Hodge Podge

There are certain things you see, walk past, and then just chuckle to yourself as you ponder what just happened.  That happens sometimes here.  I think my favorite is something I've seen a few times, so I know its real, but it still makes me chuckle sometimes.  There is a giant cathedral right by central park.  And occasionally in the mornings while I'm waiting for the teacher bus I will stand by and watch as about 10 tiny Guatemalan nuns in full habit (is that what it is called?) pile in a small and bright purple van and drive away.  I don't know why I find it funny, but I do.  I'm pretty sure its the van.
And then the other night I was walking somewhere and I got caught behind a large group of about 12 elderly German couples walking around Guatemala.  Like grandma and grandpas.  Those two images have nothing to do with the rest of this post.  Just wanted to include them.

Also wanted to include this picture-- another that I did not take.  But it is of the entire staff and families at the staff retreat in February.

In continuing with the hodge podge theme, here's a link to a kickstarter project that my school here in Guatemala is working on.  One of the teacher's here is big into film and is working with some of the high school students to create a movie loosely based on the Guatemalan civil war.  There is a video on the site for you to check out if you wish-- explains a little bit of the project.  Click Here!   The filming will be done at the school and here in Xela.  Pretty cool.

In other random news, I spent the weekend helping another teacher host some of her friends/people who have become my friends from Panajachel-- another town in Guatemala.  They wanted to come visit Xela and it was fun to be able to show them around.   One highlight was going to Tertuliano's-- a fancy and expensive restaurant that I have yet to eat at.   It is special because it is in a huge and beautiful mansion that is owned by the Vatican.  We wanted to see what it looked like inside, and much to our surprise, they let us in just to "look at the menu".  And actually, the cute little old man at the front took it upon himself to be our tour guide.  He showed us all around the 102 year old building, including the cellar where they used to hang and store the raw meat and vegetables.   It was really interesting.  He also insisted on us taking pictures with our cameras-- in the bathroom of all places.  A little weird but he was persistent-- he said only one person at a time and they had to be washing their hands in the sink.   I guess because the sink was made out of an antique door?  But he knew exactly how he wanted those pictures.  Pretty funny.