Days 2 and 3

Yesterday morning we had our orientation to the CASAS program and to Semilla, the seminary where we are staying. After this, we were told the history of Guatemala by Hector, a professor here at Semilla. Having earned his masters and doctorate degrees and working in the United States, Hector still follows US politics and news greatly. It was very evident from his presentatation who he was rooting for in the US Presidential Election. After his presentation, Hector shook our hands and had us tell him our names and where we are from. When I told him where I am from, he said that, "This must be one of those McCain fans...he is from rural Indiana!" With this comment everyone in the room burst out laughing, as they all know who I am rooting for in the Presidential Election.

After this, we went on a contrast tour. This tour led us to three different places: a mall, The National Cemetary, and the city dump. This tour allowed us to see how the elite people of Guatemala live in comparison to the poorest people of Guatemala. This was a very eye-opening experience for myself as well as everyone else in my group.

This morning we all attended our first Spanish classes at Semilla. I am in a class with two other students. My teacher, Edna, spoke in Spanish the entire two hours! However, it was great experience and I cannot wait until my next Spanish class.

After classes and our snack, we listened to the tetimony of a Mayan man who lived through La Violencia, the 36 year civil war in Guatemala. This story was very emotional to listen to. Prior to coming to Guatemala, we had read stories that Guatemalans wrote about their experiences during La Violencia, but actually listening to someone who had lived through this time made everything seem more real.

We ate lunch today at a very nice restaurant and then toured the National Palace, the National Cathedral, and the Central Park.

So far, we have had great weather. We hope that the sun decides to stay out!