Clarity

This weeks reading were very eye opening. At times even though I have read much more about Guatemala then ever before, I still feel like I am walking in the dark and have no idea what I am getting myself into while going to Guatemala. Until this week, I had a hard time imagining what it would actually be like when we arrived in Guatemala. From always growing up in the suburbs I can’t imagine what it is like to have such different sec’s living right next to each other, and the though of barbed wire fences to protect homes, is only something I have seen in movies.

The more I read about the people of Guatemala, the more I feel there is some sort of compromise that can be made in the ways of modernization. While I fully agree with and understand wanting to preserve your traditions. I sometimes feel as though the people are living in the “stone age” for o apparent reason. Simple re-organization of resources and funds could go a long way in modernizing, and in turn could possibly help them profit more.

Equally as alarming is the way the Guatemalan people leave themselves open for attach, due to the divide within in the nation. The tension between the Mayans and the ladinos, reads like a modern day civil war just waiting to happen, in which the country would either be split in two, or where one ethnicity would be forced out of the country.

I found it most interesting to read about kinship, home life and the open-ness they have with one another. Reading about the home setup reminded me of my town at home, just a bit less modern. Family is very important in Guatemala and that is also seen in the kitchen being the center of the home. Food is a great way to grow closer to each other, as it is a time to talk and reconnect. This focus on family could possibly be connected with the importance and openness religion plays in the society. While the majority of the country affiliates with a religion, I found it most interesting to read about the difference between the k’u’x and anima and how Guatemalan’s use these to classify themselves and the world.

It was interesting to read about the important of spirituality, but at the same time, as a religious person it seemed as though the need for k’u’x’ in life took away from the importance of only focusing on God, one single god, in religion in America. I suppose the focus on religion I was expecting to read about as I turned the pages turned into rituals and spiritual acts that was much different then here in America.