Surprises :)

I LOVE this country. 

It’s full of surprises. The good ones. :) Last time I was here, in 2009, I was completely worn out, in every sense. I almost-sort-of dragged my feet to Guatemala to pick up some Spanish before returning home from a year in Central America. 

And had one of the most cherished times of my life here!

I love this country! I don’t know why. Well, San Pedro (where I learned Spanish)’s an absolute paradise, no qualms about that! But even the rest of the country, which is much more rugged in both landscape and just life... there’s a heartwarming/melting beauty to it that I can’t put my finger on. I was asking myself today on a long drive through the countryside why I “love” the Mayan culture here, if it’s just intriguing cuz it’s so colourful and unique and “authentic”. And I don’t know! Maybe it’s partly that my mirror little stature and darker skin and long black hair seems to quickly dissipate the distance between me and la gente (“the people”) here.... and maybe that I speak Spanish, so here more than anywhere else developing-country wise where I've spent time, there's leaps and bounds of relationships that were built to much greater extent than in other countries I've been where smiles and charades have been my main means of communication... maybe that learned my Spanish here, so their accent is conveniently “perfect” :) -- [perfectly comprehensible (except the words that I don’t know –and yes, there are still lots! – but at least I know exactly what I didn’t catch and can ask for it!)]... or maybe just that my time in Guatemala last time was just such a beautiful experience (though that doesn’t explain why it was so awesome last time!)... well, basically, I don’t know, but even where I’ve never been before, in a different province and region of the country, I just feel right at home. :)

Anyhow. On “authenticity”. I don’t know if that’s the draw of it (and I kind of roll my eyes at tourists who make great strides & pride try to “get off the beaten track”)... but all pride aside cuz that’s far from the point, today was a pretty special privilege that I definitely don’t take lightly. And makes me so very thankful to have taken a road less travelled, lonely as it’s been at time. It put me where I was today, and my heart smiles inside. I wish I could’ve brought a couple friends along so they could be part of it too!

Basically, I got plopped right in the middle of a very much "authentic" Mayan community in the rural, remote countryside of Guatemala. 

And I mean RIGHT in the middle.

The thing about work visits, you never know what to expect. And you more or less expect that, even if you don’t really think about it. What I WAS expecting from today, in visiting our clean drinking water project [capping mountain springs at their source where they are clean and piping them down to a village], was maybe seeing the concrete slab where the spring is capped, getting a walk-through of the technical structure, seeing some of the water points where families are able to access the clean water, and doing a couple interviews with beneficiary families. I had my staff survey questionnaire and a couple copies of beneficiary surveys in hand. And was just still mentally waking up for the day after an early morning and a bumpy 3.5 hour drive [beautiful, btw, will post pics later!] through the mountains to reach the village. 

What I didn’t expect, was walking into a community hall....

 FULL of community members – women in their beautiful dresses [typical to the region – every region, even just a half hour drive away sometimes, have their own unique typical dress – always a corte (fabric wrapped with a fabric belt) and a blouse, but you (“you” being Guatemalans!) can always tell pretty much exactly where someone is from the fabrics of their dress and the cut and decor of their blouses] and men in their checkered best. :)

I also didn’t expect to be walking past the gathering of community members...

... and being guided to centre stage up front.

and being a passed a mike to give a few words from HOPE and from Canada. :)

But buennnnno, I’ve given enough impromptu nice-to-meet you and thank-you speeches in project/beneficiary visit contexts that it doesn’t faze me too much. I also had happened to learn how to say my name “Xulq’ab” (“schulk [throat click] UP” :) ); in the local Mayan language here on the way up in the truck, as well as, “Good day; my name is Rainbow; I am happy to be here/to meet you; & thank you”. I also love languages and the immediate nearness it brings.  :)  So, I started off my little schpiel with that, which fetched a good laugh and a round of applause. :)  

What I didn’t expect, after I sat down...

... and listened as some of the women shared their stories (which as much as I wanted to share right now, will have to wait til tomorrow, or when I can... it’s getting pretty late here and I have another early and long day tomorrow) and some of the community members expressed their utmost gratitude on behalf of the whole community... was to be called to come up again.

And to be honoured with a beautiful gift, of their traditional dress.With which I was donned, then and there, on stage. :)

Surprise! :)

Giving a few more words :)

The photoshoot that ensued as each woman took turns having their photos taken with this visitor from Canada :)

(now I just have to figure out how to get it home, as I promised the community I would. It is huge / thick / weighs about 5 pounds -- and all I've got right now is a backpack and a duffle bag that is already stuffed chock full with gifts for friends in the next town I'll visit, which I'll get to by the local "chicken bus").

But it was pretty special. And I don’t take that lightly. Or the responsibilities it comes with on the road ahead. :)

Well, I’ve got a full day tomorrow, so I should end off here for now, but I’ll definitely share more about the actual project tomorrow if I can. I’ve come down with a bit of a cold, unfortunately, mostly just from lack of sleep in the last week and a half, which always gets me, so your prayers for my health would be welcome! :) 

Much love,

Rainbow

Arco Iris

Xulq’ab

:)