Hola from Guatemala!

I made it safely and had a fairly uneventful trip (the best kind) to Guatemala. Flight got in an hour late to Guat. City but the driver was still there waiting for me and migration and customs was really easy, don´t know why I worried about it. The drive to Antigua was another story. Lanes don´t seem to mean anything and let me tell you about the wild dogs traveling together at night, reminded me a bit of south San Antonio. I just looked away most of the time. The driver didn´t speak any English: a good hint for what to expect with my host family. They are really nice but no English, what I expected but it´s quite another thing to have to rely on my paltry Spanish, very humbling. Thank goodness for another student who was translating for me. The father of the family asked what my profession was and all I could do was stare blankly. Dietiteca? Nutritionista? I said both and his response had to be translated loosely for me as now we won´t get fat, or so I think that´s what he said.

There´s the same routine every day except Sunday. Breakfast at 7, lunch (biggest meal of the day) at 1 pm and dinner at 7 pm. Today, I was looking all over for a cell phone, pay as you go thing, and finally bought one but have absolutely no idea how to use it as the directions are en español, of course. This is going to be interesting. At least I was finally able to call Ryan from it.

My first impression of Antigua is its natural beauty. There are cobblestone streets everywhere, purple flowers on the trees, hills surrounding the city and a huge volcanic mountain which has been my landmark to find my way to the central park, etc. The colonial architecture is another stunner.

So...life in Guatemala thus far has been frustrating with the communication but more motivation to learn Spanish faster. The living situation is simple and easy. I have a basic room with 2 beds, small desk to write and do homework, and a wire type closet thing. 2 bathrooms are shared with all of us but does not seem to be an issue thus far: a sink is on the outside. Oh, and if you remember anything of my European bathroom episodes, you´ll know how interested I am in them! Toilet paper is not flushed down the toilet, other than that, just like the US. Their house is pretty large for Guatemalan standards with an open courtyard sort of thing with lots of plants, no one has yards, houses are butted up against one another and the only grass I´ve seen is in the park and church grounds. Fairly simple but pleasant living.

The rest of my weekend I plan on wondering the streets and getting my bearings. Í´m looking forward to it....

Adios