After some run-around with U.S.C.I.S. (and some procrastination on my part), I have FINALLY acquired the boys’ official adoption paperwork, as submitted when we entered this country nearly five years ago.

And we thought we had photocopies of all the important stuff.

We didn’t.

Pushing past an initial brush-off from our nation’s immigration department, I filed again this past September, loading them up with all the past history of my attempts to acquire our sons’s original adoption paperwork.

And this time, it worked.  And not only do we have pictures of them and of their other mama that we never had before, we now have the names of their maternal grandparents!

The boys were ecstatic!  ”We have 3 grandmoms and 3 granddads!” (They have “known” for years that they have four sets… but the 3rd one just became more real because they have names!]

But the best news?  One of them shares his first name and middle initial with their grandfather.  We know why he has his name!

It’s something birth parents take for granted – the rationale behind a child’s name.  And we were just able to give that to him this week.  He’s seven.

We’re so far behind.  But how grateful are we that we were given the good sense to keep their names?

Their names are their story.  And we just got a little piece more of it this week.

For those of you who have some how MISSED these gems, they include such greats as You Wouldn’t Want to Be a World War II Pilot: Air Battles You Might Not Survive (currently on our shelf), You Wouldn’t Want to Be an 18th Century Convict: A Trip to Australia You’d Rather Not Take (No offense to my Australian readers – ie. Von.), and You Wouldn’t Want to Be Mary Queen of Scots: A Ruler Who Really Lost Her Head.

Check your local library.  They’re awesome.  Especially for boys.

But anyway.  Fred and I – but especially I, ’cause I’m prone to such things as extensive geneological researching, and also spend nearly all my time with said children —  have been very conscious of the fact that giving them a thorough connection to their own roots is very important. 

And that that means doing some extra research.  Because their roots are not our roots (though they’re welcome to partake in all our Euro-straight-to-U.S.-American fun-and-games, of course!)

So we’ve read about Guatemala, TRAVELED back to Guatemala, read about the Maya, CLIMBED their pyramids, studied Spanish… I’m still looking for a socially acceptable way of asking some of the Latino men I know just what it is that they’re wearing that smells so good, so I can buy it to put on the boys (who frequently smell like sweat and “tootle”)… but I digress…

We’ve done a pretty good job of covering the Native American angle of their biological heritage.  And of presenting it as the very cool heritage that it, indeed, is (human sacrificing notwithstanding).

So I’m on to the Spanish part of their background.  Spanish from SPAIN, that is.  And to that end, I’ve been watching the PBS Home Video: Conquistadors series after we put them to bed the last few nights (available on Netflix “Watch Instantly,” for those of you who are interested!).

And, whew!

I just don’t know how I’m supposed to pleasantly tie in “and then SOME of your ancestors came in and absolutely decimated the villages of others of your ancestors, raping and pillaging as they went!”  ["raping" is going to be especially hard to explain, since the idea of "sex" is still appropriately hazy in their minds].

I know I don’t have to explain it all while they’re six years old.  We could just “leap over the Atlantic” and study Spain as a completely separate entity and leave “how the two sides mixed” to a future date?

But while I don’t want to inflict undue distress, I’m also more inclined to be honest with our kids.  They’ve learned about the Conquistadors in a separate (glossed over, some would say “Euro-centric”) manner in our school co-op.

So they’re waiting for me to make the connection.

But whoa.

There’s a lot of courage, I suppose.  Curiousity about new things.  Boldly going where no European has gone before? 

It’s funny, because some of MY OWN ancestors (English) were fairly brutal to my others (Scottish), and I’ve had no problem feeling comfortable taking sides (“You take the High Road, and I’ll take the Low Road…”) while still maintaining a sense of connectednes to all of them (just ask Fred and the boys about my tea-drinking habits).

Perhaps because it’s perfectly acceptable here in the U.S. to side with the underdog while still trying to keep in mind all sides of an issue?

But this is THEIR heritage, THEIR story, not mine.

So how do I present the “other half” in equally positive terms, despite-but-honestly-covering the atrocities that eventually resulted in their being born, just as they are – “Mestizos de Guatemala?”  Even if not today, at some point it’s gonna come up.

Advice, anyone?

Pop on over and check it out: “Central American Art – Guatemalan and Salvadoran Artwork“ and let me know what you think when you get back!

I wrote, over a year ago, about how our kids’ adoptions have changed our decorating tastes.  It becomes increasingly the case as time passes.  The plaid couch in my old post is long gone, and our latest purchase (from Chichicastenango in September) is equal in length but nothing like it:

The band, “Pedro Molina,” hails from the town of Coatepeque in the department of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.  The 270 members – musicians and dancers – range from 12 to 25 years of age and are either current students or graduates of the school for which the band is named.  They’ve won four Central American championships since their founding in 1982, and this is their second appearance here in the U.S.  They performed in the Rose Bowl parade back in January.

In February, following their Rose Bowl appearance, the band applied to be in the 2011 Macy’s parade, since Macy’s requires application submission one year in advance.  But Macy’s reviewers were so impressed by their resume that they included them in this year’s festivities, waiving the one-year application requirement!

If you missed it, check out the videos below, so you can share in our Guatemalan pride!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

- Kim, Fred, Heriberto & José

VIDEOS – La Banda Latina Pedro Molina

This first video is of all the bands in the parade.  (Look for Pedro Molina from minutes 10:17 -11:12.)

And this second video was taken further along the parade route:

But anyway, we hit the end of the street and there it was:

For those of you who aren’t familiar, Pollo Campero is a Latin-American-based fast-food chain that was started in Guatemala in the 70′s.  It quickly spread throughout Central America; and missionary friends of mine in C.A. have told me that when the come back to the U.S. to visit, there are people bringing the stuff on planes to give to family members and friends here in the States.  That’s how popular it is.

For those of you who are familiar and knew all along that we had these not-so-far-away, yes, yes, that’s just how deeply Fred’s and my gringo roots run.  We had no idea.

So why am I over-joyed?

While we were in Guatemala, these restaurants were everywhere.  Like McDonalds is here in the U.S.  And one of our friends in Guate told us that even the most cash-strapped of families try to get to P.C. at least once a year.

So we tried it.  It’s greasy and fast-foody, and the boys loved it.  They wanted to go back every day thereafter.  But we’re for grease-in-moderation, so no-go.

And then we came home, with promises that we would definitely hit Pollo Campero next time we’re in Central America.  Since there aren’t any in our area, we thought we’d have to wait till then.

OR

We can do a quick run to the D.C. area any time we feel braced for the traffic.  Yea!

(Never thought I’d actually commute for fast-food.  Normally, I don’t even let the kids eat it!)

I love that we found it by accident while looking for my birthplace.  ‘Cause there’s no way I’ll forget the way back.  And now there’s something from my boys’ birthplace there, too.  Sweet.

We didn’t touch any, so we can’t speak to that aspect.  But we did love the town.  It’s one of the two sites Fred and I got to see 3 1/2 years ago, and he wanted to be sure we brought the boys to see it this time, too.

A number of tourism groups take buses to Chichicastenango, so if you’re looking for a well-traveled road, a place to barter for some great authentic (or tourist-y) souveniers, and a place that’s accustomed to (and eager to host!) foreigners, this is the one for you.  Market days are Sunday and Thursday every week.

Scenes from Chichicastenango:

 

 

A little girl followed Fred around for 10 minutes trying to convince him to buy this stuffed turtle.  He didn’t need it or want it.  Those of you who work with Fred can now visit this little gem in his office. 

It was an early morning.  Our driver and guide picked us up at 6 a.m.  By 9:30 we had climbed to the top and were eating roasted marshmallows near an active lava-flow. 

]

Fred and José were not so sure today’s particular excursion was going to be their favorite of my ideas.  Bear and I won that debate solely because guess who made all the trip arrangements?  That’s right, the Mamacita.  And we all made it.  And how many people do you know who can say they climbed an active volcano at the age of 6?

So there.

But it was an exerting hike up.  Most of the way, we were followed by some local men with horses…waiting for us to give up and just pay for a ride. 

They hadn’t met Fred and me before.  We’re stubborn.  And the horses following us only reinforced that we were going to make it to the top on our own.  The kids were a little afraid of the horses, so that kept them moving along just fine, too!

Here’s the picture of the would-be-guides riding back down the mountain to look for “gringo-ier” gringos.  Sweet victory.  (Although the horses are not a bad idea for those not used to strenuous exercise!)

Pacaya is one of three active volcanos in Guatemala.  There are 33 volcanos, total!  Pacaya made headlines throughout Central America and in the States when it erupted in May and covered the surrounding area with ash and lava rock.  Then Hurrican Agatha came through, leaving this section of Guatemala in a state of emergency.   I wrote about the Pacaya/Agatha combo back when it happened.

But today, the cleanup and rebuild effort is well on its way to completion.  We hiked over spots that have 1 meter of new lava-soil on them; yet the local people are rebuilding their homes and have long-since replanted their fields.  ON the sides of the volcano.

Some evidence remains though:

It’s a bit surreal that something so powerful just injects itself into the lives of the people in the surrounding area.  And that they continue to stay.  But that’s their land, and so they rebuild.  And tourists like us return, which is part of their livelihood.

Scenes from Pacaya:

Fred and the boys calling his mom from the top.  (And me making sure the twins are paying full attention to Fred’s example:  “Always call your mother if anything special is going on!”)  

Guess it helps not to have a Fall and Winter like we do at home.  Everything is especially lush since it’s the rainy season right now.  But even aside from that, the zoo is meant to look like a natural habitat and does a remarkably good job, tucked right up against the international airport like it is!

Today’s Animal Highlights

THERE’S our jaguar!  Minus a chunk of tail??

Bet you never knew you cared about how an ostrich sits… we didn’t till today… but how funny!

The lions may have their own opinion of the place but this scene reminded me of the Garden of Eden or something akin.

We mentioned waking up to Howler Monkeys at Tikal.  But there, they were all up in the trees.  Here’s one up-close.  And watch the video for a little sample of how he sounds up close.  Multiply that by about a dozen and you get the idea of the jungle noise in Petén.

Our Favorite Signs of the Day

Based on the looks we were getting today, this is probably where we’re thought to belong: Hotel Gringo Perdido – “the lost Gringo hotel.”

It took us a minute to realize that “Inseparable” is Spanish for “Lovebirds” – which were in the cage above the sign.  For a bit there, it looked like the zoo was taking a firm stance on the tight physical link between butterflies, Pepsi, and birds’ nests.  Yeah, yeah… we know… “back to the aforementioned hotel with us!”

Then and Now – 2007/2010 Parque Zoologico La Aurora Family Trips

And, as usual, I grabbed a few more shots today that paralleled those from our last time here.

Bear – I knew the boys had grown, but his total height then is just above waist height now!  (Thank you, The Fence, for giving me a measure!)

José – was nicely contained in a stroller last time.  Not so this time; he was all over the place.  Nary a single face shot!

Monkey-watching with Papá

La Familia

Needless to say, no wi-fi in the rooms, though, so I’m behind on posting. But since that experience is fresh in my mind, I’ll come back to the days I’ve missed later.

Maya History

Tikal and Yaxhá are two of a network of major Maya cities that date back to hundreds of years B.C. Others are found in Mexico, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras. Their civilization is divided by historians into a Pre-Classic Period (2000 B.C. – A.D. 250), the Classic Period (A.D. 250-900) and then the Post-Classic Period (A.D. 900 – the arrival of the Spanish). They were highly advanced in the areas of mathematics, astronomy, architecture, art, and written language.

For much of their history, the Maya operated as city-states, much like Greek society once did. Each city state had a king, nobles, scribes, priests/shamans, and a working class. The upper classes lived in and around their major cities, and it’s the ruins of their homes we can see today. The lower class lived in the surrounding countryside, and their houses were made entirely of perishable materials which the jungle has long since reclaimed.

Since the time of Spanish colonization, the Maya have maintained many of their traditions despite much discrimination and, at times, outright genocide. Here in Guatemala, they didn’t really have full rights of citizenship until the end of the most recent civil war and the peace treaty that was signed in 1996!

Since our boys are part Maya (they’re “Mestizo” which means “mixed” – Spanish and Maya), we wanted them to see some of the amazing things their ancestors left behind.

And we wanted them to hear about them from other Maya descendants, not just us. We had great guides, both days, but especially yesterday. Aquilino knows all the Maya groups from Central America, where they resided historically and where they live today. He also happens to be a Maya Christian, aware of traditional Maya spiritual practices but someone who believes as we do. From my perspective he was the perfectly suited guide for our family. He is very respectful and proud of my kids’ ancestry, and at the same time, he shares their present faith. He balanced the two very well, since that’s something he already does in his own life.

These were meta-analyses swirling in my head as we sweated it out in the sub-tropical rainforests, climbing up pyramids that reached above the forest canopy.

Scenes from Tikal

Tikal was once among the strongest Maya cities, dominating the trade routes and people groups in a broad surrounding area. It was vacated sometime during the 10th century and largely lost for hundreds of years. The jungle grew up over the pyramids and plazas, and very few people ventured to the site until 1848, when it was rediscovered by Modesto Mendéz and Ambrosio Tut.

For the next 100+ years, explorers, archeologists and other visitors made the trek through the jungle to study the site. Then in 1956, the University of Pennsylvania established a major archeological program that lasted 14 years, during which time they uncovered many of the buildings and mapped out the whole city site.

Tikal today is still covered by rainforest in most areas. Many of the pyramids are only partially uncovered, and some are still completely covered by overgrowth. The groundskeepers have to hand-pick the weeds and plants in order not to damage the original stonework, and our guide told us it would take only 2 years without maintenance for the whole site to disappear back into the jungle once more.

As the (literal) pinnacle of our tour, we climbed up Tikal’s “Templo IV” (Temple #4) which is the highest of the pyramids on the site. The second picture should look familiar for any of you who have seen Star Wars, Episode IV (“A New Hope”).

Scenes from Yaxhá

Yaxhá is another Maya city about an hour and a half’s drive from Tikal. It hasn’t been excavated quite as thoroughly, but what has been cleared is just as incredible. The Maya built on the site over centuries, frequently building one pyramid right over another, so archeologists have discovered layers upon layers:

Unlike Egyptian pyramids, the Maya ones were not built as tombs but as monuments to the kings. So they tend to be completely solid (not hollow inside). Each king wanted a grander monument than the one before, and the easiest way to accomplish that was to use the last guy’s pyramid as a base from which to start!

As part of the peace agreement in 1996, Maya shamans are still allowed to practice their religious ceremonies at these sites (even though they’re national parks), so included in this picture from atop one of the temples, you can sort of see that the altar in the courtyard below is blackened from recent fires.

Wildlife

Unfortunately, we didn’t see a jaguar. Nor did I have my camera for the tarantula. But here are some of the other common critters we saw while we were hiking around!

And the “It’s Good to Be from Guate” Moments from our Trip:

As Fred mentioned the other day, the boys probably still have their Guatemalan citizenship. We just need to file for the right ID. Didn’t need it for this trip, though. Unrequested by us, they were given “guatemalteco” wristbands for park access. (Theirs are orange. Ours are green and say “extranjero” – “foreigner”).

Makes a Mamacita’s heart happy. And OF COURSE these bands are going in their scrapbooks!

And then on the flight back to Guatemala City, the flight attendant came up and asked if the boys would like to come up and meet the pilots in the cockpit. Ummm… let’s think about that one.

HECK YES!

Probably doesn’t hurt that they’re twins. And cute. But I have no doubt they got in because they’re “chapines.” (I also have no doubt that this would never happen in the U.S.!

¡Viva Guatemala!

Common Sights:

1) Cathedrals – the Spaniards were busy folks (unfortunately enslaving the local Maya people as part of the process) back in the 15th-16th century!  Ever pueblo (village) we visited had a major cathedral in its town square.  Antigua itself has dozens of churches, many of them major cathedrals, too.

 

 2) Maya life - I think the closest comparison we have in the U.S. is the Amish.  A society that stands out from the modern rush of things, in their dress, customs, and just the way they go about living their daily life.  Only here in Guatemala, the Maya are technically the majority population.  Just not in the urban areas.  But in the hills and Highlands (Guatemala is a mountainous country overall), it’s stepping into a different world than what we’re used to in the U.S.

 

 

3) Cultural Contrast – Guatemala is a country with a very tiny middle class.  The vast majority of the country is poor.  And then there are a few wealthy families that own just about everything.  So we drove by a lot of houses that don’t even make U.S. standards as homes.  And then found ourselves walking into large complexes with ornate center courtyards moments later.  Minute-by-minute culture shock.

The Actual “Birth City” Part:  A few shots from Antigua, where the twins were born.  We WERE able to find the address on their birth certificates and got a picture of them there.  One of them wanted me to post it here, but the other wanted it just to be in their scrapbooks, so he could show it to people personally and not have it online.  So, unfortunate side-effect of being a twin for the one who wanted it here, it’s not.  But for those of you who live near us, feel free to ask them about it!

As I’ve mentioned before, Antigua used to be the capital city of Guatemala.  And “Guatemala” used to cover most of Central America (Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador), so it was really the Spanish capital of the whole of C.A.  But an earthquake destroyed much of the city in 1773, and the Spanish moved their capital to Guatemala City, today’s location.

The “hands-on” experience of the day.  This patient lady at the Hotel Posada de Don Rodrigo let them come down and try their hands at tortilla-making.  They have a little ways to go before they reach proficiency…

And of course…

The Day’s Then and Now Photos – 2007/2010 – Our Family in Antigua’s Central Park (sorry the first one’s blurry, but it’s the only one we have… turns out it’s actually doing you the favor of not showing clearly from whence cometh the water flowing out of the mermaids… oy!)