We started our day here in Antigua atop a mountain that looked over the city and the valley around it. With one of four large crosses in the city crowning its peak, the hill was an attraction in its own right, if only for showcasing beneath it the magnificent handiwork of Dios and of His many children. From this height, we were able to see the other rolling hills that flanked the city on both sides, the yellow, gold, and grey of the old Spanish buildings, and the vibrant blues, greens and reds of the newer construction. Over it all domineered the Volcan de Agua, a massive, dorment volcano that stood watch over the city which has fallen victim to earthquakes more times that the cobbled streets care to remember. | Antigua, Guatemala, what a sight! What a vibrant mixture of old and new, of native and colonial. What a wonderful city situated in one of the world's most picturesque valleys. What a great place full of life, and of culture, and of trinkets and tchotchkes. What a wonderful way to immerse myself in the vibrancy of Guatemalan culture and the steeped history of the nation and it's people. No more, no less, today has been an absolute wonder. Coloridas fachadas y calles empedradas, una historia viviente de oriente a poniente legado a la humanidad con abrazos de amistad. Su colonial arquitectura es vestigio de la cultura de artesanos, orfebres, pintores y h ombres célebres, que el imponente volcán de agua celoso resguarda. Flores del natural paisaje tejidas en multicolores trajes, Se llevan en sus ojos nuestra gente y gentiles visitantes a esta ciudad de iglesias y rosas palpitantes. - Lissett C. |
From the hill, we walked down to the city's largest market, where I tried my hand at the infamous haggling native to foreign marketplaces. While I lost a couple quetzales on my first go around, eventually I began to develop a certain talent for the game that was refusing one offer while offering the next. The dance into and out of engagement was a tricky one, but one that I enjoyed doing. Not only was shopping a great time because it allowed me to bring back some unique mementos that will remind me of my wonderful experience, but it was also wonderful because it gave me the opportunity to engage with the locals as I did so.
An interesting aspect of the market that rather fascinated me was the disparity between the market for locals and the market for foreigners, or "artisan" market. On the one hand, the artisan market was well-kept, clean, tiled, and even in some places air-conditioned. Store owners smiled and spoke English, offering the "best price" for anything that you might ever want to "buy for your mom." The souvenirs they sold were brightly colored and high in quality, if overpriced. This market was a facade, however, to the real markets which were frequented by the locals during our stay. These markets--overcrowded, dusty, and full of any item imaginable, were much more representative of the "real" Guatemala, as our translator put it. Rather than having all the shiny surfaces that drew in the tourists with fat wallets, the markets used by the locals sold the things that they needed, without worrying about the appearance of the stands which they used to do so. This really struck a chord with me. Seeing the distinction only further emphasized to me the importance with which the integrity of a thing was held in Guatemala. To the natives, it did not matter how shiny the box was or how vibrant the color; at the end of the day, if they wanted soap, they wanted soap that would clean them, and were willing to pay only for a product that did this better, not for one that was better packaged. I think this translates to a realm outside of negocios. As I mentioned earlier, I have found in my experience so far that Guatemala is a nation where effort is valued and hard work is honored. This ties in well with the notion that the integral quality of work, as opposed to its surface value, is of the highest importance. This, of course, is a lesson of paramount importance when it comes to community engagement. When working with a community to achieve measurable change, it is not enough to provide a facade of effort or a feigned diligence. This will not motivate others to put their faith into you, especially if they are not familiar with your culture's customs or practices. Instead, it is extremely important to show a high level of dedication that results in actual positive benefits for the community. This will not only benefit the community in some small way, but will also inspire others within the community to work with you to help achieve shared goals. I know that this valuable lesson is one which I will definitely be employing in the future as I work with others who are different than me. I now know that the best way to gain their trust in order to work with them in the most efficacious manner, is to show them my own dedication to the initiative and the drive I have to help me pursue the goals we share.
An interesting aspect of the market that rather fascinated me was the disparity between the market for locals and the market for foreigners, or "artisan" market. On the one hand, the artisan market was well-kept, clean, tiled, and even in some places air-conditioned. Store owners smiled and spoke English, offering the "best price" for anything that you might ever want to "buy for your mom." The souvenirs they sold were brightly colored and high in quality, if overpriced. This market was a facade, however, to the real markets which were frequented by the locals during our stay. These markets--overcrowded, dusty, and full of any item imaginable, were much more representative of the "real" Guatemala, as our translator put it. Rather than having all the shiny surfaces that drew in the tourists with fat wallets, the markets used by the locals sold the things that they needed, without worrying about the appearance of the stands which they used to do so. This really struck a chord with me. Seeing the distinction only further emphasized to me the importance with which the integrity of a thing was held in Guatemala. To the natives, it did not matter how shiny the box was or how vibrant the color; at the end of the day, if they wanted soap, they wanted soap that would clean them, and were willing to pay only for a product that did this better, not for one that was better packaged. I think this translates to a realm outside of negocios. As I mentioned earlier, I have found in my experience so far that Guatemala is a nation where effort is valued and hard work is honored. This ties in well with the notion that the integral quality of work, as opposed to its surface value, is of the highest importance. This, of course, is a lesson of paramount importance when it comes to community engagement. When working with a community to achieve measurable change, it is not enough to provide a facade of effort or a feigned diligence. This will not motivate others to put their faith into you, especially if they are not familiar with your culture's customs or practices. Instead, it is extremely important to show a high level of dedication that results in actual positive benefits for the community. This will not only benefit the community in some small way, but will also inspire others within the community to work with you to help achieve shared goals. I know that this valuable lesson is one which I will definitely be employing in the future as I work with others who are different than me. I now know that the best way to gain their trust in order to work with them in the most efficacious manner, is to show them my own dedication to the initiative and the drive I have to help me pursue the goals we share.
After the market, we headed to the main square, a thoroughfare of activity and life. Locals and tourists alike enjoyed the warmth of the sun as they sat outside cafes sipping coffee, or perhaps in the center of the square, where a band was playing live music. Surrounded by important and historic buildings on all sides, the square was the life of the city in a way that I have never experienced in recent memory. More so than a Fountain Square, or perhaps even a Times Square, for that matter, Antigua's plaza was a meeting place, the gateway to a city and all its wonders. This was something unique about Guatemala that I found rather appetizing. With a culture that is so welcoming and inviting, it is no wonder that the center of the city was a place where people could be even more hospitable. This city model, I think, is a very sustainable one from which I think a great deal could be learned. Having a central community meeting place facilitated a great deal of the interaction and hospitality imbued in the people, and also encouraged others to join in. This is important to me because of my efforts with sustainability on campus. Not only does the SustainUC group focus on environmental sustainability, but also on social and economic sustainability as well. On a collegiate campus where it is rare to pass by another student and greet them, maybe a central meeting place is what we really need. While Mainstreet is great, it is designed for travel, and not equipped to facilitate a central community feel that makes a plaza so wonderful. Maybe it is just a dream, but when I head back to campus, I really hope to be able to look into some of the ways we might foster a more close-knit Bearcat community in the years to come.
For the rest of the day, we spent a lot of time exploring the city with small groups, traveling into and out of stores and restaurants, coffee shops and museums. I was impressed by the mix of cultures in Antigua. From my reading I knew that the city was a wonderful mezcla of old Spanish colonial architecture and indigenous native and modern culture, but I was not aware of how interconnected the two were until arriving in the city. I think that the connectivity of these cultures serves as a testament to the greatness that can be achieved with an inclusive and open mindset. Guatemala, like the US, is no stranger to racial discrimination. In fact, in some parts of the country this discrimination may be even more pronounced than back at home. At the same time, however, the country was able to incorporate the different elements of its history and diverse cultural background, acknowledging the benefits of each time and group, and celebrating those benefits together as one. This celebration was both beautiful to watch and to be a part of as we spent the day in one of the world's most impressive cities.
For the rest of the day, we spent a lot of time exploring the city with small groups, traveling into and out of stores and restaurants, coffee shops and museums. I was impressed by the mix of cultures in Antigua. From my reading I knew that the city was a wonderful mezcla of old Spanish colonial architecture and indigenous native and modern culture, but I was not aware of how interconnected the two were until arriving in the city. I think that the connectivity of these cultures serves as a testament to the greatness that can be achieved with an inclusive and open mindset. Guatemala, like the US, is no stranger to racial discrimination. In fact, in some parts of the country this discrimination may be even more pronounced than back at home. At the same time, however, the country was able to incorporate the different elements of its history and diverse cultural background, acknowledging the benefits of each time and group, and celebrating those benefits together as one. This celebration was both beautiful to watch and to be a part of as we spent the day in one of the world's most impressive cities.