This week has been somewhat made shorter by my absence on Monday. Arriving to Maximo Nivel on Tuesday I was greeted by Mariella who very sweetly told me that I was missed. For the first time since starting my placement, Freddy left on his own without company. Having caught up with him later I found out and could see that he had been overworked, and in order to be able to work his long hours and stay awake, he had been taking quite a lot of pills. He also told me that he had been suffering from a large number of symptoms which are associated with physical exhaustion. Throughout the week though he never lost his patience and was as funny and messed around as much as usual. I cannot imagine how tired he would have to be to behave otherwise.
I spent the rest of Tuesday working with Rachel in the garden, crating a makeshift roof, and then bringing quite a lot of the wood from last week to the garden for storage. We had to deal with the reappearance of a lot of spiders who would sneak out of the wood that was being carried and startle us both. As of this week all the wood has been separated and stored in various places. It was also Rachel's second last day so Juan Jose did a tour of the chicken coop for her which she found fascinating. I can understand why since we were actually exposed to the source of some of the food that eat quite regularly. Juan Jose lets some of his chickens and young chicks roam freely, causing some volunteers to try to catch them over several days this week.
Wednesday I spent quite a lot of time dismantling the wooden structures used to create a temporary frame into which very liquidy cement mix was poured. This hardens creating a column acting as a foundation for the wall which we constructed. Most of time I separated the temporary structures that were built, by removing all the nails keeping them together. This was not something I had done before and I would need some effort, leverage and patience to get them out. That at least is what I thought until Freddy, needing a particular piece of wood, would stroll over non-chalantly, quietly, remove 2-3 nails and seize the wood he needed, in a quarter of the time it would take me. I tried harder but Freddy repeated the trick several times before the day was up.
Thursday and Friday were spent in a similar routine; first the mix to be used was prepared. A ratio of sand and cement was added, mixed well, some water added, mixed well, rinse and repeat till the mix is as liquidy as you want it to be. The mix for this particular task needed to be very saturated in water. The mix was to be applied on the inside of the the newly constructed wall, to create a thin, smooth layer, allowing for us to paint over it. We coated the inside of the wall diligently, papered over all the cracks and finally smoothened the mix on the wall ala wax on, wax off motions, similar to the Karate Kids.
We still have some of the wall needing some of the mix but it seems like next will be the last in San Mateo. Victor has told me that the next project will be at the foot of Agua, a volcano which is a prominent sight towering over Antigua. I have wanted to climb it ever since I saw it tower over me but alas it is very dangerous, with many large groups being robbed multiple times climbing up and then returning back down. There is speculation that most of the robbers come from the settlement where we will be working but thats no reason to worry right?
Other developments includes me starting a tandem conversation scheme with Willy, my group Spanish teacher. We had conversed briefly about several topics such as Army Day, a controversial celebration with army parades conducted all over Guatemala, CAFTA, an free trade economic treaty between several Central American countries and the US, trips to different places and more. One of my goals for this trip was to really penetrate the superficial knowledge of a country that short-term tourists gain and Willy, a well read and educated Guatemalan is helping me do so. Speaking 30 minutes in Spanish and 30 minutes in English, a wide range of topics has already been covered including Guatemalan politics, Russian history post WW2, the 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état and Willy's future career advancement, aspirations and dreams. As this continues I will get to know him fairly well and expand my glance into Guatemalan society into a clearer vista.
My private class tutor, Sandra has been replaced as if by deus ex machina. The truth was that even though she has a great sense of humor, she is just not as well read or does not know as much as other teachers about the politics and history of Guatemala. The truth is that Tuesday afternoon I took my usual place opposite her ready to start the lesson. She informed that she was not my private teacher anymore. She laughed seeing my look of doubt since this would be a joke I would not put past her. Eventually I was introduced to my new teacher, Vivian. Although the humor and my comical shtick I toned down, instead I'm now able to discuss the past, present and perhaps the future with somebody who has an opinion about the goings on in Guatemala, someone who stays regularly informed. This week already, politics, tourism, religion, state of security have all been discussed. Now that I have started my tandem with Willy and spend 2 hours discussing Guatemala in Spanish, I evetually hope to get a very good feel and understanding for the country to which I will have dedicated 3 months of my life to.
