Cabañas, Guatemala
February 23, 2008: Arrived Safely
All is well. Arrived on time, flight was a non-event. Even had an exit row seat! Emerged from immigration to hear "John" from one of my fellow team members. Got in a taxi, to the hotel, then spent several hours walking around the city with several of the group.
Just finished dinner--ordered "plato tipico" so had beef that had been in the field a long, long time, frijoles, platains, sausage, and rice. Quite good, actually, especially with a little red wine.
Tomorrow off to Zacapa after breakfast. A little free time in the afternoon, then meet the homeowners and some of the local folk from Habitat. Then Monday, bright and early, to work.
February 24: Buenes Noches
Today began rather early, with airplanes flying low over the hotel. Turns out we are actually quite close to the airport, or at least, the runway used for early morning takeoffs. Ah well, I wasn´t using those hours for sleeping anyway.
After a breakfast tipico (eggs, frijoles, fried plantains, white cheese triangle, and plain bread--I´m already tired of this, having had pretty much the same thing for two weeks when we were in Guatemala in January), we had a brief orientation.
Habitat Guatemala is the poster child for international Habitat. So far, 25,000 homes have been built--about 10% of all the homes Habitat has built worldwide. They have a goal of 5,000 more this year, and reaching 50,000 by 2012. Impressive. They are active in all parts of the country and seem to have regular brigades of volunteers from everywhere. Takes them about 14 days to build a house, which is also impressive.
The houses here are a little larger than I´m accustomed to--about 450 square feet, or the size of an oversized 2-car garage. Concrete block, of course, 4 rooms, plus a baño attached in the back.
After orientation, boarded two vans to take us to Rio Hondo, a small community about 2 hours from Guatemala City that exists because it´s the intersection of two main highways--one to the Caribbean, the other to Honduras. Several nice hotels here--it functions as a weekend spot for upper class Guatemalans to get away. Our hotel is by far the nicest I´ve had in my various GV trips. Would rate right up there with nice resorts in the Caribbean. Complete with a lovely swimming pool, nicely planted grounds, drinks with little umbrellas, duplex cabiñas that are airconditioned. The only amenity lacking is hot water. Not even a faucet for it. Apparently, there´s a sense that it really isn´t needed. (And given the climate, they are probably right.)
Got here around noon, lounged around the pool for an hour, then a wonderful meal (the menu of the day--excellent), then another hour lounging around the pool. Then off to the welcoming ceremony.
We´re working in Cabañas, a small village about 30 minutes from our hotel. It´s a delightful little village, probably exists because it´s in an agricultural area. Central plaza, little tiendas all around, and of course, on Sunday, people just lounging around. Gathered at a little cafe just off the central plaza for the obligatory welcomes from local Habitat staff. And a small herd of cattle being walked by at day´s end.
Also introduced to the families of the 2 homes we are building. Actually, completing this week, since they´ve already been started. One family is a couple and their nephew. They have been living with her mother for 3 years, on a sheltered porch outside of the mother´s home. The other family is a couple with 3 children who used to live in a typical home of mud and daub walls, but when that began to deteriorate, tore it down, now building their new home.
Lots of time to simply chat with the families, go to see the state of the two homes (they´re in the same village, but not real close--we´ve been divided into two teams for the work), then back to the hotel for margarita time and yet another meal.
Our lunches will be in Cabañas, prepared by a man and his wife at the cafe. The man was a chef in New Jersey for 5 years--at a Mexican restaurant and then, at a TGIFriday´s. If the snack was any indication, we´re in for a treat.
Thus far, definitely the most high end accomodations and food I´ve had with Habitat. And if we really accomplish what they´ve set for our goals, we´ll have a good time.
All for now. Must go eat (yet another) meal.
February 25: Es diferente
Woke up this morning to the sound of birds chirping. (Our hotel has several birdcages with tropical birds around the pool, in front of our cabina.) Then a nice breakfast buffet--broader than the tipico (i.e. in addition to eggs, frijoles, etc. it had panquecas, yogurt) and true cafe con leche, con hot leche. I'm a happier person. (And la comida es muy delicioso.)
Then onto the bus around 7:30, driving to the worksite. Past the river and the one-lane bridge (perfect for installing a bungee jump), then past fields with workers (their bikes parked alongside the fence--bikes being the basic mode of transportation for the field workers). Different kinds of melon, tobacco, occasional grasses of various types, a few small herds of cattle, some mango and papaya orchards. And in the background on all sides, low mountains. Talk about million dollar settings.
Through a couple of smaller villages (La Reforma, plus another whose name escapes me), then Cabanes. (I no longer have a Spanish keyboard, so the tilde is missing.) Stopped at the first site, which is for the team I'm on, and got to work promptly.
One house is located on an open plot of land with fantastic views of the mountains. The kind of site that gringoes pay top dollar for. The other house is on a nicely sloped lot with a cocanut tree, a mango tree, and several other trees shading it, with a view of the mountains in the distance. Plenty of shade to keep away the hot sun. My team lucked out and got the second site.
Main task for the day for my half of the team: putting together 14 rebar columns, which involved cutting, bending, and then tying in place numerous 8" pieces of rod. I spent the day cutting mostly, occasionally taking a break to do bending. (The bending was a throwback to my first trip to El Salvador 10 years ago when I spent the week bending, under the shade of a lovely tree.) Cutting involves finding a nice rock, sitting down next to it on a concrete block, moving the rod steadily across the rock, taking chisel and mallet to rod measuring with the model piece (the first cut one) to keep them similar, whacking the chisel several times until the sound changes, then bending the piece to snap it off. Repeat endlessly. Mindlessly, too.
Various children around us today. Some go to school in the morning, some go to school in the afternoon, and some don't go to school at all. All are polite, curious, and eventually friendly. Discovered that I can speak Spanish at about the 4-year old level which was fine as long as no one was older. But they were. So not as much communication.
Box lunch from the hotel (the cafe is closed Mondays), sitting in a hammock, gentle breeze blowing, shade of the porch, mountains in the distance. Weather is perfect--80's, dry (cactus growing along the roadside), breezy. Some broken clouds this morning protected the newbies from the intense sun. A blessing, especially for the other team.
More cutting, bending and tying after lunch. Occasional breaks in the hammock, or for water, or for watching a local climb up the coconut tree to get several coconuts, slice them open, and pass around.
Back on the bus around 4:30 for the drive back. Traffic slowed occasionally because of small herds of cows sauntering along, also returning from their work in the fields. Back in time to sit around the pool, have a couple of beers, then dinner.
Tomorrow (and thereafter), we're going to have breakfast at 6, leave at 6:30, work from 7 until 3 to try and avoid the heat of the day. Makes sense.
One of the team members said to me today that she thought the life of the people in the community wasn't all that bad. She said they know what their future is, don't have to make too many choices, etc. All true, I'm afraid. But somehow, I couldn't come to the conclusion that was good.
And I sit poolside tonight, typing on a borrowed laptop of a team member (the computer in the lobby is not working), on Wi Fi, connected to the world and anything I might want.
Es diferente.
February 26: Aqui y aquello
I was a mule this morning. A good mule. First task assigned was helping carry block from here to there. "Here" was at the street level, "there" was down the hill, around the house. Could have used a wheel barrow, but I don´t barrow well, especially downhill, with others in the way of the loaded barrow. I mule better. So that´s what I did. Hee-haw, hee-haw.
The mason is in charge of all of the construction, since actually, that´s about all there is to the house---block walls, concrete floor, a few doors and windows, conduit for electricity (when they get enough money to upgrade), etc. Alphonso is our mason. The family hires the mason, with money from Habitat. But that way, the mason works for the family. Turns out Alphonso is building this house for his aunt, so the pressure is extra. Also turns out this the first time Alphonso has worked with a Habitat group, so he´s learning about volunteers. His discovery yesterday was that we worked fast enough (even though we were short 2 people, who arrived this noon) he needed to hire an assistant. So he did.
After muling for a while, Alphonso asked "who is willing to work on scaffolding?¨" And you know whose hand sprung up first. Hmmmm....muling or scaffolding? Not too dificil. So I spent much of the rest of the day working with Alphonso, filling cracks as he laid block. (He isn´t comfortable with volunteers laying block, which is fine with me.)
William Eduardo is my new amigo. William is 9, doesn´t go to school ("maybe next year" he says). He shadowed me yesterday, watching me cut and bend the rods. After lunch, he wanted to try cutting. Didn´t work---not strong enough. But then he tried bending, and it worked. He was very proud.
Later, his older sister watched. She then tried to cut. Not strong enough. Then she tried to bend. Again, not strong enough. Now William was very proud!
Have discovered some of the benefits of not having hot water. Don´t have to worry about which faucet is the hot. Don´t have to wait to get in until the hot water finally comes. And the mirror doesn´t steam up, which makes shaving much easier. (Of course, all this is made easier by the nice warm temperatures plus working in the sun all day, by which time any water is welcome.)
A growing collection of welts on my ankles. Small insects live at ankle level---maybe fleas, maybe something else. Anyway, with bare lower legs and ankles, I´m prime territory. May have to Deet them tomorrow.
Houses are progressing very very well. We may actually complete one or both of them, and perhaps even go on to others.
Lunch at the cafe today, with fried chicken. Ice cream afterwards, on the way back to the work site. Worked a long morning, a short afternoon, back around 3:30, plenty of time to lounge a little, drink some, clean up, and send this.
February 27: Sol y sombre
When was the last time I welcomed clouds? Or sought shade? (Probably the last time I was building in the hot equatorial sun.) So I welcomed the clouds we had some of this morning, and I sought the shade whenever I could. Walking back from lunch, I saw a lady sitting in the shade. I asked her what the word for shade was (actually, pointed to the sun, said "sol", pointed to the shade and said "que es?" She said "sombre." Which I suspect is connected to sombrero. Anyway, there it was.
More of the same work today for me. First option was helping dig the hole for the bathroom behind the house. (The bathroom is a concept only. It will contain a toilet fixture, which also is a concept. It won't connect to anything. Just a fixture.) I held back, and the mason mentioned needing someone to do cracks, and I instantly volunteered.
Yesterday, the scaffold broke. With the mason on it. He said he wasn't hurt. But today, the scaffolding was built noticeably stronger. I felt better.
I got a thumbs up from the mason today. No pride in it, just satisfaction.
Somewhat shorter work this afternoon because of a "donor event." The local cement company contributes cement. They've developed a new product, which is somehow better, and they wanted to make a donor call along with a sales call. Usual photo event, plus t-shirts. I spent the time reclining in the hammock, out of sight. Figured I 'd done enough donor events, back when I got paid for doing them.
After working, we went to a local waterfall for a brief, cold swim, followed by a spell in a hot springs pool. Nice change of place. But it did make the shower at home feel, well, cool. Especially since the weather is a bit cooler tonight.
Francisco was my teacher the second week of Spanish immersion last month. I asked him what he did when he didn't have a student, which is most weeks. He said "agricultural day work." Picks the crop, for $3 per day. For picking all day in the sun or whatever.
I thought of Francisco today as we went past the melon fields, both on our way to and from the home site. They get about 25 cents an hour for picking melons. Don't know how many they pick an hour, but it's got to be many. Decided that while I understand that from an economist's perspective, I'd be quite willing to pay a penny or two more at Harris Teeter for the melon if I knew it would go to Francisco.
February 29: “Avon llamanda”
Nearing the end of the first week. Last couple of days have been a little slow at times, due to the natural staging sequence. Build forms, put them up, fill them with concrete, take them down the next day, build them again, put them up, fill them, take them down the next day.....
Have had some time to chat with the mason, his assistant, and another local. Alphonso (23, married, 1 child) has 3 brothers living in the U.S.--2 in LA, 1 in Queens, New York. I didn´t ask whether they were documented. His assistant (32, married, 3 kids) would like to work in the U.S., too. And Cesar (77, brother of the homeowner) works incredibly hard along with us. Shoveling gravel, mixing cement, handing up buckets, etc.
Have been able to do some communicating with them in Español, and they are learning a little English as well. We´re having fun doing both. But I think they will know more English when I leave than I know Español. So it goes.
We are a bit of a curiosity in town. Cabañas doesn´t get any tourists (for obvious reasons) and we are the first group from outside to be building here. So lots of curiosity, pointing and looking, a little derision from some of the younger guys because of my shorts, but generally, very friendly. And the helado store really notices because many go there after lunch for an ice cream cone. And now, the lone internet cafe in town is noticing---they have 7 computers, with good connection, and all 7 are in use today, by us.
In addition to my usual crack-filling up on the scaffolding today (the mason´s request), I did a little digging of the discharge channel for the baño. The channel runs downhill (naturally) and exits about 20 feet below the baño...in front of a tent which is the home of another person. A very visual image of how important it is to live upstream. At least we won´t still be here when the baño is being used. And we won´t be using it, either.
Along the road to the site the last few days, I´ve seen a tree with a gathering of vultures perched in it. So far, they haven´t headed toward our site. Perhaps a few strained muscles and some stiffness aren´t enough to attract them. Yet.
Last night I noticed all the tables in our restaurant had "Avon" table tents on them. (We eat outside, on the patio.) Sure enough, about 9:00 last night, 3 buses pulled into the hotel parking lot, and a herd of women exited. Avon ladies. Guatemaltecans, but definitely not tipico in dress, makeup, etc. Probably some sort of district or regional meeting. Possibly here for the weekend.
Maybe there´s some connection between the vultures and the Avon ladies?
Off for the weekend. Leave tomorrow morning for Copan, Honduras, with a stop along the way to visit a Mayan ruins in Guatemala. Then, afternoon free in Copan, Sunday morning a guided tour through the ruins, then back to Rio Hondo in the afternoon. And back to work on Monday. (Haven´t said that for a while!)
Es la vida!
March 2: Culture shock
The weekend away began badly. Copan is about a 2 hour drive from our hotel. But our local HFH person said we really should also stop at another ruins that is "along the way." So, being in Rome, we listened to her.
Turns out that along the way translates into 3 hour sidetrip. To see a ruins that actually was very minimal. Backtracking then most of the way, then onto Copan. But first, a stop for lunch eventually at Pollo Campero, the Central American KFC. Then finally onto Copan, arriving around 3.
Some immediately went off to a bird garden. I chose instead to degroup for a while to explore the town, which is lovely. Small, very much like Antigua, and charming. Nice central square, shops, etc. around it, anchored by the church. Vendors in the side streets leading into the market, some nice artisans shops around the periphery, etc. And perhaps most surprising of all was that none of the people were the least bit aggressive about selling. Most pleasant.
And at this point also I had a bit of culture shock. Copan exists solely for one purpose. Tourists. And suddenly, I was back as a tourist. Realized that for the past week, I hadn't been. Wasn't a resident certainly, but felt more like a visitor who was living into the town, its people, etc. And now, I was just an observer. Realized how much I enjoy doing the former.
One thing good about a tourist town is the quality of the food and beverages. Had my best dinner of the visit last night, equally good breakfast this morning. Granola and yogurt never tasted so good after so many days of a choice between eggs, pancakes, and eggs and pancakes.
Off this morning to visit the Copan Ruinas, complete with a guide. Actually, at the restaurant last night, Juan showed up looking for Martha, said he would be our guide this morning, and he'd meet us at the hotel at 8. Juan was also very, very drunk. Needed to sit down to say this. Also told us his brother owned the restaurant where we were eating.
This morning, 8 came, no Juan. Eventually, we just decided to head off on our own and hire another guide. Arrived at the ruins and found....Juan. But for reasons no one knows, Tony instead became our guide.
The tour was lengthy but most interesting. Tony was very good and informative. Plenty of time to sit occasionally and simply take it all in. Couldn't help thinking that at the time of the height of the Mayans, around 700, my European ancestors were in the Dark Ages, running around beating people up. China was well developed, Persia was well developed, civilizations in the Americas were well developed. And the Europeans? Well, not so much.
Also realized at breakfast that we are a very western group. 6 from Texas, 2 from Wyoming, 2 from rural Colorado. Only 4 from the East coast. Don't know why that feels different, but it does.
Fairly homogeneous in terms of age. Except for 3 people in their 30's, the rest of us are in our 50's and 60's. Also don't know what difference, if any, that makes.
Haven't seen the movie The Bucket List yet but will. But it occurred to me that I should give some thought to having my own bucket list. Don't have any idea what will be on it, but will give it some thought.
After lunch, we'll head back eventually to Rio Hondo. No one's sure when our driver is going to return, just that he's going to return. Then, it will be back to work first think in the morning. I look forward to it.
Hope it's nice where you are. The weather here continues to be perfect. Sunny, some clouds, temperatures in the 70's or 80's, gentle breeze. Couldn't ask for anything better.
March 4: Proximo martes
Work progressing nicely. Came back to work yesterday to see what they'd accomplished on Saturday morning without us. Disturbingly lots, which does make me wonder whether we really add or merely slow them down. Anyway, we'll come close to finishing our house tomorrow. Won't do the roof or floors, but otherwise, it will be done. And the roof is pretty much a half day event and the floors two half days, spread over two days.
The other group has finished their house plus started on another. Not sure the reasons for the difference, but there it is.
I always regard it as a good sign with guys start joking with one another. Began doing this with the masons on Friday, continued yesterday with greater confidence and enjoyment. In español of course, which makes it more interesting...and risky. But so far, it's working okay.
Cesar (who is 57, not 77 which is what I originally thought) hasn't been with us this week so we've been doing the cement mixing instead. I asked Alphonso ¡donde Cesar? Alphonso explained that he had to pay Cesar out of the money he (Alphonso) got from the family for doing the masonry (about $250.) Said that instead, he could have us do the work. A budding economist he is, or at least, a good entrepreneur.
Local noticia: about an hour after we had driven across the narrow bridge coming to work yesterday, they discovered the body of a man below the bridge. His bicycle was on the other side. He'd been stabbed and he and his bicycle thrown off the bridge. A bit of discussion for a couple of hours in the village, then we all went on with our lives.
One of the ways I know it's the 2nd week is that I have to decide each morning which dirty t-shirt to wear to work. Try to determine which comes closest to passing the smell test. It's becoming mas dificil to determine.
It's turned noticeably hotter here---in the 90's yesterday, again today. Working after lunch is more of a challenge, but since we start at 7, we end towards 3, avoiding some of the worst heat.
About 2 weeks ago, I remember thinking "next Tuesday, where will I be and what will I be doing?" Having already been in Guatemala, I had some sense of what was ahead. But of course, the exact details are always new and different, as are the people. And it is good, as always.
So today, my mind begins to go to proxima martes--when I'll be home, back in my "normal" life, with family and friends and all the comforts of home. That is good, and this is good, but in different ways.
March 6: Termino
This is the part that makes me crazy. We're here. We're minimally trained. We're in a flow. And we take the afternoon off yesterday. Go to a local school (not a bad idea), then travel to another Habitat site to see what they're doing (which could have been done after we had completed our work for the afternoon.) And today, more of the same--work until now, then break for a long lunch period, then back for a brief ceremony at each house, then back to the hotel.
On the brighter side, looking at all that the team has accomplished these 8 days, I think we have accomplished more than any other team I've been on. No weather delays. No lack of supplies. Good supervision and fairly good planning. It just could have been more.
Sounds heard and not heard: using the baño in the next house recently, I hear a sound I haven't heard for a while. Typing, on a manual typewriter. Look and see the daughter of the homeowner, doing her homework on a manual typewriter.
And the sounds I don't hear: children crying or whining. Lots of little kids around, but no crying or whining to be heard. Pretty much the same thing in other countries where I've worked. Maybe crying and whining are only for privileged kids. (Ethan and Wesley--Pajohn says no whining.)
Had an interesting conversation with Julio, who runs the restaurant where we eat lunch. He was born and raised here in Cabañas. Went to school, became a professor of philosophy (which means something different than what we think of), unable to support his family. So he paid $15,000 to get taken to the U.S. Landed in jail briefly, eventually made his way to Plainfield, NJ. Worked 16-20 hours a day at various jobs, saving and sending money back to Cabañas. After 4+ years, returned to Cabañas, able to start build a home for his family (did much of the work himself) and start a restaurant where he and his wife do everything. Can't buy it---would cost $55,000 to buy---but he rents the restaurant and makes his living here.
The next time I read about "undocumented immigrants" I'll think of Julio. It's a very specific perspective on that knotty problem.
The visit to the school was interesting, and mercifully brief. It's an elementary school, grades 1-6, run by the government. No fee to attend, but you must buy supplies and uniforms. Some kids go in the morning, other kids go in the afternoon. The morning classes are for the richer kids, the afternoon classes are for the poorer kids. (We checked this out to be sure we were understanding the economic segregation. We did. It's explicit, and enforced. A poor family tried to enroll their kid in the morning and was turned away. We do the same by residential zoning. They just do it more openly.)
Looked in on a 4th grade class. The teacher had been to the U.S. to learn English and teachers her kids some English. But she wants to be around a native speaker to improve her English and her teaching ability. So an idea forms in my mind--I'm a teacher, and a native English speaker who wants to learn Spanish. Hmmm...the basis for a mutually beneficial opportunity?
I'm beginning to have some doubts about the applicability of the Habitat model (single family detached home ownership) in a poor country like this. 72% of the families in the rural areas (the only places Habitat can afford to build) are below the poverty line ($1,600 per year.) Only the richest of them can afford the $30 per month mortgage payment for a Habitat house. Which means the Habitat traditional model is only available to middle income and higher families in a poor country like this.
Habitat Guatemala is experimenting with several other models. One is providing funds for a "progressive" house---1 room and a bath, which can be added to as the family's income improves. Another is microcredits, providing loans for smoke-free stoves or pouring a concrete floor in existing houses since interior smoke and dampness cause health problems, especially for children. So I begin to wonder about these approaches to improving housing conditions for more people. Or maybe we should be helping them build more and better schools? Or health clinics? Or community centers? Or....?
It's at this point I revert to my usual position: I know I don't know.
Termine.
March 7: Otra vez in Antigua
In case you´re wondering, las tostadas son muy deliciosa. Got to Doña Luisa`s for lunch. We actually got to the hotel a little before noon, checked in, I quickly did a wonderfully refreshing cleaning with lukewarm water (sort of like we got at Mari`s on a good day) which of course by this time felt indulgent. Clean shirt and a little sitting in the courtyard and off I went to find lunch. Doña`s was surprisingly unbusy, so I could readily sit in the courtyard, enjoy the scene, and the food.
Weather here is gloriously perfect---warm, but not hot (in the upper 70´s I`d guess), breezy, sunny. Delightful change from the last few days in Cabañas. And of course, no physical labor!
Have been wandering around a bit, just to relive old haunts. Our hotel (also named Doña Luisa, but no relation) is directly west of the Parque Central, on 6th Avenida, which is down a bit from our old neighborhood. Went to the Central Marcato, just for a couple of minutes before getting claustrophobic and left quickly. Now sitting in an internet cafe along the Parque Central. It´s a little more expensive than our one near our school (5 quetzales for 30 minutes instead of 4) but I figure we can afford it.
Have arranged for an airport shuttle to pick me up at 11:00 tomorrow morning. Fortunately, I checked my ticket info this morning to find out my plane leaves an hour earlier than I thought, which means a noon shuttle (my original thought) would have arrived too late. And I`d never have lived that down!
A bunch of us are meeting at Frida`s at 5 at my suggestion. I really only invited Dave, my friend and (now former) roommate (I have a single since I´m only here for 1 night--it saves Habitat money.) But apparently, he told others, and.......So I´ll have my favorite Frieda`s frozen margarita. Or maybe 2. Then, we all gather at a restaurant for our last dinner together. Tomorrow morning, I´m planning on having breakfast at....Doña Luisa`s of course---already planning on granola with yogurt and fruit. Should help me get to Houston!
Looking forward to being back home. As we´ve said before, I never used to like coming home after a vacation. But now? No problema.
Hasta mañana en la noche.
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