Quetzaltenango - or Xela for short

It has taken me a little while to start liking Guatemala. Maybe it was just because Mexico was so incredible, but I think it was also the shock of arriving into a big, dirty, noisey and rather rough round the edges Xela. It has none of the Colonial grandure of the previous places I have been. No pretty squares, or parks or pretty artisan markets (which I now realsie it a good thing because I am not buying a load of crap). Instead, new arrivals are confronted with a confusing maze of uninviting grey grubby and delapidated streets, which all look the same, and just make you want to keep walking.

Its not surprising really when you think that Guatemala is only really now finally starting to draw a line under and move on from the devastating civil war which ravaged the country for decades and claim the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Guatemala is one of the poorest countries in the Americas (ilitracy rates are the second highest in the Americas, beaten only by Haiti) and it shows.

Scratch below the surface though, and Xela is a hot-bed of activity. Hidden behind unmarked doorways the more inquisitive will find cosy little bars, seconf hand boutiques, not for profit Spanish schools, cafes that douible up as mini cinemas, womens weaving coopertaives (I am going to make myself a scarf!) and even a pretty pumping Salsa club. The best thing about Xela for me though? El Nahual!

Up a dirt track way out of town, and the overlooked by Central Americas biggest volcano, El Nahual and its project ´manos de colores´ is sandwiched between the city´s cemetary and one of Xelas poorest barrios. This is excatly where it should be of course, because its where the local kids come to learn, play and generally exhaust any volunteer who steps across the threshold into the chaos and is willing to get involved!

Between 3 and 5 everyday I am officially Maestra Kate (Caty) and I love it! For two whole hours I have a room stuffed full of kids and they are all mine! Noisey, naughty, filthy dirty and tearing about the place, they cause absolute chaos. The are totally brilliant. Today we learned our body parts. Heads, shoulders, knees and toes anyone? I am not sure how long I want to stay in Xela, but they certainly give me a reason to stick around!