4:30 a.m.
     Women rise and prepare corn for grinding. After soaking overnight in water and lime, the corn must be rinsed thoroughly before being brought to the grinders.

     5:00 a.m.
     Women bring corn to the grinders. These entrepreneurs have diesel-powered mills; women save time and energy by bringing their corn here instead of grinding it themselves at home. There are often long lines at the grinders. Like most things, the women carry their buckets and baskets of corn on their heads.

     Men and boys rise; their first job is to cut and prepare firewood. Sometimes they go into the mountainside earlier than this to find wood; normally, they already have it at the house and only need to split logs in the morning.

     5:30 a.m.
     Women cook a simple but nutritious breakfast of tortillas, beans, and salt. They may prepare eggs and serve bread as well.

     Everyone eats.

     6:00 a.m.
     Men leave for work in the fields or in their shops.

     Women and children take care of house chores and may, depending on the day, bring goods to the market, set up their vending stands, and wait patiently for customers.

     6:30 a.m.
     The market begins.

     7:30 a.m.
     Children in first through sixth grade begin their classes. There are several schools scattered throughout town. 600 students attend the Parroquia’s Colegio, or elementary school.

     8:30 a.m.
     The market is in full swing. The air is full of rich aromas of vegetables, fruits, meats, and fish and rings with the voices of vendors and of bargainers. The produce is always fresh and ripe; women often buy only what they need for each day.

     9:00 a.m.
     Women begin bathing and washing clothes. Some go to the lake and wash on flat rocks; this is a social time, a community event. Some do their wash at facilities at home.

     12:30 p.m.
     Elementary school ends, and the streets become rivers of children. They usually go directly home to eat lunch.

     1:00 p.m.
     Afternoon classes for junior high and high school begin. Students in public schools have uniforms; the young women wear plaid skirts with white blouses and the young men wear dress pants, white shirts, and ties. Students in private schools, such as the Instituto associated with the Parroquia, wear either dress clothes or their traditional Mayan clothing.

     4:00 p.m.
     Men begin to return from the fields. Some descend from the mountains with bags of produce on their backs supported by straps across their heads. Full loads normally weigh one hundred pounds.

     Some women have afternoon church gatherings. They go either to the church or to the home of someone from the community who may need their prayers and help.

     4:30 p.m.
     Many men and boys bathe in the lake, diving off the docks and throwing each other in the water. It is a social time for them, as much to spend time with friends as to clean themselves.

     6:00 p.m.
     Afternoon classes end, and the young people either come home or spend time in the park.

     7:00 p.m.
     Many people eat supper at this time, though many eat much later.

     Evening high school classes begin.

     Young people with no studying or late work to finish begin to roam the streets, passing time. Teams play basketball in the park, which is filled with spectators and socializers.

     7:30 p.m.
     Prayer meetings begin at most of the town’s churches. Singing, praising, preaching, repenting, and thanking echo throughout the town for at least the next hour and a half.

     8:30 p.m.
     Young couples seek quiet shadows in the streets for snuggling.

     9:00 p.m.
     Many people return home from church, work, the park, or the streets. They spend time with their family; they talk, watch television, or listen to the radio.

     10:30 p.m.
     Young people return from classes or from other evening activities.

     11:00 p.m.
     Most people are asleep.