12 Things That Take Getting Used To in Guatemala

Our arrival in Guatemala gave us a dose of brief culture shock.  We're now used to many of the things that struck us as strange in our first 24 hours.  Here's a rundown of what's taken some getting used to in Guatemala.

1. Alleys.  Dozens of nameless alleys in San Pedro provide pedestrian access to homes and shortcuts between the cobblestone roads.

Baxter tries to catch up to his brother on this familiar alley walk to school. 

2. Transport.  Getting around is mainly by foot, but when traveling more than a mile we've ridden in the backs of trucks.  Everyone pays the driver about $0.25 when they hop off at their destination.

Our family goes on a field trip with our teachers.  Where do we put the car seats?

3. Hauling.  Women balance things on their heads.  Men carry them on their backs.  Loads often exceed 100 lbs.  Not limited to adults. . . .

These kids scavenged this firewood and are hauling it home, including the 4 year old boy.

4. Trash.  There's a different cultural approach to trash.  It's relatively acceptable to litter on the ground.  In this respect, Shelly notes a similarity to her travels in India.

Vacant lots become dumping grounds.

5. Flies. Of course where there's trash, there are flies.  Hundreds swarm around us at the basketball court.  Street vendors swat at them to keep them off the fresh fish or other foods.  Even in the kitchen in our house, cloth napkins often cover fresh food to keep the flies off.

On the curb next to where I'm sitting: How many do you see in this 1 sq ft area?

6. Dogs.  Stray dogs rule the streets at night when people toss the bones and other inedible detritus from cooking into the streets.  During the day, they sleep or wander about harmlessly.

This stray visits the water bowl left at the entrance by the cafe owner.

7. Noise. Nighttime brings a cacophony of yelping dogs, stray cats, and sounds from roosters that never got the memo about crowing at daybreak.  In the daytime, the most shocking sound is from bombas--much like our explosive fireworks--heralding a fiesta of some sort.  We all ducked reflexively when one launched surprisingly just feet from where we were standing.

8. Color.  A pleasant cultural difference is the use of culture in this Mayan culture.  It's seen in everything from clothing to landscaping.  Bright colors rule.

Our teachers recently posed for us, unwittingly demonstrating the use of color.

9. Tortillas. Served with every meal, every day tortillas are the staple in the local diet.  In Guatemala, these are made from corn, water, and limestone (to help break the shells off the kernels when preparing).

All prepared fresh daily on the wood stove in our kitchen.

10. Water.  Like many places in the developing world, fresh water is not a given.  In San Pedro, municipal water flows three mornings a week so our host family fills up as many buckets and barrels as possible on those mornings. Hot water is typically prepared over a wood stove.  Drinking water is trucked in for makeshift water coolers.  We supplement this with a filtration system we brought from home.  We never use the tap to rinse our toothbrushes.

Common cold-water sink with non-potable water at reputable local restaurant.

11. Bathing. Hot water is a luxury.  In our house, we have the only hot-water shower.  Given the limited supply of water, we try to use the shower sparingly.  The water is heated by an electric element retrofitted to the shower head.  So far, it's only been shocking metaphorically.

Our shower complete with blue and white water heater and requisite electrical wires.

12. Toilet Paper.  How else to finish a 12-things list than with toilet paper?  It was with some embarrassment that we were told by our hostess 3 days into our stay that toilet paper shouldn't go in the toilet.  All toilet paper goes in the trash can to preserve the effluent plumbing.  Oops.

So that's what the trash can is for!

There's more we're learning and getting used to.  But these 12 jumped out as some of the first things.  More to come.

Also, we've made some changes to our blog including the format and the ability for anyone to comment (sorry, we weren't previously trying to force people to join Google+).  Post a comment with what you think about the changes or which of the above would be hardest for you to get used to.  We'll use your input to help evolve the blog.

Next up, a fresh post about unexpected similarities to America we've seen in Guatemala.