Santa Maria Tzeja is a small rural community in northern Guatemala about 30km from the Mexican border. A little more then 1,000 people live here in the village. Last month SMT celebrated its 39th anniversary of foundation. In the late 70s and early 80s, SMT was caught in the middle of the Guatemalan Civil War. This sad history of SMT is well documented in the book “Paradise in Ashes” by Beatriz Manz, an anthropologist working in the community during the years of the war. If you would like to learn more about that time period in SMT’s history, I strongly recommend it.
Santa Maria Tzeja currently has no running water or electricity, however there are plans to bring both to the village (“It’s easy to say, harder to do” is the most common phrase whenever this subject is brought up.) We’ll see what things look like by the time we leave in November. Most families have “pilas” or cement pools that collect the rain water off their houses for washing and bathing. In the dry season (read: so ridiculously hot I want to cry season), water must be carried from the “pozos” or wells dug out of the side of the hills that are spread around the village. At first not having running water at my instant disposal was my greatest annoyance but I have come to appreciate the time visiting with people as I fill my water jug at the pozo and the appreciation I have for the water I use.
I joined the community soccer team thinking it would be a one game friendly inter-community get to know you. I was unprepared for the 14 week regular season, punches being thrown at the ref, drunks throwing rocks at me as I tend goal, and kicks to the face that it has actually turned out to be. My sitting the bench on my high school team did not prepare me for this.
By now you must be asking yourself, "So what’s there to do on a Saturday night for a hip twenty something couple 45min from the nearest town of any size?" I want to know the same thing. Once a month or so there tends to be a dance of somekind; usually Marimba music. Otherwise people tend to hang out around the 6 general stores at the town center. Typically one of the stores will run a small generator and play a Spanish dubbed kung-fu movie which have begun to grow on me. Other then catching up on the latest soccer scores and town gossip, weekends tend to be a bit slow. (I thought growing up in rural Ohio was boring).
That said, life here tends to feel a lot like a paradise vacation for me most days. The stars are indescribable and I have read more in the last six monthes than the six years prior. People have been extreamly friendly and forgiving of my social blunders. As my Spanish improves, so does my ability to connect with the other teachers, soccer players, my students and the community in general. Living in Santa Maria Tzeja and teaching English these last six months have been the most significant experience of my life.
Santa Maria Tzeja currently has no running water or electricity, however there are plans to bring both to the village (“It’s easy to say, harder to do” is the most common phrase whenever this subject is brought up.) We’ll see what things look like by the time we leave in November. Most families have “pilas” or cement pools that collect the rain water off their houses for washing and bathing. In the dry season (read: so ridiculously hot I want to cry season), water must be carried from the “pozos” or wells dug out of the side of the hills that are spread around the village. At first not having running water at my instant disposal was my greatest annoyance but I have come to appreciate the time visiting with people as I fill my water jug at the pozo and the appreciation I have for the water I use.
I joined the community soccer team thinking it would be a one game friendly inter-community get to know you. I was unprepared for the 14 week regular season, punches being thrown at the ref, drunks throwing rocks at me as I tend goal, and kicks to the face that it has actually turned out to be. My sitting the bench on my high school team did not prepare me for this.
By now you must be asking yourself, "So what’s there to do on a Saturday night for a hip twenty something couple 45min from the nearest town of any size?" I want to know the same thing. Once a month or so there tends to be a dance of somekind; usually Marimba music. Otherwise people tend to hang out around the 6 general stores at the town center. Typically one of the stores will run a small generator and play a Spanish dubbed kung-fu movie which have begun to grow on me. Other then catching up on the latest soccer scores and town gossip, weekends tend to be a bit slow. (I thought growing up in rural Ohio was boring).
That said, life here tends to feel a lot like a paradise vacation for me most days. The stars are indescribable and I have read more in the last six monthes than the six years prior. People have been extreamly friendly and forgiving of my social blunders. As my Spanish improves, so does my ability to connect with the other teachers, soccer players, my students and the community in general. Living in Santa Maria Tzeja and teaching English these last six months have been the most significant experience of my life.
1 comment:
Edd - thanks so much for sharing this post with us! I have to tell you, I didn't realize it was you writing at first and when I read about the rock throwing, I thought it was Audrey and was horrified!! Thank goodness she's safe :)
Give Audrey a hug for me!
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