Welcome to Antigua (A Few Photos Included)

Hi all.

I successfully ventured through the streets of Antigua this afternoon. I found my language school, re-oriented myself using the three main volcanoes surrounding us (this is a very helpful tool in Central America- as if you know which direction a specific volcano is it can help you find your way), and had a wonderful meal.  I also manage to buy a cell phone. (I promise there are more pictures below... not just of my new cell phone).

TRAVELER TIP: Do not even think about having and using your cell phones abroad (except in a true emergency!), even with special international plans these rates are typically WAY higher than what you pay with local phone cards. (Even if you are ridiculously wealthy, please save your money and give it to a good cause instead!)   For example, when I contacted my US service provider just to get an idea, they said I could pay a small fee each month for a "world plan" and then I would still pay $2 per minute to talk to the US (this was their CHEAP rate)! You have some options. One great one is to Skype. Particularly if you are technologically savy and have access to Internet (most places do these days). But I like to have a phone on me that does not rely on Internet and that allows others to call me and I them as long as I'm in cell phone range.

So instead of using my I-phone and spending more money that I am paid, I went into a little shop and for $25 (US dollars) I was able to buy a new phone with a credit of 1 hour to talk with the States. (do the math on that one even if you are not a 'math-person' and you quickly see how much I'll save!)  Now when I go to El Salvador I will just pick up a new SIM card and be ready to go.

My I-phone (that will not be turned on during this trip except in case of emergency) next to my newly purchased, simple and did I mention WAY cheaper Guatemalan phone!

For someone like me who misses home being able to call and text makes such a difference in the field. I have often wondered how Anthropology has changed since the era of Malinowski in the field. Can you imagine only have the very occasional letter from a loved one. That seems a very different ethnographic experience than mine where I can check Facebook, have a cell phone, and even teach an online course from the field!

Okay, so here's one of the hardest parts of being in the field... I miss my family!

Theo the pug (AKA: Brother)

But one of the best parts of doing what I do is that you get to see places like this: (Antigua, Guatemala)

The Arch

This one refuses to post in the correct direction so just lean to the side :)

La Merced

A view of one of the many beautiful Antigua streets

I will post more in the days to come but wanted you to begin to see my new surroundings!

Tomorrow I will begin my intensive Spanish school, which will be 7 hours per day of one-on-one instruction. My apologies if my brain is a big mushy the next time I post!  You are likely to see how when switching between two languages (one you are a native-speaker in and the other you are still learning) you often mix up words, temporarily forget concepts in one or both languages entirely,  or have days when you feel like you are doing great in your second language followed by a series of days feeling like you don't even know how to say "Hola" or its equivalent. This can be referred to as Language Shock (similar to culture shock but think 'disoriented' in your language)! When I am using mostly Spanish combined with some English there are days in the learning process when I swear that I forget how to speak either language!  We'll see what happens. On day one I am already catching myself thinking of a few phrases in Spanish instead of English and beginning to type the Spanish word instead of the English one when I'm writing to you.

Glad to have you in Antigua with me...even if only through the Internet!
Chris