Thursday, June 29, 2006
Well, Mexico.
We've been here a week, and it has been a fascinating trip. We have met a lot of wonderful people, everyone has been very helpful, my Spanish has taken a quantum leap forward even if I can{t understand TV news commentators yet, and we have found the Mexican infrastructure to be first rate, at least in the few areas where we have been spending time.
We have considered, to a greater or lesser degree, the following cities. Our comments follow - by no means representing careful validation, but what we´ve experienced, read about, or heard from people here:
Guadalajara. No. Big city with all the crowds, traffic, noise and fumes that go with that. Also, hot. And too far away for us to really check out.
Guanajuato. Lovely, precious place - or so we've heard. We really do want to visit there, but didn't have time in our current agenda unfortunately. Limited academic opportunities. Supposedly a wonderful Central Theatre, along with great beauty, views, history, and a small to moderate English-speaking artsy community.
San Miguel Allende. Very attractive, clean, neat, trimmed and yes, it is possible to be here without using a word of Spanish. La Jolla South, but with a rather high average age. Painfully artsy. Lots and lots of do-good volunteer activities, concerts and all to occupy the wealthy retirees. Expensive and still becoming more so. On the plus side, there is a large and very active Unitarian Fellowship - the only one south of the US/Mex border that I know of. I was offered a small job here, teaching an English course on Saturdays for the University of Leon Extension Program.
Queretero. Where we are spending time now, and where we have lengthened our stay. Very appealing - a Mexican city with a European accent, not too many norteamericanos. Spanish is necessary. Very attractive Centro Historico. Three or four Universities, and I expect to talk with a couple of them while we are here - classes taught in English. More pricy than less developed Mexican cities, but there is a reason for that. And if challenging work is available here at, I've heard, a low but respectable salary, living here should be very do-able.
Oaxaca. Heard good things about it, but near the coast so it is HOT, and politically unsettled. There are some teacher's strikes going on now that may stop the National Election there this Sunday. Anyway, it is too far away for us to check out on this trip.
Xalapa (or Jalapa if you prefer). Really sounds appealing, and we were going to check it out before we decided to stay put and get to know Queretaro better, instead. More pricy than less developed Mexican cities, but for a reason. And if challenging work is truly available, living here seems do-able.
So, the comparison of these Mexican cities to Guatemala?
Guatemala City? No, no and no, for reasons of SAFETY and stability and noise and traffic, and the city is so disorganized that there is no decent map of it available. Three months, and I still am unable to drive to the center of the city.
Antigua? Very attractive, with its ruins from the colonial period. But small, and entirely based on tourism and language schools, which is another version of the same thing. No universities and very few teaching opportunities.
Panachajel/Lake Atitlan? Laid back and beautiful. And what do you do after the third week?
We've been here a week, and it has been a fascinating trip. We have met a lot of wonderful people, everyone has been very helpful, my Spanish has taken a quantum leap forward even if I can{t understand TV news commentators yet, and we have found the Mexican infrastructure to be first rate, at least in the few areas where we have been spending time.
We have considered, to a greater or lesser degree, the following cities. Our comments follow - by no means representing careful validation, but what we´ve experienced, read about, or heard from people here:
Guadalajara. No. Big city with all the crowds, traffic, noise and fumes that go with that. Also, hot. And too far away for us to really check out.
Guanajuato. Lovely, precious place - or so we've heard. We really do want to visit there, but didn't have time in our current agenda unfortunately. Limited academic opportunities. Supposedly a wonderful Central Theatre, along with great beauty, views, history, and a small to moderate English-speaking artsy community.
San Miguel Allende. Very attractive, clean, neat, trimmed and yes, it is possible to be here without using a word of Spanish. La Jolla South, but with a rather high average age. Painfully artsy. Lots and lots of do-good volunteer activities, concerts and all to occupy the wealthy retirees. Expensive and still becoming more so. On the plus side, there is a large and very active Unitarian Fellowship - the only one south of the US/Mex border that I know of. I was offered a small job here, teaching an English course on Saturdays for the University of Leon Extension Program.
Queretero. Where we are spending time now, and where we have lengthened our stay. Very appealing - a Mexican city with a European accent, not too many norteamericanos. Spanish is necessary. Very attractive Centro Historico. Three or four Universities, and I expect to talk with a couple of them while we are here - classes taught in English. More pricy than less developed Mexican cities, but there is a reason for that. And if challenging work is available here at, I've heard, a low but respectable salary, living here should be very do-able.
Oaxaca. Heard good things about it, but near the coast so it is HOT, and politically unsettled. There are some teacher's strikes going on now that may stop the National Election there this Sunday. Anyway, it is too far away for us to check out on this trip.
Xalapa (or Jalapa if you prefer). Really sounds appealing, and we were going to check it out before we decided to stay put and get to know Queretaro better, instead. More pricy than less developed Mexican cities, but for a reason. And if challenging work is truly available, living here seems do-able.
So, the comparison of these Mexican cities to Guatemala?
Guatemala City? No, no and no, for reasons of SAFETY and stability and noise and traffic, and the city is so disorganized that there is no decent map of it available. Three months, and I still am unable to drive to the center of the city.
Antigua? Very attractive, with its ruins from the colonial period. But small, and entirely based on tourism and language schools, which is another version of the same thing. No universities and very few teaching opportunities.
Panachajel/Lake Atitlan? Laid back and beautiful. And what do you do after the third week?
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
We are headed to Mexico this Friday. We'd been planning for this trip, thinking of the end of July. But this school where I am teaching has it's mid-year vacation next week. So we re-thought our plans accordingly.
This will be our chance to consider living outside of Guatemala. We want to explore the highland area smack in the middle of Mexico, a couple of hours north of Mexico City by bus. San Miguel Allende has a big US retirement community there, on the artsy-fartsy side. Or so we hear. Lots of North Americanos and cultural activities. There is a functioning UU Fellowship there, the only one in Central America as far as I know. This is definitely worth checking out - maybe living a bit removed, to have the advantages of the US presence and still have the feel of living in Mexico.
Then there is Guanajuato, only some two hours away - said to be beautiful, with universities and only a small gringo population. That might make it more attractive for teaching English or chemistry.
After that it is a toss-up between Guadalajara and Queretaro - both have interesting attractions. The thing about all these areas, both good and bad, is their altitude. They are in the altoplano - high up, like Denver - so it is great in the summer but can get pretty cool in the winter.
We both feel as though this trip came up awfully fast and isn't thought out as carefully as we'd like. But I don't know what we could really do to prepare in advance anyway, so why NOT now?
Myrna was at the Mexican Embassy again today. We realized at the last minute that she needs a visa, and it can't simply be purchased on arrival like my tourist card. They require the usual information, but they also want to see traveler's checks covering $50/day of travel, and a letter from me saying that I assume financial responsibility for us both. Papers, papers, MUST have PAPERS! This reaises the issue of whether we are married or not, in Mexico. In the USA, yes of course. But we are still waiting for notarized papers from Philadelphia to file official marriage papers here in Guatemala. So what is Myrna's status for the visa application from Guatemala to Mexico? Who knows.
So stay tuned for the next chapter of our exploits and expeditions this coming week or two.
This will be our chance to consider living outside of Guatemala. We want to explore the highland area smack in the middle of Mexico, a couple of hours north of Mexico City by bus. San Miguel Allende has a big US retirement community there, on the artsy-fartsy side. Or so we hear. Lots of North Americanos and cultural activities. There is a functioning UU Fellowship there, the only one in Central America as far as I know. This is definitely worth checking out - maybe living a bit removed, to have the advantages of the US presence and still have the feel of living in Mexico.
Then there is Guanajuato, only some two hours away - said to be beautiful, with universities and only a small gringo population. That might make it more attractive for teaching English or chemistry.
After that it is a toss-up between Guadalajara and Queretaro - both have interesting attractions. The thing about all these areas, both good and bad, is their altitude. They are in the altoplano - high up, like Denver - so it is great in the summer but can get pretty cool in the winter.
We both feel as though this trip came up awfully fast and isn't thought out as carefully as we'd like. But I don't know what we could really do to prepare in advance anyway, so why NOT now?
Myrna was at the Mexican Embassy again today. We realized at the last minute that she needs a visa, and it can't simply be purchased on arrival like my tourist card. They require the usual information, but they also want to see traveler's checks covering $50/day of travel, and a letter from me saying that I assume financial responsibility for us both. Papers, papers, MUST have PAPERS! This reaises the issue of whether we are married or not, in Mexico. In the USA, yes of course. But we are still waiting for notarized papers from Philadelphia to file official marriage papers here in Guatemala. So what is Myrna's status for the visa application from Guatemala to Mexico? Who knows.
So stay tuned for the next chapter of our exploits and expeditions this coming week or two.
We are headed to Mexico this Friday. We'd been planning for this trip, thinking of the end of July. But this school where I am teaching has it's mid-year vacation next week. So we re-thought our plans accordingly.
This will be our chance to consider living outside of Guatemala. We want to explore the highland area smack in the middle of Mexico, a couple of hours north of Mexico City by bus. San Miguel Allende has a big US retirement community there, on the artsy-fartsy side. Or so we hear. Lots of North Americanos and cultural activities. There is a functioning UU Fellowship there, the only one in Central America as far as I know. This is definitely worth checking out - maybe living a bit removed, to have the advantages of the US presence and still have the feel of living in Mexico.
Then there is Guanajuato, only some two hours away - said to be beautiful, with universities and only a small gringo population. That might make it more attractive for teaching English or chemistry.
After that it is a toss-up between Guadalajara and Queretaro - both have interesting attractions. The thing about all these areas, both good and bad, is their altitude. They are in the altoplano - high up, like Denver - so it is great in the summer but can get pretty cool in the winter.
We both feel as though this trip came up awfully fast and isn't thought out as carefully as we'd like. But I don't know what we could really do to prepare in advance anyway, so why NOT now?
Myrna was at the Mexican Embassy again today. We realized at the last minute that she needs a visa, and it can't simply be purchased on arrival like my tourist card. They require the usual information, but they also want to see traveler's checks covering $50/day of travel, and a letter from me saying that I assume financial responsibility for us both. Papers, papers, MUST have PAPERS! This reaises the issue of whether we are married or not, in Mexico. In the USA, yes of course. But we are still waiting for notarized papers from Philadelphia to file official marriage papers here in Guatemala. So what is Myrna's status for the visa application from Guatemala to Mexico? Who knows.
So stay tuned for the next chapter of our exploits and expeditions this coming week or two.
This will be our chance to consider living outside of Guatemala. We want to explore the highland area smack in the middle of Mexico, a couple of hours north of Mexico City by bus. San Miguel Allende has a big US retirement community there, on the artsy-fartsy side. Or so we hear. Lots of North Americanos and cultural activities. There is a functioning UU Fellowship there, the only one in Central America as far as I know. This is definitely worth checking out - maybe living a bit removed, to have the advantages of the US presence and still have the feel of living in Mexico.
Then there is Guanajuato, only some two hours away - said to be beautiful, with universities and only a small gringo population. That might make it more attractive for teaching English or chemistry.
After that it is a toss-up between Guadalajara and Queretaro - both have interesting attractions. The thing about all these areas, both good and bad, is their altitude. They are in the altoplano - high up, like Denver - so it is great in the summer but can get pretty cool in the winter.
We both feel as though this trip came up awfully fast and isn't thought out as carefully as we'd like. But I don't know what we could really do to prepare in advance anyway, so why NOT now?
Myrna was at the Mexican Embassy again today. We realized at the last minute that she needs a visa, and it can't simply be purchased on arrival like my tourist card. They require the usual information, but they also want to see traveler's checks covering $50/day of travel, and a letter from me saying that I assume financial responsibility for us both. Papers, papers, MUST have PAPERS! This reaises the issue of whether we are married or not, in Mexico. In the USA, yes of course. But we are still waiting for notarized papers from Philadelphia to file official marriage papers here in Guatemala. So what is Myrna's status for the visa application from Guatemala to Mexico? Who knows.
So stay tuned for the next chapter of our exploits and expeditions this coming week or two.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
My first project on arrival in Guatemala in March was to return to Quetzeltanango (Xela) for two more weeks of intensive Spanish. At the end of this period, I met Tony Robins, another guy who is retiring and intends to spend his future south of the border and isn't sure where that will be. We didn't spend much time together in Xela, but our email conversation since then has provided a tour of possibilities for creating new lives in Central America.
For more about Tony, his life, and why he is thinking about moving south, see his blog at tonyrobins.googlepages.com/home
TONY's COMMENTS ABOUT GUATEMALA
Quetzeltanango is a large and heavily overbuilt city, old, dirty smelly with no meaningful infrastructure. I have not seen a garbage truck since arrival but I have seen plenty of garbage. The water is not safe to drink. Perhaps there is a fire department or ambulance. service but I have seen none. There is a smog haze that obscures the local mountains and sometimes causes me breathing issues. The concept of clean air is a long way from their minds.
Everyone has 2 jobs or sells stuff on the street. A little street that goes nowhere might have 2 or 3 street vendors selling dubious food or pirate cds or the same newspaper as 5 other vendors in the square sell. The prices of food and papers is fairly well known and not negotiable but goods are never price marked and they just make it up.
The buses have this extra staff person who hangs out the door shouting the destination and honking the horn or flashing the lights. Overloading is expected and nothing works except perhaps the door and the engine. The chairs are broken as are all the instruments for the driver and the air conditioning and the windows. The extra staff also collects the fares in cash, no tickets of course. However, you can travel 2 hours for 50 cents.
So I’m in thos restaurant with not many customers and all the staff are chit chatting at the cash desk while these 2 customers in the distance are clearly getting agitated. I go up to pay my bill and say in spanglish “who is serving that table” nobody wants to understand me so I bekon to one of the waitstaff. She walks over and I point to the cusdtomers and say “Hablo”. My good deed for the day.
LEE TO TONY
MAY 21
Hi Tony, I really wish we had spent much more time together at Casa Xelajú. I’m not really sure what you are up to in your exploration of Central America, but it has enough overlap with my own interests that we should have much to share. Now that you have returned to Austin (today, I think, from reading your blog), I would really like to hear your summary of your travels and what conclusions you drew from it for yourself and for your future plans.
As for me, I have found it much harder to get my feet on the ground than I had anticipated, here in Guatemala. I had visions of living a moderate life here at much less cost than in the US, and using my African Peace Corps credentials to join an NGO working for community and economic development or human rights and democracy, one way or another.
Reality has been a rude awakening. Your observations about the personal dangers of living in Guatemala are correct.
I almost landed a great position to teach chemistry at a prestigeous private school here but, as they say, “almost” is reserved for horseshoes. Other teaching opportunities have not opened up. Most NGOs seem oriented to children or medical needs. At present I am searching for ways to break out of this box I have fallen into. Rattle enough cages, talk to enough people, and something should open up.
TONY TO LEE
May 21
Lee,
You seem to be having a very interesting time in Guatemala. Go knock 'em dead, as they say.
While in Nicaragua I came across the insight that just about any solution I came up with would have to be mine and that my days of working for someone else were numbered. Was I an idiot all those years working for someone else? Yes. It was a short term fix to get money in the door but longer term it limited what I could do and put me at the whim and mercy of someone else. Guess it took an 8 week vacation / retirement / education to ram thatidea into my skull. I am not even looking for a job in central america, I will create a niche for myself just as the shoeshine guy and the market vendors do.
Well, seeing the people in Guatemala, their conditions and lifestyles sure stopped me from feeling sorry for myself. Dang that's a hardlife, I am not even close. I have a new interest in life. Glad to say that I feel great and, as I said, this is my second life. Wow!
I plan to migrate to central america with my wife in November this year. She will do level 1 spanish school and I will do level 2 for a month in Leon Nicaragua. Leon is hot and my wife doesnt like heat but if you have read The Prince you will know what I am up to. During that month, we will visit places in the mountains at the weekends. Not as high as Xela but nicely fresh. It is so rediculously cheap to rent that we could do it indefinitely without the problems that permanence brings. Renting also brings with it the freedom for Karen to return to the US when she need to.
Every local I have talked to has expressed a desire to learn or improve their English. I want to teach to the TOEFL at a price the locals can
afford. Probably $1 per hour for conversational level and $2 an hour for the more serious person. If that doesn't work, I will be an lectricial or
plumber or tourist guide or driver or just plain retire and watch the grass
grow. I just don't worry and over analyze like I used to. Something will
work.
LEE TO TONY
MAY 24
OK Tony, it looks like we have our work cut out for ourselves. Onward and upward!
In a sense, part of why I feel so unsettled here in Guatemala is because I keep looking at – and discarding – various types of opportunities after just a preliminary exploration. But on the other hand I think that this is simply what happens when rattling the cage to find what will work.
Tony, I would like to know how you found the security situation in the other CenAm countries. Friends have told me that it is even more dangerous in Honduras and El Salvador than it is in Guatemala, although that is hard to believe. I really don’t like feeling that buses are too dangerous to use and that almost all strangers are potential threats, and being surrounded by all these guns.
My other question for you is why you are looking at Central America and not Mexico. True, many desirable locations in Mexico are Gringoland, which I don’t think appeals to either of us. But it is more accessible to family and friends in the US, and a location that is removed but still within striking distance of some US cultural accouterments could be pretty nice, I think.
Overall, my search will be a little different from yours, based in part on my experience in Africa. I found it very helpful and comforting to have an assigned position with organizational support in the initial stages while everything – environment, language, customs, resources, friends, roles – is new and unfamiliar.
So my current thought is to make an on-site survey of the NGOs working on community and economic development in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and maybe Nicaragua to find the organization I find most exciting, and then work with them for a time. For a subsistence stipend if possible. As a volunteer if necessary and the cost of living is as low as you seem to have found. (That certainly is not the case here in Cuidad Guatemala.) Then, if the NGO and I have a fantastic relationship, and Myrna has created a role for herself too, great. If not, by then Myrna and I will know the territory a bit and can move on to other things.
Or – maybe go look at Mexico.
TONY TO LEE
MAY 24
Mexico? Interesting. Never considered it much - too close to home. What
have you heard?
My final report on Central America : I visited Guatemala, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
Guatemala: Xela, I felt perfectly safe and walked many streets at night
alone without fear or incident. I spent 2 days and nights in Guatemala city
and did not feel safe at all. Place had bad vibes and the press is always
about dead people and attacks. So, its NO to Xela because its too cold and
NO to the big city because I don't feel comfortable taking Karen there.
There are probably hundreds of towns where it would have worked but the
sordid conditions I saw outside the two cities were unatractive.
Costa Rica, San Jose is the big city and I spent several days there over the
last 3 years. The rich areas are good and the others are not good at all.
I was misdirected and overcharged on several occasions and had to step over
sleeping people on the sidewalks. Good areas of the city can quite easily
reach Californian prices. Superb coffee and espresso machines almost
everywhere. You could survive here forever without a word of Spanish with
minimal inconvenience. Tourist buses were a little more expensive than
chicken buses but sheer luxury compared to anything I saw anywhere else in
CenAm. San Jose was a NO on security, prices, traffic and gringos but a YES
on climate and ease of living.
Costa Rica Dominical. This is a small place on the pacific coast and will,
one day, be the Cancun of CR. This is where I finally learned that I really
dont want to be a beach bum all my life. I have had my last conversation
with a mystic 23 year old drop out surfista who has seen it all, knows all
the answers but still has nothing to say. Dominical was a NO on mosquitoes,
gringos, heat, unpaved roads but a YES on bars, opportunity, investment.
Costa Rica San Ramon. Small town outside San Jose, a little cooler, less
busy, very safe, almost zero gringos, exclusively Spanish. Good vibes all
over it. Prices of property tremendously variable but its possible to
locate good offers with a little local knowledge. A strong MAYBE with Karen
and me.
Nicaragua Managua - simply NO NO NO. Read the tourist books and magazines
to see why. I was there and it's too big, too clumsy and just doesn't work
as a city. Granada is, so I have it on good authority, an excellent place
to do business, be with a few gringos and practice right wing politics. (I
am not making this up). Modern office buildings, thriving business
environment. I did not go there for almost exactly those reasons.
Nicaragua Leon. University city, hotbed of left wing politics, not one
single building over 2 stories high, much antiquity without being pushy or
pretentious about it. Without Spanish skills you are in for a rough and
very limited experience. Tourists exist but by avoiding 2 streets I almost
never ran into them. Mostly German backpackers and a sprinkling of gringo
students more on the serious side rather than the party animal side. If you
like to eat at a different restaurant every day, you will leave after 5
days. There are 2 espresso machines in the city. I was offered instant
coffee preloaded with sugar many times. It is hot and almost nobody has air
conditioning. People sit outside their homes on the sidewalk on rocking
chairs and horse carts are occasionaly on the streets. I have never felt so
safe and secure in my life as walking the street of Leon after dark. Leon
is a strong MAYBE with the only problem being the heat and Karen. I was OK
with it but I think Karen will decline it. LOTS of business opportunity,
real life and vibrancy everywhere. These people like life. For me, on my
own, this is it.
Nicaragua Jinotega (Esteli and Matagalpa). In the hills, quiet, rural,
safe, Spanish only, cheap, cool but not like Xela, bus service. If you want
anything in the slightest bit unusual, you will need to go to Leon or
Managua. Jinotega will be massive in tourism if you have ideas and
patience. Esteli and Matagalpa were a little larger and a little warmer -
depends how rural you want to be. For me, with Karen, Jinotega is it.
I didn't like what I read of Honduras and San Salvidor and didn't have the
time funds or interest in investigating them.
Reasons for visiting each country:
Costa Rica: familiarity, home base, researching San Ramon
Guatemala: Really cheap language school and Xela looked interesting
Nicaragua: Political history and very positive responses to emails.
One thing is for sure, enthusiasm, energy and hard work go a very long way
in CenAm. Planning, forthought and original ideas seem much less important
there than I am used to. I am very tempted indeed to just close up shop here and just move there and
wing it.
Let me know your thoughts on Mexico.
Tony
LEE TO TONY
MAY 26
Tony, I am slowly coming to believe that this exploration of CenAm is an exercise in self-flagellation. Trying to find the best of sad options. Yesterday I had a long talk with one of the staff at Peace Corps Guate. with lots of experience in the region. He is extremely happy here in the Cuidad, but then the PC gives him an expensive home in Vista Hermosa and sends his kids to Colegio Maya, so he doesn´t have to deal with the grime and poverty at all. Anyway, his take on CenAm:
Panama – just like the USA along the canal, but with complete jungle 1 hr north or south. He sees that as an advantage, but I don´t.
Costa Rica – as you know
Guatemala – sad because 50% of the population is boxed out of the economy and there is no chance that this will change, along with its other problems.
Tegucigalpa – an absolute NO, with the rest of Honduras close behind
Nicaragua – as you know
El Salvador – Actually, he likes ES – says the society is integrated, on the whole, and ES has a reputation as the hardest working people in CenAm. Very entrepreneurial.
So I am thinking more and more about Mexico. The web is full of flacks for Mexican real estate and investment opportunities. But by Ken Luboff, Avalon Travel Books, seems to have a more realistic take on things. Take a look at it at a Borders or Barnes and Noble.
Lots of retirees and gringos flock to the costal resort areas. Forget those – Miami Beach South.
San Miguel Allende is in the highlands, about 3-5 hours north of Mexico DF. SMA itself sounds like a transplant from La Jolla California, but there are communities around it that may offer the best of both worlds. The book says that Guanajuato – a major city, unfortunately - has an active life with culture, and “very few foreigners living here, you will rarely hear English.” So it might be possible to find an interesting opportunity between these two locations. The other problem is that “highlands” means weather like Xela.
Coming down from the highlands a bit, Chalapa seems to offer a lot – but again, it will be necessary to look around to avoid the gringo centers.
At any rate, there are lots of Spanish schools, and lots of English schools too, because English so essential for any profession in Mexico. Some 50% of the education is taught in English. So it sounds to me like there should be lots of teaching opportunities in both English and Chemistry, and finding a place that also feels comfortable should be a matter of time and looking.
Meanwhile, I am looking at teaching English at a little school near our house here for the rest of the academic year that ends in September. It should force me to use-improve my Spanish, put some routine back into my life, and give me a taste of teaching English, even if it is for little kids. This school is small – no class larger than 10 students.
FINALLY: I needed to gtake a trip outside of Guatemala to renew my tourist visa, and that took me to El Salvador. My take on our visit was posted earlier (see previous post).
Stay tuned for more occasional reports on the trials and tribulations of life in Central America, more or less as they occur!
For more about Tony, his life, and why he is thinking about moving south, see his blog at tonyrobins.googlepages.com/home
TONY's COMMENTS ABOUT GUATEMALA
Quetzeltanango is a large and heavily overbuilt city, old, dirty smelly with no meaningful infrastructure. I have not seen a garbage truck since arrival but I have seen plenty of garbage. The water is not safe to drink. Perhaps there is a fire department or ambulance. service but I have seen none. There is a smog haze that obscures the local mountains and sometimes causes me breathing issues. The concept of clean air is a long way from their minds.
Everyone has 2 jobs or sells stuff on the street. A little street that goes nowhere might have 2 or 3 street vendors selling dubious food or pirate cds or the same newspaper as 5 other vendors in the square sell. The prices of food and papers is fairly well known and not negotiable but goods are never price marked and they just make it up.
The buses have this extra staff person who hangs out the door shouting the destination and honking the horn or flashing the lights. Overloading is expected and nothing works except perhaps the door and the engine. The chairs are broken as are all the instruments for the driver and the air conditioning and the windows. The extra staff also collects the fares in cash, no tickets of course. However, you can travel 2 hours for 50 cents.
So I’m in thos restaurant with not many customers and all the staff are chit chatting at the cash desk while these 2 customers in the distance are clearly getting agitated. I go up to pay my bill and say in spanglish “who is serving that table” nobody wants to understand me so I bekon to one of the waitstaff. She walks over and I point to the cusdtomers and say “Hablo”. My good deed for the day.
LEE TO TONY
MAY 21
Hi Tony, I really wish we had spent much more time together at Casa Xelajú. I’m not really sure what you are up to in your exploration of Central America, but it has enough overlap with my own interests that we should have much to share. Now that you have returned to Austin (today, I think, from reading your blog), I would really like to hear your summary of your travels and what conclusions you drew from it for yourself and for your future plans.
As for me, I have found it much harder to get my feet on the ground than I had anticipated, here in Guatemala. I had visions of living a moderate life here at much less cost than in the US, and using my African Peace Corps credentials to join an NGO working for community and economic development or human rights and democracy, one way or another.
Reality has been a rude awakening. Your observations about the personal dangers of living in Guatemala are correct.
I almost landed a great position to teach chemistry at a prestigeous private school here but, as they say, “almost” is reserved for horseshoes. Other teaching opportunities have not opened up. Most NGOs seem oriented to children or medical needs. At present I am searching for ways to break out of this box I have fallen into. Rattle enough cages, talk to enough people, and something should open up.
TONY TO LEE
May 21
Lee,
You seem to be having a very interesting time in Guatemala. Go knock 'em dead, as they say.
While in Nicaragua I came across the insight that just about any solution I came up with would have to be mine and that my days of working for someone else were numbered. Was I an idiot all those years working for someone else? Yes. It was a short term fix to get money in the door but longer term it limited what I could do and put me at the whim and mercy of someone else. Guess it took an 8 week vacation / retirement / education to ram thatidea into my skull. I am not even looking for a job in central america, I will create a niche for myself just as the shoeshine guy and the market vendors do.
Well, seeing the people in Guatemala, their conditions and lifestyles sure stopped me from feeling sorry for myself. Dang that's a hardlife, I am not even close. I have a new interest in life. Glad to say that I feel great and, as I said, this is my second life. Wow!
I plan to migrate to central america with my wife in November this year. She will do level 1 spanish school and I will do level 2 for a month in Leon Nicaragua. Leon is hot and my wife doesnt like heat but if you have read The Prince you will know what I am up to. During that month, we will visit places in the mountains at the weekends. Not as high as Xela but nicely fresh. It is so rediculously cheap to rent that we could do it indefinitely without the problems that permanence brings. Renting also brings with it the freedom for Karen to return to the US when she need to.
Every local I have talked to has expressed a desire to learn or improve their English. I want to teach to the TOEFL at a price the locals can
afford. Probably $1 per hour for conversational level and $2 an hour for the more serious person. If that doesn't work, I will be an lectricial or
plumber or tourist guide or driver or just plain retire and watch the grass
grow. I just don't worry and over analyze like I used to. Something will
work.
LEE TO TONY
MAY 24
OK Tony, it looks like we have our work cut out for ourselves. Onward and upward!
In a sense, part of why I feel so unsettled here in Guatemala is because I keep looking at – and discarding – various types of opportunities after just a preliminary exploration. But on the other hand I think that this is simply what happens when rattling the cage to find what will work.
Tony, I would like to know how you found the security situation in the other CenAm countries. Friends have told me that it is even more dangerous in Honduras and El Salvador than it is in Guatemala, although that is hard to believe. I really don’t like feeling that buses are too dangerous to use and that almost all strangers are potential threats, and being surrounded by all these guns.
My other question for you is why you are looking at Central America and not Mexico. True, many desirable locations in Mexico are Gringoland, which I don’t think appeals to either of us. But it is more accessible to family and friends in the US, and a location that is removed but still within striking distance of some US cultural accouterments could be pretty nice, I think.
Overall, my search will be a little different from yours, based in part on my experience in Africa. I found it very helpful and comforting to have an assigned position with organizational support in the initial stages while everything – environment, language, customs, resources, friends, roles – is new and unfamiliar.
So my current thought is to make an on-site survey of the NGOs working on community and economic development in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and maybe Nicaragua to find the organization I find most exciting, and then work with them for a time. For a subsistence stipend if possible. As a volunteer if necessary and the cost of living is as low as you seem to have found. (That certainly is not the case here in Cuidad Guatemala.) Then, if the NGO and I have a fantastic relationship, and Myrna has created a role for herself too, great. If not, by then Myrna and I will know the territory a bit and can move on to other things.
Or – maybe go look at Mexico.
TONY TO LEE
MAY 24
Mexico? Interesting. Never considered it much - too close to home. What
have you heard?
My final report on Central America : I visited Guatemala, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
Guatemala: Xela, I felt perfectly safe and walked many streets at night
alone without fear or incident. I spent 2 days and nights in Guatemala city
and did not feel safe at all. Place had bad vibes and the press is always
about dead people and attacks. So, its NO to Xela because its too cold and
NO to the big city because I don't feel comfortable taking Karen there.
There are probably hundreds of towns where it would have worked but the
sordid conditions I saw outside the two cities were unatractive.
Costa Rica, San Jose is the big city and I spent several days there over the
last 3 years. The rich areas are good and the others are not good at all.
I was misdirected and overcharged on several occasions and had to step over
sleeping people on the sidewalks. Good areas of the city can quite easily
reach Californian prices. Superb coffee and espresso machines almost
everywhere. You could survive here forever without a word of Spanish with
minimal inconvenience. Tourist buses were a little more expensive than
chicken buses but sheer luxury compared to anything I saw anywhere else in
CenAm. San Jose was a NO on security, prices, traffic and gringos but a YES
on climate and ease of living.
Costa Rica Dominical. This is a small place on the pacific coast and will,
one day, be the Cancun of CR. This is where I finally learned that I really
dont want to be a beach bum all my life. I have had my last conversation
with a mystic 23 year old drop out surfista who has seen it all, knows all
the answers but still has nothing to say. Dominical was a NO on mosquitoes,
gringos, heat, unpaved roads but a YES on bars, opportunity, investment.
Costa Rica San Ramon. Small town outside San Jose, a little cooler, less
busy, very safe, almost zero gringos, exclusively Spanish. Good vibes all
over it. Prices of property tremendously variable but its possible to
locate good offers with a little local knowledge. A strong MAYBE with Karen
and me.
Nicaragua Managua - simply NO NO NO. Read the tourist books and magazines
to see why. I was there and it's too big, too clumsy and just doesn't work
as a city. Granada is, so I have it on good authority, an excellent place
to do business, be with a few gringos and practice right wing politics. (I
am not making this up). Modern office buildings, thriving business
environment. I did not go there for almost exactly those reasons.
Nicaragua Leon. University city, hotbed of left wing politics, not one
single building over 2 stories high, much antiquity without being pushy or
pretentious about it. Without Spanish skills you are in for a rough and
very limited experience. Tourists exist but by avoiding 2 streets I almost
never ran into them. Mostly German backpackers and a sprinkling of gringo
students more on the serious side rather than the party animal side. If you
like to eat at a different restaurant every day, you will leave after 5
days. There are 2 espresso machines in the city. I was offered instant
coffee preloaded with sugar many times. It is hot and almost nobody has air
conditioning. People sit outside their homes on the sidewalk on rocking
chairs and horse carts are occasionaly on the streets. I have never felt so
safe and secure in my life as walking the street of Leon after dark. Leon
is a strong MAYBE with the only problem being the heat and Karen. I was OK
with it but I think Karen will decline it. LOTS of business opportunity,
real life and vibrancy everywhere. These people like life. For me, on my
own, this is it.
Nicaragua Jinotega (Esteli and Matagalpa). In the hills, quiet, rural,
safe, Spanish only, cheap, cool but not like Xela, bus service. If you want
anything in the slightest bit unusual, you will need to go to Leon or
Managua. Jinotega will be massive in tourism if you have ideas and
patience. Esteli and Matagalpa were a little larger and a little warmer -
depends how rural you want to be. For me, with Karen, Jinotega is it.
I didn't like what I read of Honduras and San Salvidor and didn't have the
time funds or interest in investigating them.
Reasons for visiting each country:
Costa Rica: familiarity, home base, researching San Ramon
Guatemala: Really cheap language school and Xela looked interesting
Nicaragua: Political history and very positive responses to emails.
One thing is for sure, enthusiasm, energy and hard work go a very long way
in CenAm. Planning, forthought and original ideas seem much less important
there than I am used to. I am very tempted indeed to just close up shop here and just move there and
wing it.
Let me know your thoughts on Mexico.
Tony
LEE TO TONY
MAY 26
Tony, I am slowly coming to believe that this exploration of CenAm is an exercise in self-flagellation. Trying to find the best of sad options. Yesterday I had a long talk with one of the staff at Peace Corps Guate. with lots of experience in the region. He is extremely happy here in the Cuidad, but then the PC gives him an expensive home in Vista Hermosa and sends his kids to Colegio Maya, so he doesn´t have to deal with the grime and poverty at all. Anyway, his take on CenAm:
Panama – just like the USA along the canal, but with complete jungle 1 hr north or south. He sees that as an advantage, but I don´t.
Costa Rica – as you know
Guatemala – sad because 50% of the population is boxed out of the economy and there is no chance that this will change, along with its other problems.
Tegucigalpa – an absolute NO, with the rest of Honduras close behind
Nicaragua – as you know
El Salvador – Actually, he likes ES – says the society is integrated, on the whole, and ES has a reputation as the hardest working people in CenAm. Very entrepreneurial.
So I am thinking more and more about Mexico. The web is full of flacks for Mexican real estate and investment opportunities. But
Lots of retirees and gringos flock to the costal resort areas. Forget those – Miami Beach South.
San Miguel Allende is in the highlands, about 3-5 hours north of Mexico DF. SMA itself sounds like a transplant from La Jolla California, but there are communities around it that may offer the best of both worlds. The book says that Guanajuato – a major city, unfortunately - has an active life with culture, and “very few foreigners living here, you will rarely hear English.” So it might be possible to find an interesting opportunity between these two locations. The other problem is that “highlands” means weather like Xela.
Coming down from the highlands a bit, Chalapa seems to offer a lot – but again, it will be necessary to look around to avoid the gringo centers.
At any rate, there are lots of Spanish schools, and lots of English schools too, because English so essential for any profession in Mexico. Some 50% of the education is taught in English. So it sounds to me like there should be lots of teaching opportunities in both English and Chemistry, and finding a place that also feels comfortable should be a matter of time and looking.
Meanwhile, I am looking at teaching English at a little school near our house here for the rest of the academic year that ends in September. It should force me to use-improve my Spanish, put some routine back into my life, and give me a taste of teaching English, even if it is for little kids. This school is small – no class larger than 10 students.
FINALLY: I needed to gtake a trip outside of Guatemala to renew my tourist visa, and that took me to El Salvador. My take on our visit was posted earlier (see previous post).
Stay tuned for more occasional reports on the trials and tribulations of life in Central America, more or less as they occur!
Sunday, June 04, 2006
El Salvador is not the common tourist destination, and it has a reputation as being extremely dangerous. Myrna and I just returned from a three day visit there by car from Guatemala City and found it variable, but mostly delightful. And certainly there are far fewer security guards carrying big ugly guns than here in Guatemala. We take that as a definitely positive sign.
Our visit was designed to get me out of the country, in order to renew my Guatemalan tourist visa before it expired. A tourist visa is good for 90 days, but each entry resets the clock. For a time, it almost seemed that that our objective was in doubt. We left Guatemala on June 1, precisely the day that Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua formed a common region where passports are not needed at the border. Fortunately, Guatemala immigration was still stamping US passports, and El Salvador stamped my passport as a favor, even though they said it wasn’t necessary. So my sojourn outside of Guatemala got duly recorded after all.
The guide books have little to say about Santa Ana, our first stop, except for an impressive church there. We didn’t see the church, but found the Central Park and adjacent market depressing, impoverished, and horrid. We did have a good meal nearby at a friendly cafe and bought some delicious pastries from a street vendor. I´m sure not all of Santa Ana was like this, but we were glad to leave quickly.
Then on to the outskirts of San Salvador and south to the beach at Puerto La Libertad. The roads in El Salvador are a delight, very much like the US, and much of the Pan American Highway (CA-1) in El Salvador is divided, multi-lane, limited access. Near San Salvador the highway is lined with modern foreign factories and expensive condominium complexes. Without any doubt, there is a lot of money being made here, but it is not clear that much of it sticks to the country or the people.
Initial impressions of La Libertad weren’t too good. Rocky beach of dark volcanic sand, lots of pollution at the southern end where we found this odd hotel that was trying to keep up appearances without much success. But it had a pool, hammocks in front of every room, air conditioning and cable TV. Why complain? The next morning we discovered the pleasures of La Libertad - had a great breakfast of local food at a waterfront kiosk, along with the fishermen who were not using their boats this day because the sea was too rough. They were using the opportunity to patch their nets instead, and were very friendly, telling us of the different types of nets and fishing that they do. Then we walked through the colorful fishing wharf, full of fish vendors selling everything from the sea. I had a big bowl of conch ceviche – fresh shucked scallops in a blood-red sauce of scallop juice with lime, onion and tomato, Worchester and hot sauces. A bit intimidating, but delicious.
The local specialty is the papusa, a tortilla stuffed with cheese, fish, meat, fried beans, or all of the above. Served with cole slaw and a hot (temperature) tomato sauce. Very good. The fried plantains are also a pleasure, along with excellent coffee. Food at the waterfront restaurants was more expensive, but here we had two big delicious breakfasts at the kiosk, for $1.90.
In the afternoon we drove to Santa Tecla, a suburb of San Salvador with a huge, modern mall that would sit comfortably most anywhere in the US. Product quality was high, and I was even able to use my debit card to get money from my bank in the US to replace the casual clothes I did not bring to Guatemala, but now find I need. El Salvador uses the dollar as its currency which is convenient but feels a bit strange.
On returning to La Libertad, we were wondering how to spend the evening. We stopped to watch a local soccer tournament, and met Julio who was willing to put down his skateboard to talk with us. He was a gregarious kid who seemed to know everything that was going on, and he told us of a church dinner-dance fiesta, then showed us how to get to it. It was clearly the big event of the town. The program included a beauty contest for pre-schoolers, and lots of latin dancing. We met the mayor, and heard his plans for cleaning up the beach and providing assistance for single mothers in La Libertad.
The next morning we watched the surfers ride the waves off Rocky Point (Punte del Roces), had another big breakfast, and then set off for Guatemala. We drove back along a coastal road with incredible views of the ocean as it winds through the mountains bordering the shore. Our impressions of El Salvador are of great beauty, surprisingly good roads, friendly outgoing people, and great economic diversity.
Yes, we do think the country requires diligence for personal safety but the people are extremely warm and friendly, and after Guatemala, caution for personal safety is simply business as usual.
Our visit was designed to get me out of the country, in order to renew my Guatemalan tourist visa before it expired. A tourist visa is good for 90 days, but each entry resets the clock. For a time, it almost seemed that that our objective was in doubt. We left Guatemala on June 1, precisely the day that Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua formed a common region where passports are not needed at the border. Fortunately, Guatemala immigration was still stamping US passports, and El Salvador stamped my passport as a favor, even though they said it wasn’t necessary. So my sojourn outside of Guatemala got duly recorded after all.
The guide books have little to say about Santa Ana, our first stop, except for an impressive church there. We didn’t see the church, but found the Central Park and adjacent market depressing, impoverished, and horrid. We did have a good meal nearby at a friendly cafe and bought some delicious pastries from a street vendor. I´m sure not all of Santa Ana was like this, but we were glad to leave quickly.
Then on to the outskirts of San Salvador and south to the beach at Puerto La Libertad. The roads in El Salvador are a delight, very much like the US, and much of the Pan American Highway (CA-1) in El Salvador is divided, multi-lane, limited access. Near San Salvador the highway is lined with modern foreign factories and expensive condominium complexes. Without any doubt, there is a lot of money being made here, but it is not clear that much of it sticks to the country or the people.
Initial impressions of La Libertad weren’t too good. Rocky beach of dark volcanic sand, lots of pollution at the southern end where we found this odd hotel that was trying to keep up appearances without much success. But it had a pool, hammocks in front of every room, air conditioning and cable TV. Why complain? The next morning we discovered the pleasures of La Libertad - had a great breakfast of local food at a waterfront kiosk, along with the fishermen who were not using their boats this day because the sea was too rough. They were using the opportunity to patch their nets instead, and were very friendly, telling us of the different types of nets and fishing that they do. Then we walked through the colorful fishing wharf, full of fish vendors selling everything from the sea. I had a big bowl of conch ceviche – fresh shucked scallops in a blood-red sauce of scallop juice with lime, onion and tomato, Worchester and hot sauces. A bit intimidating, but delicious.
The local specialty is the papusa, a tortilla stuffed with cheese, fish, meat, fried beans, or all of the above. Served with cole slaw and a hot (temperature) tomato sauce. Very good. The fried plantains are also a pleasure, along with excellent coffee. Food at the waterfront restaurants was more expensive, but here we had two big delicious breakfasts at the kiosk, for $1.90.
In the afternoon we drove to Santa Tecla, a suburb of San Salvador with a huge, modern mall that would sit comfortably most anywhere in the US. Product quality was high, and I was even able to use my debit card to get money from my bank in the US to replace the casual clothes I did not bring to Guatemala, but now find I need. El Salvador uses the dollar as its currency which is convenient but feels a bit strange.
On returning to La Libertad, we were wondering how to spend the evening. We stopped to watch a local soccer tournament, and met Julio who was willing to put down his skateboard to talk with us. He was a gregarious kid who seemed to know everything that was going on, and he told us of a church dinner-dance fiesta, then showed us how to get to it. It was clearly the big event of the town. The program included a beauty contest for pre-schoolers, and lots of latin dancing. We met the mayor, and heard his plans for cleaning up the beach and providing assistance for single mothers in La Libertad.
The next morning we watched the surfers ride the waves off Rocky Point (Punte del Roces), had another big breakfast, and then set off for Guatemala. We drove back along a coastal road with incredible views of the ocean as it winds through the mountains bordering the shore. Our impressions of El Salvador are of great beauty, surprisingly good roads, friendly outgoing people, and great economic diversity.
Yes, we do think the country requires diligence for personal safety but the people are extremely warm and friendly, and after Guatemala, caution for personal safety is simply business as usual.
