In Guatemala
Antigua, Guatemala
May 18, 2012 – Coban, Guatemala: I crossed the Mexican border from Texas almost three months ago and came to Guatemala after spending two weeks in Mexico. Now, I am in Coban, Guatemala and will be heading to Belize for some beach time and to check out the Garifuna culture in a couple of days. After Belize, I hope to go back to Mexico en route to Cuba.
I will soon be posting more detailed information about my experiences both in Guatemala and Mexico, but just to update briefly, after taking Spanish classes and living with two different local families in Xela, Guatemala, I have been traveling around the country and checking out some Mayan communities. My last stop in Guatemala will be Tikal, the Mayan ruins, near the Belizean border.
3 Comments
How did you connect with the local families?
Why did you change family?
How was the daily routine of the local family?
Hi Taye, I arranged both families through the Spanish school. There are Spanish schools all over Guatemala and, I believe, one should be able to find a family without taking classes too.
I changed my family after the first two weeks, because I was looking for a change and a different experience – my second family was a Mayan one. Overall, I had a great experience with both families.
Both of my families were very urban and their daily routines were similar. The mothers did not work. They woke up early and prepared the breakfast for everyone. The kids were at school until 2:00 and then, there would be the dinner rush after 6:00 pm.
I will be back to Guatemala in 1 1/2 months and hope to stay with a traditional Mayan family this time in the rural highlands.