Thursday, October 23, 2008

Bikes, babes, baquettes (snacks)

First a special thanks to all of you who have sent me packages (snacks is baquettes) or letters or emails that made me feel missed this week. You are awesome and make it easier to be away when I know that people at home say they want me there- it is a strange paradox -that being missed makes me feel better about being here, but it does.

We were invited to one of the brother´s homes in the Sopas (soups). After going on an adventure through the mountains which no vehicle should be made to endure, I still have no idea why they call it the soups. I think the views may have been a better name. They grow corn and beans on the marginal hill-mountian sides and coffee on the better land.

We started to teach class today- yesturday was a bit discouraging when we had one student, but they messed up the sign and put the wrong day. So we started today and had 4 in the first and 8 in the second. Once word gets out that the gringos are teaching it, we expect a few more. It is good for learning spanish and I feel like I am doing something. Yoga and running 6k every other day and thinking about things a little differently have made it seem easier here. I think I am finally able to not care about things and just accept where I am. Que Sera, sera.

We are going to Copan this weekend so that should be nice to get away. Ruins, Rum, and Rapids baby.

Oh! Tuesday there was a huge bike race here. We decided to get our picture taken with the promotional girls (all 5 sets of them), or rather they asked if they could have our picture with us, maybe I have a future in Guatemalan advertising? Anyway, I want to send them all to Weichman at SJU to prove that volunteering in Guat is better than in Central MN (i.e. say what is up now bitch?). Padre Serafin, kept giving me the thumbs up and his friend said that the ¨Taliban¨ (my new nickname because I have a beard) looked as good as the models. Anyway the race was cool and I got two free shirts - yes levi- you can steal one.

I´ll miss pumpkin carving this weekend, but plan to find something to carve even if it is a watermelon.

PS- I found PB, butter, and black pepper here, but it is nice to have my own supply.