I'd like to congradulate my fellow blogger Jacob Jerome and everyone else that graduated from CMC this year. Unlike them, I decided not to graduate this past semester. Instead, I've decided to stay in Steamboat for at least another six months. I'm building credits to transfer over to CU Boulder and working hard at getting in-state tuition.
But now I'm here and most people have left for the summer. Since I went home during the entire month of May last year, Mud Season was something I had yet to experience. It seems like a large amount of people in this town are bored and "have nothing to do".
I can see where it's easy to get bored this time of year because you wake up around noon, look outside the window at the gray rainstorms rolling in and and check your agenda. You groan and think to yourself "Oh, look, once again I have nothing to do today".
However, I am determined not to get the mud season blues. This is a beautiful town and it doesn't matter if it's snowing, raining or sunny outside. There are always things to do for little or no money. Here are a few suggestions:
Get a Hobby- Some people enjoy building model cars, others like to crochet. Personally, I'm a book junkie. The start of Mud Season has been a reminder of how many good books I picked up last summer, and to be honest I'm excited to see if I can do more this year. It doesn't matter what you're into, this is the best time to enjoy doing it. Maybe it's time to pick up that guitar you had to have but never learned how to play.
Visit Friends- I had three days off from work and nothing to do. What could possibly be a better time to hop in a car and visit a new town? A couple of my friends moved to Boulder last year and I had yet to make it out and visit them. It was a great trip because I got to check out CU Boulder, the school I plan on attending after CMC, and spend time with great people.
Get in Shape- Just because it's raining doesn't mean you can't go for a run. I have to admit the first time I put my running shoes on in months was about a week ago. I stepped outside with my friend's dog thinking we could jog to the dog park, play fetch and jog back. It was sprinkling but I didn't mind. That was until I made it 20 yards to the dirt trail and a freak hail storm hit. I debated going for the run anyways until the puppy decided the hail was too painful and hid underneath my porch. Still, biking and jogging are great ways to get in shape and explore the beauties of this town that you haven't seen before. And, if you do get caught in a freak storm you can always catch the free bus to safety.
Become a Movie Buff- Since we are all broke and home by around 6pm my roommates and I have frequent movie nights. If it's come out in the past two months we've probably seen it. We frequent red box, blockbuster and netflix about two or three nights a week. It's a good way to bond and pass time.
Travel- With the economy recovering from such a slump there are amazing deals everywhere. This winter my family and I went on a cruise for ridiculously cheap. Flights may vary daily but hotels have such great deals. Checkout sites like travelocity.com or orbitz for good deals.
Volunteer- If you are sitting around with nothing to do all day there is always the option to volunteer. You can participate in river clean ups, walk dogs at the animal shelter or even become a mentor. Chances are you will meet some pretty cool people and feel good about yourself in the process.
Guatemala Presentation
Monday, April 19, 2010
As a final part of the class we have to do a community presentation on our experiences in Guatemala. If you have been reading my posts or just want to learn more be sure to come this Thursday night! There will be coffee by donation and Guatemalan merchandise for sale. All proceeds will be turned into a scholarship for students to attend a school we visited outside of Guatemala City. It will be held at 6pm at the Bud Werner Library.
Visiting an artist in Guatemala
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Sorry it has taken me so long to write about this trip. We experienced a lot down there and it's hard to continue on with everyday life knowing such horrible things are going on in the world. It takes a long time to process everything we learned, and each time I take a look back at my journal I see things in a different light.
One of my favorite speakers was a woman who was supposed to talk to us about art. She began talking about local painters and then went into traditional weaving. She showed us some traditional clothes and began to explain the meaning behind the patterns.
The up and down lines she is pointing at in the photo represent the double headed snake which has many significant meanings to the Mayan culture. She explained that the up and down represented high points and low points in one's life. When someone very close to you dies you are at the bottom and you grieve for the loss. After so many days of grieving a person says will ask themselves where they want to be emotionally and being to climb up the latter.
Being an American I assumed being at the top all the time would be the ultimate achievement but I was wrong. We are always moving up and down the latter depending on where we are in our lives. Unlike the US way of thinking being happy all the time is the best thing in the world, the important part to them is maintaining balance. When you are at the top you are reminded that things can always get worse, which makes you grateful for what you do have. When you are at the bottom there is the assurance that things will certainly get better.
This woman seemed to be very enlightened. At one point she said "The wisdom of the universe is very large". This saying has definitely stuck with me because it's so true. Often times we find ourselves wondering how we got to a certain point or into a certain situation but if we remind ourselves that there are larger things out there our problems seem much smaller.
She respected that we celebrated different ideas and came from a completely different way of life. It's so interesting to learn about different ways of thinking and how people see the world. Meeting with this woman has only reinforced how bad I want to study philosophy.
Here is some of the artwork they had displayed.
One of my favorite speakers was a woman who was supposed to talk to us about art. She began talking about local painters and then went into traditional weaving. She showed us some traditional clothes and began to explain the meaning behind the patterns.
The up and down lines she is pointing at in the photo represent the double headed snake which has many significant meanings to the Mayan culture. She explained that the up and down represented high points and low points in one's life. When someone very close to you dies you are at the bottom and you grieve for the loss. After so many days of grieving a person says will ask themselves where they want to be emotionally and being to climb up the latter.
Being an American I assumed being at the top all the time would be the ultimate achievement but I was wrong. We are always moving up and down the latter depending on where we are in our lives. Unlike the US way of thinking being happy all the time is the best thing in the world, the important part to them is maintaining balance. When you are at the top you are reminded that things can always get worse, which makes you grateful for what you do have. When you are at the bottom there is the assurance that things will certainly get better.
This woman seemed to be very enlightened. At one point she said "The wisdom of the universe is very large". This saying has definitely stuck with me because it's so true. Often times we find ourselves wondering how we got to a certain point or into a certain situation but if we remind ourselves that there are larger things out there our problems seem much smaller.
She respected that we celebrated different ideas and came from a completely different way of life. It's so interesting to learn about different ways of thinking and how people see the world. Meeting with this woman has only reinforced how bad I want to study philosophy.
Here is some of the artwork they had displayed.
Pictures from Guatemala
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Sorry I didn't make a fancy slide show for this trip. I figured I'd post a few of my favorite/ the most meaningful pictures with descriptions of each. That way you can click on them to enlarge and ask questions if you have any!
The children there were beautiful
We are all Humans
Graffiti for a political group
Sunset over the lake
Boat on the water
A Fisherman
Mayan-Catholic Saints
This used to be a Mayan temple. When the Spanish came they knocked down the temple and built their own, but left the steps.
A memorial for an American priest who was killed by the Guatemalan government
An organization that seeks to find missing people from the war and fights for social justice (This group is largely responsible for the investigations of mass graves)
A Mass Grave
Graffiti on a building formerly owned by the United Fruit Company
A Wall of Missing People
Visiting the Mayan Ruins in Tikal
Star Wars Buffs would understand
A band playing in the park in Antigua
One Hundred USD was worth over 700 Quetzals
The children there were beautiful
We are all Humans
Graffiti for a political group
Sunset over the lake
Boat on the water
A Fisherman
Mayan-Catholic Saints
This used to be a Mayan temple. When the Spanish came they knocked down the temple and built their own, but left the steps.
A memorial for an American priest who was killed by the Guatemalan government
An organization that seeks to find missing people from the war and fights for social justice (This group is largely responsible for the investigations of mass graves)
A Mass Grave
Graffiti on a building formerly owned by the United Fruit Company
A Wall of Missing People
Visiting the Mayan Ruins in Tikal
Star Wars Buffs would understand
A band playing in the park in Antigua
River O
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
When I was growing up my parents put my sisters and I on swim team. We did it all; private club teams, high school teams and anything recreational that had to do with water. For this reason being in water always seemed as natural as being on land. When I took my first ever white water rafting trip two years ago with paddling club I realized my love for water extends beyond that of a 100 
meter chlorine filled swimming pool.
There is nothing like the adrenaline rush of falling into ice cold rapids and figuring out a way to be rescued. Remembering all the fun times I had playing around on rafts and duckies last summer helped me in my decision to sign up for this trip. Each time I rode a ducky down the rapids or guided a raft I felt an adrenaline rush. My heart would start pounding a little faster and my mind would clear up. All thoughts would dissipate as my mind and body focused on one thing: getting through the rapids and having a great time.
We learned so many things on this trip I never would have thought of. I didn’t realize how much wild life depends on the riparian habitat and how small and delicate it is. For those of you who don't know the riparian habitat is the area at the bank of a river. A majority
of wildlife uses it on a daily basis.
We also had an interesting mini lesson about how the state controls the water flow. Basically whoever has the oldest deed has the highest priority when it comes to water. That part upset me because damming water and controlling its usage just doesn’t seem natural. Although we were right there with nature I felt like knowing these rivers are controlled by mankind took away from that a little bit.
My greatest challenge was learning to oar. Oaring is a lot harder than it looks. It takes a lot of strength and coordination. Although I’m still not that great at it I’m happy I had the opportunity to practice.
Overall it was a great trip. I think the group bonded really well and the instructors were great at balancing fun and learning. I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything.
meter chlorine filled swimming pool.There is nothing like the adrenaline rush of falling into ice cold rapids and figuring out a way to be rescued. Remembering all the fun times I had playing around on rafts and duckies last summer helped me in my decision to sign up for this trip. Each time I rode a ducky down the rapids or guided a raft I felt an adrenaline rush. My heart would start pounding a little faster and my mind would clear up. All thoughts would dissipate as my mind and body focused on one thing: getting through the rapids and having a great time.
We learned so many things on this trip I never would have thought of. I didn’t realize how much wild life depends on the riparian habitat and how small and delicate it is. For those of you who don't know the riparian habitat is the area at the bank of a river. A majority
of wildlife uses it on a daily basis.We also had an interesting mini lesson about how the state controls the water flow. Basically whoever has the oldest deed has the highest priority when it comes to water. That part upset me because damming water and controlling its usage just doesn’t seem natural. Although we were right there with nature I felt like knowing these rivers are controlled by mankind took away from that a little bit.
My greatest challenge was learning to oar. Oaring is a lot harder than it looks. It takes a lot of strength and coordination. Although I’m still not that great at it I’m happy I had the opportunity to practice.
Overall it was a great trip. I think the group bonded really well and the instructors were great at balancing fun and learning. I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything.
Chichicastenango: Market Day
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
The third day of the trip was definitely one of my favorite because we got to go shopping! Chichicastenango is famous for its marketplace on Sundays and Thursdays. We arrived on Wednesday evening and had no idea what we were in for. We had a couple hours of free time that night to check out the town and as we walked around we saw people setting stuff up. I thought I had a basic understanding of what the place would look like the following day but I was very wrong.
When we woke up the next morning the town was completely transformed. We walked out of our hotel and every inch of the street was filled. People were selling anything you could imagine. From purses and headbands to flip flops and alarm clocks.
After breakfast Corey and I decided to check out the church. The steps were lined with people selling flowers. As we walked into the church there was an overwhelming aroma from the incense. Unfortunately I couldn't handle it for too long and soon left to wait outside. Once Corey was finished we met up with Julie and hit the marketplace ready to explore.
I was hesitant about haggling at first but once something caught my eye I began to make offers. Trying to negotiate a price with someone that speaks an entirely different language can be very challenging. It was fun seeing how low they would go. They'd insist you drove them down to their lowest price but as soon as you walked away from the deal they would say "Okay, okay, okay" and lower the price a little more. Everything was so unbelievable cheap because our dollar is worth so much more.
The marketplace is set up with material goods on the outside and food on the inside. We went to see what grocery shopping was really like in Guatemala and at first it didn't seem so bad. There were fruit stands, people making tortillas and a few deep fryers.
But as we made it closer to the heart of the market we started to see some pretty gross things. Once I saw this bucket of fish I decided to turn around. (Dead fish terrify me.) Apparently it was a good decision because when we met up for lunch people in the group were sharing stories of seeing piles of chicken heads. (Ewe!)
At one point a woman stopped Julie and convinced her to let her do her hair. Here's the video.
When we woke up the next morning the town was completely transformed. We walked out of our hotel and every inch of the street was filled. People were selling anything you could imagine. From purses and headbands to flip flops and alarm clocks.
After breakfast Corey and I decided to check out the church. The steps were lined with people selling flowers. As we walked into the church there was an overwhelming aroma from the incense. Unfortunately I couldn't handle it for too long and soon left to wait outside. Once Corey was finished we met up with Julie and hit the marketplace ready to explore.
I was hesitant about haggling at first but once something caught my eye I began to make offers. Trying to negotiate a price with someone that speaks an entirely different language can be very challenging. It was fun seeing how low they would go. They'd insist you drove them down to their lowest price but as soon as you walked away from the deal they would say "Okay, okay, okay" and lower the price a little more. Everything was so unbelievable cheap because our dollar is worth so much more.
The marketplace is set up with material goods on the outside and food on the inside. We went to see what grocery shopping was really like in Guatemala and at first it didn't seem so bad. There were fruit stands, people making tortillas and a few deep fryers.
But as we made it closer to the heart of the market we started to see some pretty gross things. Once I saw this bucket of fish I decided to turn around. (Dead fish terrify me.) Apparently it was a good decision because when we met up for lunch people in the group were sharing stories of seeing piles of chicken heads. (Ewe!)
At one point a woman stopped Julie and convinced her to let her do her hair. Here's the video.
Overall it was a great experience. I got plenty of gifts and souvenirs and had a great time in the process!
2012: Myth or Reality?
Monday, March 29, 2010
I have to admit when I first realized we were meeting up with Mayan descendants I was excited. I mean with all this hype about 2012 who wouldn't want the opportunity to ask the descendants themselves about the fate of our civilization?
As luck would have it many of the people we met with spoke about the Mayan calendar because it's such a major part of their lives. A couple even brought up the possibility of our world as we know it coming to an end.
For starters it's important to understand that the calendar is very intricate. Based solely on astronomy it seems amazing that people without our technology could create such an accurate calendar. For anyone who is not familiar with how the system works I found this short video to help explain. It is believed that 2012 is the end of a 394 year period called B'ak'tun. Traditionally the Mayans believed this time represented great change, but nobody ever stated what would happened when the calendar ran out.
Two of the men we met with were quite convinced that drastic change will occur. They both had similar things to say about how destructive humans are. They talked about how we waste resources and keep taking from mother nature like we are entitled to everything.
The first man said he didn't think the world would come to an end, but he believed there would be a lot of suffering and change. He believed the people that would be most affected would be those at the bottom. For example the rivers may run dry and the have-nots would be without water becuase people with all the money and power would take it from them. According to him this is already happening but 2012 will be the breaking point where the most people will suffer.
The second man who discussed the issue was our tour guide in Tikal. Time after time again he would talk about how powerful mother nature is and how she always takes back what is hers. He mentioned the movie Hollywood produced and insisted it wasn't that far off. Having never seen 2012 I asked him to elaborate. He said that the world as we know it will cease to exist. mother nature will take back what is hers and our civilization will fall, leaving room for a new civilization to rise.
I don't know if I believe in 2012 or not but it was definitely cool hearing Mayans talk about it.
As luck would have it many of the people we met with spoke about the Mayan calendar because it's such a major part of their lives. A couple even brought up the possibility of our world as we know it coming to an end.
For starters it's important to understand that the calendar is very intricate. Based solely on astronomy it seems amazing that people without our technology could create such an accurate calendar. For anyone who is not familiar with how the system works I found this short video to help explain. It is believed that 2012 is the end of a 394 year period called B'ak'tun. Traditionally the Mayans believed this time represented great change, but nobody ever stated what would happened when the calendar ran out.
Two of the men we met with were quite convinced that drastic change will occur. They both had similar things to say about how destructive humans are. They talked about how we waste resources and keep taking from mother nature like we are entitled to everything.
The first man said he didn't think the world would come to an end, but he believed there would be a lot of suffering and change. He believed the people that would be most affected would be those at the bottom. For example the rivers may run dry and the have-nots would be without water becuase people with all the money and power would take it from them. According to him this is already happening but 2012 will be the breaking point where the most people will suffer.
The second man who discussed the issue was our tour guide in Tikal. Time after time again he would talk about how powerful mother nature is and how she always takes back what is hers. He mentioned the movie Hollywood produced and insisted it wasn't that far off. Having never seen 2012 I asked him to elaborate. He said that the world as we know it will cease to exist. mother nature will take back what is hers and our civilization will fall, leaving room for a new civilization to rise.
I don't know if I believe in 2012 or not but it was definitely cool hearing Mayans talk about it.
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