Xelajuuuuuuu

I have got some complaints that I haven’t been up to date on my blog. It is mostly because not a whole lot is new but also because not a whole lot is going on. In any case, here is what has been going on lately for those of you who want to silly details.

1. Brian left a few weeks ago and I got new site mates last week. They are a married couple named Joe and Katy and I really like them. SO, now we are 4 gringos in town which is a lot for how small it is. It is alright though, I have 2 more people to help me eat the things I bake when I am bored or stressed out.
2. Last week I was in Antigua doing a training they give after 3 months called “Reconnect.” It was fun to see all my friends that live far away and I learned some good things in Spanish class. Staying in Antigua, however, was not so much fun and I have decided that Xela is 10 times better that Antigua.
3. I also got to go see my family in Alotenango while I was in the area. Christian is growing up and even saved me some candy from his piñata they had on his fifth birthday 2 weeks ago. Andreita is growing TONS and it SO tall now. She isn’t quite walking yet but is really close. She turned one year old a few weeks ago.
4. Last weekend I went to a soccer game in Xela. The team there is called Xelaju and is pretty popular. We played against Huehuetenango and won. There was a man behind us yelling obscenities the whole time, it was pretty comical. My friend happens to know the guy who is the mascot so I got a picture with him. He is a chiva, which I think it like a ram. I have included the picture for your viewing pleasure.

5. Things are winidng down at school. The year ends in October and in September we have a bunch of activities for Independence day (Sept. 15). So, I just have a few weeks left of work before summer break. I have lots of visits coming up so I am really excited. Andrea and Jeff and Jeff are coming as well as Keri and Nicole and my parents so I will be really busy showing people around.
6. Also, my birthday is coming up and I probably won’t have a party but I will be haunting the mailman waiting for the packages that I know you will send me. So you’d better get started. I am specifically longing music, movies, books, and chocolate.
7. I bought a toaster oven on a whim yesterday (it was on sale…) so today I will be baking cookies all day and I am going to try and make my next 10 meals in the toaster oven. I was going to go to school today but I showed up at my teacher’s house and her husband told me she had a training so she isn’t going to school. So, since the other teacher leaves earlier I had no way to get to school. This country drives me crazy sometimes.

Anyways, that is my life. Exciting and adventurous, I know. I really miss you guys! Hope you are enjoying the sunny days in the States. Eat some s’mores and hot dogs for me. Send me presents. Please.

Just some thoughts...

The Peace Corps is cracking down on safety issues associated with Volunteer blogs...so in the interest of being a rule-follower I vow to be culturally sensitive at all times and not reveal my precise location. So, if you hadn't already picked up on where I happen to be living, too bad. I am now finding and deleting all references to C***** in the interest of preserving my safety and that of those around me.

Sometimes when I get up to go to the bathroom at night I turn the light on and the rooster crows. I feel pretty bad for him, he really thinks it is morning. He probably feels really confused and thinks he is falling asleep on the watch. Poor guy.

I am going to the training center next week for Reconnect, a week long training they give us to clam our nerves after 3 months of pannicked isolation in site....just kidding. Really I get to take a few days of Spanish classes and they will give me advice on what I should do next...advice I probably need. It will be the longest I will have been out of site since I got here and to be honest I am a little wary of leaving....er...this town I live in. I think I will miss it.

Last week I got invited along with another volunteer to a dance in another town by two friends of mine who announced on the way to the dance they invited us to that they didn't dance. So, we spent the whole night watching their friends coerce each other into dancing with us. It was pretty fun, except for the part where the singer welcomed the "tourists from a faraway land" in front of the whole crowd. So much for being anonymous.

My family got a kitten in an effort to chase away the mice that are eating my bananas at night. She is really cute and I hope she eats the mice whole so I don't have to see anything die like that time one got burnt alive.

Thanks for tuning in. I will keep you updated on all my culturally sensitive, legal, non-location-specific, safe activities