April 16th-April 22nd

Monday was our last full day with our host families. This time, some of the goodbyes seemed to be a bit easier than they were in Guatemala City. We have had our share of practicing. As Abdu’l-Baha said goodbye to a group of friends on this date 100 years ago he stated, “The breath of the Holy Spirit is your comforter, and the angels of heaven surround you” (The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 20).

The Mexican people and many other Latin cultures have a similar message of hope while saying goodbye; ‘Vaya con Dios’ (May you go with God) which I like just a tad bit more than ‘Dios te acompañe’ (May God accompany or go with you) because it is an indication of our responsibility. As we traveled in the last week of our journey, these two statements became real to us.

One statement implies that we have a choice as to how close we are to God, and the other implies that He has a choice as to how close He is to us. Is it possible that both of these statements are true at the same time? I am not suggesting that God abandons us, although I do believe that He has the power to choose for us just how far we ‘feel’ from Him. This doesn’t indicate that He is gone by any means. On the contrary, He is ever more close than before, yet we feel pain because He is ‘far’ or joy because He is ‘close.’ In addition, we, as humans, have a will in this too. Should we say our prayers in the morning when we wake up or will we push them back until we have time for them around lunch, or should we read the scriptures now or whenever we find time at the end of the day?

The rest of the week for our group was filled with both feelings of nearness and feelings of distance. The ending of one journey always indicates the beginning of another.  Many emotions surface such as…’it’s an adventure to see what is around the corner’ or ‘I’m unsure of what to expect and I am frightened of what the future holds.’  If we took these emotions and equated them with the two positions above…of nearness or distance; I know which one I prefer to work
toward, what about you?

Abundant blessings,

-Julie Huffer

March 29

This week, our excursion was to the city of Tlaxcala. First, we tried the pulque we have been learning about. Pulque is an alcoholic drink made from the liquid honey-like substance in the maguey cactus. It is kind of thick and sour tasting. We decided that it tasted similar to sourdough bread. Many from the group liked it, which surprised our guide, but I couldn’t take more than a couple sips because of the awful texture. I guess it’s a good thing I was not around back then, because it was the favorite drink.

After that, we visited the oldest church in Meso-america. It was smaller than some of the churches we have visited, but had beautiful architecture, paintings and writings from Spanish leaders on the walls. Our next stop was a museum with beautiful, brilliant, brightly-colored murals containing history of Tlaxcala and all of Meso-america. It was really cool to see images of some of the history we have been learning come to life. Our last stop was a museum about the cultural of the area. It included traditional costumes for special occasions, pottery, tools and the famous masks that they use for dances. The masks and costumes were all each unique, hand-made and cost a fortune. I was intrigued by the giant pots about 3 feet deep and 3 feet wide to make beans for the whole community when there was a fiesta. They would need several pots that size and huge plates to hold about a million tortillas. One person would be chosen to cook for everyone and it was quite an honor. I don’t know if I could even imagine that much beans, let alone being in charge of cooking for the whole city!

In addition to our group excursions, we have been on many walks around the city with our conversation guides from the university. It’s a good thing they know where to go, because without them I would be lost for sure! One of my favorite places we visited was a house (now converted to be a museum) where four families that were heroes of the revolution lived and died. The bullet holes were still in the walls, and much of their clothing and furniture was preserved as if no time had passed.

Our group is starting to realize that we only have a few more weeks left here in Mexico, and are determined to make the most of the time we have here. We have gone dancing, out to movies, tried new foods and enjoyed laughing at each other’s mistakes in Spanish, because no matter how much we learn we still seem to say something wrong. It is an amazing blessing to be on a trip with such a special group. Each person has very unique talents and personalities that have helped to form such incredible friendships and memories that I’m sure will last a lifetime. Thank you all for your constant prayers and support as we continue to learn and experience all this culture has to offer.

-Jessica Goertzen

April 9

Hi there family and friends! I am sure you are counting down the days until we grace you with our presence in the United States J or maybe that is just me. But just in case you forgot, let me remind you that that day is in less than two weeks!

This past week we experienced a little bit of life in Mexico City, and also got to be involved in La Semana Santa (Holy Week). There are so many things I could say about it all, but you will have to ask me more when we arrive home. However, I do want to share a few of our memories with you.

Last Monday in downtown Mexico City, we walked to a building known as La Torre (The Tower) and waited in line to take the elevator to the very top of this skyscraper. Because Mexico City is so high in altitude, and La Torre is extremely tall, we were about to be standing on one of the highest points in the world. While waiting in line, one of our brightest and best group members (Stephanie Rheinheimer) commented to us, “How crazy would it be if there was an earthquake while we were up there?!!” Little did she know how much weight her words would carry. We got onto the elevator shortly thereafter, and a couple of us were feeling quite dizzy as we got off on the 37^th floor. As we stepped out to look down on the magnificent city, something felt strange. I had to sit down, thinking I was nauseous, when we realized that the entire building was swaying!! Someone else in our group (another wise one) tried to tell us it was probably just a strong gust of wind… YEAH RIGHT! What we soon realized was that we were stuck at the top of this skyscraper, experiencing earthquake tremors! Steph’s words had turned into reality. Some of us, I will not mention names, thought we were going to die. And yet here I am writing to you all, so obviously we made it! What an experience it was J and needless to say, we do not let Steph make any more ominous statements, just in case they would come true again.

On a more somber note, Friday we had the opportunity to experience the reenactment of the trial and crucifixion of Christ in the streets nearby where we stayed. This was one of the most powerful things for me during Holy Week, and I want to relay to you what I witnessed, but I know that I cannot give it full justice. This is what I wrote about it in my personal journal that Friday night…

“Today we witnessed the 4 hour reenactment of the trial and crucifixion of Christ. It was very powerful because it was not just any old play; it carried incredible weight and meaning. They actually placed a real crown of thorns on Jesus and REAL blood flowed from his brow. We watched as the soldiers whipped Christ and the other prisoners as they carried 80-pound crosses over two miles through the streets. It was gruesome to watch as they arrived at the top of the final hill and you could see the horrible bruises and lash marks on their backs. (Apparently the actors, who carried the crosses along with Christ through the streets, did this as an act of penance for sin.) Then Christ and the other two prisoners were tied to the cross and placed upright in the ground for all to see. It was so realistic! It was an incredible reminder of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us by laying down his life. As I walked through the streets beside the man carrying the tremendous weight of the cross, I kept thinking of Jesus’ words, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” How can we ever begin to thank Christ for the cross or even try to fathom his love?”

What an incredible week it was for our group. Every day was filled with blessings, and I know we will never forget what we experienced. Enjoy the rest of your week back home, and we look forward to seeing you all soon!

-Rachel Kennel

March 25

Wow, it is hard to believe that we are now in our final weeks of cross-cultural.  As the excitement of returning home starts settling in, I remind myself that I need to continue to be present in the here and now so that I can continue to learn and be blessed by the experiences we continue to have here.  This past week was our first week here in Puebla Mexico, meaning new host families, a new school, and a new city to get accustomed to.  Our days consist of Spanish classes, two hour long conversation sessions, and free time spent in the Zocalo (the city square) or various other places throughout the city.  Here in Mexico, I live with Rachel and Laura in a house with an older woman, and I am constantly amazed at the hospitality we have received and continue to receive on this trip.

Of course, having the three of us in a house together leads to much mischief.  Between our goofy video making, laughter, and moments of confusion about who the random people are visiting our house, it is surprising we find time to do homework (just kidding!).  As our group reflected on our first week here in Mexico, we all found that we are amazed at just how far we have come in our Spanish speaking and comprehension abilities.  Unlike in Guatemala, I find that I can actually form a coherent response to my family’s and teacher’s questions that consist of more than just “si” or “¿que?”  This is not to say however, that embarrassing and funny Spanish mistakes cease to exist.  My second day in Spanish class I was asked if I had ever broken bones before.  The Spanish word for bone is “hueso” but in my answer I accidentally used the word “huevos,” therefore my answer was, “No, I have never broken ‘eggs’ before.”

To add to the craziness of our first week, we also experienced an earthquake our fourth day here, during which I was on the third floor of a museum with my conversation partner.  It is one thing experiencing panic in a language you can understand, but it is something else when everyone around you in speaking in rapid Spanish.  What an experience.  Needless to say, our first week has been packed full of new people, places and experiences.  Our group appreciates your continued thoughts and prayers and we will see you in three weeks!

-Stephanie Rheinheimer

Greetings from Puebla, Mexico’s Fourth Largest City!

A week and a half ago, we met our host families at the bus station. Michael Allen and I live with our host mom, Bertha, who makes sure that we are well fed and cared for each day. Over the past week, we have shared meals together, and accustomed ourselves to a different, yet similar culture, to Guatemala. I appreciate the hospitality that transcends these places. For example, last night, Bertha gave Michael and I Puebla key chains to remember our time here. The gift touched me because we are guests in her home, and we should be expressing our gratitude to her with gifts and words of thanks.

This past Sunday, the pope came to Mexico as many of you may be aware. The Pope’s visit to Guanajuato impacted Puebla in a major way. Friday, when Pope Benedict XVI arrived, church bells throughout Puebla announced his presence. Then, when the Pope conducted Mass on Sunday, I heard Puebla’s main square, the Zocalo, was bustling as people observed Mass from big screens. Bertha does not like places with lots of people, and I wanted to watch the service with someone that I know from Puebla. Bertha and I watched the Mass from the comfort of our home.

The theme of the service was “Abre tu corazon”, translating to “Open your heart”. This theme struck me for the Lenten-Easter season as well as for our cross-cultural. First, I remind myself to open my heart to the work that Christ is doing amongst us, in Puebla, in our cross-cultural group, and back in Harrisonburg, at EMU. Throughout this trip, Don challenges us to pinpoint where we have seen God each week. This practice has been illuminating, as I have seen God particularly in the relationships built between my host families and I. Second, “Open your heart” primes my cross-cultural eyes. Even though we have less than a month left, and focusing on home is easy, I tell myself to open my heart to where I am. I want to absorb and learn about a new culture, a people I have not known, and a new way of being.

Lastly, if everything goes according to plan, our cross-cultural group will travel to Mexico City for Holy Week, and I am eager to experience these celebrations. I want to learn how the Mexican culture celebrates Christ’s return in comparison to how the US does, absorbing aspects that I have not seen emphasized previously.

In the time before we return, I hope everyone is well.

-Nels Åkerson

March 4

Our time here in Guatemala is almost over. And I honestly am struggling to believe it. It seems as though just yesterday I was nervously anticipating meeting my family, struggling to understand anything anyone said to me, and marveling at the different new world I had found myself a part of. The past 7 weeks have absolutely flown by as we´ve experienced the first part of this incredible cross-cultural experience.

Now we are all preparing for a week of free travel, followed by a month in Puebla, Mexico. With this comes a mixture of both excitement and sadness. We get to travel to another country, learn a new culture, and see even more incredible sites! But at the same time, we are leaving behind so many friends and memories. My host family, with whom I have smiled, laughed, and shared daily life. The CASAS staff, from whom I have learned so much about Guatemala´s beautiful culture and tragic history. My Spanish teacher, from whom I have not only learned grammar, but also how to take life with laughter, even when the challenges one faces seem insurmountable. These are all people who have come to be a part of my life and have taught me so much about myself. Thus the prospect of leaving them behind is difficult to process.

I find myself wondering how Puebla can remotely live up to all the amazing things we saw and learned in the past 7 weeks. But yet the excitement of the unknown leaves me hopeful that we can continue growing and learning and being changed by the new cultures we find ourselves in.

-Taylor Wenger

Reflections on Guatemala

7 March 2012

Summing up eight weeks in Guatemala, learning at CASAS, and investment in the weekend trips, to name a few things from these past eight weeks, is hard. I will try my best to paint a picture that wraps up our time in Guatemala.

This past week has brought together loose ends. My host family continued to surprise me with their generosity and welcoming hospitality. Sunday, my host family, my host dad, mom, two brothers, and my cousin, sat down for lunch. My host mom quickly mentioned after the prayer concluded that this Sunday lunch was special because it was my last Sunday lunch with them. My host parents ordered Pollo Campero. I had not tried this Guatemaltecan fast food during my stay here, and according to my host mom, who said jokingly, I now have visited Guatemala because I ate Pollo Campero. Everyone relished the special meal.

As a parting thank-you and fun activity together, my host mom and I made a granola recipe from Virginia. We set out the ingredients as my host mom asked quantities and wrote down the recipe. When mixing the ingredients together, I stirred some, and then asked if my host mom wanted a turn. She eagerly replied yes. The next morning, we shared a breakfast of granola with milk and plantains. This taste of home was strange, yet comforting. Yet, the enthusiasm my host mom had when learning a piece of my home struck me.

Lastly, the conversation my host mom and I had yesterday afternoon is one worth recounting. We exchanged pleasantries when I returned home, and we talked in the kitchen as she prepared dinner. Her work was the subject. With sincerity, she told me she does not like what she does, which includes preparing meals, cleaning, and mostly, staying at home.  She continues, though, because she wants to see her two sons through college. Her parents did not give her this same support, and she dropped out of college because of it. From her sacrifice, I discovered how important community is because without a surrounding community, one will not make it as far. A community, a family or a group of friends, benefits everyone involved.

From these three stories occurring within the last week, I will take how to celebrate well, an approach to life, and that my education matters. First, my host family ordered the best, Pollo Campero. I want to return with this same attitude of serving the best for each occasion. Second, my host mom eagerly scribbled the recipe and incorporated a piece of my culture into her life. Her step to learn about my culture was like a hug from home. I want to remember that making small gestures to learn about another’s culture goes a long way to bridging divides and building relationships, particularly as our group travels on free travel and into Mexico. Lastly, I cherish my host mom’s sacrifice for her children. Not everyone has the opportunity to attend college, let alone travel to Guatemala & Mexico for fifteen weeks. During this trip, I have crumbled stereotypes, built relationships, and discovered another culture. I want to make the most of this opportunity that all EMU students have, savoring each millisecond.

– Nels Åkerson

We called ourselves “Los Ochos Taquitos” (Eight Little Tacos). We traveled many hours and saw many sights. We were eight U.S.  Americans, on our own, embarking on an adventure of a lifetime.

Our free travel adventure began on Thursday morning at 5:00am. Our group of eight traveled by two separate taxis to the Litegua bus station of Guatemala City.  Our trip started out a little bumpy when one of the taxis didn’t show up on time to the bus station. Four out of the eight persons waited for 45 minutes without hearing a response from the other group. Luckily, about 1 hour later than planned, the rest of the four showed up and we loaded onto the bus. The bus was headed for Puerto Barrios, a small port town located on the eastern coast of Guatemala. The planned bus ride of 5 hours slowly turned into a 9 hour bus ride through traffic. We spent our time on the bus watching two Jackie Chan films and Puss n’ Boots. After a long bus ride, we finally arrived in Puerto Barrios.

Two days were spent relaxing in and getting to know the small town of Puerto Barrios. On Sunday, our group left by ferry to Punta Gorda, Belize. It was the ferry ride of a lifetime with our ferry master, Walter. We all got soaked with sea water and our skin was crusted with salt. Although uncomfortable, it was an amazing experience that I will never forget. We arrived in Punta Gorda after an hour and a half. Once in Punta Gorda we caught a bus to Placencia. We arrived in Placencia as it was starting to get dark. We still had to find a hotel, so we made reservations at the first place we saw, located about 3 miles outside of town. A hotel named SEAKUNGA.  We spent a night in this hotel which was located on the beach. Our plans changed due to the less than desirable conditions and we decided to stay closer to town. The next day we made new reservations at a nicer beach front hotel. We spent four days in Belize and had a wonderful time relaxing, playing spades, meeting new people, and eating traditional Garifuna food.

After Belize we traveled back by ferry, with Walter the ferry master, to a port town in Guatemala named Livingston. Livingston is a very small town located on the mouth of Rio Dulce (Sweet River).  In Livingston, we took a wonderful river tour. On the tour we saw an island of birds, mangroves, and a castle. We also swam in a natural hot spring. We spent some time at an indigenous school and women’s co-op.

We traveled back to Guatemala City and met up with the rest of the group. It was wonderful to hear funny and scary stories about the other trips. We ended the free travel week by setting off fireworks outside of CASAS. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. I am so glad to have gotten the chance to spend a week with 7 wonderful people who made the trip interesting and fun.

-Emily Wise

Let the good times roll

Our theme for the week was “just roll with it” and at times that was all we could do.  My group consisted of 6 other people besides myself and we were headed for the beautiful beach of Tela, Honduras.  The day before we left for free travel, the internet at the school didn’t work, so we could not look up the final directions we needed to get to our hotel from the bus station.  All I knew was we needed to walk east once we got off the bus.  Needless to say, God was watching over us and we got to our hotel safely and everything worked out!  We spent most of the mornings soaking up the sun and relaxing on the beach.  The water was perfect and the temperatures were very hot!  The afternoons usually consisted of exploring the small town of Tela or hanging out in the hotel.

We took one excursion in kayaks through mangroves to see wildlife, but unfortunately the kids who came with us were too noisy and scared everything away.  We also got to experience the Garifuna culture as we spent a few hours in the village after our kayaking trip.  This was an interesting experience because we saw the traditional dancing of the natives and ate at an authentic restaurant.

Every evening we would make our own dinners because we had a hotel room with a kitchen.  The last full day the five girls went out to the beach in the morning and Alex and John stayed back at the hotel to prepare lunch.  Our expectations for lunch were not high but when we returned four hours later we were delighted to see chicken fajitas on the table and the smell of heaven surrounding us!  What a great way to end the week!  Our bus ride home was another interesting story because we didn’t have a plan once we got back to Guatemala City but when we arrived and walked into the terminal one of the staff members from our school was there to pick someone else up from the same bus and he offered to take us too. Yet again we all felt God’s presence and we know that he was watching over us and protecting us throughout this trip.

-Laura Beckler

On March 17^th, our free travel groups made their way back to CASAS in Guatemala City. My group got back around 10 p.m. and celebrated our last moments of free travel with a bang… literally. We set off some firecrackers outside of CASAS since we had some leftover from celebrating Steph’s birthday during free travel. It was difficult coming back to CASAS after a week of free travel, but it was nice to have a free day there for packing and doing our laundry. We met with Don to prepare ourselves for heading to Mexico the next day and also to find out the news we had all been anxiously waiting for: who we would be living with in Mexico. We also had group bonding while watching Bridesmaids.

The next morning we woke up at the lovely hour of 4 a.m. to head for the airport. We only had one minor problem in the airport when they couldn’t find our reservations, but fortunately it was all figured out and we made it to San Salvador and then to Mexico safely and without any more problems. After leaving the airport, we took a bus to meet our families. I was kind of nervous, but it all went well and Emily Hedrick and I were the first to be called to meet our family. We went to their house where we will be living, and spent that weekend adjusting to life in Puebla, Mexico. It’s been an interesting transition from Guatemala City to Puebla, since there are many differences, like being able to walk around at night and having one-on-one, two-hour walking conversations (all in Spanish) with “guias” (guides) every day.

While some parts of the transitions have been hard, so far I have enjoyed being in Puebla, since it has a lot of history and fun things to do like going horseback riding and to a VIP movie where you get to sit in a recliner and people bring you food. Although I miss CASAS, I think the institute we are at now will really help me with my Spanish, and I am looking forward to all the Wednesday excursions we will make to places like Cholula and Tlaxcala and Holy Week, which we will spend in Mexico City. In a short five weeks we will be back in the US, but during our time here I hope we will have great experiences and learn a lot.

-Sarah Parson

As we approach the end of our time in Guatemala, I have been thinking about my many memories here. Many of these are memories are from the time I’ve spent with my host family. From the first weekend, as they had to listen to me try to speak broken Spanish, to the time when I actually figured out how to say a joke in Spanish and we laughed a lot. Here are some other memories and common occurrences in my house:

• Laughing with my family while I try and say tongue-twisters in Spanish.
• Singing with my sister to the radio as loud as we can, whether we know the words or not.
• Yawning with my mom while my brothers and dad talk for a long time during Sunday dinner.
• Yelling at the dogs that always run in front of our car.
• Eating chicken from the Guatemalan restaurant Pollo Campero.
• Exchanging confused looks with my siblings because I accidentally said something in English without realizing it.
• Watching movies, Spanish soap operas and always lots of soccer.
• Smiling when my mother introduces me to their relatives as her daughter.
• Praying in a small group in church in English and being prayed for in Spanish.

I think the last experience I am going to have will be crying when I have to leave them. However, I am so grateful for this family, my second family, in this little corner of the world. Becoming a part of this family is one of the many things God has blessed me with on this trip. I will always be thankful that they were willing to look past my inability to speak Spanish and love me as one of the family.

-Jessica Goertzen

This past week went by really quickly.  As I talked to the rest of the group, they shared the same feeling.  The first couple days of the week, we were in the Department of Alta Vera Paz.   We visited Coban (the capital of this department) and San Pedro Carcha. I would like to add some of my thoughts about the weekend, since we stayed there until Tuesday.

The trip to Coban and Carcha has been my favorite weekend trip so far.  One of the reasons I enjoyed this trip so much was because I was able to make “Mennonite Connections.”  My mom (in the U.S.) was a MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) missionary in Carcha for 10 years.  She worked as a nurse/health educator from 1975 to 1985.  Because of this, I was able to meet many people who knew my mom.  I was able to see the place where she lived, some areas where she worked, as well as a health book that she wrote in the indigenous language, K’ekchi.   Being able to experience and see some of the history of my mom’s life was wonderful.  I also enjoyed attempting to learn some K’ekchi, and relating to the students at Bezaleel, the school where we stayed.

We arrived back in Guatemala City on Tuesday afternoon and we were all feeling tired from the long weekend trip.  When I went home with my host mom, she informed me that we were going to my sister-in-law’s birthday party later that night.  This was enjoyable, but I was glad to have a two hour siesta before the fiesta. We then had two and half days of classes before we headed to Santiago Atitlan.  Those class days flew by, and we were excited for another weekend trip.  We left Friday morning, and got back Sunday afternoon.  We had opportunities to browse the market, learn about a cooperative, ANADESA, and relax with the group.  I especially enjoyed the boat ride to Panajachel.  It was about a 30-minute ride on Lago Atitlan, and then we had time to shop in the market and eat lunch.  Something I have noticed in our weekend trips is the community dynamic our group has.  It is easy to have fun with our group, and it’s also easy to have time of reflections and discussion.  Even though these things do come easily a lot of the time, I really appreciate both the fun times and the reflective, more serious times.  I praise God for each person in our group, and am glad we can all experience this Cross-cultural together!

-John Gullman