I made it through week one. Sorry for the lack of posting, its just been a lot of adjusting and I was kind of overwhelmed and in a bit of a funk the past few days. But yesterday was a fun day, and this weekend was a nice break to get back on track.
I feel like this week was all about getting settled in to Guatemala as a person on my own. Last year there was a lot I didn't have to worry about since I lived in a host home.
This week I met with the woman who is building the apartment I'm hoping to move into with a friend. She said she would meet me at 6.... 1 hour and 20 minutes later, she arrived. Guatemalan time. It can be quite annoying. But the apartment is coming along and we worked out some details and we are set to meet again tomorrow, and if all goes according to plan, sign a contract. Exciting stuff! I had a dream last night that the new apartment was a three story, fully (and extravagently) furnished mansion. That's not quite what I'm getting, but I'm looking forward to an apartment nonetheless.
Today I went to church. I was proud because I found my way there by myself, and took one of the new teachers with me. I've only ever followed other people there once or twice and its a ways. Its a very liturgical style church, that I'm not quite used to, but its the only one in English so I've been trying to give it a chance. Anyway, we were in the middle of this scripted prayer time of confession and in the middle of it there was an earthquake tremor that shook the building. It was pretty ironic timing.
After church, some of the female teachers and I went to Wal-mart. That's weird to say. Its a new development. Last year it was Hiper Paiz. It was also my first micro ride of the new year. Micros are not my favorite, due to the immense numbers of people they try to cram in, and my feelings of claustraphobia and entrapment. We saw one calling out to go to where we needed to go and it was overflowing with people. If I had been by myself I would have let that one pass and waited for one that was less crowded. But the girls wanted to go. So in I climbed. At first I was just crouching, crammed between people, but then the ayudante (the worker who helps the driver/calls out the window to get more people on the bus/collects money) told me to move further back so they could let more people in. So I ended up with one butt cheek on the tire or something like that. All the while in a skirt from church.
But we made it to Wal-mart. I was very excited to purchase deli turkey meat. Turkey meat is very hard to find. Its ham everywhere you go, and usually when you see turkey its called jamon de pavo (ham of turkey) which doesn't taste much like turkey at all. But I got the real deal, and I'm excited. I also bought lettuce-- one vegetable that I love but wouldn't trust buying from the demo. I realize that my grocery shopping is probably not that exciting for you, but for me its a whole new world of Guatemala. Learning to navigate the grocery stores and the markets and what you can buy and for what prices. Its kind of fun.
Next new adventure is laundry. There is a delivery laundry service that a friend of mine used last year that I want to try. I'll have to let you know how it goes. But I called today...and I think/hope I arranged for them to come pick up my laundry at my house tomorrow after school. They take it, wash it, dry it, fold it and bring it back to your house in a few hours. And its not that expensive. I'm particular about my laundry, but I kind of had to let go of that last year. We'll see what happens!
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