VOLUNTEERING
Usually when the kids have free time, I either draw or play with the legos. This time before I got to work I asked if Isabelle needed any help. She told me that she didn’t have an idea for the second activity of the day for the kids. She needed something that was geared towards the letter A. My idea was to make a tree (arbol) since it started with the letter a and they always say that word when making a list of words that begin with the letter A. Then the kids would draw As on the tree as if they were fruit. I also cut out a letter A for each of the kids to glue on their sheet as an example. Then they got to color it in once their As were all drawn. Also for the instructions, I made every A green so that it stood out and the kids noticed when the A was used in a word. She liked the idea so I made my sheets. Since they don’t have a copier I had to make all 17 of the sheets by hand and 17 of the As. It was funny because I tried writing the insturctions in spanish on the bottom of the sheet. I had to asked twice to make sure I had it correct. Turns out I didn’t. When I see the sheets when the kids have them there are some slight spelling changes. I wrote (dibuja las a adentro el arbol) and on the final sheet was (dibuja las a dentro del arbol).
For snack we had warm milk and cornflakes. Such a weird combo for me. Ate em anyways because I LOVE corn flakes.
TRIP TO SAN ANDRES ITZAPA
I don’t have class today because Paty wanted 3 days off for an unknown reason. I just went with it. I went on the trip of the day with the school. Turned out to be just me and this older guy. He had a really interesting story. He was from Texas. In college he started off his major as business and switched to international business. However a language was required so he took Spanish. When he graduated he had a Spanish major and a International business minor. We went to San Andres Itzapa. Here is another shrine dedicated to San Simon/Maximon, the same guy we saw in Santiago. I guess I have been to the 2 most important places that worship him. It was about a 20 minute drive. We walk into a church where there is a statue of him. People offer liquor, cigars, and money to him in hope that he will help them out. There are placks that line the walls with thanks of his good deeds. I saw a couple of ceremonies being performed. One person was being [blessed] with palm leaves and some sort of oil. Another person was being [blessed] by candles. Both placed on certain parts of the body as the [priest] said something. A blessing can cost around 300. There are also fires that are made where they burn candles, eggs, and other offerings. This is done outside. It was the strangest mix of Mayan and Catholisism because the shrine was in a Catholic Church, but he was said to be of Mayan decent, yet there was alcohol being offered. Also there were some sort of Christian religious tourist family. The women were wearing some awkard ugly skirt. We also stopped at the catholic church in the town square where masses are held. We tried to get elote asado on the way back but since it was raining there was no one on the side of the street selling it. A teacher said that they eat it will lime and salt and grilled on charcoal. Or they prepare it with mustard, ketchup, and mayonaise and call it Elote Loco.
TRIP TO THE MARKET
I was on my way back from the bank and I ran into Kevin and Maggie, the siblings from the trip. They were on their way to Salsa and tried to convince me to go. First I bought icecream and it was NOT good. Had no flavor and it was really awkardly icey. Had an advertisemnt very similar to Cold Stone so I wonder if they used the same picture. I was lucky enough to convince them to go to the market instead of Salsa because Maggie leaves tomorrow. I bought 2 headbands, booties for me and August and a couple more postcards. I am debating on buying crazy pants.
HOME
Ingrid says I leave really soon. She said that they are going to miss me. She asked if she could adopt me. She asks me how I feel about leaving. I tell her I want to stay really badly but I also miss my friends
MONOLOCO
I go to Monoloco because Chi-Chan wants to go and he won’t go by himself. It is Maggie’s last horrah before she leaves. I get there and there aren’t enough places to sit and of course I feel awkward. I met a really nice girl though through the other people and we hung out at Monoloco while the people went next door to salsa. Monoloco had THE funniest crowd. Had the locals and tourists of ALL ages. At the other place it was the typical. There was that really good couple that was owning the dance floor and then the awkward people staring. I was the awkward person. It was funny because when I got to the other place Kevin and Maggie were gone because she had a headache. Chi-Chan said he want to take salsa lessons so he could learn how to dance like the good people. I found the MN graduate to hang with. Her friend was dying to dance for at least 20 minutes and she wouldn’t ask the guy that was eying her. IT took forever til he actaully came over and asked. Kevin came back and the MN grad heard he was a bad dancer so we headed to the bathroom. On the way back we ran into this lady. A guy was trying to get her to dance I told her to dance. Her excuse was that she’s old. I go that’s not good. She goes Im married. I was like that’s a good excuse, wheres your husband. She said at home with the kids. She was 35 and had kids. Probably the cutest mom ever. She was so polite to the guy to. She didn’t want to be rude. By the time I get back from the bathroom Chi-Chan and Veronica want to leave already. I was happy since I didn’t want to go out in the first place. But I had a good time. I met two nice girls, chatted with the alumn and had lots of laughs at awkward people in the bar.
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