Guatemalan Time

Since getting to Guatemala (almost a week ago) I have quickly learned that being on time is not exactly a priority here and mañana does not mean tomorrow…it just means not today.

On Wednesday we took the Camioneta (aka-the Chicken Bus) from Parramos to Chimaltenango, which is a town about twenty minutes away. Here we went to an amazing street market with any fruit or vegetable you could imagine. There are families selling their produce from dawn until dusk. After visiting the market we went to see the Bachilleratos—which is the high school for students from NPH. After ninth grade and a year of service students come and live and attend school in the city. We arrived at the boy’s house around 6:30 and we were told dinner would be ready in a few minutes. We were scheduled to eat at 7, but it was not until two plus hours later we enjoyed a meal of rice and beans with the boys.

On Thursday we started work, which consisted of meeting the English Department, being introduced to the students and sitting in the English office chatting with Sam, the volunteer that is leaving.  We have begun to get a handle on things, but we are waiting to find out what grades we will be teaching and when English classes will begin.  Molly, the other English teacher volunteer, and I helped give and correct the placement exams so we could divide the students by English ability/level. When we eagerly ask what classes we will teach and when classes will begin the usual response is….mañana (which means tomorrow in Spanish, but not here in Guatemala!) Can you imagine a teacher in the US waiting until the day school starts to find out what grade(s) they will be teaching…life here just moves a little slower, which has its positives and negatives.

Tonight we are off to Antigua for a group dinner and to see the city and tomorrow our first weekend in Guatemala begins!