La Guardería (daycare)!

el 22 de junio 2011

I woke up at 7:15 this morning still thinking about the movie from the night before. I got ready for school and had cornflakes with milk and a banano (yes, that is what they are called here). I went to school at 8 and chatted with people until the bell rang for class to start. We went over my homework and then we reviewed all the prepositions. It was completely review, but we incorporated a lot of conversation into it. We talked a lot about Guatemalan holidays and schools. During the break, I checked my email, got some hot tea (which actually did help warm me up), and spent the rest of the break in my classroom reading. After the break, we continued talking and I also read some short stories for children. They were very easy.

After school, I checked my email again and asked more questions about the activity for the afternoon. They were going to Las Cumbres which is a sauna and spa. It is about 45 - 60 minutes away. I didn´t really have the desire to go, although many people from the school recommended that I go. They were also showing a movie about the mines in Guatemala at 4. I went home and Sandy was giving Spanish classes through Skype. I was really hungry, so I helped myself to two slices of bread and made a sandwich with the peanut butter I brought. I also had some dried fruit and a granola bar. I read some of my book and then I got ready to go visit my friends at the daycare from last year. I checked my email and saw that I had a message from Holly saying that she would like to go with me. I sent her a message saying that I would come by and get her.

I walked to Holly´s place and then we headed to the daycare. Surprisingly, I did not get lost at all, even though it is kind of hard to find and I had always walked there from my house. A girl came to the door and I asked for Elisa. She went and got her. Elisa remembered me and let us in. Yadira, her daughter, was there, as was Juanita, the cook. They were happy to see me. I introduced Holly and we chatted for a while (all in Spanish, of course). I had brought pictures from last year and I gave them to Juanita and Elisa. They liked them a lot. It was good to see them again. Most of the children I knew were gone. Rosy Bella, the 9 month old baby from last year moved to Nicaragua. Estephani, Victor, and Katy go somewhere else since Victor and Estephani are too old to go to the daycare now. Carlitos was there, as was Jimmy. There was also a new boy named Juanito. Jonathan was there, too. After a bit, Elisa wrote down the address for me to give to my school in case someone else would like to volunteer there. We were getting ready to go so I could make it to the movie about the mines, but Holly wanted to ask if she could volunteer there a few days. Elisa had gone to her office, so we had to wait for her to come back before she could ask.

By the time we left, it was too late for me to go to the movie, so Holly and I went to the Dispensa (the grocery store) and I took more money out of the ATM to pay for the second week of class. I also had my first ice cream since I´ve been here. It was a mandarin flavored nieve, which is kind of like a sherbet. I walked Holly back to her place (since I had an umbrella and she did not) and then I headed home. I read more of my book and then I got to talk to Laura and Tammy simultaneously. Tammy was stuck in the Houston airport. I hope she makes it back to Chicago tonight. Sandy came back. I helped her cook dinner (refried black beans which we cooked with garlic and onion). Then we ate. We also had shecas (which are big rolls) with the black beans and eggs fried over a piece of lunch meat. Sandy and Gabby also added Philadelphia Cream Cheese to their shecas. After dinner, I had a message from Andrea that some people were going to meet at Bajo La Luna (Under the Moon) at 7 or 7:30. We had talked about meeting to watch the Copa de Oro fútbol game between Mexico and Honduras. I walked there, but they were not there yet. As I was leaving, I saw their group coming. The restaurant did not have a TV to watch the game, so I sat there and chatted while they ate dinner. We were a group of seven people: three from the U.S., two from England, one from Holland, and one from Finland. Andrea and Holly shared a cheese and fruit platter. The cheeses were very strong and no one liked them much. After they finished eating, they were heading to a bar to watch the game. I was tired and I still have homework to do, so I decided to go back home.

I said goodnight to Sandy who was heading for bed and then I went to write my blog. As I was writing on my bed, I saw the man who opens the door moving Sandy´s stuff out of her room. I was so confused. Gabby and Sandy were taking loads, as well. I asked where they were going and Sandy said they are moving to another apartment next door to mine. At first, I thought they were just moving to the other hallway, but they will actually not be in my apartment at all. I am so confused! I also wonder what this will do to meals. Spanish immersion is not that great if I am basically living by myself in the midst of strangers who either speak English or do not talk to me at all. I wonder if it is too late to get a host family for my last week in Xela...