Any given Sunday with a Guatemalan family

There is always something nurturing about spending sundays surrounded by family, even if it is not your own.

My last stop before moving on to Honduras was Guatemala city. I met Paols via facebook on one of those groups dedicated to connect people traveling and those who offer a couch or a spare room for hosting travelers without charging for accomodation, like couchsurfing. It was her first time hosting and my first time staying with someone using this useful but risky tool for nomads on a budget.

During the day I would leave very early to explore the city and on the evening I would come back and spend time with whoever was on the house. I got to meet most of the family on a personal level, that left me very happy.

Eight sisters and one mother, that is what Pedro has to deal with every day of his life, don´t get me wrong, having so many daugthers is a blessing but if I couldn´t keep my girl happy I can´t imagine trying to please nine women hehe. Most evenings Pedro and I would watch a movie together while the girls cooked dinner - I am not sexist, it is just the Guatemalan way and I wasn´t going to disrupt the peace - besides the movies were great: King Kong, Alien covenant and Wonder Woman, so yes, I kept my mouth shut and watched movies with the papa.

But sundays were different for the Guzman family:

Everyone wakes up at eight in the morning and the four unmarried daughters take turns to take a shower - there are water problems in this side of the city - they dress up nicely and we all went to church, a Mormon church which is very different than the catholic ceremonies I went during my religious years in México. I didn´t take any pictures out of respect to the religion but after the ceremony the church assembles a small picnic in the middle of the street and people have breakfast there.

After that we went for a small walk and to a park, in there I found a lot of street art which you already saw in an earlier post.

Sundays are all about grocery shopping as a family to get supplies for the week.

Imagine going to the supermarket and having to wait for them to finish shopping for ten persons! 

Then it is pirated movie shopping in the local market, I know I know, but then again I was not going to say anything about it, it is what it is and I should respect their tastes.

The long waited dinner came and we all did it as a family!

As a cherry on top we watched a movie together, obviously I was sitting on the floor because as mormons they can´t share the same bed with me.

This was my family sunday with a Guatemalan family! I enjoyed it so much and I am so grateful with them for taking me in and sharing their home with me. I had a very good time because I always tell myself...

Remember, Be Here Now