BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEEP "XELA XELA XELAAAAAA," yells the ayudante. I wave my arm frantically at the oncoming bus. It doesn’t quite stop as the ayudante ushers me onboard. I grab the large metal rails on the roof, taking small steps as the bus jerks along. Eventually, I see an empty seat and I sling my bag, and myself, into it. I get my seven Quetzales ready, which is the bus fare from my house to the terminal in Xela (it’s a little less than $1.00). As we’re driving along through the mountains, I admire the cornfields, the rolling hills and the volcano, Santa Maria, shrouded by clouds in the distance. Soon there are two more people in my seat, making us six across the row. I’m a little squished against the window, but I don’t mind. I have a lovely view of the city as we start to go down.
Camionetas, as we’ve mentioned, originate (come from) from the US. They are used for many years in the American school system, but eventually become too old or start to malfunction (break down). The Camioneta as a public bus is particularly common in Central America because of how close we are to the US. Once the school system decides to sell the old bus, it can be driven directly down south, which eliminates (removes) expensive shipping costs. From Cincinnati, Ohio, it might be driven to the southern border of the United States, into Mexico, down the Panamerican highway until it reaches the Guatemalan border. The reason why old US school buses are so valued is because they’re cheap, high capacity and very sturdy.
