Day Seven, Antigua

Interior Garden at CIRMA

Most Fridays this semester are free for all of the students in the Casa Herrera program and some Fridays we are doing activities as a group. Our first Friday, our seventh day of the trip, we took two tours as a group. First we went to the Centro de Invetigaciones Regionales de Mesoamerica (CIRMA). CIRMA has an extensive collection of books, records, newspapers, photographs, and periodicals available to the public to view in their building in Antigua. We got a tour of their facilities and the rooms where they store records in climate control; they even have original records from the rebels in the Guatemalan Civil War. Their photography collection has over a million pieces from 1800's daguerreotypes to contemporary digital's.

The most exciting piece of their collection for me is a beautiful copy of the Dresden Codex done on the exact kind of paper the original is made of. We are able to utilize all of the resources at CIRMA, and I hope to be able to get a chance to examine their copy of the Dresden much more closely. 

We also got a tour of Compania de Jesus in Antigua. This is a very large public library with resources that can be checked out f the building. We got a tour of their rooms and we say their study area with computers. We are all able to get a library card from the Compania de Jesus with a photocopy of our passports and the address for the Casa. While we were there, we also learned about Photography Month in Guatemala, which is September, and the activities that are going to be held in Antigua in celebration of this time. 

The rest of the day, Gloria and I focused on catching up on work and collecting the rest of the supplies we need for classes at the Casa. We did experience a hiccup I think is important to mention when doing a home stay in any country; we were late for lunch. Lunch is at 1pm during the time we have Casa classes, but on Fridays and Saturdays lunch is still at 12:30. At 12:30 on Friday, both Gloria and myself were still at the Casa working on our computers to catch up on work. When we realized we were late we rushed back to our home stay, and got in while they were already eating. To continue the trend, we managed to be late to dinner as well (due to talking to other Casa students about language study times), and Saturday morning we slept in past breakfast (our alarm was set, but not turned on). Both Gloria and myself hope that by being late to all three meals right in a row, we will avoid doing so again for the rest of the trip. Our host parents are extremely understanding and shrugged it off with a grin, but Gloria and I are now both more aware of being careful with when we are suppose to be somewhere.      

Day Six, Antigua (continued)

On Thursday the 1st Gloria and I had our primera clase de pintura (first painting class). We met with our teacher at the gallery here in Antigua to go and purchase supplies. he took us to two different places because one has good paints and canvases and the other has good paint brushes. Along the walk Gloria and our teacher talked to each other and I tried to follow along as best I could with Gloria's help when I was completely lost.
With our supplies in hand, we returned to the gallery and set up our two easels. Our teacher pulled out a photo album with pictures from all over Antigua. To begin, and focus on learning technique, our teacher wanted us to work from photos rather than life or imagination. We both picked out pictures of simple scenes; Gloria's is the roof of a church in front of the volcano Agua, and mine is of a wall with a door and its reflection in the puddles on the cobble street.
To start the painting we were given vine charcoal and our teacher explained to Gloria how to measure out the size of the width and length of the picture then multiple it on the canvas. Though our teacher explained it to Gloria and in Spanish, I watched and knew exactly what he wanted us to do. By measuring the lengths on the smaller picture and multiplying it by four on the canvas you get an approximate scale up that fits the canvas but is still to scale with the original picture. Gloria didn't understand fully so I reexplained it to her so she would be able to get started. Our teacher gave us minor corrections as we worked but we mostly had fun figuring out the perspective, scale and angle through trial and error.

After we had planned out the basic shapes and outlines in charcoal we were given trays with paper towel lining that had a centimeter of water in them and white, blue, red, and yellow acrylic paint. Our under paintings are in acrylic to make the use of oils on the final layer easier. The water is to thin out the acrylic so that it is more like water color and so that it doesn't dry while you are working. To start with the paint we went over our charcoal lines in yellow. Once all of our lines were gone over we took a paper towel and brushed off all of the charcoal lines, leaving the yellow paint behind.
We then went in with acrylic to plan out the under colors; shades, tones, shadows, and highlights. To make using oils even easier, we did two layers of acrylics over the whole canvas. Our class went over by about 30 mins (total 2.5 hours) so that we could finish our under paintings. Next Thursday (Sept 8th) is our second class and we will begin with oils.    

Day Six, Antigua

The sixth day in Antigua we had our two classes at the Casa. We changed our class schedule on this day to set up a more flowing daily schedule. We now have history from 9-10:30 and religion from 11-12:30, which changes mine and Gloria's lunch to 1pm, but makes the whole afternoon more open.

Our homework for our history class was a reading called "Antigua Tipica Markets and Identity Interaction" by Little from Mayas in the Marketplace. The reading "addresses how life and selling in a marketplace contributes to vendors' various expressions of collective identity" (pp89-90). By looking at the marketplaces in Antigua one is learning about the interactions between the indigenous, Ladinos, and tourists as well as their assumed place in the design of Antigua. There are two kinds of markets that happen in Antigua: periodic and tipica. In a periodic marketplace the consumers are local and return often to the market. The tipica marketplace is for tourist consumers or consumers who rarely return. The article explores the relationships between the tourists and the indigenous at the tipica market, the indigenous and Ladinos at the tipica markets and periodic markets, the tourists and Ladinos at the periodic market, and the tourists assumptions about the vendors at both market types. The article raised a lot of questions and observations for myself and the other students about the situations in the marketplaces and on the streets. I was warned about prejudices that exist in Antigua and all of Guatemala, but this article placed the issues in a locale in which we students can see everyday while studying here.
This reading led me to look more closely at what I had learned about huipils back in March. Huipils are embroidered with symbols and colors that indicate the place and family groups/tribes that the indigenous people come from. In modern times however, many indigenous no longer follow the traditions of wearing the colors and symbols of their homes. Some wear huiplils strictly for fashion while others wear different huipils to protect themselves.
In class we discussed the reading, and even touched on the modernization of the huipil. We then had a lecture on the key theological concepts of Maya religion and the Maya sacred scripts which still exist in one form or another today. We also did a quick historical look at Spain, which puts into context the actions of the conquest and what led up to it.

In religion class we watched a 1983 documentary called When the Mountains Tremble directed by Newton Thomas Sigel and Pamela Yates, and narrated by Rigoberta Menchu. The movie is a very close look at the war between the Guatemalan Military and the Maya indigenous population. The documentary looks from both the military side, following the soldiers and interviews with generals, and the indigenous rebels, following the guerrillas in hiding and interviews with Maya people being repressed by the military. The film was also narrated by Rigoberta Menchu, who told her own personal family history with the war in graphic detail. The documentary also shows the violent results of the military repression in Maya towns by showing footage of Maya people murdered by soldiers in too different places; one person is one town and a group of people in a village. The did not end until 1996, 13 years after the documentary was released. Class ran over our normal time so we did not have time to discuss the film, but outside of class all the students talked about its effect on us and the information we learned.     

Day Five, Antigua (Continued)

On the fifth day in Antigua, as well as going to classes at the Casa and at PLFM, Gloria and I went to a painting gallery she had seen when walking around with another student two days before. At the gallery we met one of the painters who rents time there to work and we looked at all the paintings in the gallery. Antigua has a few distinct styles of painting that seem to cater to tourists interested in the "colonial" Antigua. The gallery has a majority of paintings that emphasis colonial styles of oil painting but they also have more modern techniques and styles the artists are exploring. While we were looking at the gallery, the artist there was teaching two others some painting techniques. Curious I asked Gloria how to ask the artist if they do painting classes in the gallery. I asked the artist "Usted da clase de pintura?" Luckily, for both myself and Gloria, he said yes, they do do lessons on painting techniques. For a hundred quetzales each (about $13 US) we get a two hour lesson in Antigua painting techniques. We jumped at the opportunity, and made plans to meet with the artist the next day (Thursday) to purchase painting supplies (much cheaper here than in the states) and to get our first lesson.

As well as signing up for painting lessons, I have been working in my studio and have already finished a new portrait in The Boston Codex. My studio space is rather small, but it is not a shared space, unlike the other three spaces that are being set up for the six studio artists on the trip. Not all of us will use the spaces, so I may be able to take over another spot and create a larger space to work in. I am in my studio space at least once a day, working either on this blog of my codex. At this time, the angle my portfolio for this semester is taking focuses more on the painting techniques of Antigua and the continuation of my codex. It may change in the near future, so I will continue updating on the progression of my portfolio.

Day Five, Antigua

The first of September was the first day of classes for all of the students at Casa Herrera. The beginning of this semester, Sept 1st-Oct 13th, we have only two of the four classes we are taking. From 9:00-10:30am we have History of Guatemala, and from 1:00-2:30pm we have Religion of Guatemala. The first homework we had for the classes was a reading called "Place and People in a Transnational Borderzone City" by Little. This article explores the concept of Antigua as a "heterotopia": a space that juxtaposes "in a single real place several spaces, several sites that are themselves incompatible" (Foucault 1986); the city is both authentic and inauthentic, Ladino and Maya. The article also "...looks at how Guatemalans and tourists use Antigua and the types of contradictions that arise from that use" (p65). The chapter is broken up into scenarios which explore the different concepts of "heterotopia." The first scenario explores the concept of tourist using maps and lookout spots to separate themselves from the reality of the city and city life. The "tourist gaze" not only effects the tourists interaction with the city (an illusion of distance from the real) but it also effects the Guatemalans who know they are being watched and censor their actions based off of that knowledge. The second scenario explores the creation of the "modern-colonial" city. The city is both a modern, functioning place where people live now, and a recreation of what the city was in colonial times. Tourist want to experience the "colonial-city" while Guatemalans want to live and thrive in their home. The Guatemalans did, however, reconstruct themselves to fit into the concept of the "colonial-city" in an attempt to profit from the tourists who are looking for that experience. The third scenario is a typical Tuesday for the author who is an anthropologist working and learning in Antigua. It is interesting to read about the author moving through Antigua on a typical day when I myself am moving through it and recognizing where and what the author is discussing.    
In class we discussed the article and the concepts/issues it raises about our place and expected actions in Antigua as turistas (tourists). We also discussed what the expectations of the class are for this semester. We have three main projects for the history class this semester: a map project, a journal, and a paper all due at the end of our mini-semester in October. We were also told to come up with two questions for every reading to help start discussions. The same information was laid out in our second class, religion, with the exception that instead of a map project and paper, we have a paper and accompanying presentation at the end of the mini-semester.
In religion class we went over the important terms we will need to use in the class and some of the more important people in the development of the scientific study of religion; including Rudolf Otto, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, and Clifford Geertz. I have never taken a class on religion before, so I am very excited about what we will learn about the Maya and Ladinos of Guatemala.

Spanish Class in Antigua at PLFM

At 3pm we had our first Spanish class of the full semester. Our class is entirely in Spanish, and the four of us students take notes from what our teacher writes on the white boards as well as verbally repeat and respond to questions in Spanish. As a visual learner, and having never taken much Spanish in the past, I can say with some certainty that I was not doing as well or catching on to the language as quickly as my classmates. Despite my discomfort, the design of the class works very well, and I have managed to retain much more information than I originally expected.
We learned the Spanish alphabet, the conjegations of Estar and Ser, some adjectives which go with these irregular verbs, and Llamarse, Poder, Tener, and Gustar. Practice was difficult and my hands started sweating whenever I realized she was going to ask me questions I had to respond to. Overall the class was very good and I learned a very important sentence to use when I got back to my home stay, "Yo estoy tratando de habla Espanol" ( I am trying to speak Spanish). From this day on I am "banned" from speaking English at the dining room table, which is a great way for me to learn and practice more Spanish.

Day Four, Antigua

Volcano Agua from the streets of Antigua

On the fourth day in Antigua, Tuesday the 30th, we have the day off before classes start on the 1st of September. Gloria and I had discussed going to the gym in the morning then perhaps going to a local relaxing spot before we start digging in to classwork. However, our alarm was set for PM instead of AM, so we woke up just in time for breakfast, and, unfortunately, I also woke up sick. I do not have a stomach bug, which would have been concerning considering bacteria in the water here in Guatemala, but I was congested, headache-y, and I had a day long runny nose.
Gloria and I took it easy in the morning by hanging out in our room getting better acquainted, getting a good amount of the reading due on the 1st done, and we made plans to go to the gym after stopping by the Casa when it opened at 8:30am. Unfortunately, in an attempt to feel better, I took a small amount of cold medicine and by the time we arrived at the Casa I as too drowsy to feel comfortable at the gym. When I got to the Casa I set up my studio space in a back room in the Casa and worked a little on e-mailing and blogging (we have to pay for internet at our home stay so we are doing all internet related things at the Casa). After a while Gloria went to the gym alone (it was daylight so we were comfortable with that) and I took a nap to try to sleep off the drowsiness in the student's lounge. When I woke up I worked on my art piece; The Boston Codex, which I will be working on periodically throughout the semester. I also did more of the reading, which I finished before going to bed.
Later that afternoon Gloria, three other students and I went to a cafe near the Casa to practice Spanish and also get some coffee and tea. Practicing Spanish at meal times is very helpful to learning the language. Conversation is light and there is time to think and formulate replies and question in an unhurried manner. At restaurants in particular, you practice with the waitress what the names of foods are and you can eavesdrop on some conversations at other table to learn to listen and interpret as well as taking part in the conversations at your own table.
On the way back to our home stay for dinner I bought some Manzanilla Te (chamomile tea) in the hopes that I could ward off the cold by the next day; the first day of classes.     

Day Three, Antigua

Casa Herrera Students, Milady, and Dr. David Stuart at Casa Herrera

On Monday Gloria and I had our first breakfast with our host family. We had eggs and black beans, with warm bread and a bowl of fruit. At breakfast we talked with Cesar and Rosa about ourselves and our plans here in Antigua. Our hosts are very nice and very patient with me in particular; Gloria is fluent in Spanish and I need a lot of work.
After breakfast we had a meeting at Casa Herrera at 9am, so Gloria and I walk over together. The meeting was an orientation to help us get settled with the way things were going to go this semester, particularly with regards to field trips. A lot of the information was the same that we got at the orientations back in the states, but  going over the information again when we can reference what we are being told with what we are actually seeing going on around us was very helpful. We have several free weekends this semester to plan individual and group trips so it was important to go over safety issues with regards to travel and places.
After the meeting Gloria and I went back to our host family for lunch at 12:30. Lunch was a beef broth with potatoes and rice on the side, we also had tortillas, the staple food of Guatemala. During lunch we continued talking to our hosts and got to know them better.
After lunch Gloria and I went in search of the Antigua Gym. We wandered and looked at the city as we walked and eventually found the gym. The gym is a lovely little house with the strangest entry way I have seen thus far in Antigua. The walls are painted with male torsos in Andy Warhol style design and colors. the inside of the gym (we got to look around when we got there) is a large courtyard with a dome cloth cover to block rain and several small rooms around the sides. Ringing the courtyard are exercise machines and in the rooms are more machines and spaces for stretching and yoga. The gym only costs $34 for a monthly membership which includes all the classes they offer. Gloria and I decided to go a head and sign up.
After we signed up at the gym for a monthly membership each, we started wandering around Antigua again. Our orientation to language school was at 3pm that day so we wandered around looking for a cafe I frequented while I was in Antigua back in March. It turns out it is right near the language school so Gloria and I stopped there for some snacks before class.
We meet the rest of the students at PLFM and watched a video in the schools lecture room. Once all the students arrived we were introduced to the staff at PLFM and then assigned to our language teachers. I am in a group with three other students: Anny, Casey, and Jon. Our teacher is Maria, and she is extremely nice. Our first day the teachers took us on a tour of some of the places in Antigua we may need or frequent. We went by several Farmacias (pharmacies) and the Mercado (food market) that comes to Antigua on Monday's, Thursday's, and Saturday's.   
During the tour the four f us talked to our teacher and practiced some of the Spanish we have learned so far. Our teacher made sure we understood where we were and what she was showing us. She also told us a little about herself. When we got back to PLFM we stood and talked some more, laughing and making jokes as well as telling our teacher more about ourselves. At 5pm we said good bye and Gloria and I walked back to our home stay for dinner.
After dinner Gloria and I went to the Antigua Gym for our first try at working there. The gym is in a nice area in Antigua about 15 minutes away from our home stay. We walked there even though it was already dark at 7 but we got a taxi back to our home stay when we left the gym because we were warned to not walk around Antigua alone or even in pairs after 8:30/9:00pm. We were given the numbers of certain taxi drivers who Milady recommended and trusts who also know who we are and why we are here. We called one of the numbers we had and got a taxi sent our way in under ten minutes. The experience prepared us for what our night excursions to the gym will be like and how we want to handle them in the future.