So Karsten and i are here in guatemala once more! Well, its karsten´s first time, but i am finally back to my second hooooome!!!! :)
a few updates:
after flying into el salvador, we are finally safe in guate!
we are dancing salsa everyday for an hour or more with my friends and alex, my first teacher. (and ex novio jaja)
karsten likes frijoles and tortillas. beans. nobody who comes to guatemala likes beans. well i do. but this is rare.
karsten´s spanish is improving! she can now form phrases like ¨i. go. to. market?¨
jajajajja
i am helping her though! and the teachers at Celas maya are teaching us a lot.
for now, we are off to dance more salsa.
but if anyone still follows this, we will write later!
love to all.
especially you mom.
hope you are recovering quickly and well!!
love
b
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Último miércoles en Xela
Hoy es nuestro último miércoles en Xela. Estoy muy triste. Hoy en la noche tenemos graduación de Celas Maya, nuestra escuela de español. Todos vamos a vestir formal y tenemos una canción para los maestros de Celas Maya! Es una canción popular ahorita en Guatemala, y cambiamos las palabras para que son sobre Celas Maya y los maestros :) También hoy es el último día en la rumba...mi otro casa. Vamos a bailar toda la noche! El papá de Alex (el dueño de la rumba) va a tener una pastel y camisetas para todos! Estoy emocionada a bailar toda la noche :) Pero ahora tengo que almorzar muy rapido! Más mas tarde. Ciao!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Honduras Pictures
The beach view from the scuba boat
--if you click on the pictures, they will open up a large window view
Beautiful Hondurian sunsets
Our scuba dive center
--if you click on the pictures, they will open up a large window view
Beautiful Hondurian sunsets
Our scuba dive center
Stacey, Shannon, me, Jenna in our cabin!
Applebee's in Honduras!
Traveling in Latin America
As the four of us girls who went to Honduras were standing in line yesterday at a bus company, waiting for yet ANOTHER bus to connect us by chance back to Guatemala, we realized that this trip has taught us a lot about traveling. After missing the bus we needed by about 10 minutes, we came up with a list of things we learned about traveling in Latin America. Here is what we came up with:
1) Everything takes more time than you plan for. In fact, everything takes about double as much time as you think it will. Lines are long, ferries are slow, people are slow, and often the shuttle you need you JUST missed by 15 minutes because of timing.
2) Make friends. Talk to people. We randomly would just talk with people, especially other travelers who were clearly from the U.S., and made a lot of friends. One family even piled us into the back of their car to take us to the mall while we waited for the ferry! This is something I haven’t done in the past, because Dad always has had everything planned out when we travel. But traveling with 4 girls, and with a LOT of extra time waiting around for things, we chatted with a lot of random nice people, which ended up turning out in our favor more than once.
3) Take advantage of the knowledge of the locals. We were helped SO many times on this trip by Latinos who went out of their way to help us simply because they were genuinely nice. After getting off one bus ride, we just walked up to the nearest taxi, got in, and asked him where to go to get the next bus we needed. We realized that instead of trying to fend for ourselves, its better just to use the knowledge of the locals because they know SO much more. This saved us so many times, because if we would have done things our way, we would still be traveling.
4) Plan in advance. We came up with this to add to the list, but it’s not really that possible, so I don’t know why we put it on here. What we did is bus jumped our way back to Guatemala, with no reservations, which is why it took us so long. However, it is almost impossible to plan ahead, because when you call weeks in advance to make bus reservations, or email the website, they NEVER RETURN YOUR CALLS OR CONTACT YOU IN THE LEAST. So. We decided that it is necessary to plan in advance to avoid a LOT of stress and cut out a lot of time, but it is not very possible or cheap to do so.
5) The last thing we came up with was: speak the language. I cannot emphasize enough how much this helped us. When we saw people with absolutely no Spanish knowledge trying to talk to hotel clerks and taxi drivers and etc, it was so ridiculous how much of a difference our Spanish knowledge made. We help other people whenever we can, of course, but it was really shocking for us how easily we understood compared to normal English speakers. Since we are around Spanish all the time now, we don’t realize how much we know. We have almost reached the point of fluency. It really is cool. I am to the point where I think in Spanish. I form phrases in my head in Spanish. I speak without stopping to think first. Anyways, fluency aside, without understanding Spanish in our travels, we would have 1) been seriously gypped, and 2) been frustrated about 85% of the time. So it’s a good thing to travel in Latin America with someone who speaks Spanish! Just the travel advice of 4 girls who trekked cross country to spend five days in the sun!
1) Everything takes more time than you plan for. In fact, everything takes about double as much time as you think it will. Lines are long, ferries are slow, people are slow, and often the shuttle you need you JUST missed by 15 minutes because of timing.
2) Make friends. Talk to people. We randomly would just talk with people, especially other travelers who were clearly from the U.S., and made a lot of friends. One family even piled us into the back of their car to take us to the mall while we waited for the ferry! This is something I haven’t done in the past, because Dad always has had everything planned out when we travel. But traveling with 4 girls, and with a LOT of extra time waiting around for things, we chatted with a lot of random nice people, which ended up turning out in our favor more than once.
3) Take advantage of the knowledge of the locals. We were helped SO many times on this trip by Latinos who went out of their way to help us simply because they were genuinely nice. After getting off one bus ride, we just walked up to the nearest taxi, got in, and asked him where to go to get the next bus we needed. We realized that instead of trying to fend for ourselves, its better just to use the knowledge of the locals because they know SO much more. This saved us so many times, because if we would have done things our way, we would still be traveling.
4) Plan in advance. We came up with this to add to the list, but it’s not really that possible, so I don’t know why we put it on here. What we did is bus jumped our way back to Guatemala, with no reservations, which is why it took us so long. However, it is almost impossible to plan ahead, because when you call weeks in advance to make bus reservations, or email the website, they NEVER RETURN YOUR CALLS OR CONTACT YOU IN THE LEAST. So. We decided that it is necessary to plan in advance to avoid a LOT of stress and cut out a lot of time, but it is not very possible or cheap to do so.
5) The last thing we came up with was: speak the language. I cannot emphasize enough how much this helped us. When we saw people with absolutely no Spanish knowledge trying to talk to hotel clerks and taxi drivers and etc, it was so ridiculous how much of a difference our Spanish knowledge made. We help other people whenever we can, of course, but it was really shocking for us how easily we understood compared to normal English speakers. Since we are around Spanish all the time now, we don’t realize how much we know. We have almost reached the point of fluency. It really is cool. I am to the point where I think in Spanish. I form phrases in my head in Spanish. I speak without stopping to think first. Anyways, fluency aside, without understanding Spanish in our travels, we would have 1) been seriously gypped, and 2) been frustrated about 85% of the time. So it’s a good thing to travel in Latin America with someone who speaks Spanish! Just the travel advice of 4 girls who trekked cross country to spend five days in the sun!
Honduras!!
Today we got back from our Spring Break, which Shannon, Jenna, Stacey and I spent in the islands of Honduras in the Carribbean. It was by far the place that most resembled paradise that I have ever been to. (Does that sentence make sense? I couldn’t figure out how to word it) (I struggle with English more and more as my Spanish progresses) But the point is, it was paradise. Observe the pictures. Roatan, one of the bay islands of Honduras, is the coolest place I have ever been to. Sandy white beaches, turquoise water, palm trees, blue skies, boats, people, scuba diving, swimming…what more could you ask for? We went to Honduras with our objective being to become certified to scuba dive. The coral reefs off the coast of the island are the second most beautiful in the world, and the islands are one of the cheapest places to get certified. Yes it did cost $300, but here’s how we looked at it: When else are we going to have the opportunity to become scuba certified and dive in one of the most beautiful reefs in the world? And in just 3 days of intense training and diving, we are now certified for the rest of our lives. How many people can say that they have been deep-sea diving? It was one of the coolest things I have ever done in my life. But more about that next. Aside from spending three days (from 8 to 4) diving, we managed to celebrate my 21st birthday with the islanders, eat at some beachside restaurants, soak in some sun, and spend our time relaxing. It was girl heaven. Literally. Anyone besides 4 college girls would’ve been bored or annoyed, because our only objective was to relax and get tan. Typical day: Every morning we were up and at ‘em at 6:30 to run on the beach, come back for breakfast on our deck before putting on our suits for 8:30 scuba. 8:30-10:30 shallow water diving skills class. 11:00 first deep water dive of the day. 12:30 to 1:30 eat sandwiches on the beach while tanning. 2:00 second dive of the day. 4:00 return to the beach exhausted and ready to relax and people watch until the sun went down. (Usually between 6 and 6:30) After the sun went down, we showered, walked down the beach for dinner, and then came back for relaxation. Every night (minus 2 that we went out) we stayed in the cabin, did back massages, Shannon gave us those half braids (observe photos, she is professional!) we made popcorn, watched movies, took crazy pictures, laid around talking, and went to bed early when we were tired. It was so relaxing. It was also fun because we had a little kitchen, so we were able to buy groceries and make our own breakfasts and lunches. (Basically just sandwiches, because we were out on the water all day) and dinners we usually ate out. It was the perfect arrangement for us. We were able to relax and do whatever we wanted. Which was an amazing feeling. Needless to say, nobody wanted to leave the island.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
The Quick Guide to Briannas Life
Here is the shortcut to finding out everything you need to know that has happened in the last few weeks, since I havent had any time to blog!
1) There was a spider with a body the size of a quarter in my bathroom the other night
2) I woke up a 1am to an earthquake that shook the whole house! But nothing fell
3) I have been spending all my time doing schoolwork lately and cannot WAIT for spring break!
4) For Spring break, since we have to be out of our families houses, me and 3 girlfriends are traveling to Honduras to get scuba-diving certified!! The second most beautiul reef in the world, the Carribbean Islands of Honduras. And the cheapest place in the world to get certified.
5) Last weekend, we were in Atitlan. The biggest and most beautiful mountain lake in Guatemala. It was heaven. And no Dad I did not set foot in the lake for one minute. Other people jumped off our boat, but I was smart. Everyone is ok though!
6) I did go kayaking in lake Atitlan, which has waves comparable to Lake Superior. It was amazing.
7) I do not ever want to leave Guatemala, but am so excited for American food in ONE MONTH!
8) Jenni asked me recently to be a bridesmaid in her wedding!!! :) Date set for May 2010. I cannot wait.
9) For those of you who dont know, I am now single and ready to conquer the world. I have learned that long distance relationships are sadly hard and not vale la pena. But thats what dating is for!
10) I spent 3 days last week with my kids at school and loved it. They have grown on me so fast. Now we have really special relationships and I absolutely adore those kids.
11) I cannot believe that I will be returning home in a month. Time has absoluely flown, and this is about the time that I start to reflect on my trip already. I think I reflect too much, actually. I still have one month left!
12) LOVE YOU ALL and hope to get pictures up on here before next weekend!
Love,
Brianna
1) There was a spider with a body the size of a quarter in my bathroom the other night
2) I woke up a 1am to an earthquake that shook the whole house! But nothing fell
3) I have been spending all my time doing schoolwork lately and cannot WAIT for spring break!
4) For Spring break, since we have to be out of our families houses, me and 3 girlfriends are traveling to Honduras to get scuba-diving certified!! The second most beautiul reef in the world, the Carribbean Islands of Honduras. And the cheapest place in the world to get certified.
5) Last weekend, we were in Atitlan. The biggest and most beautiful mountain lake in Guatemala. It was heaven. And no Dad I did not set foot in the lake for one minute. Other people jumped off our boat, but I was smart. Everyone is ok though!
6) I did go kayaking in lake Atitlan, which has waves comparable to Lake Superior. It was amazing.
7) I do not ever want to leave Guatemala, but am so excited for American food in ONE MONTH!
8) Jenni asked me recently to be a bridesmaid in her wedding!!! :) Date set for May 2010. I cannot wait.
9) For those of you who dont know, I am now single and ready to conquer the world. I have learned that long distance relationships are sadly hard and not vale la pena. But thats what dating is for!
10) I spent 3 days last week with my kids at school and loved it. They have grown on me so fast. Now we have really special relationships and I absolutely adore those kids.
11) I cannot believe that I will be returning home in a month. Time has absoluely flown, and this is about the time that I start to reflect on my trip already. I think I reflect too much, actually. I still have one month left!
12) LOVE YOU ALL and hope to get pictures up on here before next weekend!
Love,
Brianna
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Xela Trash Dump
This morning we went to the garbage dump in Xela. It was about the same as an American trash dump--except for one thing.
In Xela, people live in the trash dump.
The way they earn their living is by digging through garbage bags, looking for glass, plastic, paper, aluminum, and etc. that can be sold and recycled. They were all dirty, picking through the garbage with their bare hands, and with those same hands, little kids eating leftover food that they could salvage from the trash.
Right now I smell like burnt garbage. They burn garbage instead of burying it. (Not sure which one is better for the environment, but the burning has got to be terrible for the health of the people.)
Our guide told us that by being there for an hour, our lungs suffered as much as if we had smoked 40 cigarettes. My poor lungs.
On the bright side, we brought 50 pounds of rice and 50 pounds of beans and distributed them to the people of the dump. One old man who I gave a bag to said ¨Dios te bendiga, estrellita¨(God bless you, little star.)
It was definitely an experience like no other in my life.
In Xela, people live in the trash dump.
The way they earn their living is by digging through garbage bags, looking for glass, plastic, paper, aluminum, and etc. that can be sold and recycled. They were all dirty, picking through the garbage with their bare hands, and with those same hands, little kids eating leftover food that they could salvage from the trash.
Right now I smell like burnt garbage. They burn garbage instead of burying it. (Not sure which one is better for the environment, but the burning has got to be terrible for the health of the people.)
Our guide told us that by being there for an hour, our lungs suffered as much as if we had smoked 40 cigarettes. My poor lungs.
On the bright side, we brought 50 pounds of rice and 50 pounds of beans and distributed them to the people of the dump. One old man who I gave a bag to said ¨Dios te bendiga, estrellita¨(God bless you, little star.)
It was definitely an experience like no other in my life.
Monday, March 16, 2009
My First Letter!
I got my first letter in the mail today!!!!! Thanks Dad!!!! I felt so special when the desk worker came over with a letter! It was just fun to get mail.
However, note the date: March 16th. The letter was dated March 4th. That´s not too bad I guess, only 2 weeks!
Anyways, I was really excited :)
Thanks for the letter! Love you!
However, note the date: March 16th. The letter was dated March 4th. That´s not too bad I guess, only 2 weeks!
Anyways, I was really excited :)
Thanks for the letter! Love you!
Friday, March 13, 2009
More Pictures
Weaving in Mayan Cosmovision class
and the beautiful waterfalls of Semuq Champey
Me jumping off a rope swing in Semuq Champey
and the beautiful waterfalls of Semuq Champey
Me jumping off a rope swing in Semuq Champey
The street that I live on :)
Parque Central!
Homesick...Finally
For the first time since January, I am homesick. And I didn’t even realize it until my friend Shannon asked me if I thought maybe I was homesick. I was telling her how I was just angry all the time, and sick, (physically) and missing food in the states. She goes “do you think maybe you’re homesick?” And immediately I was like “Noo, that couldn’t be. I haven’t had any problems with that.” Cause I tend to adapt generally well. But Shan reminded me that one of the first things our director told us when we were talking about homesickness was how he gets angry when he’s homesick. Just little things irritate the hell out of him. He’s been abroad multiple times now, for many years, and he knows. For some people, he said, homesickness doesn’t affect them in the sad way. It affects them in the angry way. Which is definitely the case with me. I am highly irritable and unmotivated. But at least now I have identified it and am ready to kick it in the butt!
I never thought of myself as a homesick person, but I guess it can happen to anybody! It’s not so much homesickness for 2155 Antler Drive, (though I do miss the carpet) but more of for the states in general. I miss the food. BIG TIME. I miss the fast coffee. I miss the CLEAN ROADS! I miss driving. I miss shopping with Karsten for clothes and shoes that we really do not need (but really want) and fulfilling our caffeine addictions at the nearest Starbucks. I miss normal smells of our house! Mom’s cooking! Chocolate ganache cake. Heck I even miss looking out my window and seeing Dad vacuuming the grass for bird seed. (Yes this really does happen and yes he really was wearing a helmet while doing so)
Yep ok. Special family. But I miss you!! J
I never thought of myself as a homesick person, but I guess it can happen to anybody! It’s not so much homesickness for 2155 Antler Drive, (though I do miss the carpet) but more of for the states in general. I miss the food. BIG TIME. I miss the fast coffee. I miss the CLEAN ROADS! I miss driving. I miss shopping with Karsten for clothes and shoes that we really do not need (but really want) and fulfilling our caffeine addictions at the nearest Starbucks. I miss normal smells of our house! Mom’s cooking! Chocolate ganache cake. Heck I even miss looking out my window and seeing Dad vacuuming the grass for bird seed. (Yes this really does happen and yes he really was wearing a helmet while doing so)
Yep ok. Special family. But I miss you!! J
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Teaching
Today was a great day in the classroom. I had one class really behind, cause we missed a day, so I worked double time with them today and caught them up. We learned numbers 1 through 20 and then by tens to 100. They did great.
In the other class, we played jeopardy to review.
It was a little difficult, because they have never heard of jeopardy in guatemala, but once they got the hang of it, they absolutely loved it. I remember jeopardy days in 6th and 7th grade, and remembered how much i loved them, so I thought my 6th graders would love it too. It was a HIT. And it was great review for them for everything we had learned so far.
Our director´s wife came in to observe my teaching today, and she told me she was impressed! After I was done, she said "Brianna, what a perfect personality you have to be a teacher! And it´s not even your major! Whats your major? Political science? You command the kids so well"
I was like, yes, duh, I know.
(haha kidding)
But in all honesty it felt really good to hear. Cause I never know how I am doing in comparison with other teachers, I just stand up there and flail my arms around and write on the board...
In the other class, we played jeopardy to review.
It was a little difficult, because they have never heard of jeopardy in guatemala, but once they got the hang of it, they absolutely loved it. I remember jeopardy days in 6th and 7th grade, and remembered how much i loved them, so I thought my 6th graders would love it too. It was a HIT. And it was great review for them for everything we had learned so far.
Our director´s wife came in to observe my teaching today, and she told me she was impressed! After I was done, she said "Brianna, what a perfect personality you have to be a teacher! And it´s not even your major! Whats your major? Political science? You command the kids so well"
I was like, yes, duh, I know.
(haha kidding)
But in all honesty it felt really good to hear. Cause I never know how I am doing in comparison with other teachers, I just stand up there and flail my arms around and write on the board...
Monday, March 9, 2009
Español!
Yo sé que la mayoria de Ustedes no pueden leer este en español, pero también algunos pueden! y para el resto, puedes traducir esta pagina a ingles si quieres. Pero solamente es para mostrarles como rápido mi español esta mejorando! Ahora, cuando quiero escribir en ingles, me cuesta mucho. Las palabras no son tan natural como antes. Es increíble, en serio, como mi mente puede hacer eso. Ahora, no necesito parrar y pensar cada palabra cuando estoy escribiendo ese, es natural. Escribiendo todavia está más facil que hablando, claro, pero es muy increíble como mi cabeza puede cambiar entre español e ingles. Nosotros usamos mucho spanglish ahora cuando estamos hablando, porque a veces hay palabras en español que hay más perfecto para describir algo que las palabras en ingles. La palabra ¨fuerte¨for example. En español, fuerte significa ¨strong¨. Pero tiene ¨connotations¨(no se la palabra en español) más que solo strong. La palabra fuerte es más...pues...fuerte! que la palabra strong. Prefiero usar fuerte cuando hablo en ingles porque es más exacto. Pero me encanta el idioma. Estoy enamorado!
Sick Again...
...But worse this time! First time having thrown up in Guatemala, which is actually pretty lucky. The unlucky part is that I threw up for 8 hours. Well, only once every half hour, but after about the 7th time, I had had about enough. I have never thrown up so much in my life!! And no Dad, it wasn´t malaria. Just food poisoning. We had aguacate (avocado) salad for lunch on Saturday, and there was one little bite that I ate and thought ¨EWW¨but swallowed anyway. Well, turns out that one bite cleared my body of everything I had eaten and drank for the entire weekend. I was very sick.
Luckily, my mom knows natural medicine, and she has all the herbal remedies one could need. She, however, wanted to make clear (especially to Mom and Dad) that this does NOT mean she is a witch doctor. She simply knows what herbs help cleanse the body the natural way. Yesterday I spent the day in bed, and my mom spent all her night saturday and all day sunday checking on me every hour. It´s really like she is my real mom. Last night, she spent about an hour in my room with me, telling me story after story of renters she has had (she rents out a hostal here) in effort to make me laugh :) It worked. She is such a funny little lady! When she tells a story, she uses props (she stuck my thermometer in her mouth to imitate a cigar) and acts out everything with her hands. And OH her facial expressions! I really wish I had a video. She is a dear.
Anyway, today I have broken the fever, and have finally started to eat solid food. I didn´t go to work this morning, and my afternoon one on one spanish got canceled cause my teacher is sick, too. Which works out perfectly. I am about to go take another nap. But tomorrow, I know I will be all better.
Luckily, my mom knows natural medicine, and she has all the herbal remedies one could need. She, however, wanted to make clear (especially to Mom and Dad) that this does NOT mean she is a witch doctor. She simply knows what herbs help cleanse the body the natural way. Yesterday I spent the day in bed, and my mom spent all her night saturday and all day sunday checking on me every hour. It´s really like she is my real mom. Last night, she spent about an hour in my room with me, telling me story after story of renters she has had (she rents out a hostal here) in effort to make me laugh :) It worked. She is such a funny little lady! When she tells a story, she uses props (she stuck my thermometer in her mouth to imitate a cigar) and acts out everything with her hands. And OH her facial expressions! I really wish I had a video. She is a dear.
Anyway, today I have broken the fever, and have finally started to eat solid food. I didn´t go to work this morning, and my afternoon one on one spanish got canceled cause my teacher is sick, too. Which works out perfectly. I am about to go take another nap. But tomorrow, I know I will be all better.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Teaching
For those of you who don´t already know, part of the program down here is 10 weeks of volunteer work with the Guatemalans. A very rewarding experience, and one of the reasons I chose the Guatemalan program over Spain or Chile.
My volunteer work is more like a part time job than a volunteer job. I teach english to 80 6th grade children. I have 2 classes, with 40 in each class. I work with them on Monday and Wednesday mornings, from 9 to 11. They know absolutely no english. It is really like a job. I feel like a schoolteacher every morning and the night before, when I make the lesson plans and dread going to school the next day.....(Ok well its not that I DREAD it, its just that most Monday and Wednesday mornings I would rather stay in bed than go deal with 80 energetic Latino kids.)The ages of the ¨6th graders¨range from 10 to 15. Yes. I have already been asked out by my 6th grade boys, and asked if I have a sister. Hahahhahah.
Most of the time, the kids are really well-behaved. I have worked with them twice now, and the first day went flawlessly. They listened, were respectful, and only laughed at my Spanish once or twice, when I laughed at myself. The second day, however, I had more unruly kids in one class. Some of the older boys didn´t want to learn the alphabet song, (even though I clearly explained to everybody that i KNOW its a kids song, but its SO much easier to learn the alphabet and remember it with a song) so when they were busting a gut in the back of the classroom, I marched back there and asked them ¨¿que es chistozo?¨(what is so funny?) And asked them to recite the alphabet in ingles for me. When they turned red and mumbled ¨no sé señora¨ (i don´t know) I told them that they better not laugh throughout the alphabet then!
Another time when the class was getting loud, and my spanish wasn´t getting them quiet, I just started speaking loudly and rapidly in English. All I said was things like ¨If you don´t start paying attention now, you are NEVER going to learn English, and you are NEVER going to be able to understand what I am saying right now but if you DO listen EVENTUALLY you will understand every word that I am saying...¨and etc etc. Just freaked out on them in English. And when I was done? Silence. Complete, awe-filled silence. Ha. Thank you very much.
Then I continued in Spanish and asked if anybody knew what I had said....and I once again had newfound respect. Take that, little Spanish rascals...
My volunteer work is more like a part time job than a volunteer job. I teach english to 80 6th grade children. I have 2 classes, with 40 in each class. I work with them on Monday and Wednesday mornings, from 9 to 11. They know absolutely no english. It is really like a job. I feel like a schoolteacher every morning and the night before, when I make the lesson plans and dread going to school the next day.....(Ok well its not that I DREAD it, its just that most Monday and Wednesday mornings I would rather stay in bed than go deal with 80 energetic Latino kids.)The ages of the ¨6th graders¨range from 10 to 15. Yes. I have already been asked out by my 6th grade boys, and asked if I have a sister. Hahahhahah.
Most of the time, the kids are really well-behaved. I have worked with them twice now, and the first day went flawlessly. They listened, were respectful, and only laughed at my Spanish once or twice, when I laughed at myself. The second day, however, I had more unruly kids in one class. Some of the older boys didn´t want to learn the alphabet song, (even though I clearly explained to everybody that i KNOW its a kids song, but its SO much easier to learn the alphabet and remember it with a song) so when they were busting a gut in the back of the classroom, I marched back there and asked them ¨¿que es chistozo?¨(what is so funny?) And asked them to recite the alphabet in ingles for me. When they turned red and mumbled ¨no sé señora¨ (i don´t know) I told them that they better not laugh throughout the alphabet then!
Another time when the class was getting loud, and my spanish wasn´t getting them quiet, I just started speaking loudly and rapidly in English. All I said was things like ¨If you don´t start paying attention now, you are NEVER going to learn English, and you are NEVER going to be able to understand what I am saying right now but if you DO listen EVENTUALLY you will understand every word that I am saying...¨and etc etc. Just freaked out on them in English. And when I was done? Silence. Complete, awe-filled silence. Ha. Thank you very much.
Then I continued in Spanish and asked if anybody knew what I had said....and I once again had newfound respect. Take that, little Spanish rascals...
Things I Miss (after 2 months)
1) Driving. ARGH I miss driving!
2) Playing piano!! There is a piano in my house here, but it must be for decoration, because the keys do not play notes known to the human ear. Each key sounds about 3 different pitches. At the same time.
3) Music at church.
4) My closet full of amazing clothes. I have been wearing the same 10 shirts for 2 months.
5) Driving the boat with Bartek at work on beautiful Gull Lake...
6) Waterskiing.
7) My computer working without problems
8) Walking down the street without being called ¨mamasita¨ and hearing ssstttts
9) My pillow that is more than 2 inches in width. (Seriously)
10) Keebler crackers with toffee. Mmmmmmm. Mom if you just send them US Mail it will be really cheap..... :D
2) Playing piano!! There is a piano in my house here, but it must be for decoration, because the keys do not play notes known to the human ear. Each key sounds about 3 different pitches. At the same time.
3) Music at church.
4) My closet full of amazing clothes. I have been wearing the same 10 shirts for 2 months.
5) Driving the boat with Bartek at work on beautiful Gull Lake...
6) Waterskiing.
7) My computer working without problems
8) Walking down the street without being called ¨mamasita¨ and hearing ssstttts
9) My pillow that is more than 2 inches in width. (Seriously)
10) Keebler crackers with toffee. Mmmmmmm. Mom if you just send them US Mail it will be really cheap..... :D
Long Excursion sobre Guatemala: Semuq Champey
2 weeks ago, in between phrase one and phrase 2 of the program, we took a long trip around Guatemala to Tikal, Flores, Cobán, and Semuq Champey. (Pictures to come)
The highlights of the trip:
1) the mayan ruins. One of the 7 wonders of the world--and we were climbing them! (In the states it would be illegal to climb such monuments, but in Guat, we climbed to the top of the piramids, complete with no railings or protection or anything!) Dad you would have been freaking out. But we were very safe. And the view from the top of the temples is unlike any other. From one of them, we could see Mexico. The ruins were located in the jungle--my first time in a jungle, seeing real monkeys that were not in a zoo! They were so cute! And yes, mom and dad, i had been taking my malaria medicine.
2) The second highlight was Semuq Champey. It is probably one of the most beautiful natural sites I have ever seen. The first day, we hiked up a mountain to see a view of the waterfalls, (pictures to come) and swam through the natural ¨pools¨of the waterfalls. It was honestly like paradise. The second day, we explored the underwater caves. The caves was the scariest thing I have ever done in my life. When we entered the first cave in the chain, we couldnt see anything. All we could hear were bats above us. One girl even got pooped on. (ick) We had a guide--but we had no light except for the candles we carried. And we had to swim with one hand and hold the candle with the other-definitely scary. My knees encountered quite a few underwater rocks, because we couldnt see where we were swimming. I do not really like not knowing where I am swimming. And all we could hear was the rush of the waterfalls--it was overwhelming. 3 hours later, upon emerging from the caves, my body was in a state of shock. I was shaking from being wet for 3 hours, scared, and with handicapped knees. But after about an hour, as we were floating down the river to our cabins, in innertubes, relaxing in the sun, I started to realize what I had just accomplished and appreciate the experience. I mean, how many people can say they scaled waterfalls (we literally used a rope to climb up and down the waterfall) and explored underwater caves? It was definitely the experience of a lifetime. And definitely adventure tourism that I probably will never do again! Only in Guat...
The highlights of the trip:
1) the mayan ruins. One of the 7 wonders of the world--and we were climbing them! (In the states it would be illegal to climb such monuments, but in Guat, we climbed to the top of the piramids, complete with no railings or protection or anything!) Dad you would have been freaking out. But we were very safe. And the view from the top of the temples is unlike any other. From one of them, we could see Mexico. The ruins were located in the jungle--my first time in a jungle, seeing real monkeys that were not in a zoo! They were so cute! And yes, mom and dad, i had been taking my malaria medicine.
2) The second highlight was Semuq Champey. It is probably one of the most beautiful natural sites I have ever seen. The first day, we hiked up a mountain to see a view of the waterfalls, (pictures to come) and swam through the natural ¨pools¨of the waterfalls. It was honestly like paradise. The second day, we explored the underwater caves. The caves was the scariest thing I have ever done in my life. When we entered the first cave in the chain, we couldnt see anything. All we could hear were bats above us. One girl even got pooped on. (ick) We had a guide--but we had no light except for the candles we carried. And we had to swim with one hand and hold the candle with the other-definitely scary. My knees encountered quite a few underwater rocks, because we couldnt see where we were swimming. I do not really like not knowing where I am swimming. And all we could hear was the rush of the waterfalls--it was overwhelming. 3 hours later, upon emerging from the caves, my body was in a state of shock. I was shaking from being wet for 3 hours, scared, and with handicapped knees. But after about an hour, as we were floating down the river to our cabins, in innertubes, relaxing in the sun, I started to realize what I had just accomplished and appreciate the experience. I mean, how many people can say they scaled waterfalls (we literally used a rope to climb up and down the waterfall) and explored underwater caves? It was definitely the experience of a lifetime. And definitely adventure tourism that I probably will never do again! Only in Guat...
Friday, February 13, 2009
Translator?
Had my first experience as a translator a few days ago! In the lobby of our hotel in Flores, Guatemala (this is during our week-long excursion, which we are still on). There was an American woman in her 40's demanding (to two very clearly Spanish speaking workers) that she needed to see the lost and found right away. Her level of frustration was quite amusing, one, because frustration and demands will get you nowhere in Guatemala, and two; who goes on a vacation to Guatemala knowing no Spanish and expecting all the hotel workers to speak English?
I was laughing in my head when the frustrated American looked around and said (demanded, rather) "does ANYbody here speak Spanish??" I held back my laughter and said "I do" and walked over. The lady said "ask them where the lost and found is." So I said- "Tiene un lugar donde hay cosas perdidas?" and the hotel worker said "si, si, pero esto es la unica cosa" so I told the lady "yes, they do have a lost and found, but this pair of shorts is the only thing in it" The lady said "oh. Oh.. ok. Thank you." And walked away. I said "gracias...." and couldn't help but smile a little. It was pretty comical. Especially because no one really gets worked up in Guatemala. But it was definitely one of the coolest experiences of my time here so far. Even though it was a 2 minute exchange. It was really neat to be able to help people--two parties who had absolutely no idea what the other was saying--and translate it to both of them. It really was the coolest feeling in the world. It made me discover what I want to do this summer: I am going to find a job where I can use my Spanish. I want to be a translator. I want to help people! It felt so good! I am going to work in the cities and be a translator. End of story!
I was laughing in my head when the frustrated American looked around and said (demanded, rather) "does ANYbody here speak Spanish??" I held back my laughter and said "I do" and walked over. The lady said "ask them where the lost and found is." So I said- "Tiene un lugar donde hay cosas perdidas?" and the hotel worker said "si, si, pero esto es la unica cosa" so I told the lady "yes, they do have a lost and found, but this pair of shorts is the only thing in it" The lady said "oh. Oh.. ok. Thank you." And walked away. I said "gracias...." and couldn't help but smile a little. It was pretty comical. Especially because no one really gets worked up in Guatemala. But it was definitely one of the coolest experiences of my time here so far. Even though it was a 2 minute exchange. It was really neat to be able to help people--two parties who had absolutely no idea what the other was saying--and translate it to both of them. It really was the coolest feeling in the world. It made me discover what I want to do this summer: I am going to find a job where I can use my Spanish. I want to be a translator. I want to help people! It felt so good! I am going to work in the cities and be a translator. End of story!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Pictures!
This is Josue, mi hermano guapo! He is 2 years old, calls me "-iamma" He is the son of my sister, but he is at Grandma's almost everyday so he's really like my brother. I absolutely love him.
Below Josue is my room and bathroom.
These quotes are messed up! But below (or somewhere!) is another shot of my room; this is where I get ready for school. Note the nice big mirror :)
This is my desk which I rarely use to study, cause I usually do my homework at the kitchen table. Below (or somewhere) is the courtyard, (also garage) that is the center of our house. The entry door is the black door in the back, for both people and cars. Where I'm standing to take the picture is the door to the main living area, which includes my room, the living room, kitchen, and dining room. The rest of the bedrooms are up above surrounding the courtyard.
Here is the kitchen!
These quotes are messed up! But below (or somewhere!) is another shot of my room; this is where I get ready for school. Note the nice big mirror :)
This is my desk which I rarely use to study, cause I usually do my homework at the kitchen table. Below (or somewhere) is the courtyard, (also garage) that is the center of our house. The entry door is the black door in the back, for both people and cars. Where I'm standing to take the picture is the door to the main living area, which includes my room, the living room, kitchen, and dining room. The rest of the bedrooms are up above surrounding the courtyard.
Here is the kitchen!
And the dining room, connected to the kitchen.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Things I Miss
1) Culver´s deluxe with cheese, ketchup and no onions.
2) Robert Scott Mitchell
3) Box macaroni and cheese
4) Showers with more pressure than a trickle
5) Iced vanilla lattes from starbucks. They have DELICIOUS coffee here, but to have it iced is unheard of.
6) The carpet on the floors of 2155 Antler Drive
7) Karsten
8) And the rest of the family I suppose! (haha just kidding family!) :) Miss you all!
2) Robert Scott Mitchell
3) Box macaroni and cheese
4) Showers with more pressure than a trickle
5) Iced vanilla lattes from starbucks. They have DELICIOUS coffee here, but to have it iced is unheard of.
6) The carpet on the floors of 2155 Antler Drive
7) Karsten
8) And the rest of the family I suppose! (haha just kidding family!) :) Miss you all!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Finalmente Viernes
Today is the end of a loong week. We switched teachers this week, and my new teacher really likes homework. I´m thinking she should maybe check out St. Ben´s, maybe take classes in another language, and see how well SHE does then!!
But that´s probably just friday frustration talking :)
Our director told us yesterday at dinner (amazingly good Indian food, here in Xela) (I discovered that my favorite food, chicken curry, is Indian) anyways, he told us that we are on the hardest study abroad program St. Ben´s offers. THE hardest. It was reassuring to hear that, because we are all doing relatively well, despite the total complete immersion and stress of spanish.
Today, after our daily 1:00 lunch with our families (we have school from 8-1) I went to el parque central (central park) to relax in the sun. I was approached by an old Mayan woman in traditional dress, and feet that didn´t...grow...the right way. She looked up at me (she was about 4 feet) and asked me if I could spare a quetzal. (Their equivalent of a dollar) I gave her all the spare quetzales I had in the bottom of my purse. Only about the equivalent of one American dollar, but 8 quetzales buys a few meals here. (A piece of bread at the nearest bakery, Xelapan, is about .30 Q.) The quetzales that I gave the lady seemed to make her day. She said ¨god bless you¨about 3 times before leaving.
I was also approached by a young Guatemalan, (qué guapo) asking for my number. We chatted for awhile, though I declined him my number, explaining that I have a novio in the states :)
I am so tired from the week. I am about to go take a nap. Still not feeling homesick, which is great! Apparently it starts to set in around now. Of course I miss everybody in the states tonnss :) But I have not felt homesick as of yet. I got my camara charger yesterday (YAY!!) thanks mom and dad!!! So now I can begin to take some pictures of my house, school, and town, and post them on here.
But that´s probably just friday frustration talking :)
Our director told us yesterday at dinner (amazingly good Indian food, here in Xela) (I discovered that my favorite food, chicken curry, is Indian) anyways, he told us that we are on the hardest study abroad program St. Ben´s offers. THE hardest. It was reassuring to hear that, because we are all doing relatively well, despite the total complete immersion and stress of spanish.
Today, after our daily 1:00 lunch with our families (we have school from 8-1) I went to el parque central (central park) to relax in the sun. I was approached by an old Mayan woman in traditional dress, and feet that didn´t...grow...the right way. She looked up at me (she was about 4 feet) and asked me if I could spare a quetzal. (Their equivalent of a dollar) I gave her all the spare quetzales I had in the bottom of my purse. Only about the equivalent of one American dollar, but 8 quetzales buys a few meals here. (A piece of bread at the nearest bakery, Xelapan, is about .30 Q.) The quetzales that I gave the lady seemed to make her day. She said ¨god bless you¨about 3 times before leaving.
I was also approached by a young Guatemalan, (qué guapo) asking for my number. We chatted for awhile, though I declined him my number, explaining that I have a novio in the states :)
I am so tired from the week. I am about to go take a nap. Still not feeling homesick, which is great! Apparently it starts to set in around now. Of course I miss everybody in the states tonnss :) But I have not felt homesick as of yet. I got my camara charger yesterday (YAY!!) thanks mom and dad!!! So now I can begin to take some pictures of my house, school, and town, and post them on here.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
First weekend of travel
Last weekend, our group traveled to Antigua, Guatemala. Antigua is a beautiful old city with lots of cathedrals, old convents, and museums. We explored some of the most beautiful buildings I have ever been in, and it was even more interesting to read about the history of the ruins. One of the convent's we visited was the ruins of Las Capuchinas, an old women's convent. The girls were not allowed to have contact with the outside world, and they received their meals through a revolving door. It was very interesting to actually be standing in the same places that things like this took place in. And the cool thing about Guatemalan ruins is that you can explore them. If these ruins were in the United States, there would definitely be retaining walls and roped off areas...not in these ruins. You can climb anywhere, go in any old room. It is amazingly beautiful.
On another(not so happy) note, I was sick for the first time this weekend. I think the first two weeks finally hit us, because there were quite a few people who were feeling sick. I have a relatively strong stomach, so it wasn't anything that I couldn't handle, but Sunday night I was gave up my homework for sleep. Back home with my mom's good cooking and herbal tea and "yerba buena" (good herb) that she puts in everything, I was better in no time. I found out the other day that my mom actually studied herbs for three years, which is quite interesting and helpful!! There's a Guatemalan remedy for everything. Except canker sores. Which I seem to constantly have, because I eat lime juice with EVERYthing. (And, family, you know how prone my mouth is to canker sores.) Que terible! I do not enjoy it. But oh well! Such is life. I am glad to be back to full health (minus the canker sores) haha.
That's all I have time for for now, love you all!
On another(not so happy) note, I was sick for the first time this weekend. I think the first two weeks finally hit us, because there were quite a few people who were feeling sick. I have a relatively strong stomach, so it wasn't anything that I couldn't handle, but Sunday night I was gave up my homework for sleep. Back home with my mom's good cooking and herbal tea and "yerba buena" (good herb) that she puts in everything, I was better in no time. I found out the other day that my mom actually studied herbs for three years, which is quite interesting and helpful!! There's a Guatemalan remedy for everything. Except canker sores. Which I seem to constantly have, because I eat lime juice with EVERYthing. (And, family, you know how prone my mouth is to canker sores.) Que terible! I do not enjoy it. But oh well! Such is life. I am glad to be back to full health (minus the canker sores) haha.
That's all I have time for for now, love you all!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Primer fin de semana
Last night my family took me for my first car ride in Guatemala. It was quite the experience. People drive absolutely crazily here. There are no speed limits, no stop signs, and no laws whatsoever. (About seatbelts, number of people in cars, number of people in backs of trucks, etc.) No laws. I was the only person in the entire town wearing a seatbelt, I felt like. My brother is a very good driver, but I was still being the most nervous backseat driver. El dice "Brianna, estas una chica muy nerviosa, no?" and I said "no! only when i am in a car in guatemala!" It was interesting.
Another interesting occurance of Saturday was my cousin Manuel asking me out for coffee (rather insistently) The third time he called, my host mom told him that I have a boyfriend (luckily) but I told him I'd go out with him as friends. I love exploring the city with my friends, but its quite different when you can go with natives. It's the best way to learn!
The first weekend here was quite interesting, needless to say. Friday night, we danced la salsa for 3 hours! My calves have been quite sore. Good excercise! If you guys haven't figured out by now, I have fallen in love with Salsa dancing and the reggaeton-salsa music down here. And yes Karsten i will GLADLY teach you when I get home! It's all partner dancing, and if you can dance with a Guatemalan who really knows how to dance, you're in for the experience of a lifetime. I thought I knew what dancing was before, but after only one week here I discovered I had absolutely no idea! People actually DANCE down here. I wish everyone in the United States could have the experience of dancing la salsa with a Latino. Me encanta bailar!
Another interesting occurance of Saturday was my cousin Manuel asking me out for coffee (rather insistently) The third time he called, my host mom told him that I have a boyfriend (luckily) but I told him I'd go out with him as friends. I love exploring the city with my friends, but its quite different when you can go with natives. It's the best way to learn!
The first weekend here was quite interesting, needless to say. Friday night, we danced la salsa for 3 hours! My calves have been quite sore. Good excercise! If you guys haven't figured out by now, I have fallen in love with Salsa dancing and the reggaeton-salsa music down here. And yes Karsten i will GLADLY teach you when I get home! It's all partner dancing, and if you can dance with a Guatemalan who really knows how to dance, you're in for the experience of a lifetime. I thought I knew what dancing was before, but after only one week here I discovered I had absolutely no idea! People actually DANCE down here. I wish everyone in the United States could have the experience of dancing la salsa with a Latino. Me encanta bailar!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Mi familia
I have a WONDERFUL host family. My host mother is actually a grandma, with 4 grown children (youngest is 28) and she is just great. She treats me like a grandchild, always preparing the most delicious Guatemalan food. Everything is fresh here. I eat fruit at every meal and large quantities of salads and vegetables. I also eat beans, (though not as much as I thought,) tortillas, fish, soy ¨meat¨ (cause real meat is expensive, I learned) salsa, guacamole, lots of pan tostada (toasted bread) and no desserts. Guatemalans eat fruit for desert, which is fine by me! The fruit is so fresh and my mom buys food everyday from the market. I have yet to feel the slightest bit sick, I guess i have to thank mom for an iron stomach! :)
I also consume mass amounts of food. My host mom is up every morning at 6:30, preparing my breakfast, which is at 7:30. I have eggs or broccoli and cheese wrapped with ham, and fruit with granola, and bread and tea every morning. I have learned to ask for small portions, because wasting food in Guatemala is a huge insult to the cook. I absolutely love the food and everything about it. It is a good thing for Salsa dancing, that is all I can say, or I would be a balloon already! We danced 3 nights this week, and are going back for another lesson tonight. The teacher, Alex, 20, a Guatemalteco/Californian, gives us a good workout. So far, we have yet to pay for a lesson. Alex loves salsa and he loves teaching it to the Gringos (us pale-skinned people) so he has yet to charge us. But more about Salsa later.
I have two host sisters with children, two 12 year olds, Abi and Valeria, and a 2 year old boy named Josue who calls me ¨amma¨ and is the most precious thing I have ever seen!
I have my own room, with my own bathroom (which is really nice!!) and running water!! I even have a hot shower, if I put it on a trickle! More pressure means less hot water, but by February i won´t need hot showers because it will be gorgeous out. Now is very chilly at nights and mornings, probably about 40 or 50, but it gets up to 70 during the day, and we always end up wearing tank tops. By the end of February, it will be nice all the time. The house has no insluation, and the roof is patched together with sheet metal, so whatever temperature it is outside, that is the temperature inside. I have learned to accept dirt on the floor as part of Guatemalan life. It is never clean. But it doesn´t bother me anymore. The whole living situation down here is very dependent on the climate and the outdoors, and doesn´t bother me. I have heard a couple of cats on our roof, but they just chill out up there and never bother anyone!
I just realized this is a relatively loooong post. I will write more later! Nicole and I are going to Parque Central to soak up some rays for the afternoon. Love to all!
I also consume mass amounts of food. My host mom is up every morning at 6:30, preparing my breakfast, which is at 7:30. I have eggs or broccoli and cheese wrapped with ham, and fruit with granola, and bread and tea every morning. I have learned to ask for small portions, because wasting food in Guatemala is a huge insult to the cook. I absolutely love the food and everything about it. It is a good thing for Salsa dancing, that is all I can say, or I would be a balloon already! We danced 3 nights this week, and are going back for another lesson tonight. The teacher, Alex, 20, a Guatemalteco/Californian, gives us a good workout. So far, we have yet to pay for a lesson. Alex loves salsa and he loves teaching it to the Gringos (us pale-skinned people) so he has yet to charge us. But more about Salsa later.
I have two host sisters with children, two 12 year olds, Abi and Valeria, and a 2 year old boy named Josue who calls me ¨amma¨ and is the most precious thing I have ever seen!
I have my own room, with my own bathroom (which is really nice!!) and running water!! I even have a hot shower, if I put it on a trickle! More pressure means less hot water, but by February i won´t need hot showers because it will be gorgeous out. Now is very chilly at nights and mornings, probably about 40 or 50, but it gets up to 70 during the day, and we always end up wearing tank tops. By the end of February, it will be nice all the time. The house has no insluation, and the roof is patched together with sheet metal, so whatever temperature it is outside, that is the temperature inside. I have learned to accept dirt on the floor as part of Guatemalan life. It is never clean. But it doesn´t bother me anymore. The whole living situation down here is very dependent on the climate and the outdoors, and doesn´t bother me. I have heard a couple of cats on our roof, but they just chill out up there and never bother anyone!
I just realized this is a relatively loooong post. I will write more later! Nicole and I are going to Parque Central to soak up some rays for the afternoon. Love to all!
¡Bienvenidos a Xela!
Welcome to Xela! (Pronounced ¨shay-la¨ and short for Quetzaltenango, Guatemala).
I have been living it Guatemala for 5 days now, and have already adapted wonderfully to the people, the food, the town, and the climate!! The Spanish? That is coming. Already within 5 days of being here, my Spanish has improved leaps and bounds. I can now carry on conversations with my teacher, host family, (which is the hardest, because they don´t understand the phrase ¨Uh....what?¨)
I also know how to successfully bargain while purchasing phones, food, and clothing in Xela. I bought a cell phone for 200 Quetzales, which is about 21 U.S. Dollars with the exchange rate of 7.90 to one. ¡Me encanta!
To sum up my Guatemalan experience thus far, it has been full of 3 things. Español, Guatemalan food, and dancing.
I have been living it Guatemala for 5 days now, and have already adapted wonderfully to the people, the food, the town, and the climate!! The Spanish? That is coming. Already within 5 days of being here, my Spanish has improved leaps and bounds. I can now carry on conversations with my teacher, host family, (which is the hardest, because they don´t understand the phrase ¨Uh....what?¨)
I also know how to successfully bargain while purchasing phones, food, and clothing in Xela. I bought a cell phone for 200 Quetzales, which is about 21 U.S. Dollars with the exchange rate of 7.90 to one. ¡Me encanta!
To sum up my Guatemalan experience thus far, it has been full of 3 things. Español, Guatemalan food, and dancing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
