I have now been here in Xela for 6 weeks... its so funny to think back to my first day when time went by sooo slowly as I was adjusting to the culture and the language. I am now getting ready to head to Honduras on Friday morning. We plan on taking a private shuttle (safer and makes it easier to cross the Guatemala/Honduras border) and leaving around 4:30 AM. I am now done with language school (Friday was my last day) and so this week and I am just hanging out, reviewing my notes and enjoying Xela. The Independence Day of Guatemala is this Tuesday, September 15th, so this weekend and upcoming week are full of different events including fairs, battle of the bands, parades, etc.
My Wednesday nights, the past few weeks, have been busy and tiring but OH so fun! I am still playing soccer with the kids from the hogar here in Xela with the Quetzaltrekkers. Afterwards I meet up with some of my community members and we've gone salsa dancing every Wednesday and Friday nights with a few of the Sakribal teachers. Carlos is a WORLD champion salsa dancer while Luis is a National Champion salsa dancer. Needless to say, its a lot of fun dancing with the two of them and their friends because they all know what they're doing and make you feel like you're an awesome salsa dancer. HAHA.
Last weekend I had the privilege to attend a Quincinera (spelling?) with my teacher, Ana Luz. She is the beautiful, petite Guatemalan in one of the pictures I posted last week. If you have ever seen the show "My Sweet 16" on MTV... being at that fiesta made me feel like I was in that show. Everything was ALL OUT! The hall was massive, there were over 200 people in attendance and the Quincinera felt very much like a wedding. It was also an amazing experience for me because I was the ONLY "gringa" in attendance. I have never experienced being the minority in a group of people. It was very awkward at points having everyone staring at me and whispering to one another. However, It was an experience I am very grateful for. That experience opened my eyes to a little of what minorities in the U.S. experience.
Last Sunday I went to the Xelaju futbol game. Another awesome experience! We sat in what felt like the "student section" at a UD Flyers basketball game. Everyone was up and cheering! People were climbing on the fence in front of us waving the Xela flag and lighting the other teams jersey on fire... CRAZY! After half time, it began to POUR and we all continued to dance and cheer. Eventually, after we were all sopping wet, we realized that we could purchase blankets of colorful plastic to use as shelter so we crammed about 4 of us underneath one and continued to cheer Xelaju on to victory!
Last night, six of us from the Amigos community, went to another Quincinera for the daughter of one of the teachers at Sakribal. We first attended the Mass which was a beautiful experience as we watched how happy the family was as their youngest daughter became a woman within the Latino culture. After the Mass we all went to the reception where we enjoyed delicious food, dancing, cake and great company. This Quincinera was more of my kind of party. Dora, the teacher at Sakribal, made all of the decorations, all of the food and it was a much smaller group of about 50 people.
We left and walked through the rain to find a shuttle back home. In the shuttle we were alone with a family (the father was driving with the mother in the front seat and the grandma and kids in the back of the shuttle with us). The kids (ages 5-9) had NEVER seen Americans before and were so excited to show us how they knew how to count to ten in English. Too cute. I swear, every child I've encountered here in Guatemala is more beautiful than the next.
Once reaching Parque Central, we went to a bar (Ohala) for drinks and just to wind down the evening.
I'm looking forward to having this week to relax and just enjoy my last week in Xela. Sakribal is planning on having a big going away party for us on Thursday night. My teachers in Sakribal now feel like family and its going to be weird to say goodbye to all of them. At the going away party we're expected to each give a speech in Spanish so I'm excited but a bit nervous to give mine. As sad as I am to leave the people I've met here in Xela, I'm really looking forward to moving on to Honduras and starting what I've come here to do. It's weird thinking about the fact that I'm not going back home this next weekend but instead going on to Honduras for 14 months. However, I'm really looking forward to meeting up with the current Amigos volunteers in Copan Ruinas and heading to the Amigos property next Saturday. I'm really excited to meet all the boys!
I'll be sure to write another blog before I leave since once I get to Honduras I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update this blog.
As always, I hope you are all well and happy. I continue to pray for all of those specific intentions some of you have sent my way. Please keep them coming and thank you for all of your support!
All my love,
Kate
No comments:
Post a Comment