Guatemala: The Start of My Journey

When I'm asked, where were you born, people are always surprised by my answer. My mom was an international school teacher who worked in a lot of different countries. She moved to Guatemala to teach at Colegio Americano Guatemala and I was born in Hospital Herrera Llerandi in Zona 10 of Guatemala City on August 8, 2008. Over the next three years, we took many trips to various parts of Guatemala and I learned and experienced a lot about the beautiful culture of Guatemala and its people. 

The following are my Top 6 Most Memorable Cultural Experiences:

#1 Dia de Los Muertos - Festival de Barriletes Gigantes

The Festival de Barriletes Gigantes is an event that we went to annually because it was one of my mom's favorite Guatemala celebrations. We woke up early the day after Halloween and made our way to the village of Sacatepéquez, located just 30 minutes out of Guatemala City. Families from all over the country come to the cemetery bearing flowers that represent their loved ones who have passed and pray for their ancestor's safe journey back to earth from the afterlife.

For the Mayan communities, the well-known Barriletes Gigantes ceremony is a cultural event that dates back to before European influences were forced upon the Americas. The colorful kites were said to have symbolized the joining of the land of the living with the underworld of the deceased. The legend states that the details of the patterns, weaves, and colors on the kites encouraged communication between the living and their ancestors, as well as helping them travel back to earth to see loved ones without being hindered by evil spirits. 

These days, the important messages on the kites have shifted from a wish to speak with the dead to one of peace, optimism, and solidarity for the living. Designs are now influenced by current social movements that call for an end to careless violence or government corruption.

The designs for the barriletes take months to finish and artists usually draw inspiration from what they observe at the festival. They start working on next year's design nearly as soon as the current festivities are over, painting and weaving the symbol in meaningful colors. 

Local communities start assembling their kites about two weeks before November 1st. They are often made of bamboo, fabric, and paper and on the day of the celebration, they are carried to their designated locations and raised into the air by a team of people. 

The barriletes gigantes are so large that they can't really fly, instead, you have to look up in the sky to see them. Along the sidelines, people create smaller kites that are flown overhead. Viewers are supposed to clap for their favorite barrilete gigante. Prizes are awarded to the kites that have the best design and remain airborne for the longest time. 

#2 Antigua

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#3 Lago Atitlan

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#4 Monterrico

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#5 Lago Izabal

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#6 IRTRA Theme Parks

Xetulul and Xocomil are the two parts of the well-known theme park IRTRA. They are located in Retalhuleu, western Guatemala, approximately 4 hour drive from Guatemala City. Xocomil is a water park, and Xetulul is an amusement park. We had a great time at Xocomil for two nights. Although I was too small to ride a water slide, I had fun splashing in the big pools. 

The parks and nearby hotels are associated with IRTRA. Xocomil is the biggest and most visited water park in the entire country. The name Xocomil derives from a mixture of the Tzutuhil and Cakchiquel languages and means, strong wind that blows over the water. The waterpark has a theme of Mayan architecture and has some of the most modern equipment and up-to-date facilities of an excellent waterpark. 

There are a ton of wonderful rides at Xetulul that are appropriate for all ages. The park isn't very crowded, especially during the off-season, so there are regularly short lines and inexpensive admission. Beyond the rides, the park has a concept based on various countries. For example, there is Spain with its galleon ships, Italy with its Trevi fountain, Guatemala with its town square, and a massive red Mayan pyramid.