wet. In transport, I only lost my bag of mini snickers in the tuk tuk. I would have been ok with it except those little twerps charged me too much. They didn't deserve it. :)
The next few days were spent with my host family (Tat Lu's family who taught me how to make baskets and to embroider last year) and visiting old friends. I was going to find all new host families this year, but Tat Lu' had already talked to the families from last year when I got there. Oh, well, best just to go with the flow.
On Monday, I went up to the Capital to spend the night where the other students were staying. We had a cinco de mayo party complete with carne asada and cohetes. No piñata though, they were expensive and had no candy in them. I actually don't know whay a piñata costs, so it's possible they were cheap. Whatever. I
The last week I've basically been getting distracted by the other students, running around town seeing people and eating food. The pan dulce is going to be the death of me. Luckily, Yohana (my host sister from last year) said she'd go running with me a few times a week. It's not socially unnacceptable to run! Hooray! Also, we tried to go talk to both the mayors and neither of them were there. Does that make me a bad facilitator? Possibly.
Yesterday and Saturday I went up to the top of Las Cristalinas, a mountain peak that overlooks Lake Atitlan. It's not very clear this time of year, but it's still cool to go up and see what I can see. You know, like the bear. The second time was fun because we went up with Craig's host parents, Cecelia and Miguel who were all up for exploring the mountain and trying different paths. We took pictures of all the gringos just to see how they'd like it as well as destroying the lovely foliage Guatemala style in order to take flowers back with us. We did actually learn something about the plants and I found a ton of mint up on the mountain. It was fun. There's a lot of hiking to be done while I'm here.
Anyway, not too many flea bites so far. I'm only sleeping on a box spring, so that's interesting. But, I'm taking bucket baths every other day which is marvelous! So far adjusting to the food hasn't been all that painful either. I'm going to be working again with Lucia's group of women that make crafts (including the pine needle baskets) among other things. I'm also hoping to learn baskets well enough to work with someone a few times a week making different styles. We'll see how that goes. Anyway, happy Amy's birthday to everyone.