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Stranger in a Strange Land Newsletter: December 2006

Dear Readers,

I'll be flying home from Mexico City in two days, after two and half months in Mexico and Guatemala with a brief trip to Copan, Honduras as well. It's been a good trip and the shortest I've taken since I began my lone travels in 2002. I've seen eight ancient ruins, six made by the Aztec, the Mayan, and the Zapotec people, and two great ancient cities we know not who built: Teotihuacan and Cuicuilco, just north and south of present day Mexico City. I climbed an active volcano for goodness sake. I travelled on crowded "chicken buses" or "autobus publico." I saw the awe inspiring, beautiful Lake Atitlan.

I'm writing to you right now from Oaxaca and it was amazing to see the city several weeks ago when it was covered in graffiti, full of political posters and protesters and not a single policeman was here. And it's amazing to see it now when it's full of armored federal police, the teachers are back to work, and the graffiti was painted over. And in some places, especially those closer to the police, no one has put any graffiti over that paint, requesting now both the governor and the federal police to leave.

I spent a lot of time in the lovely colonial city of Antigua, Guatemala. Some say it's a little too lovely and touristy, not the "real" Guatemala. But if you want to experience the "real Guatemala" then all you have to do is walk down to the bustling "mercado" (market) in Antigua where people are selling everything not just souvenirs. And you can buy real Guatemalan food for $10 quetzales (about $1.30 American) in an exciting, dirty, poorly lit, bustling, authentic, charming atmosphere full of locals. The food will probably include some meat in sauce or some eggs, a little salad, maybe some rice, almost always "frijoles" (beans), and always, always tortillas. Guatemalan meals include tortillas as often as Korean meals include kimchi. I went down to that market a lot and I often ate with friends as well, cooking at our hostel.

I really enjoyed meeting people in Antigua! Actually I met a lot of fun and fascinating people in Antigua and all over Mexico and Guatemala. I hope to keep in touch with all you people, and I hope our paths cross again! I was even able to celebrate Thanksgiving and my birthday with friends in Antigua. It was great. I didn't even have to beg you kind readers to send me birthday wishes, as I so needed last year alone in the mountains of Korea, and as you so kindly did!

One of the things I looked forward to the most about Mexico and Guatemala was the colorfulness and I haven't been disappointed. The crowded chicken buses (everyone's nickname for public buses in Guatemala which are actually old North American school buses) full of locals and usually a couple foreigners is probably the best example of this. Dark skin, light skin, creamy medium tone, western clothes, cowboy hats, colorful native dress, cute little kids, salesmen selling Christianity, candy, and calendar pens. (I wonder if I just offended people now on grounds of racism, sacrilege, and excessive haphazard alliteration.) Well, I always love to hear from you readers, for whatever reason! Really, thanks for reading and read on for some more details if you want. Take care of yourself and someone else too.

Happy Holidays,
Eli


There are about thirty volcanoes in Guatemala and three of them are active. What do I mean by "active"? I mean, for example, I took a van from Antigua, hiked up a mountain and there was glowing, red, molten lava cascading and rolling down the black, porous, volcanic rock. I was able to get close enough that I could hardly stand the heat. I really did all this and so did thousands of other tourists who went to Antigua! Nevertheless, it was one of the most amazing experiences. There was an amateur photographer there who was also really effected by the experience and she kept on going on about the colors. The glowing red lava in the otherwise dark night, eerily reflecting off the mist above it created an amazing sight indeed.

But what really got me was the heat. The lava was a mere meter or two away. I could feel the heat from the lava, from the volcano, from all the way deep down inside the wonderful, mysterious, apparently hot, mother earth. Then there are travellers I spoke to who didn't think much of the whole the volcano Pacaya. I realize more and more it's what you bring to an experience that makes it special. And what I've been trying to figure out is exactly what I have been bringing to my experience of my recent travels! I got something out of that lava, I got something out of crossing over the Lake Atitlan, I got something out of the dynamic ruins in Palenque, Mexico surrounded by rainforest and rivers, and most of my time I've spent with friends in Antigua and San Pedro on Atitlan.

That's what I've been drawn to: hanging-out with friends. And those who know me, know I'm all about studying serious subjects, solitary introspection, and questioning and questioning everything. Oy. But now I just want to hang-out with friends! Is there something wrong with me? No, that seems fairly normal: maybe that's what's so confusing. Anyway, it's where I am right now. Only I don't know where this is. I got here a year awhile ago and I'm still trying to figure-out it's whereabouts. I'll keep you posted as much as I'm able. I also realize more and more the limits of what I am able to do. Where are you dear reader?