I've arrived in Panajachel, Guatemala, my new home for at least the next year. After a connecting flight through Fort Lauderdale, I was whisked away in a microbus for three hours through the Guatemalan countryside. Chicken buses dangerously swerved around us, in and out of oncoming traffic, people and luggage flying on and off in a well-orchestrated, high speed dance. The last hour of the drive involved a long, winding road up through the mountains, eventually allowing for the first views of Lake Atilán, the primary geological motivation for my move. The town is a hustling, bustling sort of place. It is, nonetheless, a town, nestled beautifully in a valley, surrounded my forested cliffs on all sides, except that of the lake. Lake Atitlán is majestic and shockingly clear of boats. The only traffic one sees is the occasional small lancha taking passengers to the surrounding towns around the lake. Three volcanos grace the lake from above, completing a portrait that never seems quite real.
The mix of people here is very unique. The majority come from one of three different groups of Mayans. There are also a few ladinos (hispanic) and a sprinkling of resident gringos. Pana became a prized destination for hippies in the 70s, and there are still a few of the original ones left in town. Others moved here in the 80s and 90s after the civil war ended. A lot of these ones (including "crazy joe", as I like to call him, who I met walking into town the other day), are just a little bit off. I think it takes a certain breed of person to stay in Pana for an entire lifetime... A lot of them stumbled upon Pana when traveling and just never left. It's a common story down here, and I can't really blame them! The newest generation largely works for NGOs and non-profits in the area.
I buy most of my food at the local market, which is always overflowing with fresh fruit and vegetables. All sorts of meat hang from the butcher stalls, but the swarms of flies have so far convinced me to not make a purchase. Overall, things are fairly priced, cheaper than one would find at home but not so cheap as to make you wonder how the farmers manage to survive. Pictures to come later.
The house I'm living in until November is amazing. I ended up moving into a smaller unit on the same property about three days after I arrived, as a family from California has moved into the bigger one. It's nice having some company, as my house is on the outskirts of town. They moved in after their rented house in the neighboring town was being threatened by the rising lake water. They've been living on the lake for 9 months, their children having attended LIFE School (where I'll be working) for part of last year. Kevin did the peace corps in Sierra Leon and worked with refugees in Cambodia for 10 years. They also spent some time in Australia and took a three-month roadtrip around the US a few years ago. The oldest son was born in Thailand. Pretty cool family to say the least.
I had to fight back flood water in my house for a few days as it wasn't draining properly from the property next door and seeping in through my floors and walls. A new pipe was installed and so far the intense rainy-season downpours don't seem to be causing any more problems. It has actually only rained a few times since I've been here, but I've heard the rain will come pretty much everyday starting soon until November. The weather has been absolutely perfect so far, minus the occasional shower.
This week I've been getting to know the new teachers, most of whom arrived a few days ago. Katie (2nd grade teacher) and I have been sorting through 1st and 2nd grade materials at the school for the last few days. We've battled dozens of large spiders that are less than happy about our arrival and seem determined to remain amongst the books and papers. We rewarded ourselves yesterday with some large bottles of beer and about four hours of hanging out on her amazing porch overlooking the lake.
Overall, the school is great, with lots of outdoor space, and a very organized and dedicated director. The teaching staff is young, although I'm definitely still the youngest, and seems great. We all start work on Monday (setting up rooms, curriculum planning, etc). Students arrive on September 5th. We'll most likely be taking a trip to some of the surrounding towns this weekend.
That's all for now. More details to come.
