Hola!

Week 2 is almost over….it’s unbelieveable that my time here is about 1/2 over!!  Time flies!  I’m having such a good time!  I feel so relaxed, and happy.  I miss my family, but i’m thankful for the internet in my room, so we can talk, all the time!  Well, when there’s a free moment! 

After lunch today, I walked back to Tecun Uman because I was going on a group tour at 2pm to San Antonio Aqua Calientes.  It is a mayan town, and we toured a business ran by the mayans.  They showed us some of their native traditions and customs.  They used 2 people from the group, and acted out a wedding festival.  They dressed the people in the tradition garb for the occasion.  Then they explained why they did certain things, as they did them, and explained everything.  They circled the couple with burning incense to chase away bad spirits, then they sprinkled flower petals on them.  White petals, for purity, after ridding them of the spirits. They explained that it wasn’t that they had bad spirits IN them, but that bad spirits surround them.   They showed us the dance that they do at wedding festivals, and we all danced.  LOL  it was fun!  They showed us different textiles they make, and explained what they are used for.  I didn’t realize that they had different purposes!  One kind is made by the family of the groom, and placed over the head of the mother of the bride, to show respect.  Another is used to lie in baskets that are used to bring food to the festival.  Another is used to swaddle a baby and it ties onto the mother, so her hands are free to hold onto her other children, or carry textiles, etc. The women in the family of the bride make a beautiful apron, and after the ceremony, they tie it around the waist of the bride.  It’s a big part of the ceremony, symbolizing her now being in the kitchen, cooking for her husband and soon, her own family.  Can you imagine?  It was really very cool to see and hear it all. 

Then they cooked some traditional foods and we got to taste.  We watched a very old mayan lady kneel on the floor on a woven matt.  She rolled out dough and made tortillas on a rock slab, then cooked them on a round piece of metal that was placed over a wood fire burning right on the dirt floor.   Then they served us this clay bowl of chicken, veggies, rice and one of those “cooked right there right now” tortillas, which were delicious! 

I was touched by how much goes into their festival of marriage.   They all work together.  It’s about sharing, and giving gifts, and being together.  We could learn alot from them!   It takes them on average, 6 months to make the piece that gets placed on the brides mothers head.  It’s made special for her, for this occasion.  They said that the dancing goes on that whole night following the wedding  ceremony, and all the next day.  They just dance, and cook, and eat, and share, and love, and dance some more.   I was truely moved.  I think we all were.  The ride back to Antigua was quiet…reflective…

Stay tuned tomorrow as I write about my 1st experience at Mi Guardian Angel!  Til then, blog stalkers! 

xoxo