The village San Juan La Laguna is located next to San Pedro on the Atitlan lake, and we visited the celbrations of the Mayan newyear. According to the ancient Mayan calendar newyear starts on 22 february. The old Mayan religion is hardly celebrated in San Pedro as the Mayas where hit hard during the civil war in Guatemala. There was no posibility to execute the Mayan rituals, and many Mayans are now member of an evangelical church. In San Juan the old rituals are still taught at the primary school. A fire is created with wood and candles and the environment is symbolically cleaned with incense. The idea is to burn all negative thoughts of the last year, and to make good wishes for the newyear. The rituals were performed in the Mayan laguage at the school yard, and some guests were invited by the locals. We did not understand the meaning of all the rituals, but it was still interesting to witness.

After we left the ceremonies, we were walking through San Pedro and I was taking some pictures left and right. I heard the music “here comes the bride”, but I didn’t realise anything. Eva was walking in front of me and she waved at me that I should get out of the way. When I looked over my shoulder, I saw a bride with her family walking a few metres behind me! Instead of just getting out of the way, I started to panick and run with huge steps and eyes as wide as saucers; it must have looked very strange.

The last 2 weeks in San Pedro, we stayed with a family so we could practise our spanish. We really enjoyed this, because Alejandra, our “mother”, is a great cook. We had our own television room where we could do our homework together with our Irish friend, Dermot.

Paul de Boer