Learning to weave!

Guess who is back??? Feeling much better this week. Went from feeling extremely homesick to feeling extremely inadequate in the classroom. Not really sure which one I can handle better. But Monday my geography class looked at colonial times in Guatemala and then all of a sudden we were talking about Israel and then we started talking about the processes that lead to globalization and how rural development is directly effected by globalization. I barely even touched on the rest of the three hours of class I had left after that discussion. I can read health statistics, look at graph trends, maybe even determine an outbreak but the idea of rural development in relation to colonial times has really taken my head for a spin. My fingers are crossed that by the end of the semester I will have some clarity on Latin American history and history in relation to North America. Like I said "mis dedos estan cruzado!" That was Monday. Brain dead on Monday night, resulted in going to bed at 9. How great is that? Remember when you were little and never wanted to go to bed early because it wasn't cool or something along those lines? Yea I wish with all my heart that going to bed at 8 30 every night was a reality and nap times were a mandatory part of the work day.

Now on to Tuesday! My Ka'qchikel teacher, Osbilda took us on a tour of her house in San Antonio! San Antonio is about 20 minutes away on a lovely chicken bus! It is always a new experience on a chicken bus but this ride was surprisingly calm with minimal stops and even better minimal people. Once we arrived we walked with Osbilda to her house and she took us on a tour of how to do Mayan weaving. Her room was tiny. Maybe 10 x 10 and she had a bunch of hand carved wooden tools to do everything. I think before I arrived I had this false idea of how they would weave and have fancy tools basically a machine but it was nothing as such. Everything was traditional. The weaver will first pick out raw wool or cotton then wash it, comb it and spin it. Then using a warping board (looks like a 2 x 4 with wood prongs sticking out of it in the shape of a body) she threads  the fresh wool or cotton around to make the starting cloth. This cloth is then attached to her loom which is a a stick the cloth is fed through that attaches to a belt that sits around her lower butt in a sitting position. The complex process of weaving then begins. Depending on the desired length  and design the weaver will use numerous rolls of cotton to create her masterpiece. Now mind you she is explaining this whole entire process in Spanish. I had to do some post research to fully understand everything. The process is a system of adjusting tension in the cotton through the loom by leaning forward and back with the "butt" strap"! After our weaving lesson we all got to try! It was so hard!!! You have to put some back muscle into it holy cow. After learning how to weave we were allowed to all dress up in the traditional traje! It was hysterical. The clothing was so heavy I have no idea how the women where the traje in the heat. I was sweating after about 2 minutes. Take your pictures, look pretty and get the clothing off as fast as possible. Ok that was my tuesday!

Now for the not so great news... I got my backpack stolen so I am lacking a few items, like my computer charger. So my computer is dead and has all my pictures on it. Therefore the next couple posts will probably be lacking some color.

Here is how it went:
I was sitting in a lovely cafe called Michos, the sun was shining, a few birds were chirping in the distant air, the courtyard was filled with English tourist bustling around buying jade things, the fountain had a steady flow and life was just beautiful. Ok... A little dramatic talking about how blissful the day was. BUT... I was sitting in a cafe called Michos and I was working on my computer doing some research, when a little boy selling bracelets approached me. Mind you this young man has approached me about 2 other times and had successfully swindled me into buying bracelets. Why would this time be different??? Of course he was successful but this time he gave me a great price!! (how lucky)What's another bracelet right? Anyway after I gave him the money he was looking at my computer and asked to watch a music video. Reluctantly, I let him watch  a video, which turned into about 2 more videos. I said ok I have to get back to homework so he left and I turned around for about 2 minutes and my backpack was gone. Just that fast. No one even saw him leave. The server and I ran outside, I did about 4 laps around the general area and even went to the mercado where he most likely took it to sell. Sadly I could not find it. Now I started to get angry. I decided if I saw him or even if I see him now I will grab him by his ears lift him off the ground and demand to have my backpack back... (Unrealistic I know but it was my initial reaction). Could not find him anywhere... Sad day, I lost my wallet, all my school books and notebooks and my most favorite chap stick! Anyways sob story is over, its only material things after all but just rather a giant pain in mis pompios (butt).