The Language School 2

Most of my lessons are held in an arch in the garden of the school (see photo in previous post) but at times we also go on trips with our teachers. Last week I visited Chichicastanangua and Panahachel which is a town on Atitlan Lake about two hours from here.

Chichicastanangua, or "Chichi", is a market town where the indigenous people sell their highly embroidered fabrics, masks, food and electrical goods. In the centre of the town is the only church in which the Mayan rituals and Christian faith have been combined. The local people light a series of candles and stick them to the floor of the church, they scatter petals and burn alcohol while saying prayers for dead loved ones. The original Mayan ritual involves slitting the throat of a chicken and sprinkling the blood but thankfully that part has been omitted in the church.

On the steps of the church Mayans eat, talk and sell flowers to shoppers in the market.

People told me that Atitlan Lake is famous for its beautiful views but as it rained very hard when I was there I'll have to take their word for it.