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!
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