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.