Me encanta Xela

Hello all! This entry will be short because, although dinner will not be served or likely another half an hour, I'm supposed to be home to eat dinner in 10 minutes and you can never tell around here when something will randomly be on time. The last week flew by quite quickly it feels. There have been several activities with the school and I have made some great new friends which is nice, although sad that they are leaving in a week or so. Oh well, there will be more to come. This weekend I went with a group of students to a finca de cafe (coffee farm) and then to the beach, which was both interesting and relaxing. Then, on Sunday I climbed the Volcan Santa Maria that is 3776 meters high (translation to feet anyone?? I think around 10,000 plus??). It was quite a climb but the view was fantastic and totally worth the pain.

I think every day that I'm here, I fall in love with Xela a little bit more. There is nothing especially phenomenal about it as a place, but there is just something about it that I enjoy greatly. Right now, I think I will be in two more weeks of classes (including the current week) and after am going to try to find an orphange or school to volunteer in for awhile (I think, plans are fluid at this point though). I'm not greatly looking forward to a third week of spanish classes, but I greatly need to review everything and will not get to subjunctive until next week, plus, 5 hours a day of private lessons can't be hurting anything, even if it feels a bit tedious at times. That's all I have time for right now! Love to all that expect love from me and to the rest, take care!!

First Week!

Wow! I've almost been here a week! I definitley don't feel like I know or am able to speak/understand anymore Spanish than before, but I don't think I'm supposed to. I'm glad to be taking classes, if anything, it is 5 hours a day that I am forced to do things only in Spanish and that sure can't be hurting. I'm starting to feel a little settled in here. I've done a lot of walking around the city and have a good rudimentary idea of where things are--the main market, central park, the banks, bus stations and other less important things like bake shops and cemetaries.

I have met a few new friends (through the school, I.C.A) and spent the last weekend exploring the surrounding area with a New Yorker name Mina. We went to a local soccer game Saturday night and I got a kick out of the two 14/15 year old boys walking around with a video camera and jackets that said "prensa" (press) on them...a little different quality than game in the U.S.! (and, last night, on the news, sure enough, there was footage of the game!)

Sunday Mina and I caught a "chicken bus" (old school busses used for local transportation that are painted crazy colors) to a spot about an hour out of town. I don't know how it was possible to fit as many people on that bus as we did. Three to seat, people in the aisles, luggage on top...and the bus "coordinator" still managed to collect fare from everyone, incredible! Anyway, from where we were dropped of, we walked/hiked up to La Laguna Chicabel which is a lake that sits in the top of an inactive volcano. Despite being a very uphill/downhill type of hike, it was totally worth it and gorgeous. We got lucky and the clouds didn't roll in as early in the day as they usually do, so we had a decent view and sun most of the day. A perfect end to the trip was getting offered a ride in the back of a pick-up truck down the last 1/3 of the hike all the way to San Juan (a village much closer to Xela) so that we didn't have to endure the return chicken bus for as much time as on the way there.

Overall, people here are very friendly and helpful. There are definitely a visible number of Gringos here, but it is not to hard to be in a place where you are by far the only person with white skin around. Even so, it feels like most people aren't extra interested in me even if I look different (except the children on the busses of course, they'll stare and stare and stare...) The time here has a quality of going quickly and slowly at the same time and, although I have been keeping busy, I feel like I have a lot of spare time in the day that I am not entirely accustomed to, but generally am trying to appreciate all the same.

This week is a week of celebration and carnival centered around Ash Wednesday I believe where people crack open eggs, paint them, fill them with confeti (or other less freindly substances such as flour...) and then crack the eggs on their heads, or other peoples heads...or something like that. I guess I'll find out for sure...plus there is a huge market/carnival on Friday and I have the impression the celebrations will resemble Mardi Gras...the fun I have to look forward to!

It's real!

Well, I'm here!! It hardly seems possible! I managed to get myself from the plane to Xela (pronounced Shay-la), in one piece-granted with a bit of help, but safely. I'm here, ready to start classes tomorrow (there seems some confusion of when I was planning to start, but they're ready for me, so why not?). My host family lives about three blocks away, which is nice. I'm a little nervous what the next 5 months has waiting for me, but time will tell!!

Taking off soon

Well, here is a start, hopefully there will be more as the next few months go on! I am still currently in Orlando, FL ( I have been here since Monday visiting a friend) but will be leaving Tuesday for Guatemala! I am most nervous about getting myself and my luggage off the plane, out of the airport and finding my airport pick up. After that, I figure I will have a bit of guide up until the point that I arrive in my final destination, Quetzaltenango. I'm sure it will work out though.

I will be getting to Xela Wednesday the 14th (happy valentines!), staying with a host family through the weekend, and starting a language school on Monday the 19th. I will be there for at least two weeks with a family, taking classes and then the slate is wide open. I have no plans, no friends I'm meeting and no set itinerary...I'll discover the adventure that awaits as I go! Wish me luck!