Empieza de Trabajo

It was my first day back on the job after the new year and things were changing at Bezaleel.  It was also the first day on the job for Julio Tzul, the new farm manager, as well as the new guardians and maintenance workers.  Julio and I walked around the farm viewing the landscape and planning.  I am amazed at the knowledge Julio possesses of both animals and plants.  He knows specific herbs to collect for the animals and companion cropping techniques to ward-off insect pests.  I believe Julio is a good leader for the agricultural department.

Julio Tzul

Mid-afternoon, I was called to the school office.  With all the changes taking place, I wondered what this request signified.  I was in for a surprise.  After wishing the office staff a happy new year and assuring them that I had eaten and enjoyed the Christmas tamales, Abolino Choc, the school director, filled me in on his reason for calling me to the office.  Bezaleel needed to hire a new English teacher and they had received many applications for the job.  One applicant had qualifications that exceeded that off all the others, however, Abolino told me, while the resume looked promising, he wanted to be sure this teacher, "conoce ingles muy bien."  (knows English very well).  Therefore, Abolino wanted me to interview the prospective teacher at 8 am the following morning.  Wow, this was not in my job description!  The interview went well and I learned this week that "Domingo" was hired as the new English teacher at Bezaleel.

Since I am one, I admire farmers... of all colors, shapes and sizes.  However, farmers who use my crops, without permission or compensation, as the foodstuff for raising their crops, are not high on my list of respected individuals.  I met up with just that kind of farmer last week.  I knew even before arriving in Guatemala that the Zan Popo (leaf cutting ants) would be one of the biggest challenges to raising vegetable crops in this area.  As we began planting vegetables, I wondered when they would make their first strike.  The peas were the first victims of these fungal farmers.  One afternoon, I noticed some peas were shorter than they should be and sure enough, some guilty ants were on the scene.  They ignored me and continued hauling-off my peas-what disrespectful neighbors.  Since they would not stop or tell me where their headquarters was, I set off following the trail.  It was difficult keeping the trail through all the undergrowth, but I managed to find the hideout some 200 meters away.  Having been told that urine kills the fungus these ants raise, forcing them to relocate, I generously drenched the cavity in bull urine.  I recommend the ants move far away from Bezaleel!

Sad peas

The ants' hideout

A new school year has begun at Bezaleel.  The students arrived on January 14 and classes began the next day.  Julio and I had our first work sessions with students that afternoon.  This week has seemed like the longest week of my time here in Guatemala!  It is a new challenge to manage 25 or more students at a time.  Cuarto, Quinto y Sexto Diversificado (10, 11 and 12 grades) work for two hours each morning Monday through Friday.  Primero, Segundo y Tercero Basico (7, 8 and 9 grades) work weekday afternoons for two hours.  Though it has only been 4 days, I already know my problem students and good students!  Primero Basico, while comprised mostly of 11 and 12 year olds, work and work hard.  They are cooperative, punctual and polite.  Segundo and Tercero Basico on the other hand, openly rebel.  They come to work late, stand around when I am not looking, back-talk, and openly show that they would rather not work and laugh at me working!  What a challenge.  The students in Diversificado are a mixed group.  Some have matured enough to fulfill their requirements, while others are more rebellious.  The next 9 months will be interesting. 

Diversificado students doing morning chores on the farm

 

I am also enjoying the different varieties of bananas my host family grows.  Last week, we had a whole bunch of little "manzanias" (apple bananas).  They have a delightfully different flavor than the "typical banana" and are one of my favorites!

Feliz Navidad y Año Nuevo!

"...en la Navidad hay servicio en la iglesia y después quemamos muchos cuetes!"

(On Christmas there is a service in the church and afterward we set-off many firecrackers!)

I have been hearing that line from Axel and Alfredo Jr. ever since I moved in with them in October and they learned that I would be celebrating Christmas with them.  Fireworks have been sounding regularly here since my arrival, but it seemed that Christmas Eve would be the grand finale.

Chrismas in Guatemala is celebrated on the 24th of December with a service at the church from about 8pm until 12am and special tamales served only at this time of year.  My favorite part of the service was the two skits performed by the youth.  The first one was a narrative of the Christmas story from the gospel of Luke.  The second skit was written by the youth leaders and explained the importance of attending church services.  These skits were performed in Kekchi and unfortunately, I missed most of the lines because my translator, Axel, was laughing too hard to do any translating for me!  Instead I focused on the acting and costumes used. The group certainly liked grease paint and wigs: most of the actors had paint liberally applied to their faces and sported light brown wigs.  I love local creativity; I believe that using one's own ingenuity is one of the best ways people can display their love toward God.

The play:  Two girls in the audience and some sheep

The angel visiting the shepherds

As for the fireworks, the neighbors did not waste any time.  During the pastor's sermon, a half-dozen "bombas" sounded, producing a blast equivalent to the oxy-acetylene bombs used by celebrants in Lancaster County.  The noise did not seem to phase the pastor at all because he continued with his sermon without loosing his concentration.  I guess he is used to it by now.  Since I am not much of a night owl, at 12am I departed from the closing service, returned to my room, put in my earplugs and slept soundly!

The next celebration occurred on December 31.  My host family asked me specifically not to go anywhere that day because they wished for me to be present for a special evening meal.  A turkey was bought for the occasion because all the children living away from home came home.  The family rooster, along with a couple stewing hens, was also thrown into the pot with the turkey.  I was secretly happily to see the rooster in the broth.  He has seemed to enjoy vocal exercises outside my room as early as 2am.  There are still neighbors' roosters filling in his role, but their volume is down considerably and rarely bothers me.

See ya' later gallo!

After supper, we again went to the church for a late night service.  It seems that New Year's Eve is a popular time to attend church.  The service was packed with neighbors I have never seen in church before.  Everyone was sporting his or her best attire.  All the children in my host family had either purchased or made new outfits.  I again retired for the night wearing earplugs, which was a good thing because the next morning Axel and Alfredo Jr. eagerly told me of all the "cuetes" they had set-off that night.  They did not go to bed until 3am!

New Year's day downed sunny and abnormally quiet.  I did not hear a single firecracker... until after 12pm!  In the afternoon, Mario wanted to make new kites, which was fine by me.  I am now on my 3rd kite.  I am learning that few kites make multiple flights into the skies of San Juan Chamelco.  Tree limbs and telephone wires are full of kites that made their last flight.  We have been flying our kites at the stadium, where there is sufficient space to fly, but either the string breaks or the frame gives-out causing the kite to crumble like a dead bird and drop out of the sky.  Oh well, it is fun while it lasts and we get to continue building kites!

Building kites (left to right) Mario, Alfredo Jr., Stefan and Axel.

My apologies for the lack of photos in this update.  Either my pictures did not turn out well or I did not have my camera at the opportune moment!  I will try to do better next time.