After a week in Guatemala...

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I can't believe I have already been in Guatemala City for a week! OK, so I "escaped" to Antigua yesterday but still...

I have been working in the Ceramoteca this week reviewing the ceramics from sites near the region where I did my fieldwork with the Sierra del Lacandon Regional Archaeology Project (SLRAP; PRASL in Spanish) in order to gain a familiarity with the materials that were recovered there, and how they were classified by others in the past (beginning in the 1930s and up through the 2000s) so that I can better classify the PRASL ceramics starting next month. It's a bit overwhelming to be in the Ceramoteca with collections of all the ceramics that have been excavated in Guatemala over the years. But it's a good learning process for me, and will help me move along more quickly with my own analysis.

The best part about working in the Ceramoteca is that most of my Guatemalan friends either work in the Ceramoteca too, or in the office right across from it so I get to see them every day. They are so helpful, I can't imagine embarking on this work without their support and encouragement. Plus being the only American working there, my Spanish has already improved exponentially. But my brain is very tired by the end of the day, needless to say!

In the evenings I have been catching up on reading for my dissertation and writing my National Science Foundation grant that I hope will give me funding starting in February. If I can get it finished by the end of this month, that is!

Yesterday's trip to Antigua was a much needed respite from the noise and pollution of Guatemala City, and I had the chance to have lunch and catch up with my friend Melanie (also at Brandeis, also doing her field and lab work in Guatemala) whom I really haven't seen in a long time. She's living in Antigua right now. I posted some photos of Antigua for you to enjoy! Got in a little shopping for misc. things I was missing (plus a jade ring that I didn't "need". oops! I couldn't help it!), and got a massage with the same girl who has been doing them for me since 2006. She still knows my crazy neck and shoulder problems and I am feeling MUCH better today because of it! I also managed to book a hotel for when Alex comes to visit next month - seems as though everyone in the world will be in Antigua that weekend for some reason. I swear I got the last hotel room in the city for Nov 20th! When I got back, I quickly got ready to go out with some Guatemalan friends for some Gallo's (Guatemala's national beer) and got home later than I had planned after blowing off some steam and having some laughs with them.

Ready to start another week of ceramics review...

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Comments

[Aunt Suz]

Monday Morning...
Hi, sounds like things are coming along well...busy, as expected! Glad you are around your friends, sure that makes everything more enjoyable for you :>)....even with having allot of work. Will Melanie be there the entire time you are in Guatemala? You sounded good other than being a bit pooped out from the night before (that happens!, hahaha)... Jade ring!?...cool. Well, I am getting things done around here, busy week with appointments and volunteering for Excelsior and Lupus this week...cooled down today (back into the 50 degrees range). Your Dad and USB got the cottage closed up pretty fast and where home by 6PM. Have a great week, happy things are working out for you...wow, good thing you made reservatiions for Alex's visit (busy because of the Thanksgiving Holiday maybe?)....Love ya, Aunt Suz