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Spanish language school in Guatemala

Created in an internet cafe in San Pedro la Laguna, Guatemala, July 2004
Already before our trip we learned Spanish in a community center for 1½ year. That was quiet a good introduction into the language, but by far not enough to have a nice conversation with the people we will meet in this journey. Therefore we wanted to advance our knowledge in a language school on the way.
In Mexico we already have informed us, but the prices there were too high for our budget. In the internet we found a website, which compared many language schools in Guatemala: www.guatemala365.de (see website of the school the English part, the Link is at the bottom of the page!). We decided to have at least 4 weeks classes at "Escuela de Español Corazon Maya" in San Pedro la Laguna at Lago Atitlan.

After our 2 week stay in Panajachel at Lago Atitlan we had to ferry across the lake in a little boat to San Pedro la Laguna. The roads around the lake havn't been good enough for our bikes. (mi)

Antonio, the owner of the school, took us right after our arrival at sunday to our hosts. We decided to stay in a familes home because we thought the chances to speak Spanish in our free time should be more likely. What we didn't know was, that in our house could stay up to 6 persons. Since most of the students come from the States our free time language has been more English than Spanish.
The steep road from the lake up to the house of Rosa and Domingo with our heavy loaded bikes was hard work for us. (ma)


Our room was not very big, but it contained everything we needed to study. After we removed the second little bed we even had enough space for the bikes.
In Panajachel we already were annoied by mosquitos and so we installed our mosquito net (which we carry since more than one year) right at the first night. Unfortunately it couldn't protect us from the loud music from the nearby church, which sounded as if it was made right in our room. However the worship didn't take place late at night so there was no danger for our sleep. (ma)


Our family stay also contained the whole catering. And so all students met three times a day in the citchen. Doña Rosa prepared very good, typical guatemaltecan food for us. It was so much, that there never was left a little space in our stomach to check out all the nice little restaurants in San Pedro if we didn't miss out one of her meals. (ma)


The hammocks in the front garden always were a good place to learn vocabularies or just to read. There are many little stores where you can sell or trade used books (especially in English). In the background one can see the shower and rest room. They weren't connected to the main house. So you often had to carry an umbrilla to go there while the rain showers (July is rainy season) in the afternoon. (ma)

The school was directly at the Lago Atitlan. On the long narrow lot the apartment houses were built on the left side. You also can stay here in the school instead of a family stay. But than you have to prepare your food on your own. The right part of the lot consisted of a beautiful, tropical garden. Down at the lake followed the little open huts for the classes. The house dog Maya always cared, that it was not boring in the breaks. (ma)


Mila with her teacher Wilma

Markus with his teacher Chema
We had classes for 4 hours a day 5 days a week. Every student here has his own teacher. So the content of the curriculum could be exactely adjusted to the interests of the students. In the breaks all students met at the administration building and we had coffee, tee and cake. (ma/mi)

The school also offered many free time activities. Right in the first week there was a big fiesta in the neighbour village.Antonio organized a pick up truck in the evening To get there. We saw lots of sales booths with lots of plastic stuff. On the big stage was a band playing incredible loud music. The attraction of the festival was the Ferris wheel. It was driven by an old six cylinder truck engine. They just welded an old axis direktly to the outlet of the clutch and spinned the drive cable around one of the rims. The operator sat in the driver's seat and reved up the whole wheel to a worrying speed. And that in both directions! (ma)



Another highlight was the ascent of the near Volcán San Pedro. The hike begun at 6 o'clock in the morning. We went up a steep narrow path through the dens forest up to the summit, which is 4,500 feet above the lake. It took us more than 3 hours to crest. But we had good luck and there were no clouds at that day. So we could see Lago Atitlan and all the mountains around. (mi)


And finally Antonio introduced Mila to an artist from San Pedro, who by chance lives right across the street. Domingo Rodriquez Rocche is a good painter and so Mila could take some lessons in oil-painting. Who wants to to see more of his pictures or read about him should have a look on the website of "The Michael McCormick Gallery" in Taos, New Mexico: www.mccormickgallery.com (ma)


Since two years there is a street-dog-project, organized by the two Germans: Barbara Leuschner and Sandra Heinzelmann (on the right side of the picture). They carry on a little shop, where they sell dog food, drugs, leashes and little toys. In the context of the project they gather donations from the States, Germany and even from here to buy drugs, which they sell cheep or give for free to the local people. This is very often the only chance for the poor people here, to get inoculations or castrations for their animals.
Also twice a year a veterinarian like Dr. Michael Moulton (Iowa, USA, here while he is operating a dog with his sons Justin and Kurt) come to operate in a marathon-session as many dogs as possible for free. Often the only way, to reduce the "dog-flood".
If you also want to help these pet lovers then please contact Barbara Leuschner: sakcari@yahoo.de or
Sandra Heinzelmann: pelo702001@yahoo.com
Even little donations help a lot here. Both speak German, English and Spanish. (ma)
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