I've been doing a lot of walking this week. With the holidays just over, there's not much work happening, and most folks, including students, are still on break. This downtime is letting me hang out more with my host family and friends. I've been exploring a lot on foot, and since Patzun is a pretty small town, it's easy to get around just by walking. Plus, walking gives me a chance to say hi to neighbors on the street who often stop to chat about how I'm doing and how my holidays went. It's always nice strolling around and feeling the warmth in people's greetings and smiles.
I decided to take a walk to a well-known spot in town where the oldest tree stands. This tree is very important to the town and is said to represent its health and prosperity. There's a local belief that if the tree ever falls, the town will vanish. The hike up there is steep but worth it. You get the best views of the town from up there.
This holiday season, I got to check out my first posada. A posada is a nine-day Christmas tradition in Guatemala that celebrates Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem, starting on December 16 and wrapping up on December 24. A friend in town invited me to her place, where she and her aunts cooked for around 60 to 70 people who came over to see the posada arrive. Stay tuned to find out more about this tradition next week!
