It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

It's currently Independence Day in Guatemala.  And the celebrations last for about a week.
Wednesday we had a half day for students (followed by a half day of professional development) and then Thursday and Friday off!
Yesterday was the big celebration.  Last night we all got together in the park where the action was.  Lots of parades and school marching bands.  People everywhere.  Xela is like the center of the Independence celebration for all of Guatemala and everyone comes here.   There is also lots and lots of fair food (not fair as in average, but fair as in carnival).  I'm working up the nerve to try garnachas before the fair is over.  I've had them in resturaunts before, but never as street food.   I hear they are amazing, but the running joke is that the meat they use comes from street dogs...
So after walking around Central Park for a bit, we decided to walk to Minerva-- another area of town, to watch some concerts.  After maneuvering through blocked roads, crazy traffic, and hoards of people we managed to get out of the park area.  Its about a 30 minute walk to Minerva.  And that's when things got a little ugly.
Guatemala has a lot of extremes.  Extreme poverty and extreme wealth.  A beautiful environment, yet littered in trash.  Amazingly kind and hospitable people, yet some of the worst violence in the world.  And things are only intensified in times of big celebrations.  The best of times, and the worst of times. 
We were having a wonderful time walking to Minerva, until one of the uglier sides of Guatemala decided to show itself.  We walked by a quieter part of town, as two young men were in some kind of fight.  One was literally on the ground, being beaten to a pulp.  Kicked in the face and gut repeatedly.  Shouting and ugliness.  Kind of like something you see in the movies.  And we all just stood there, frozen in fear and sickened by the brutality.  We wanted to intervene.  We wanted to step in for the guy that was screaming in pain and begging for mercy.  But its not safe.  And that is one of the most difficult things about living here at times.  Having to walk past or "ignore" people that you want to help because its not "safe".  Its a very strange thing to do, especially when your instincts often tell you to do something else.  Some of the newer people in our group were really shaken up, as it was one of their first exposures to things like this here.  Its hard to move past something like that.  Being confronted with the falleness of humanity in such a graphic way. 
We ended up getting to Minerva.  But there were just so many people and I was feeling chlaustrophobic and exhausted, so one of the girls and I just went to Wendy's to sit and chat for a while. 
A little before midnight we headed back to the park.  Its almost like New Year's Eve, counting down until Independence Day.  There were incredible fireworks, literally being shot about 10 feet away from us.  So we were craning our neck because they went right above us.  But we had an incredible view.  And then I came back and slept in an empty apartment-- my roommate left for a trip yesterday afternoon.
Today was pretty relaxing.  Several girls went over to some teachers' apartment that has a great roof.  The intention was to lay out in the sun... but, we lasted all of 5 minutes before it clouded over, got freezing and then stormed.  However, I did take some pics while I was up there.



Back view from the Catholic Church in central Park



And one final picture that I stole from my host sister from last year.  It just made me laugh... aparently this ground beef sculpture was on display at Wal-mart to celebrate Independence...



Ground Beef and Cilantro Sculpture of Guatemala with the Quetzal bird!



Leaving early tomorrow to head to the city for a mini vacation trip!  And then heading back to hopefully go to the fair that is just outside of town-- complete with the sketchiest fair rides you've ever seen! 

And as an aside... nobody won the election... There is a rule here that you have to have 51% of the vote to be elected.  And seeing as how there were 11 candidates, nobody got that majority.   So... the two highest go into a run off and there will be more elections in November.