Reflections...

Time to reflect....

I'm sick today, so I'm sitting in my bed drinking Pedialyte thinking about my experience in Xela so far. It's nice to have time to reflect, even if it means having a headache and needing to make multiple trips to el bano.

I am amazed by the great people I've met here so far...both Guatemaltecos and extranjeros. I was talking with a new friend tonight about the importance of community and how we both feel lucky to have found people here in Guatemala that are becoming part of our communities. It's so important to be surrounded by supportive people, and I'm so thankful to feel that I have that both at home and here in Guatemala.

So a few highlights so far...
There are a lot of fun things to do here in Xela as well as out of town. At some point, I think I'm going to go to Lake Atitlan and definitely to Fuentes Georginas--the hot springs. But in town, there are some great restaurants, coffeehouses and bars. My favorite coffeehouse here, El Cuartito (the little room), is having an anniversary party this week. So they have djs and live musicians and dancing...so fun. And a volunteer organization, Entremundos, is having a benefit party this friday--I can't wait.

The school is really amazing. My classes are great. I'm learning a lot, and my teacher and I have had some great discussions. Yesterday we talked about politics and the economic situations in Guatemala and the US. Assuming I understood her Spanish correctly, she was telling me about how the government here is extremely corrupt, and because of that many businesses don't pay tax and/or don't report their earnings correctly because they don't have any evidence that their tax money actually goes to help the people in the form of healthcare, education, etc. It's a tough situation...

I also got to hear first hand stories of people traveling to and living in the US illegally to avoid fighting in the civil war. It's just incredible....for them, it's normal life. And the recovery from the war has been terribly difficult as well. I hope to learn more about this while I am here...

Then there are the students that I teach Art and English to. They are so sweet and loving and make me cute gifts. There are the mischevious boys who like to sneak out of class or shut the lights off, there are the sweet girls that are really shy and smiley, and then there's the little one, Wanda, who's voice is just audible enough to break my heart...unbelievably cute. It's a good challenge for me, occupationally, emotionally and also educationally as I have to speak spanish in the classroom with the kids. It's great being able to practice and use this language that I am learning and falling in love with...

I was talking with my new friend the other night about our reasons for being here. We connect on many topics, but what she said really fit me well: *many people go on trips like this with specific questions they want answered, and if they don't find the answers, it can be quite a letdown. Though perhaps I do have some specific questions on a journey like this, more importantly I hope to find answers to questions I didn't even know I had. * This is of course paraphrased and refined to match my situation, but she put it very well. I have been wanting to do this for so many years, so it's not just a trip to learn spanish, or take a vacation or even just to get practice teaching, but it is a response of sorts to questions that have been asked of me. I can't quite put those questions into words, but I know that by coming to Guatemala I am living out an answer. It goes back to the sentiment that this trip is "just something I have to do."

Enough for now...I needed to take time to process, and I think it has been time well-spent. For now, I must sleep. And drink more Pedialyte. YUM! It's pineapple flavored.