I'm home

Made it home Saturday around 6:30 (both of my flights got in early!)* and hit the ground running.  My parents and Tim met me at the airport and we went straight to dinner.  My parents actually agreed to go to a  sushi place.  I was shocked!  They tried a piece each but hated it so it was chicken/beef teriyaki for them but I thoroughly enjoyed my sushi.  Next it was off to Lisa and Brad's to watch the olympics with them and their neighbors and enjoy beers from around the world.  I was all dressed in my airplane clothes, no make-up and dog tired but Brad assured us no matter what I look like I'm always prettier than Tim...nice to have such great friends.  It was around mid-night before I made it home.  

Sunday, Tim and I went to our favorite brunch place and then I had a sorority alumnae association officer's meeting so it was another busy day.  It was nice to see all of the ladies though.  Afterwards I hung out with Jen and we just caught up.  She and I both kind of laughed at the end because really not too much has happened since I left.

Already have plans with Amber and Stephanie for my Chuy's fix and Ginny has insisted Rounder stay with the grandparent's so we can hang out at their place this Friday.  It really is nice seeing everyone but I have to admit I miss Antigua.  I cried in the shuttle as I was leaving.  It was a rushed departure because the shuttle came early.  That was good because I don't do well with good-byes but then I felt silly crying on the bus.

My shower was great when I got back and I never knew how much I appreciated brushing my teeth with running water

Even with missing Antigua, I still can't wait to see everyone because I have missed all of you tremendously and want to say thanks for all the emails while I was gone.  

*That was the only good thing about my flights.  The first flight was three hours and I sat next to a mine that had just finished witnessing in Guatemala for the past week and didn't know how to turn it off.  After a LONG while I told him I was Methodist thinking he would  leave me alone since he didn't need to save my soul but oh no.  He then wanted to talk more and more and more.  My ears were ringing by the time we landed.  The second flight a lady took my window seat.  When I showed her my ticket she told me she got their first.  WHAT???It doesn't work that way but I just gave in because it was an hour flight and I just wanted to get home but I did think "Wow, welcome back to the USA".

Last Post from Antigua

I cannot believe it is my last day...I´ve just walked around the city enjoying it one last time.
Last night I went for drinks with my friend Sean since it was his last night. I got in around midnight and Sylvia was worried about me. It was cute and made me realize once again how close I have become with the family. One of my housemates in the past, Sarah, came in late all the time and Sylvia never waited or worried. At dinner I commented on how Marvin talks a lot more than he did when I first arrived and Sylvia quickly piped in that he normally doesn´t talk to the students but he likes me. Sylvia has also been making all my favorite foods this week. So sweet.
I talked to a Mayan lady today in the park for about 10-15 minutes. She sat next to me with her kids and just started chatting. She asked about the book I was reading and then told me about her family and that her husband died, etc...then she told me she didn´t have anything to sell but would sell me the bracelet she was wearing. I told her to keep the bracelet but gave her 10Q. Probably a scam but worth the little over $1 I paid. When she left I got to see her put her baby behind her in the slings they use. It was so interesting to me. I just do not see how they don´t fall out. The only sad thing was the baby was crawling in front of us and his shirt came up and his back was nothing but a big bruise. Not sure how it happened but I felt bad for him.
I also got an email from one of the mom´s of the kids I worked with. She attached a few pics for me. They are pics of her two daughters at the beach and at home, etc...I figured trhey would be pics from when I was there so this was a nice surprise. She used a translator from the internet but everything is all wrong I still appreciate her trying so much though and for simply writing me.
So last night Sean and I were talking about all the creature comforts were excited to come home to. Both of us agreed a long hot shower was number one. I also can´t wait to drive my car again, go to Chuy´s with Ginny and Jeff, go to Chuy´s with Amber, , going to Amy´s with the gang to have Chinese food and watch the Olympics (oh wait they´re doing that without me, I don´t get to come home to that :-))having towels that actually dry me, going to tan (I am WHITE!), not having to watch the clock when I am on the internet, not having to convert Q´s to $ everytime I want to know how much I am spending, etc...
I realize there is a lot more that I am going to miss though. There is absolutely no way I could write it all down. I will miss the people the most though. The family, my kids at the school, their families, the teachers I worked with, the friends I made, the people in the store fronts saying Paso Adelante, the Mayan women walking around, the staff at Reilly´s, everyone that I see stopping to hug their friends and say hi and then keep going, the people of Antigua in general. They are no replacement for all of my friends and family back home but it is weird to be so close with these people and to have shared so much then just leave and probably never see most again. However, I am finally ready to come home. I miss everyone.

The Story Continues

Continuing the blog I lost yesterday...

Monday was pretty normal with the exception of the twins birthday party. Earlier in the day we had TWO heavy lunches. Mom made one and grandma had to make the traditional Guatemalan lunch too. Of course I ate both. Then that night we had a party! There was tostados, and cake, and so much family I could barely keep it straight. We sang happy birthday in English first, then in Spanish, then something about wanting cake, and then clapped thirteen times (that is how old the twins turned) before they could blow out the candles. We had to do this twice since there are two of them. The cake was tres leches but it didn´t taste anything like ours and the frosting was really different to me (eggs and sugar). It was a fun night.
Tuesday, I printed close to a hundred pictures for the students at the school I volunteer in the afternoons. I got most everyone but I am ashamed to say there were some students that did not get a picture. They were so happy though and kept thanking me all day Tuesday and Wednesday. Some even brought theirs with them on Wednesday. There is one man there that I have known quite well since working there so I had several pics of him, however he was one of the last people I handed them to. He came up to me and told me it was okay that I didn´t have any pics for him, so when I gave him his he started shaking so much and smiling! One kid in my class started pouting while two kids looked at theirs and when I gave him his he hugged and kissed me! Yesterday at the school I got to observe an SLP student examining one of the kids. It was wild to see the old test kits that they use that were not even up to date when I was in grad school. It will take her 2 months to finish evaluating all the kids and then it is summer break for them so if there are funds or whoever is in control doesn´t decide that the kids need a new eval for the new school year the kids won´t get therapy until January!!! I was ready to really learn Spanish and move down here!
Tuesday night I went to another lecture dealing with social issues in Guatemala. This one dealt with inequality and what is being done about it. This was the best by far of the four I went to while here. It was interesting because they pointed out that the inequality of the world as a whole is more than that of Guatemala where there is 60% of the population at or below the poverty line. I wanted to go on a tour this afternoon with the organization that did the lecture but while at work yesterday the teacher told me it was parent conference day today. Usually the kids don´t come but my class was going to and the parents were bringing lunch for me to say good-bye. Once I told the mom I live with she told me how unusual this was and that I had no choice but go because that meant the families were taking off work more than normal to stay longer (which is big deal to these families that attend this school). Not that I was considering not going but Sylvia felt the need to drive the point home. :-)
At first there was an educational part of the parent conference so they talked about Down´s Syndrome and Rhett´s Syndrome and then the teacher asked me to do a little impromptu speech. That was scary but I made it through. Then we had chips, pepsi, and homemade chicken salad sandwiches. I have been so careful with my food but I could not refuse so now I am curious to see if I get sick...that would so not be fun on the plane. They gave me a gift as well. I broke down crying. It is a little trinket of a boy sitting next to a water globe with butterflies. Very simple but when you see it at our loft you will understand the story behind it. When they left the parents kept thanking me for working with their child and giving me wishes of a good trip and health. A couple even told me to tell Tim hi (They knew he came to visit and thought that was crazy and joked with me a lot about it before he arrived). I ewxchanged emails with one of the parents too.
Today was my last day at school too. Yep, I am playing hookey tomorrow. I took my teacher out to lunch (yes if you are counting this is the second time this week I have had two lunches and yes I eat dinner and breakfast too!) I also got an official certificate that qualifies me as an intermediate Spanish speaker. Not sure about the accuracy of that but whatever. Now the challenge is to find a way to keep learning or at least not lose what I have now.
Going to have drinks with Sean tonight after dinner because he leaves tomorrow. I can´t believe I am doing all kinds of saying good-bye activites. I have very mixed feelings. My friend Fernando might meet me at the airport to say good-bye since he lives in Guatemala City. That will be nice but it seem surreal that I am leaving in two days. I think I will go into culture shock when I return.

The Countdown is on...

SO I wrote this blog last night and it was long and very informative and then lost all of it but this. Jenny is hassling Tim that I have not updated with the frecuency that she would like so I am publishing this and will finish it and add more this evening. Jenny yo must know this means I will miss the 2 for 1 Maragarita special but your happiness means that much to me.

So I only have a few days left but tons to catch up on.

I surprised Tim at the airport Friday night. He didn´t even see me so I had to yell and he just laughed. That night we just went out for a bit but nothing special. The next day I showed him the house and my room, my school, the supermarket, my school I volunteer at, and a McDonald´s. This McD´s is crazy! It is huge and has a beautiful patio with ruins in the back. Of course we got a pic with Ronald and the ruins. We had tipical Guatemalan food for lunch and I was able to intriduce him to some new foods and a juice. He was afraid of the sweet beans wraped in plantains for dessert but it did not disappoint. It is one of my favorites here. After lunch we met up with my friend from Guatemala City, Fernando. He ate and we just hung out. I was glad they met because Fernando and I plan to email each other so he can practice English and I can practice Spanish. Next we went to Sky Cafe because we couldn´t find it last year. Once again got some great pictures witht he view. THEN we had a hour before meeting the family for dinner so we decided to head to our favorite bar from last year. I walk in a minute or two before Tima nd run into both of my friends Aaron (the private school teacher here in Antigua) and Sean (the construction worker from Cali). It was crazy because Sean wasn´t supposed to be in until SUnday. He went to Reilly´s thinking Tim and I might show up there! He toldus about his trip (he was the one traveling on the chicken bus throughout the country for a week). Well he met up with his Guatemalan friend and they got robbed with a machete!!!! Scary. He wasn´t too effected by it though- puts his camera memory card in his bandana when walking now but that is it.

Dinner with the family was great. No one was shy like I anticipated and I think both Tima nd the family enjoyed meeting each other. Tim was impressed with how much Sapnish I could speak so that was good-glad he thinks it was worth the money and us being apart. We ended up giving the twins their birthday gift that night (a video game Tim brought from the states). Well our fear of there not being an option to change it to Spanish came true but the boys are playing it constantly. They have to figure some things out but they say it is okay.

So Tim leaves the next day at 4 in the morning and I go to check out around 10 AM when I discover (I will spare you the horrible details) that Tim has returned with mydebit card. Yes, I cried many times that morning because he was in the plane and the hotel was so rude to me but it finally worked out. Tim had to send me money

The Natives are Getting Restless

or so Tim tells me. I promise to blog this afternoon and hopefully both Thursday and Friday this week. I have lots of stories!