Assignment One

I have only been to Mexico one time and I was only about 7. I went with my family to Cabo San Lucas. Although I am pretty sure that Cabo San Lucas is a tourist place, there was a few things there that would make me think of Mexico. The Mexican clothing is very distinct and very beautiful. I remember buying a white dress with embroidered colored flowers all over. I also remember the huge Mexican blankets being for sale all around. I have been taking Spanish since high school so of course when I think of Mexico I think of their language. I also think about their history, like someone else mentioned, Day of the Dead. I also recently learned about El Dia de Amor which is Valentines Day. I think Mexico has such a unique culture and I have really enjoyed learning what I have. I would really love to visit more places in Mexico, less of a tourist destination so I can get a better taste of their lifestyle.

I have never been to Guatemala but my best friend in 2nd grade from Guatemalan. I know that Guatemala in the Maya-toltec language means "land of trees". I believe that Guatemala is known for their vegetables and fruit. They export coffee, sugar, bananas, and cotton. The staples there are tortillas, black beans, rice, and wheat and the people with more money also eat chicken, pork, and beef. The areas near bodies of water eat fish as well. The Spanish went on several expeditions to Guatemala beginning in 1519 and the Spanish contact resulted in an epidemic that devastated the native populations. Guatemala officially became independent from Spain on September 15, 1821.

I have actually never really learned anything about Honduras and have never been there or known anybody from there. I looked up Honduras online so that I could learn a few things. I learned that the name means "depths" and this name came from Christopher Columbus on his 4th voyage because of the deep waters. The major ethnic group there is the Chorti. Spanish is the major language spoken there and has been widely spoken in Honduras for 200 years. The houses in the cities are a lot like ours here, made of bricks and cement. In the countryside each ethnic group has a different architectural style. The poorer homes are made of local materials like adobe and clay.

I have only briefly heard of Belize and only as a vacation spot. From pictures I've seen I think it looks really beautiful. I looked up some information on Belize as well. I learned that the ethnic groups there include the Mayans, Mennonites, Kriols, Garifungs, and the Mestizos. While I have studied a little about the Mayans, I have never even heard of the others. The Mayan were the first civilization to spread into the area of Belize between 1500 BC and 300 AD and they flourished until about 1200. The official language of Belize is English although Spanish is commonly used and native languages are still spoken as well.

After being asked this question, I realized that I don't know much about other countries, especially these ones specifically. I hope to learn more from this class!