Party on the Camioneta

The common method of transportation here in Guatemala is the camioneta, or chicken bus. These buses are old blue bird school buses from the United States that are revamped, have bright lights on the outside, and are painted outrageous colors (think metallics: gold, silver, orange, blue, red etc.,). Most have names painted on top of the windshield, adding to each bus’s individuality (The Primarosa is my valiant steed that faithfully carries me to Peace Corps Head Quarters every Tuesday…I have a feeling that the Primarosa and I will be good friends these next 27, well 26 now, months).

Every time I am on a chicken bus, sweating profusely from being pushed up against at least four other people on all sides (these buses are almost always crowded with three people sitting on the two person-seats and people standing in the aisles almost out the door—yes, I have been that person with my backside basically hanging out the bus doors!) holding on for dear life amongst the sharp curves, turns, and hmmm, “adventurous” driving (this is putting it mildly), and wishing for that North American sense of “personal space” which definitely does not exist on the camioneta, I stop and think to myself how crazy it is that I am in Guatemala, and I stop and laugh. Sometimes out loud, which is awkward since the Guatemalans sitting next to me probably think I am crazy.

As frustrating and tiring as being on a crowded camioneta sometimes can be, especially when I am standing up and holding on for dear life, for the most part it is more entertaining than anything else. The music and sometimes music videos help out in this area. Although reggaeton seems to the be the popular favorite among most Guatemalan bus drivers (not to mention my host nieces and nephews), my personal favorite music selection for a bus ride so far has been a nod to the classics (and by classics I mean middle/high school for me): Coolio (Gangster’s Paradise), Shaggy (It wasn’t me), Eminem (Slim Shady). Oh, I can’t remember the rest of the songs that played that bus ride, but suffice it to say, it was AMAZING, and basically like being in a club. I wanted to dance. Though, probably it was too crowded to move let alone dance. Either way, Best camioneta experience EVER! Oh, and not all of the bus rides entail old school jams...on my ride into Antigua today Lady Gaga's Bad romance was blasting throughout the camioneta.

I think I am going to like it here...!