Day 4,5

Day 4, We drove to the city of Quetzaltenango =pronounced Ketzaltenango, and called Xela (Shayla) for short . It's approx 135miles from Guatemala City. It took about 4 hours, but as there is a huuuuge project to widen the road to what looks like a 4 lane highway it will eventually cut the travel time down by half. There is still enormous poverty in this country of around 10 million people. The UN says that 87% of Guatemalans live in poverty, and 30% don't have access to drinkable water. More than half the population is indigenous Mayan and around 35% Ladino (mixed Mayan and European descent) The Ladinos hold the economic and political power, which means the majority of the poor are the indigenous. 2% of landowners hold 68% of cultivatable land, and the majority indigenous people survive thru subsistence farming. Which explains the large numbers of street vendors in cities, small towns and along the roadside selling their fruits and vegetables.

Day 5- Today we had an orientation. It was a day of getting to know each other and learn some more about the upcoming week's activities. Started with an hour of Spanish lesson. We are encouraged to use Spanish when we start our project , which will be to paint the exterior walls of an elementary school and then decorate all 4 walls. See the picture of what we are expected to make it look like. Time will tell!!
Our accommodation is in a modern brick home on the outskirts of Xela, see pic above, 5 bedrooms, 4 bunkbeds in each. There is a staff of 6 who take care of everything, cooking, cleaning, driving us to our workplace, etc. We are well taken care of.
After lunch, another spanish lesson, then a tour of the city -Quetzaltenango.It 's not a pretty city, and nothing of great note to see as far a tourist attraction. We went to a market where there are some very colorful items for sale.