Highlights, Lowlights & Other Lights

Highlights:

1. Standing behind six Indigenous women in line at the bank. They were all about chest-high, decked out in traditional dress, a couple without shoes. They didn't understand how to navigate the line--you know the ones that cris-cross back and forth and are marked off by fuzzy rope things? When they finally made it to the front, they all crowded around one teller window. Anyway, it took some time to sort out but I didn't mind t'all.

2. Right now, sitting in an internet cafe in a small town with lots of hills and some AMAZING women's weaving groups. Every other computer is occupied by at least two (some have four) little boys crowding around playing video games. Naturally, they are shoving and shouting to get the controller. There are 7 little boys (I counted) at the computer next to me playing pacman. I've been elbowed a few times. I feel at home.

3. My hotel room for $3.50 a night.

4. Riding in the boat across Lake Atitlan. Dad -- I sent you some good vibes, as promised, so you should be getting that wish soon (Will wish magical volcanic wishes for money).

5. An impromptu conversation with the president of a group turned into a full out neighborhood meeting when one woman shuffled out of the room to collect some of the other women in the association. Before I knew it there were more than a dozen of us sitting in a tiny cement room. Jesus and votive candles on a table to one side, some babies rolling around on the floor, me sitting in a tiny stool made for a tiny tiny child, and a weaving demonstration afoot. Do I even need to explain how amazing this was??

Lowlights:

1. I started off my day surrounded by white women working for US-based non-profits. Some do good work, some don't. Some are here for the right reasons, some aren't. But my patience for this particular crowd is slim... In typical pessimistic fashion, I saw my whole trip getting sucked into some gringo foundation's public relations nightmare. But I broke out (one of my personal strengths, I'd say), and took a boat across the river to meet with some actual Guatemalan women. This promptly turned into a highlight (see number 3-5 above).

2. Travelling alone is wierd. I enjoy the time alone to reflect and I've been meeting quite a few people who actually live here. But I feel bad when other travellers give me the "do you want to be friends?" look as we pass in the hotel or wherever. I smile back of course. But my smile says, "I'm sorry, what? I don't speak whatever language you do." I know there are some nice people to meet, but if I wouldn't be friends with the greasy dredded german guys with black socks and burkenstocks under any other circumstances -- why bother trying now because we're in Guatemala? Am I wrong...?

Other Lights:

If you've read this far, I guess you've probably gathered that I am not dead. But for those of you worried about the landslide, I should repeat again that I am not dead. Very much alive if you consider blogging really living, that is.