Mal(a) = bad
Buen(a) = good
Que buena! = Awesome!
Que Guatebuena! = ?? vague creative ungrammatical gringo-spanish
Guatemala is a place of friendly people (hence, "Guatebuena") - they will help you find what you need, and help you speak spanish if you display an affection for speaking with the people. And if they overcharge you, at least they do it with a smile. I would say that when you make the effort to communicate with foreigners in their language, perhaps the perceptions of an arrogant and lofty American disappear. Not yet have I experienced any negativity towards my nationality, even from people who are not trying to get at my wallet. Maybe because I am not white...but some know I am Indian! We'll see whats next.
Thus far, I have been in Gringo, Guatemala - the touristy town of Antigua. Have been speaking spanish, sitting at the cafe, and experiencing night life (every fucking night) - We played open mic! A new English friend and I busted out on stage [me playing noisy blues rock on a spanish guitarra and him vocalizing to whatever nonsense I played] and we received a large applause from gringos and guatemalans alike. I have never played in front of a crowd before, and I am convinced that traveling opens us up. Japan is next!
Another feature of week one: Rode a bike out to a coffee farm run by an American and Guatemalan couple. Super beautiful - it was totally integrated with banana, papaya, cotton, birds of paradise trees and more. We picked from a blend of five arabica beans (high altitude bean) as we walked around (dark red is ripe) and she showed me their threshing machine (spinning cheese grater that separates skin from bean with the help of some high water pressure). The pulp is composted, and the beans go into a fermented wash which eats off a sticky coating on the beans. It smells like Kombucha. We need to figure out what to do with this water (changed out every wash) because they only dump it. Thoughts?? I think coffee Kombucha is coming. Anyway, the beans are dried on the roof, and then are ready for a roast in a tumbler. Darker the roast, the more bitter the coffee. The difference between expresso and charcoal is about two minutes.
fincalosnietos.com
This farm ("finca") is a smaller operation of mostly hand-work. Let us imagine what the industrial farms are like: probably monoculture (only coffee trees), and giant processing machines with laser guided sensors. I picture what Michael Pollen describes of the giant corn processing machine (at end of corn chapter) - massive vats and gears and output. I'll have to go check it out.
Final note for today: Coffee likes acidic soils. Anybody think we can grow blueberries down here? Let me know. I think raspberries are integrated into some coffee farms, not sure.
Miss you all, cuidate
ronjon
