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Traveling is one of those enlightening experiences where you get to engage with other cultures and meet interesting people with fascinating stories. Usually the people you meet on the road are of a like mind to you - why else would they be studying Spanish in a leftist school in Guatemala.? But every now and then you meet someone who is definitely reading from another page to the one that you are on. Of course you get the questions from Americans that are totally unbelievable, such as “Did y’all drive from Guatemala to Cuba?” - I mean SURELY an American would know that Cuba was an island?! Or the typical - “Do y’all use the American dollar in Australia?” I’ve stopped saying no, I let them believe that everyone in the world (bar Guatemala) uses the American dollar as their currency. I also tell them that we vote in American election and that next Presidential election I’m hoping Australia will be a swing state. That really throws them.
You Can Go Urine Way in Nuevo San Jose
Patrick Gatland2006-08-21 14:48:03
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Traveling is one of those enlightening experiences where you get to engage with other cultures and meet interesting people with fascinating stories. Usually the people you meet on the road are of a like mind to you - why else would they be studying Spanish in a leftist school in Guatemala.? But every now and then you meet someone who is definitely reading from another page to the one that you are on. Of course you get the questions from Americans that are totally unbelievable, such as “Did y’all drive from Guatemala to Cuba?” - I mean SURELY an American would know that Cuba was an island?! Or the typical - “Do y’all use the American dollar in Australia?” I’ve stopped saying no, I let them believe that everyone in the world (bar Guatemala) uses the American dollar as their currency. I also tell them that we vote in American election and that next Presidential election I’m hoping Australia will be a swing state. That really throws them.
But ignorance aside, occasionally you do meet someone who is so different from you it really rocks your foundations (and is generally a bit o a challenge to deal with). But before I get to this “amazing” person I’ll first mention a little bit about where I encountered her.
About 80 kilometres outside of Xela is the PLQ’s (my Spanish school) main project. On an organic coffee finca (farm).Next to the two communities of Fatima and Nuevo San Jose is a school of around 13 students (and 7 teachers) (La Escuela de la Montaña) whose fees go towards improving the living and educational standards o those who live in the nearby communities. Each student lives at the school (yes, just like Hogwarts!) and eats their meals with one of the families of either community. [As a side note, for all of you expecting stories of how I slogged my heart out on the coffee farm you will be sorely disappointed. The most work I did was walk from class to meals and back again! Alas, no slave labour for me!]
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See photographs from:
Guatemala Gallery
