Las Cosas

I wanted to share some of the everyday things that people use and do here in Ixtahuacan, Guatemala

The Pila

This handy sink has 2 sides. The left side is used for washing clothes and hands, and the right side is used for washing dishes. When we wash clothes, we leave them to soak for 2 hours in soapy water, then rub each on the washboard and rinse them. Then we leave them out to dry on lines like this:

El Bano

We have the luxury of using an outhouse here at Todd and Katy's house. They have a different section for #1 and #2, and they use both on their small farm for water and fertilizer.

Many people do not have an easy way to use the bathroom. There is a place in town (not sure where it is, don't need to go there) where people go to poop.

We used one bathroom that just has a hole in it. I hadn't thought of toilets as a luxury before, but really - they are.

El Pollo

Yes, pollo does mean chicken, but it's also the word for an outdoor stove. Just make a fire, and it is amazing how quickly things cook! It is also the place we "tortilar" (yes, making tortillas is a verb). I am still very bad at tortilla making, it is indeed an art.

La Comida

The food here is all fresh. There is no refigerator, so if there are leftovers they are covered up and left out. I ate 2 day old hot dogs, and they were just fine. We had pasta with chicken from the day before, also delicious.

People eat tortillas with every meal, partly because they're delicious, and partly for hunger. Sometimes the portions are small, and then you eat more tortillas to fill you up.

Bathing

We warm water up on the pollo. When it is hot enough, we put it in a bucket and go into the outdoor shower area. We pour water on ourselves and shampoo, soap up, then pour a little more water.

Many Guatemalans here do not have the luxury of hot water or an outdoor stove. Most people use a sauna twice a week. They believe that it is cleansing (and I agree). The sauna we used has a very low celing, so you have to be careful. We warm up water by the hot fire, and then pour it over ourselves.

It is important to have the windows closed, so that the cold does not come in after the sauna. "Hot" things are believed to be good for you, and you don't want to mix hot and cold.

Los Perros

Dogs here are treated very differently. There are two classes of dogs, the lower class being "chuchos". The dogs here, Canela and Puppy, are not pets. The family kicks or hits them if they come too close to the front door, or if they steal a tortilla. "Echase!" Lie down! They say.

Admittedly, I have also had to push them away at times. They jump up and scratch you legs. We are not supposed to pet them. It is kind of strange.

There are wild dogs throughout the town that find their own food in the trash dump. No one pets them, and they belong to no one.

Trash

Trash here is everywhere, especially in the river. Don't worry -we don't drink the water.

In the states, we never see the trash dumps. Here in Ixta, it is visible from the road. People with little money sift through the trash, looking for things to eat or sell.

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We are learning a lot about different ways of life. Admittedly, it makes me miss Minnesota and our home there. Things take much more time, there are less conveniences. Everything is new to us, everyone is new to us!

I vow to live each moment fully

and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion

-Thich Naht Hahn