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!