Almost all of my students are from the western highlands of Guatemala, which I am headed to later, but one of my babies is from just an hour or so south of where I was in Antigua, so that was my next destination.
I got an uber from Antigua and entered the first air conditioned car I have ever been in here. I thought it was nice but not necessary since Antigua was almost always around a cool 60°/65°. I have never been very far south of Antigua, driving down looked nothing like what I have known so far of Guatemala. There were smooth, long, highways lined with palm trees, it felt more like Florida. Many beautiful sights to see on the drive as well. Well, when we arrived and I opened the door it hit me why the AC had been on, heat! It was scorching hot and humid! When you think of Central America you usually automatically think hot, that's not true for most places in Guatemala because of the elevation. Even the capital and San Raymundo are up high enough to be cool, the places I am going in the West are even cold, not here! We are close to the ocean and fairly level with it. I wasn't expecting it at all!
I walked to the house one of my sweet, super smart students grew up in, through a maze of narrow alleys, following an uncle who came to pick me up at the gas station meeting point. The family was all very kind, grandma raised her 7 kids, then she raised most of her kid's kids, and now she has 2 more toddlers (she said were given to her), a little boy, and a special needs adult to take care of. I think the toddlers' moms went to America and couldn't/didn't want to take them.
She made us caldo de pollo and the uncle showed us around town. I chatted with the family all afternoon and then called my student and talked to him only in English to show the family how well he is doing. Bragged on him a lot, all true. The kids played with the baby chicks and ducks running around the house, ate supper, and crashed. Still hot and no ac but they don't seem to mind.
I asked grandma why her student made the decision to go to the U.S. and how she felt about it. She said he had no hope there, that he was facing a life of physical labor for hardly any money, not enough to take care of a family or better his life. She was heartbroken when he left and still is. She had raised him since he was a toddler and it still hurts that he isn't there. I know grandma didn't want him to go but I don't know why she didn't stop him. He will be one of my seniors this year and I have no doubt he'll be off to college after that to make a better future for himself and his family.
I had another stop before I headed back to San Raymundo but it doesn't deserve it's own post, Sipacate, on the pacific coast. See pics.
So on this pic of the map you can see in the background where I have been (mountains) and in the foreground is where I went. That's why it was such a temperature change when they're so close!
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