Wednesday was a pretty regular day. We had class, reviewing the subjunctive and working on pronunciation. We went out a café and stopped by a store that I love to pick out a few gifts. After class, I took a nap between class and lunch, then we went to dance class. I asked my instructor to take a look at my knee because along with being a dance teacher, MMA fighter, and trainer, he's a physical therapist. My knee, since I stopped playing softball and volleyball, has made this awful creaky-cracking noise when I walk down stairs or crouch. Due to all the dancing and walking, it's gotten worse here. He did a quick evaluation and said something along the lines of, "Mi amor, tu rodilla está bien bastante dañada." (Your knee is real good damaged.) He told me my meniscus is damaged or something- I can't quite remember because I didn't understand everything he said, but on Friday, he put some tape to help support my knee, so we'll see if it helps!
Wednesday night was movie night so we piled on the couches and watched Milagros del cielo which was originally in English (Miracles from Heaven). Then some of us watched an installment of a horror series- bad decision. We finished the show really late and most everyone had gone to bed. I had to go to my room to get my toothbrush and cross the house again to come back to the bathroom and the cats were running across the roof and my mind was a little panicky. I was doing the "run on your tip-toes" thing back and forth between my room and the bathroom. I made it back to my room in one piece though- thank goodness.
Thursday was pretty similar- class went well. We ended up listening to a lot of songs on YouTube. We also walked to parque central then to a pharmacy to see if we could find a brace for my knee (before my instructor gave me the tape). After lunch, dance class. After dance class, dinner. Later on, we went out with the med students!
It was also my man's birthday on Thursday. Nineteen years old. I was so sad that I could celebrate with him. Here's a picture of his handsome face because I miss him and I'm so grateful for his supportive attitude in letting me leave for two months and come down here. He's a blessing- a beyond patient, loving man! One of the things I miss the most is our long conversations about whatever. And also I miss watching The Office with him.
Thank goodness for FaceTime.
Through FaceTime, I've been able to introduce my family back home to mi familia here! I wish I could bring everyone here back home with me to meet everyone there, but FaceTime will do. I get to translate for everyone and I love doing that! Everyone tells my mom that she is pretty and everyone says that they can tell that my boyfriend loves me (see number 4 below ;)).
Friday was a good day. A lot of people were off work or out of school because it was el día del ejéricito (Day of the Army) so the streets were full. It was my last day with my professor because next week, I will switch teachers. We decided to go to Bake Shop to get something sweet. They have powdered donuts with every kind of stuffing you can imagine. Blueberry. Mango. Strawberry. Blackberry. Chocolate. Cream. Todos. It was a good last day. I am so grateful for EVERYTHING that I learned from Rocael.
Si usted está leyendo, Profy, gracias por todo otra vez. Nunca olvidaré lo que me enseñó sobre la cultura de su país. Usted es un maestro maravilloso, sabio, inteligente y tan amable. Espero que todo le vaya buenísimo.
Friday afternoon, we went to dance class earlier because Tuli and Ángel are part of a traditional dance in a few weeks that they needed to practice for. After that, we did salsa and bachata. We stayed behind for a while after class, talking with the instructor about his expectations for the presentation of the traditional dance and the possibility of a theater program. On the walk back home, we got ice cream from a store in the mall that is SO delicious. Then we came home and had dinner. I wanted to teach everyone how to play Spoons, but everyone was pretty much pooped so I taught Tuli how to shuffle cards and then I taught him how to play GoFish... He ended up beating me two out of three times.
Today, Cydni and I were going hike Baúl, a nearby mountain. But they decided, however, that I didn't need to be hiking with my knee, so we took the car instead. I was a little bummed, but it ended up being a good decision.
Ay, Xela-la <3
Mi hermosa Onelia and mi tonto Ángel.
Cyndita! <3 Como nuestra mamá!
There was a giant concrete slide that I almost didn't do, but I'm so glad I did, because it was so fun!
Baúl was beautiful and I really loved it! We had fun. I realize now that this is a pretty long post and it would be shorter if I wrote more often, so I might look into that. I did want to write about a couple of things about the food and cultural here that I adore:
1) Adding the suffix -ita/-ito to a noun basically just adds a little love to whatever you're saying. It's like adding "dear" to a noun. They add it to the end of everyone's name and even other, random things: Andreita, Ángelito, princesita, abuelita, casita. It would be translated like, "When we get back to our precious little house..." It is seriously just a way to tack on a little extra cariño (care, love, affection) to anything. I love it.
2) The food here is delicious. Rice with almost every meal which I LOVE. They even turn rice into a DRINK. Cheese. Tortillas. Spinach. Rice. More tortillas. Eggs. Beans. But a la gran, the CARBS. One night we had spaghetti, white bread, and tortillas. I really don't think about the food that I miss having until someone mentions something. For some reason, Mom mentioned gummy bears to me the other day and then I just HAD to have gummy bears. You should have seen me trying to explain it, "Bears! Little bears! I want LITTLE BEARS! They're sweet! Sugar!" Mom sent me pictures from Jonathan's birthday lunch: a massive plate of sushi. Now I want sushi so bad!
3) Hugs and kisses. I get this might be a little weird for some people, but I'm generally a huggy person, so it suits me. Here, everyone greets and says goodbye to everyone with a hug and kiss on the cheek. People walk arm-in-arm. You pass someone in the house and you pat them or give them a squeeze- it's like a constant supply of pats and hugs for those of you who have that love language!
4) Compliments. Complimenting people here seems to be the norm here too. After meeting someone or seeing a picture of someone, generally the thing that follows is a compliment. Everyone who has met my mom over FaceTime: Qué bonita! When the students met Jonathan: Qué guapo. For those of you who have words of affirmation as your love language... That's here too.
I have really fallen in love with this culture, so I get that I'm probably pretty biased. Don't think I don't miss my home! I certainly miss it. But from this trip on, if you ever ask me what I think of Guatemala, expect a gushing response of adoration for this place and its people!
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