The Night I set myself up to Die

The Night I set myself up to Die, and Didn’t.

Hindsight is 20/20.  And sometimes you reach that realization not long after you’ve made the decision, and there’s nothing you can do about it.  This is a success story for me because, well, I survived.

Back Story

I was in Antigua, Guatemala doing an ethnography field school for my undergraduate.  For my subjects, I decided to study the colorful ex-patriate community.  You would see them around at coffee shops, some owned their own shops.  But most often you would find them at bars, smoking cigarettes, drinking whiskey, and spouting off about politics, history, art, and the universe in general.  Ex-patriates are a very amiable bunch, but I hadn’t yet found their favorite hang-outs and was trying to find my way in.

Van

I first met Van at a coffee shop where I was studying my Spanish.  He was obviously an ex-patriate; a 6 foot tall, lean man in his mid-30s wearing a cowboy hat and bright orange sunglasses.  He was passing out leaflets for an excursion to hike a volcano. We exchanged pleasantries and it came up why I was in Antigua.  After an intense philosophical discussion, he said I could call him and he would introduce me to people.

A few days later, I ran into Van at the Central Park.  We took a stroll around town and Van introduced me to several ex-pats.  We grabbed some lunch and he asked what I had seen so far in Antigua.  I told him a few bars and sites.  He told me to dress nice, and to not eat dinner with my host family.  He would then pick me up at 6:00 and take me somewhere, but wouldn’t tell me where.  Though he answered some of my questions, he wanted to meet later on for a more extensive interview.

The “Adventure”

I met Van at our predetermined time, excited for my first real interview with my first informant.  Van showed up a few minutes late in his truck.  “Jump in,” he said.  “I’m going to take you somewhere special.”

 

I was a bit hesitant.  “Could we walk there?” I asked.  “It’s too far to walk, just come on in.”  I slowly got into his truck.  “Where are we going?” I asked again.  He replied, “It’s a surprise.”  Like a good little girl, I buckled in, for safety, and we took off.

We left the downtown area and started climbing up some small, windy roads.  I started to get really nervous. I do not know this man, I have no idea where he is taking me, I am alone with him, he is much larger and stronger than I am, and I have no cell phone.  I became more and more scared with each passing minute.  “Please tell me where we’re going,” I said, while trying to keep the frantic tone out of my voice.  “It’s a surprise,” he said.  “Don’t you like surprises?”  “Not really,” I replied.  Thoughts flew by in a fury.  Is this how it ends?  I don’t want to be murdered.  Why did I do this?  I walked right into his car, willingly.  I am so naïve.  No, I’m just stupid.  Mom is going to be so upset!  These thoughts and more passed through my brain.

After what seemed like hours later, but was probably only 10 minutes, we pull up next to a hotel all lit up with people hanging out by the doorway.  I must have audibly sighed because I was so relieved.  Civilization!  Maybe he wasn’t going to murder me after all!

The Lucky Ending

We ended up going to the art show of a local Guatemalan artist.  After passing through the art, we went to Travel Menu for dinner, and Sky Bar for desert.  At Sky Bar, Van took me to a rooftop seating area where we drank and overlooked the Volcan de Agua, illuminated by lightning.  It was beautiful.  I got drunk on wine, art, and the view.  It was one of those moments that stick in your brain forever.  I took a second to try and make a mental image of the setting, the atmosphere, the view, the company.  This was the first of many glorious adventures I happened upon during my ethnography field school.

In Antigua, I learned that if you say yes to everything that comes your way, you have some really wonderful experiences.  Looking back, it was one of those nights where life is so juicy and wonderful that it is almost tangible.  But I am very lucky that I get to look back at all.  Van could have been a serial killer.  Luckily he wasn’t.  I set myself up to die, and didn’t.  Whew!