Central y SurAmerica Moto Adventure - Guatamala
by Todd Peer

Octobre 2002 - Abril 2003


    Home | The Plan | Ride Report | Special Events | The Riders

    November 3 - 9, 2002: Back to School - Antigua

    Odometer: 14,395

    As I mentioned before, we had been having some trouble conveying verbally our meanings and intentions with the local Spanish speaking public. Hugh worked to register us with the Alemeda Language and Arts academy that, with the tuition (under $200) includes a place to sleep and shower with meals, and 4 hours a day for 5 days of one on one Spanish lessons. As of this writing I'd just like to say that I feel exactly like I did in highschool. Exactly except for the fact that it is only 4 hours a day and then is tourista tiempo.

    My impressions of Antigua are mixed. It is a lovely city that is only a couple of square miles large, muy tranquilla y muy Catolica. However, that doesn't mean there is no nightlife ;-)

    There are many gringos visiting and living here from the USA, England, Holland, Germany and France. The impression of the gringos juxtaposed against the locals and the Colonial setting of the city reminds me of that movie "The Beach", wherein Leonardo Decaprio and others are in a constant search for the perfect touristy, non-tourist place to hangout. It's not a bad thing (like that movie was) but it is strange to have travelled over 3,500 miles with little or no contact with western (gringo) culure and then suddenly we are smack-dab in the midde of it again. Only now we are surrounded by the quaintness of old world architecture and the even older mayan culture that rules the hills and volcanoes that surround Antigua.

    I really like it here! I'm positive the gringos that are living and studying and working here came to the same sort of conclusion and thus, have sold or uprooted entirely their previous lives to live here. Pretty bold. When I speak to some of the local gringos about our travels and future plans I find that our story of travel is only one of a long list they've heard before. Antigua is a crossroads for the travelling set.

    The Saturday afer our arrival, Hugh and I visited the local tourist office to help us find the addresses of our intended host families for the week. We then set of to do a little site seeing and to find our new temporary homes. We are living separately now such that we become more immersed in the language via the meal conversations and without the crutch of having one another around to fall back onto English. As I understand it, his household is doing just that, unfortunately. Mine on the other hand (three live ins including me) is definitely making the effort to use the skills we are being taught. Conversation is key, along with understanding the rules of the language. It is difficult but I can already tell Hugh and I have been making progress (I write this in Tuesday evening).

    Other highlights include, or will include exploring around the outskirts of Antigua. You can hike Volcan de Agua, if you want to walk up over 10,000 feet. No thanks. My host madre allowed me to attend to some long overdue maintenance to the KLR650 the first day I arrived and I'm beginning to get the itch to take it out and test drive. Maybe over to Lago de Santiago. Supposed to be very picturesque so I guess I'll take my picture-taker with me ;-)

    My teachers name is Carmen. Carmen was born and raised in Antigua and has never travelled outside the country. She speaks un poco ingles, but she understands enough to be able to correct me when I make an error. She's a fine teacher, o maestra.

    .....more to come


    Home | The Plan | Ride Report | Special Events | The Riders


Send comments to Todd

This page last updated 09/23/2002