Chanukah!
Well, is looks like htis is going to be another holiday post. Not that that´s a bad thing. Time continues to pass in Xela, with things going along quite well. The major events of the past week or so have been a great Chanukah celebration, continuing to work with Partners in Solidarity (see previous post), DJing and further exploring my Spanish and getting to know this city.
Starting with Chanuklah, another Jewish girl and myself sought out to present Chanukah to about 30 people, none of whom were Jews. We found a Chanukiah & candles, made latkes, explained the story in Spanish and sang songs. It was really great to be able to share my own culture with others, as I am in another country learning and exploring their culture. I left the experiecne feeling really happy to have my Jewish culture, and happy to be among good people here in Xela in the abscence of my friends and family at home. At the end of the night, the 14 year old son of the family who hosted the party song some songs in Spanish and danced, which was incredible.
I have also continued my work with Partners in Solidarity, the organization I work for now which donates computers to rural schools and teaches how to repair and maintain them. Last week, we went to an inaguration party for a school that was opening up its computer labs. That was a neat experience to see how much respect they gave to the organization and how much it meant to them to the computers. We ate a communal meal of tamales made with Rice instead of corn – delicious.
Its great work, and on Thrursday I went out to the municipality of Cantel to view the family’s home where the organization stores their computers and recieves a lot of community support. A great family, we ate brocoli and rice with Tamalitos and played with the kids. Also took a drive around to some of the schools. They are truly isolated, and it feels great to bring them the computers and share what has always been so readily accesible to them. We’re also discussing a plan of bringing internet to some or all of these schools, which is exciting. Today, I hepled teach a three hour class on troubleshooting and maintaining computers. I gave a 30 minute presentation on the internal parts of the computer, and afterwards helped to explain troubleshooting processes and the BIOS. Quite great again to share this knowledge. One of the people presesnt invited us to a wedding next weeked, which should be a nice cultural exchange. We will also share Christmas with the family in Cantel.
Here in Xela, I’ve befriended some folks, both a DJ from DC and a local DJ, and have had the opportunity to DJ twice already, at a party and at a lounge, even getting paid. Its great to have music and software with me that facilitates these friendships and allows me to work even here in Xela. Its a great way to get involved, and meet local people who truly share my interests.
So, that is the current update. I hope to travel to Lago Atitlan for a few days tomorrow, then come home to Xela to teach another class on Chanukah to English students, and see some traveling saint statues at the family’s home in Cantel. I really enjoy being able to leave behind the normal tourist paths and get to know some of the local culture, which is the main reason I am still in Xela and not traveling about.
I’m sitting now in my hostel bed, listening to the pretty, if stale, sounds of a Marimba concert outside my window and nursing a bit of a stomach bug. I hope that all are well and look forward to hearing any stories from back home.
All my love.
leib-o-licious says:
oh, Josh! This is such a wonderful and heart warming post! I’m so excited. It sounds like you couldn’t have had a more wonderful channukah. And, after all of the talks we’ve had about what you might end up doing with your great talents, it’s so great to hear you’re having the opportunity to use your knowledge to help others. What a great channukah gift to guatemala! I’m so proud of you.
Things here are great. I’m getting SUPER excited and antsy as my own trip there gets within reach. Everything here’s good. Gonna have a bday party without you, though, and we’ll miss you. Just about done with finals at school, and then it’s all vacation and wedding planning for a month. Can’t say I’m being too productive here, but certainly learning a lot at school.
miss you.
love,
sara (and elly, who read your post behind my shoulder, and “oohed and ahhed’ with me at the pictures on flickr of you and all the clouds).
December 9th, 2007 at 8:13 am
neil says:
glad we ended up in xela at the same time… i’m stoked to meet someone here with such similar musical tastes. drop a line when you’re back in xela.
December 9th, 2007 at 5:49 pm