University of Valle of Guatemala- Altiplano (Solola Campus)

Students arriving for their first day of class at the University of Valle of Guatemala

I was awarded the Fulbright scholarship to help train English teachers and generally lend support to the director of the developing English language program at the University of Valle of Guatemala at their Solala campus (http://www.altiplano.uvg.edu.gt/). When I arrived in Panajachel, I tried to get in touch with the director of the English department, Franziska Zenhaeusern, which whom I corresponded last fall. I soon learned that she had gone to the U.S. for Christmas vacation and would not be returning.

Karin Evertz, Interim Director, waiting to give me ride to the university

One of the teachers, Karin Evertz, an American who has lived all her life in Guatemala, agreed to serve as interim director (albeit no previous administrative experience), so Karin is undergoing a tremendous learning curve. During the week of orientation (January 5-8), Karin, the other two English teachers, and I underwent “virtual orientation activities” with Franziska through Skype. The third English teacher participated in the orientation through Skype from El Salvador where she was on vacation. A unique experience indeed! (By the way, I am a Skype convert. If you are abroad or you have a family member or friend abroad, you should download Skype as your means of communication. It’s completely free and very easy to maneuver).

My English-teaching colleagues: Helga from Germany and Josanne from Trinidad

The first day of class was January 12th which was mostly composed of campus orientation. In the morning, there was a general assembly where all of the professors assembled in front of the students and introduced themselves. I did so also. Speaking in my stumbling Spanish, I told them that I was happy to be there to teach them English for six months and that this was the first time I was in Guatemala.

UVG Professors introduce themselves to students during orientation.

Because of the unexpected shortage of teachers, I am currently teaching three classes until they hire a new teacher at the end of January. UVG-Antiplano’s English program mostly caters to high school students. My first class is an advanced level of Basicos aged 14; my second class is an advanced level of Segundo Bachillerato consisting of 16 year olds and my last class is the higher level of college bound students who are specializing in the tourism business.

On January 20th, the day of Obama’s inauguration, we took our students to the “aula virtual” to watch the ceremony. The middle school students had a hard time engaging with the program due to their limited English skills, but they applauded anyway at certain key moments.

Watching (or not watching) Obama's Inauguration

Lunch at the Universidad del Valle of Guatemala at their Antiplano campus is something to look forward to. It is always a warm meal and lunch includes a vegetable, meat or fish, and always mashed avocado and tortillas as well as a class of fresh pressed juice or chata. The head cook is an impressive woman. Her name is Doña Tina. She has a kind heart, no matter how besieged she and her crew are with lines of clamoring students and teachers begging for a meal before their very short lunch break is over. Lunch at the university is a deal! It only costs 13 Quetzales (less than two dollars).

Doña Tina, head cook at the UVG cafeteria
Chicken is today's almuerzo
Cafeteria women making fresh tortillas from scratch
Always smiling, head cashier and drink dispenser