Quetzaltenango (Guatemala) - high school

Another week in Xela, another 100 verbs and a couple of tenses. Is it still travelling, yet alone a holiday, when you are in one place for months on end?

The big highlight of the week, one for which I turned down a world-class hiking opportunity, was the last match of the season for the SuperChivos (super, erm, goats). With a handful of students and three family members, we braved 'la curva' - the home of the hardest, loudest and craziest loyal supporters. I have never been in crowd like it. A ten piece band, non-stop dancing, a suite of songs with familar tunes and obnoxious, indecipherable words and use of the word 'puta' pretty much every second. Hilarious and with a win for the home team against the arch-rivals from the capital, it was 40 quetzals ($7) well spent.

Those songs in full...!

Vamos Xela, hoy te venido a vez
Pongan huevos, no logro entender
Que te amo, con todo el corazon
Y que juntos, vamas a salie campeon
(the classic)

Mira, mira, tomale la foto
Se va para su casa con el culo roto
(for the end of a game)

Hueeeeeeeeeeeeeco
El hijo de la gran puta
Puta puta puta
Reputa la vieja cerota
(sung as the goalie take a kick)

Para ser superchivo
Para ser superchivo se necesita un chingo de locura
Un chingo de locura y descontrol y del descontrol
Vamos Xela
Vamos Xel
(to the tune of La Bamba)

Venados y chantes, la misma mierda
(especially for Suchi)