Antigua, Guatemala
In Antigua, day three on the journey of Guatemalan discovery starts right with a rich strong large latte at a café a block from our hotel. The café opens up to the Parque Central where shade and sunshine mark the continuous crossing of paths of locals and tourists alike. I find this place pleasant for socializing and watching the morning begin. Named ‘El Portal’, this café has become our usual hang out. Pondering the title, I find it fitting– the hallway or portal – the doorway into Antigua.
Over the last three days, the coffee experiences enjoyed here have opened doors into several adventures for both the mind and soul. The instant journey is mental – taking me to the upper regions of the valley where I imagine this sweet nectar to come from.
After the initial cup of caffeine ingested here, our group of Arizonan travelers set out for a long first day. We jumped on the bus and ventured off to various sites, to begin to develop our understanding of Guatemalan life – its systems and connections to happiness and sustainability. Each passing site visit and experience – from learning about education and housing, to water, to cooking, to waste – has complicated the Guatemalan context more and more. One thing for sure, there are traditions and culture that weave these elements together.
For example, it was wild to be confronted with the fact that only 17% of Guatemalans graduate high school – especially knowing that the number of females is significantly less. It crushed me. Seeing them separated in the classrooms reinforced their distinct roles and responsibilities in society. I have personal experience of this from my time living and working in other Latin American cultures. I was weighed down by the chronic expectations of gender roles. But who am I to judge; there is clearly a valuable and knowledgeable role both men and women have in Guatemalan society.
One the other side, Guatemalan society struggles with water quality. Arianna, from a ‘social business’ that makes “ecofilters” for drinking water, informs us that 95% of Guatemala’s water is contaminated. What? No wonder Erin, from an education-focused NGO, told us one major problem they deal with at their health clinic is gastro-intestinal diseases. The second major health problem is apparently respiratory system-focused, which makes clear sense after a site visit to a business building “eco-stoves” to eliminate unnecessary smoke from Guatemalan kitchens and minimize the use of local wood. Guatemalans are deforesting land to provide food for their families. Crazy. Also crazy is that Antigua sited their local landfill on the side of a beautifully forested river canyon that flows directly into town.
Now not currently known to directly contaminate the water, the likelihood in the future appears high. To continue using this waste dump the municipality will have to clear-cut down into the canyon. What? Cutting trees down to fill it up with trash? Insane.
The systems we have been asked to look at (water, food, waste, city governance, etc.) for neighborhood happiness and sustainability blend and intertwine even more. From two days of site visits, I see this is clearly a systemic problem, requiring systemic solutions.
Today – the third day – is different. After more-or-less planned adventure, we now have the full morning to do as we please before heading off to Zacapa in the afternoon. From hearing about the five-hour bus ride to Zacapa, many of us are motivated to find some spontaneous adventure for the morning. I wake up at 7, expecting to find ‘my buddy’ waiting downstairs. We headed off for some ‘El Portal’ lattes before deciding on the morning’s activity. From the café, we stride down several blocks to explore the open market. It is filled with the usual – tiendas of cheap commercial goods and artisan shops selling multitudes of the same brilliantly colored bags, skirts, shoes, belts and shirts. Our interest lost, we wander into the central bus station and are awakened by the morning’s activities. Men are calling out routes to near and far-off destinations as women weave around and through the chaos with bundles perfectly balanced on their heads.
We find our way through the bus station and happen upon the food market. This is where the action happens – the local cultural vibration of Antigua. Authenticity with its dirt and grime, smiles and nourishment. I feel ready to head off to Zacapa, to leave this tourist hotspot behind. And start the exploration into other – less traveled – destinations to peel back layers of understanding Guatemala’s context. I am curious as to what I will remain constant and how Zacapa will contrast from Antigua. Journey to be continued.