Tales of Guate Part I: Pounding the Streets
Friends,
Hope this finds you all well. As promised, this is my first proper letter on my happenings here in Guatemala City, also known as Guate. Also, at the bottom, are the contact details of my new apartment, as many of you have been asking how to get in touch.
Guatemala City. It's hard to describe. It seems it should be something it's not. More third world but less dirty. More congested but less friendly. More dangerous but less inaccessible. Regardless of my expectations, which were fuzzy predictions to say the very least, I am here, in the midst of it and, so far, surviving.
This past week was very rough, but things are finally startling to settle down here and I am settling in. I have been sick with some nasty intestinal virus, but am finally holding down food again and gaining back some energy. I also moved this week, and started working at the University. My first apartment, as many of you know, was temporary embassy housing, which, despite the upscale sound of its semi-official labeling, was a dump. A two-story gated compound in which my drab, faux marble formica-floored, overly beige three-bedroom 1970s apartment had a window out only onto the hallway of the building, allowing everyone to see me when I frequently fell asleep on my couch because the light was too dim inside the house to simulate any kind of waking conditions. After two weeks of pounding a decidedly non-English speaking pavement, I finally found this cute little one-bedroom on the eighth floor of a pretty nice building with a doorman and everything. I got it for a decent price, too. Of course, I realized why after my first night here: Every morning at 4:30am, the heavily fuming buses come obscenely roaring down the street, cars honking like nobody's business, and car alarms going off in an almost rhythmic call and response symphony. Noisy as hell. BUT, its still a great place, AND I have an extra bed, here, too for visitors. Hint, hint.
Speaking of which, I just received my class schedule, and my two weeks off are:
April 8-16
May 13-21
Some of you have threatened to visit, and those would be good times for doing some extensive traveling away from the city. I am game for anything. Any other time is good, too, but I am committed to work in the city from M-F.
I have not actually started teaching yet, but I have been in an insane amount of important meetings. I am starting to regret the fact that I dont own a suit. The one black blazer I have (thanks, Mom) gets worn so much, I am sure I am going to wear holes in the elbows. I did assesments for my students at the rich university this week and they seem cool. Next week I go to the working class university where we are hoping to recruit some students to fill the spaces left in my classes at the other university. I'll teach five days a week at this very pretty campus, where I'll even have my own office. Coming up in the world. I'm very excited to start teaching. Im developing curriculum now for the program, which includes students ranging from very basic English speakers to very advanced English speakers, so it's challenging. I'll also be teaching seminars a few times a month at the local daily papers here.
My students want to know if I work for CNN. That's all they really know about, regarding US media. Personally, Im jonesing for a copy of the New York Times, but its hard to come by. (I hear it costs about 20 bucks at the local Marriott.)
Socially, things are way better than expected. I have met a ton of people, both Americans and Guatemalans, ranging from the Marines to folk at the Embassy (I work there, too) to local teachers of both nationalities. Guatemalans are so ridiculously cool. Warm and friendly and bright and helpful.
Robberies here are extremely high, though, so you have to have ten eyes when walking the streets, even by day. Keeps your pulse pretty high. But on the campuses, and inside stores and buildings, it' fine, so you dont need to be on alert 24-7. There's also a little bar scene a few blocks away from my house and some nice shops. I hit a Target-like jammie today and went bolistic; nothing like a little Western retail therapy.
It's hard to describe Guate. It seems in some ways very modern but then there are many poor people here and an insane amount of lawlessness. Everyone is packing. And I don't mean suitcases. There is an overabundance of weaponry here in Guatemala and apparently it's a result of our own fair country having been, once again, overly generous with sales of artillery. Apparently, people get shot on the street here for laptops. I keep mine inside the house.
Yesterday, a Guatemalan friend was in a car accident in which she was totally hit from behind and the guy refused to pay for the damages and that was it. There is no recourse people can take. There are no laws for these things, There are police EVERYWHERE, but I am not sure what they do. I have grown a new appreciation for cops back in the States. At least if someone robs you there (in most cases) a cop will protect you; here, they watch like its an event at a circus. I think they must be
getting paid off by the gangs, of which there are many. It's kind of like a mix of LA, Oakland, and Harlem back in the day. Still, people keep on with their lives, go to school and work, drive cars and take buses, and just basically stay on high alert. I mean, it sounds intense, but it's not that bad. And the bad rep that the city has keeps tourists away, which is kind of nice in some ways. The pollution, though, is killer.
There is one yoga studio in the city! I have not yet been there, but hopefully next week. I hear the classes are in English, which is cool. My Spanish is progressing slowly; basically I can get across what I need to, but I still understand only about 30% of what is being said to me. You can see how this may lead to some awkward situations. Hmmm. But I am reading my Spanish Archie comic books, and they help a lot.
So, the one thing I miss, apart from being able to eat raw vegetables, is all of you. Please let me know how you are doing. My internet access is limited at the moment, but I am working to improve that. Anyway, if you write me, I promise to write back as soon as I have time and access.
Sending big love and warm fuzzies, and abrazos fuertes,
con mucho carino,
Karen
Hope this finds you all well. As promised, this is my first proper letter on my happenings here in Guatemala City, also known as Guate. Also, at the bottom, are the contact details of my new apartment, as many of you have been asking how to get in touch.
Guatemala City. It's hard to describe. It seems it should be something it's not. More third world but less dirty. More congested but less friendly. More dangerous but less inaccessible. Regardless of my expectations, which were fuzzy predictions to say the very least, I am here, in the midst of it and, so far, surviving.
This past week was very rough, but things are finally startling to settle down here and I am settling in. I have been sick with some nasty intestinal virus, but am finally holding down food again and gaining back some energy. I also moved this week, and started working at the University. My first apartment, as many of you know, was temporary embassy housing, which, despite the upscale sound of its semi-official labeling, was a dump. A two-story gated compound in which my drab, faux marble formica-floored, overly beige three-bedroom 1970s apartment had a window out only onto the hallway of the building, allowing everyone to see me when I frequently fell asleep on my couch because the light was too dim inside the house to simulate any kind of waking conditions. After two weeks of pounding a decidedly non-English speaking pavement, I finally found this cute little one-bedroom on the eighth floor of a pretty nice building with a doorman and everything. I got it for a decent price, too. Of course, I realized why after my first night here: Every morning at 4:30am, the heavily fuming buses come obscenely roaring down the street, cars honking like nobody's business, and car alarms going off in an almost rhythmic call and response symphony. Noisy as hell. BUT, its still a great place, AND I have an extra bed, here, too for visitors. Hint, hint.
Speaking of which, I just received my class schedule, and my two weeks off are:
April 8-16
May 13-21
Some of you have threatened to visit, and those would be good times for doing some extensive traveling away from the city. I am game for anything. Any other time is good, too, but I am committed to work in the city from M-F.
I have not actually started teaching yet, but I have been in an insane amount of important meetings. I am starting to regret the fact that I dont own a suit. The one black blazer I have (thanks, Mom) gets worn so much, I am sure I am going to wear holes in the elbows. I did assesments for my students at the rich university this week and they seem cool. Next week I go to the working class university where we are hoping to recruit some students to fill the spaces left in my classes at the other university. I'll teach five days a week at this very pretty campus, where I'll even have my own office. Coming up in the world. I'm very excited to start teaching. Im developing curriculum now for the program, which includes students ranging from very basic English speakers to very advanced English speakers, so it's challenging. I'll also be teaching seminars a few times a month at the local daily papers here.
My students want to know if I work for CNN. That's all they really know about, regarding US media. Personally, Im jonesing for a copy of the New York Times, but its hard to come by. (I hear it costs about 20 bucks at the local Marriott.)
Socially, things are way better than expected. I have met a ton of people, both Americans and Guatemalans, ranging from the Marines to folk at the Embassy (I work there, too) to local teachers of both nationalities. Guatemalans are so ridiculously cool. Warm and friendly and bright and helpful.
Robberies here are extremely high, though, so you have to have ten eyes when walking the streets, even by day. Keeps your pulse pretty high. But on the campuses, and inside stores and buildings, it' fine, so you dont need to be on alert 24-7. There's also a little bar scene a few blocks away from my house and some nice shops. I hit a Target-like jammie today and went bolistic; nothing like a little Western retail therapy.
It's hard to describe Guate. It seems in some ways very modern but then there are many poor people here and an insane amount of lawlessness. Everyone is packing. And I don't mean suitcases. There is an overabundance of weaponry here in Guatemala and apparently it's a result of our own fair country having been, once again, overly generous with sales of artillery. Apparently, people get shot on the street here for laptops. I keep mine inside the house.
Yesterday, a Guatemalan friend was in a car accident in which she was totally hit from behind and the guy refused to pay for the damages and that was it. There is no recourse people can take. There are no laws for these things, There are police EVERYWHERE, but I am not sure what they do. I have grown a new appreciation for cops back in the States. At least if someone robs you there (in most cases) a cop will protect you; here, they watch like its an event at a circus. I think they must be
getting paid off by the gangs, of which there are many. It's kind of like a mix of LA, Oakland, and Harlem back in the day. Still, people keep on with their lives, go to school and work, drive cars and take buses, and just basically stay on high alert. I mean, it sounds intense, but it's not that bad. And the bad rep that the city has keeps tourists away, which is kind of nice in some ways. The pollution, though, is killer.
There is one yoga studio in the city! I have not yet been there, but hopefully next week. I hear the classes are in English, which is cool. My Spanish is progressing slowly; basically I can get across what I need to, but I still understand only about 30% of what is being said to me. You can see how this may lead to some awkward situations. Hmmm. But I am reading my Spanish Archie comic books, and they help a lot.
So, the one thing I miss, apart from being able to eat raw vegetables, is all of you. Please let me know how you are doing. My internet access is limited at the moment, but I am working to improve that. Anyway, if you write me, I promise to write back as soon as I have time and access.
Sending big love and warm fuzzies, and abrazos fuertes,
con mucho carino,
Karen
posted by Karen Macklin at 7:07 PM
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