Day 29: Four Weeks Both Ways

I spent Sunday with the Lastrapes, going to church, washing my clothes, stealing their internet... It is always really nice to spent time with them- we have good conversations which I really appreciate after speaking with a limited vocabulary during the week. It is interesting though, because I can almost feeling my English has gone downhill when I return to speaking it. I forget simple words, transitions, and all sorts of things that I wouldn't have had to think on in the past... My poor brain.

Sunday night, we sat around at the house like we normally do, doing homework. Monday was a little strange. During the week for the past few weeks, the number in the house in the morning almost doubles because of all the teachers, but only two teachers came in... No longer the revolving door we used to be! It's an adjustment.

The faces we miss!

The face we have on now.

We are reviewing the subjunctive this week. For those of you who have studied another language that uses the subjunctive, you might feel my pain. It is something that we have lost in modern English. Therefore it is like there is not a space to fit it into when you are comparing the language that you are learning to the language you know. So the review is appreciated.

Last Thursday, we met a group of medical students from the U.S. Monday, we met them for drinks before dance class! It was nice to spend some time getting to know them. They came with us to dance class too, which was great. A full dance class is always more fun! Bachata. Salsa. The regulars. Dance class is such a great release and I look forward to it so much every day- I don't know what I'm going to do without it when I get back to the States!

Last night I went to bed super early and tried to wake up early to do my homework, but it didn't really work. I laid in my warm bed for an hour, wasting time on Facebook. Luckily, I was still able to finish my homework before class. Class went well today. We reviewed the subjunctive more. We talked about the history of Guatemala, how it tied in with the actions of the States, and the militarization that is happening here "for the sake" of some things where militarization might not actually be the answer. It's super interesting. If you have friends from other countries- please ask them about things like this. Even if your opinion doesn't change, it widens your horizon. 

After lunch, we went to Salcajá, a nearby pueblo that has an excellent market with lots of trajes and beautifully woven fabrics. We walked through and looked at all the beautiful things. I only bought a little whistle for Hobbie (you're welcome, Chelsea.), but I would love to go back when I know what I want! Those of you who have been shopping with me know I'm not the best at making quick decisions when shopping. 

We visited the first church built in Central America (in 1524, I think!) It was closed, because it is only open on Saturdays, but we peered through the keyhole and took pictures. 

¡A la gran!

Afterwards, we came back to Xela and went to our dance class. It went well, except we're short on guys (it's almost always that way)! Fingers crossed that more show up! I didn't realize until writing this that today is the half-way mark of my time here- four weeks behind me, four weeks ahead of me. I seriously cannot believe it. We're not going to talk about it, okay? The weekend is going to be strange again because Antulio went home, Sucely leaving Thursday, and Onelia might leave too. That only leaves Ángel, Cyndi, Andreita, don Jim, and me! We might go see Finding Dory (Buscando a Dory) which is certainly something to look forward too!

Okay, folks. Thanks for reading. Love you all bunches.

Day 26: An Emptying House

Thursday, we went to the fuentes georginas and it was a great experience! Only Andrés and I went from our group, but on the way, we met a group of medical students from California and Colorado and got to know them on the ride to the fuentes. It's so cool to be able to meet people that way.

The fuentes were beautiful. The water was so warm! There are rocks on the wall where the water trickles down and almost everyone rubbed their hands on the rocks and then rubbed the dirt on their face for facials! Qué rico! It was a great experience!

It looks like a giant quilt. 

That is the Santa Maria volcano behind me.

Santa Maria otra vez.

When we got back, we ate dinner, chilled, went dancing! Friday, we were all kind of pooped. It was most of the students' last day so I think everyone felt kind of distracted. We went to Bake Shop, a delicious bakery here and bought bread, cookies, donuts- whatever. We came back and finished class. I asked my teacher if he would seriously correct my pronunciation next week, so I'll tell you guys if I end up regretting that. ;) I want my accent to be as authentic as possible, so we'll see if it helps!

After classes, we had the graduation ceremony for all the students leaving. Each student gave a little speech of thanks to their teacher and their family guatemalteca. So so sweet. I was right on the verge of crying, but I stayed strong! The graduation ceremony was carried out in the true style of Xela as it started POURING rain and we had to move inside and then it stopped and we moved back outside to eat and then it started again.

We went to the last dance class for Andrés and Mary, which was bittersweet! We all signed our names on the wall of the studio. Then salsa. Bachata. Me encanta! After class, we walked around the market for a bit, ate some french fries at Super Papas. We came back and had some Subway-rivaling sandwiches for dinner. The ambiente in the house was a little sad. We knew parts of our family were going to leave. 

Even Mia knows.

We went out to a smoothie place and dancing again as one last ooh-rah with our amigos that are leaving.

What are we going to do without our Amberly?!

And what is El mundo en español like without "Nick Jonas" Schluder here to incessantly tease?

Mia laid on top of Mary's backpack in the living room before she left.

It's a sad day today. One of the Guatemalan students had to stop her classes and return home to her family because of some personal reasons and another one of the students just left to go home for the weekend. Another one is with her family this weekend. There was also family of Cyndi's visiting that left today too. We went from a house of twenty-one to a house of six. After we said goodbye to the Dayton kids, Sucely, Ángel, and I sat on the couch for a while, trying to keep it together after crying when we were telling everyone goodbye. Sucely asked, "¿Qué hacemos?" What do we do? 

There's no doubt that our world will be a little different here, but I'm so grateful for all the people I met and the friendships I made! So grateful for all the amazing theological-Jesus-and-relationship conversations with Amberly. So grateful for the laughs I got from watching Nick react when people picked on him. Nathan, Dominik, Meghan. ¡Todos! I'm going to miss our Dayton kids like crazy!

Day 23: Tranquila, Tranquila

Life here for the past two days has been pretty standard! I wake up. I make eggs for breakfast. We have class. Then we eat lunch. I do homework (or try). We go to dance class. We come back. We eat dinner! I love the schedule, but it does make the days fly by.

The content for my classes this week has been SO interesting. We've been studying idiomatic expressions- lots of things that direct translation can't help you with. There has been some pretty hilarious sayings with ideas that are very comparable to things we use in the U.S. It's very hard to know whether an expression is very strong or not. People here will give you different responses when it comes to the "strength" of a word or saying, much like the U.S., I assume. I apparently tried to play a vulgar word for "butt" in Scrabble the other day without realizing. Then I used the word I learned for people who have dwarfism, and my teacher was like, "That's a very strong word..." Also, the other day, while we were studying idiomatic expressions, my teacher mentioned a word that I knew I had heard. I wanted to tell him I couldn't remember what the word meant, but the translation of what I ended up saying was, "I can't remember shit." He lost it. (Forgive me, Mom, for typing that word on my blog, but if my point is the chronicle the struggles of language learning, there it is.)

We learned a new figure in dance class for the salsa yesterday. It's kind of complicated, but we're getting there! Today we are going to learn a new figure for the bachata. Wish me luck! I tend be a kind of tense person at times, so dance class has created a sort of conflict for me because it presents me with this goal that I need to achieve, but also I have to relax and "feel the music" and other stuff that is hard to fit into my frame of mind when I'm "training" for something. As a result, I am constantly hearing "tranquila, tranquila" and "relajate" ("calm down," "relax") which I am pretty sure is a Guatemalan man's favorite phrase. They use it all the time. I get excited because I see a cute puppy or I ask what time it is, and I'm bound to hear: "Tranquila!"

After dance class yesterday, we stopped at a tent that was selling used books. I've met several people here who just have a serious love for books. I know people in the U.S. love their books too, but I've witnessed here a very precious appreciation for books from some people who might not have the money to buy books, but their eyes sure light up looking at them.

After class today, I went with two students to a museum that I had already visited with my teacher. I'm not really good at museums, but I typically can't focus enough to read the information posted. Luckily, one of the students was similar so we kind of buzzed through the museum and then stopped for ice cream on the way back home.

The weather has been so beautiful the past couple of days- not too hot, not too cold, just the right amount of sunshine. It looks like rain today, so we'll see. Tomorrow, we are going to visit the Fuentes Georginas, which is a natural hot spring. I'm so pumped about that! Friday will be the giving of the diplomas for all the students that are going to be leaving (seven of the nine students that are learning Spanish will leave Saturday). I'm really sad that they're leaving and I know the house will be different without everyone here! Amberly, who went on the trip to Jacal, in just a few weeks has become someone very precious to me and we've had so many wonderful conversations (yes, in English- for our sanity, okay?) and I know I'm going to be sad without her here!

Day 20: Jacaltenango

This weekend, we went to Jacaltenango, a pueblo of some of our friends here in Guatemala. They went home for el día de los padres, and invited Amberly and I to join them!

¡Me encanta Jacal!

It was quite the experience! I'll start with the bus ride there. We caught a chicken bus (which is basically a repainted school bus) from Xela to Huehuetenango. They PACK people on these buses. I'm talking- six to seven people to a row, people squished together, people standing up. When we got on the bus, we were all sitting near each other, but as people got on and off, we got separated. To my right was a middle-aged man, who I really liked, because he never said a single word. But to my left... *shakes head* to my left sat another middle-aged man who as soon as he sat down, he was trying to converse in English: "You speak Eng-lish?" "Yes, but I also speak Spanish."

Some people here try to talk to you in English, and you have to tell them, "Puedo hablar español." But some of them, like this guy, just won't give it up and continue talking in English. I tried to express my disinterest in talking, but he was not getting the picture. He was also a little inebriated, you guys. His friend, who was also in a similar state, was at least cognizant enough to tell him to be quiet and leave me alone about fifteen minutes in the ride. He was finally quiet because he felt asleep, but he kept falling asleep on me. I was elbowing him off of me continuously for like an hour. Amberly could not see me and Ángel had fallen asleep, so I was on my own. The guy kept drooling and I was jerking my legs out of the way, trying to make sure he didn't drool on me. Finally, Ángel woke up and I was shooting him "help me right now" eyes. He asked the other inebriated pal to mind his friend, so he put his arm in between us, grabbing the bar in front of our seats, using his arm to keep his friend from touching me. Due to his state though, he kept dozing off and his arm would fall in between us. Needless to say, I was kind of tense for a few hours.

FINALLY, we switched buses and then arrived in Huehuetenango! We walked around a bit, ate at a delicious taco place, and waited for the next bus to San Antonio.

Tired, but relieved to be off that bus.

We took a smaller bus from San Antonio to Jacal. The ride was so bumpy and Amberly and I both had to use the bathroom like something fierce. When we got to the center of town, we went to the public bathrooms, but they were already closed for the night. So we took a taxi to Ángel's house to use the bathroom there. Phew.

Wendy, another student who lives in Jacal, came to get me on her moto, and we went back to her house to drop my things off. After a little rest, we went around the pueblo and met a lot of her family members. We went to a house of some family members of our director here at the school, and they welcomed us so warmly and played the marimba for us! It was amazing! Afterwards, we rode the moto around Jacal and stayed up too late watching videos ;)

On Saturday, we had a busy day! We woke up early and met up at Sucely's house where I ate zompopos for the first time.

They're giants ants. And they were good.

Then we headed for the río azul, which was not so azul, because of all the rain recently.

 Afterwards, we stopped at a restaurant to eat lunch. We waited so long for our food I thought I might hurt someone, there was definitely some hanger (enhambre) going on. Some guy tried to hit on me and Amberly's big sister instincts came out real fast. So we got out of there. There wasn't a taxi so we walked in the rain for a little until one came. After going home and resting for a bit, Wendy and I went to a nearby spring to bathe because the water in the house was effected by all the rain. It was so freezing, but just another experience I can add to my portfolio! We had some real good quesadillas for dinner to top off our night, rode around the pueblo listening to music, and stopped at Wendy's boyfriend's house to play ping-pong for a bit.

It was a great, but tiring trip! We woke up around 5:30 this morning to catch our bus back to Xela. As soon as we got back, we went to a sauna super last minute, which was amazing and beautiful!

When we got back, I took a long, serious, much-needed nap! And now sweet (sometimes) Mia is curled up

in my lap. I miss my kitty!

This coming Tuesday makes three weeks and I just cannot believe it! Here's to another wonderful week in Xela.

Day 17: The Best Type of Thrifting

Yesterday, we had a good class! We stayed at the school and went over homework and worked on reading and pronunciation. I have always said that pronunciation in Spanish was easy because that vowels are always pronounced the same and the rules were concrete and reliable. All of that still reigns true, but- my gosh- I do struggle with it. Some of us have been working with some of the Guatemalan students, teaching them English, and I think the switching also throws me off. It is, however, good practice if I want to be an interpreter one day.

After class, lunch. Homework. Then Mary, Andrew, and I left to find a second-hand clothes store we had heard about it. Half-way there, Andrew asked if we knew where we were going. We knew the shop was near the La demo market, but the market is about four blocks in size... So then commenced our hunt for the second-hand store that we didn't know the name or the location. Eventually, after entering many shops with no luck, we ended up finding a really good second-hand store with lots of items. You know what is better than a second-hand store? A second-hand store at which you can barter (If you're reading, Haley, be proud!)

We headed to dance class afterwards. It went pretty well, except the instructor lost it for a moment because we were chatting and guys were doing moves that girls hadn't been taught yet. He listed his credentials and then proceeded to go from person-to-person, naming the things they do badly in front of everyone. While I understood where he was coming from, it certainly was not a pick-me-up for the group as a whole.

Today would have been the birthday of my teacher's mother, who passed away nine years ago. He mentioned that he wanted to visit the cemetery, so we decided to do that during our class. We walked to the cemetery which was huge and very beautiful. I should have taken more pictures. All of the tombs are above-ground. Some are very decorated and painted bright colors.

A gitana (gypsy girl), who is said to have "died of love" after she and her lover were forbade to be together, is buried at the beginning of the cemetery. Rocael told me that people who are suffering from unrequited love visit the grave and write notes or leave flowers. Sure enough, there were fresh flowers on her tombs, which was covered with writings, some as recent as yesterday. Rocael set off some fireworks in honor of his mother's birthday because she loved fireworks. Then we headed out. Much like the other day, he knew so many people that we passed. One woman, named Alba, took my arm and we walked and talked for a few minutes- she was so sweet!

Then we went to a centro commercial because my stomach was rumbling something fierce. I got arroz con leche, which is basically a milk and rice drink. Rocael also ordered us two delicious sweet muffins things that I cannot remember the name. Yum though. Then we went to a really cool store (My teacher was friends with the owner- are you surprised?) and I bought a gorgeous, embroidered shirt! We returned to the house after that and the Lastrapes picked me up to go to the shelter. We watched a movie with the girls today! They seemed to really enjoy it.

I do not remember if I have written about Mama Chayito yet, but she is the mother of the director of the school. She was in Guate for my first week here, but she returned last week. She is such a precious lady! Always ready to dole out a smile or hug or pat or cute little saying and I love having her here!

This weekend, a small group of us are traveling to Huehuetenango for some of the students to see their pápas for Father's Day. While I certainly wish I could be with mine, joining someone else in celebrating their father will do until I can be back home with my own!

Day 15: Culture Soak

First off, I can't believe I've been here fifteen days already. That means I'm a quarter of the way through my trip and that makes me a little sad to think about! These fifteen days have really flown by.

Yesterday, to start our second week of classes, we reviewed some basic concepts and talked about my family and la familia de mi maestro and whatever else came to mind. When it comes to language improvement, I can pinpoint some specific things that I've learned, but I feel like I am still making a ton of mistakes- sometimes the same mistakes over and over again. Some moments are harder than others to spit out what I am trying to say. Sometimes I overthink my pronunciation. Sometimes I feel too tired to conjugate. Sometimes I just throw a conjugation out, hoping it is right, because taking the time to apply all the rules and figure it out step-by-step would be ridiculous. I am assuming (hoping) this is part of the learning curve.

After class yesterday, I did my homework and then we went to Trama Textiles, which is an organization that gives weaving classes, but also buys traditionally woven textiles from women and sells them in its store. It is a great outlet to help these women, because they do not have to wait until the item sells to get paid. The middleman is cut out and the women make a better living. We watched a documentary about the organization and some of the women it has affected, which was all tied into Guatemala's history. Then we were able to look around the store. I'm telling you- everything was so beautiful and perfect and pretty. From traditional tops and skirts to tablet cases, they had it all! It was a great experience.

After this, I went with one of the students to run a few errands before dance class. We went and visited a second-hand bookstore that was tiny, but really neat- books everywhere, rustic paper smell. It was enjoyable. The owner was actually American. His response after I told him where I was from was, "Wow. They're really crazy about football down there." Yep. Pretty much. It's funny hearing the assumptions (some true, let's be honest) that people have about the South. It gives me a little laugh. My teacher wanted to know about rednecks.

Dance class yesterday was great. We learned a new sequence. As the instructor was showing us, I know my eyes were growing bigger and bigger. However, I was actually able to pick it up uncharacteristically fast. I wasn't the only one who was shocked either, so trust that it really was uncharacteristic of me. But it was a great start to the week.

Today for classes, we went over my homework really quickly and then set out to explore the city. We went to the palacio municipal and were able to explore the inside. We went into a great big meeting room, with all of the flags of the Americas, seals of the countries, and pictures of influential people in Guatemalan history. We stayed there for a while talking about some of the leaders. I am just now realizing that I have really only ever learned history from an American perspective- focusing on other parts of the world, sure, but looking through a certain lens. I like hearing it from a different perspective. It reminds me that the world is a great, big, grand place and I only know a little corner of it. There is so much to learn, and I am trying to make like a sponge and soak up as much as I can.

The garden is in the shape of the escudo on the Quetzatenango flag!

Then we went to a museum. Rocael actually knew the director of the museum so we talked with him for bit. Every where we went (not exaggerating, EVERYWHERE) someone knew Rocael- every seventh person we passed on the street, the director in the museum, a man on a motorcycle, a couple in a car, a lawyer at the coffee shop, the baristas at the coffee shop, etc. I kind of felt like I was with someone famous.

After our little adventure, we returned to the school and I bee-bopped around, doing homework, and cat-napping until dance class. I learned a new figure which was pretty exciting. One of the guys who regularly attends asked me if I would teach him English. After dance class, we started with the "hi" "how are you" "i'm fine," so we'll see how that goes. I was going to post a picture of the nice blister I have earned from dance, but I decided to spare you all, just know that I earned one, okay?

Qué buena es mi familia aquí en Xela. ¡Me encanta mucho!

Day 13: La laguna

Friday was a good day, except about six of us fell victim to something from the from the international dinner. Vomiting. Diarrhea. Very unpleasant. Everyone seems to be better now- thank goodness. If something like that doesn't enhance one's family-ness, I don't know what would. My sweet teacher was very kind during class, reminding me to drink tea, take care of myself, letting me run to the bathroom whenever... Muy amable.

During the afternoon, I went to a bread shop called Bake Shop with two students from Seattle. Bake Shop is run by a Mennonite family and only open two days a week. It's pretty famous in Xela though. They make a mean chocolate-chip cookie and some great carrot bread/cake stuff too (which, thanks to mis amigos from Seattle, we almost always have some in the house).

Saturday, we woke up bright and early to journey to Laguna Chicabal . We took a bus to a nearby pueblo called San Martín. Onelia and I were so tired, we slept on the way. Then we stopped in the pueblo and waited by the rode for a picop (pickup) to take us down a ridiculously bumpy, windy rode to the park. While we waited, we met a woman and her son headed to the laguna as well. We decided to take the picop with them. The son's name was Enrique. We introduced ourselves. He told me he couldn't bring his phone, and asked if I would take pictures for him and send them to him via Facebook. I told him we would see if we made it to the top.

We rode in the back of a the picop, which thankfully had seats and handles because the ride was roughhhh. We arrived at the base of the mountain and started our ascent. I'll be honest, there were times that I was literally praying that I would make it to the top. It was kind of rough. Also, super difficult to breath because of the altitude. Thankfully, Dorita was moving at the same pace so we stuck together.

When we finally made it to the top, we rested a bit and started our photo-taking spree, which you can find some of on my Facebook (it ended up being over three hundred photos, you guys! Dorita and Onelia were searching for the perfect profile picture!) Enrique and his mom arrived, so he was able the get his pictures!

Then we began the descent into the laguna. Andrew counted. Over seven hundred steps. Half-way down, it hit me, "¡Tenemos que subir!" We had to go back up these stairs. Ay-ay-ay. When we finally reached bottom, we took some celebration pictures and then ate lunch. Dorita told us we were lucky because sometimes she has made the trek with students to find the laguna completely covered with clouds. It was a beautiful view.



After eating, we walked around the laguna. Surrounding the lake are Mayan altars with signs that have the names of birds or animals that represent a Mayan god. As we walked around the lake, we got to see the clouds rolling in over the trees. By the time we were halfway around, the lake was completely covered with clouds. And it started raining too. Dorita and I almost died going back up the stairs. We were soaked and exhausted and aching.

But here is our triumphant "we-made-it-up-the-stairs" photo.

As we were coming back down, we wished buena suerte (good luck) to everyone we passed. We made it back to the base and surprisingly, no one in our group fell. We almost saw a truck roll down the hill, so that was exciting... We hopped back on the picop, exhausted, and made our way back to the bus stop. You can bet Onelia and I slept on the ride home. From the bus stop in Xela to the house, we got rained on again, but by the time we arrived at the house, it didn't matter to anyone. We showered. We ate. We slept the rest of the afternoon!

Today was church and some time with the Lastrapes which is always enjoyed! Tomorrow starts the second week of classes and my teacher told me we are going to go out and about in the city to explore and hear other accents! I cannot wait! I hope everyone had a good Monday.

Day 10: La cena internacional

Yesterday we had a great class, sitting outside under the sun.

El maestro Rocky

Right before our refacción (snack break!), a Mayan woman came to the school and took up the whole sidewalk spreading out the most beautiful fabrics and handmade items. She was so sweet. I sat and talked with her for a little bit about where she lived and how she made some of the things she brought. She was all about getting me to try things on and touch them and feel them. I hope she got her money's worth out of me!

Mira. Mira. Look at my pretty blanket that I bought!

After class, lunch, then salsa dance class. I was working on the cruz con vuelta (cross with turn) and boy, was I having trouble. I couldn't get it. To the point that the instructor told me, "Spanglish? I'm going to talk to you in Spanglish." I had to tell him that I understood what he was telling me to do, I just couldn't make my body do all though things at once ("Shoulders more relaxed! Hands firmer! Shorter steps! More hips!"). Good grief. Also, the people at the class don't understand that they need to talk just a little slower for me to understand. They'll talk quietly and really quickly. Sheesh.

After class, we came back for our international dinner. Mac 'n' cheese. Buffalo chicken dip. Schnitzel. Guacamole. Chicken soup. Cauliflower casserole. So much food and so good. We each presented our dishes then we ALL enjoyed! There was a little salsa-ing, merengue-ing, and then finally, some Cha-Cha Slide, Wobble, and dances that I knew. So much fun. Afterwards, a student whipped out a guitar and we sang a little. The cena internacional was absolutely increíble. 

Mis amigos, Angel, Antulio, and Onelia <3

Cena, familia!

The power went out at about eleven when I was in my room getting ready for bed. Of course I didn't think to turn the light off because it was "off." So about five this morning, I woke up with it shining real, real bright. A phrase used here in Guatemala is "Cómo amaneciste?" ... translated directly: "How did you dawn?" Well, I dawned with a bright light right in my face. My fault.

Today classes passed as usual. It was cold outside! Afterwards, lunch, homework. Then the Lastrapes came to get me and we went to the shelter where Sarah teaches them Bible stories. At the shelther are all young moms, probably all under eighteen. Some of them had their babies with them. They all seemed so eager to spend time with hearing the Word. Maddy and I held some precious little ones while their moms participated in the lesson.

The lesson was about Abraham and Isaac. Sarah talked about how even though it may have been hard for Abraham to obey the Lord, he did it anyway, and each time the Lord provided. Sarah talked about obedience as a Christian and the girls seemed eager to discuss it. They were able to put it into practice when the Bible study was cut short because an unexpected activity came up that they had to attend. Sarah reminded them to obey with joy- alegría! The Lord's timing is a wonder.

Back at the school now, we are going to a discoteca tonight! We will see how that goes. Buenas noches!

Day 8: Hot Chocolate

I am really settling in to my schedule now. Classes for four hours each morning. An hour or so of homework. An hour or so of dancing. Eating. Talking. It is like the perfect mix between summer camp and college.

This past weekend, a group of students that attend the school were on a short trip, hitting all the tourist-y spots across Guatemala. They returned late Sunday, so now there are even more students here! All of the Spanish-learning students that are here (there are 10 of us taking classes here, 5 that live in the house, 5 that live in nearby homes) everyone except me will be gone within the next three weeks. It makes me a little sad because I already enjoy being around all these people! After they leave, one other student is scheduled to come. So we will see what that is like! The Guatemalan students will still be here though- of which I am very glad.

Yesterday, a guy showed up, wanting information about the school. He didn't speak Spanish and he was actually from Taiwan so his English was a little hard to understand. Entonces, Doña Cyndi asked me to translate for her while she gave him a tour of the school. He asked a lot of questions that I got to help him answer. It was so very neat and I really enjoyed it! My first moment as an interpreter.

The weather yesterday during class was beautiful. About two hours into our classes each day, we stop for a snack. Yesterday it was a warm, creamy banana drink and today it was a rice drink with sweet bread. So yummy.

Mia, the shameless killer, enjoying el sol.

Dance class yesterday was yet another learning experience! I have learned the three basic steps of the salsa: the basic, the open, and the marimba, plus the turn, and figure 1 and 2. A lot remains- like learning how to move to the beat, not lose my balance when I spin, and not look at my feet- but I am optimistic, you guys. It was raining on the way back from dance class, so we took a bus that was completely packed and a challenge to balance in. I thought it was 25 quetzales to take the bus, but I had only brought 20, so Angel paid for me and some other people. Then today, I repaid him. He laughed because it was apparently only 1.25 quetzal to ride the bus and there I was, trying to give him over 20 times that in return. Thank goodness for good people. Buena gente.

Today, class was kind of a drag because 1) it was raining a beautiful, sleepy, steady rain and 2) we were going over irregular verbs that I have already learned two or three times. I know the verbs. In a written test, I could write the correct forms. Talking is just a different story, because knowing the irregulars on paper certainly doesn't mean you can spit them out in a timely fashion. Basically, today's class was tedious, but necessary.

Afterwards, I took a short nap, did homework, had lunch, then more homework. Tomorrow, we are going to have a cena internacional, where everyone brings something from their country for dinner. My first thought was hot dogs-  is anyone surprised?- but then I decided I might want to go for something a little more original. So I am going to make my mother's delicious mock mashed potatoes with cauliflower. ¡Qué rico!

After we returned from el supermercado, a few of us piled on the couch and watched Crazy, Stupid Love in Spanish. It's funny watching a movie translated into another language. Of course their lips don't move with the words and the translation is not always direct. But it's funny.

Then we had dinner (some delicious, delicious soup with sour dough bread!), then we talked for a bit, then we had a clase de chocolate and learned how to make chocolate from scratch.

We separated the beans by size. 

Toasted the beans. Then burned our hands peeling the shell off.

Then the beans when through this hand-cranked machine,

and it was absolutely incredible because there was no water or anything, but due to the nature of the beans and the friction from the grinding, they turned into a shiny, liquidy mush. It was amazing! Terribly bitter to taste, but amazing to see.

We added sugar and cinnamon and shaped them into balls. Tomorrow, we will get to try them! In the meantime, Doña Cyndi had some on reserve that she quickly made into hot chocolate for us! It is not quite as sweet as our idea of hot chocolate in the United States, but it tastes so fresh and rich. Doña Cyndi has a business selling it so I will most likely be bringing some home!

This weekend, we are going to hike a nearby montaña that has a crater lake at the top! Really excited about that! I also found out that there is going to be a color run in a few weeks that I might participate in! ¡Muchas cosas, muchas cosas! Thanks for reading!

Day 5-6: El fin de semana

Brace yourselves! It's going to be a long post, but vale la pena, because it was a great weekend.

I wrote Friday about the short-lived hope that a new student had come, but it actually happened! Not the same student I saw, but one of the students left- I wasn't sure why- then he came back with his sister. She knew very little Spanish, but it has been extremely impressive how fast she has learned in only two days! While he was gone to get her, I was the only person in the house who spoke English so that was a little strange. When we were eating dinner, I asked what something was, but I didn't recognize the word and no one knew it in English. We kind of laughed, because we realized nobody could translate. Turns out they were beets. And they were delicious.

Saturday morning, Doña Cyndi took us (myself and the aforementioned brother and sister) on a tour of Xela to La demo (a huge four-block market), parque central, and other places around the city. She bought strawberries, star fruit (which she later made juice from! ¡Qué rico!), mangoes. The market was pretty packed (SO many fruits and veggies!), so we moved through fairly quickly.

Something clicked while I was talking with Doña Cyndi... Sure, I didn't have all the vocabulary that I have in English to tell a story, but I realized the benefit of sound effects. So I started using noises and hand motions to communicate things I don't have the words for. I might look crazy, but it works well enough!

After the tour, we came back to the house and had lunch, then I raided the library and read until about four when we had a dance class by Angel at the school. He kept saying "¡Todo está en las caderas!" Apparently, my brain can't work fast enough to count the beats, move my feet, and move my hips as well. I'll get it though. Afterwards, we played Jenga for a while, then had dinner. Listen. Doña Cyndi made eggs with hot dogs mixed in. If you know how much I love hot dogs, you know how happy I was. I love hot dogs. I love eggs. How come I never thought of combining them?! I'm bringing that recipe home.

After una cena delicioso, we decided to take a walk to parque central again. A student named Onelia hooked arms with me and as we walked, she told me all about her family and how she misses her big brother. She's precious! We witnessed a bizarre and loud battle-of-the-bands deal in the park, where two stages were set up not thirty yards from each other, a rock band and a Christian band, both singing and playing at the same time. It was so strange! Como la fiesta contra Dios. We went to a coffee shop after which was filled with antique cameras and pictures and newspapers. Really neat.

Sunday, the Lastrapes picked me up for church, which was a great experience! It was so neat hearing popular praise songs translated into Spanish. There was a mission team there and one of their members gave the sermon, while a missionary translated into Spanish. He talked about how the world and sometimes Christians seem confused about who Jesus is, but that the answer is literally spelled out in Scripture in Matthew 16. He made the statement that we need nothing more than what the scripture tells us about Jesus. Read it if you get a chance, it's good stuff. At the end of church, the pastor was talking and saying something about another guest that he wanted to welcome, who came with Geraldo y Sara, and I was like, "Oh! He's talking about me." He ask Sarah what my name was. "Se llama Rae." He looked at her for a moment, then said, "¡eso!" and left it at that.

One of the things I knew I was going to miss most is conversations with Jonathan about church and sermons and Scripture. A clear phone conversation is not really possible with the wifi at the school. I sure did miss him today!

After church, we went out to eat, then to WalMart (it's in a mall, you guys!), then back to the Lastrapes' house. They were kind enough to let me wash my clothes there, which was awesome, and sweet Mrs. Sarah made some killerrrrrrrrrr sugar-free cookies. <3 They brought me back to the school just in time to go to misa (mass) with the students.

Very cool experience. Very different. But cool. On the way home, Angel asked me if I believed in the saints. We discussed that, then he asked me if I always followed the Word of God. Let me tell you, answering questions así in another language is a challenge! I started answering as we got back to the house and he told me to sit down by him for dinner because he wanted to know my response. We talked for about two hours, about what I thought being a Christian meant and how one could see the hand of God in the midst of hard, incomprehensible situations. I pray that God gave me the words that he needed to hear.

It was a very cool opportunity. Not to mention while we were talking, there was literally an earthquake. I never thought an earthquake would make me excited, but you guys, I was so excited. I was grinning so big and felt unnecessarily accomplished. My first earthquake. It was short and light, but still. It was awesome.

I know I have put a lot of details for two days, but even with what I wrote on Friday and things that I was feeling that I did not write, I could see God's answering of prayers, calming of fears, presenting of opportunities, and I would not want to spare anyone from being able to see his hand at work. A glimpse of his glory is a precious, precious gift.

Day 4: Cue Rocky

This morning I met my teacher. He's absolutely precious- you guys don't even know. He is so sweet and grandfather-y I just want to give him a big squeeze. He is so full of energy. Today, he told me his whole life story with a great deal of expression- just watching him was entertaining. His name is Rocael, but as soon as he met me, he held up his fists in a fighting motion and told me that I could call him "Rocky." As it turns out, "Rae" is not going over as smoothly as I thought. I still have to say it two and three times. It sounds very similar to the word they use for "king," so Rocky told me I should be more or less a queen to Jonathan, and for that reason, my name was very good.

Again, I will say that everyone is so nice here. Jonathan told me to give it time, but I'm ready NOW to feel like I belong. Most of the students who are here right now are Guatemalan. I expected to be surrounded by people in the same boat as me, maybe just on different levels, but I feel a little blah being SO behind everyone. I go to my room and read during free time, because I feel like an extranjero (News flash, self, you are). You say, "Hey. Chill out. It's Day 4." I know. I'm just not very patient. I'm not very good at rolling with the punches.

During my class this morning, I saw Dorita showing a new girl the grounds. I was excited because for a moment, I was no longer the newest! Turns out, she was just taking a tour and didn't stay. Back to being the newbie...

After lunch today, I went to my room to read, then I was like No. Go back downstairs. So I grabbed my laptop and book and here I sit in the common room. I am going to a dance class around 4:30 so maybe that will be a good chance to have some fun with the other students.

(To avoid posting two posts in one day... I will just update this one after the dance class.)

Salsa dance class. What an experience. Mom asked how it went and I told her, "Your girl's got no rhythm." Because it's true. The instructor was nice enough. The only time he spoke in English was to ask me, "What is your problem?!" ... That should give you a good enough picture of how I was doing. When I left, he hugged me ("muchas gracias, mi amor"), most likely because I had just signed up and paid him for a month of dance classes. At this point, it wasn't because I absolutely loved the class, but it was more because I absolutely needed it. But watch and see, I'm going to return a salsa pro.

Another random, but notable thing that happened today starts with the adorable baby bunny they showed us when we arrived yesterday. So precious and soft. Then there's Mia, la gata, soft, but not so precious as she murdered the baby bunny last night.

Day 3: And Then Comes the Rain

It finally rained today! It was a good thing too, because the nearby volcano has apparently been erupting a lot, which leaves dust and ash that the rains typically wash away... Except the last few days. So the rain was welcomed, I think.

Today brought a little stress with it for the reason that there were so many introductions. I met Tita, a maid who works at the house I was staying at, Edna, a teacher at the school and her daughter, Alejandro, Dorita, a lady who works at the school, Cyndi, the director of the school and her daughter, and almost all the students that live here.

Oush.

I always feel anxious that I am going to accidentally be rude or say something stupid during an introduction. When I met Señora Edna, one of the teachers at the school, "nice to meet you" tumbled out in English, and I was like, Way to go, genius.

We decided to change my name to Rae (pronounced "rah-eh") for the trip. That in itself is an adjustment, because greetings are even more stressful when you don't know your own name very well.

Greetings typically go:
"¡Hola!"
"Buenos días."
"Mucho gusto."
"Soy... (CONCENTRATE ON PRONUNCIATION) Rae."
"Soy so-and-so."
"Mucho gusto."
"Mucho gusto."
Awkward silence because small talk seems a lot harder in a different language.

Despite this, everyone has been so kind. The Lastrapes brought me to the school today and made sure I was settled in. It is funny- they are really the only familiar thing I have here, even though I only met them a few days ago. When asked by a student if we were family, I told them that for the next two months, yes, they were. I am so grateful for them and the care they have shown me.

In addition to the three or four students learning Spanish, there are four students here, who are Guatemalan students that are studying at a local university. They have been especially welcoming! The director of the school, Cyndi, has a daughter who is about seven or eight, who is absolutely precious and watched over me after the Lastrapes left. She asked to see my room, showed me where I could do my homework, and told me all about what her friends think of chile (made me taste some!).

I was unsure what to expect when it came to how much Spanish I would speak, how much I would understand, etc. At the school, everything has been in Spanish. I can understand 90% of what is said and fumble through trying to get the words out myself. I am actually doing a bit better than I expected, which is encouraging. But my brain is tired. I feel like I am constantly on guard in case anyone asks me a question or uses a phrase I don't understand.

I took an exam that will determine my level and I will start class tomorrow! I will get a tour of the city on Saturday. For now, I am settled in my habitación, which is painted yellow (my favorite). It's tiny but I have two bookshelves for my things and a window with a vista increíble. I will take a picture and post it in the morning.

(As promised!)

Thanks for reading. Hasta mañana.

Day 1: Triple Time Zone Traveler

After a very long day, I am finally in Xela! Before I brag on the wonderful Lastrapes family for their kindness, I want to give a quick account of my travel day- traveling back and forth through three times zones can give you some stories to tell! At 5:40 AM, we pulled up at the international terminal and Jon helped me move my bags onto the sidewalk. We said our dreaded goodbye and "I love you"s. I was pretty proud of us- we made it on time and made it through our goodbye (kind of).

He was only gone for about five minutes though because I soon realized I was in the wrong terminal. He circled back around and we threw my bags back into the car. Now I was no longer on time. We headed for the domestic terminal and as we got closer, signs revealed there were like three of those [panic levels rising].

"I HAVE NO IDEA, I have no idea, Jon. Just pick one. Just stop drop me off somewhere!" We pulled up and pulled the bags out of the car again. Quicker hug this time. It still ended up being the wrong terminal. I had to run to the right one. But I arrived to my gate with five minutes to spare before boarding time.

Phew.

For a few minutes, I held on to the hope that there was going to be an empty seat in between myself and this other guy. What a joke. Some dude came running onto the plane last minute, and of course, the empty seat was his. He was a little sweaty and smelled like fast food. But his name was Rajesh, and if you're thinking Big Bang Theory "Raj," you're pretty much on track- minus the extreme nerdiness.

Anyway. Rajesh told me all about his crazy morning and how he almost missed the flight. He asked about my morning, my destination, etc. We ended up talking the whole flight. I learned about the best casinos in Fort Lauderdale, the best bars in the airport, and advice with each of those ("Some people get drunk and don't know what they are doing. They act crazy and make very bad decisions." "If you go to a casino, take the first winnings you get; don't stay for more."). He asked about tourist destinations in Alabama (uhh...?) and told me he already had the Space museum and Talladega on his list. I told him that was pretty much it. He was cool, super polite, and made the flight go by really quickly. I really love meeting people who are good talkers!

On my second flight, I ended up right in the middle of a Guatemalan family that lived in Mississippi. I let their kid have my window seat ticket so they thanked me about a hundred times. I ended up sitting by the mom. It took me about fifteen minutes to work up the courage to talk to her in Spanish, and when I finally did, I was so glad. She was so kind. We talked about her family and mine. When I told her my name, her eyes got wide and she told me it was too hard to pronounce.  We decided after talking for a bit that I might need to change it to something different for my trip.... (Suggestions, anyone? The prospect of getting to rename myself for two months is pretty exciting.) When the plane started moving, she bent over to pray and I listened in "Guard my children. Guard my husband..." As soon as the plane touched the ground, she was thanking the Lord.

When we landed, she told me that the airport was a little dangerous, I just needed to keep moving as best I could. She told me to stick close to her and her family through customs and getting my luggage. They were so precious. Another family near us on the plane was traveling from the airport to Xela as well. The mom told me that city was very dangerous and said if the family I was waiting on wasn't there to pick me up, I could ride with them to Xela. I don't know if I would have taken them up on the offer, but their kindness touched me.

Luckily, amidst the chaos of the airport, the Lastrapes were waiting! After getting my luggage to the car, we went to a store called PriceSmart, which is like a Guatemalan Costco. Prices are so expensive here. I'm talking $13-for-a-jar-of-peanut-butter expensive.

After PriceSmart, we drove on the windiest roads I've ever been on. People drive crazy fast and motorcycles are constantly zipping by in between cars. We stopped at an Italian restaurant to eat lunch, and the food was so good. I ordered carbonara (fettuccine alfredo), and I could only eat about a third of it, but it was delicious!

After that, we drove a ridiculously windy road up a mountain. We started to see little shops on the side of the road with beautiful woven items and pottery. We saw men and women in traditional Mayan dress- which is super colorful. It all made me so exciting to get out and explore the city!

The Lastrapes have been so kind- answering my many questions and telling me about Xela. They set up a meeting with the woman who is going to be my teacher at the school, so I will meet her tomorrow and they will take me to the school! I cannot wait!

Also, check out the Lastrapes' beautiful garden that is inside their front door.