Quetzaltenango in Takoma Park

Indigena with coconut and machete.

Marash Girl's Spanish came flooding back to her as she chatted with the young man selling coconuts at the Farmer's Market in Takoma Park, Maryland.  

"The milk in the coconut is delicious!  Here . . . try it  . . . and then I'll cut the husk off of the coconut for you. . . . Yes, I'm from Guatemala.  I'm Indigena from Quetzaltenango . . . my people still speak their ancient language -- as I do...I'm here to help my family have a better life, 
because in Guatemala, jobs are few, and pay is less."  

Marash Girl remembered her years of studying Spanish -- how she had chosen to go to Antigua, Guatemala, to study Spanish, as the Guatemalan people she had met here in the United States had been kind to her, kind enough to slow down when speaking Spanish with her, had encouraged her in her efforts as she stumbled through her newly learned language. . . and this young man was no different.  "You speak Spanish well," he said, smiling as Marash Girl happily spoke to him in a language she once loved.