On our way there

The while team made it safely to DFW, now we are on the aircraft waiting to departure.

What's Guatemala?

It is a country in Central America (it is not in South America!). Some locals might get upset if you say it is on South America, so be careful when talking to a Guatemalan or chapin (cha-pin). 

The official language is Spanish, but there are 21 different languages spoken in the country! Most of them are of Mayan origin and despite they are not official languages, for many communities those are the main everyday language. This fact makes Guatemala to be a rich country in cultural diversity. 

It is also seen in the colorful costumes of these ethnic groups. Each group has a different color pattern  which distinguish them from other groups. Everything is hand made and it takes a couple of months to elaborate one. Usually it is expensive, something around $100 and $200. 

Another thing that you will hear a lot when visiting Guatemala is the word Queztal (ketz-al). It is the national bird and the name of the local currency. At the moment the exchange rate is Q7.83=$1.00

Guatemala is called The Everlasting Spring Country, as it is between 65F-80F all year long. The region of Queztaltenango (also called Xela) is located in the mountainous region, so it is usually a bit colder than the rest of the country, but temperatures won't get colder than 50F.

Quetzaltenango

So next semester we are planning an amazing mission trip to Guatemala with AMSA students at Baylor. Specifically we are going to Quetzaltenango, which is the second largest city in the country. Quetzaltengango is a very nice place, located in the west part of the country, characterized for its chilly weather (usually around 40-50F) and colonial architecture. 

Quetzaltenango is believed to mean place of the ten deer. It is usually referred as Xelaju or Xela (pronounced sh-eh-lah). Looking forward to be in this amazing place next Spring and to be able to help people over there!