Reaping the Benefits of the Guatemalan Landscape
A school organized function brought us, via public transportation, to Las Fuentes Georginas (see picture below). About an hour long trip from Xela, we took an American school bus to a town called Zunil where we deboarded and piled into the back of a pickup truck. Grabbing on for dear life to what I assumed was the roll bar, we climbed through the beautiful landscape of the Guatemalan countryside dodging cows, horses, and children.
Away from the city, the hillsides are dotted with patches of land broken up by the crop being cultivated. This particular area was covered with cabbage, lettuce, onion, and potatoes. Much of these vegetables are primarily for sale in the local markets and can not be exported. The land that is used for exportation (the money making land) is owned by the upper class which makes up 2% of the population. 80% of the most fertile, flat, arable land in the country is owned by 2% of the population and the farmers that work there barely make enough to provide for their families. The other land that is able to be farmed on is primarily used for crops that will feed the farmers´families and local community. This land lays against the sides of mountains, sometimes requiring the farmers to climb thousands of meters just to tend to the crops.
Those farming the area are usually all able bodied members of the community (men, women, and children of all ages). The rights of the indigenous people here in Guatemala have been abused for generations and very little is done to reverse this treatment. The government is made up almost entirely of the wealthy land owners who reap the benefits of international exportation and most likely have no intention of redistributing the land to provide for the people of their country. Although the hardship the Guatemalan people face is seemingly neverending, they continue to be hardworking, kind, and generous people to all.
As visitors to Guatemala we have all been welcomed with this attitude and are very grateful to be in such a beautiful place. Speaking of beautiful places, back to the springs.
Much of the group consisted of students that all had just met each other a day or two before. It being only Wednesday, there had not been a lot of time prior to this trip for genuine introductions and chatting. While traveling, many people are alone and have very little time to be shy or guarded. This being said, others are starving for attention and the adoartion of the group. I, falling somewhere in the middle, toned down my usual sarcasm and dry humor to allow some time before the others thought of me as cold and a bit of a bitch.
The 11 of us, all excited for the benefits of a good sulfur soak were in high spirits during the journey and even more so as we approached the baths. No time for insecurities or hesitation, due to the total lack of hygenic activities in our daily lives, we jumped in. Actually, it was really hot so it was more of a slow, painful, meander into the pool.
We spent an hour at the baths and got to know each other as well as other locals and travelers there. Changing out of our bathing suits and into some dry clothes we headed back down the mountain via our trusted pickup truck. The town at the bottom of the mountain sits surrounded by mist covered mountains and the towering Volcán Santa Maria. The ride down provided a beautiful view atop all of these natural wonders and we rode in awe of the unique landscape.
Back on the school bus we made plans for the evening. After our classes and dinner with our host families, free salsa lessons were being held in town at a local club. Long story short: lots of silly dancing, dos o tres cervezas, and lots of ridicule for tone deaf-rhythym lacking foreigners (myself included).
