Good and Bad Days
Trip Start
May 23, 2007
1
6
22
Trip End
Oct 03, 2007
Quetzaltenango,
Guatemala
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
I have been very busy since my last entry. Last Friday I took the local bus for the first time. All I can say is different. I still canīt quite figure out how you know where you can get on and off because they donīt have signs posted in most places. Fine for the locals, but confusing for me and of course there isnīt a map or pamphlet of instructions. I made it to the centro of Xela and officially signed up for Spanish classes and found a place to live in town. All in about one hour. I was amazed.
After lunch and exploring I thought I would drop by the atm and head back to La Esperanza. Finding an atm that would work for cirrus was the major task of the day. I walked by all the banks and tried some atms. I then went into a bank in the best Spanish I could speak found out where a bank was I could use my card at. Of course it wasnīt close. So I took the bus to the mall area and couldnīt find that bank, but I walked around the mall and finally found an atm I could use.
Back in La Esperanza I had to tell the family that I was leaving the next day for my own place. Of course I cried since I always get emotional. It was hard to leave them when they had been so wonderful the past 10 days, but they are so far from all the resources I need when I donīt have a car. They knew that I was sad to leave, but they knew I was only staying temporarily.
Saturday the father drove me to my new apartment. I quickly made friends with some people from California and they gave me pointers on where things are and how the apartment works like how to light the gas water heater everytime before you take a shower.
Sunday I went to La Esperanza for church at 4pm. I incorrectly assumed I already had the bus system down and I got on the right type of bus only going in the opposite route from where I needed to be. I definately saw the whole city in one hour and made it about 5 minutes late for church, but since I am in Central America church hadnīt even started yet. Two hours later we were greeting each other and leaving. I was able to meet the Methodist Missionaries in Guatemala and they live here in Xela. She gave me her card if I need anything and she wants me to teach her husband English.
Today I had my first Spanish class and I am amazed anybody has known what I have been saying because my Spanish is terrible! My classes with my students also went very well. But just when you are starting to feel like you have the swing of things of course something brings you back to reality that you still have to be careful and pay attention. I had gotten a cell phone last week because it is the cheapest way to communicate here and abroad and so many people have them that it is hard to find pay phones. Well not even a week later mine was stolen right out of my bag on the bus. It could have been much worse and it taught me that I canīt let my guard down.
I am still adjusting to where things are and how to barter for things like fruit on the street. I still have a lot of things to figure out, but I guess I have plenty of time to learn. Keep thinking about me as things still are rough at times and I definately miss home.
Later,
dianaj25
Comments
Hello from Des Moines
Keep up the good work and don't let those little things get in your way of the larger mission (I know you won't). Your cell phone may have been stolen here at home as well.
Anyway - glad to hear that you are doing well and getting settled. Having your own place will give you some flexibility - just remember to immerse yourself in the culture.
Can't wait to hear more.