Museums of Coffee, Mayan Music & Mayan Dress

This morning we took a camioneta into Antigua and then took a minibus to the town of Jocotenango where we visited 3 museums (all on the same grounds). At the coffee museum La Azotea we were walked through the production of coffee, from planting to consumption. We learned about the different types of coffee as well as the different stages of cultivation and production. We had a guided tour of the nursery, coffee fields and the machinery used to process, dry and roast the beans. Then we went to the museum of Mayan music where we saw and listened to an explanation about pre-Columbian instruments as well modern-day ones. That tour ended with a 20 minute video of traditional Mayan music and ceremonies. The last place we visited was a room dedicated to traditional Mayan dress. The woman wears a huipil, a hand-woven shirt that is embroidered with designs that represent her town, as well as a corte (skirt) and faja (belt). There are only a few areas left where the men still wear the traditional clothing.

A coffee plant

And then there were 8... (Amy left this rnorning)

Community bath-time!!

They'll be doing the salsa all the way to the States...

A typical Guatemalan house

More salsa & merengue!!

After another afternoon of Spanish classes we headed back to Salsa Dreams, a dance studio here in Antigua. We reviewed the salsa and merengue steps from last week and then learned some more. Despite being exhausted from all the physical labor during the service project our students did a great job dancing! Here are some pix:

 

The sign on the bathroom door at Salsa Dreams!

On the ride home after dance classes we passed through San Pedro Las Huertas, a small town outside Antigua. They were having a feria and we decided to stop for a while and take a look around. Izzie, Lauri, Gabe & Phebe went on one of the rides and managed to attract quite a crowd of spectators. Apparently four gringos screaming their heads off for the duration of the ride was entertaining!

Our last day of work in El Hato

Today was our last day of work up in the aldea (small town) of El Hato. There were a handful of kids around to talk to and who helped us with our work. We completed about 40 meters of the wall that surrounds the sports court and also repaired the pole and fence on one end as well as sections of the floor that had eroded. Before we left today we swept the whole court to get rid of all the leaves and dirt. Many blisters and sore muscles were earned in the process these past two weeks! Our Guatemalan work buddy/leader Maco said that Berwick sent a great group of workers and that we accomplished a lot!

Melvin!

Melvin wearing Erica's sunglasses

The whole group with our Guatemalan project manager!

Bringing the sand down with help from Erick

Izzie & Lauri repairing the side of the court

Phebe, Amy & Rachel mixing cement

Gabe playing soccer with some of the local kids

Cam repairing the side of the court

Rachel getting some help from Erick, a student at the school

Melvin supervising the work!

At work in El Hato

Wednesday Spanish Classes

Rachel, Erica & their teachers trying to guess what (Spanish) word is written on their foreheads

Gabe, Sammy, Lauri & Izzie playing Scattergories (in Spanish it's called Basta!) with their teachers

Cam & Phebe playing Scrabble in Spanish with their teachers

Blessing the newleyweds

Salsa lessons! (video)