Un Partido de Fútbol

Early in the week, Ali stirred up some interest in having a game of football among the students on Thursday afternoon. I was glad to have a chance to do something different for a change, so I signed up and paid my Q20 (to use the field). When Thursday rolled around, however, it started raining around noon and we were supposed to play at 2:00. When we returned to school after lunch we had assumed that nobody would want to play because it was still raining, but surprisingly it was the teachers that were more intent on us playing. (Teachers need to be with their students if they leave the school during class time. Some students even take their teachers with them to run errands and such.)

We set out in the rain, which slowly changed to a drizzle, and arrived at the Luteranos campus. I had walked past it a couple weeks ago but there is a gate and a guard so I wasn’t able to look around. Inside the wall I saw a sign for Sunday worship, but I have no idea if it’s affiliated with a church in the States. The campus is pretty big, with flower gardens and a large building that doesn’t resemble a church in any way. I still don’t know exactly what its purpose is.

The fútbol field was a little rough, with more dirt than grass—which was growing in haphazard patches. But there were two goals with nets, which was a plus. We divvied up into teams and played for the better part of an hour until the rain stopped. The sun came out and it got quite hot again. We played for almost 2 hours before heading back to school. I scored 2 goals, but we weren’t really keeping track. ¡Mis pobres zapatos! (My poor shoes!) They will never be as clean as they used to be.

I’m now considered a “beginning intermediate” student instead of a “beginner” because I have learned the conditional tense. I’ve also been starting the perfect tense, but for me Spanish is still easier to translate on paper than to understand in speech. When I can understand, it’s then even harder to respond correctly. I usually mix up an ending or use the wrong tense. Poco a poco entenderé español mejor. (Little by little I will understand Spanish better.)

When I was studying the perfect tense on Friday, Marta wrote out several sentences for me to translate. I burst out laughing when I got to this one: “Juan dijo, ‘¡Finalmente mi suegra ha muerto!’” (Juan said, ‘Finally my mother-in-law has died!’)

I gave in and got internet on Friday. It’s a little on the slow side, but I still like the convenience of having it right in my room. I’m excited to be able to listen to online music!

I slept in on Saturday, got up to have breakfast at 9:00, and went back to bed for a couple hours after that. Después del almuerzo, estuvo lloviendo a cantaros. (After lunch, it was raining by pitchers.) A few of us had been planning on visiting a hotel and spending the afternoon by the pool, but the rain quickly put a hold on that. This weekend is going to be a lazy one.

Adios!

“Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.”

Psalm 104:1

Un Temblor!

It was a little tough to get out of bed Monday morning and swing back into routine, especially after such an early start the day before. My sunburn already felt much better by the morning, but Ali was still suffering miserably. I don’t know what we would have done without the aloe vera I brought.

My teacher’s name this week is Marta. Like Mercedes, she is fairly young; only a few years older than I am. Marta is very straightforward and logical. She progresses from one topic to the next in a very orderly sequence. I like her style, but I’m trying to get her to loosen up a little. I managed to get her to laugh at the end of the day, though it was at my expense. Monday was teacher appreciation day in Guatemala. People were really jovial and the phrase “¡Feliz el día del maestro!” was constantly being said somewhere in the school. As I was packing up I tried my hand at it, but ended up saying “¡Feliz el día del pad—” I caught myself, but Marta started laughing because she knew I had been about to wish her a Happy Father’s Day.

At the noon break on Monday I quickly walked to the Juice Café to see if I could look for my camera. Thankfully, Bob and Megan were both there and they told me they were going to be leaving for Guatemala City in the early afternoon. I got there just in time! I walked with Megan to where they kept the car parked. It was in a gated-type community with lush gardens and an underground parking garage. When I climbed into the car I almost panicked because I didn’t see the camera and Megan said they had done a sweep the night before. But then I did find it wedged down on the side of the seat. Thank goodness! I thanked Megan profusely and she gave me a ride back to the shop, which lessened my walk home by a few blocks.

There are some things that may never cease to amaze me here. There are mopeds and motorcycles everywhere you look. Even Juan Carlos has one. However, it is also very common to see three people on a motorcycle: the driver, an adult passenger, and a child sandwiched between them. I’ve seen a three-year-old girl sitting on her dad’s lap while he drove the moped. I’ve seen a mother holding a toddler on the back of a motorcycle. My heart skips a beat whenever I see things like that.Another interesting bit of news about transportation in Antigua: Marta said that the mayor of Antigua wants to eliminate the use of tuk-tuks in the streets because it’s “bad for tourism.” I somehow can’t picture Antigua without them…

Tuesday night I went to bed just after 10:00. At 12:30 I woke up disoriented and thinking I was in the back of a truck on a bumpy road. It took me a moment to realize that Antigua was experiencing an earthquake! I was only awake for the last few seconds before it stopped. Wednesday morning it was all anyone could talk about. “¡Anoche hubo un temblor a las doce y media!” Marta said the earthquake lasted just under a minute and was rather strong. I was a little sad I missed most of it, but some people (including Ali) slept right through it. Mercedes said it registered 5.4 on the Richter Scale, but Marta said 5.1. There were also reports of aftershocks throughout the night, but I didn't feel any of those.

After morning classes on Wednesday I returned home to find two guys working over by the computer with Juan Carlos. They were installing internet! There is now Wi-Fi at the house, but I would need to cough up Q50 a week to use it. That translates to $25 for the rest of my stay here in Antigua. Ali and I are trying to decide if it’s worth it, because we do have internet at the school for free. However, the connection there has been very temperamental as of late. On Monday I wasn’t able to connect all day, and on Wednesday I only managed to get a slow connection in the afternoon. It would be really convenient to be able to access internet at the house because I wouldn’t need to lug my computer to school every day. It would also help me in my studies because I could create online flashcards to memorize vocab and such. On the flipside I would need to have the self-control to not to check facebook constantly. However, I would be able to Skype on weekends! Then again, I think Q50 a week is a little steep compared to what other students pay their host families to use their internet. I’m kind of on the line. Any advice?

I learned that the Spanish equivalent for “it’s raining cats and dogs” is “Está lloviendo a cantaros” which means, “It’s raining by pitchers.”

Adios!

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah”

Psalm 46:1 – 3

Divertido a la Playa

So I found out that Bob is really the one who owns the juice shop, and sometime after Jimmy met Bob, Jimmy offered to advertise the beach trip for Bob. So even though Jimmy was the one we thought we first had to contact, it ended up that Bob and his girlfriend Megan were the ones who took us to the beach today.

Now that that’s as clear as muddy pothole…

Our day was definitely early! My first alarm rang at 5:15, but I couldn’t force myself out of bed until about 5:35. Ali and I walked to the Juice Café through mostly deserted streets (which was almost eerie) and we found Morgan already there. We had some awesome french toast and freshly-squeezed orange juice for breakfast. We were expecting another guy named Glenn to come, but we already knew that Will had decided not to go the night before. We waited half an hour for Glenn, and Ali tried calling him a few times, but he didn’t answer. It ended up being the five of us: Bob, Megan, Morgan, Ali, and myself.

The day started out a little hazy, and we were all curious what the weather was going to be like at the beach. Bob was optimistic it would be a nice day, but I had my doubts since the past week has been so overcast. The drive to the beach was 2 ½ hours away, but I really didn’t mind because it gave me a chance to soak up the Guatemalan countryside. Again it reminded me of Africa in ways I wasn’t expecting. There were vast fields of sugar cane, patches of road littered with speed bumps, animals wandering everywhere, and people utilizing leafy-green branches to indicate a broken down vehicle just ahead.

The main highways were actually very well maintained, but as we got closer to the beach and turned off the highway we were on a very narrow tarmac road that eventually turned to dirt. There were potholes (more accurately, dirty ponds) everywhere. On two separate occasions, Bob attempted to pass another vehicle while simultaneously going through a pothole. Both times the occupants of the other vehicles were drenched in murky water. One vehicle was a pick-up truck with a load of people riding in the back. I felt so terrible for them!

We finally arrived at this very beautiful lodge called Pelicanos Surf Place. The owner of the lodge was pretty evident, and he came over from the bar/restaurant to welcome us. Bob had told us on the way there that the beach we were going to was a lot cleaner than the more touristy one in Monterrico, and I didn’t doubt him. It was spectacular! The temp was in the mid-80’s and there were high thin clouds in the sky, preventing it from getting too hot. The sand really was black, and the waves were huge! The best part was that the water was the warmest I have ever felt for the ocean; my guess is around 82°. Looking away from the ocean, you could see the volcanoes robed in a subtle shade of blue in the distance.

The lodge had a beautiful pool, but you had to pay Q100 ($12.50) for it, so we all admired it and swam in the ocean instead, which was far more exciting anyway. One second you would be standing ankle-deep, and the next the water would crash around you up to your shoulders. There were a number of surfers catching waves, and Bob himself brought his board. (Again, there was an option to rent one for Q100.) Bob is from California, so he makes it look as easy as breathing, but he let us each have a turn and I failed miserably. Morgan and Ali were able to get up, even if it was only briefly. He consoled me by saying he has a really advanced short board, and he was surprised that Ali and Morgan even got up at all. I really didn’t feel that bummed, though it’s nice to say that I have “surfed” in the Pacific twice in my life. (The other time was in San Diego on Project Timothy, where I also failed miserably. I guess growing up in Africa really doesn’t prepare you for surfing very well.)

I would have loved to stay in water and catch the waves all day, but the saltwater forced me to take breaks. I have forgotten how much it stings your eyes! It’s also exhausting to be battered around for more than a half hour, so we alternated between going in the water and relaxing on chairs near the pool.

Around 11:00, Morgan and Ali got a “snack,” though I decided to wait until later. Like everything else (it seemed), the food was rather pricey. As we were hanging out under the palm-leaf-thatched veranda/restaurant, I noticed that there were two beautiful scarlet macaws over in a large cage nearby. Everything about this place was tropical. It felt like we were in a different country!

Sometime later, Ali and I played volleyball on the black sand. They did have a net up by the lodge, but the court was not well maintained and the sand would have been too hot anyway. (Any sand not dampened by the ocean was blisteringly hot. I wonder if it had anything to do with it being so dark.) Pelicanos was kind enough to let us use a volleyball without charging us for it. We drew up a makeshift mini-court in the sand and made rough guestimates about where the net would be. It was a good time! However, after just a couple games we had to cool off in the ocean. We were definitely not used to the heat and humidity.

The whole experience was so relaxing. As much as I enjoy Antigua, it was great to just get away and do something a little more touristy for the day.

Around 3:00 Bob suggested we start packing up because he wanted to show us something on the way back. We were trekking over to the car when the owner of the lodge (the same guy who had so warmly welcomed us) called over to Bob because he wanted to talk to him. Apparently he felt that we hadn’t spent enough money at the lodge to merit us visiting it for the day. (Perhaps if they didn’t charge Q130 for a massage I would have considered one.) I didn’t really witness the conversation, though Bob must have handled it well, and we left without incident. I don’t know if the owner realized that we had to pay Bob a pretty sum to simply get there and back.

We left the beach mid-afternoon. When we were just half an hour out of Antigua, Bob had Megan pull the car over to what he called “The Sacred Cliffs.” He made up the name himself because they don’t really have one. There are natural coves and outcroppings where local people leave candles and hold ceremonies (involving chicken sacrifice) for loved ones. It sounded a little superstitious to me, so I didn’t press for details. It cost only Q5 for each person, which is just over 60¢ , but the natural beauty of the place was priceless!

We crossed a log-and-plank bridge over a swift-running stream, and walked towards the coves. Unfortunately, there was basura (trash) everywhere; the Parks & Recreation Department would be appalled. We briefly stopped at a ceremony site, and I was glad we didn’t linger. The coolest part was when we climbed up and through this giant split in the cliff. Water was pouring down the vertical rock face, and plants and mosses grew sideways from it. I was so happy I had my camera with me! It would be impossible to describe the natural beauty of what I saw without pictures to help me.

We explored for a good 20 minutes or more, and then hit the road for the final stretch to Antigua. Less than 20 minutes away from Antigua, Bob pointed out a huge shantytown to our right that I hadn’t noticed on the way out. It felt like I was looking at a live snapshot directly from the movie Slumdog Millionaire. Bob said that we were looking at the most dangerous part of Guatemala. Antigua is considered the safest city in Guatemala. It is strange to me that they are in such close proximity, but I suppose it could be compared to El Paso and Ciudad Juarez.

We stopped at a burger place on the outskirts of Antigua. The place prides itself on making their burgers just like you might find in the States, and I must say I was surprised. It definitely added it to my list of top-ten-favorite-burgers-of-all-time, which seems to now include two places in Antigua…

Before they dropped us off, Bob and Megan told us that we had been such a fun group. Apparently the last time they took a group of people they just ended up sitting at the pool playing on their iPods. What’s the point of going to the beach if you’re not going to even look at the water let alone get in it? We were dropped off near La Merced and walked the few blocks home.

I had a bad feeling the entire time we were walking back, and I checked through my bags as soon as I got back to my room. Sure enough, my camera was missing. I knew the last place I had it was in the car after we got back in from the cliffs. I really hoped it had just fallen out of my pocket in the car, but I had no way of finding out at the time.

Ali and I were both pretty sunburned. I even used lotion! Thankfully I brought a mini-pharmacy with me to Guatemala, so we have both been applying aloe vera liberally. Ali is definitely worse-off than I am.

All in all, the trip was fantastic! Even though it ended up being pricier than I had anticipated, I still think it was worth it. We went to a clean beach without many tourists, the day was gorgeous, we saw some awesome natural cliffs, and I had a great burger. What more could I ask for? ¡Mi taza esta llena! (My cup is full!)

“The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful.”

Psalm 29:3 – 4

La Iglesia Santa Clara

Wednesday and Thursday blurred into one this past week. The weather has been pretty overcast lately. People are telling me that the Midwest is in the 90’s, which is hard for me to fathom. Cuando el cielo es nublado, yo necesito vestirme en pantalones y un suéter. (When the sky is cloudy, I need to dress in pants and a sweater.) Ali bought a travel guide book soon after she got here and she read that in Guatemala you will need to change your outfit more often than a runway model in Milan. I don’t think it’s quite that extreme, but there is some truth to it. It ranges anywhere from the high 50’s to the low 80’s in the span of one day, depending on the cloud cover. It is always humid here.

I noticed that Mercedes uses a lot of hand cream, and I asked why. She told me that she has “delicate hands” and applies cream to them after she washes them. Later one afternoon I nonchalantly pulled out some cream of my own and started applying it to my hands. She immediately knew what I was doing and burst out in a laughing and scolding episode at the same time.  

My exam went much better this week because we spent a lot of time reviewing pretérito. I did also learn imperfecto and futuro, but for me they are a little easier. On Friday I took my exam at 10:30, Mercedes and I went through it and corrected it after lunch, and then we took a walk through the calles of Antigua. Students can request to walk in the streets with their teachers pretty much any time, but I spend most of mine in the “classroom.” The benefit of walking around is that you are forced to practice your Spanish without the crutch of a dictionary or notes.

Mercedes and I walked to El Parque Central, where we encountered a payaso (clown) near the large fountain in the middle. Neither of us were too keen to stick around and watch him…

She took me to a church I hadn’t seen before, which I think is called Santa Clara. The inside is beautiful, and Mercedes tried to explain the significance of some of the figurines and plaques and such, but some of it I just didn’t get. Earlier in the day we had talked a little about religion. I had drawn a picture of a tree with many branches and designated a large one for Católico, several smaller ones in a group for Luterano, and other branches for Baptista and Adventista, etc. I tried explaining that there are many kinds of Lutherans, but most have different doctrinas. Over the branches I wrote the word Cristiano in the canopy. We did talk about a couple differences in our faith, especially the difference in sacraments. I also told her that I believe every Christian is a saint, which left her speechless for a few moments. I think this discussion began because she had asked if I go to church on Sundays. She seemed to understand that I don’t go to church here because there isn’t a WELS mission nearby. I did tell her that there are two in Santiago, so I will be able to go to church when I’m in the DR.

I tried to be respectful as we walked through Santa Clara and Mercedes pointed out noteworthy items, but I also think she understood that for me it was more about the artwork and architecture. It made me a little sad to see how excited Mercedes was to share her Catholic beliefs and traditions with me. We passed by a couple confessional booths, and even though I knew what they were I asked Mercedes about them. She joked around with me that I needed to confess the pranks I had played on her during the week.

We also visited La Merced before returning to the school. It was even more decorated than the last time I went in, and I think it may have been for a graduation.

For the last hour of class, I showed Mercedes facebook pictures of my family. She kept saying, “¡Tu familia es muy bonita y fotogénica!” I was surprised at how much conversation we were able to have over those pictures, explaining background information or what we were doing in a particular picture.

I really enjoyed my week with Mercedes. She told me that I need to keep chatting with her when I can, especially when I have more Spanish. (Once on our walk I correctly used a present participial verb form, which surprised both of us. She asked me how I had learned that and I told her I had no idea.) If I can I may request her again, though I’ve decided I’d like to keep trying different teachers for the first six weeks so that I stay on my dedos de pie.

I will be the first to admit that Ali has been far better at socializing with the other students at the school than I am, though she always invites me to join in if they plan anything. On Wednesday evening a bunch of Americans and she went to a bar to watch the NBA finals, but I had too much tarea, so I stayed home to study. Friday, however, a bunch of students were going to go to a bar to hang out and I was invited to come also. It was a pretty fun evening! I know that a couple Americans are from Texas, but I don’t know too much about anybody yet. Some of them are a little rough around the edges as far as profanity is concerned, but it was still enjoyable to be with a group of people in my age group. I was, por supuesto, responsible. I had a beer called Gallo (Rooster) as it is the beer of Guatemala. Surprisingly, cocktails here cost the same, if not less, than beer. The mojitos are brilliant…

Saturday morning we finally had a little sun and blue sky. Ali and I ended up playing a little football with Brandon and Jasmin, Olga and Juan Carlos’ two kids. We didn’t have an actual soccer ball, so we used a small basketball instead. After a little while, their five-year-old cousin joined in also. His name is Santiago. (Much of their extended family members live in very close proximity to us.) Santiago is very good at football. I couldn’t stop marveling at his coordination. (Here’s my chance to get on my Early Childhood soapbox, but I’ll try to keep it brief.) It really hit home again how important it is for kids to play. Though his family is not impoverished by Guatemalan standards, I’m sure that Santiago really doesn’t have as much as a “typical” child his age does in the States. Yet he has excelled in physical development simply because he is able to play. Not only that, he understands the structure and rules of the game. He was one of the first to cry, “¡Mano!” if ever someone made a hand-ball error.

I had asked Olga earlier in the week if she had recommendation for una Lavandería nearby where I could do my laundry. She offered to do it here at the house for a price that I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else. However, the weather has not cooperated. The family has a washer, but they rely on the sun to dry their clothes. Por supuesto, the sun has not been out the entire week. When it finally reappeared Saturday morning I jumped at the opportunity and Olga started a load. Yet as I write this it is pouring gatos y perros once again. Have I mentioned that the weather changes quickly here?

On Sunday Ali and I and some of our new American acquaintances are hoping to go to a black-sand beach on the Pacific. Juan Carlos has an American friend named Jimmy who has been here for a year, owns a juice shop with another American named Bob, and does back-road tours through the country for a reasonable price. Juan Carlos recommended doing an excursion with him, and I feel better going with someone that he trusts. The only “down” side is that we meet at 6:30AM at the juice shop, which is almost on the other side of town. It will be an early morning, but I’m sure it will be worth it. Yo espero que la clima estará mejor.

This has been a marathon of a post!

Adios!

“Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD.”

Psalm 117

El Martes Cuando Llovía

The Tuesday When it was Raining. It was raining when I woke up, it was raining when I went to school, it was raining during school, it was raining after school. I know that we’re in invierno (winter), and that it is the rainy season, but Tuesday was definitely the rainiest I’ve experienced so far!

My teacher this week is named Mercedes. Most people from Latin America have several names, and they choose which name they prefer to go by. Mercedes is my teacher’s second name; Ana is her first. We are getting along famously! Monday afternoon she told me that she was nervous to have me as a student because I seemed so solemn whenever she walked by my “classroom” last week. She seems relieved that I have a sense of humor. I blamed my seriousness on the agony of studying groups of irregular verbs in pretérito. This week we are working towards refining my use of pretérito, and I’m simultaneously working on imperfect. I still confuse the tenses a lot, but the fog in my brain is starting to thin out. Before it can dissolve completely, however, I’m sure I’ll be thrown into another bowl of Spanish soup…

As we were studying imperfect, Mercedes had me write out a couple sample sentences on the table to make sure I understood the forms. I’m not sure why I came up with the sentence I wrote: Mientras nosotros comíamos, el gato moría. (While we were eating, the cat was dying). Pobre gato! We must have laughed for a good ten minutes after that!

Tuesday afternoon Mercedes asked me who my favorite actor was. Thinking on the spot, I said Sandra Bullock. Mercedes asked why, and I tried to say, “She is very funny!” Instead I said, “¡Ella es muy cómodo!” which means, “She is very comfortable!” In my defense, cómico and cómodo sound fairly similar. This, por supuesto (of course), got us laughing again.

For lunch on Tuesday Olga served us a delicious sopa con rábanos (soup with radishes) and a side plate of verduras (vegetables). I wish I could tell you the names of the various vegetables, but I haven’t had most of them in the States before. One looked like a gourd of some kind, and I used my cuchara (spoon) to scrape out the insides. I described one of the other vegetables to Mercedes and she guessed it was a güisquil (which is pronounced a lot like “whiskey”), though I don’t really have a way of verifying that. Either way, the meal was brilliant—as Ali would say.

Cada día (every day) during the lunch break there is a fútbol game on TV. Though I didn’t watch it much in Africa, it is really starting to grow on me here. It’s easy to see why it’s so popular with most of the world. It’s actually surprising that fútbol isn’t as big of a deal in the States.

“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.”

Psalm 24:1 – 2

¡Feliz Cumpleaños Mamá y Feliz el Día del Padre Papá!

It was great to be able to sleep in a little on Saturday! I learned that Ali has done a bit of world traveling herself. She lived in Thailand for a year as a dive master, she’s been to Australia, and she had come to study Spanish at PLFM two years ago. She has returned to refresh her Spanish so that she can incorporate it into her degree of business management in London.

A little while after breakfast Ali and I walked downtown to a place she remembered that had Wifi and a terrace view of parts of the city. I had hoped to wish Mom a happy birthday and make another blog post, but for whatever reason my computer couldn’t connect to their Wifi network. Thankfully, Ali let me quickly borrow her laptop so I could check my e-mail. Carlos (Olga’s esposo) is considering getting Wifi at the house, which would be very convenient, but for now I make do with access at the school.

¡Feliz (Belated) Cumpleaños Mamá! I love you and hope you had a great day!

After lunch on Saturday, Ali and I walked through the calles (streets) of Antigua. There is a large cross on a hill overlooking the city that I would like to visit sometime, but I want to time it when the weather is better; Saturday afternoon was pretty overcast. (We’ve been cautioned that the steps up to the cross are notorious for pick-pocketers, so when I do go up I will try to look and dress as unassuming as possible.)

The loud bombas continued on Saturday, so I finally asked Olga about them. She told me it’s all part of the Corpus Christi festival being celebrated this weekend. On Sunday there was going to be another procession. There has been a procession every weekend I have been here.

Saturday evening was a lot of fun! Ali’s bag finally arrived from the airport, and Carlos said we had to celebrate. He poured us a little glass of rum and coke, being very generous with the rum. Carlos was the chattiest I’ve ever seen him, and he kept trying to explain Spanish puns and idioms to us, not many of which I understood. Carlos knows English fairly well, but there are some things that just don’t translate. Carlos is a teacher at a language school here in Antigua, though I’m not certain if he teaches Spanish or English. He’s also a salsa instructor, and I’ve seen him at PLFM on Wednesdays giving a lesson in the conference room. I may have to go one of these weeks! He’s done a bit of traveling also, to the US 20+ years ago, the Philippines, Hong Kong and China. In Hong Kong he taught salsa to a lot of people from the Philippines who lived there to work. He showed us a bunch of pictures on his computer.

The best part of the evening was when Carlos whipped out his US American impression. He told us when he first visited the States he went to a mall and a lady asked him, “Can I help you?” He replied, “No thank you. Solo look!” He had us all cracking up because he somehow managed to speak English in a Chinese accent. He finds it hilarious that Americans say “absolutely,” though I have a feeling it may be his favorite English word.

Sunday was a lazy day. It was still overcast, but the Corpus Christi festival was in full-swing by mid-morning. There were white and yellow balloons and streamers everywhere. Ali and I walked to La Merced, where there were a substantial amount of people and vendors, but the procession must not have come through until later. I thought Olga had said mid-morning, but being in “Guatemala Standard Time” I wasn’t surprised that it didn’t go through while we were there.

As we were sitting on a park bench, we saw a truck attempt to parallel-park in an impossibly small space between two other cars. Sure enough, the truck driver rammed both of them, setting off the alarm of one. The solution? Drive away and pretend it didn’t happen of course…

A random tidbit: There is no law restricting the degree of dark window tint here, so the windows of many vehicles are illusively black.

For lunch we went to a pizza place called Quesos y Vinos. The pizza was expensive, but delicious. Once again I splurged on a Sunday meal. Thankfully I had leftovers for supper, so I only had to pay for the one meal.

Though I could have hung around and waited for the procession, I opted to return to the house and take a nap. Sunday continued to be overcast, and as I write this I can hear the gentle rhythm of rain on the rooftop. I get the most homesick on Sundays. I think a big part is not being able to go to church with my family. Though I am enjoying my time here, I do miss everyone. Please let me know what’s going on back home!

¡Feliz el Día del Padre Papá!

“O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.”

Psalm 139:1 – 4

El Fin de Semana

Nothing atypical happened at school on Thursday: more verbs, more rules, more exceptions to the rules, more confusion, more clarification, repeat.

Thursday evening, however, another student arrived to stay in the second bedroom. I had been wondering if someone was coming, but I kept forgetting to ask. Her name is Ali and she’s from Inglaterra (England).  She flew to Guatemala via Spain and when she landed in Guatemala City they discovered that her luggage was still in the airport in London, so she had absolutely nothing except what she had for her carry-on and an “emergency necessities kit” provided by the airline for such occasions. She’s friendly, though I don’t know too much about her yet because I spent the entire evening studying for my Friday exam. I do know she’s a fan of the queen. She’ll be studying at PLFM for 2 months, which means she’ll be with the family for two more weeks after I leave. It’s neat to hear an authentic English accent again!

Friday morning I discovered how to have consistent hot water in the shower. This may not seem noteworthy, but it was one of the highlights of my day!
Though I’m not sure why, there were extremely loud firework “bombs” that were set off at La Merced (the yellow church that is close to the school) sporadically throughout the day on Friday. Being so close to the source, it made for a challenging day of studying.

Mi examen no fue muy bien. Mi maestro usó mucho vocabulario que yo no comprendí, y yo estuve muy frustrado y enojado. Él necesitó a me ayudar mucho. Yo recibí noventa y uno porciento.

(My exam was not very good. My teacher used a lot of vocabulary that I didn’t understand, and I was very frustrated and upset. He needed to help me a lot. I received 91 %.)

Though I’m able to put together sentences like that, I am by no means competent in conversation yet. Listening to full sentences and simultaneously trying to understand their meaning is very challenging for me. My background in Hebreo, Griego, y Latín hasn’t prepared me well for conversational interaction.

I am so glad it’s the weekend so my brain can recuperate a little! ¡Feliz el Fin de Semana!

Adios!

P.S. Looking back on my blog titles, I realize now the first one should be: “El Día Numero Uno” …

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say this – those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.”

Psalm 107:1 – 2

Más Verbos Irregulares

El martes yo estudié más verbos irregulares. (On Tuesday I studied more irregular verbs). That pretty much sums it up. Thankfully I didn’t have a headache after Tuesday’s session like I did on Monday. Like I said, Max makes me work hard! Each week I am assigned a different teacher. Last week I had Aura, and this week I have Max. They do this so that I can be exposed to various accents and teaching styles. It’s good for me because it keeps me at the edge of my seat. I am allowed to request a specific teacher for a second week, but no more than that.

There was a lot of excitement Tuesday evening because the US football team came to play against Guatemala in Guatemala City. I didn’t really know about it until the morning of, but during the game I sat in the dining room so I could have a clear view while I “studied.” Friends of the family came over and they had a little grill-out just outside the front door, keeping it wide open so they could see the TV. There was a lot of friendly banter since I was the only American, but since I couldn’t understand most of it I took it in stride pretty well! It was a pretty heated game; it seemed like the announcer kept shouting “falta!” (foul) every minute or so. The US scored the first goal and they held onto it for a long time, but Guatemala scored a beautiful goal to tie it up, and the game ended 1 – 1. It was probably a good thing, because I wouldn’t have the first clue how to gloat in Spanish, and I would never have been able to live it down if the US had lost.

On Wednesday morning I walked out of the house and the volcanos Fuego and Acatenango looked pristine in the morning light. As I walked down the steps my view became blocked by a house, but the next time I looked up I saw that a cloud of ash had erupted from Fuego! I almost always have my camera with me, so I was able to get some pretty spectacular shots!

A couple of interesting transportation options here in Antigua include the “chicken buses” and the “tuk-tuks.” Chicken buses – though I’m not sure how they acquired such a name – are old US school buses that have been repurposed for the Guatemalan transit system. They have been given make-overs, but there is still no denying the fact that once upon a time they were used to take children to school. The tuk-tuks are little three-wheeled vehicles that have been imported from India. They have been dubbed “tuk-tuks” because it is reminiscent of the sound their tiny engines make.

The remainder of this post will be about food, since Rachel has been pestering…

Desayuno (I have breakfast) around 7:15 AM. Olga often makes los huevos con tomate, cebolla, y chile pimento (eggs with tomato, onion, and peppers). However, the other day I had a large pancake with syrup and a little bowl of plantains on the side. The plantains were muy dulce (very sweet), but I think it was because of the way she had prepared them. El pan (bread) is served with every breakfast, and I usually top it with mermelada de las frases (strawberry jam).

Almuerzo (I have lunch) around 1:00 PM. Typically, yo como el carne con los hortalizas o arroz (I eat meat with vegetables or rice). Warm tortillas are served with every lunch.
¡Olga es un cocinero excelente! (Olga is an excellent cook!) She asks me after every meal, “¿Le gusta, Davíd?” On Wednesday I said, “¡Tus comidas son muy deliciosas siempre!” (Your meals are very delicious always!)

Ceno (I have supper) around 6:45 PM. It is usually similar to lunch in that I have some kind of meat and vegetables. However, I have had sopa (soup) before, and beans frequent the dinner menu also. El pan is served at every supper, sin la mermelada de las frases.

If I eat anything really out of the “norm” (from a US diet perspective anyway), I’ll be sure to post about it. Yet so far nothing has seemed too “exotic” for my palate, including the pescado. 

Apparently there is a tropical storm called Carlotta moving toward southern México. Guatemala isn’t being affected by it much, except the days are cloudy and we’re experiencing cooler temperatures.

“On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.”

Psalm 63:6 – 8

¡Buenas tardes!

I did end up going to Lava on Sunday. I had slept in/read till nearly 11:00, skipped lunch, and had an early supper. The “gourmet hamburger” lived up to its name! I had a bacon cheeseburger and a coke for $8.50, which is actually pretty steep, but I had decided to splurge before setting out. (At the restaurant a bottle of coke cost 12 Quetzales – $1.50; my family runs a little tienda and sells the same size bottle for 3.50 Quetzales – 45¢). After Lava I tried out an “exotic” ice cream place just down the street, and for a tiny serving of “pistachio rosa” I paid $2.50. Definitely not going there again … though I have to admit it was pretty spectacular. Similar to Nico’s in Blantyre. (I dedicate this paragraph to Rachel.)

For a couple hours after that I just walked around the streets, soaking up Antigua. People are generally friendly here, and many will greet you as you pass by. I walked toward a more affluent part of town, and there was a street lined with Jacarandas, though they aren’t in bloom. As I was walking under the Jacarandas, I was again struck by how much it smelled of Africa. There are other things that remind me of Malawi also: the street vendors on every corner, the speed bumps and crazy drivers in the streets, people standing in the beds of trucks, the children playing football on the dead-end roads, the plethora of little shops that sell everything from shampoo to chips (called “tiendas” here). Just walking around by myself put me in a sentimental mood.

The best part of my day was when I passed by a little girl that couldn’t have been more than three years old. I smiled at her and she said in a little voice, “¡Buenas tardes!” and I responded with the same.

On Monday I met Max. He is a superb teacher; I’m already thinking of requesting him for a second week. He pushes me very hard, but I feel like it will help me to expand my Spanish quicker. He also understands more English than Aura, which makes it easier when I have a grammatical question. We worked on a lot of irregular verbs on Monday. I’m wondering what the rest of the week will be like…

After class I walked around looking to buy some more tarjetas (notecards) on which to write Spanish vocabulary, and I found a Subway! I knew where McDonald’s and Burger King are, but I hadn’t known of the Subway. There is a law that prohibits store signs to be over a certain size, which may explain why I hadn’t seen it earlier.

A long overdue ¡Feliz Cumpleaños! to my youngest sister Ruthie! Love and miss you!

Adios!

“I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.”

Psalm 89:1 – 2

El Pescado y La Araña

My exam went well. I made a couple silly mistakes, but Aura pointed them out to me before she corrected the test, saying that she hadn’t been clear. She gave me full marks. Later in the afternoon she showed me exactly how I am being graded. There’s a system of percentiles in various categories: Vocabulary is worth 10%; Questions during tutoring – 5%; Accent and pronunciation – 5% (I personally think that should be worth more); Tarea (Homework) – 10%. There are a couple other categories, but the exam is definitely worth the most: 50%. For the week I received a 97%. I didn’t realize how intense the grading would be!

After class on Friday, Alyssa and I went to a bar named Ocelot, which is owned by a Welshman. There’s a ridiculously long Welsh word decoratively written on the wall above the bar, and apparently you receive a free drink if you can pronounce it correctly. I didn’t even try. If I go again I’ll try to remember to write it down so you see why I gave up. A lot of ex-pats go to this bar. In fact, while we were there I think all of the patrons were American. Located upstairs from the bar is a restaurant called Lava which serves gourmet hamburgers. I may have to try that out soon! There are so many bars and restaurants in the city that it’s hard to know where to go… On Sundays I’m responsible for my own meals, so I will have the opportunity to try out a few.

After the bar we went to an artisans’ marked called Nim Po’t. There were a lot of neat things to buy that were made in Guatemala. The weirdest thing was a shrine near the back that is dedicated to a Mayan god called Maximon. Apparently he is the god of liquor, tobacco, and love. I took a couple pictures because it was so creepy. In addition to flowers and all kinds of trinkets, someone had left a flask of rum sitting on the figurine’s lap! The whole thing reminded me of the witchdoctors and superstitions still plaguing the Christians in Africa.

Alyssa’s last day here was Friday. She really didn’t want to leave, and I didn’t really want her to go either. It’s been nice having someone to talk to in English and to explain what’s going on when I’m totally lost. We ended up talking on Friday evening way into the night. Juan came to pick her up at 4:00 AM and we said our goodbyes. I got a few hours of sleep before getting up for breakfast, then I went back to bed until noon.

For lunch Olga prepared rice, vegetables, and uno pescado (a dead fish). The fish was cooked whole, head, eyes, tail, fins and all. I am not a huge fish fan, but to my surprise it really didn’t taste like I had expected it to! The hardest part was hearing the crunch of removing the tail and head … and of course having to perform the surgery myself. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of putting yourself out of your comfort zone (especially when it comes to food!), but I’m glad I did it. I had told Olga that I would try anything, and I intend to keep my word.

Saturday was the official kick-off to the Corpus Christi celebration here in Antigua. Olga tried to explain all of it to me, but it kind of got lost in translation and I’m not converting to Catholicism any time soon. All I know is that there was going to be another procession and a lot of people in the Parque Central. I waited until mid-afternoon before taking a walk through the city. I ended up going to another artisans’ market near a ruined church called el Carmen. I really like the paintings here and I was determined to get a couple sometime, though I didn’t expect to buy anything at that moment. I ended up bartering with a very determined guy who tried selling me one painting for 200 Quetzales. I managed to get him down to 130 for 2, which translates to about $8.50 per painting. I should have been able to get him down more, but my haggling skills are a little rusty. Plus, I really like the paintings I got! I had just learned bigger cardinal numbers on Friday, so the timing worked out well.

I slept in late on Sunday, feeling bizarre again that I can’t go to church. It surprises me that there are no WELS missions in Antigua, because there are a large number of tourists walking the streets, and ex-pats who decide to live here. Last week I had mentioned to Aura that I am Lutheran, and we talked about how I attended El Universidad de Martin Lutero. Alyssa had tried to talk to her teacher a little more about being Lutheran, and her teacher was shocked that there was more than one branch of Lutheranism. She had figured it was like Catholicism in that way.

In my free time I do a lot of reading, thanks to Ruth’s kindle. I was reading in la sala (the living room) the other day, and I showed it to Olga, doing my best to explain that there were muchos libros leer (many books to read). She liked it and said it was “pretty.” Sunday evening I will be doing a lot of review studying so that I hopefully don’t have to back-track with mi maestro on Monday. I haven’t met him yet, but his name is Max.

I really do love my host family! Olga is an excellent cook, and she especially makes an effort to talk with me, even though she knows I can’t understand her half the time. She is also a hilarious mime when trying to describe something to me! However, I can already feel that I’m getting a little lonely now that Alyssa is gone. Perhaps another student will be coming to stay in the other bedroom, but I don’t understand enough words yet to know how to ask that.

I miss everyone and send my love! (And Olga says Hi!)

Adios!

P.S. There was a big spider in el baño this morning. ¡A mi no me gusto unas arañas! I managed to get a couple pictures before flushing him.

“I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”

Psalm 27: 13 – 14

Los Días son Bonitos

Thursday morning there was hardly a cloud in the sky and Alyssa and I got great shots of the volcanos! The day usually starts out fairly clear, then the temperature climbs steadily throughout the morning and by midday there are big white clouds hugging the mountains. Then in the afternoon it rains, or it at least threatens to. This morning would have been a great day to hike Pacaya. Several travel agencies in Antigua offer tours of Pacaya, one of the two active volcanos in the area. Pacaya is the only volcano not directly visible from Antigua. I definitely want to do that sometime during my stay here!

On Wednesday Alyssa and I went to la Embojada de España (the Spanish Embassy) in Antigua. Alyssa told me that Spain has been trying to reestablish a reputation with its former colonies. The Embassies preserve the culture of Spain’s former colonies through art exhibitions and museums, while also offering training in the traditions of Spain. The Embojada in Antigua was at one time a nunnery, but it was most likely destroyed by an earthquake. (There are many old churches and buildings here that were destroyed by earthquakes, but many of them haven’t been touched because “Antigua” means ancient, and the Guatemalans want to preserve the history). In the early 1990’s, Spain offered to rebuild the old convent and turn it into the Embassy that it is today. It doesn’t look impressive from the outside, but inside it’s a different story. There are gardens behind every corner, conference rooms, computer labs, art exhibits, even an Early Childhood Center! I definitely want to go again … this time with my camera!

A random bit of Guatemalan news: on June 4, one of the important Guatemalan catholic figures died. I’m not sure if he was an archbishop or a cardinal, or what… But it’s been all over the TV. On Thursday he was entombed in the biggest cathedral in Guatemala City, and his burial was broadcast live. The festival of Corpus Christi was supposed to happen on Thursday, but it was suspended because of the funeral.

Thursday was a very interesting day as far as my Spanish instruction went. Somehow Aura (mi maestra) prompted me to start talking about my past novias (girlfriends). Apparently this is a hot topic in Latin culture. The weirdest thing was that it was the first “conversation” that I had in Spanish that felt almost natural, because if I didn’t know how to say something I would just gesture and she would speak the words I was trying to say. Aura found it hilarious that “Mi novias tienen esposos” (My girlfriends have husbands), and I can’t say I blame her!

Earlier, we were at the canteen where the school provides agua pura y café caliente (pure water and hot coffee) and Aura was pointing to things to have me identify: cuchara (spoon), cuchillo (knife), tenedor (fork), vaso (glass). She then pointed to the microwave. As I was thinking about it, another maestro came in to fill up his coffee mug. He and Aura started talking, and I started thinking out loud, “Micro… micro…” Then I thought Aura was helping me out by filling in the rest of the word because she turned her head slightly and said “faldas.” Naturally, I said, “microfaldas!” rather triumphantly, thinking that I had now identified the microwave en Español. However, Aura and the other maestro burst out laughing, because all I had done was identify the microwave as “miniskirts.” In Spanish, “faldas” means “skirts.” (Apparently, that was just part of their conversation and not meant for me.) When they had explained it to me we all started laughing so hard we were almost crying! Just in case you’re curious, microwave en Español is “microhondas” (mee · croh · oon · dahs).

Thursday afternoon Alyssa and I went to el mercado (the market) near the edge of town. It reminded me a lot of the markets in Africa, only on a much larger scale. There were tons of fruit and vegetable vendors, people selling meat, shoes, crafts, works of art, trinkets, household items, clothes, flowers, and so much more! We probably walked around for half an hour and barely scratched the surface! Official market days are Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, so many of the vendors pack up their stations and return on the next market day. However, there are other places that are open daily. I plan to visit again if only to browse around.

On Friday I have my first test en Español. I didn’t know I would be having one until Thursday! I think I will be tested weekly to assess my progress. Necesito estudiar mucho porque yo quiero hablar Español mui bien con los niños pequeños. (I need to study a lot because I want to speak Spanish very well with the little children). I still probably butchered the grammar in that sentence, but I definitely know more than I did at the beginning of the week!

“In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness; turn your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.”

Psalm 71:1 – 3

Lunes y Martes en La Escuela

The past two days have been similar, and I expect them to continue to be. I get up at 6:30 to shower and get my things together; breakfast is around 7:15; Alyssa and I leave for Proyecto Lingüístico Franciso Marroquín (PLFM) around 7:40 in order to arrive a little before 8:00. It usually takes 10 – 15 minutes to walk there, depending on traffic. Everything in the city is accessible on foot, nor do I think I would risk driving even if I had the opportunity!

On Monday I began with a brief orientation lasting 20 minutes, I was assigned my instructor for the week, and we jumped right into it. (Side note – Backstreet Boys en Español is on the radio as I write this!)

I feel totally overwhelmed. I don’t know any Spanish besides the few words I picked up from listening to audio CDs. My instructor is a very nice lady who doesn’t know any English. It is total immersion and then some! I try to smile through my exasperation because I can tell she isn’t sure how to teach me. We’ve been looking through lists of vocab and she has me write them in a notebook to study. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it’s frustrating hearing Spanish all around me while only rarely being able to pick out random words. Sometimes identifying pictures is too easy for me; other times she will try to have a broken conversation with me and I am at a complete loss. I can only hope it gets better!

We study from 8:00 – 10:00, 10:30 – 12:00, 2:00 – 3:30, and 4:00 – 5:00. The half hour breaks give me a chance to quickly check my e-mail, and the two hour break is the midday siesta when I come back to la casa de mi familia guatemalteca (the house of my Guatemalan family) for lunch and a much-needed brain break. I know it’s only day two, but I’m really starting to doubt the chances of being semi-fluent when I return to the States. (I hear that the Dominican dialect is even harder to understand.)

After class on Monday I went to the ATM and then the supermarket to buy index cards. Interestingly, all the office supplies are behind a counter and you have to ask for them. The first lady didn’t understand me at all, but thankfully the second lady did and I got a couple packets. They didn’t have actual index cards, but something similar. It’s interesting what things you take for granted until you’re in a foreign country.

Walking back from the supermarket to the house took about half an hour, and it sprinkled almost the entire way. I should have bought an umbrella while I was at it…

Monday evening I tried to study, but my brain quickly became exhausted, so I ended up going to bed before 9:00, which is very unlike me! (It’s probably a good thing, because Tuesday is proving to be just as difficult.)

A lot of the time there are clouds that hug the mountains and volcanos, but Tuesday morning Fuego (one of the two active volcanos) was fairly visible. We could see steam rising off of the side of the mountain, and a cloud of steam above it. I’ll try to get a picture sometime, but it is so far in the distance that I don’t know if it will turn up very well.

Tuesday afternoon we began at 2:00 as expected, but then we stopped suddenly so we could watch a movie with a group of other people. I would have rather kept studying one-on-one because the movie was very depressing. It was about several Colombian girls who were trafficking illegal drugs into New York. The movie was in Spanish with English subtitles, so I wasn’t really getting too much out of it linguistically.

I’ll keep trying to battle my pessimism! I shouldn't expect to be fluent in a day.

“But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.”

Psalm 52:8

Domingo

It doesn’t feel like a Sunday. There isn’t a WELS mission in Antigua, so I can’t go to church. When I have internet access I will try to look into downloading sermons from the WELS website or something. I was able to sleep in for the first time in a long time and it felt wonderful! I finally got up at 10:00 and took a barely lukewarm shower. Just in case I forget, there is a piece of cardboard on the wall in the bathroom with the words, “No PLEASE DO NOT DROP PAPER IN THE TOILET.” That will take some adjusting…

Alyssa offered to take me around town to point out a few things, and we left the house around 11:00. The streets were crammed. Apparently, there was a big procession held today that is usually only celebrated during Lent, and it commemorates a saint from Guatemala who was martyred. The procession was held again today because it is the 25^th anniversary of his martyrdom. This procession is very important to the Antiguёños (Antiguans) as religion is very much a part of their culture. On one street, people were laying down sawdust and then painting it. They also lay down pine needles and flowers. It all had to do with the religious procession.

Alyssa and I ate at a small restaurant with a lush indoor courtyard. By all appearances, there aren’t many plants in the city except in the parks, but they’re really on the inside courtyard of the building. We were served rice, vegetables, and a kind of meat, though I didn’t know what exactly. It was tasty but there were tiny bones that you had to be wary of. We were also given pineapple juice, which was mui delicioso!

After lunch we decided to see if we could find where the procession was, and Alyssa pointed out helpful things like the banks, supermarket, and cheapest vendors along the way. We caught up with the procession on the other side of town, though it was hard to see exactly what was going on, so we doubled back to where they would be coming through later and found a spot to sit. The first in the procession were priests and official-looking people with banners. Then there were several men with incense burners, and behind them a giant float-type structure that was being carried by men in black suits. In the middle of the float was Jesus carrying his cross. You could tell by the look on the men’s faces that this bulky thing was heavy. I couldn’t imagine carrying this thing on my shoulders, let alone do it in a suit. The whole structure swayed back and forth as the men stepped side to side. Following them was a walking band which played religious ballads, though I didn’t recognize any of them. Alyssa told me that they would eventually walk over to where we had seen people decorating the sawdust earlier and ceremoniously walk over it.

After the procession passed by we made our way back up to the house, stopping by a small shop for a Choco Pina (chocolate covered pineapple). It was warm today, but right as we got back to the house we heard a clap of thunder. We couldn’t see any dark clouds, but Alyssa said it was because the storm was behind the mountains. Antigua is in the middle of a valley and surrounded by volcanoes, two of which are active.

Despite my good night’s sleep, I took a long nap and woke up to the rain tickling the roof. It rained the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. It’s the rainy season and this weather pattern is typical for this time of year.

Since it is a Sunday, Olga had the day off from cooking. Alyssa decided to make supper for us at the house; otherwise I would have had to go out to eat. Conversation at the supper table was challenging for me. I listen to them talk in Spanish, desperately trying to understand a word or two. Earlier, Olga’s father (who lives here with her) said to me, “Mucho lluvia!” (which I only understood to mean “much rain” because of a song we sang in College Choir a few years ago). My response? “Ah, si!” I feel awkward not knowing more Spanish.

A couple interesting things about Antigua:

When it is someone’s birthday, people like to shoot fireworks. This happens at all hours of the day. Sometimes fireworks will go off within 5 minutes of each other, and sometimes there is an hour or two before another goes off. It feels like the fourth of July all the time.

Because “Antigua” means “Ancient” it is illegal to tear down any original walls of the city. They can, however, be painted one of four colors: red, orange, yellow, and green.

Tomorrow is my first day of school!

Adios!

“Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.”

Psalm 115:1

La Día Numera Una

I may have butchered that title…

Today was the day I left Watertown, Wisconsin behind and began a new adventure. Total travel miles to Antigua, Guatemala: approximately 2000. I woke up at 5:30 AM to shower and finalize packing, and by 6:20 my family and I were on our way to Goerke’s Corners in Waukesha. After we parked we didn’t have to wait long; the coach bus was a little ahead of schedule, pulling up at 7:10. My two heavy suitcases were loaded, hugs and goodbyes were exchanged, and the bus pulled out at 7:20. My family stood there waving until the bus was on the freeway. That was the hardest part of the day. I know I will miss them terribly, and I don’t know for sure when I will see them again. However, I do know that I am not alone. 1 Peter 5:7 has been a comfort to me: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares or you.”

The ride to Chicago was uneventful. The bus driver was a very friendly lady who made sure we were comfortable and chatted with oncoming passengers. I managed to take an hour nap and we made it to O’Hare in good time. I checked in at the American Airlines desk with my two giant suitcases. The lady behind the counter was also very nice and didn’t seem to mind. When she scanned my passport she got excited and told me that her son was born on the same day that I was, year and everything! I was able to check my bags all the way through to Guatemala, though I did have to pay an overweight fee (which I had expected).

The line for the security checkpoint was very short, which surprised me. However, the two ladies in charge of telling us where to stand and what to do were rather brusque and seemed annoyed with life. Because I did not put down my boarding pass and passport in a bin, I had to have a full body scan instead of going through the standard metal detector. It was my lucky day, because after that a security guard said, “I need a DPD (or something) over here!” I was told to stand by a desk where another man heated up a testing strip and told me to raise my hands, palms up. He swiped each hand several times and then put the strip back into the computer sensor. As the computer was testing the sample, the guy turned to me and told me I could relax and put my hands down. Apparently the tension I was feeling was showing… He told me I was good to go, then said, “You know the reason we have to do this is because you’re going on vacation, right?” I must have looked at him like a deer in the headlights because he burst out laughing and said, “I’m just messing with you!”

I found the gate without any problems, and it was conveniently right across from a McDonald’s. I read and had an early lunch (mildly irritated by how much more expensive McDonald’s is in the airport!), and before I knew it we started to board. (Andy had successfully made it to the gate also.) I was able to check my carry-on at the gate for free, which made boarding the plane that much easier. We took off right on time, enjoyed a relaxing flight, and landed at the Dallas/Fort Worth airport a few minutes ahead of schedule.

Navigating the DFW airport was a breeze. It has a shuttle system that takes you directly to the concourse from which you are departing. As it got closer to boarding time, the attendants behind the desk announced that the flight was overbooked and they were asking for 3 volunteers to travel the following day. I may have considered that, had my host family in Antigua not been expecting me. I was one of the last people to board the plane. I just sat in the waiting area until the line had gone down. It was a very full flight! I was nervous someone was going to be in my seat, and sure enough someone was. We figured it out, however, and she ended up sitting next to me. Her name is Amy and she is a librarian from Columbia, Missouri. She told me that she was with 17 other people from her church on a week-long mission trip to Chichicastenango (Chichi for short). She was about my age, and it was good to be able to talk to someone for a little while. We both struggled through the immigration and customs forms, even with the English under the Spanish words.

The flight was a little longer than the first, and when we began our descent I was surprised to see how dark it was already. It starts getting dark around 6:30 local time. Guatemala is one hour behind Central Standard Time. At first it was just light enough to see how mountainous the area is. All the lights from the villages and towns were spread out and looked like beautiful strands of Christmas lights. The landing was a little rough, but it had been raining earlier.

We made it through immigration without a hitch, then went to the baggage claim. All my bags came through, but one of the wheels was no longer on my suitcase. It had been completely torn off, leaving a gaping hole in the corner. I really felt like a dumb tourist dragging that luggage behind me. Customs was next; it was almost too easy. I didn’t have to open my bags or put them through a machine like many other Americans did. The man looked at my form briefly and told me I could go!

When we got outside there were tons of people behind the barricade. Many of them had pieces of paper with names on them. In the information packet I had been given, it clearly stated that the driver would have a piece of paper with our names on it and that we should not go with anyone else, even if it said, “Antigua.” My heart sank when I walked all around and didn’t see our names anywhere.

At first I thought that maybe he was just on his way, but 5 minutes turned into 10 and still we didn’t see anyone. A man was calling out for a shuttle bus to Antigua, which the information packet had given as an option had we not arranged to be picked up. Andy wanted to take the shuttle, but I was hesitant to do that since I had been told that the pick-up had been confirmed.

A couple guys tried to help us out, and one lent me his phone so I could call the emergency contact number. There was no answer. After 15 minutes I almost gave in to take the shuttle bus, but I noticed a man in the crowd with a sign that included “PLFM” with a few other letters. I knew that the school I will be going to is known as Fundación PLFM, so I decided to go up to him and talk to him. Through broken Spanish and English (and a lot of informal signing) he assured me that he was there to pick us up, but just to put me at ease, he called a number and handed the phone over to me. The lady on the other end spoke in English and she confirmed that Juan was there for us. She used Professor Bases’ name and told me the host family I would be with (which matched the name I had been given) and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Juan had been standing there the whole time; we just didn’t realize he was there for us.

Juan was surprised to see how much luggage I had. I tried to explain that I will be going to the Republica Dominicana for a year, but I think my explanation may have been lost in translation. Not only do I look like a dumb tourist, I look like a vain dumb tourist.

Juan drives like he has a death wish. It was thrilling! We were flying down narrow streets at 60 kmph, narrowly missing other cars, bikes, and people. I had been thinking of my family at Jeffrey’s graduation party all day, and for some reason I kept picturing how Grandma Malchow would have handled such a trip. I think it would compare to the infamous log ride she went on with us at Six Flags years ago.

For me the experience was so much like Africa: the smell of diesel perfuming the air, the complete lack of traffic law enforcement, the juxtaposition of fancy cars alongside real clunkers, stray dogs roaming around the street corners, the meandering roads that don’t seem to make sense, the constant honking of horns. All of it made me feel more at home.

Of course, there are some major differences, like the people and culture, for starters. I was also not expecting some of the fast food chains I saw: McDonald’s, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, Dominos, Taco Bell.

I arrived safely at my host family’s house. Juan very graciously carried the suitcase with the missing wheel, and I took care of the others. We had to climb a lot of steps to get to the house, and I apologized profusely for the inconvenience. I offered him some money, “Tengo dollares; esta bien?” (“I have dollars; is that okay?”) and thanked him for getting me there.

My host family is very nice, though they don’t have much English, and I don’t have much Spanish so we can’t really make conversation. The host lady’s name is Olga. Thankfully, another MLC student is staying here for one more week and she is a Spanish major. Her name is Alyssa.

My room is simple, but clean. The bed is comfortable and I have a little desk to work from. There is only one outlet, but that’s better than none at all! I have no internet access from the house, but I’ve been told there is Wifi at la escuela (the school).

Wow, this post is much longer than I thought it would be. I think that as I get into routine I will have less to write about, but who knows?

Adios!

“When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid.”

Psalm 56:3 – 4